Dino froze for a fraction of a second as Hibari's sharp voice cut through the tension. His grip on Hibari's wrist loosened, but his frustration didn't subside. He could see the faint tremble in Hibari's fingers and the way the blood dripped from his cuts onto the floor. It made his chest tighten painfully, but Hibari's defiance only fed the fire burning inside him.

"Kyoya," Dino said, his voice low, strained with an edge of desperation, "why do you always have to be so damn stubborn?"

Hibari yanked his wrist free, standing abruptly. "If you have time to scold me, you have time to leave me alone," he muttered, his voice clipped. His dark eyes were cold as they met Dino's, but something else lingered there—something Dino couldn't name.

Dino stood as well, fists clenching at his sides. "Leave you alone? You're bleeding all over the place, and you want me to just walk away? I care about you, Kyoya!"

The words hung in the air, heavy and raw. For a moment, Hibari didn't respond. His eyes flicked to Dino's face, scanning his expression with an unreadable gaze.

"I didn't ask for that," Hibari said quietly, his tone more detached now, almost as if he were closing himself off.

The statement cut deeper than Dino expected. He stepped back, exhaling shakily as he ran a hand through his hair. "You never ask for anything, do you?" he muttered, his voice softer now but no less tense.

Hibari didn't respond. Instead, he turned toward the sink, rinsing his hands under the running water. The silence between them was deafening. Dino stood there, watching him, torn between his anger and the ache in his chest.

After a moment, Hibari turned off the tap and grabbed a towel. His movements were calm and deliberate, but Dino could see the stiffness in his shoulders.

"I'll clean the rest," Hibari said without looking at him. "Go."

Dino opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself. Something about Hibari's tone—firm but subdued—made him hesitate. He let out a sharp breath and stepped away, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

He walked out of the kitchen, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing back. Hibari stood there, his back to Dino, his figure framed by the dim light of the kitchen.

--

The hours stretched on after their argument, and the air in the house felt thick with tension. Dino sat on the sofa, staring at the blank screen of the TV. The sound was muted, and he found himself absentmindedly flicking through channels, but his mind refused to focus. Each channel seemed to make him feel more detached from the world around him.

He couldn't shake the heaviness in his chest, the nagging feeling that he had to do something, say something, but the words never came. His head kept circling back to the same thought: Should I really call things off?

His thoughts were cut off when he found his hand reaching for the bedroom door. The question had formed before he even realized it. Why not just knock?

"Hey, Kyoya. May I come in?" he asked, his voice betraying the uncertainty gnawing at him. He stood in the doorway, waiting for Hibari's response. The silence was suffocating. Hibari didn't answer, and for a moment, Dino thought about turning around and leaving.

But instead, he pushed the door open, and the words spilled out before he could stop them. "How's your wound? I'll help you put medicine on it..."

Hibari was sitting on the edge of the bed, his expression unreadable, eyes scanning the floor. He didn't say anything at first, just silently held out his injured hand, as if he were offering it to Dino without a second thought.

Dino stepped forward cautiously, his heartbeat quickening. He didn't want to make it worse, didn't want to feel like he was invading Hibari's space, but the need to do something right, to fix it, was too strong to ignore.

He gently took Hibari's hand in his, noticing the slight tremor in his fingers, something Dino hadn't seen before. Carefully, Dino cleaned the wound, making sure not to cause any more pain. The silence between them was thick, both of them avoiding eye contact, but the air still felt charged.

As Dino applied the bandage, his hands moved almost automatically, his focus entirely on Hibari's injury, yet his mind was a swirl of frustration and confusion. He didn't know what he was doing anymore, what this relationship was supposed to be.

Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, Dino said quietly, "Kyoya... maybe we should call this off."

His voice cracked slightly, betraying the turmoil in his chest. His fingers paused for a moment as he finished tying the bandage, his grip loosening. He felt Hibari stiffen under his touch.

Hibari didn't respond right away, but Dino could see it—the slight shake in his hands, the way his shoulders tensed, even as he kept his head turned toward the window. For someone as composed as Hibari, it was a clear sign he'd been caught off guard.

Dino lingered for a moment, hoping for some kind of response, but none came. He let out a shaky breath, gently releasing Hibari's hand. His fingers lingered for a moment longer than they should have, and then he stepped back, his heart heavy.

"You should be more careful," Dino muttered, standing up. "I'll leave you to rest."

Hibari still didn't respond, and Dino couldn't bear to stay any longer. He turned toward the door, his fists clenched at his sides, frustration and heartbreak swirling inside him.

As he walked out, he paused in the doorway, glancing back one last time. Hibari remained seated on the bed, unmoving, his eyes still fixed on the window. For a fleeting second, Dino thought he might say something, anything. But the room stayed quiet, and Dino stepped out.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving him standing alone in the hallway. His chest felt heavy, and all he wanted was for everything to make sense again. But right now, nothing seemed clear.