Darkness.

Silence.

Death.

Chen heard Minseok banging on the door to get in but he ignored him. Chen looked at the picture in his hands and felt another wave of grief wash over him.

“Chen open the door!” Minseok cried out.

“Kim Jongdae open this door!” He heard his mother scream.

Chen ignored them all and closed his eyes, he cradled the picture to his chest and fell back asleep.

ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。

 “I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable-” Baekhyun frowned and put his phone away. Chen had been ignoring his calls all day and he and Minseok weren’t at school. He shook his head and headed towards the cafeteria to meet Chanyeol and the others.

“Hey Soo!” Baekhyun slid up to Kyungsoo at lunch, when Kyungsoo didn’t respond Baekhyun looked at him to find him crying. Kai was staring at the wall in shock, silent tears ran down his face. Chanyeol stood near Kai his face was full or worry. “Kyungsoo!?”

“What?” Kyungsoo’s voice came out scratchy and his eyes weren’t focused.

“What’s wrong!?” Baekhyun pulled Kyungsoo into a tight hug.

“It’s…” Kyungsoo couldn’t even finish before he broke into sobs. Kai’s head snapped up and he made his way to pull Kyungsoo into his lap, the two began to sob together.

“What’s happened!?” Baekhyun’s chest started to tighten and he felt his breathing start to speed up.

“It’s Chen.” Kyungsoo managed to sputter out. Baekhyun felt himself go lightheaded and before he could fall Chanyeol was supporting him.

“What happened here?” Chanyeol asked. Baekhyun felt the room start to spin and he managed to fall into a chair. “What about Chen?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t already know…” The four looked to see Hunny and Mori dressed in all black. Hunny looked like he just finished crying and Mori’s mouth was in a tight line. “I’m actually shocked Chen didn’t tell you two. How did you two know?”

“Minseok told us.” Kai whispered. Hunny nodded before turning to face Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

“Chen and I…our great grandmother passed away last Friday.” Hunny explained. Baekhyun sat in shock, he couldn’t feel anything. Baekhyun was numb and silent. Baekhyun knew that Chen and Hunny were close to the old women and he could only imagine how they were dealing with it. “Chen took it harder than I did…I knew this was coming but Chen…he…he never imagined that this would happen. Chen refused to believe she was close to death even when she forgot who everyone was.”

“He took it hard.” Mori said, his deep voice startling everyone.

“Minseok stayed with him while our parents help with the arrangements.” Hunny said, a tear fell from his left eye and rolled down his cheek.

“Holy …” Chanyeol whispered.

“We have to go see him!” Baekhyun suddenly stood up, the chair he was on fell to the ground. “Chen was really close to his great grandmother and he needs our support!”

“What’s your plan?” Hunny asked, a small smile graced his face.

“Chanyeol you gather everyone and we’ll take the rest of the day off to go and help Chen feel better!” Baekhyun said. “We have to make him happier and not as sad!”

“Yes sir!” Chanyeol leaned forward and kissed Baekhyun’s cheek before he ran off.

ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。

“Chen you have to come out.” Chen heard Minseok call out from the other side of the door. Chen sat on his bed in the dark and stared at the wall. He felt empty and broken. Chan had never felt this alone despite all the people who wanted to be there for him. Minseok was outside his door just begging to be let in and Baekhyun called him nonstop all morning. The only thing that crossed his mind was that she was gone. She was gone and she didn’t remember who Chen was. Chen would never forget the day he walked into the hospital only for her to ask him who he was. Time was an awful thing that Chen hated deeply. Time took away his great grandmother and time was so cruel that it wouldn’t let him get the chance to say goodbye.

Chen heard Minseok pound on the door again begging to be let in, he sounded close to hysterics so Chen slowly stood up and opened the door. Minseok was on his knees in front of the door with his face in his hands. This shocked Chen, he was so lost in his own grief he failed to think about how it affected others around him. He got on his knees and pulled Minseok into a hug.

“C-chen?” Minseok wrapped his arms around Chen and pressed his face into his neck. He felt Chen’s tears hit his shirt and soak his shoulder but he didn’t care, all he cared about was the fact that Chen let him in.

“Minnie.” Chen whispered. “She’s gone. She’s gone and she forgot who I was.”

“Let it out.” Minseok rubbed Chen’s back and let him sob.

“I’ll never see her again, she’s dead!” Chen shouted, his body shook with his sobs and his breaths were short. “I looked her in the eyes just last week and she asked who I was! My great grandmother didn’t know who I was.”

“It’s okay, you know she loved you.” Minseok pulled away and kissed Chen’s tears away. “Even if her mind didn’t know you her heart did, you know she loved you until her heart stopped beating. She never stopped loving you.”

“T-thank you…” Chen kissed Minseok’s lips before pulling him into another hug. “I love you so much, so ing much.”

“I love you too, and she did and still does.” Minseok pulled them both up and they walked downstairs to the living room. “I know this will take time but I want you to know that I’ll be with you every step of the way. You don’t have to be alone, in fact I’d rather you not be alone.”

“I can’t guarantee that.” Chen said. The two sat on the couch and cuddled close. “Min…”

“What is it?” Minseok looked up at Chen. “Do you wanna cry some more?”

“C-can I?” Chen’s voice broke, Minseok smiled at him and Chen started crying again. Chen cried for twenty minutes before falling asleep.

“Poor baby.” Minseok Chen’s hair out of his face with a small smile. “It’ll all be okay.”

“Thank you for being here with him.” Minseok looked up as Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Fox walked in, both women had no makeup on and tear stains covering their cheeks. “He really needed someone to lean on.”

“But if he locks you out again feel free to yell at him.” Mrs. Fox smiled. “He has a thick head and sometimes he shuts people out when he needs it.”

“He’s not the only one.” Mrs. Kim gave Mrs. Fox a side glance. “He gets it from you.”

“Mom!” Baekhyun burst through the door with the others in tow. He looked at the couch to see Chen’s head resting in Minseok’s lap.

“What is it?” Mrs. Kim looked at Baekhyun with a slightly worried face.

“Why aren’t you in school!?” Mrs. Fox asked Hunny.

“We want to throw Chen a small something to make him feel better!” Baekhyun shouted, his face was red and tears were still running down his face. Everyone was silent as he started to break down. “H-he didn’t tell us anything! We just want to be there for him.”

“Baekhyun…” Mrs. Kim glanced at her son before walking over to pull Baekhyun into a hug. “What do you have in mind?”

ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。

Chen felt someone gently pat his face and he woke up to see Kai smiling at him.

“You’re finally up!” Kai smiled. “I thought you were going to sleep longer than I do for a second there!”

“What are you-?” Chen furrowed his brows.

“I was told to come wake you up, Kyungsoo kicked me out of the kitchen and Baekhyun didn’t want me touching his art work.” Kai explained. “Come with me!”

Chen followed Kai out of the living room and towards the game room. Kai stopped at the doors leading to the game room and turned to pull Chen into a hug.

“I know we aren’t as close as you and Baekhyun but if anything happens again I want you to know that I’ll be there to listen to you.” Kai said, he sounded close to tears. “Promise me you won’t scare us like that again.”

“I-I promise…” Chen said, he was at a loss for words.

“Good now let’s go.”

Kai opened the door and Chen was pulled into fifty different hugs, everyone made him promise the same thing he promised Kai. Chen started crying not long after but this time from happiness. The happiness of having friends there to suffer with him, the happiness of suffering together.

ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。

“I hope you know we all love you.” Chen smiled as Lay sat next to him.

“I know…” Chen said. “I’m sorry for not telling you all.”

“Don’t be sorry, we aren’t mad about that at all.” Lay sighed. “I guess if anything we’re upset that you just locked everyone out. Hunny told us that you spent two days locked away in your room and you wouldn’t see anyone. Minseok was worried you’d hurt yourself.”

“I couldn’t stand to be near anyone at that time.” Chen said. “I wanted to be alone just to cry and think.”

“That’s fine…just…next time let someone know. Don’t just push everyone away like that.” Lay hugged Chen. “We were worried about you.”

“I know…thank you.” Chen said, Lay kissed Chen’s cheek and they both stood up.

“Don’t thank me…just go comfort Baekhyun he needs it.” Chen nodded and Lay watched him run towards Baekhyun.

“That was nice of you to say.” Suho said as he walked over.

“Thanks…look I’m sorry about how I treated you the other day.” Lay apologized. “I shouldn’t have ignored you.”

“Don’t be sorry, you had every right to be upset.” Suho smiled. “You thought I was teasing you and ignoring your feelings, I’d be upset too.”

“Wait thought?” Lay’s eyes widened and when he turned to face Suho their lips brushed. Lay tried to get up and run to hide his blush but Suho grabbed his wrist to keep him in place.

“Yes thought.” Suho let out a chuckle, his face and neck were completely red. “I really do want to date you Lay…”

“I-”

“Okay look you like him and he likes you, it’s official.” Kris said, the two jumped apart. “Tao and I have been watching this for a while and it’s dumb how you two sneak around each other about your feelings for one another.”

“You’d think you two would catch a hint by now.” Tao said.

“You’re one to talk.” Lay muttered.

“H-how about we take it slow?” Suho offered. “Lay…will you go on a date with me next week?”

“I’d love too.” Lay smiled.

“I got that on film!” Sehun shouted from across the room.

ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。

So I want to thank everyone for their kind messages for me after my great grandmother died. I know it’s been a lot longer than a few days but school happened and I just got so distracted. If you want to know more about my break I have a blog post about it here (X)

Anyway, it was my birthday on the 17^th so I’m now 19…that’s a scary thought.

This part means a lot to me as I worded in a comment the other day and I think it fits really well so I’m going to use it again; “Baekhyun is basically people like you, everyone that commented and told me to feel better. Minseok is my Squish who I recently learned shares my feelings so I have a mutual platonic love and it's...it's amazing. Everything has a meaning in this chapter, and this might be one of my favorite chapters for this story because I'm putting every ounce of feelings I have into it and I'm so freaking thankful to everyone. So thank you again, thank you for caring.”

Seriously it means so much that so many of you cared and I cried for a bit while talking to my Squish about it.

Have a beautiful day!

~Lizzy

Next time:
Christmas Special/One Year Special