Sehun begins with the story as he imagined it,

“Actually, it’s quite funny to think how late you came into each other’s lives. Both of you were in your last years in the university – you were ever so sure to go to law school and he, he was just going to where the wind blows; as if he was a sailor letting the wind decide what voyage he must take but, it didn’t matter anyway, Baekhyun was – and is a good a sailor, or a musician, rather.”

“Did we meet at the university? Because it was what I saw...I saw him and we talked and I didn’t get to say my name.” Chanyeol panics.

“Well, you did. I guess your reverie’s memory is accurate. You were touring me around the campus because I was a freshman that time, and then you stopped and watched this short brunette boy get yelled at by a professor. I thought it was just the usual thing you see in college not until you were gone by my side, and the next thing I see, the professor walked away and the two of you were laughing. He was such in a hurry that you forgot to tell him your name. Being a “good friend”, you told me to walk around on my own – which happened to be a good thing because that was also the time I met Luhan-“

Chanyeol cuts him off, “Luhan?”

“Man, we’re talking about you here. Luhan is a different story..." Sehun smirks as he remembers Luhan. "So, going back, you went to his classroom and waited for him outside the door. You thought it was just going to be quick because it was the beginning of the semester and who – in his proper mind – would use up 3 hours for an introduction but, you were wrong. Baekhyun’s professor discussed for almost 4 hours and you were already falling asleep by the hallway only to wake up with a soft tap on your shoulders.”

“Hey, wake up!” The guy says

Chanyeol tries to move away.

“Hey, pre-law student! Wake up!”  

Chanyeol opens his eyes and is astounded by the guy before him. His face was a little too close – his eyes glistened like stars in the dark sky, he smelled just like sunshine and vanilla, and his nose, his nose wrinkled like a puppy, and then, he sneezed.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to...I’m sorry-” Baekhyun says as he tries to rub off the remnants of his sneeze on Chanyeol’s plaid.

“It’s okay...It’s okay.” Chanyeol smiles as he touches Baekhyun’s hands to make him stop. The more he touched him, the more he couldn’t breathe; there's something that Baekhyun must have done to him.

“What are you doing here so late? I thought you’re a pre-law student. What are you doing here in my building?” Baekhyun asks obliviously.

“I was just...uh, sleeping. Yes, sleeping.” He runs out of excuses.

“Oh, okay.” Baekhyun smiles.

“I have to go now.” Chanyeol immediately stands up and walks the opposite direction from the exit.

Baekhyun laughs hysterically and so, Chanyeol turns around and says,

“What are you laughing at?”

“You” Baekhyun says as he laughs louder. Chanyeol couldn’t believe that even his laugh sounded just like music.

“Excuse me?” Chanyeol seems confused.

“You’re going the wrong way. The exits this way,” He says, pointing to the other direction, “You know what, I’ll walk you out of the building. Come on!”

Chanyeol runs as fast as he could and walks beside Baekhyun. He notices the apparent difference between their heights, the frail echoes of their footsteps were the only noise inside the building but, Baekhyun simply couldn’t keep his mouth shut,

“Chanyeol, right? I’m sorry for sneezing at you. Let me make it up to you; let’s have dinner together.” He smiles. It wasn't a question so Chanyeol did not need to answer because if ever he did need to give an answer, he wouldn't be able to say a word. He would choke under his breath for this was more than what he had expected. It was a moment worth keeping that if he could keep it inside his pocket, he would.

If he could keep him in his pocket, he would.

“Then, you two started dating. You became officially together during the second and final semester of your college lives. You were telling all your plans to Baehyun. That, you wanted to be lawyer and work for the people, for the masses – for the government, and that’s when it hit him; he knew all along that he was going to lose you one way or another.”

“But, I was going to lose him too. What was I thinking?!” Chanyeol tells Sehun.

“That’s what lawyers are made of, hyung. You were always so firm with your beliefs, your dreams, your visions. Soon, the opportunity to leave – and forget – came perfectly in time. Baekhyun, was invited to teach-“

“In London, right? And he didn’t tell me but, I found out. I did!” Chanyeol excitedly exclaims.

“You did, hyung. You did. But, you didn’t stop him.”

“I didn’t?”

“A week after graduation, we surprised Baekhyun as a congratulatory gift. You knew how much he loved sunsets and so, you brought him to the meadows. The one, you stopped by while we were going to the beach. You blindfolded him and when the sunset came, you removed it and stood behind him. You watched him wallow in the sunset as the sun’s rays-“

Chanyeol continues, “Strikes his hair.”

“Well, yes. You let him watch it. Breathing in  silence,  Luhan and I watched the two of you. You, who was staring at someone you love, and Baekhyun, who was staring at the sunset’s glory. You called him out, and asked him to go home but, he didn’t want to.”

“Chanyeol, I don’t want to go home just yet. If we go home now, all of this will be over. Can’t you see it? Why are you turning away? What good of a lawyer will you be if you keep running away from the truth?”

“The truth?”

“Yes, Chanyeol...The truth because as soon as we walk away from the meadows,” Baekhyun intertwines his hand with Chanyeol’s, “we’re also walking away from this...” He looks down at their hands.

Chanyeol walk towards the highway, leading the way – just like what he saw in his memory session. As soon as they reached the end, he says, “Baekhyun, I’m letting you go.”

“What?”

“You’re going to leave soon, and I know that once I enter law school, I mean after a few years, I’m going to have to forget you, and I don’t want that to happen. I don’t want you to walk in front of my house thinking of the boy who would hold your hand and kiss your forehead and protect you from all your little mishaps. I don’t want you to belong in the same town as me, to go to the same places, and to remember the same things alone. I don’t want to see you inside a coffee shop and think of you as a stranger. I don’t want to...”

Tears were falling down Baekhyun’s face but, he fights it with a smile, “Oh, Chanyeol but, I want to. I want to sit next to you inside the train and just look at you. I want to see you at the park, reading the same book because you think that’s the first time you do. I want to, Chanyeol. That’s my job – to be forgotten, and I am ever so willing to take that position even if it means that I will never get forehead kisses, 3 am coffee runs, and sunsets like this.”

“Baekhyun, please just forget me...” Chanyeol could feel his eyes welling up so he crosses the road first.

Baekhyun follows him and envelops him in a tight hug, “Chanyeol...”

Chanyeol hugs him tighter, “Baekhyun...Please do.”

“But we went home anyway, I was driving and Luhan was on the passenger side. The two of you were seated at the back and while we were on our way home, I heard it all – how you told him that he should forget you but, he wouldn’t say yes, and then one day he showed up to your doorstep, and finally agreed. It was a bittersweet moment for you and most of all, for him.”

“It still is.” Chanyeol smiles painfully.

“It happened a few days before he left. We brought him to Junmyeon’s father because their business was the best in town. His memories became as pricey as that of the other famous artists like Do Kyungsoo and Kim Jongin. Only those who are well-off could acquire his memories, mostly people from the higher end - people from the government.”

“Thank you, Baekhyun...For everything.” Chanyeol kisses Baekhyun’s forehead for the last time.

Everything was set, all he had to do was to close his eyes.

“Until then, Chanyeol...Until then.” He squeezes Chanyeol’s stubby fingers before the latter leaves the room.  His lips were the last thing he felt, and his eyes were the last thing he saw. Silent I love you’s were whispered into thin air but, goodbyes were all that they could hear.  

“Then, we brought him to the airport together with his family.” Sehun says

“And that was the first time he saw me as a stranger...” Chanyeol ends the story.