Location: Seoul National University Hospital
Time: 1 year later, 2023

“What are we doing here?” Baekhyun whined. “Tying up loose ends,” Chanyeol replied. Baekhyun frowned in confusion. Minji was at the nurse’s station as they stepped off of the elevator. She looked the same as the last time they saw her many years ago. She looked up with a smile spreading across her face, “Chanyeol? Baekhyun? What are you doing here?!” she squealed. Both of the boys chuckled and exchanged hugs with Minji.

“After everything that you did for us, we wanted to bring you these,” he said, handing her a bouquet of flowers. “And to say thank you to all of the staff and doctors who took such good care of us, we wanted to donate this,” Chanyeol continued, handing Minji an envelope. Minji opened the envelope and gasped at the generous amount written on the check, “That’s a lot of money!” “Nothing we can’t afford, and it’s really the least we can do,” Baekhyun added.

“Wow, I really don’t know what to say,” she whispered, “Thank you so much.” “You don’t have to say anything,” Chanyeol said kindly, “but while we’re here, is there any chance that Room 61 is clear?” Minji looked at Chanyeol in surprise before her face calmed into an expression of understanding. Baekhyun saw the strange look being exchanged between Minji and Chanyeol. It puzzled him but he let it go.

“It is actually, take as long as you need,” she said with a smile. “Thank you,” Chanyeol replied as he grabbed Baekhyun’s hand and started dragging him down the hallway. Baekhyun was not thrilled about going to this room again but Chanyeol was leading him and he would follow Chanyeol to the ends of the Earth if he asked. They stopped in front of the door - Baekhyun’s chest tightened at the horrible memory of when he first saw that door.

He closed his eyes as Chanyeol opened the door and led him inside. Baekhyun opened his eyes and looked around at all of the familiar sights. The room had barely changed since he was last there to visit Sehun. Chanyeol shut the door behind them as Baekhyun tightened his fingers around Chanyeol’s. Baekhyun shivered, “I have nothing but bad memories of this place,” he said softly. “I know,” Chanyeol whispered, “and that’s why we’re here.”

“You didn’t bring me in here to have did you?” Baekhyun said with raised eyebrows. “What? No! Ahh! That’s not what I meant,” Chanyeol said, grimacing. “Then why are we in here?” Baekhyun asked warily. Chanyeol sat down on the bed and patted next to him. Baekhyun hesitantly sat down beside him. “We are here because we’ve never really talked about what happened that night.” Baekhyun tilted his head, and softened his gaze at Chanyeol.

“I know you still have nightmares Baek…I hear you sometimes at night.” Baekhyun blushed. “But that’s nothing you need to be ashamed of,” Chanyeol added quickly, “It shows me how much you care. But the last thing that I want is for you to keep carrying this pain around. I think if we talk about what happened, it will make those memories less upsetting for you.”

“Here, face me,” Chanyeol said, turning to sit cross-legged on the bed so that he was facing Baekhyun. Baekhyun did the same as Chanyeol reached for his hands, linking their fingers together. Baekhyun smiled at the notion. They had only recently started holding hands in public so Baekhyun still got giddy whenever Chanyeol reached out for his hands. Chanyeol smiled and looked deep into Baekhyun’s eyes, “Tell me, what is your strongest memory from then?”

Baekhyun bit his lip and shifted his gaze to his lap, “When the doctor almost pronounced you dead,” Baekhyun shuddered. “I thought so,” Chanyeol said quietly. “You know, I have nightmares too.” Baekhyun looked at him with a look of confusion. “Not about me, but about you.” Baekhyun let out a small gasp in shock from Chanyeol’s admission. “The day of the car crash, I was sitting in the waiting room praying that you didn’t end up in this room. I was so afraid that if you did, fate would not be kind to us anymore and you would die in here. Wouldn’t that be something cruel? All of my near misses for you to end up being the one to not come out of here alive.”

“How come you never told me this?” Baekhyun asked quietly. “I thought that I was just over reacting. But I realize now that I wasn’t because I’m still afraid of that happening. But I don’t want to keep being afraid, Baekhyun. We have been through so much that I just want to let go of all of those bad memories. I thought that maybe if we came back here and made a happy memory here then we would move on.” “What kind of happy memory? Baekhyun asked with a growing smile.

Chanyeol chuckled, “Something good had to have happened in this room while we were here. Let’s try to think about those and talk about them.” “Like what?” Baekhyun frowned. “For example, I learned that I have some of the most caring and loving hyungs in the world. Hyungs who stayed by my side all of the way and lifted be back onto my feet. Being in here made me realize how much I love all of the members and how much you care for me in return.”

“I guess the same goes for me,” Baekhyun nodded, “And I guess it was in this room that I also learned how deep my feelings were for you. So I guess if it wasn’t for this room, I may have never realized how much you meant to me.” “When did you realize Baek?” Chanyeol said cautiously. He didn’t need to elaborate as Baekhyun knew exactly what he was asking.

“It started in this room and grew in stages,” he admitted, “Your mom was actually the one who put the idea in my head.” Chanyeol’s eyes grew wide, “my mom?” Baekhyun smiled, “Yeah, she confronted me while you were unconscious and asked me what my intentions were.” “Your intentions?!” Chanyeol choked, blushing in embarrassment. Baekhyun giggled, “Yea, she said she just wanted to help and understand why we were so close and asked if we had ever been more than friends. I told her pretty sternly no but I guess her words just kind of stuck with me and left me wondering.”

Chanyeol squeezed Baekhyun’s fingers, “When did you stop wondering, and know?” he said softly. Baekhyun blushed, “the night you fussed at me for mothering you,” he admitted, “Remember when we woke up right before all of the members were going to go out to dinner?” “Yeah…” “I was starting to lean in to kiss you but Xiumin interrupted us. It scared me and that’s when I knew.” “Is that why you started ignoring me?” Chanyeol said in surprise. “Yeah,” Baekhyun nodded, “I thought if we didn’t spend as much time together, my feelings would go away.”

“You idiot,” Chanyeol said fondly, shaking his head, “you should have just told me!” “I know,” Baekhyun said with a pout. He raised their hands up and pressed a kiss to the top of Chanyeol’s hand, “So…” he hesitated, “when did you know?” “Honestly?” Chanyeol cleared his throat, “I started questioning myself that day you gave me an Eskimo kiss in the field.”

“Really?” Baekhyun asked with a smile, pleased with himself. Chanyeol nodded, “I thought for sure that you were going to kiss me and when you didn’t…I was disappointed. I knew for sure that night after the concert when we almost kissed in the hallway. I didn’t know what to do or who to talk to so I reached out to Jihoo and he helped me clear my thoughts.”

Baekhyun his lips and glared down at the bed. Jihoo – a conversation that Baekhyun had been avoiding for many years. He hated even hearing the name and the thought of Jihoo being intimate with Chanyeol first made his heart physically ache. “Can I ask you a serious question?” Chanyeol looked at him with concern, “Of course,” he smiled, reaching up to thumb Baekhyun’s cheek. “Has there ever been something more between you two?” he said carefully.

“Between Jihoo and I?” Chanyeol blinked in surprise, “Where would you get an idea like that? Jihoo has always had the hots for Sehun. But he knew Sehun was in love with Luhan so it was weird. But no, Jihoo and I have always just been really good friends. Like two girls who go shopping together and gossip kind of friends.” “Oh,” Baekhyun said, scrunching his nose, “I feel…kind of bad now…”

“Why?” Chanyeol replied in amusement. “Well…I’ve kind of secretly hated him because I thought the two of you were together.” Chanyeol started him down for a few long moments and then burst out laughing, falling sideways onto the bed, “You were jealous of Jihoo?!” he wailed, “Oh my god, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be laughing at this but…” he continued laughing. “So the two of you never…” Baekhyun began to ask shyly. Chanyeol sat back up and looked Baekhyun straight in the eye, “Baby, I promise on my love for you that Jihoo and I never once kissed, had , or touched each other in any inappropriate way.”

Baekhyun nodded slowly, looking around. “Have you done anything with someone else,” Chanyeol asked bluntly, trying to capture Baekhyun’s eyes. “Um…” he hesitated, “I…I uh…kissed Sehun once.” Chanyeol’s mouth fell open, “What?!” “It was only once I swear!” Baekhyun added quickly, “It was just to see if Sehun was gay or not and it was so weird and awkward and nothing like making out with you. I hated it.” Chanyeol started to laugh, “What did Sehun think?” “I swear I heard him gargling with mouth wash after I left.” Chanyeol snickered and squeezed Baekhyun’s fingers affectionately again.

“So you see, if it wasn’t for this room, we wouldn’t have been going down this life path together.” “I guess,” Baekhyun mumbled. “No, none of this ‘I guess’ sir. Come on, we owe this room our gratitude.” Baekhyun sighed, “Thank you all mighty Room 61,” he said, rolling his eyes. Chanyeol stood up and smiled as he looked around the room. “Thank you Room 61 for being the best matchmaker. Thank you for taking care of Sehun and for keeping my Baekhyun safe. He means everything to me – I don’t think that I could live without him.”

Baekhyun shuffled off of the bed and pulled Chanyeol into his arms. He leaned up and kissed Chanyeol affectionately, full of meaning, holding him close. Chanyeol smiled softly down into Baekhyun’s eyes, “You take my breath away,” he whispered. Baekhyun reached up and thumbed his cheek affectionately. “I think in order for us to completely let go, we need to make a new memory here as well.” “I’m still not having with you in here,” Baekhyun shot back, grinning.

Chanyeol snickered, “No, babe, that’s not what I had in mind.” He took Baekhyun’s hands into his, “two years ago you made me a promise and I think I am way overdue to give you my promise.” Baekhyun started to say something but Chanyeol placed his finger over his mouth, “Let me finish.”

“Since the day we met, we have had a connection that went deeper than either of us understood.” He paused, looking around the room again, “I was never afraid of dying Baekhyun. Every time I was in the hospital, I wasn’t afraid. Do you know why?” Baekhyun shook his head, “Since our debut day when you came up and hugged me from behind after our performance, my heart has been in your hands and I trust you with it. This,” he said, pointing to the heart monitor, “can beep all it wants but my heart belongs to you. You are the only one that has the power to say otherwise. I love you Baekhyun. I love every single little thing that makes you who you are. Your chocolate eyes, your bright smile, the way you light up the room, the way you make my heart skip a beat – all of it. I love the way you stand on the side of the stage and cheer me on. I love the way you grab me from behind and rest your head on my shoulder, I love the way you hold my hand in crowds so that we don’t get separated, I love the way you laugh, I love the way you whisper in my ear and play footsie with me under the table, I love the way we can joke and play around, I love way you rub my back when you stand behind me during interviews, I love the way you kiss me so forcefully and run your long fingers through my hair. I love the way you make me feel so special and cherished when we make love. I love waking up every morning and getting to see your face. But most of all I love how you make me the person that never thought that I could be. Neither of us are perfect but it feels perfect when we’re together.”

Chanyeol swallowed hard. Without letting go of Baekhyun’s gaze, he slowly sank down onto one knee. “I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to go to the COEX Artium and freely walk around holding your hand. I want to kiss you on stage when we accept awards. And I want to live the rest of my life knowing that we will run through triumphs and tragedies together. There are so many ways to be happy in life but all I need is you – it has always been you. Baekhyun – will you continue to protect my heart and marry me?”

For a moment, Baekhyun didn’t say anything; he stood there in silence, staring at Chanyeol in disbelief. He slowly bent down so that he was at eye level with Chanyeol on the floor and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He pulled back smiling with adoration before whispering, “Yes.”

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Location: Aqua Kauai Beach Resort - Kauai, Hawaii
Time: July

Between the burning pink sunset, the slight breeze, and the waves crashing, Kauai Beach provided the perfect back drop for Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s wedding. Everyone who mattered the most to them had made the long trip over to spend the weekend celebrating. Chanyeol and Baekhyun decided to keep their wedding private and small, skipping all of the traditional wedding events, only exchanging personal vows and rings, before throwing their friends and family a big party.

The officiant cleared , “Today is a day of celebration – a celebration of love, commitment, friendship, and family. Today, you are standing on this stage with all eyes on you. Except today, you are here, not as EXO, but as Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun. Today we are reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of humanity. Everyone that is here today has their own love story. Some are short, others are long. Some are unwritten while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories and today marks a new chapter for Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Your friends and family have gathered here today to support you, to show you that they are proud of you, and to remind you that love is not a promise for forever, but rather the journey that you will take in writing your story together. You met by chance, you became friends by choice, and you fell in love because of destiny. Today you are here to make another choice. You’ve chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile, and makes every day better than yesterday. Chanyeol and Baekhyun have both prepared vows that they would like to share with each other. Chanyeol, would you like to go first?”

Chanyeol reached for Baekhyun’s hands and held them tightly. He gently slipped Baekhyun’s ring onto his left hand, “Baekhyun – Since the day we met you have been persistently by my side in sickness and in health. I tried to deny you but nothing ever made me feel so small. I know we got lost along the way but you were always the light that guided me through. You are the words to an unwritten song and I am the melody. I fall in love with you every single day. I love you unconditionally and without hesitation. You helped shape me into the man that I am today. When my hands don’t play the strings the same way and the crowds don’t remember my name, I know that you will still love me the same. Today I vow to trust and value your opinions. I vow to stand by your actions and I pledge to always treat you as my best friend and my equal. I promise to listen, for as long as it takes for you to feel heard. I will ask you for help when I need it, and offer help to you always. I have always been known as the happy virus; but my happiness did not start until I fell in love with you.”

Baekhyun quickly wiped the tears from his eyes before placing Chanyeol’s ring on his left hand, “Chanyeol – Every time I think of you, I think about how you pushed me through and showed me how much better I could be. When you look me in the eyes, it’s like watching the night skies. When you tell me that you love me, I feel a fire inside of me that encourages me to stay strong. I love who you are now and who you are yet to become. Together, we will build a life far better than either of us could have imagined alone. This ring symbolizes my promise that you will never have to walk alone. I promise to continue to support your success and respect your failures. I promise to create a life for us of unexpected and strange adventures. I pledge to always admire your huge, strong, kind, and determined heart. I vow to be your unrelenting cheer squad on the days when it feels too much. Your love is my anchor. I hope that as we grow old together, my heart will continue to be your shelter and my arms will continue to be your home.”

The officiant smiled, “You have both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of the promises that you have just exchanged. These rings represent the love that came from humble beginnings. Through a combination of serendipity and effort, imperfect beings shaped into something extraordinary. As you look at these rings over the years, I hope that you remember the force that pulled you two together. You have created something invaluable, and just as I know you’ll protect these rings, I am confident that you will also protect the commitments that you have made today. By the power vested in me by the State of Hawaii, I herby pronounce you legally married. Please share your first kiss.”

Chanyeol wrapped his hands around Baekhyun’s face, tilting his head upwards. He took a moment to gaze into Baekhyun’s eyes, smiling, before offering him a soft, lingering kiss. All of their friends erupted into cheering and whistling.

The officiant continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I introduce to you, Mr. Baekhyun and Chanyeol Park.”

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