Prompt: Let our love bloom like the first time.

Pair: WooGyu (Woohyun x Sunggyu)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: slight angst, romance

Word count: 2870 words

Don’t Say Goodbye (너 때문에)

Woohyun stirred from his slumber as something warm snuggled into his chest, a smile slowly formed on his lips since he had already known what is in his embrace. He blinked his eyes open just to meet the beautiful face of his boyfriend lying perfectly on his chest and he was aware of the other’s arms wrapping tightly around his waist.

Sunggyu was still in his dreamland with soft breath passing through his parted lips, he looked so innocent but also vulnerable like this. His puffy eyes were the result of their fight last night, the first fight since Sunggyu changed, the older had screamed and cried a lot since that was the only way that the simple self of him knew in order to release his frustration.

The raven tightened his embrace around the sleeping man remembering what he had done to him just a few hours ago, guilty still dominated his heart because he could not erase the image of Sunggyu’s pale face and the feeling of coldness on his skin from his mind. He had left Sunggyu alone at home after their fight and just come back in the midnight to see his exhausted figure fall asleep at their doorstep waiting for him. Despite his rough behavior, the older was still worried about him, which did not change one bit after their dramatic change of life.

A slight movement from the other alerted Woohyun that he would wake up soon, he gave the brunet a kiss on his forehead as the pair of small eyes opened slowly. “Good morning baby. Have a good sleep?”

No response was given by the older man as he kept his eyes locked on Woohyun’s face. A strange glint in his eyes made Woohyun wonder if something bad had happened with Sunggyu after his leave.

“What’s wrong Gyu?” He asked nervously, caressing the chubby cheeks with his thumbs.

Finally Sungyu dropped his gaze and detached himself from the raven without uttering a word. Woohyun was shocked when the other did not seem to acknowledge his presence anymore, he remained immobile on the bed while Sunggyu went to the bathroom to do his morning route, and he was still there watching the older moved around their room to pick up dirty clothes on the floor then disappear through the door.

What is that? Woohyun was taken aback by Sunggyu’s strange behavior. He had not been that upset before, and this was a bad sign for him. Something must have changed. Does hyung get his memory back? He thought hopefully, but the excitement soon died down as he could not find a reason why the older chose to keep silent instead of throwing himself into his arms. He let out a frustrated sigh and decided to get out of the bed to find his boyfriend.

It would be easy to find Sunggyu in the living room lazing in front of the TV since the older always waited here for Woohyun to finish making their breakfasts. Yet today was not the case. The younger found Sunggyu sitting behind the counter with his arms wrapping around his knees, he was spacing out because he did not even notice Woohyun’s presence or that was just the way he chose to ignore him.

“Gyu,” Woohyun called the brunet’s name softly to get his attention and asked worriedly while he crouched down beside him, “why are you here? Are you not feeling good?”

This time, Sunggyu did look up at him and simply shake his head slightly. “I’m hungry,” he pouted.

A smile made its way to Woohyun’s lips as he took Sunggyu’s hands in his, “do you want to make breakfast with me? Today I feel like I need your help to make the food better.” He offered his brightest smile hoping that the other would agree.

The older man looked hesitant but still nodded his head in the end. He took their aprons hung beside the kitchen entrance and put it on Woohyun while the raven helped him with his apron. He giggled a bit when Woohyun kissed his temple and dragged him towards the refrigerator impatiently to find the ingredients for their morning cooking. The rest of the morning just passed like that with some of their laughter and lots of sunlight. The couple got to have the best of their meals, as Woohyun thought that, and the younger felt quite relieved since Sunggyu seemed to come back to his normal self in spite of being less active and clingy than usual.

It’s okay. Hyung smiles. He is alright. We are alright. Woohyun assured himself.

2 weeks later

“I’m home~ Gyu-ah~” Woohyun called out for his lover as soon as he stepped into the house.  He expected Sunggyu to run towards him like a puppy with excitement filling his eyes, yet today only silence greeted him in return. His brows knitted together as he made his way to their bedroom. “Gyu?” The raven called the older once again but he was nowhere in sight. Did he go out? But he doesn’t know the streets around here.

With trembling hands, he took his phone out and furiously typed the digits of Sungyeol’s number, Woohyun almost screamed as the other line did not pick up immediately.

“Hello?” The doctor answers leasurely.

“Lee Sungyeol, where the heck is Sunggyu now?” Woohyun hissed at the clueless man.

“What do you mean hyung? Isn’t Sunggyu hyung with you?”

“He isn’t here, Sungyeol. S-Sunggyu disappeared. I am going insane.” His voice cracked at the end of the sentence, his legs gave up and let the body drop on the hard surface of the floor.

Knowing the older would have a panic attack soon, Sungyeol tried to assure Woohyun that nothing would happen with Sunggyu and the brunet was old enough to take care of himself. But he did not realize that he pushed the wrong button instead of making the situation less tense.

“No, he can’t.” Woohyun said angrily, “do you freaking forget that he is having a mental age of 7 now?”

Sungyeol was silent in a moment before uttering an apology. “Calm down Woohyun hyung. This is the first time Sunggyu hyung leave your house without you knowing, right? He must have left for a reason. Do you know why?”

“I don’t know.” The raven sighed dejectedly. “But Sunggyu has behaved quite strangely recently. He was quiet all the time, he rarely smiled and sometimes he avoided me when I wanted to hug or kiss him.”

A gasp can be heard through the phone and Woohyun rolled his eyes at his friend’s reaction. “Seriously hyung? He is a kid, you can’t kiss a kid.”

“Shut up Sungyeol. He is my boyfriend, I can do anything with him.” Woohyun deadpanned. “Besides, it’s just a kiss on the cheek!”

“O-Oh… I feel sorry for you.” Sungyeol said with a serious tone.

“Shut up shut up you jerk. Don’t just sit there and speak nonsense while Sunggyu’s missing. Help me to find him.”

“Okay hyung. I will drive to your neighborhood immediately and check the place thoroughly to find Sunggyu hyung. Don’t freak out, okay? See you later.” The doctor hung up and Woohyun guessed he was also dead worried about Sunggyu’s whereabouts, Sungyeol knew Sunggyu long enough to be overprotective towards him. After all, he and Sungyeol were the only ones that Sunggyu got to know.

Woohyun rose onto his feet and quickly exited the house to go finding the love of his life. Where are you hyung? Please be safe. I can’t live without you again…

After 2 hours looking around the area for Sunggyu, Woohyun came back to his house to meet with Sungyeol, the other could not find Sunggyu too. The doctor gave him an encouraging hug in order to make him feel better, he felt bad for not being able to bring Sunggyu home. “It’s okay, you tried.” Woohyun said weakly after that.

And suddenly Woohyun’s phone rang. He answered it right away without looking at the number. “Hello?”

“Woohyun-ah.” The familiar voice called his name softly.

Woohyun nearly dropped his phone, “Gyu? Sunggyu? Where are you now? Why aren’t you home? I told you not to go out without my permission.” He shouted into the poor device startling Sungyeol and the person on the other line.

“I’m not a kid Woohyun. I can take care of myself.” Sunggyu stated firmly.

“Of course you’re… W-wait. What are you talking about Gyu?”

“Woohyun calm down please. You have to listen to me.”

“W-what are you saying?... H-hyung, is that you?”

“Woohyun-ah…”

“Where are you now hyung? Tell me, I will pick you up right away.”

“Woohyun-ah… I can’t…”

“Just tell me where you are hyung, I will…”

“Listen to me first Nam Woohyun!” The raven stopped his ramble and stayed completely still after Sunggyu’s outburst. “I’m alright Woohyun. I remembered everything so yes, it’s me. I will stay with my friend for a while so don’t find me. I need time to collect myself. Can you do this for me please Woohyun?”

A tear rolled down on Woohyun’s cheek while Sunggyu’s words were replayed in his head, he swallowed hard before uttering the answer with a shaking voice, “Okay hyung. I will stay away from you. But, you must remember to take care of yourself.”

“I will. I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Right, you aren’t a kid anymore.” More tears tainted his face, the reality was coming back to him. Sunggyu recovered his memory, Sunggyu was not that 7-year-old kid, and Sunggyu was also not his lover anymore.

“It may take some time but I will call when I’m ready, don’t worry.” With that, Sunggyu hung up before Woohyun had a chance to respond.

Woohyun stared at his phone silently while Sungyeol looked anxious beside him, they stayed like that with Woohyun crying and Sungyeol patting his back. He caught the older mumbling Sunggyu’s name before he collapsed. The world went dead to him as he could only hear Sunggyu’s voice and his words echoing in his messy mind.

He lost Sunggyu once again.

3 days later

Although he said that he needed some time staying away from the younger so that he could recover his feelings, Sunggyu wanted nothing more than Woohyun’s embrace at this moment. He was confused, he was hurt, he needed the other’s warm to comfort him.

Can you blame him? He had woken up after an accident, which did not take only his memory but also his father’s life, he had not had time to mourn for his father since his brain had decided to retrieve his kid self due to the shock.

The fight he had with Woohyun before had triggered the damaged parts of his mind, pieces of the forgotten memories had rushed back crushing his weak mentality in no time. He lost both his father and his lover.

In the past months, he had Woohyun there to comfort him through sleepless nights though the younger man did not realize his not-so-little change. The love they shared was sweet and deep, he did not want to leave the happiness that was so difficult to get. Sunggyu was so scared that every beautiful thing in his life right now would shatter once he admitted the truth, the pain would be beyond his limitation.

However, he knew he could not keep his little secret any longer, Woohyun deserved to know everything that had happened. It became a burden making Sunggyu suffocated. That was why he left to have some space for himself before facing the younger and telling him the truth. The truth had made them break up, making him almost lose his life.

“I miss you so much Hyun…” Sunggyu mumbled weakly with tears streaming down his cheeks as he tried to get a sleep without the raven’s warm hug. “I miss you…”

‘Hey, what are you doing here alone?’ The little boy tilted his head back and looked up at the stranger with a frown.

‘I’m lost.’ Sunggyu sighed as the boy inspected him with his curious eyes. ‘And you? Where are your parents?’ He ran his eyes through the area to find any person, ‘you shouldn’t be here alone.’

The kid shook his head slightly, ‘It’s okay, I don’t have parents, and this is where I live. You can stay here with me if you don’t have anywhere to go.’

‘Aren’t you afraid of me? I’m a stranger to you.’ The brunet asked in disbelief.

‘No, you aren’t. I know you won’t harm me.’ The boy replied with a wide grin.

The kid is so strange. He looks like he knew me.

‘Because I do know you.’ He said aloud suddenly making Sunggyu gasped in shock.

W-What the hell… ‘How do you know me? I never met you before.’

The little boy put his palm on Sunggyu left chest feeling his heartbeat. ‘You don’t recognize yourself? I’m you Sunggyu. I’m the kid living in you.’

Realization came across his mind as he recognized his facial features on the boy’s face, ‘How come? Why am I seeing and talking with myself? Did I go crazy?’

‘No, you aren’t. You don’t know why you are here, but I know. You’re here for a reason.’

‘Which reason?’

‘Come with me.’ The mini Sunggyu took his hands and dragged him towards a big lake nearby, which he remembered it was the lake located in front of his old house. ‘Look into the lake.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t ask anymore. Just do it.’ The kid whined and stomped his feet childishly.

Sunggyu hesitated at first but then stepped towards the lake and hovered over the edge looking into the water. ‘I-Is that…Woohyun?’

Here was he, hugging Sunggyu from behind with a content smile on his lips while the other was busy pointing excitedly at the animals in the zoo.

‘Yes. That’s Woohyun 3 months ago. The time he adopted us and started treating us like his precious baby.’ The mini Sunggyu said fondly.

The brunet was clueless at what his smaller self had said. ‘What do you mean?’

‘This is my memory Sunggyu, the part that you didn’t have in your mind. Look at Woohyun, he looked so happy back then.’

Sunggyu knew it since that used to be the way they had been before the break-up. Woohyun was so bright and pure that he felt so grateful to have him in his life.

‘You know, sometimes he cried alone in the bathroom as he thought that I was asleep. He was hurt deep inside but still tried to show us his best smile and love. He missed you so much.’

‘You…’

‘Call me Gyu.’ The younger said cheerfully. Sunggyu cringed but still nodded his head and continued.

‘Gyu, why are you doing this?’

‘Because I like both of you. I want you guys to be happy rather than be gloomy and miserable all day. I saw enough and I don’t like how everything is happening.’

Sunggyu looked at the boy expectantly, he isn’t a normal kid.

‘No, I’m pretty normal.’

‘Stop reading my mind kiddo.’

‘Okay, you saw how happy he was with you, now go and rescue your charming prince. He is waiting for you.’

‘B-but…’

‘No but. Let’s go.’ Gyu shoved Sunggyu into the lake without a warning.

He tried to escape the water, but it just made him weaker gradually at the same time. Some more useless kicks and he sunk into the deep.

Please take good care of him Sunggyu. The words rang through his mind before he lost conscious.

Sunggyu woke up with a start, his shirt was soaked in sweats. He reached out to turn off the alarm clock which woke him up in the first time. His body was tense and his mind was occupied, he did not really know what was going on. But he had to do something to erase that uneasiness.

He glanced at the nightstand and noticed the photo of him and Woohyun smiling shyly yet happily at each other in their first date. He did not dare to throw the pretty frame out after their break-up since he still loved him a lot.

Sunggyu sighed and got out of his bed with a heavy heart, he could not do this anymore, he could not bear the loneliness any longer, it was eating him alive. He had barely survived from the accident, which he believed was a chance for him to redo everything. No one could stop him getting back to Woohyun now, so he needed to make a move before it was too late.

The brunet took his phone in his hands and typed quickly some words into it before disappearing into the bathroom to prepare for a coming busy day. He was going to meet Woohyun and make things right once again. Their love was challenged a lot, that was why he just hoped that things would become better between him and Woohyun from now on. They were hurt badly, but they should not give up just because of those things. He would fight back to get the chance to stay beside his boyfriend, that was his final decision.

“Hyun, I am coming home.”