part 1
Fizzle OutThe clock strikes 12.00 a.m and as usual,Baekhyun would sneak into a VVIP room to meet someone . After shutting the sliding door,he tip toes to a tall and unconscious figure who is lying lifelessly on the hospital bed. It becomes his routine to accompany the patient after his shift for the past three months. Either he talked to the coma victim or laughed on the jokes he cracked. Sometimes,he sang the patient’s favourite songs,filled the silent room with his honeyed-voice until he fell asleep while holding the patient’s hand.
It is a hectic day for Baekhyun so after blabbering about their high school life,he is snoozing in his chair. Then,he felt his hand is being squeezed. Thinking it is just a part of his dream, he continues to sleep but the squeezing on his hand has not stop. he jolts awake and watched from their linked hands up to the owner. the patient’s eyes flutter open and keeps on gazing the ceiling.
Baekhyun senses the patient tries to speak however only a croak could be heard. He helps the latter to sit up and wraps the patient’s finggers around a glass of water. The patient the outline of the glass before drinking it in one gulp.
“Where am I ? why I can’t see anything ?” the patient wailed.
“Mr Park…everything will be alright.” Baekhyun quickly hugs the person close to him,whispers comforting words while absentmindedly rubbing his raven hair.
“Why I can’t see anything? What’s wrong with me? Kyungsoo,where are you? Kyungie- I need to find Kyungsoo, he is waiting for me!” Mr Park screams at the top of his lung while trashing around in his bed. He squirms under Baekhyun’s hold,slaps his hands away and even shoves the poor boy. Baekhyun pitches backward from the great force,tumbling down on the floor. mr park throws the blanket away to escape but he gets stuck. Only his right leg could move while the other unmoved.
The incident left him immobile and blind.
“No!” he yells and struggles to jump off the bed, his injured leg is dragged forcefully. “Kyungsoo needs me. I have to save him.”
Mr Park is losing his mind,Baekhyun’s finger is quick to push a button which designed to call the doctor and nurse. Not long after, a doctor and a nurse comes, injects sedative into Mr park’s body. His incessant raving and ranting about the injustice of his situation comes to a halt. Slowly,he collapses on the bed and drifts to sleep with his tear stained cheeks.
It’s been two weeks after Chanyeol discharges from the hospital, indicating that Baekhyun has not seen him since then. His longing for the giant is unbearable but he stays on his lane. Who is he anyway to meet a person like Park Chanyeol? The great Park Chanyeol is an important person, the one and only grandchild to his employer,Madam Park. His shift has ended,after wiping the last table,he unties the apron which is hanging below his waist and bids goodbye before walking out of the café. Putting his stuffs into the basket,he wears his worn out helmet before starting the engine. When the engine comes to life, he rides his old vespa along the road.
Although it is already midnight,the hustling and busting of the city never ceases. Crowds of pedestrians, shoppers and others can be seen walking along the pavements outside the malls or trying to cross the road. The cool monsoon air carries a sweet moist scent like a candy shop kept inside a refrigerator.
After parking his old vespa,he strides across the basement to reach the stairs. He trips the stairs lightly, his body aching with every steps he takes. Coming back from his duty as a driver at 7 p.m., he manages to take an hour break before starting his shift at a café every single day. He is beyond tired,not because of his working daily basis. In fact,the disfunction elevator acquires him to climb the stairs to reach his apartment which is locted at 8th floor. Baekhyun has been using the stairs for almost months since the elevator is not repaired yet. Sometime,he regrets for renting that apartment but it is the cheapest one he could afford.
Stepping on the 8th floor,he lets out a sigh of relief. He fishes the keys inside his pocket mindlessly, sleeping on his soft mattress is only his main aim. While unlocking the door knob, he is unware of other people’s presence. He yelps when someone gives his hair a yank and slams him on the wall.
“Ahhh!!!” a deafening screech slips from Baekhyun as he wriggles his head from the stranger’s grip.
The man shuts his eyes to bear Baekhyun’s high-pitched shriek. Annoyed,he grabs Baekhyun’s hair even tighter.
“Shut up!” he demands,hand fisted in the shorter’s shirt.
“What do you want?” Baekhyun whimpers,tears prickles at the corner of his eyes.
“We are here for money,Byun!” Another man replies,Baekhyun just realizes the man that strangles him is not alone.
“B-but…i-i don’t have enough mo-money. Please,give me more times,”Baekhyun pleads,holding the man’s muscular biceps and begging him to release him.
The man laughs,a hollow,dry sound. “You said those things last week,bastard!” he yells,pounds him square in the gut and pushes him to the floor. His friend glares at Baekhyun, daring him to stay on the floor and knowing the only way to get Baekhyun up is to lift him himself.
“What’s the point working your off? Both of us know you would never settle that huge amounts even when you do two jobs. You have a nice body,just give in to my boss’s offer to be his ,” the man looks down at Baekhyun,he himself is baffled on what is so attractive about Byun Baekhyun to the point his boss has been dreaming for this kid?
“No! what do you think I am? i will find the money! Damn your boss’s offer!” baekhyun spits indignantly. He may be poor but he never stoop that low. Prior his pride and dignity.
“ Still a stubborn brat,” the man scoffs. He lands a punch on Baekhyun’s face and pushes his body to the concrete floor,his body thuds to the ground. The two men growl, kick him in the ribs. Baekhyun lets his body go limp, accepts the blows. All baekhyun feels is lightning and thuds,the warmth of blood dripping from his nose.
“Two days…it’s your last chance!” the man snarls,giving Baekhyun a final blow on his stomach before leaving the place.
Baekhyun writhes in pain. Using his right hand as a support,he gathers his strength to stand up with his left hand wraps around his injured stomach. He wobbles to the front door,his hands trembling while holding the keys. Unfortunately, the keys drop,lying beside the shoes he is wearing. He bends to take them but ends up screaming in agony. All part of his body are hurted badly. Without the keys,he cannot enter his house. Ignoring his suffering, he attempts to bend again but the item is hanging before his eyes.
“Looking for this,Byun Baekhyun?” the person who is holding the keys asks rheotorically .
Cat got baekhyun’s tounge, his face morphs from pain to perplex. Getting no response from Baekhyun, the person unlocks the door and steps inside the small apartment. Switching the lamps on,the person stare at the condition Baekhyun has been living in. baekyun snaps back from his stupor,he carefully walks towards his employer. Baekhyun wants to ask, ‘what are you doing at this ungodly hour?’ However,the person shush him, as if she is aware of his inner turmoil. Baekhyun follows after her,pacing directly to the kitchen. There is no couch,sofa or even a chair to sit on. Her brow involuntary lifts up. She brings out her tissue pocket from her Louis Vuitton handbag,laying every layer of the tissues on the cement floor. she does not want to dirt herself with gems and dust that hidden on the floor. Baekhyun's living room is deprived of furnitures such as couch,television and perhaps more but she does not want to stick her nose into anyone else's personal life than she already did to Baekhyun.
"Have a drink,Madam Park," Baekhyun invites while carrying a glass of water and handing it to her.
"Pardon my low hospitality. My fridge is running out of foods and drinks." Baekhyun rubs his nape,he is ashamed of his poor status in front of his employer.
Madam Park takes a sip of her glass and clears . Baekhyun's attention is given solely to her.
"I know about your status Baekhyun-ah, I don't expect too much from you." Madam park holds Baekhyun's hand firmly,encouraging him not to be ashamed over his status.
“Your lips is bleeding,” Madam Park concerns,she shoves a tissue pocket into Baekhyun’s hand. Baekhyun reluctantly receives Madam Park’s giving,taking out the tissue layer from its confine and wipes it at the corner of his lips.
"I know that I drop by at your house on inappropriate hours, Actually,I need you to do me a favour." Her grip on Baekhyun's hand breaks apart along with a worried and heavy sigh.
"What kind of favour is it?" Baekhyun asks. He stops cleaning the dried blood on his face and grabs Madam Park’s hand,responding to her action.
"Marry Park Chanyeol." Madam parks shoots a piercing and serious gaze on Baekhyun. It is more like a command,differ from the previous tone Madam Park used earlier.
"What?! Uhm...I'm sorry Madam Park,but I can't," Baekhyun shouts,freeing his hand from Madam Park’s. he scoots away from her,creating an obvious gap between Madam Park and him.
"Marriage is something we shouldn't play with. It involves two people's,lives," Baekhyun turns down madam park's proposal.
"I know what I'm talking about,Baekhyun-ah. You don't have to teach me," Madam Park gives him a tongue-lashing,a stern look is thrown at him.
"I'm not getting any younger. Although Chanyeol is a grown up man,he still needs someone to take care of him. Indeed,his current condition is always fretting me. Kyungsoo is dead,who is going to succor him?" Madam Park stares at the small boy.
"5 caretakers resigned for the past two weeks. They couldn't stand with Chanyeol's aggressiveness. He refused to eat,let alone to consume his medicines. His past caretakers tried to pass through his wall but they ended up having bruises on their faces. I pried informations from the doctors,nurses and even the hospital staffs on why Chanyeol didn't have any problems to take his diet during his stay at the hospital. They told me a certain brunette fed him. At first,I didn't believe them but one day, I saw you. The way you fed him,it looked like you really care for him. Only you who could make him to eat," Madam Park's revelation shocks the hell out of Baekhyun. The cat is out of the beg,he does not expect his secret to be unveiled.
"Come on,Baekhyun-ah. It's not like you despise him, in fact you fall for him for a long time,right? What were you doing at his room when he conscious from his coma that time?” So,Madam Park knows. Definitely she knows Baekhyun was present during that scene since he was the one who called Madam Park.
“You are the best candidate I have for him,the only one that I deem deserve to be Chanyeol's other half. Besides,by marrying him,you can settle all your debts. Trust me,you will never be able to earn money they want in such a short span of time. Think about it,Byun Baekhyun." Madam Park rises on her feet,the sky getting darker and it is better for her to return home.
Baekhyun escorts her to the front door. When her figure is no longer seen,he closes the door and leans against it.
'Marrying Park Chanyeol' even thinking about it revives Baekhyun. It is Baekhyun's dream since high school. He cares for Park Chanyeol.
When Chanyeol was in comatose,baekhyun brought a little African violets,replaced the previous flowers every day with newer and fresher African violets on Chanyeol’s bedside table. Baekhyun managed to be close with Chanyeol during his coma,he talked to the unconscious male every night in the hospital room after his shift at the café. Spending time with a comatose Park Chanyeol was easier rather than meeting a fine and healthy Park Chanyeol back then.
Focusing to the main topic which is marrying Park Chanyeol,Baekhyun is unsure about that. The idea brings shiver down to his spine.
"Stay in your lane,! You're not par with my standard" Chanyeol's insult years ago still haunts him.
"Are you deaf? I love Kyungsoo,you're just a bet!" Chanyeol rebukes at him.
A bet.
The words is like a poison to Baekhyun. His mind wanders to his old past,the one that inflicts torture and torment to his fragile and broken heart.
Chanyeol dated Baekhyun in high school. Chanyeol was a senior while Baekhyun was a first year junior. Students were not fond of Baekhyun,they called him weird and isolated him. Baekhyun had been a loner since kindergarden,his one and only bestfriend was Luhan. Unfortunately for him,Luhan moved back to China when they entered high school,leaving Baekhyun alone to confront the hard time of his life which was school life. First month was a living hell for Baekhyun,even his classmates pranked him. They intentionally pointed him as the head class so that all the burden were on his shoulder. They could play and used him more.
Four months later, someone proposed him to be his boyfriend. Baekhyun did not react,he was overwhelmed. That someone is not a random person, he was none other Park Chanyeol,the hottest guy in the school. Baekhyun had fallen for him ever since he laid his eyes on the tall giant. Baekhyun noticed the way chanyeol would sneak to look at Baekhyun, he even gave him his flirty smile. The continuous courting from previous months like giving him roses,chocolates and waiting early in the morning at the gate just to meet Baekhyun, proved him that Chanyel was serious to have a relationship with him. Baekhyun agreed to be his crush’s boyfriend without further thinking.
Their relationship did not last long. A month after they became officially boyfriends, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol walked with a beautiful guy with their hands intertwined. Baekhyun stalked them until they arrived at the school garden. Baekhyun hid himself behind a shady tree.
“Look at this couple of the year!” Chanyeol’s group approached them. The beautiful guy beside Chanyeol snuggled himself on the crook of Chanyeol’s neck.
“Stop it guys. Kyungsoo gets uncomfortable with your remarks,” Chanyeol patted Kyungsoo’s locks softly, Chanyeol never done that to Baekhyun.
“No need to feel uneasy,Kyungsoo. We are Chanyeol’s friends. since you are his boyfriend,you might as well our friend!” Baekhyun heard his heart being stabbed with a blade. No way the guy was Chanyeol’s boyfriend. He was Chanyeol’s boyfriend,not that Kyungsoo guy.
“How about baekhyun?” Baekhyun’s ears perked at this. He wanted to know the truth badly,hoping this whole scene was fake.
“Which Baekhyun?” Chanyeol replied to his friend’s questions blatantly,as if Baekhyun never existed in his life.
“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo retracted himself from Chanyeol,lifting his head to look at his boyfriend. “ Are you cheating behind my back,Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo threw a dagger glare at Chanyeol before pushing Chanyeol away.
“No Babe! That boy is nothing to me, I only dated him because of the bet!” Chanyeol heartened, rubbing his palms on Kyunsoo’s shoulders to console him.
“Chanyeol’s talking the truth,Kyungsoo.” One of Chanyeol friends asserted. “We made a bet before you exchange to this school. He was bored without you so he sought for entertainment. Right,Chan?” The two friends high fived.
“A bet or not, cheating is still cheating!” Kyungsoo turned and held his gaze with Chanyeol. “ How could you…” his voice broken. Chanyeol’s friends decamped from the scene, they did not want to get involve into their heated argument.
“Trust me,Babe. I swear, that kid is just a toy. I don’t have any feeling towards him!” Chanyeol frustrated. They stayed silent for a good few minutes. Kyungsoo was sulking, stomping his foot before walking off in a huff.
“Kyungsoo wait!” Chanyeol stumbled on his foots,trying to catch with Kyungsoo before he felt a grip on his arm.
“Is that true?” it was Baekhyun. “Is that true I’m just a bet?” baekhyun wanted to walk away,his tears were already blurring his vision but he couldn not. He pathetically hoped that Chanyeol was acting,along with his other friends. He silently begged that Chanyeol was lying to his friend and Kyungsoo.
“Yes!” Chanyeol shouted at him and continued his steps,leaving Baekhyun behind.
“Chanyeol!” Baekhyun caught chanyeol’s bicep,pulling him backward and jostling to the front of Chanyeol.
“I love you-“
“But I don’t!” Chanyeol cut him off. “You worth 500 dollars to me and guess what? The bet was only for a month and I got that money. We made a bet which one of us could date with you for 500 dollars!”
“Chanyeol…” no wonder Chanyeol refused to kiss him all this time. no wonder Chanyeol despised public affection with him. No wonder they only dating, exchanging few texts and good night calls from Chanyeol.
“Stay in your lane,! You're not par with my standard!” Chanyeol groaned as Baekhyun did not let go his hand.
“Are you deaf? I love Kyungsoo,you're just a bet!” that was the final blow before Beakhyun’s hand fall numbly to his side, escorting Chanyeol walked passed him with his red and puffy eyes.
Even after these years,the incident still hurts Baekhyun. He hates himself for still loving Chanyeol after everything he had done to Baekhyun. Baekhyun tries to forget that giant.
Ironically, Park Chanyeol is Madam Park’s grandchild.
He has served for the parks for 4 years. However,he rarely met Chanyeol at the Parks residence. Firstly, he works for his grandma,not for him. Secondly, Madam Park and her grandchild live separately. Thirdly, Baekhyun avoids to bump into him.
All this time, he only watched Chanyeol from afar,who was living a happy life with his beloved husband,Kyungsoo. Baekhyun witnessed Chanyeol’s and Kyungsoo’s vows at the altar four years ago. At that moment,Baekhyun knew that Chanyeol would never be his.
However this time, the situation alters. He only needs to say yes to Madam Park’s proposal and Chanyeol would be his. Putting aside bad memories he had with Chanyeol,he deserves to be happy. In addition,Chanyeol needs him and Baekhyun wants to be there for him. He loves that giant unconditionally.
Yes. He wants to marry Park Chanyeol,his long life crush.
Knowing the door is unlocked,Baekhyun twists the doorknob and steps in the bedroom nervously while carrying a tray of foods along. However,the darkness welcomes him. After placing the tray on the bedside table, he strides across the room. Without any hesitation,he pulls apart the heavy curtain and strands of thin light blast through the window,illuminating the dark room. the rising sun laminated baekhyun and the room owner with its warmth. He realizes the room is in a complete mess. Discarded clothes on the floor, lied beside the bed. the ground full of cushions, pillows and duvets. The chair fell on the floor,in a flip manner. Magazines are not in the bookshelf,instead they join the other items on the ground.
“What the hell! Close the curtain! I’m sleeping,” a figure on the bed with his back facing Baekhyun, groans in annoyance.
“it’s noon already,Mr Park. You need to eat your lunch before taking the medicines,” Baekhyun inches closer to the man,gives him a nudge.
“Go away!” he elbows Baekhyun’s hand,refuses to his touch and barks at him fiercely. Then, he tugs the blanket that has reached his knees harshly to cover his body wholly.
“I am a burrito now,”he whispers but baekhyun rolles his eyes,not give in into his childish act. Instead,he pries the blanket away,leaving the man bare to the coldness of the air conditioner.
“Hey!” he abruptly sits and turns his face to the left side because despite his inability, he manages to locate the person using his hearing sense. the man is expecting the person to retaliate but he mums, only screeching of the chair beside him breaks the silence. Profanities are at the tip of his tounge however he does not get the chance to swear at Baekhyun as a spoonful of warm porridge is shoved into his parting lips. Another spoonful of porridge almost invades his cavern but the man presses his lips in the nick of time. The cold metal of spoon contrasting the warm porridge collides his tight-lipped continuously. The man tilts his chin and shifts his upper limb to dodge the food. Being a persistent person,Baekhyun even climbs on the bed,gets closer to the man although finally he just kneels on the edge of the mattress. His right hand holds the bowl while the other hand grips the spoon. Mr Park can feels the edge of the mattress is dipping slightly.
“Come on,Mr Park. Say ahh,” Baekhyun cooes at him, slowly s the spoon into his mouth.
Livid in rage, Chanyeol smacks the spoon, resulting the spoon soars in the air before landing on the marble tile with a clatter. while Baekhyun carelessly watching the spoon, Chanyeol’s palm has reached on the surface of the bowl,to ensure that his meal is there. Then he uses his other hand to smack the bowl. Unfortunately, bowl drop on Baekhyun’s thighs, the porridge flows out from the bowl heats up his skin.
“I’ll be back,” Baekhyun mutters but chanyeol ignores him. Instead, he lays down on the mattress,curls himself to take a nap. Baekhyun hops down from the bed with the empty bowl and heads to the door. On his way to exit the room, he does not forget to pick the recently dropped spoon on the floor.
Mr Park smirks triumphly, thinks that Baekhyun has given up on feeding him. Finally, he gains his solitude. However,his hope is crumbling down as Baekhyun appears at the door frame. Mr Park is clueless about his presence so he unworriedly closes his eyelids,tries to sleep.
“I’m back!” Baekhyun shouts gleefully while scoots towards the bed. he is carrying a new and warm porridge. The sound of the baekhyun’s loud voice and his steps reverberate around the room,snaps Mr Park out of his slumber. Mr Park laughs internally, as if he can call it slumber because he just shut his eyes and still stirs in the bed to lull him to sleep. Then,the edge of the mattress is dipping again,indicates that the person is sitting comfortably beside him.
“Mr Park, wake up! You need to finish this meal by hook or by crook. I don’t care!” Baekhyun cheers audibly at him. Where does Baekhun have the audacity to talk to his master like that?
“Listen here-” Chanyeol rises from his lying posture,he points his finger directly on Baekhyun’s face. He snarls at Baekhyun but pauses momentarily as he rakes his mind for a name.
“Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun,” Baekhyun cuts him off.
“Listen here,Byun. I am the master of this mansion so I can make you lose your job if you disobey my commands. Stop bothering me and get out of my room!” Chanyeol growls. His brows furrow into a frown ( describe mad person)
However,he hears Baekhyun chuckles in return. Chanyeol is sure he looks intimidating while threathening that kid. His brows furrow,forming a frown on his forehead.
“I’m sorry Mr Park but you don’t have any power to fire me. only Grandma Park can do that. Therefore, you ate your meals really well last month during your stay at the hospital. What’s wrong now?” Baekhyun peers curiously at him.
“Oh,I remember!”Baekhyun beams at his brilliant idea. He delves in his pocket and pulls out his phone.
After Chanyeol woke up from his coma,he refused to eat. Both during coma and post-coma, Chanyeol used full liquid diet. However,it was still fairly restricted compared to a mechanical soft diet, which allows most types of foods as long as they have been pureed, slurried, or pulverized. Being an obedient grandson, Chanyeol obeyed his grandma demand but he only eat if Grandma Park was around or fed him. The second person that succeeded in convincing him to eat was Byun Baekhyun. In general,Park Chanyeol only ate if Grandma Park or Byun Baekhyun fed him.
How Byun Baekhyun did that despite he did not have any relation with Mr Park?
Simple. Baekhyun played the voice messages in his Whatsapp. It was Baekhyun’s conversation with Do Kyungsoo.
“Baekhyun-ssi, do me a favour please,”
“Chanyeol left his packed meal at home again. Can you send that to him for me?”
“I’m sorry for troubling you but I can’t drive to his office,”
“I’m having a fever and I barely can walk,”
“Chanyeol is a workaholic,he always skips meal, ”
“If you agree,just come to my house. Call me when you arrive.”
When all the voice mails ended, Baekhyun tried his luck. He brought the spoon to his mouth,waiting his lips to part. Gladfully, he gripped Baekhyun’s wrist and shovelled down the food. Baekhyun gasped, grateful that his plan worked. Unexpectedly,tears cascaded down Chanyeol’s cheeks.
Whenever Baekhyun visited Mr Park, he would feed him while playing the voice mails.
So,baekhyun does the same right now. Sliding the lock screen, he quickly searches for the Whatsapp app and scrolls Do Kyungsoo ID among his contacts. When he has found the latter id,he taps it and plays the voice mails again. Do kyungsoo’s velvety voice echoes around the room,brings back a lot of emotions and memories to Park Chanyeol. Chanyeol pays attention to his husband’s concern expression. Then,tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Kyungsoo…” Chanyeol whisper wistfully.
“If you really love him, then take care of your own health. Even when he was still alive, he worried about you skipped meal. Let him rest in peace above there,Mr Park. You only make him sad, do you think he will be happy seeing you in such state? I’m not preventing you from mourning for your husband but you tortures yourself by behaving like this,” Baekhyun knocks some senses into him, hopes that Chanyeol will follow his advice.
“Jeez,you talk too much,” Chanyeol hisses.
The event at the hospital reoccurs. Do Kyungsoo’s voice mails will be played during breakfast,lunch and dinner while Baekhyun feeding him up.
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