"Yes." You think that's probably how love sounds like.

Breathy, lovely and heart wrenching.




Kyungsoo is surprised to see Baekhyun coming out of the building, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his jeans.

"What are you doing here at the hospice?" He hisses.

Baekhyun seems just a tad baffled to see Kyungsoo but rapidly regains his usual cheekiness again as he speaks, "Why, I've got work to do of course, where is your mortal?"

"She's... buying some flowers before we go in and visit her mom. And what work do you have here?" He urges again.

Baekhyun sighs.


"I'm visiting my mortal."

"Your mortal? Who is it? You never told me."

"You never asked." Baekhyun stresses. "You just assumed we followed here because we had nothing better to do and just here for fun right?"

Kyungsoo feels embarrassed because that's about right what he thinks.

"It's probably not your fault to think Chanyeol and I are just brazenly coming here for play, because a major part of that is actually true." Baekhyun smirks. "But I'm here to receive my mortal when she goes tomorrow."

"Chanyeol?"

"The same. His mortal is the pet shop owner. That's why he's there."


Kyungsoo blinks.

"How come... you guys didn't tell me?"

"Unlike you, Do Kyungsoo, they aren't our first mortals and we don't actually watch their every moves like you do. We only sense what they sense and feel what they feel, come in when it's necessary. And we didn't put it upon ourselves to embark on a 'save your mortal in 7 days' mission, since both of them are most certainly going up. We are just here when it ends and we introduce them to their new beginning."

Baekhyun suddenly lowers his voice as he says the next sentence.

"Just so you know, my mortal? She's _____________ 's mom. I better go. Your mortal's here."


With that, he leaves discreetly as you pop out from the florist's, a bunch of lilies in your hand.


"You are looking like hell. You ok?" You chuckle as you punch him lightly on the arm.

"Yeah."

Hell is probably not the word he wants to think about right now.

________________


You think the flowers are going to go to waste, because as of now, your mother is not fit enough to even sit up.

She's going fast.

Much too fast.


She complains of the pain ever so frequently with her groaning, too weak to form proper words and sentences. She slips in and out of consciousness. 

The brief waking minutes barely distinguishable from the non-waking hours because all she does is stare and breathe. Or try to breathe.


"You might want to stay with her tonight." The doctor states.

You nod.


_________________


"Mom, you haven't met Kyungsoo. He was here yesterday but you were sleeping."

You slide away, giving Kyungsoo some space to sit between you and your mom.

"Hello, ma'am." He smiles with that familiar angelic innocence.


You see your mom's lips curving up briefly.

She nods faintly, eyes blinking. She looks at you, nodding again.

She closes her eyes and sleeps.

__________________


"I'm staying here for the night." You mutter quietly at lunch, or maybe tea, since you aren't hungry during noon and it's another three hours before Kyungsoo manages to persuade you to get something to eat.

"Do you... want me to be here?" His voice is soft and concerned.


"What... time do you have to go back tomorrow?" You ask.

"Daybreak."

You are silent for a while.

"That's... early. Then you better go back and pack for the trip."

A part of you is still wishfully thinking he can put forth the going home and stay with you. You need him. Especially now.


"I don't have much to pack. But I think I do need to go back to the cafe and say a proper goodbye to the boss."

You wonder what a proper goodbye to you will be.

"Yes, you should do that." You bob your head in agreement.


"Do you... need me to bring you anything from home?"

"Nah, I've brought some stuff here. Plus I can always get them at the convenience store nearby."

Kyungsoo nods.

"I'll come back as soon as I can ok?"

__________________



He is gone for two hours.

It isn't long, but it's long enough for you to start missing him and spiraling into depressing thoughts.


The loneliness is getting more and more unbearable whenever he's not around. On top of that, there's the aching that's called a heart break.

__________________


"Why... do you have to go? Are you done with the thing that you are supposed to do here?"

You gather up the courage to ask when the two of you are sitting side by side at the fountain again, the night still and breathing of the death of freshly cut grass on the open field.

"I-m... not sure whether I'm done." He starts carefully, his gaze resting on the empty tub, remnant of the chocolate ice-cream the two of you shared. "I have to go because... I made a promise. And I have to fulfill my promise."

"Will you... be coming back after you fulfill your promise?" You twiddle the tiny wooden spoon in your hands.

"No." He still doesn't look up.

"Why?" You think you are probably pushing it a bit. But you have to know.


"Because... I can't." He sighs.

"You can't or you won't?" You stop playing with the spoon and look at him.

He doesn't meet your gaze.


"I can't."


"Is it something about Baekhyun?"

Kyungsoo finally looks at you, eyes widening.

"What has it got to do with him?" He frowns.

"I- I saw him talking seriously to you the other day at the cafe. And... you weren't here for long but... you two seem to know each other from before." You explain, a bit sheepish for admitting your little spying back there.


"We knew each other alright. He's like my brother." Kyungsoo gives a crooked smile.

"Brother as in, real brother? Is he... going back with you to Ggyeongi-do?"

"He is going back with me... Yes. He's not blood-related though. We are a family, really."


You continue to stare, hoping he'll volunteer more information.

When he doesn't, you ask again, barely a whisper,

"Will we... see each other again?"


Kyungsoo is silent. For a moment, you thought he didn't hear you and ponders whether to repeat when Kyungsoo replies, "I don't know."

That's hardly an answer for you.



"Do you want to see me again?" You are trying hard to hold back the tremor in your voice.


Kyungsoo inhales deeply and puts down the tub, grasping both of your hands in his as he looks you in the eyes.


"Yes."

His hands tug once, then he says it again, softer than the first.


"Yes."


You think that's probably how love sounds like.


Breathy, lovely and heart wrenching.