"Mom, are you leaving early today? Do you have the night shift, too?"

Hyeonjong looked over her shoulder, an apologetic look on her face as she nodded her head. Upon seeing her son, though, it completely turned into confusion. Chanyeol looked pleased at the news that his mother will be taking the night shift. Hyeonjong cocked an eyebrow, hand on her hip as she smirked at her son.

"What's making you so happy, Yeol?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"What? I'm not happy. What makes you say that?" Chanyeol casually picked the lint off his jacket (it was summer but the hospital was freezing and Chanyeol had never been one of the kids who loved the cold).

"Dear, your face could practically get ripped in half if you keep smiling that. It's kind of disturbing already." Hyeonjong laughed softly as her son pouted.

"My smile's not creepy, mom. Stop iiiit. So, is it alright if I stay here while you work? It's boring at home." Chanyeol jumped off his seat, fixing his jeans and stretching his long legs.

"Sure, but wouldn't you prefer to be at home? It's your second day of vacation, you know?"

"It's boring there." He shrugged, randomly flipping some files from his mother's work table and suddenly smiling at a certain page.

"...are you sure? I remember you buying so many video games before vacation started..."

"I don't feel like playing games toda-- mom, can I stay or not?" Chanyeol whined, pouting and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Alright, alright. Knock yourself out in here." Hyeonjong shooed her son away, noting how there was an obvious skip in the boy's steps as he left.

As soon as Chanyeol left the staff lounge, she sat back down on her seat, fixing her nurse's cap and fixing her table that the nineteen-year old had casually messed up. With a soft 'oh', she noticed her notebook which Chanyeol had been previously flipping through. It was open on the page of a certain blonde boy, a heart warming eye-smile seen in his one-by-one photo.

Hyeonjong couldn't help but sigh with happiness and sadness.

Chanyeol knocked softly on the door of room 506, and felt the corners of his lips tugging upwards as a soft but a little raspy voice called for him to come in. He carefully opened the door, already used in not making any unnecessary loud noises when he was in the hospital. He waved at the boy sitting on the bed, his legs dangling at the side. His hair was messed up, as if he had just woken up, and he was wearing Pororo-printed pyjamas which was absolutely adorable. Chanyeol found himself grinning, and Baekhyun cocked his head to the side.

"What? Why are you grinning like that?"

"Nothing. I mean....Pororo? Really?" Chanyeol gestured to his pyjamas as he took a seat on the stool beside Baekhyun's bed.

Baekhyun pouted, his cheeks turning pink as he crossed his arms. As soon as Chanyeol was in his reach, he playfully hit him on the shoulder. Chanyeol faked an 'ow!', rubbing his shoulder and pouting at Baekhyun who just laughed.

"Pororo's cute! What's wrong if my pyjamas are printed with Pororo? He's adorable." He reasoned, watching as Chanyeol nodded his head in understanding.

"Alright, alright. He's cute, don't get so worked up over it, Baekhyun." Chanyeol crossed his legs, resting his elbow on his knee and placing his chin in his hand as he looked at Baekhyun.

"Then don't laugh, Chanyeol." Baekhyun whined, then he smiled, swinging his legs back and forth.

It was like this the previous day as well. Chanyeol stayed in Baekhyun's room until his mother's shift was done, and they'd engage in small talk from time to time. The silence between them was never awkward, and Chanyeol liked it that way. There was some kind of a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere whenever Baekhyun was around.

He watched as the smaller boy brushed his hair out of his face, and then he noticed something.

"That's a nice bracelet. May I see it?" Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun, who nodded with a sheepish smile on his face as he held out his hand.

Chanyeol carefully held his hand, noting how soft his skin was and how pretty his slim fingers looked up close. His skin was so white and flawless, you'd think it belonged to a girl. He let his eyes travel slowly to the bracelet, and smiled at the message written on the accessory. Fearless Baekhyun.

"What's with the message?" Chanyeol moved his hand up, running his fingers on the silver bracelet.

"My hyung gave it to me when I got sick." He said simply, and Chanyeol felt that tiny little ache of pity shoot through his heart.

"Oh..." Was the only thing Chanyeol could say.

"He told me that everything would be alright if I remained the fearless Baekhyun that I am. That I shouldn't let uncertain things bother me." He continued, pulling his hand away and touching the bracelet.

"Where's your hyung now?"

"...he's...I don't know, really...they never visit me anymore."

Baekhyun suddenly became very quiet, his head down as he continued holding the bracelet closer to his chest. Chanyeol knew he had touched on a very sensitive subject, and he felt like an insensitive jerk. Baekhyun's figure looked sadder than ever, and Chanyeol wouldn't be surprised if the boy suddenly started crying. He stood up from his seat, making the blond boy look up at him curiously.

"Let's go take a walk, Baek." He suggested, shoving his hands into his pockets and smiling at the sitting boy.

"Right now? I...Chanyeol, I don't think that's..."

"Come on! The weather's good, and you could use some fresh air."

"...okay." Baekhyun let the faintest smile graze his lips, and Chanyeol smiled at him.

The only place that the nurses allowed Baekhyun to go to was the rooftop. Chanyeol wanted to go to the park, but he really couldn't do anything. Maybe the rooftop wouldn't be so bad.

They stepped outside, and a couple of patients were strolling around the place already. It wasn't the prettiest place (it could use some upgrading in Chanyeol's opinion), but it was decent enough. Chanyeol heard Baekhyun take a deep breath as he walked to the edge, leaning on the rails and looking at the scenery.

"See? Told you the weather's good." Chanyeol said, sidling up to Baekhyun and leaning on the railing as well.

"I never really go out that much. When I do, I'm always by myself so it's not really fun." Baekhyun twiddled with his fingers, looking at Chanyeol and smiling.

"Well, I'm here now. We can hang out when you're bored, and when you get released, let's hang out some more, 'kay?" Chanyeol grinned, his face twitching and making Baekhyun laugh.

"Your face does this really...cute twitch when you laugh. It's so weird. In a good way." He poked Chanyeol's cheek curiously, and Chanyeol felt his heart skip a beat (for reasons unknown to him).

"O-oh, this twitch. Ugh, my friends always make fun of it. I don't really like it." Chanyeol complained, looking away and pouting.

"Why would they make fun of you for that? It's really unique, and I like it." Baekhyun admitted, smiling at Chanyeol who looked at him from the corner of his eyes.

"You do? Why?"

"It's...very Chanyeol." He had a frown on his face as if he himself didn't really get what he just said.

"...alright then, just like my twitch for me. That's okay, too." Chanyeol chuckled softly, and Baekhyun nodded his head.

"I will, don't worry. Even if you hate that twitch with your guts, I'll still like it. It's really adorable." Baekhyun laughed softly, and Chanyeol found himself ruffling the smaller boy's hair.

"Yah, don't do that! I'm not a kid anymore." He swatted Chanyeol's hand away, a pout on his face as a teasing smirk grew on the taller boy's face.

"Yes you are. I bet I'm older than you." Chanyeol nudged Baekhyun's shoulder, and the smaller boy huffed.

"I'm nineteen years old, for your information. I bet you're like, eighteen or something."

"Dude, I'm nineteen, too. November." Chanyeol laughed.

"I was born in May, kiddo." Baekhyun stuck his tongue out, and Chanyeol gasped.

"Seriously?! You look so young, Baek. I thought I was older."

"Call me hyung."

"No way, Baekhyunnie."

Baekhyun pouted, but he smiled afterwards, crossing his arms on the railings and resting his chin on his arms. Chanyeol turned around, back against the railings as they listened to the sounds of crickets getting louder by the minute, sounding like a natural orchestra in the quiet of the falling night. Baekhyun, with a sigh, watched the sunset (or what was visible of it from his view) in silence.

"Baek, when are you getting out of here?" Chanyeol asked, voice quiet and distant.

"...I'm not."

Chanyeol whipped his head around, staring at the boy who seemed transfixed on the orange and purple hues that the sunset was casting on the clouds. He looked so peaceful and content with his life, Chanyeol couldn't process his answer.

"What?"

"I said, I'm not getting out. I'm sick. I've been sick since forever." Baekhyun straightened up, stretching his arms and pushing himself off the railings.

"Baekhyun..."

"But that's fine with me. I like it here. Everyone's nice." He glanced at Chanyeol, then back at the sky.

"But...it's fun out there, too." Chanyeol retorted weakly, and Baekhyun looked up at him with that wistful smile of his.

"Fun's a relative thing, Chanyeol. Each and every one of us has his own definition of fun. If some people like partying and clubbing, I like spending my evenings in my room watching the moon or talking to the ahjummas here. It's not really a big deal for me that I haven't tried normal things because I'm sick." He said softly, and Chanyeol realized he had been holding his breath as soon as Baekhyun started speaking.

"Wait, you mean to say...you've never been out there?" His eyes widened comically, and Baekhyun's lips twitched slightly from a smile.

"What? No, I'm not some kind of Rapunzel, Chanyeol. I just...I've been unhealthy ever since I was a kid, so my parents thought it best for me to be homeschooled, and then the last straw for them was when I collapsed at home. They finally decided that I should just stay in a hospital. I've been here for three months already, and frankly, I'm not getting better."

"Don't be so negative, Baek." Chanyeol found himself frowning, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the railings too tightly.

"I'm not. Being negative and being realistic are two different things. I know I'm not getting better, but it's alright. I know that eventually, we all die, so I just live my life the way I want it." He shrugged his shoulders, taking a seat on a bench in front of Chanyeol and pulling up his knees to his chest, hugging them.

"So your dream life is living in a hospital and making friends with ahjummas? Baekhyun..." Chanyeol was surprised at Baekhyun's way of thinking.

"I don't really have a choice, do I? But everything happens for a reason. I take it that I'll get something out of this, so I don't really spend my time sulking about unnecessary things. I just enjoy what my so-called life has to offer me. I'm just thankful that I'm still alive today, and honestly? I'm pretty content living like this, talking to nice people, talking to you." The smile never left his face, and Chanyeol suddenly felt a lump in his throat.

Baekhyun might not seem like it, but he was a strong person. His views on life were  different from any normal teenager who'd probably sulk and cry if they were in Baekhyun's shoes, and Chanyeol wanted to argue that no, this wasn't the best life for such a sweet boy, but seeing the contented look on the blonde's face was enough to make him shut up. He took a seat beside the boy, their shoulders touching.

"...Baekhyun, do you want to take a walk again tomorrow?"

Baekhyun turned to him, a huge smile on his face, his eyes turning into crescents, as he nodded eagerly. Chanyeol doesn't know the reason yet, but at that moment, he just wanted to make both of their summers the best that they could remember. He found himself smiling back as Baekhyun gave him the most beautiful smile he could imagine.

"I'd love that, Yeol."