Since birth, he knew that he was sick.

He knew he had to go to the hospital twice a week to get his blood cleaned. Twice, however, turned into thrice weekly more often than not for the past two years.

He also knew that he wouldn't live to be 25. The doctors had told his parents this when he went into the hospital for his cleaning on the day of his fourteenth birthday.

He hadn't really understood at the time why Doctor Lee had told his parents to sit down when he delivered the news. Or why his mother cried loudly and his father bit his knuckle.

Today, as he laid, plugged up to various machines in his hospital room, he understood it all.

He was nineteen now, and on the verge of death itself.

His eyes were tightly closed and he couldn't tell if there was anyone in the room with him.

Guessing no one was, he let a few tears run down his cheeks.

No one, when he was little had had the curtesy to tell him what he was sick with.

He had always just assumed it was a bad cold that would probably never go away.

Now, when he was on his last legs, finally, someone told him.

"Please.. I just.. I just want to know what I have." He had been crying. "I don't care if hers no cure for.. this.. I just want to know what it is."

The doctors had ignored him and left the room. Leaving him alone with his boyfriend.

"Yeobo.. Do you.. You know what's wrong with me.. Don't you? Can you tell me..?"

"Baby.. I don't think you want to kn--"

"I do!" He interjected. "Tell me.."

"You have leukemia."

And he had just accepted it. No tears, no screaming. Just a simple nod of his head. Then, he'd turned over and fallen asleep.

"KiBum..? Are you alright..?" A fimiliar voice said from beside him.

He wiped at his eyes. "J-JongHyun.. What are you doing here?"

"I've been here all day. Turn over, let's talk."

So he did, avoiding all eye contact with the older man.

"Y-yeobo..?" KiBum finally spoke up, breaking the silence that had made itself present. "Have the doctors said anything new?"

"Yes, they have. But I would rather you not know what." He paused. "You sound weak, love. I should stop bothering you and let you rest."

"What have they said?"

Before his boyfriend had a chance to answer, the doctor walked in, looking rather sad. "Ah, KiBum, you're finally awake. How are you feeling..?" He walked over to the machines and took down their readings on a paper.

He couldn't start to explain the immense pain he felt, so he just replied "Fine.", and looked up at the ceiling as if it were to split and angels would come down from heaven and take him away to a place where he would feel nothing.

"Baby.." JongHyun sighed. "Don't lie."

"I'm fine."

JongHyun slipped out of the room to speak to the doctor, leaving KiBum alone with his wandering thoughts.

Was heaven as pretty as he'd imagined it? What was it like to cross to the other side? Would he even know he died?

He sighed and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the doctor and JongHyun had returned.

"KiBum?" The doctor spoke. "I'm going to give you some Morphine. To take some of the pain away."

"But.. But I'm not in any pain.."

"Key.." JongHyun started, using his nickname. "While you were asleep earlier you were whimpering. You hurt.. Let us make it better."

He decided not to fight the truth. He nodded and let himself be injected with the drug.

It took the pain away but also blurred his vision temporarily.

When it returned to normal he seen the angels. Halo and all. They had their arms wide open and their white dresses were dancing in some non-existent wind.

It was so easy to picture himself joining them.

He noticed his heart rate dropping because the beeping from the machine was becoming less frequent.

"Let this happen, Key. Let it happen, my love. Let go. Go join the angels you always talk about. Let your suffering end." JongHyun was holding his hand and he was crying. "Don't forget that I love you, though. Please, don't forget me. Wait for me in heaven. I will join you."

He couldn't find the words to promise to JongHyun that he would wait for him as long as it would take for them to be reunited. So he simply squeezed his lover's hand with all the energy he had left in him.

"Thank you, Key." He felt the older man kiss his temple. "I love you with all my heart."