Baekhyun winced as he heard the clunk of the glass bottle hit the wooden table. This is not what he was expecting to hear at 5 in the morning.

 

“Chanyeol! I stayed up all night! You wouldn’t pick up my calls-”

 

Baekhyun stopped talking the moment he noticed Chanyeol staring at him with a broken wine bottle near his foot. Chanyeol never drank. He was always paranoid that if he drank even a single drop of alcohol, all his brain cells would die.

 

Now here he was, with a new bottle in his hands. What the hell was he doing with alcohol? Chanyeol brought out another smaller bottle and drank over half of it. He hissed before smiling weakly at Baekhyun.

 

“Baekhyun-ah~”

 

Baekhyun shuddered. This is not Chanyeol.

 

“Chanyeol, once you are sober, I expect an apology,” Baekhyun said as he turned to head to his room and finally get some sleep.

 

Before he could even take a step forward, large arms held him back. Baekhyun internally sighed once he felt the familiar warmth of his giant.

 

“You were right...”

 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “You drank because you really did mess up your ankle? Chanyeol, that’s very childish-”

 

“I wish it was that.”

 

“Did Dr. Choi tell you to cut back on the sweets?”

 

“No...”

 

“Let me guess, he thought you were mentally ill?” Baekhyun snickered.

 

“B-baekhyun, I’m sorry.”

 

Baekhyun closed his eyes. He knew the moment Chanyeol didn't return his calls that something was wrong. He kept on denying it.

 

“No, Chanyeol. There is nothing wrong with you-”

 

“I’m dying.”

 

Baekhyun’s world collapsed at the mention of those words but he kept on going. “You rarely catch a cold. You eat vegetables and maintain your weight even if you do snack on the occasional sweet. You are healthy and there is no way that you are dying!”

 

Chanyeol tightened the embrace around Baekhyun as he wiped his tears away. Baekhyun was a crying mess at this point. Chanyeol lazily wiped away the tears and snot with his shirt.  

 

“I’m the one who should be crying. I’m dying,” he joked but that only made Baekhyun wail louder.

 

“You’re not dying!” Baekhyun shrieked. He knew he should be quieter since Minseok was still asleep but all his manners flew right out the window. Right now, all he wanted was for Chanyeol to reveal that all this was just a prank.

 

A stupid prank.

 

“It’s huntington's disease, Baek. There is no cure.”

 

Baekhyun’s world collapse right before his eyes. Fortunately for him. Chanyeol was still there to catch him.

 

 

 

 

Later on that day, after a much needed slumber, Baekhyun and Chanyeol sat across each other in their favorite diner.

 

Two plates were left untouched as Baekhyun texted Minseok not to make lunch.

 

“Your bacon is getting cold,” Chanyeol mumbled.

 

Baekhyun weakly smirked and nodded. “Your pancakes are drowning in syrup.”

 

Chanyeol grinned and poured yet more syrup on his pancakes, knowing Baekhyun hated it when he did that.

 

“Yah, Park Chanyeol! Do you wanna die?!”

 

Instantly, Baekhyun apologized. Chanyeol bit his lips before grabbing Baekhyun’s hand and began massaging his fingers.

 

“Baekhyun...”

 

“I’m sorry...”

 

“Don’t be. I decided that I am going to live these next few months to the max before the disease takes over.”

 

“Take over?”

 

“The doctor told me everything. The disease eats my brain away. Over time I lose control of my movement. There will be a point where I won’t be able to eat by myself anymore. Baekhyun-ah... my mind will change too.”

 

“Let’s eat.”

 

“Baek.”

 

“Oh this is delicious! Try some Chanyeol.”

 

Chanyeol grimaced as he witnessed Baekhyun stuff everything into his mouth. Everytime Chanyeol would bring up his disease, he would simply stuff a piece of bacon into his mouth. So, Chanyeol gave up and ate his soggy pancakes.

 

“Why are the heavens so cruel?”

 

Chanyeol looked up to find a crying Baekhyun. He was crying silently as he glanced at Chanyeol and the food on the table.

 

“Why me?”

 

Chanyeol gulped and walked over to the other side to hug Baekhyun. Once the crying man was in his embrace, did he finally respond.

 

“Baek, I’m still here. Let’s enjoy now.”

 

Chanyeol also began sobbing softly. He was going to die. There is no way around that. The only thing he can do now is accept and live life. Live life with Baekhyun.

 

“O-okay. Let’s live for now.”

 

Chanyeol chuckled as he felt Baekhyun hiccup. “Good, now let’s stop crying. People are staring.”

 

“They were staring the moment we ordered breakfast at 3 in the afternoon.”

 

Chanyeol laughed and Baekhyun couldn’t help but chuckle as well. Chanyeol always had that effect on him.

 

 

 

Baekhyun gleamed as he felt Chanyeol rub small circles into his back.

 

“I can’t believe you banned me from the office...” Chanyeol pouted. He loved working in the business. He enjoyed convincing people to invest and the challenges that were thrown his way. Baekhyun, on the other hand, preferred to lounge and sing. Now their roles were switched, expect that Chanyeol doesn’’t sing.

 

Baekhyun moaned as Chanyeol massaged the stress away. “Chanyeol. I decided” He moaned once again. “-that I don’t care if you are going to die.”

 

Chanyeol stopped massaging and worriedly glanced at Baekhyun. “What?”

 

Baekhyun smiled. He just thought of this while he was in a meeting (he was ignoring everyone). He was so sure of it. He doesn’t know how, but it’s going to happen.

“My giant will survive.”