--

Baekhyun was walking home at five in the morning again from the construction site. The overpass was done, and after another safety inspection, it would be open to the public to use. He felt accomplished, building something that would be of use to someone.

He’d passed the last few days away with going to class and going to work on the house and going home. He’d worked on his homework for a bit before going out to his night job. And now, he was going to be out of the night job, but still have plenty of money left over thanks to how much the house job was paying.

“Fancy seeing you out here again,” Baekhyun heard a familiar voice say. He looked up from the sidewalk to see Jongin, still dressed in a suit, sitting on a bench with a smile on his face. Baekhyun stopped and stared at him for a moment until Jongin beckoned him over and patted the seat beside him.

He didn’t have anywhere to be, so Baekhyun sat down beside him, heaving a sigh.

“Why the long sigh?” Jongin asked, pulling a cigarette out and offering one to Baekhyun. Baekhyun declined, and Jongin shrugged before lighting it.

“You don’t want to hear about my problems. I have too many of them, and I’d rather not bother people with them,” Baekhyun said, leaning back against the back of the bench.

“I’m curious now. Don’t leave me hanging like this.” Jongin breathed out a stream of smoke.

“One of my friends decided that he didn’t want to be friends anymore. We were talking about getting back into a relationship, but he randomly decided he didn’t want to anymore. He’s been avoiding me for the past few days. And I can’t even talk to my other friends about it because they’re all busy with their own lives.”

Jongin nodded in understanding, looking out at the sky. “ when you don’t have anyone to turn to, huh?”

“I always thought I could do things on my own. I never realized how much I relied on my friends until now,” Baekhyun said quietly.

Things were quiet between the two of them until Jongin dropped his cigarette and stomped it out. “How’s the house going?”

“It’s almost done. I think there’s only another day or two of work on it before it’s finished.”

“That’s good. Thanks for picking up the job. I think you’re the only one besides the site manager that’s stuck with it.”

“I don’t really like to leave things unfinished. Do you know how much they’re paying me? For what little they’re having me do?”

Jongin nodded. “Of course. I’m the one that told them.”

“But why?”

“Why not?” Jongin asked, shrugging his shoulders. They two stared at each other until Baekhyun’s eyes narrowed a little bit. “What?”

“Nothing. I just...” Something felt familiar about Jongin’s stare, but before Baekhyun could figure it out, Jongin stood up and brushed some invisible dust from his shoulders.

“I should be headed out anyway. Good luck with your friends.”

Baekhyun watched as Jongin left, feeling even more apprehensive than before.

--

It was the final day of working on the house before it would be completed. Baekhyun was getting ready to leave for the bus stop when he heard frantic knocking on his door. Anxious, he pulled it open to see Chanyeol standing there, looking like he’d seen a ghost.

“Chanyeol! What-”

“I don’t have much time. I know you’ve been working on a house after class. Don’t go back there,” Chanyeol said. He was panting, and when he caught his breath and opened his mouth to talk again, he gritted his teeth together as his face screwed up in pain.

“Yeol! Are you okay? What’s going-”

“Don’t. Go. Back. There.”

Baekhyun had no choice but to obey before Chanyeol turned and left as abruptly as he came. “Chanyeol! Wait!” Baekhyun yelled, but Chanyeol was already gone.

--

Chanyeol stumbled into his apartment, holding his stomach. He managed to get to his couch and pulled off his shirt to reveal a long bloody cut across his chest. When he thought about the warning he gave Baekhyun, he yelled as another cut opened on his chest above it.

“I told you not to see him again.”

Chanyeol gritted his teeth as his chest heaved. He had smaller scars on his arms and his legs from when cuts would appear because he thought about Baekhyun.

“You’re sick, do you know that? Baekhyun would never love someone like you,” Chanyeol spat, groaning in pain when another cut opened on his chest.

Jongin sighed from the seat next to him and pursed his lips. “Well, when no one else is left and he’s looking for comfort, guess who will be there with open arms? I know you humans. Irrational creatures.”

“At least we’re not crazy!” Chanyeol yelled, earning another cut across his stomach.

“We all do a few crazy things when we’re in love. I think it goes for any species, not just mine.”

Chanyeol closed his eyes as he felt blood dripping down his chest and wished for death.

--