Kris enters his apartment, expecting Suho to bounce up to him and hug him as he has done the past few days after Kris came home from work. He’s working again a week ago, finally feeling ready to face the world. His colleagues have been elated to see him again and even though he hasn’t been at work for so long, his boss still gave him his old job back, just glad to have him back and Kris happily accepted it.

Suho doesn’t come to hug him and after a long but actually short moment of worry, Kris finds the boy sitting in the living room, on the couch, curled up in a small ball. Crying softly.

Immediately, he rushes over to the boy and pulls him into a tight embrace.

“What’s wrong?” he asks concerned, making Suho look at him.

Suho presses his lips together in a thin line and shakes his head but Kris keeps on prodding.

“What is it? You can tell me. Always. I thought you trusted me?”

Kris lets out a loud sob and flings his arms around Suho’ neck.

“I have to go,” he cries and Kris feels as if someone has stolen the breath from him. No.

“W-what?” he stutters and Suho nods while pressing his face into the crook of Kris’ neck.

“I’ve done my job, I’ve helped you get over it and on with your life and so they want me to return to my full duties as guardian angel,” Suho explains in a small voice, his whole body shaking with the force of his sobs.

“No,” Kris says horrified. “They can’t do that!”

“They can. And they do. I’ll have to return to my normal form. You won’t be able to see me anymore.”

Kris shakes his head in denial. “But I need you!”

“You don’t. At least not in a way they’d allow. I was never allowed to be a friend for you.”

“But...”

“We can’t do anything against it, Hyung,” Suho says sadly, letting go of Kris and looking into his eyes. “I’m so sorry. You must believe that I don’t want to leave you.”

“I know.”

“I love you. I always loved you”

It is the first time either of them has said those words and Kris feels a sudden pain in his heart.

“I love you too,” he whispers in a strained voice. He can’t believe he’s going to lose someone he loves again. He doesn’t want to believe it.

“You won’t lose me,” Suho says as if he can read Kris’ mind. “I’ll always be there. You won’t be able to see me but I won’t leave you. I promised that to you once and I’m going to keep that promise. I’ll always be there to watch over you and protect you from anything that wants to harm you.”

Kris starts to cry now too, gathering the boy in his arms again and hugging him tight, never wanting to let him go again.