"I can't believe it!" Jongin exclaims. Chanyeol and the others are at one of the plaza huts, enjoying the short break before their classes start. It was a new term, another set of major subjects to pass, and another set of new faces to see but the group would rather spend the short time they have with each other before going their separate ways. "You still haven't confessed?"

"You don't understand, Jongin." Chayeol says. "You're mistaking brotherly love for something more raw." Jongin laughs at this.

"Are you getting this, guys? 'Brotherly love'? Since when were you so sure about this, Chanyeol?"

"Ever since, Jongin. Ever since." Chanyeol says, his jaw tense.

"You clearly don't see yourself well, Chanyeol." Jongin argues. 

"Well, you don't have proof that it's something otherwise, Jongin." Chanyeol barks back.

"We don't need proof. Your actions toward him and his actions toward you are enough of a proof, don't you think so?" Jongin says. "Maybe you should open your eyes to the intensity of your actions."

"But I do them because I care for him like a brother would for a brother! A friend for a friend! I don't see anything beyond that so please, stop." Chanyeol growls and then sighs in frustration. The light throbbing in his head was turning to immense pain. He always thought it was because of the stress he's receiving from both his studies and friends but the pain just seems to never go away. "Let's just drop this conversation, please?"

"Let Chanyeol have his way, Jongin." Kyungsoo says. "He needs more time and Baekhyun needs more time."

"But they'll eventually be ruined!" Jongin argues again. "Waiting that long would only bring so much heartache for both of them when they themselves can't open their eyes to the obvious!"

"Hush," Kyungsoo warns him, pinching Jongin on the ear, earning him a yowl. "shut up. Since when were you an expert on love? And since when did you start speaking so eloquently? Anyways, I have to go. My class starts in a few minutes."

"I'll take you there, hyung!" Jongin says, standing up after Kyungsoo. He turns to the group. "I'll be back, don't do anything stupid."

"You don't do anything stupid, stupid." Jongdae snorts. "Ooh! I see Luhan hyung. He's probably heading to the Engineering building. Be back, guys." 

Chanyeol brings his head back down on the table, ignoring Yifan and Zitao's bickering and the usual afternoon hustle in the background. Suddenly, he feels something brush along his right arm and he looks up to see Baekhyun looking at him with worry.

"Head hurts?" Chanyeol could only nod. Baekhyun pulls out some pills from his bag and hands them to Chanyeol, along with a bottle of water. "Here, drink it. They're a bit stronger than the usual pills you drink. Had a hard time getting them from the campus clinic so they better work." Chanyeol weakly laughs and thanks him, telling him he didn't have to, Baekhyun rolls his eyes and smiles at him.

"Remember, Chanyeol. I care for you. I wouldn't take the risks if I didn't."

When caps are finally thrown in the air and good luck's and goodbye's are exchanged, the group remains, posing for a "one last photo before Kyungsoo leaves." Kyungsoo's one more term away from graduating and before that however, he'll have to fly all the way to France to complete his internship. If they deem him worthy, he'll be offered a permanent position right there at that classy five-star hotel he always dreamt of. The group would surely miss him and Luhan who's a few years away from graduating and Zitao and Jongin who are well on their way to third and fourth year respectively are squished into Kyungsoo's embrace, producing unattractive faces to the camera. Chanyeol makes sure his left arm is over Baekhyun's shoulders to pull him closer to his side, making faces at the camera as it continuously beeps and flashes for them.

Baekhyun wraps arms around him and snuggles into Chanyeol. "I'm going to miss you. It's not going to be the same without you."

"I'll only be cities away, Baek." Chanyeol says, comforting the boy who is now making sniffling noises. "I'll always come and visit you when I have the chance."

"Promise?"

"Only if you promise to do the same for me."

"Oh, Chanyeol." Baekhyun smiles up at him, his eyes forming into little crescents. "I don't have to. I'll always take the risks for you."

If only Chanyeol could say the same thing.

Two years have been so fast for Baekhyun. But it wasn't enough for him to ease the pain. He and Chanyeol would occasionally send texts and emails until Chanyeol stopped and Baekhyun was left alone.

Baekhyun decided to look for him after a few months. He wasn't sure where Chanyeol was exactly and his friend could have moved to places but he decided to look for him at the city he last known Chanyeol was at.

He expected a surprised Chanyeol, someone who's looking all so pale and flustered at his sudden appearance, someone who'll dodge his numerous questions about what he has been doing, why did he stop sending texts and emails, and someone who'll say sorry, hug him, and promise not to do that anymore as he hits at him for being so stupid and selfish but he'll smile and return that hug anyway.

He didn't expect, however, to find Chanyeol at the very least place he wants to be at right now, flowers and candles adorning the gray tombstone that still looked polished and new. Baekhyun's knees weakened and his tears angrily flowed as he gripped on the grass below him, screaming why why didn't you tell me why did you keep this a secret from me I'm your best friend I would have helped you I would take all the risks for you―

I never got to say I love you.

He didn't pick up the signs. Hell, there was even no sign. If he knew, he would have done something but he had to give it to Chanyeol who successfully hid it from him for so long. 

Well, he had to give it to himself as well for hiding his own feelings from Chanyeol.

Chanyeol was never just a best friend. For Baekhyun, it was beyond more. But he didn't want to ruin their friendship. And as much as he always took the risks for Chanyeol, it was funny how Baekhyun couldn't take the risk for his own feelings.  

When he was diagnosed and admitted into the hospital, Chanyeol felt a surge of regret fill him up. He was so stupid. Why didn't he listen to Jongin? The boy was nothing but trouble but when it came to his friends, he was the wisest and the most softhearted among them.

He should have listened to what Jongin kept blundering about on love. He should have followed what Jongin said, to look deeper, but what did he do? Nothing.

And now, with his life thread coming to a complete stop, Chanyeol could only remember his past. He remembers his first puppy, he remembers how it died. He remembers his parents' smiles when he got accepted into university, he remembers his mom's kiss and his dad's pat on his back before they died in that car crash. He remembers that first lab activity with Baekhyun, he remembers that hug they shared before he left for a new city.

It was a good idea, to have the company transfer him to the province where he could be at peace. It was a good idea to stop all connections with Baekhyun and his other friends, it'll only make leaving worst. He imagines them flustering over him, Jongdae and Jongin cooing at him as he is nursed to recovery, Baekhyun pushing them aside with a scowl and making his way beside Chanyeol to rub circles on his palm and run a hand through his hair.

That's far from happening. And as Chanyeol continues to remember Baekhyun's smile and his face, the pain in his head sharpens and he would've doubled over if he wasn't lying down on the bed, his legs feeling numb. Hands hold him in place and voices overlap voices until white clouds his vision and he gasps.

I didn't even get to say I love him. But it's too late now.

"Please," Chanyeol manages to say, his voice hoarse as everything turns dazzingly white. "just do it." His speech was disoriented, jumbled, but they must have understood because suddenly, he feels something sharp against him, he feels something tug in him, something that soon breaks and then everything goes from white to black.

They loved each other without knowing how, or when, or from where. It just happened.

A.N: That's it, guys! It's over. Wow, so I didn't expect to finish this. It was really hard for me to do, to be honest huhu I was never successful with writing stories. But I do hope you guys at least read it and I'll be very happy if you guys comment as well! For now, that's all and I would really like to thank you all for reading this far weeps