Yixing woke up on the third ring. He squinted at Luhan’s name blinking on the screen and swiped across the screen to answer. He listened, dumbfounded, as Luhan went straight to the point and silently crumbled his world. He wanted to ask a million questions but he ended up with a shaky “where?”

On the earliest flight back to Korea he was in an absolute mess. He flashed back to all the recent showcases they went for, how Baekhyun had had to yank away his microphone multiple times and bend over with the effort of suppressing his coughs. Baekhyun told him it was a cold when he asked, and he’d believed him. He remembered Baekhyun growing quieter day by day, and he’d thought he’d changed, but he was just tired. He was sick. 

In that moment Yixing despised himself.

For being away all the time.

For not noticing.

For not caring enough.

He turned around to his manager and told them he was stopping his activities in China for a long while. He lowered his eyes at their sharp, raised voices, but he made up his mind. He would change his whole world for Baekhyun.

He took a cab straight to the hospital when he landed. His assistant would see to his luggage. He was so wrecked with worry he couldn’t even speak properly to the nurse at the front desk.

When he burst into the room he saw the small body tucked in the large sheets and tears sprang into his eyes. Ignoring Chanyeol who was holding Baekhyun’s hand from his spot beside the bed, he ran to Baekhyun and roughly gathered him in his arms in the gentlest way possible.

“Baby I’m sorry I’m here now, Hyun-ie you must be hurting so much…”

He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t closed eyes or pressed lips.

“Go away, Yixing. If you’re going to be absent all the time, leave for good. I don’t want you anywhere near me. Go away.”

Yixing didn’t know he could possibly feel any worse than when he received Luhan’s call, but now he was.

It was something he’d always felt guilty for, but Baekhyun had always assured him with a smile and a kiss that he understood, that he supported him, that he’d always wait for him. No matter what.

“Things have changed, I guess.” Chanyeol’s voice sounded from the other side of the bed.

And he leaned over to kiss Baekhyun.