How Can I Love You? 

In this world, people pretty much have the same questions, especially when it comes to love. Such as, how can we love someone without getting hurt? How can we love someone and be loved back? Must there always be a consequence for loving someone so much? Do we really have to suffer for love even after giving everything we’ve got for love? 

Luhan wondered in space, albeit not for long since Chanyeol was trying to feed him his second meal of the day. “Why aren’t you eating again? Do you have any idea how much weight you’ve lost? Gosh, you’re so small and fragile, how did you even fit-“ Chanyeol stopped upon realizing what he was just about to say out of the blue. How did Luhan even fit a baby in his stomach? Moreover, did he have cesarean delivery for the baby?  Chanyeol swallowed the thought uncomfortably. “It must have hurt,” the tall guy said out loud. 

Confused, Luhan asked “what?” 

“When that son of a car-slammed you,” Chanyeol replied quickly before shoving a spoonful of vegetable in Luhan’s mouth. He smiled softly as he watched the smaller boy chew his greens obediently. 

Luhan noticed him staring, thus he looked away with an attempt to change the argument. “How’s the band?” He asked. 

“Laying low,” answered Chanyeol with a sigh. “It’s only been two days since you woke up, but it already feels like a year because I haven’t played any instrument since you went sleeping beauty. Everyone’s really worried about you.” 

“I feel perfect. You have to help me outta here. Just tell them to discharge me like as soon as possible,” Luhan prodded. “I feel perfectly fine, I don’t know why everyone’s insisting that I stay here. I don’t wanna live the rest of my life with debts.” 

Chanyeol looked down, seemingly disappointed. “Sehun paid full with extra,” he corrected.  

“I don’t wanna owe him my medical bills for years!” Luhan apparently raised his voice at the mention of Sehun’s name. 

“Really?” Chanyeol squinted his eyes at the sick boy. “Can I pay for your medical bills instead?” 

Luhan hissed before completely laying his back on the bed. Chanyeol waited for a response or any kind of reaction from the recovering boy, however, it never came. Luhan was merely glancing straight towards the ceiling, his eyes tired and torn, as if his thoughts were somewhere else.

Indeed, Luhan was thinking about where he’d get the money for the medical bills. At least for the first time that day, he wasn’t thinking about Oh Sehun. Just... partially. 

As if on cue, Sehun barged in the room, catching Chanyeol and Luhan’s attention as the door behind him slammed and echoed in thin air. He positioned himself in front of Luhan’s bed as he panted heavily and nervously. Earlier that day, he came to a conclusion that it was time to dye his hair back to its natural color. He’d thought it would make him look more real and just himself, confident and honest. 

And he wanted Luhan to see it. 

He had been practicing his speech on the way, but it was unfortunately, easier when he was only imagining it in his head. 

Luhan jolted up in surprise, a glint of concern was painted in his silent demeanor. The man before him was acting weird in a way he could not quite understand and it made him feel like shrinking under a ground where no one could find him. He didn’t want to fall for it anymore. Reasonably, he believed that everything Sehun does is a trap to hurt him and he wasn’t going to risk it again. 

“Lu-“ before Sehun could say a word or two, Luhan cut him out by calling out the other guy in the room. 

Rattled, Luhan called out of the blue, “Chanyeol!” 

Startled, Chanyeol turned back to the man who was his patient at the moment. A-Are these two gonna co-confess to each other? Why is the atmosphere like this? I don’t like this. Am I getting kicked out because Sehun has to confess something?  He quietly thought to himself.

Despite the chances of getting kicked out, Luhan told him something else and he couldn’t be happier to be given that honor. “Feed me the brocolli please,” was Luhan’s adorable request. 

Chanyeol blinked in befuddlement. “Eh?” 

And of course, Chanyeol couldn’t possibly say no to the man he had an interest for. He knew it was just for play, and yet he wanted to be a part of it. If it could make Luhan happy, he would do anything. 

Even if it meant, playing a game which Luhan thought was one-sided: to make Sehun jealous and shoo him away so he’d never have to talk to Luhan again. “Well,” Chanyeol cleared his throat as he willingly offered Luhan a brocolli while chiming, “Say ahhhh.” 

Luhan hesitated, but he pecked the brocolli with his whole mouth anyway. “Oh yummy,” he mumbled incoherently with food in his mouth. 

Sehun just stared at him amusingly, yet baffled. Luhan obviously did not want to hear him out, which effectively made Sehun feel a little more pessimistic than before. Chanyeol noticed, but his friend needed to learn a les