A pair of almond eyes flutters open slowly but surely, blinking a few times to adjust itself to the blinding sunlight that was shining through the window and onto his face.

Myungsoo who was sitting by the bedside smiles when he finds his princess awake from his slumber.

“Morning Byunghun. Did you sleep well?” Myungsoo runs his fingers through Byunghun’s soft blonde locks. The boy lets out a slight smile without replying Myungsoo but the latter took no mind of it. He knew it already took the boy a lot of energy to even smile in response much less utter a word. He was too weak for that at this point in time. Dysphoria seeps into his bones, his eyes teary as though he had an ocean encased inside of his pair of glass marbled orbs but he tried not to let a single teardrop escape. He knew Byunghun hated seeing people cry.

Snaking his arm under Byunghun’s neck, Myungsoo easily lifts the fragile boy up into a sitting position and feeds him some water patiently allowing the latter to slowly take in the liquid with some difficulty. Seeing Byunghun in such a state, the elder is unable to control his emotions any longer as the smooth spheres started cracking. The ocean held within his orbs started leaking and little droplets of salty tears raced down his smooth cheeks staining them.

“Hyung… Don’t...” Byunghun painfully raises his hand to wipe Myungsoo’s tears away, his breathing heavy from the strength he has to exert to conquer even such a small movement.

Myungsoo just sniffs and takes the back of Byunghun’s smooth hands to wipe the remaining tears away, finally forcing a smile on his face after all his tear stains are gone. Holding the younger’s hand tightly in his, he holds it up to his cheek and caressed the small frail hand gently.

“Let’s get ready my bride.” Myungsoo finally releases Byunghun’s hand from his hold and kisses him on his forehead before carrying him into his arms and bringing him into the toilet to wash up.

===

The morning sunlight peeks through the window that was covered by translucent white curtains fluttering with the wind. A pair of white glittery high tops lay on the ground, sparkling in the sunlight. Despite Myungsoo’s initial suggestion of Byunghun wearing snow white sneakers, the said insisted on wearing high tops so that he could have insoles hidden in them to look taller.

The door creaks open and Myungsoo brings his bride into the room in his arms, already clad in his dazzling white wedding dress. The elder carefully places his fiancee on the white velvet sofa, helping the boy to rest his back comfortably on the back rest. Myungsoo then crossed the room to bring Byunghun’s pair of high tops over before kneeling down and wearing them on his feet.

“Myungsoo hyung...”

“Thank you.”

“Silly boy, it’s just shoes honey.”

“No thank you. Thank you for keeping me company, for caring for me and putting up with me. Thank you for helping me lie to Channie. Thank you for proposing to me so that I can wear this dress for Channie.” Byunghun starts panting slightly as his head lolled sideways slightly, a clear indication that he was exhausted. Slow desolate tears ran from his unblinking eyes, Myungsoo didn’t have to do all this for him but he did.

“Byunghun... Thank you for marrying me, for allowing me to keep you company and for trusting me. I should be the one thanking you instead.”

Byunghun reaches out for Myungsoo’s hand and squeezed it softly with all the strength he has left.

Byunghun listens to the light pitter patter as he pursed his lips together scanning the area to check if Chanhee had arrived in the vicinity but all he sees are strangers rushing across the roads under their umbrellas or in their raincoats. The small boy hugged his gift deeper in his coat so that it wouldn’t get wet, shivering in the cold. The silly boy had been so excited for their date that he forgot to bring an umbrella with him before leaving the house.

It was their 2nd anniversary and Byunghun had prepared a whole night’s event for Chanhee and himself to celebrate but he has been waiting for his boyfriend for the past few hours in the icy cold weather without much luck. Over the past few months, Chanhee had been busy with his work that he barely had time to spare for Byunghun but Byunghun still held onto that thin thread of hope that Chanhee would remember their anniversary and turn up for their date. Chuckling bitterly to himself, the boy finally realized that Chanhee wasn’t going to show up. What makes Byunghun think his boyfriend would make some time for their anniversary.

A burly man knocks into Byunghun as he passed by in a flurry, causing the fragile boy to finally lose his strength in his knees and crumble onto the ground hardly. His gift had slipped out of his hands and the snow globe that was painstakingly handcrafted by the boy shattered into pieces upon contact with the rough concrete. The rain started pouring heavier seemingly mocking him. With trembling hands, Byunghun starts picking up the glass shards piece by piece and placed them back into the box he had prepared.

“Byunghun!”

Myungsoo ran to the younger and sheltered him protectively under his umbrella. He was on the way home when he saw the lone man on the floor, immediately recognizing his childhood friend upon closer inspection.

“You know your own health condition how could you stand in the rain?” He chided, hurriedly taking off his coat to drape around the shivering boy.

“He didn’t turn up...” Byunghun mumbles, staring into nothing as he held onto the gift box tightly, not noticing that his fingers were bleeding from being cut while picking up the glass shards.

Myungsoo sighs, he knew Chanhee had been neglecting Byunghun for a few months now, prioritizing work over his boyfriend but he couldn’t do anything except watch Byunghun slowly break down on the inside and out.

“It’s alright, you still have me honey ya. I’ll always be here.”

===

Byunghun closed his eyes shut in agony as he felt a familiar pang of pain shoot up his chest. Frantically grabbing the nearest thing next to him that happened to be Myungsoo’s hand, he started gasping for air blinking rapidly and trying not to fall into unconsciousness. The next thing he knew, he jerked forward feeling a burning sensation rising from his gut to his esophagus, involuntarily throwing up blood onto Myungsoo’s lap.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. It’s alright. It’s alright.” Myungsoo rubs the younger’s back soothingly as he whispered the comforting words into Byunghun’s ears. He grabs a stack of tissues from the side table and gently wiped the mess coming from Byunghun’s mouth.

After which he opens a small suitcase and tears open the protective seal to reveal a syringe with a needle filled with white liquid.

“Honey, I’ll give you the injection now. Bear with it for awhile.”

Byunghun’s face scrunched up in pain as the needle penetrates into his blood vessel through his skin. Slowly, his breathing started evening out as he releases his tight grip from Myungsoo’s arm. He wishes it was Chanhee whispering encouraging words into his ears beside him, he wishes it was Chanhee kissing his forehead telling him everything would be alright. Byunghun