“Are you free on this Saturday? Lets go for a date” Taekwoon asks casually as he sits beside Jaehwan who is eating his lunch with his best friend, Wonshik.

Jaehwan sighs and puts down his spoon, turns to his side to face the elder. “Can you stop wasting your time on me? I’m not free and I will not go on a date with you.” Jaehwan says in frustration. Ever the start of the semester, his senior, Jung Taekwoon has been annoying him to no end. At first, the elder only started to appear in front of him as frequent as possible. Then, the elder started to pop out from no where in his club activities. Two months ago, the elder started to take action and kept asking him out despite his countless rejection. The elder even bought him flowers and presents in which got rejected and returned as well.

“Then can you just receive this chocolate that I bought for you?” Taekwoon asks insistently, retrieving a chocolate bar from his bag. To be honest, he does not know why Jaehwan is constantly rejecting him, not even giving a single chance. He didn’t know that courting someone will be so tiring before he met Jaehwan. His confessions to the people before that usually accept him easily.

“Will you leave me alone if I take it?” Jaehwan asks, not wanting to create a scene at the cafeteria. He just wants to get over with it as there are some people who are staring at them. Taekwoon nods with a smile and Jaehwan takes the chocolate bar from him wordlessly.

“I will see you soon, love! I’m sure that you will accept the next time!” Taekwoon says and finally leaves but not before he ruffles Jaehwan’s hair. Jaehwan sighs and picks up his spoon again.

“Hyung. Aren’t you too mean? At least go for a date with him” Wonshik says as he stares at the Taekwoon’s back pitifully.

“I know what I’m doing, Wonshik ah” Jaehwan replies softly, eyes glancing at Taekwoon’s back and sighs.

For the next few days, Taekwoon is still courting Jaehwan with efforts, not minding the cold responses from the younger. Some of their friends look at Taekwoon with sympathy as it is obvious that Taekwoon is hopelessly in love with Jaehwan but it seems Jaehwan does not even acknowledge it.

---- 2 weeks later ----                                                             

Wonshik is at the rooftop with Jaehwan as usual. They like to spend time together at there. It is peaceful, windy and quiet.

“Hyung.. it’s hurt to see you like this.. you have a crush on Taekwoon hyung since 1 year ago.. why are you keep rejecting him? He loves you, hyung. He really love you” Wonshik says as he staring at the sky, not daring to look at Jaehwan.

It’s true that Jaehwan is in love with Taekwoon as well but he is suppressing his feelings within himself. Jaehwan was happy at first when Taekwoon first confessed to him two months ago. However, he kept reminding himself that he is not the one for Taekwoon since he will end up hurts the elder.

“Wonshik ah.. you know I can’t… I want to but I can’t…” Jaehwan says sadly and looks at his best friend with teary eyes.

Wonshik pulls the elder to his arms and pats the elder’s back.

“I’m here with you, hyung” Wonshik says insistently.

“I’m afraid..” Jaehwan whispers and cries in his best friend’s arm.

Without them knowing, Taekwoon has witnessed the whole scene and is smiling brightly as he knows that Jaehwan is in love with him. His love is not unrequited.

---- the next day ----

Taekwoon smiles brightly as he holding two movie tickets in which he bought earlier. He has done some surveys and found that the main actor is Jaehwan’s favourite actor. He walks to the locker in which the younger is always there before class to retrieve his belongings. He smiles at the thought that maybe this time Jaehwan will finally accept him and go on a date with him.

However, to his surprise, he only sees Wonshik but not Jaehwan, which is impossible as the two best friends are together most of the time.

“Wonshik ah~ where is Jaehwan?” Taekwoon asks, voice laces with worry as Jaehwan rarely skips class. On top of that, today is Monday in which the younger will have his favorite art class.

Wonshik looks upset for a moment before answers the elder’s question softly, “Jaehwan hyung has something urgent. He will be absent for some days. You can stop looking for him for these few days, hyung”

“Is he sick?” Taekwoon asks, hands gripping tightly onto the tickets. He feels like something bad has happened since Wonshik is usually cheerful but the younger looks down and upset.

“No, its just some family matters.” Wonshik says and leaves the elder alone.

Taekwoon spends the day without much thought except boredom. He has the day perfectly planned, a movie date with Jaehwan, a dinner date afterwards follow by a confession and they will be the cute campus couple.

After his last class ends, he decides to just go home and takes a nap. It’s meaningless to wander around the campus if Jaehwan is not around.

When he reaches to the entrance, he sees Wonshik is with Hongbin and Sanghyuk. He then walks closer to greet the three.

“Wonshik hyung~ Binnie hyung and I are going to the café nearby. Do you want to join us?” he hears Sanghyuk asking Wonshik to join him.

Wonshik smiles slight but rejects their offer, “its okay. You two go ahead. I need to go to Jaehwan hyung”.

“It’s alright. See you tomorrow hyung!” Sanghyuk says cheerfully and drags his boyfriend, Hongbin’s arm towards the direction of the café.

Since Wonshik is going to meet Jaehwan.. if I follow him then I can meet Jaehwan as well, right.. Taekwoon thinks and decides to follow the younger silently.

Wonshik walks down the street and hops on a cab. Taekwoon decides to follow him with another cab since it’s impossible for him to follow the younger without any transportation. “Sir. Please follow the cab in front” he says as he enters the cab.

To his second surprise of the day, the cab stops in front of a hospital. He decides to continue following the younger silently, wishing that Jaehwan is not sick.

Few minutes later, he finds that Wonshik has enters one of the wards which located at the end of the corridor. He walks to the ward and find that there is a patient’s name card being displayed beside the door.

Name: Lee Jae Hwan

BOD: 6/4/1992

Jaehwan is sick? He thinks but decides to eavesdrop outside the ward instead of going in.

“How are you feeling hyung?” Wonshik asks softly, feeling sad when he looks at Jaehwan. The elder looks weak and dark circles are forming.

“I don’t know…” Jaehwan says softly with a small smile.

“When is the surgery?” Wonshik asks and holds his best friend’s hand tightly. He can’t help but tear up at the thought that his best friend might leave him.

“Tomorrow morning” Jaehwan answers.

“You will be fine, right? We promised to be best friend for life. You will come back to me, right?” Wonshik asks, this time with tears. He can’t imagine that he will lose his best friend since diaper. Both of them know that the successful rate of the surgery is very low, and complications may occur during or after the operation.

“I hope so.. Wonshik ah.. I have so much things that I want to do and achieve.” Jaehwan says, crying along with his best friend.

Taekwoon breaks down as he hears the conversation, he is not aware of Jaehwan’s condition. It breaks his heart to see the cheerful and adorable Jaehwan he used to know is crying so helplessly. So this why he keeps on rejecting me.. he does not want to hurt me..

“By the way, hyung.. Taekwoon hyung looked for you this morning…” Wonshik says after both of them calm down.

Taekwoon perks up at the mention of his name.

“What did he want?” Jaehwan asks softly.         

“I think he is going to ask you for a movie date. I saw him with movie tickets” Wonshik answers. “Hyung… if you recover.. will you consider to give him a chance? It hurts to see you two being like this when it is obvious you two are in love with each other” Wonshik continues.

Jaehwan sighs and starts to think. Of cause he wants to be Taekwoon’s boyfriend. It is his dream. Or rather, it was his dream until he found out about his illness.

“if.. Wonshik… if.. we both know that the chances are low” Jaehwan says dejectedly and looks emptily at the wall.

“Hyung…” Wonshik calls softly and hugs the elder tightly.

“So this is why you keep on rejecting me?” Taekwoon asks as he enters the room. He can’t stand it any longer, so he decides to seek for truth by asking Jaehwan directly.

“Taekwoon hyung?” the two best friends turns to the door and are in shocked.

“Wonshik ah” Jaehwan says and looks at his friend.

“I’m innocent.. I didn’t tell him.. I would not dare to do so” Wonshik says and defends himself.

“He didn’t tell me.. I follow him from the campus” Taekwoon answers.

Jaehwan sighs. He didn’t expect that his secret will be revealed in this way.

“Wonshik. Can I talk to Jaehwan privately?” Taekwoon asks Wonshik. Without him knowing, the question sounds desperate and pleading.

Wonshik looks at Jaehwan to see his friend’s response. As much as he wants his best friend to sort things out, he does not want Jaehwan to be upset.

Jaehwan sighs again, knowing that there is no way he can get out of it this time. Jaehwan nods at his friend and Wonshik hugs Jaehwan for the last time before he leaves the ward. Taekwoon smiles at the agreement; finally Jaehwan is not rejecting him.

“So this is why?” Taekwoon begins and sits on the chair beside the bed.

“Why what?” Jaehwan asks, looking the other side, avoiding from having eye contact with elder.

“The reason that you reject me” Taekwoon says. Jaehwan remains silent and Taekwoon know he has said the truth.

Jaehwan looks up with tearful eye. “How can I tell you that I don’t have much time left? How can I tell you that I’m basically just a hopeless boy who is waiting for his death? How can I  tell you that the chances of I’m dying is very high?” Jaehwan says and starts crying while hugging himself.

Taekwoon tears up at the younger’s confession.

“Stupid. I will not leave you because of that. We could have share some sweet memories if you tell me earlier” Taekwoon says and reaches over and hugs the younger.

“I’m sorry..” Jaehwan apologizes and leans on the elder’s shoulder.

“Promise me.. if you recover, you do give me a chance.. we have wasted so much time.. promise me” Taekwoon begs. He may sounds pathetic at the moment but he does not care anymore. All he wanted is Jaehwan, no one else.

“Hyung.. I don’t want to give you false hope.. even the doctor can’t make a promise to me” Jaehwan says and pulls away from the hug. He does not want to break the elder’s heart.

“LEE JAEHWAN! WHY ARE YOU SO STUBBORN? I LOVE YOU AND I WILL NOT GIVE UP EASILY!” Taekwoon bursts and says with a higher tone. He is frustrated, he knows the younger’s intention but he refuses to follow the younger’s wish. He have come so far and done so much for the younger, the love he has for Jaehwan is way much more than that.

“Please, promise me that you will give me a chance. Please” Taekwoon begs with tears. Even just a day more, he wants to be with the younger.

Jaehwan finally gives in as he feels the sincerity from the elder. The truth is Jaehwan feels that his heart is breaking as well when Taekwoon is crying so hard in front of him.

Jaehwan nods and the elder breaks into a smile and hugs him tight while whispering countless “thank you” beside his ear.

---- the next day  ----

Wonshik and Taekwoon decide to skip their classes to be at hospital to support Jaehwan.

Jaehwan is already got ready to be sent to the operation room.

Wonshik walks over and holds his best friend’s hand and says “Hyung. You have promised that you will help me to record all my demo. Come back to me safely. We are best friend for life. don’t leave me alone”. Wonshik cherishes Jaehwan a lot, he treats the elder like his own older brother. They have grown up together, entering the same school, same university, same major. He can’t imagine a life without his best friend. Jaehwan is more like a family than a friend to him.

“Idiot. Don’t cry.” Jaehwan says jokingly and hits the younger’s head lightly. He feels like crying too but he has to be strong. He does not want the others to be even more worry.

“Jaehwan ah.. I will be waiting for you here. When you come out, we will create many beautiful memories.. the time that we lost will be filled up with more beautiful stories” Taekwoon says and pecks the Jaehwan’s forehead softly. Jaehwan smiles softly and caresses the elder’s cheek.

“Sweetie. My strong boy. Umma and appa still want to spoil our cute baby. We still want our big baby to do aegyo. Don’t give up. We love you” Jaehwan’s mother says.

“I will. Don’t worry” Jaehwan says and enters the operation room with the help of nurses.

Taekwoon non-stop praying when he is waiting. Although Jaehwan asks him not to have high hope, he still wishes miracles will happen.

For the first time in his life, he feels complete when he falls in love. It is so different from his previous relationships. He wants so much more, he wants to be with Jaehwan, cherishes him, spoil him, love him unconditionally.  There are so much things that he wants to do for Jaehwan.

“Jaehwan hyung is a strong person since young. He will be fine” Wonshik comforts Taekwoon and pats the elder’s thigh.

Time passes painfully slow. Four of them are waiting anxiously at the waiting area. No one wants to leave there, everyone is praying in their own way silently.

Another 2 hours passes and the door of the operation room finally open.

They sighs in relieve and it soon turns into panic when another 2 doctors rush in. It only indicates one thing, Jaehwan is not fine, something has went wrong.

Please stay safe….

Enjoy reading :D