“Baek! Don't let go! I'm going to die if you do!!” Chanyeol screamed at the top of his lungs, holding onto Baekhyun's hand as his lifeline as he dangled off the edge...of a pool.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Chanyeol. The level is a little over a third of your height. You'll be fine...” Baekhyun droned out, humoring his boyfriend as he crouched over the edge, head resting on his knees as his arm wobbled from Chanyeol waving it around as if he were a newly caught fish.

Chanyeol broke into laughter before standing and lifting himself over the edge and out of the kiddie pool. “I would have been lost without you, Baek! Wah, you're a lifesaver, my hero...” he mocked, joining his hands together at his chest like an overgrown princess with puppy eyes.

Baekhyun shook his head at Chanyeol's antics before standing up. “I didn't do anything... You're being ridiculous again,” he replied with a hidden smile and chuckle. Amused and weak to Chanyeol's naturally cute actions.

“No, I'm not.” Chanyeol stood and grabbed Baekhyun's hand before he could walk away.

Baekhyun turned around to see a saddened expression on the giant's face. Curious as to why, Baekhyun stayed to hear the rest.

“I'm not being ridiculous... I wouldn't know where I would be if I didn't have you...”

Baekhyun's jaw clenched with his heart.

Tears threatened to escape.

Baekhyun took a step forward and leaned against Chanyeol, who automatically drew his arms around his small frame, pulling him in tightly. “Don't worry.... I'm-” Baekhyun bit his lip.

Chanyeol couldn't differentiate Baekhyun's tears with the water droplets already falling against his skin from the pool.

“...I'm not going anywhere. Just remember...that I love you, and I will always be with you...”
 

Baekhyun gasped awake.

Baekhyun's eyes burned as light peaked between the drawn curtains that had collected dust.

Day or night, Baekhyun couldn't tell anymore which was when the moment his escape from reality ended.

When his eyes fluttered, batting away familiar tears,

When his heart was the only thing reminding him he's still alive,

When his body grew heavier the moment he rises and takes his first steps to his last steps of the day,

Baekhyun didn't care.

It was all too familiar now.

A routine.

...Something to call his.

Not that it mattered.

Not that any of it did.

Not that anything ever did...ever since that day.

That day...he made Chanyeol beg on his hands and knees to stay.

And he left him without a word more.

It was justice in Baekhyun's heart, what he had done.

To have the sun shine even in the night,

To have the moonlight guide your path in the day,

To have the stars and planets aligned every second that ticked by,

To have a world by your side at all times,

Either made you a God or unfair to the rest of society.

Baekhyun knew...he was no God, not even close.

He knew the moment their eyes met,

The second that their heart beat,

The minute that they harmonized,

The hour they'd spent talking endlessly,

The day they spent together...

The moment would come, when their dreams would shatter.
 

Baekhyun slowly sat up in bed, letting gravity drain out his eyes of its tears.

Not bothering to spare a second to wipe them away.

The only hands that could stop them were Chanyeol's.

Hands he had let go of so long ago.
Hands that held a heart, trusted with safe keeping, only to crush it in an instant.

They had to be realistic.

Baekhyun had to make them realistic.

A dream could only last so long before you wake up.

He wouldn't wait for the day it would happen.

He refused to let anyone or anything pull them apart...

Except for who was at fault.

Not a moment passed where Baekhyun didn't blame himself for everything.

The way they met.

The first time they spoke.

The way their eyes said more.

The first time their hands intertwined.

The way their bodies replied to each other without uttering a word.

The first time their heart's were not their own anymore, but each other...

And the way it was all gone in a heart beat.

Baekhyun knew it was all his fault.

The only things he blamed Chanyeol for were being an idiot,

Being hopelessly in love,

Being fooled by first love lasting,

Being the reason Baekhyun knew he was able to smile for more than a few seconds to days, months, and years,

Being the reason Baekhyun thought the world was brighter,

Being the reason Baekhyun knew he was capable of using his heart,

Being the reason Baekhyun thought it was still day in the day,

Being the reason Baekhyun almost believed in forever,

Believed he could be more,

He could be enough,

He could be good,

He could atone for his wrongs,

He could forget his past,

Could forget his pains,

Forget his sorrows,

His...entire being.

Chanyeol made Baekhyun almost forget...

He made him believe that dreams could be real...

That tears could be stopped...

That smiles and laughter could last...

That his heart was meant for more than keeping him alive...

That there was a reason to live...

That maybe... just maybe...

Baekhyun deserved happiness.

For so long, he knew of the world they lived in.

A world where people told lies,

A world where others hurt to gain,

A world where a person's life matters more than another in stead of equally,

A world where values ranged from family to money to possessions to one's happiness to caring for others to caring for only oneself to life itself...

Chanyeol...made him forget.