Baekhyun is diagnosed with an incurable disease.

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun’s sick. It’s not the physical sickness that he wants it to be, because it’s nothing he can take medicine for. That doesn’t stop him, however, from typing his symptoms into the Google search engine. The boasted mere milliseconds that it takes for the site to find his illness is unsurprising. Acid reflux; according to Google, he has acid reflux. He knows it isn’t correct, but it doesn’t stop him from taking two antacid tabs and an entire glass of water to calm the theoretical pool of upset acid settling in his gut. His next step in treatment is to grab his phone and begin to text his discontent.

 

Baekon

I have a disease.

 

Minnie Mouse

You don’t.

 

Baekon

I do. I was just diagnosed with acid reflux. Its incurable.

 

Minnie Mouse

Your diet consists of junk food and soda.

I’d sooner believe you had diabetes.

 

Baekon

Modern medicine can’t cure my disease minseok.

We can cure the plague but not my disease.

 

Minnie Mouse

What’s wrong?

 

Baekon

I wanna throw up. My chest hurts. My eyes burn.

 

Minnie Mouse

So, essentially you are telling me that you’re sad.

And you want to cry.

 

Baekon

I’m telling you that I have acid reflux and it’s incurable.

 

Minnie Mouse

Okay. Well my diagnosis is that your heart is sick.

Not your stomach.

 

Baekon

Why is that your diagnosis

 

Minnie Mouse

You didn’t get enough attention today.

There’s always something dramatic happening to you

when you don’t get enough attention.

 

Baekon

Im not dramatic. Im genuinely sick.

 

Minnie Mouse

So, that’s a no to the attention?

 

Baekon

No

 

I just

 

Attention can treat acid reflux too.

I read that somewhere.

 

Minnie Mouse

Did you?

 

Baekon

Yes. I read.

 

Minnie Mouse

I didn’t doubt you for a second Baek.

Warm a glass of milk in the microwave

Wait three minutes for it to cool and then drink it.

Then, I want you to go to bed and stop thinking so much.

 

Baekon

Sleep with me

 

Minnie Mouse

It’s midday for me Baek. I’m on my lunch break.

 

Baekon

I can’t sleep otherwise.

My acid reflux will start acting up

 

Minnie Mouse

Fine. Give me a second and I’ll call you.

You have to sleep though.

 

Baekon

I will. I promise. Just call.

 

 

 

No follow-up text is sent, but sure enough, Minseok’s name lights up on Baekhyun’s phone. He’s always nervous when he answers, though it’s been hundreds of times that he’s been called like this.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Right to sleep, Baekhyun. That’s what you promised.”

 

“Minseok, when are you coming back to Korea?”

 

“Soon.”

 

“How soon?”

 

“Baekhyun, sleep. Now.”

 

“I didn’t have my milk.”

 

“Milk privileges are revoked.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you aren’t listening. You’re whining.”

 

“Fine. Night.”

 

“Goodnight, Baekhyun. I love you, you big baby.”

 

“I love you too, Minseok. Please visit me soon. I want to say goodnight to you in person.”

 

“I know you do. I do too. Give me time.”

 

“I know. I’m sorry.”

 

“ Don’t be sorry. Just sleep.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Baekhyun.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Stop coming up with diseases to talk to me. You know you always have my attention.”

 

---

 heh