Scrambling for his cell phone, he typed a message to Hakyeon with shaky fingers. He just saw the boy today, so he was sure Hakyeon would wonder why Taekwoon was messaging him so soon, but this was major. This news couldn’t wait.

    Without any hesitation, Hakyeon answered back, asking what the big news was. Taekwoon told him to meet him under the tree, of course, and he would let him know. This was something that had to be done in person.

    Taekwoon’s heart swelled. He was happy, so happy, and yet the contents had nothing to do with him. He gripped the envelope in his hands as if it were a family heirloom, grabbing his things to jet out the door when he was stopped by another body. Hongbin had entered.

    “Hongbin, I’m really in a hurry, I have to-” Taekwoon was cut off.

    “Oh good, you got the envelope. I was scared you’d roll your eyes into another universe and miss it,” the other taunted. Taekwoon’s eyebrows knitted together, but he decided not to press it as he had to get to Hakyeon.

    “Where’d the envelope come from?” the older student asked. “Was it in the mailbox? It’s not postmarked, but where else would it come from…”

    “You ; it’s from me!” Hongbin exclaimed, recoiling back in a somewhat embarrassed pout. Taekwoon’s face contorted into one of pure confusion. The envelope was from him?

    “H-How? W-Why-” Taekwoon was cut off again.

    “Because! I’ve seen you and that boy together under the tree. You two actually look mediocre together,” Hongbin looked like he had just tasted something disgusting as he spoke about his roommate before continuing. “You’re with him all the time, I can tell you really like him, so I figured I’d help out somehow. If anyone can help him like this, it would definitely be me.”

“B-But, how do you know Hakyeon’s condition??” Taekwoon was still perplexed. He received an incredulous face from the other student.

“Do you even know what my major is?? I’m a music major! He’s in like half of my classes, but everyone knows he can’t talk,” Hongbin scoffed. “He’s so pitiful, I felt bad for him, you should’ve seen his face when the instructor announced vocal tests as our final grade. And then you started clinging onto him like a lost koala…” he started, feeling a bit bad when he noticed Taekwoon’s face.

“And, besides…” Hongbin trailed off, pursing his lips as he folded his arms defensively, “it’s also sort of a thank you for not spilling my secret to everyone on campus… You’re the first person I’ve told who hasn’t.”

    “What, that you’re gay?” Taekwoon asked bluntly. He was too shocked to filter his words due to the fact that the envelope came from Hongbin. He was immediately hushed by Hongbin when those words left his mouth, though. Taekwoon smirked. “It’s not too hard to really notice that you are, though. Girls chase you all the time and everything because you’re handsome, but you never reciprocate that love or affection. After a while, it becomes a little clear that you’re not interested in any of them, so there has to be a reason why.”

    Hongbin’s face flushed, his arms folded together tightly. Taekwoon took this moment of silence to bolt, thanking Hongbin in his trail as he ran to the tree as fast as he could, still making sure that the envelope was safe in his hands. Once he reached the tree, he found that Hakyeon was already there, waiting with a blanket around his shoulders.

    “You’re here!” Taekwoon puffed, trying to catch his breath from running the entire distance. Hakyeon cocked an eyebrow, noticing the paper in his hand. “Here. Take it,” his hands shook as he handed it over, watching as Hakyeon took it cautiously. There was a high level of suspiciousness looming in Hakyeon’s expression, but nonetheless he began to peek through the tatters of the paper.

    As Hakyeon opened the already ripped envelope, his eyes widened, his mouth falling open in shock. His chocolate brown eyes darted back up to Taekwoon, who was smiling nervously.

    “I-It’s not from me, although I wish it were. My roommate, he’s, uh, he’s kind of ridiculously wealthy, and, uh, he noticed your problem, and he gave me this. To help you,” Taekwoon tried his best to explain from what he knew.

    Hakyeon looked back at the wad of money that sat in the envelope. There was easily enough to cover for the surgery he needed to fix his paralysis. He couldn’t believe it. His problem suddenly found an easy solution.

    He lunged forward, grasping onto Taekwoon tightly with a hug. The latter could hear breathy gasps and he knew Hakyeon was crying. It almost made him cry, too, but he forced himself to stop, rubbing up and down on Hakyeon’s back.

    “Hey, Hakyeon-ah?” he asked, interrupting Hakyeon’s raspy hiccups. They pulled apart, and Hakyeon looked him in the eyes with curiosity, still tearing up a little. “Will you promise to sing to me when your voice comes back?” Taekwoon’s eyes glittered with hope and happiness.

    Hakyeon flushed, a wide smile spreading on his lips as he nodded fervently, jumping to give Taekwoon another hug.

    “I promise,” Hakyeon spoke in a low, raspy voice. The wind picked up around their bodies, blowing tiny white flower petals and weeping willow seeds around their feet.

    What followed was nothing short of a roller coaster. Taekwoon could barely keep up as Hakyeon went to a blur of doctor’s appointments. A specialist, a surgeon, an anesthetic, meetings had to be set up everywhere. Hakyeon began to seem more and more nervous with the surgery. He worried something would go wrong, that he could fall into the percentage of patients who actually permanently lose their voice or the percentage of patients who don’t find success even with the procedure.

    Taekwoon stayed by his side to assure him and soothe his anxious feelings. When the day had finally come, Hakyeon cried so much from fright that his voice was even more husky and raspy than normal.

    Unfortunately for Taekwoon, he ha