Word count : ~5.8

Pairing           : Chanyeol×Baekhyun

Summary      : The fault has always been in Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s stars.

 

 

‘The first time

ever I saw your face,’

 

=

 

“Happy twenty first birthday, Jongin!”

 

Baekhyun watches Jongin giggling like a school boy as Kyungsoo tiptoes up and kisses his cheek. They’re celebrating their joint birthday; Kyungsoo’s on January 13th while Jongin’s on the 14th, which is today. Baekhyun smiles softly, seeing Kyungsoo looking proud as Jongin chews his home-made cake dreamily.

 

Sometimes he wishes happiness can be so simply achieved like this. Finding the one you love and actually get to be together with that person. Just like his parents. His grandparents. Jongin and Kyungsoo.

 

That person that used to love him with the one that person loves now.

 

Baekhyun had lost his faith in love and being happy,

 

but that doesn’t mean he can’t try to believe again.

 

“Guys, I forgot to buy the cookies!” Tao cries out. “I’m such a failure-“

 

“I’ll buy it.” Baekhyun ruffles Tao’s hair and immediately wears his red mufflers and shoes, already stepping out of the apartment. He wants to try to believe in happiness again, but for now it still feels suffocating to see it clearly before him.

 

Later. Someday. Somewhere. Somehow. He will have the chance again.

 

=

 

It’s still snowing.

 

Chanyeol smiles upon the beautiful sight of white natural ornaments decorating everything around him. The streets, the trees, the top of some humans’ woolen hat. As he walks down the sidewalk, feeling weightless, he decides to enjoy the day in human’s ways.

 

He takes off his black fedora hat, appearing visible in front of human’s eyes. He has just finished his job for the day just half an hour ago. He can finally go to his favorite café and get his favorite Caramel Latte.

 

Since the café also runs as bakery, the scent of freshly baked goods immediately greets him the moment he opens the door. He pauses for a while, enjoying the delicious smell, closing his eyes while at it. A plate of good, warm chocolate cookies would be a good mate to his Latte later.

 

He lets go of the glass door, and just before he can step any further, he’s stopped by a loud yelp.

 

“Ouch!”

 

He immediately turns around,

 

finding a petite guy, almost invisible behind his red mufflers.

 

=

 

‘I thought the sun

rose in your eyes’

 

=

 

The human is actually going to fall backwards because he couldn’t hold the door properly after he had let it go.

 

So Chanyeol, feeling responsible, immediately reaches his hand out to grab the human and keep him standing, although knowing well that the moment a Grim Reaper touches a human’s skin, they would have to receive the memories of the human’s past life.

 

But when he grabs the human by the hand, nothing comes into his head.

 

He sighs in relief.

 

“I’m so sorry.” Chanyeol says. “That was my fault.”

 

“N-no, thanks for catching me.” the human grins shyly.

 

Chanyeol steps aside. “Please, go first. I’ll hold the door for you.”

 

The grin blooms into a full, wide smile.

 

And Chanyeol, suddenly, feels a kind of spark that is foreign in his chest.

 

Maybe it’s the cold.

 

=

 

Looking at the plate of chocolate cookies in front of him doesn’t help him to think of the stranger less.

 

The stranger who almost made him fall on the ground, who had caught him right before he could lose his balance. The stranger who had let him walk into the café first as an apology. The stranger who was so tall that he had a hard time looking at his face. The stranger who wore black from the bottom to the top.

 

The stranger, with eyes so warm that he suddenly felt the kind of warmth he never thought he can feel again.

 

And the stranger, whose little act had made him smile so wide; something he didn’t think he’d be doing any time soon.

 

“Earth to Baekhyun,” he then notices Tao is already leaning against him, face to face, “if you’re thinking about that bastard again then I swear I’m going to crash on his we-“

 

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Baekhyun chuckles, “let’s not call him with that name, okay? And no, Taozi, I wasn’t thinking about him.”

 

Tao breathes out in relief. “Then good.” he says. “But then who were you thinking of?”

 

“Didn’t say I was thinking about a person, though.” Baekhyun grins at his friend.

 

A little lie won’t hurt.

 

Because he himself is not sure yet about what he feels about the stranger.

 

He blames his wary heart for confusing him.

 

=

 

‘And the moon and the stars

were the gifts you gave’

 

=

 

Mornings are coffee time for Baekhyun.

 

Instead of making his own cup, he would always drop by the café usually goes to and order his morning coffee on the way to work. Before, the barista would always slip a piece of freshly made bagel into his paper bag, and Baekhyun would always thank him with a shy grin. The barista would lean against him and steal a peck on his lips before taking off his apron and going back to his own office room.

 

Ah, right, the barista was his fiancé.

 

Which is also the owner of the café.

 

Baekhyun impatiently waits for his Caramel Latte to show up. A barista he barely knows is making his drink behind the counter.

 

He then catches the sight of his past person,

 

with his past person’s future person.

 

He watches silently as they talk in hushed tones yet with wide smiles on their faces; his past person is looking so happy nowadays. He can’t recall ever seeing him look stressed or uncomfortable every time he caught a sight of him. Which is actually good, because if his past person is happy, then all the pain he went through would worth it.

 

It’s just that sometimes, Baekhyun wants to be normal and hate that person.

 

Taking his latte in a hurry, he immediately walks out of the café, suddenly feeling suffocated. He walks and walks, until he realizes that he’s already at the edge of the sidewalk. He stops abruptly, almost dropping his drink in the process.

 

Before he can look up, the sound of metals crashing against each other rings loudly in his ears.

 

=

 

“Twenty five years old. Cause of death, internal bleeding.”

 

The young lady stills.

 

“Kim Taeyeon,” Chanyeol calls softly, “is that you?”

 

The young lady turns around, facing him with a worried look on her face. “Is this… my time?”

 

Chanyeol nods.

 

After assuring the young lady to come with him, Chanyeol takes a look at Kris, who is taking care of the soul from the person whose motorbike had crashed against the lady’s car. He then glances around, making sure that he misses nothing.

 

But then his eyes catch the sight of a human, a very familiar human, sitting on the ground, looking so pale and horrified.

 

A glass of drink is spilled next to him.

 

=

 

‘To the dark

and the end of the sky,

my love’

 

=

 

Not even thinking twice, Chanyeol already flees to Kris and asks him to take care of the soul he was supposed to go with.

 

He goes behind the crowd, taking off his hat to make himself visible, and cuts through the sea of people to reach one human that matters. He immediately wraps his arms around the human’s torso and lifts him up gently from the ground.

 

The human collapses in his hands.

 

=

 

When he opens his eyes, the scent of alcohol and disinfectant fills his nose.

 

Upon smelling the scent he hates so much, he gets up immediately, making him disoriented for a short moment.

 

“Mr. Byun? You may want to lay down first.” a nurse comes in sight.

 

“W-what,” he whimpers, “what happened?”

 

“A man brought you here, you were in unconscious state. He said you collapsed near a crash scene. Did you witness the crash?”

 

Baekhyun thinks hard for a moment, and the memories come back to him all at once.

 

“God, yes, I did.”

 

“It was so unfortunate of you,” the nurse sighs, “clearly you were overwhelmed.”

 

“I’m sorry but – who brought me here? Where is the man?”

 

The nurse looks around the ER. “Well, he didn’t say his name when he asked, he just told us to tell you that you don’t have to worry.” she then whispers. “He was very tall and very handsome!”

 

Baekhyun almost rolled his eyes.

 

“And he was wearing black from head to toe,” she adds, “he was like the Angel of Death.”

 

The last sentence catches his attention.

 

Tall. Handsome. Black from head to toe.

 

Something painfully familiar rings in his ears.

 

“And oh, he gave you that!” the nurse points at a stainless steel bottle. “He said it was for you to drink and gain energy again.”

 

He wastes no second, reaches for the bottle and opens it. He takes a whiff, and then has his eyes widened upon the recognition.

 

“Hot chocolate.”

 

The drink he used to love so much before ‘that person’ came into his life.

 

“Oh my,” the nurses gushes up, “you’re really the lucky one, Mr. Byun!”

 

The drink is still warm inside the insulated bottle.

 

As warm as the feeling that swirls inside his chest.

 

=

 

‘The first time

ever I kissed your mouth,’

 

=

 

A few days later, Coincidence plays his strings at Chanyeol.

 

He’s on his way to get his favorite cookies, and as he was about to open the glass door, a human comes next to him, and they accidentally push the door together.

 

Chanyeol freezes when he recognizes the human in front of him.

 

The human, too, looks very surprised. “You,” the human whispers, “we met like this, didn’t we?”

 

He glances at the door, “yes.”

 

“And you, were also the one who brought me to the hospital last week, am I right?”

 

He gulps. How did the human know?

 

“The nurse described the man who brought me there as tall and dressed in black. I couldn’t think of anyone else than you.”

 

“Are you alright now?” Chanyeol asks.

 

“Thanks for bringing me there.” the human smiles gratefully. “And for the hot chocolate.”

 

“I bought it from this café.”

 

There’s a shift on the human’s face; it was so quick he could barely catch it. “I know.” the human mumbles.

 

They stand in awkward silence.

 

“Please let me repay you. I’ll treat you any beverage you want.” the human grins. “It’s the least that I can do.”

 

Chanyeol, for a moment, is dazed by the brightness that was casted by the human’s smile. “I,” he stutters, “instead of a drink, can I… get your name instead?”

 

The human raises an eyebrow, and then giggles amusedly. “It’s Baekhyun.” the human says.

 

“I’m Chanyeol.” he replies.

 

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun spells his name softly. “Okay then, Chanyeol, you’re still getting a free drink from me.”

 

As they walk into the café, he thanks Coincidence silently.

 

=

 

It happens too quickly.

 

One second, they’re walking down the sidewalk, away from the café, talking about how he gets easily overwhelmed by sudden events and how thrilling it was that Chanyeol just happened to be there near him when he had fainted on the street.

 

The next second, they stop in front of his apartment building.

 

And they’re looking into each other’s eyes for so long.

 

He doesn’t know what, why, how, but something urges inside him. And it reflects in Chanyeol’s eyes.

 

The strange feeling makes Chanyeol leans down towards him, and makes him meet him halfway in a soft, expectedly unexpected kiss.

 

=

 

‘I felt the earth

moved in my hand’

 

=

 

Of course it does no good on Baekhyun.

 

Because he ends up thinking about this strange Chanyeol for the rest of the week.

 

About how in a span of three hours, he had told Chanyeol all things about himself he never thought someone would actually care about. How Chanyeol was a very good listener and company. How Chanyeol, although with little things he shared about himself, seemed to be a very caring person.

 

About how, only three hours after their official first meeting, they already had their first kiss.

 

As much as he feels so giddy and nervous inside, he also beats himself up because of it. All he wanted was a fresh, normal, slow paced but surely progressing beginning. He didn’t sign up for this kind of feeling. He doesn’t want to experience a challenging, emotion racking fall like this.

 

He had enough when he fell for ‘that person’.

 

He’s scared. Traumatized. Because this type of beginning, it had him end in tragedy.

 

And he’s already tired of being tragic.

 

=

 

As if Fate wants to mock him, he finds Baekhyun in the hospital where his next task would be.

 

Chanyeol can’t even function normally at the second week since the last time he met Baekhyun. He didn’t even know what had caused him to act without thinking. Fortunately he didn’t trigger any memory of past life since Baekhyun doesn’t have any. It’s not that he regrets ever kissing the human – he can’t even forget the soft, plush feel of Baekhyun’s lips against his own.

 

It’s just that he’s too confused with himself.

 

And now he has to see Baekhyun again.

 

He doesn’t take off his hat so Baekhyun can’t see him. He stands next to the human, who is sitting next to a hospital bed where an old man is resting. Baekhyun continues to talk with the old man, who is apparently his grandfather. They talk and talk, until the old man claims that he’s tired and that Baekhyun should go home. Looking hesitant, Baekhyun finally bids him a goodbye after assuring the old man that he will be here tomorrow.

 

When Baekhyun disappears behind the door, the old man sighs and to his shock, says;

 

“Why were you next to my grandson the whole time?”

 

=

 

‘Like a trembling heart

of a captive bird’

 

=

 

“How,” Chanyeol whispers, taking off his hat.

 

But the old man can’t see him.

 

“Were you him? The one my grandson has his heart snatched by.” the old man smiles. “Tall, wears all black outfit, shows up from nowhere. Seems like your kind.”

 

Chanyeol gulps.

 

“Man, can I say something?” the old man asks. “Don’t.”

 

Chanyeol holds his breath.

 

“If you’re not ready to face the consequences, then don’t.”

 

“How do you know these things? How can you hear me but can’t see me even after I took of my hat?”

 

There’s a silence, and the old man smiles.

 

“Well first,” he says, “don’t you remember me, Chanyeol?”

 

=

 

As another week passes by, Baekhyun doesn’t realize himself being more stressed.

 

First, he still can’t get Chanyeol off his mind.

 

Second, February 14th is nearing.

 

The date just happens to be the date his past man will marry his future man.

 

And in the middle of his struggles, he accidentally meets Chanyeol again.

 

Ironically in front of the café his past man owns.

 

“I need to say something.” he says.

 

Chanyeol nods slowly.

 

“Four months ago, someone I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with decided to spend the rest of his life with someone else. No, it wasn’t entirely his fault. He was already in love with that person, and because his love was one sided, I came into the scene and played hero, saving him from a heartbreak. But then as people said, soulmates would find their ways to each other. They found each other. I was just his milestone.”

 

He doesn’t notice Chanyeol walking closer.

 

“For four months, I gave up on love and being happy. I thought that maybe I wasn’t born to be lucky enough to have it. But last month, at my friend’s birthday, I realized that I’m selfish. I want to love again. Although I might end up hurting again, I want to.”

 

Chanyeol stands right before him.

 

“But it’s not that simple, isn’t it?” Baekhyun whispers. “To make the heart you love loves you the same.”

 

Chanyeol keeps mum.

 

“I’ll forget everything between us.” Baekhyun musters up a smile. “There’s not much to it anyway.”

 

He spins on his heels and starts to walk away.

 

Hoping the now once again stranger won’t hear his sobs.

 

=

 

‘And that was there

at my command,

my love’

 

=

 

Maybe what he felt wasn’t really love.

 

Maybe he was just so desperate in looking for someone to love him and for him to love.

 

Maybe he just missed being listened to, being the center of someone’s gravity, having a smile only reserved for him, having two warm orbs that will only look at him.

 

Maybe he wants to be the only one for someone.

 

Why is it so hard to be the only one for someone?

 

Burying all these thoughts deep inside his mind, Baekhyun lives few more days desperately trying to be normal.

 

Ignoring the little voices inside his heart, telling him that he can love, he can love again. He will love again, he just doesn’t know it yet.

 

=

 

‘I know I look very old, but yes, I am Lay.’

 

Chanyeol stares at the tip of his shoes, black leather in contrast with the top edge of white billboard.

 

‘Yeah, the rumors were true. I turned into a human, with brand new memories, and married another human. I can hear your voices, but I can’t see any of you guys anymore, even if you take your hat off. I guess that’s my punishment.’

 

It’s still afternoon. The streets far beneath him are still busy. Colorful dots decorating the sidewalk.

 

It’s raining.

 

‘My grandson, he’s the son of my daughter.’

 

He closes his eyes, and his old comrade’s voice keeps on echoing in the back of his mind.

 

‘It was forbidden, for beings like us to feel humane emotions, and get involved with humans. So I thought, what if I wasn’t what I was? What if I become a human instead?’

 

He slowly takes off his hat.

 

‘So with determined heart, I bet on my luck. I did what I had heard from another Grim Reaper who once did something to become human.’

 

He opens his eyes again to look up at the skies.

 

Fate is going to be so angered at him.

 

‘It’s up to you, man. It’s you who feel it, it will be you who experiences it, and it will be you who takes the responsibilities later. The question is, are you ready?’

 

Chanyeol spreads out his arms.

 

‘Have I been happy? Hmm,’ Lay’s smile flashes in his mind, ‘my grandson should’ve been the proof, don’t you think?’

 

And then,

 

‘Are you going to make him happy too, Chanyeol?’

 

he jumps,

 

letting the gravity pull him down.

 

=

 

‘The first time

ever I lay with you,’

 

=

 

He needs to find Baekhyun.

 

Even as it feels like his limbs are going to be torn apart, even if his elbow is hurting with raw wounds, all he thinks about is to find Baekhyun.

 

Everyone sees him. The humans – no, the people.

 

He’s one of them now.

 

As he struggles to walk, people are looking at him in pity. Some of them even offered to bring him to the nearest hospital. But he refuses. He can’t waste any second.

 

Finding Baekhyun is actually not that hard. The way to find him is. Chanyeol feels like dying, but at the same time, it feel amazing to be experiencing such humane things; having wounds, being hurt, sweating, alive.

 

Alive.

 

Was he this alive too in his past life?

 

=

 

Baekhyun was about to pass the gate to his apartment building when someone calls his name.

 

He turns around, finding the source of the hoarse voice to be from a tall, dark shadow from a distance. Of course Baekhyun screams in panic, but the moment the shadow gets under the street lamp, he gasps in horror.

 

“Chanyeol!!” he immediately runs at the man, who is looking so messed up. Coat stained with dirt, pants ripped at the knee area with raw wound showing on the skin, cheeks decorated with red scratches. The man looks like he just fell from the fourth story of a building.

 

He catches Chanyeol in his arms, but because of shock, both fall on the ground, and Chanyeol groans in pain.

 

“What happened to you?!!” Baekhyun asks in worry, checking how many wounds do the other have.

 

Chanyeol stares at him instead, eyes so calm despite his state. “You.” he says softly. “You happened.”

 

“What is that supposed to m-“

 

“You were wrong.” Chanyeol grins. “It’s actually quite easy, to make the heart you love loves you the same.”

 

Baekhyun holds his breath. “How are you sure?” he whispers sadly.

 

“You. You made me love you the way you love me.”

 

He looks at Chanyeol, in shock once more.

 

“And yes,” Chanyeol takes his hand in his, “I’m your chance to be happy. I need to make you happy.”

 

“W-why?” Baekhyun doesn’t even realize he’s starting to sob.

 

Chanyeol’s smile widens.

 

“I’ve promised someone.”

 

=

 

‘I felt your heart

so close to mine’

 

=

 

The first thing Baekhyun makes Chanyeol do is to shower.

 

He was actually going to look for clothes Chanyeol can actually wear since their sizes are noticeably different, but there was this look in Chanyeol’s eyes that makes Baekhyun stay still on his spot, lifeless, willing when Chanyeol gently pulls him into the bathroom.

 

So there they are, under the shower, skin to skin, arms around each other’s torso, lips battling for and surrendering under dominance.

 

After what feels like an eternity, they step out of the shower, and Baekhyun grabs the towels and hastily dries the both of them, with Chanyeol doing nothing but staring at him, knuckles feathering against the apple of his cheeks, treating him as if he’s a very precious treasure. Chanyeol doesn’t even need to say a thing; his eyes already spoke for him.

 

Baekhyun’s heart swells with warmth and pride.

 

Still not letting go of each other, they continue their introduction of each other’s body on his bed. It’s quite big for one person but rather small for two, so they end up having to cramp together not to fall off. Not that any of them minds.

 

“Tomorrow’s February 14th.” he whispers against the skin of Chanyeol shoulder.

 

“Hmm,” Chanyeol hums, and the vibration from Chanyeol’s chest tickles his own, “what’s about it?”

 

“Valentine’s Day.” he sighs. “And a wedding I used to want to crash on.”

 

He feels Chanyeol stills, and a hand eventually caressing his . “How about now?”

 

“Now,” he chuckles softly, “I just want to say goodbye to him.”

 

There’s a silence, a comfortable one between them. Baekhyun almost lulls himself to sleep because Chanyeol is so warm, and huggable, and his.

 

“Why don’t you do it?” Chanyeol’s question catches him off-guard. “Tomorrow, before the ceremony starts. Find him and tell him what you’ve been wanting to.”

 

Baekhyun lifts his chin to look at Chanyeol beneath him. “Can I?”

 

Chanyeol grins. “Why can’t you?”

 

As Chanyeol hoists him up so they can be on the same eye level and steals a peck on his lips, Baekhyun thinks he finally found it;

 

his chance to love and be happy.

 

=

 

‘And I knew, our joy

would fill the earth’

 

=

 

Chanyeol watches silently with a proud smile as Baekhyun faces up the man who had broken his heart. He’s behind a tree a little bit far from them, and he can see that Baekhyun is being strong, talking to the man with a small smile on his lips.

 

A smile that shows he has let go of what he needed to.

 

=

 

“I just want to thank you. For the best three years in my life.” Baekhyun grins at him gently. “You taught me how to love and how to cherish being loved.”

 

Kim Minseok stares back at him worriedly.

 

“I wanted to hate you.” Baekhyun confesses. “With so many reasons, I have the right to resent you.”

 

“Then why don’t you?” Minseok asks carefully. “You should’ve hated me, Baek.”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head, chuckling. “Say that I hate you. Then what? What will change if I hate you? Nothing. Some things just… end up the way they’re supposed to be, and we might get hurt along the way. We might do something stupid, or be the victim of someone’s stupidity. But the point is, it still happens. Blaming and hating won’t change anything.”

 

Minseok looks over his shoes. “I’m so sorry, Baek.”

 

“No- gosh, hyung, don’t start crying!” Baekhyun urges in panic. “I came to wish you a good life with Jongdae, not to make you cry!”

 

“Thank you so much, Baek,” Minseok then smiles genuinely at him, taking his hand in a friendly manner, “thank you for telling me all of this. Maybe by this, I can finally start forgiving myself for ever hurting you.”

 

“Well, you should.” Baekhyun smiles back. “Because I’ve forgiven you and myself not too long ago.”

 

=

 

“Everything ended so well, seriously. He looked so happy, and it was so contagious. I felt genuinely happy for them.”

 

Chanyeol grins, caressing Baekhyun’s head while at it. “Good job.”

 

They walk hand in hand, with Baekhyun looking so radiant and him feeling so content, feeling finally at peace with his beloved.

 

Even though the sky is not that bright today, he has his own sun shining next to him.

 

But maybe, if he wasn’t too distracted by his own happiness,

 

maybe he could’ve warned his sunshine to be careful when crossing the street.

 

=

 

‘And lasts

til the end of the time,

my love’

 

=

 

Everything happens too quickly.

 

Everything about them happens too quickly.

 

One second, he was shouting for Baekhyun to watch out.

 

The next second, he was running to pull Baekhyun away from the street.

 

But he doesn’t make it.

 

Someone on a bicycle, running from something, bumps against Baekhyun, and both fall on the street. Baekhyun just happens to be near the fast lane, and shocks a driver of a truck that is too near from him.

 

So of course, Baekhyun takes all the impact from the collision.

 

It’s too fast for him to comprehend.

 

Five minutes ago, he was asking Baekhyun what he would want for today.

 

Now, he’s cradling an unmoving Baekhyun in his arms.

 

“Y-yeol,” Baekhyun whispers, “C-chanyeol,”

 

Still not able to understand why everything is happening, he only holds Baekhyun closer to him. “Yes, love,” he whispers back, “stay, stay with me a little longer, will you?”

 

Baekhyun tries to smile.

 

“I just got you,” he pleads, “we only went through one night together. Don’t leave me yet. I still,” he chokes on his own sob, “I haven’t even started to love you properly,”

 

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun calls, “someone… very tall… dresses like you… behind you…”

 

He freezes.

 

A Grim Reaper is here.

 

“W-who,” Chanyeol slightly turns his head around, “who’s there?”

 

Silence at first.

 

“It’s me.”

 

“S-Sehun??”

 

“I’ll let you… have a minute,” Sehun’s voice sounds so devastated, “I’m so sorry.”

 

Then it’s quiet again. Chanyeol gets back at Baekhyun, who’s staring up at him, so much adoration and love in his eyes.

 

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun calls again, “I love you.”

 

He starts to sob again.

 

“Today… is special… because today… marks… one month of me… falling for you…”

 

“No,” he whispers, “no, please,”

 

“Even if… what we had… wasn’t that m-much,” Baekhyun gasps, breath slowly leaving him, “they… they are… my treasure.”

 

Chanyeol only holds his beloved closer.

 

Baekhyun smiles as wide as he can. “You are… my light…”

 

There’s a pat on his shoulder, and he slightly turns around, distracted.

 

When he gets back again, Baekhyun’s eyes are already closed.

 

There’s a small smile on Baekhyun’s lips.

 

=

 

‘The first time

ever I saw

your face’

 

=

 

‘There was a story,

 

about a love that was never meant to be.

 

About a Grim Reaper,

 

who fell in love with a human.’

 

=

 

It’s the third morning of him as a human.

 

He wakes up with head feeling as heavy as the burden in his heart. He gets up, sitting on the couch, blanket still wrapping around his body. He had tried to sleep at Baekhyun’s bed yesterday, but it only caused him nightmares.

 

He adjusts his eyesight to the environment around him. The room of Baekhyun’s apartment. The room is just like its now deceased owner; simple, filled with little things that make up a theme; a personality.

 

Even though he only got to spend one night with Baekhyun here, he can already see that the room is cold without its original occupier.

 

Even though he only got to spend one night with Baekhyun, he can already feel that he won’t ever feel the same warmth again.

 

=

 

Sometimes he questions if it really was love.

 

Because it was too short. The time he had with Baekhyun, it was too short. He didn’t even get to know Baekhyun more, although he was already in love with the Baekhyun that he knew. He didn’t get to learn trivial yet meaningful things like Baekhyun’s favorite food, Baekhyun’s favorite type of music, which side would Baekhyun prefer if they walk side by side, how would he calm Baekhyun down if the other ever have nightmares, he didn’t get to know them all.

 

Was it really love?

 

Was it lust?

 

He would never know now, what did Baekhyun really feel about the both of them. But what he’s sure of is that it really was love. Beings like he was, beings that are not human, aren’t capable of feeling humane emotions. But love, it applies to all kind of beings. Angels, even Death ones like he was, love purely.

 

Maybe lust had overtaken him when he had turned into a human, that night, when Baekhyun looked up at him as if he was ready to give his everything to him. But before it all, before he even decided to fall and become a human, he already loved Baekhyun.

 

It was short.

 

But it was sure.

 

=

 

‘The Grim Reaper chose to fall in order to turn into a human again,

 

and eloped with his beloved.

 

They then had a daughter together,

 

and lived happily for a very long time.’

 

=

 

‘He then was blessed with a grandson

 

but the grandson’s story was written quite differently.’

 

=

 

Kris has been around since that day.

 

Chanyeol can’t see him, but he can feel his friend’s presence. Kris, not wanting to make him struggle, always lets him know where he is. He keeps talking to him, whether he would reply it or just listen.

 

Kris always lets him know that he’s not alone.

 

Although he always ends up feeling so lonely.

 

“Is it my punishment,”

 

He hears Kris gasps.

 

“for turning into a human?”

 

“You know it’s not like that.”

 

“Then why did it happen?”

 

“Because it did. It happened.” Kris’ voice is firm yet full of sadness. “Death happens; it’s been written on all of human’s book ever since they were born. You know it too. You were the one who told me that.”

 

Chanyeol can’t believe he can still cry.

 

“Death isn’t something that is caused by something, or someone. Everyone already has a date set for them; it’s just a matter of how. Even if you didn’t turn into a human, even if you never met him, that human would still meet his end that day. No matter how. Death would always find its way.”

 

“So it’s just me?” Chanyeol whispers hoarsely. “It’s me who put myself into this… this misery?”

 

“You just… happened to be at the wrong time and place.”

 

=

 

He thinks that in the end, it’s all his fault.

 

If he never committed suicide in his past life, he would’ve never become a Grim Reaper.

 

He would’ve been reborn as a human again. Maybe in the same lifetime as Baekhyun.

 

They would’ve met in high school. Or maybe in college. He would’ve fell in love with Baekhyun too, and maybe Baekhyun would’ve felt the same even before he could feel anything towards Minseok.

 

He would’ve been able to love Baekhyun for a very long time.

 

To wake up one day, lock gaze with Baekhyun, and giggle at how old they had gotten.

 

Or maybe, if Baekhyun was destined to die young, he would’ve had a lot of years to love him.

 

But in the end, all of them didn’t happen.

 

And he’s the only one to blame.

 

=

 

‘Because Fate was in wrath by of the Grim Reaper’s felony,

 

she asked Karma and Destiny to join her teaching the Grim Reaper a lesson.’

 

=

 

His grandson met another Grim Reaper and fell in love with him

 

just right a month before his death.

 

The said Grim Reaper

 

was supposed to be the one to take the grandson away.

 

=

 

At the seventh day of him as a human, he finally walks out of the apartment room.

 

At five a.m., he steps out of the room and climbs the fire exit stairs until he reaches the top of the building. The air is cold, it feels a lot colder now that his senses have awaken, but he keeps walking until he reaches the railings.

 

He grips on the metal bar, and looks down at the ground far beneath him.

 

He stares and stares.

 

If he jumps and fall, and die as a human,

 

he may wake up as Grim Reaper again.

 

And before he does it, he would leave something behind for him to find later.

 

Something that can warn him not to ever involve himself with humans again.

 

He stares and stares.

 

=

 

But what they didn’t expect,

 

was that the Grim Reaper

 

took the same path with the one before him.

 

The Grim Reaper turned into a human

 

right a day before his beloved’s death.

 

=

 

He then notices his surroundings getting a little bit brighter.

 

He looks up at the skies, finding it getting lighter.

 

The sun is rising.

 

And the warmth slowly envelopes him.

 

And he’s reminded of that morning, when saw Baekhyun at the sidewalk.

 

That afternoon, when Baekhyun smiled at him for the first time.

 

That night, when Baekhyun fell asleep on top of him, a soft, content smile on his lips.

 

And those final seconds, when Baekhyun told him he was his light.

 

‘Even though what we had wasn’t that much, they are my treasure.’

 

Treasure.

 

What he had with Baekhyun, what they had, they’re his treasure too.

 

If he turns into Grim Reaper again, he would forget everything.

 

His treasure would be gone.

 

He needs to stay.

 

He needs to keep their treasure safe.

 

Chanyeol falls on his knees, releasing his hands from the metal bars.

 

And cries.

 

And cries.

 

=

 

In the end, Fate,

 

gave the right lesson to the wrong defendant.

 

 

[A/N]

 

If you haven’t noticed, this took the same setting with the previous chapter, only in an earlier time.