“Avoiding him won’t make any difference, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo, a nineteen year old spirit advised, placing his cold palms on the taller spirits’ broad shoulder.

Kyungsoo is new. It’s only been a month since this spirit passed away. Like Chanyeol, he also has no idea what happened to him or how he died. And also like the taller, he didn’t want the concept of second life again. He just thinks afterlife is ridiculous. It’s another batch of suffering and hardships he didn’t want to deal with for the second time.

Although Kyungsoo is the new addition to the club, Chanyeol didn’t find it hard to get close with him even if the younger spirit looks scary at first sight. Weeks after Kyungsoo’s arrival in the spirit realm, the bigger male realized that they’re just going through the same so might as well try and reach out for Kyungsoo.

“Baekhyun has been thinking about you for these past two weeks and I know you can feel that,” he stated as he squeezed Chanyeol’s shoulder. “You either tell him the truth or continue trying to save his life even if you know you can’t avoid his death.”

Chanyeol has been thinking about it. The sadness Baekhyun is feeling on the earth realm reached his heart and now he feels it too. He once asked Suho about this and the guardian just said it’s normal due to the connection they have with each other. However, Chanyeol can see how much the mortal was trying his best not to shed a tear to avoid summoning him. He thinks Baekhyun felt something about him made Chanyeol stay away from him which put the spirit to the edge of his conscience.

And now although they haven’t been together for a long time, Chanyeol admitted that he misses Baekhyun. He misses the tiny male—his lips that stretches in to square shape and eyes forming a crescent when he smiles; his bouncy brunette hair—basically, everything about Baekhyun.

But there’s still something that’s pushing him away from interacting with the human again, and that’s the fear of putting Baekhyun’s life in danger once he comes back. He didn’t want to.

However, as he looks at his feet while thinking about things, a familiar voice only he can hear suddenly echoed inside his head once again. And before he can say anything to Kyungsoo who’s already been watching him, an invisible force started to drag the taller inside the glowing tunnel.

Despite of being dragged, Chanyeol can’t help but to feel happy and excited.

Because finally, Baekhyun has summoned him again.

He quickly wipes the strain of tears left clinging against the skin of his cheeks the moment Baekhyun realized what he have done. It was late when it struck him; the tall handsome spirit standing proudly before him looked at the smaller with nothing but coldness in his eyes. Chanyeol prepared himself before facing him. The happiness he felt must only be kept inside him.

Regardless of the short time glee Baekhyun felt upon seeing him, he refrained himself from flashing a hint of joy on his face and fought the eagerness to hug the giant tightly. After weeks of not seeing him, Chanyeol is finally right here. However, the spirit doesn’t seem to like the idea—or at least that’s what he wants Baekhyun to think.

“I-I’m sorry for summoning you. I didn’t mean it,” came out of Baekhyun’s mouth instead of something more welcoming. He figured that he must’ve been a very big nuisance to the spirit judging by Chanyeol’s irritated stare. He immediately turned his heels around and was about to take a step away from the taller when Chanyeol opened his mouth.

“Why are you crying?”

It wasn’t something that was meant to neither harm him nor make him feel worse, but nonetheless it just made Baekhyun continuously tear up. If Chanyeol only knew that it was him who moulded every drop of his weeping, he wouldn’t ask anything. However, Baekhyun chose not to. He doesn’t want to bother the spirit anymore.

He actually doesn’t even know why Chanyeol’s absence made him tear up. His presence made Baekhyun feel okay despite of having so much pain inside his heart, and not seeing the spirit just brought back everything he was trying to not to think about when he’s with the taller.

Despite of things filling up his mind, Baekhyun managed to swallow everything up and breathed deeply before facing the spirit once again. “Nothing you should really worry about.”

“You’re not okay,” Chanyeol blurted out; face still as blank as an untouched paper, stare as cold as the ice. It’s annoying Baekhyun more.

The teen raised his brow and completely faced the spirit. He didn’t even bother to hide the stains of tears on his cheeks or the redness of his lips and nose he got from sobbing really hard. “Yes, I’m not. So?” he flashed a mocking smile. “What do you care?”

Chanyeol sighed. Baekhyun is hard to deal with, and he figured it out just now. He doesn’t like to be someone’s burden so he tends to keep everything from people and face it all alone. However, regardless of trying really hard to hide everything he feels, his eyes were a clear reflection of them. He might fail expressing how painful life is, the spirit can still see it through them.

“Baekhyun,” he called out. His deep toned voice was enough to send shivers to the younger’s spine and up to his neck. “Are you mad?”

Stupid question, Chanyeol thought. It wasn’t something necessary since it’s all obvious. Who wouldn’t get mad at someone who made them feel neglected for three weeks?

“I’m not.”

Of course, it’s Baekhyun.

And he is telling the truth. He is not and will never be mad at Chanyeol. He thinks that maybe there was something wrong about Baekhyun that made the other lad avoid him. He can’t blame him though. No one would want to be friends with someone who lives a problematic life.

Chanyeol was taken aback. “Stop lying.”

Baekhyun clenched his fists and looked directly on the spirit’s eyes, catching the taller off guard. “I don’t lie. I’m not lying.” Baekhyun tried to appear strong in front of the other guy but eventually fails and ended up sighing. “I’m not mad. I’m just hurt.”

Bowing his head to hide the tears that were triggered by his words was pointless because Chanyeol can clearly see the liquid running through his cheeks. It hurt his glowing chest. The green light coming from his torso was turning pale. He doesn’t like it.

“What do you care anyways,” Baekhyun says between his managed fake laughs. “If you’re not leaving, then I’ll leave.” He met the spirit’s eyes again, but this time, his lenses were dull and lifeless. Chanyeol didn’t like seeing it. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”

With the inside of his cheeks squeezed between his sharp white pearls, trying to supress the sobs that were escaping his mouth, Baekhyun looks away, ready to take his first step away from what he thought his friend. However, as soon as he moved his heel to create distance between them, a firm grip held him in place. It was Chanyeol’s.

Baekhyun looked at him, confused.

“What?” he asked.

The spirit’s mouth remained shut despite of billions of things he wanted to tell the younger. He wanted to explain why he was acting like this. He wanted Baekhyun to know that this is not what he wants to happen, and that he always wanted the smaller beside him always, but it was the destiny that was leading him with no choice. Chanyeol wanted to tell him all of that, yet there’s one thing that stops him from doing so— he doesn’t want Baekhyun to be in danger.

Baekhyun was waiting. He was hoping for an answer. He was wishing that Chanyeol would tell him the reason why, or even wanting to hear that the spirit don’t want any of this to happen. The teenager knows there is something going on, and he was looking forward to finally learn it. However, as seconds pass by like a wind, without knowing it, Baekhyun’s heart was slowly tightening, and his tears started showing up again—though this time he was rather disappointed than hurt.

The tighter his heart clenched the loser Chanyeol’s grip was becoming. Baekhyun watched the spirit’s hand fall from his arms.

Baekhyun tried so bad to keep the disappointment showing from his face but he fails. He was never good at hiding his feelings yet so brave to do it so often.

“You purposely summoned me here, didn’t you?”

What Chanyeol asked not only broke the ice cold silence eating them but also caught the mortal off-guard—because the spirit is right. Two weeks was a total hell. Baekhyun tried to busy himself with studies and work so that he will not remember to shed a tear. However, during the 18^th day, the present time, he had enough. He thought the idea of being alone and being abandoned already swallowed him up that he didn’t even bother to stop himself from crying anymore for two reasons: one, he wanted to let go of all the baggage, and second is to see Chanyeol.

He inhaled deeply and mustered the courage to speak. Baekhyun realized that there’s no point in lying after all. “I did.” He avoided Chanyeol’s intimidating stare. “I have no excuse.”

If it was in a different situation, Chanyeol would shriek out of joy or jump in happiness for no apparent reason. But as much as possible, he tried keeping his glee inside his glowing chest, afraid that a simple fluttering feeling can ruin everything that he thinks is already doing well.

“Why?” The deeply folded crease was Chanyeol’s way to hide his delight. “Why did you do that?”

In Baekhyun’s point of view, the spirit is showing annoyance, which if it was real, he would probably understand. He get where Chanyeol is coming from. He was disturbed. It was such a wrong move, the nineteen year-old thought; but he don’t regret doing so especially that he’s seen the spirit already.

The questions Chanyeol threw at the shorter male were left unanswered. The tiny lad just kept biting the inside of his cheeks—afraid that when he mutters something, it will worsen the spirit’s anger and will disappear in front of him again.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, was hoping Baekhyun will say something that will convince him to stop what he’s doing and continue building their growing friendship together. He may not admit anything but there is something about the mortal that won him a place inside the spirit’s heart.

“Because I wanted to know why you’re doing this,” Baekhyun was able to respond after seconds of arguing with himself. This is the only chance he got. He elevated his look and met the spirit’s eyes. His façade maybe blank and cold, but his eyes are burning with emotions. In which Baekhyun did not fail to see. “Why were you avoiding me? What did I do wrong? Because if you are mad at me, why would you even bother to save me from the ing accident in the first place?”

Chanyeol was left astounded. He was expecting that Baekhyun would ask him such things but the feeling the teenager is giving him surprised him. It’s not plain hurt. There was something more Chanyeol has yet to know.

Chanyeol’s silence kept breaking Baekhyun’s heart. He’s actually trying to make this situation work and close whatever issue Chanyeol have with him however, it looks like the spirit isn’t even trying to resolve this with him.

“I really wanted to thank you for saving me but treating me like this after helping me? You should’ve did us both a favour and let me die in that accident!”

A warm pair of huge arms immediately enveloped Baekhyun in a tight hug. Chanyeol didn’t like what just came out of the teenager’s mouth. He hates it. And it destroyed the wall he thinks he built between the two of them. Seeing Baekhyun hurting is already tearing him apart, and hearing the mortal utter words he never wanted to hear from him just weakened Chanyeol.

“D-don’t say that…” Chanyeol’s voice was ridiculously soothing for Baekhyun. The storm inside his chest became calm. The younger was surprised. He didn’t expect to receive a hug from Chanyeol. And it’s making his heartbeat beat faster than normal. “Don’t ever say that again…”

Baekhyun is baffled. He doesn’t know what just happened. His mind is comprehending wether this warm hug the two of them is sharing is real. But when Chanyeol’s hug went tighter, Baekhyun was sure.

“I’m trying my best to keep you alive. So please…don’t say that again.”