“Eli?” I blinked a few times. Still not believing it, I hit myself on the forehead with my hand in a fist. I rubbed my temples and checked to see if it was really Ellison in front of me.

 

“Kevin I…”

 

“Now isn’t the time to talk. I’m here for Kiseop, you’re here for Kiseop. That’s all it is,” I said, holding back even more tears. I could see the pain in his eyes. From Kiseop, but also from how distant we have become. It’s all his fault…I think he knows that.

I held onto Kiseop’s lifeless hand, I refused to believe he was gone. I had hope that he would quickly recover and so did the others. But there’s always that feeling that…sometimes hope just isn’t enough.

 

No. No…Kiseop will be well soon, I know he will.

 

The others came back from downstairs and saw me in the room with Eli and Kiseop.

 

“KEVIN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!” Someone shouted. I ignored them, because Kiseoppie was the only worry in my mind. Someone shook me, someone tried to get me to stand, to go back to my room. I kept refusing. I was not going to leave his side until those eyes batted open and from his lips escaped my name.

 

Soon everyone gave up their efforts to move me. Everyone sat silently in the room, the only sounds were those of the monitors and machines. The constant, string of beeping of his heart monitor almost put me to sleep. Until it wasn’t multiple beeps, it was a singular, long steady one. My head flung up and my heart stopped.

Doctors from all over the top floor quickly raced to his room, I was evacuated. I didn’t leave without a fight though. I pushed doctors, I threw slaps and kicks. I lost to no avail. Eli and the others tried to hold me back and keep me away. It only made me cry harder, and the tears wouldn’t stop, as hard as I tried to hold them in.

 

“Kevin, shhh,” Eli held me close in a tight embrace and wrapped those warm strong arms around me. My eyes filled with the memories of me and him together, only making the tears last longer. Eli’s visits became short when Mina came into his life. It was rumored that Eli would propose soon… how interesting that would be.

 

My thoughts were interrupted when he broke the hug and held onto my shoulders. He cupped my face and used his thumbs to remove my tears.

 

“Kevin, enough crying. We’re all here for him right? Trust me. Kiseop will be alright,” Eli told me. My eyes flashed with another memory…

 

 

What a liar. He knows Kiseop isn’t okay. He knows he won’t be alright. He knows, and he refuses to let me be upset about it. He knows he won’t visit all the time. He knows he will stop seeing me. He knows how I feel and doesn’t care…

How selfish.

 

Eli looked deep into my eyes.

 

“I’m sorry for never visiting. But I’ve been so busy and-”

 

I pushed him away eagerly and ran to the door of Kiseop’s room. Doctors surrounded his bed and they were trying to stabilize him again. My hands ran down the oak door until I slid onto the ground, holding my knees to my chest.

 

“Kevin?” It was Xander. He mimicked my position next to me and ran his fingers through my hair. Eli was watching with sincere pain in his eyes.

 

“Wanna know what Kiseop was doing? Before…before he got in the accident?” He asked. 

 

I shook my head. Why would I? It would only upset me more.

 

“I’m gonna tell you. He just got back from buying you this…” Alexander put a nicely wrapped gift into my lap.

 

“Your birthday is tomorrow isn’t it? He knows how much you love them,” Alexander confessed. My eyes filled with water, and my hands shook intensely. I gingerly picked up the pleasant looking present and began unwrapping it.

 

“Oh…my,” I whispered. It was a glass model of a monarch butterfly. Kiseop really was an amazing person. He knew about the butterflies…

 

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“He…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. My face was wet with tears, my throat was sore from sobbing, my heart ached from pain.

 

Alexander took me in a deep hug. The kind of hug you receive after losing something special. The kind of hug you receive when you lose someone you love.

The kind of hug you receive, when someone close to you has finally passed on.

 

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