o b s e s s i o n     { u h b - s e s h - u h n }

" c h a p t e r   f o u r "

It was that day of the year again. Usually he wouldn't a make much fuss about it but this year, someone insisted that they celebrated his birthday. Baekhyun looked up at the guy looming over him. He grinned as he pointed to the small chocolate cake placed in the middle of the table with just a single candle in the middle. Here, seated on the bench in the middle of a park was weird but Chanyeol had assured it would a change of scenery.

"Go on!" Chanyeol cheered him on. "Blow it and make a wish!"

Baekhyun closed his eyes and blew the candle. It was a simple wish. To find happiness. And he suddenly thought of Jongin. Not now, he told himself. Opening his eyes, he was met by a set of dark eyes studying him intently. There was something about that look but Baekhyun wasn't sure what to call it. He his suddenly dry lips as Chanyeol never wavered his gaze. Suddenly, he was like a whole different Chanyeol. The glimpse of this other side of him was something that Baekhyun found interesting, yet it made him nervous.

"Chanyeol?" Baekhyun waved a hand in front of him, snapping him out of his trance. 

"Oh, sorry about that." He pulled out a small box from his bag and slid it across the wooden  bench table. "Open it up."

"Is it what I think it is?" Baekhyun felt panic rose in  him. The small red velvet box looked like any other ring boxes he'd seen countless times on TV. He wasn't being proposed, right?

Seeing the panic on his best friend's face, Chanyeol chuckled. "You'll like it."

True to his words, Baekhyun did love it. It was an onyx black ring with his name engraved in white on it. It was beautiful. The other boy grinned from ear-to-ear and offered to put it on him. He held out his left hand where Chanyeol slid it on his ring finger.

"Thank you!" Baekhyun studied the ring as it glinted under the sunlight coming through the shaded tree above them.

"I've got one too. I fell in love with it and thought you might want it too." 

"I love it. It's like a friendship ring." Baekhyun giggled.

Chanyeol nodded as he watched the ring on Baekhyun's thin, long fingers. So delicately beaufitul. The wind blew, ruffling the latter's hair in a way he wished he could. Just to feel how soft it felt between his fingers. His heart clenched, thinking of how Jongin had been able to touch Baekhyun without reservations.

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The stillness of the night brought memories that was best forgotten. But no matter how much he tried, they lingered at the fringes of his mind because his heart refused to move on. He wiped the dust off the thick leather covers, revealing the engraved letters, bearing the words, "You and I, together forever". How ironic. Jongin flipped through the glossy pages, reminiscing the days when he had the love of his life by his side. 

He was never unfaithful but one day in winter, last December, it changed everything. Like any other couples, they argued but make up soon after. But on that day, they had a major argument. Jongin had informed Baekhyun that he was going to drop out of high school and pursue his dreams as a professional dancer because a well-known choreographer had seen his YouTube videos and was impressed with his meticulously flawless timed moves. Baekhyun had outrightly rejected his decision, insisting that he finished high school, regardless. At that time, he found it pointless because he didn't have any interest in mundane studies and called Baekhyun a useless, selfish prick who didn't understand his feelings. The whole conversation turned sour as they hurled hurtful comments at each other. Jongin had gotten so pissed off that he stormed out. He called up his close friend, Kyungsoo and somehow ended in his bed after an emotional breakdown. Then, Baekhyun found them and told him they should just break up. Jongin had agreed. But regretted it. It was like loosing a limb. Just for the for the record, he had never been anyone else since. No one matched his ex-lover.

Just when he thought he could finally convinced Baekhyun back to where he actually belong, by his side, his other admirers had to come in, competing for his affections. Mainly that kid Sehun and the awkward Chanyeol. The latter might not look it, but Jongin had caught him giving Baekhyun that longing look that he himself wore. He wasn't going to lose to them. Regardless of what it what it takes.

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The sound of the TV was too loud for his liking, but his grandmother's hearing was slightly off, therefore something that sounded too loud would sound fine to her. Chanyeol couldn't blame her. It was an old age problem that he too would face in the future. The popcorn snuggled comfortably in his lap, he leaned back against the sofa, beside his grandmother watching some period drama that he couldn't recall the title.

"Chanyeol, is your friend coming today?" Grandma asked him as the side of her eyes crinkled in question. "I haven't seen him around recently."

"We're busy with school project so it's a bit difficult to hang out. Plus he leaves quite far away."

She chuckled, patting his thigh. "He's not that far. If I remember correctly, you said he lived up on Street Five which is like fifteen minutes from here. I'm not that forgetful yet, eh, young man." 

Laughing at his Grandma's attempt to reach for the remote control with her foot, Chanyeol bent over and picked it up for her. "That's fifteen minutes by bus but thirty by foot."

"Only if you walk like a three-toed sloth."

Chanyeol shook his head in amusement. He wondered what Baekhyun was doing right now on a Sunday evening, Glancing over at the ring on his finger, he touched it gingerly.

{  - - - - - - - - - -  +  - - - - - - - - - -  }

The soft rustles of the leaves were the only sound resonating through the empty hallways. Birds perched on the branches of the trees chirping their way silently as they watched him walked up to the lockers. Not wasting time, he made toward the locker in question while pulling out a mini screwdriver. Theglossy yellow paint of the locker was slightly peeling from frequent use. He slid the screwdriver through the small gap and pulled hard. The door swung out, banging against the adjacent door. 

"Shh." He cursed the door for announcing his presence. Presents and gifts cluttered all over. Someone must have been here earlier. Who cares? Baekhyun would still collect all these gifts and that alone would make him happy. Crushing on someone was normal but to crush on them since junior high school was probably unheard of. But ever since he laid eyes on Baekhyun, he'd been following him around even though Baekhyun probably thought he was just another of his fanboys. As long as he got to see Baekhyun, he was happy. Being neighbours was a bonus, of course. 

"Hey, you." A voice boomed from behind. He jumped instinctively.

"The heck-" He glared at the newcomer. "What do you want?"

"Oh Sehun, how many times do I have to tell you to stay away from Baekhyun? He's mine." Jongin stepped forward, crowding him as he poked the other boy's temple repeatedly. "Get that in your head. He's never ever going to be with you."

"You're no longer with him. So, that gives us all the same probability of his attention." Sehun retorted, eyes never leaving the blazing eyes of the slightly taller guy.

Jongin let out a laughter that sounded too fake and harsh to his ears. "You can paint all the flowers you want on this. But it's just a fantasy in your head, because you don't stand a chance when I know every inch of his body, inside out."

" you."

"Truth hurts. I know. Just get your scrawny away from my going-to-be boyfriend."

"He's never going to be with you again after what you did to him when you can't control your ."

Jongin grabbed his collar and slammed him against the locker. "Watch it. I may not be so nice the next time." He hissed.

"Like I give a ." Sehun muttered. The tanned boy loosen his grip when giggles were heard coming towards the hallway. 

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Since that day when Jongin planted a hot kiss on him, Baekhyun hadn't been able to think of anyone else other than his ex. He was ashamed to admit that even during his mini birthday bash with Chanyeol, his mind kept straying to his first love. There was a saying that first love don't last. And he might start to believe that. He'd been tossing around at night, unable to sleep peaceful as his mind kept going over and over again about the beautiful memories they had. But marred by one distasteful event. Deep down, he probably had forgiven Jongin a long time ago, but he wasn't ready to lay his heart out. Risking his heart being stomped at again. No way. Not now. And that was what he told Jongin exactly during lunch much to his displeasure.

"You're not serious." Jongin brushed a stray hair of Baekhyun's soft face as they sat facing the school garden on the wooden bench. "Is it because of Chanyeol?"

"What?" Baekhyun blushed. "No, not him. Why would it be him?"

"I just thought that, you know, it would be him."

"You're wrong." Baekhyun shook his head. "I'm just no ready yet. Can be friends again first."

Jongin touched those soft cheeks and he pecked those parted lips. "My heart aches for you. But I respect your decision. I'll wait for you to change your mind."

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The students gave way as him as he stormed his way towards his locker. Pissed was an understatement. Sure, he had told Baekhyun he would wait. But in reality, he couldn't do it calmly. Why did Baekhyun want to make him suffer? He had suffer enough heart aches and sleepless nights to know that he wasn't going to let his ex-lover go that easily. Jongin reached his locker, hastily pulled it open and grimaced when a cloud of dust assaulted his senses. He coughed.

"Need to clean this up." He mumbled to himself as he slammed his locker shut after keeping his books. Something itchy began crawling up his arms. Instinctively, he began to scratch his arms, trying to relieve the itch. He coughed again.

{  - - - - - - - - - -  +  - - - - - - - - - -  }

He uncapped the marker as he tried to write the address written on paper onto the brown manila box in his lap. But before he could write it down, he heard footsteps and he immediately hid the box under a pile of books on the garden bench. Sehun pretended to read the opened pages of his gardening book. Footsteps neared and soon stopped as a shadow loomed over him. A glance up showed a very ticked Jongin who was scratching his arm as he scowled at him. Before he could asked what he wanted, Jongin walked away without so much of a word. Just an eye roll. Bastard. Sehun watched him disappeared in the crowds and glanced down at the book. Foxgloves. Hmm, an interesting poisonous plant.

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Feeling nauseous, Jongin trudged his way towards the gents after walking past Sehun in the school garden. His head began to throb as his vision started to shift slightly on the axis. It took longer to reach as he tried his best to balance himself, when all his body wanted was to fall flat on his face. Once he reached the bathroom, Jongin poured the contents of his lunch into the toilet bowl. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hands as he stared at his reflection at the sink. The reflection was eerily shocking as his face looks grey and ashen. Eyes, red-rimmed. Breathing laboured. There must be something wrong with him. He didn't feel good about this. Without further thinking, Jongin knew he had to see the school's doctor. He dragged his feet towards the infirmary but his world kept tilting off its axis. Till his knees gave way and he fell back. Everything was a blur. Nothing registered in his mind. And his world turned black

{  - - - - - - - - - -  +  - - - - - - - - - -  }

There was a box sitting on his desk when he reached home. Oddly, there wasn't any returned address nor was it stamped. That would mean this small box was delivered personally to his mailbox and his mother must have placed it on his desk, thinking that it could be just a package from a friend. Baekhyun's stomach twisted as he lifted the box, inspecting every angle. Just open the damn box, he scolded himself. Fine. 

Tearing open the manila wrapped box was a glass cube. And a vial of blood in it. WIth a note, "love for eternity." The back of his hair stood as he dropped the box onto the floor. His hands trembled, uncontrollably.

{  - - - - - - - - - -  +  - - - - - - - - - -  }

The school doctor pressed two fingers just beneath the unconscious boy's throat for a pulse. And he found none.

{  - - - - - - - - - -  +  - - - - - - - - - -  }

How was that?! Sorry for the slight course language...I think the mystery is killing us.. haha well of coz I know the ending and who... you just have to figure out kekeke Comments will be nice :)) AND I'M SO GONNA WRITE A KAIBAEK FIC SOON... after I finish this & Omma's Day Off (and maybe EXO HIGH too) :D I'll try to get chp 5 tomorrow...