“Byun Baekhyun, why are you still here?” I ask one day.

It’s been two weeks.

Two weeks since Byun Baekhyun decided he’d practically move into the hospital with me.

He’s even brought his little travel suitcase with him that’s now stashed under the bedside table. The nurses brought him in a bigger bed after about a week.

I should be out in a few days. The psychologist says I’m doing really well.

Something about video games and good relationships blah blah.

You make it sound so sophisticated.

Baekhyun shrugs and buries himself further under my blanket. It’s uncomfortable, but I don’t mind.

He’s button mashing at the moment because we’re playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the television. Sehun brought across the Wii seeing as he and Luhan don’t need it when I’m not around.

“Just how many gaming consoles do you have?” Byun Baekhyun had asked. I had then proceeded to list them off my fingers, astounded myself at how tragic my social life really was is.

“Ouch!”

“What?”

I look down at my wrist.

“Oh.”

“What, Chanyeol?”

Byun Baekhyun is worried. He follows my gaze and gasps.

“Think we’ve been playing too hard.”

This isn’t the first time my cut’s reopened.

“We should stop.”

Byun Baekhyun jumps out of the bed and walks over to switch the console off. He walks out of the room, only to return seconds later with a doctor.

“Chanyeol, you need to take it easy. How about you watch some movies instead?” he tells me as he inspects my arms.

I scowl like a five year old the second he turns his back and Baekhyun giggles at me.

I glare at him.

“What?”

“You’ve been avoiding my question. Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

Baekhyun's eyes widen. He kind of looks like Kyungsoo, with his eyes that wide.

It's weird...

Too weird.

“About that…”

A pause.

“I’m not working anymore.”

“WHAT?”

I sit there flabbergasted.

“When I said I’d give up my career for you, I meant it.”

Oh no.

Oh no you didn’t Byun Baekhyun!

“WHY?”

“I wanted to spend more time with you.”

My heart.

Chanyeol…

Cannot contain.

Chanyeol…

The feels.

ASDFGHJKL!

Chanyeol, calm down!

“No, I’m fine! Please, follow your dream, Baekhyun!”

“I will when the time is right. At the moment, I can’t exactly do that.”

“AND WHY NOT!?”

“Please don’t shout at me Chan-“

“IS IT BECAUSE OF ME?!”

Baekhyun finally loses it.

“NO!”

Silence.

“Why?” I finally ask in a small voice.

“I’m tight on money. I fired my manager. I lost my house. I’m now living in the back of my car, or here.”

What.

What what.

What what what what what.

WHAT?

A rhinoceros beetle has a better brain capacity than you.

“What do you mean you’re living in the back of your car?”

“It’s the music industry, Chanyeol. The public sees the happy side of it, but there’s a dark side too. All the hours I spend that don’t guarantee any kind of pay whatsoever. I didn’t even own that house, it was leased to me by my manager. He sorted out my finances because he saw potential in me making it big, kind of like investing in something for later gain. You wouldn’t understand.”

Byun Baekhyun’s eyes are sad.

“Then explain it to me.” I sigh exasperatedly.

“I… the only thing I have to my name is you, alright? And a few small insignificant pieces of junk. No furniture, no clothes, no money. I'm broke, Chanyeol! I've got nothing I can give you! I… I should go.” Baekhyun mutters.

Baekhyun’s eyeliner is running as tears descend his smooth cheeks, his eyes puffy.

“Baekhyun, wait!”

It’s too late, he’s gone.

What happened to all that fluff?

happened.

I happened.

Don’t blame yourself.

I reach for my cell phone.

“Sehun?”

Weird grunting noises and moans in the background. Charming.

“Chanyeol? What’s up… I’m kind of busy right now…”

I don’t even want to know what you’ve just interrupted.

“Did you know Baekhyun’s living in his car?”

There’s a shuffle and a sigh of disappointment on the other side of the line.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you do anything about it? Why didn’t anyone do anything about it?” I ask angrily.

‘He didn’t want help-”

“But he ing needs help!” I yell.

Chanyeol, please calm.

Sehun mumbles under his breath.

“Chanyeol, he’s waiting, OK? He’s waiting for a new manager to pick him up and get his life on track again. He’s also waiting for you.”

“What do you mean?”

Sehun sighs as if it’s as plain as day, and promptly hangs up.

I'm left guessing.

Byun Baekhyun, please don't hide important things from me.