~*{Chapter Two: Start The Clock}*~

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Kyungsoo sat with his hands clutching at the counter as he waited for the pain to pass. He was dying and his time was ticking away. His knuckles where pearl white as he slammed his eyelids shut- listening to the roaring beats of his heart that hammered through his ears. The pain in his chest felt suffocating and he felt like he was going to explode any minute. He took deep breaths- only to have each intake cause sharp pains to shoot through his chest. However, soon enough the pain subsided and he slumped back on to his stool.

Sweat trickled down the sides of his face as the throbbing pain then began to shoot through his legs. White spots began to disrrupt his vision as he began to feel lightheaded and his lips remain parted- trying his best to draw in whatever air he could through the short breaths he managed. Soon enough, those subsided as well. When his body seemed to return to as normal as it could be, Kyungsoo was able to draw in large amounts of air without the pain shooting through him. 

He was unsure of how long he sat there, but he knew It had been for a little over thiry minutes and as the days pass by- it only gets worse and worse. Just as he heard the front door creek open to the shop, his body seemed to shut down and his vision blackened- swallowing him into unconsciousness.

~*~

Kyungsoo's eyes fluttered open as he awoke slowly. As his eyes came in to focus, he realized that he was in his own bed that was in the hidden room above the shop. At first, he did not know how he got there since the last thing he remembered was that he was down stairs, but a soft voice gave him the answer to his question.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Kyungsoo turned his head towards the sound of the voice and his eyes landed upon Baekhyun, the boy from yesterday.He was sitting on a stool that was placed by Kyungsoo's bedside. Worry lines were etched into his features and Kyungsoo tried his best to smile up at him.

"I'm alright. " Kyungsoo assured and he reached up to run his finger tips lightly down the brige of Baekhyun's nose softly. Baekhyun returned the gesture as he brushed loose strands away from Kyungsoo's eyes that were damp with sweat. "Did you bring me up here?"

"Yes. I found you on the floor unconscious and I panicked. I ended up finding this room and brought you here to rest. "

"Thank you. I'm sorry for the trouble."

Silence filled the air as Baekhyun let his eyes wander around the room. A few minutes passed before he gazed back down at Kyungsoo. "May I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may."

"Is it normal for you to pass out like that?"

Kyungsoo nodded slightly as he lifted a finger towards his heart. "Yes. It's because of my heart."

"Your heart?"

"Yes. I have a genetic heart disease and my heart is slowly deteriorating." Kyungsoo explained softly as a sad smile found it's way to his lips.

Baekhyun lifted his hand and placed it softly over Kyungsoo's chest. He could barely feel the beating of the shopkeeper's heart and they locked gazes as Kyungsoo just smiled up at him. "Does it hurt?"

Kyungsoo nodded as he placed his hand over Baekhyun's that rested on his chest. "Sometimes. It usually only hurts for a few moments, but lately it has gotten worse."

"Since it's gotten worse then...."

"Then it means that I am dying." Kyungsoo finished Baekhyun's sentence. The boy gazed down at him with sadden eyes.

"Why do you sound so ready to accept it?"

"Because I am. I have received treatment and I am too far gone to receive a transplant."

"How are you so calm when accepting death?"

Kyungsoo smiled up at the boy before letting his eyes flutter close. "Because dying is easy. It's living that is hard." 

Silence fell between them as Baekhyun let his eyes wander around the room once more. The walls were a beige color, slightly damaged from the years, and various of photos hung around the room. A small board filled with pictures of flowers hung on the opposite wall. However, a smallpicture frame that rested on Kyungsoo's bedside table caught Baekhyun's eyes. Right next to it was a list of nine flower names.

"Are they your friends?" Baekhyun asked softly and Kyungsoo opened his eyes to follow Baekhyun's gaze. When his eyes landed on the picture on his bedside table, a small smile found it's way to his lips.

"No....those three are my brothers." 

"Where Are they?"

"They've passed away sometime ago due to the same genetic disorder."

A look of understanding flickered in Baekhyun's eyes as he gazed at the picture. "What are their names....?"

"The one to the left in the picture is my second eldest brother, Chanyeol. He passed away on May 13th three years ago. The two to the right are Joonmyun and Jongin. Joonmyun, is my eldest brother and he passed away on April 23rd a year after Chanyeol. Jongin is my youngest brother and be passed away in Janurary of last year."

"I see....I'm sorry."

"May I ask you something as well then?"

Baekhyun tore his eyes away from the photo and locked gazes with Kyungsoo. "Yes."

"The funeral yesterday..... Was it for a family memeber?"

Despair washed over Baekhyun's features as he gave a soft nod. "Yes. My mother passed away on  the 9th."

Kyungsoo took his free hand and lightly Baekhyun's cheek as he shot the boy a soft smile. "I'm sorry. It must of been hard on you."

"Yes. She was all I had left."

Kyungsoo shook his head as he smiled brightly. "I'll be here. If you need me. Even if I can't be there for you for a long time, you are welcome to come to my shop for as long as I can live to see another day."

Shock flickered in Baekhyun's eyes as he pressed Kyungsoo's palm to his cheek. A lump appeared in his throat as his eyes glanced back at the bedside photo. "The list of flowers....why is it next to the photo?"

Kyungsoo frowned as he looked at the list. "Those are endangered and rare flowers. They are flowers I have always dreamed of seeing in person-"

Kyungsoo was cut off as the familiar sharp pain shot through his chest. A loud gasp escaped his lips as the hammering in his chest quickened. Baekhyun watched, terrified, as Kyungsoo gripped at the bed sheets in pain. Kyungsoo slammed his eyes shut as his breathing was starting to become difficult and amidst all the pain, he felt the bed dip besides him.

Baekhyun was sitting by his side as he cupped the shopkeeper's face. He was whispering words of comfort with fear laced into his words. He clearly saw how much pain Kyungsoo was in and he understood then what the older one had meant about living being difficult.

Soon enough, Kyungsoo slipped into unconsciousness again and Baekhyun had to lean his ear against his chest to make sure the older was alive. He watched as Kyungsoo slept and he refused to leave his side.

He reached for the blanket and pulled it up to Kyungsoo's chest as he pressed their foreheads together. Kyungsoo's sweet scent was more powerful than the flowers themselves and Baekhyun seemed to drown instantly in his fragrance. Baekhyun made his decision right then and there. He couldn't bare to let him die like this.

"Then I will make dying hard and living worth while for you..." 

~*~