He wasn't hungry, had no appetite, it was his usual feeling that week. He would just get up and go to the shower and restroom every few hours, but he never felt like eating. His stomach never growled and his stomach never hurt. He also was still sore in his back and fingers. He would never take in the changes in his house. He would never check to make sure Chanyeol hid or stole anything from him.


'Chanyeol wouldn't do that... He really wouldn't do that to me.'


Baekhyun sat down on the couch and searched for the remote. He usually left it on the table right next to the TV, but for some reason it wasn't there.


'Strange, Chanyeol doesn't watch TV. And even if he does he always puts the remote back.'


A flashback came to him as he stared at the blank TV.


"Baekhyun!"


"What?"


"Where's the remote?!"


"I always leave it on the table, Jongin, you know that."


"B-but! I can't find it!"


"Where'd you leave it last time?"


"Urrrgh! I don't know, I forgot!"


Baekhyun felt some tears fall from his eyes and he sniffled, 'Everything seems to bring me back to you...' Baekhyun wiped his tears and gave up looking, he wasn't really in the mood in watching television anyway. He blindly walked to the kitchen to get the telephone. He hadn't gone to work in God knows how long, and he was surprised his boss hadn't called to fire him or anything.


He picked it up to his ear, and looked through his small phone book to find the number. He didn't notice all of the new numbers in there when he was flipping pages until he wondered, 'Why is it taking me so long to find it? It's usually the only page marked in ABC order.' He finally found it after turning more pages and started pressing in the numbers.


It rang.


He wiped his tears and sniffled again, trying to make himself not cry or sound weird. He waited for a few seconds and looked at the clock, 'They should be open by now. It's lunch, someone should be at the phone.' He checked the calender mindlessly next to him and saw the last checked date, 'It's the 15th, it's Wednesday.'


Baekhyun didn't see, however, that it was April, 2013.


Although he did seem to hear the winds in his house, making strange noises.


Baekhyun...


 

Baekhyun awoke once more on his bed, eyes drowsy and body sore. He groaned inwardly and looked around himself, taking in the white walls and the white sheets... 'Why was everything so white in here,' thought Baekhyun. He checked his closet and some dust fell upon him, making him cough and take a step back. 'Why is there so much dust? When was the last time I check in here-'


His train of thought paused when he saw a bunch of things stuffed into his closet, making him confused. He picked up a box and saw a newspaper, but kicked it to the side to get his clothes. He put on a black sweater and got some socks to leave quickly. He decided to go to his work, talk to the manager and tell him excuses about how he tried calling but he was sick and whatnot.


He walked through the door, taking a short glance at the calender, the 27th. He opened the door and took in the morning atmosphere. It was cold as ice, the morning air was misty and fog was everywhere. Something told him taking the car would be dangerous so he would rather walk. He saw the frozen gravel and walked slow. He wasn't much of a walker, he liked jogging, but he didn't want to risk slipping.


So he walked, walked for minutes.


Walked for hours.


Walked for awhile, until he noticed he was walking a little too long than expected.


Baekhyun...


He looked around himself, and to his surprise his house only seemed to be two miles away from him. He mumbled to himself, "That's not right, I should be in town by now right?" He looked towards the woods, knowing there was a shortcut inside. He never took it because one time Jongin got lost in there, and it took them two days to find him.


'But I'm not Jongin, I'm smarter than him. I know my way around here...' Baekhyun gulped and crossed the street through the woods, "There's nothing to be afraid of, Baekhyun," he whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of."


He walked into it, instantly hearing the sounds of bugs and frogs. He tried to find the trail, staring at the ground and making his way through the woods. He walked like that for minutes, trying not to step on or trip over anything. When he looked up, his cheeks cold and his fingers numb, he was surprised to see that he didn't see any trail. Usually the trail would be right in front of him...


He then heard a noise, the sounds of stepping.


He turned around quickly, his breathing on hold. He knew the woods like the palm of his hand, he could remember taking careless jogs to get to the city a lot quicker. Never in his life had he encountered an animal, or another person. He could contrast the sounds between the wind, and a living creature.


That sound was of a living creature.


"Hello?" Baekhyun looked around himself, not moving his feet but only his neck and eyes. He heard the sound again, but only closer. He turned around and gasped, because there were footsteps behind him.


Baekhyun~


He felt panic run through his system and he ran.


Run...!


As he ran, he heard voices, whisperings buried within the beating pulse in his eardrums.


"What was that?"


"I don't know!"


Baekhyun tripped over a branch when he wasn't looking and fell onto the muddy floor. He coughed and got back up, to see a shadow in front of him. He turned around and screamed when the only thing he saw was a faceless figure, sun blaring behind it. He got up as fast as he could and sprinted, jumping over anything, without turning back. The voices were still with him, the footsteps turned into running behind him.


He was being followed, but by who?


Or what?


Baekhyun...


He gasped a big heap of breath when he made it out of the woods, a wash of half relief and half fear when he saw his house up ahead. His legs were tired, his back more sore than he ever felt in his life, his numb fingers burning with splinters, his head and eyes throbbing with terror, his throat was dryer than the sands in a playground, and his chest thumped with a painful pull inside of him. However, he ran like he was being chased by a murderer until he fumbled with getting the door open.


Once he was inside and locked the door, he collapsed onto the ground and let out a dessicated cry for breath. His legs were in a running and soaring sense of pain, while his eyes let out tears of some sort of aching inside of him. The dread was bottled up inside when he thought back to what exactly happened in the woods.


He didn't think he'd ever know, or ever want to know. Especially when the voice surrounded him, making him more than sure that he was hearing it distinctively.


Baekhyun,
Where are you?


 

Baekhyun woke up again, the same routine, but this time walked into the kitchen. He was going to open the fridge to work up an appetite until he saw a newspaper on the table. He wasn't sure how it got there, but the headline was what filled his interest.
 

Baekhyun saw a black and white picture of the woods, that he himself roamed the other day.


Baekhyun~


A racing began inside of him and he threw the newspaper away with a shaking hand. His breathing became ragged when he went back into his room, to cry out the frightened frustration within him.



 

"Why is the picture frame changed?"


"Oh, you don't know? I thought you shattered it?"


"Me? Never. I was just putting this picture in there and I saw the frame. What happened?"


"I'm not sure really. It must've...fallen? I just put it back on its post."


"Oh... Okay."


"But...why are you putting that in there?"


"I... No reason."


"Okay."


"Let's just...forget about it okay?"


"I... I don't think-"


"Please? Do it for me? Or for them at least, yeah?"


"...Fine."


 

Baekhyun could hear the voice in his head, there as if it was telling him something. He was walking in the forest again, trying to find a way out and into the town. Everything was foggy, and he couldn't see a thing. All he saw was a dull and musty white blur all around him. But he kept walking, making sure to keep silent, taking light and careful steps. His breathing in the cold made him choke every now and then.


Baekhyun...


He stopped short, listening carefully.


Byun Baekhyun?


He yelled, "Hello?!"


Baekhyun,
Where are you?


His body raced towards the voice, even though his mind was telling him not too. Something inside of him was being drawn to the voice, the oh-so familiar voice. Whose was it though? He really couldn't pin it down, and it was driving him insane the closer he got to it.


Byun Baekhyun~


He saw a large tree, punctured with a deep and shallow opening.


Baekhyun~


He heard crickets, birds, trees rustling in the wind, but that voice made him forget everything. He knew that voice, as if it was a voice he trusted once before. He didn't know how, but he knew the voice wasn't going to hurt him...


Baekhyun...


He walked forward into the dark hole, tripping and falling. He fell down and down and down, hitting a wet and frosty asphalt in the end. He whimpered at the hit, rubbing his back and legs, which were crying with pain. Tears stung his eyes, and he wailed a bit.


Baekhyun baby...


He looked up, seeing a white light in front of him.


Don't cry, Baekhyun...
Please don't cry,
I am here...


Baekhyun reached his hand up to shield his eyes from the brightlight and melodic vocal sounds. It wasn't sing-song, but the flow melded within the sounds of the winds in his besettings.


Come closer, Baekhyun...
It's been so long...


That voice...


Those words...


Baekhyun~


Baekhyun stood up and tried climbing up the wall, scared out of his mind. What if this was some sort of trap? What if the voice was of someone in his past? Trying to harm him for some reason? He wouldn't know, all he knew was that he didn't want to be there any longer.


Baekhyun,
Where are you?


Byun Baekhyun?


Hey!


Baekhyun tried climbing and gripping onto the thorny branches in front of him. He pulled himself up, feeling the thorns on the red roses digging into his skin. Although he wasn't bleeding, and the only thing that was hurting was his back and legs.


Byun Baekhyun!


Something grabbed his shoulder and dragged him down onto the ground, and he hit it with another hard blow. He let out a huff of wasted breath, and he squeezed his eyes tight.


Baekhyun!


He covered his ears and screamed, "Stop! Stop it!"


Baekhyun!!


Byun Baekhyun!


"Wake up!"

 

He woke up with a cry of fear, "Jongin!"


He jumped at a feeling of strong hands gripping his shoulders gently, and he jumped.


"No-"


"Baekhyun!"


It was Chanyeol, worried sick out of his mind, and it was written all over his face. Baekhyun let out a huge reassured sigh and tearful streams. He covered his face and cried, messy and blubbering weeping. He wiped his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, Chanyeol... I'm so sorry, I was just... Just having a...nightmare..."


"Y-yeah," Chanyeol started soothingly, also scared, "I can see that. You were breathing so strangely, and you were screaming. I was so scared for you, Baekhyun. What happened?"


"I don-" Baekhyun hiccupped, "I don't want to talk about it... But... Thank you, for waking me up, Chan. That was really...kind of you, I'm very appreciative." Baekhyun leaned up against his bed post and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. After his release of laments turned into light sniffles, he decided to think back on the dream he just had.


What did it mean?


Why was he dreaming of that forest again?


And that voice, it was so familiar, it was anguishingly conversant to someone elses...


"I... I didn't know you still had that picture there..."


Chanyeol's voice interrupted his train of thought, and Baekhyun's eyes landed onto where Chanyeol was looking.


It was the photo, of Baekhyun and Jongin.


'I thought I...'


The sound of glass shattering and loud bewailings broke into Baekhyun's head. How long had it been since that day? When he snapped and threw the picture frame at his wall? Didn't he crush the thing to pieces? Didn't he dumped it's contents in the corner? What was it doing there? How was it there again?!


"I- I... I didn't know it was still here either, I had in mind..." Baekhyun forcefully had to convince himself that it was true, that he did indeed get rid of it.


"And that picture too." Chanyeol got off of his knees and walked towards Baekhyun's dressar, "I thought this was in the basement?"


Baekhyu's eyes watered only barely when he too gazed longingly at the picture of he and Chanyeol.


He and Chanyeol, how long was it when it was just the two of them? Lying in the beach. Kissing each others cheeks. Copying off each others homework. Getting into mischief and crying on each others shoulders. Being together like life would never end, like they would be together forever. When was that picture even taken? It was so long ago, wasn't it? It seemed so...


"I thought so, too." Baekhyun knocked himself on his forehead and sighed, "I must've...forgot that I put it there. I've been on and off this entire week, Chanyeol. I'm sorry, I'm just...not myself lately."


"Lately." Chanyeol turned away from the photo, as if he was going to let out his own strands of tears. He rubbed his right eye before sitting at the edge of Baekhyun's bed. "I thought I told you to go out? Did you at least call your work? It's been how long since-"


"I did call my work, I did try leaving the house."


"I- I beg your pardon?" Chanyeol seemed more than shocked, his face had disbelief written all over it. "Wh-what did you say? Did they answer? Did you get very far? Did you go into the woods?"


Baekhyun's head ran to and fro with Chanyeol's questions, and he knocked his head once again. "Chan, slow down, all right? I'll tell you what happened..." Baekhyun looked up at the ceiling, "I called them a few times, they didn't answer. Maybe they closed for the week or something. And when I went outside.... I don't know, I just couldn't get any farther than two miles away from my house. And the woods...." Baekhyun gulped, "The woods are another story. I couldn't find my way through to the city."


"Did you... Did you see- or- uhm-" Chanyeol bit his lip, "Was there anything...odd about the forest?"


Baekhyun suspiciously looked at Chanyeol, "W-why?"


"Uh- I just- I read the newspapers..."


"Oh, were you the one that left that at the table?" It would've made sense, but Baekhyun didn't know why Chanyeol wouldn't have said hello to him. Why just leave that newspaper?


"N-no. That wasn't me." Chanyeol changed the subject, reaching to hold Baekhyun's hand, "Baek, there is something we really...really need to discuss."


Baekhyun shrugged, "And what of, Chanyeol?"


"Of... Of... Of January 14, 2009? Do you remember that day, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol seemed hopeful, but at the same time fearful. As if there was something Baekhyun needed to know, but Chanyeol would rather him not know it.


Baekhyun wasn't so sure what he was up to, so he carelessly shook his head. "No, I don't recall such a thing happening that day. Was it somebody's birthday?"


"Y-yes!" Chanyeol shook inside, "It was... It was someone special's birthday, a very large birthday. But do you...remember what else happened that day?"


Baekhyun tried thinking, but something before even that day he woke up breaking the picture frame was blank. It was all dark and white and nothing else but Jongin, always Jongin. Jongin always seemed to come to his mind. All he saw back from that day was Kim Jongin-


'Wait. Birthday...'


Baekhyun asked softly, "Was it... Was it Jongin's birthday, Chanyeol?"


Chanyeol stared at him, eyes locked tight onto him, "Yeah, Baekhyun, it was his birthday. But-" His voice rose a little higher, "But what happened that day? Are you sure you can't remember?"


Baekhyun closed his eyes when he saw the desperation in Chanyeol's eyes. He knew he should try recollecting anything for him, afterall, a part of Baekhyun was still in love with Chanyeol. It was so hard seeing him like that, as if he was going to d-


"Death..." Baekhyun opened his eyes, "Death... Someone... Somebody died that day, Chanyeol." He heard it in his head, he just couldn't see it. He closed his eyes again, wincing at a harsh sound, "Screeching... Tires burning... Pain-" his back throbbed, "more pain-" the sound of screaming, "and...tears." He heard loud wails, that sounded just way too familiar. Why couldn't he pin it down? "D-death... Death, Chanyeol."


Chanyeol tried making eye contact with him, "Byun Baekhyun, do you remember what happened that day?"


Baekhyun opened his eyes, squinting at all of the white in his room. "It was Jongin's birthday, but there was a car crash. There was a lot of pain involved, and someone died right?" Baekhyun was hit with a sudden realization and he gasped, "Ch-Chanyeol!" He asked with a feeling that ate him inside, "Did... Did Jongin die?"


Baekhyun.


Chanyeol's mouth opened, as if he was giving up on saying anything. He released his grip on Baekhyun's hand and stood. "Baekhyun, I really have to be somewhere."


"B-but-"


Chanyeol ignored him and headed out of the room.


"Chanyeol! Park Chanyeol, wait!"


Byun Baekhyun,
Where are you?


Baekhyun jumped out of his bed, legs collapsing on the ground by how sore they were. He attempted to get on his feet and chase after Chanyeol, even though his back was killing him. He wobbled out of his room when he heard the front door slam shut.


"Chanyeol, please wait!"


Baekhyun managed to get to the front door and open it wide. He was met with a rough gust of frosty, morning wind and he shivered. "Chanyeol! Park Chanyeol?!" He looked out of his house and he couldn't even find a single trace of Chanyeol.


He then heard more voices.


"Why is the door open?"


"I didn't open it!"


"Close it, okay?"


"Fine."


Baekhyun closed the door, turned around, and screamed at the top of his lungs, of that because he was met by a familiar figure in front of him.


Kim Jongin.