"Hyesung."

            Hyesung slowly opened his eyes, the white blaze of the sun greeting his eyes. He woke up reluctantly, his whole body tired and sleepy. His fingers felt something soft and warm slipping through them.

            Sand...

            Was he on a shore? He looked around, but there was no blueness of water in sight. He was absolutely alone, nothing else breathing under the beautiful sunlight.

            "Hyesung."

            Hyesung's heart reacted to the voice, knowing who its master was. But no one was here, no soul to be found on this abandoned wasteland.

            This was another dream, Hyesung realized, and drew his breath.

            And yet it felt so real.

            "Because this is your future," the voice he knew so well told him. "All alone. All by yourself."

            Hyesung gritted his teeth in irritation. "I like hearing you in real life a lot more," he commented. "You're a complete in my dreams."

            Eric laughed softly and despite what he had just said, Hyesung's heart fluttered at the sound.

            "I'm not trying to give you a hard time, my little prince. I'm just trying to brace you for the future so you're prepared for what's to come."

            Hyesung snorted. "Do you know how I know that you're not the real Eric? You're so much cornier."

            "Oh, please. 'Little prince' is not that much worse than 'baby'. Do you honestly hate it?"

            This wasn't the real Eric so there was no reason to lie. "No, it's not that bad." Hyesung bit down on his lip. "I'd rather hear you calling me cheesy pet names than not hear your voice at all."

            Gosh, he sounded so pathetic.

            "Oh, Hyesung..." Did Dream Eric actually sound saddened by his pitiful attitude? Hyesung could hear the frown in his voice. "You know why I keep appearing in your nightmares like this? Why I keep torturing you, even in your sleep?"

            To make me suffer, obviously. Even if you sound like Eric, you hate me, you absolutely want my soul to rot in this God-forsaken dream world...

            "You're wrong," he answered his thoughts. Of course, this Eric would be able to hear his mind, thanks to dream logic. "It's because I love you."

            "Don't you bull me." Hyesung found himself suddenly angry. How dare this imposter pretend to love him! "This is my dream. I don't need your crappy 'preparations'. I already know and accepted the fact that I can't have Eric in my future, so save your kind charity." He spat the words, feeling himself fume with bitterness. "Can't you at least give me the share of happiness that I can't get in real life?"

            "I know you know. Of course, you can't have the real Eric in the future. You're smart enough to know that, Hyesung." This Eric was just asking for a beating, wasn't he? "But you haven't accepted. I'm here to help you."

            "I really don't need your stupid help," Hyesung yelled back stubbornly.

            "Stop being so immature," Dream Eric snapped at him. "I'm not only doing this for you. I'm also doing this for me. The real Eric. You want to help him, don't you? This is about him, too."

            Well, that got Hyesung's attention. His ears perked up against his will.

            If he could help Eric in any way... If he could somehow reduce his beloved's hurting...

            "Good. That's the right attitude," Eric told him smugly. "Look in front of you."

            Hyesung did as he was told. Eric, the same Eric he loved beyond his heart's capability, appeared.

            "Eric!" Hyesung knew this was a dream, but he couldn't help reaching out to him anyway.

            "Stop," the voice commanded and Hyesung froze in his tracks.

            Someone else materialized next to his lover.

            A woman without a face.

            What...

            "This is my future. Eric's future."

            Hyesung could only watch as Eric's fingers gingerly caressed the woman's skin. He kissed her forehead and smiled. His eyes were filled with longing and adoration.

            The very eyes that had stared into Hyesung's soul. They were looking at someone else.

            No...

            He felt as if his whole world was crumbling down. How could Eric... Would Eric really... Was this actually...

            "Yes. Eric will move on. This is the future."

            Eric... Surely, this can't be you...

            "You said you already knew and accepted the truth. And yet here you are struggling. You're weak, Shin Hyesung."

            The two figures in front of him started to walk away. They were... clearly in love... Yes, Eric would eventually fall in love with someone else...

            Hyesung stayed rooted in place, unable to move. Tears ran down his face...

            The thick blood of his heart trickled down his cheeks...

            "If you can't let go, you will die. And then Eric will blame himself."

            It was true. The Dream Eric was telling the truth.

            "He will suffer because of you. All because you were too weak."

            "What... do I have to do? For Eric to be happy?" Hyesung whispered as he fell on his knees, bleeding to his death. His voice was raspy and lifeless...

            Desperate...

            "You know, don't you?" Eric's voice rang through Hyesung's hollow insides. "You have to make him see that you're happy. Happy with someone else."

            Happy? With someone else? Hyesung gripped the sand beneath him that was now painted red with his blood.

            "And then you have to move on."

            Move on... I have to move on...

            "You have to disappear from Eric Mun's life."

            Disappear... I have to disappear...

            I can do that... For Eric...

            "That is the best thing you can do for him. If you love him."

            If I love him...

            Silence surrounded him as the rosy sand engulfed him whole. Hyesung felt himself suffocating as the sunlight disappeared and darkness drowned him. There was nothing left, no more blood to pour, no more tears to cry.

            This was the end.

            Hyesung slowly opened his eyes. He felt cold and empty, all the nerves inside his system seemingly lifeless. He stared at the blank ceiling for a long while until he realized that he wasn't dead.

            He was alive. For now.

            "Eric?" he whispered low, feeling a strange warmth in his left hand. There he was, holding on tightly even as he closed his eyes in sweet sleep.

            Eric... A wave of pain hit him as he watched his lover breathing in steady rhythm, oblivious to his waking. Hyesung lifted his other hand to Eric's hair, as if on instinct, then froze in midair.

            "You have to disappear from Eric Mun's life."

            Hyesung cringed as he remembered his dream, still so vivid. He carefully removed his hand from Eric's grasp, stirring the other man from his sleep. Thankfully, he only moaned and didn't wake.

            "Hyesung, you're up?" a familiar voice called out from the other side of the room.

            He turned in confusion. "D-Dongwan?" Why was he here?

            Then the memories came flooding back. The panic attack, the broken glass, the prayer...

            Dongwan... My angel...

            His friend rushed to him and held his other hand. Hyesung felt uncomfortable, but didn't shake off his touch.

            "How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Dongwan was genuinely worried, creases claiming his forehead. Had he been waiting all this time? How long had he been unconscious?

            Hyesung his dry lips before giving him a weak smile. "I'm fine."

            "Don't lie to me," Dongwan snapped, then his voice softened. "We were all so worried."

            "We?" Hyesung raised an eyebrow.

            "We didn't tell Jinnie or Andy. We didn't want them to worry too much." Dongwan dropped his gaze as he explained. "But Minwoo knows. We couldn't keep it from him. He came by earlier when you were still asleep."

            Hyesung sighed and nodded. "How long was I out?"

            "Two days."

            Two days wasted, Hyesung thought in dismay. "When can I be discharged?"

            Dongwan swallowed before he answered. "The doctor said as soon as you wake up."

            "Really?" Hyesung grinned as he sat up. He ignored how his body cried out in pain. Besides, he was used to all the physical hurting by now. "Well, what are we waiting for then?"

            Dongwan stared at him with wide eyes. Why did so many people look at him with that kind of expression these days? "W-What?"

            "Let's go," Hyesung stated. His words were final and he wasn't taking "no" for an answer.

           There was so much to do... There was no way he was going to waste any more time...

            "Stop, Shin Hyesung."

            Hyesung turned as the voice shocked every one of his dead nerves into existence.

            Eric who had woken up silently was glaring furiously at him. Hyesung locked his eyes with him and shivered as he felt the power those lovely eyes had over him.

            The beautiful eyes that would stare at someone else in the future...

            Hyesung looked away as quickly as he could. He felt his heart bursting into flames.

            Ignore it... Ignore the pain...

            It'll eventually fade...

            "Dongwan, you said that the doctor said I can be released?" Hyesung asked. Dongwan was still gaping at him with the same stunned expression. He nodded hesitantly.

            Hyesung turned to Eric with a satisfied smirk. "I don't see a problem then."

            "You're not going anywhere," Eric demanded.

            Hyesung cocked his head at him. "Who made you the boss of me?"

            Eric glowered, clearly enraged. Hyesung ignored it.

            Just like how he ignored the pain stabbing through his soul.

            "Dongwan, can you tell the doctor that I'm ready to be discharged?" Hyesung asked gently. Dongwan bit down on his lip as if he was uncertain of what to do. Then something flashed across his eyes, something Hyesung couldn't read.

            He nodded and left the room. Leaving the two of them alone.

            "What the hell are you doing, Hyesung?"

            Hyesung stared back at him. "What do you think I'm doing, Eric?"

            I'm trying to move on... I'm trying to erase myself from your life...

            "You're being completely unreasonable. I thought you promised that you'd never lie to me. You said you won't hide your pain from me anymore."

            Hyesung laughed. He sounded mad. Completely insane.

            "What the is wrong with you, Pilkyo?"

            Eric didn't sound angry anymore. He sounded worried, like something really was wrong with him.

            Because he was crazy. Shin Hyesung was finally crazy.

            "Eric... I think I'm going to die..." he whispered as the laughter died in his throat. Tears threatened to escape his eyes.

            He had been laughing just a second ago and he was going to cry now? What the hell was going on?

            "Hyesung..."

            Don't call my name like that. Like you actually give a .

            You're just going to end up loving someone else. Stop hurting me.

            Hyesung felt tender arms wrap around him. He felt Eric's heart thudding against his chest.

            Your heart will beat for someone else...

            "You're not going to die. I will make sure of it. You have to trust me, Hyesung."

            The soft lips he had always longed for touched his. Eric, the one he loved more than his own life, was kissing him.

            The lips that will soon kiss someone else...

            Eric tensed and drew back when Hyesung didn't kiss him back.

            There was confusion and hurt in his eyes. "Hyesung...? What's wrong?"

            Hyesung looked at him blankly. He had laughed like a madman, then he had been drenched in sudden remorse. All these surges of emotions that didn't make sense or add up... Now he felt nothing except numbness.

            What was wrong? That was the wrong question to ask. Eric should've asked what was right with him. Because every single thing was wrong.

            Everything was absolutely, terribly, horribly wrong.

            Hyesung simply blinked emotionlessly as the realization hit him. He had reached his limit. He had taken more than he could take. In a way, he was already dead.

            Shin Hyesung was finally broken, destroyed beyond repair.

[A/N]: Hey, guys! Sorry this was a late update (again... T.T) I was actually gone for a program and just got back. This was a really quick-write chapter (wanted to update something) and I'll probably regret this disastrous turn of events of this fic >.< I'm really down right now and kinda fed off my emotions as I wrote this. (angst ftw?) I'll get back to the actual storyline next chap so look forward to that~ Thank you guys for the support and comments, they really help me ^^ Love you all~