BAEKHYUN POV

It's late when Chanyeol comes up to the living room of Blithe. Late enough that only the night shifters are down in Blithe, late enough that Dongwoon's already snoring away. He comes up the stairs, my best friend, and 'm already waiting for him. He's been acting strange for more than a month, now. He's never kept secrets from me. He's always been as readable as a book's cover, but lately, it's like he's draped himself in shadow. 

And I'm hurt. I'm his best friend. I want to help, and he's clearly suffering. He barely sleeps, now. I'm the only one who notices it, and he thinks I don't, but I do. How could I not? 

He comes up the stairs, and even from the angle, even from the lack of light, I can see the bags under his eyes, the helplessness of his movements, and that only makes me more determined. 

Chanyeol stops in his tracks when he sees me, like he knows I'm just not standing here to walk down the stairs. He lowers his eyes, and rushes on forward, trying to brush past me, but I step in the way. 

"Baek," he starts, but trails off, the exhaustion clear, bare in his voice, like he hoped it would make me let him go, but I wasn't that easy.

"Channie. You are going to tell me right now what's wrong." 

"Baek, I'm... I'm tired," he muttered, blinking down at me with those big eyes. But I knew well enough by now that even though he was this tired, he wouldn't sleep until well into the night.

"Tell me what's wrong. Please." 

"I can't," he mumbled, looking anywhere but me. "I'm fine." 

My impatience was running out, but I grabbed the frayed ends and dragged it back, struggling. "Channie, I want to help. Please tell me. Channie... I'm... I'm your best friend." My voice was quivering, no matter how hard I wanted it not to. 

He pressed his lips together, but his eyes softened. "I know. I just need to deal with this. I'll get over it, Baek."

"Get over what? What? Tell me, Channie." I don't know why I was almost crying. "You don't sleep anymore." My voice dwindled into a whisper. 

He blinked back tears. "I'm sorry." 

"For what? What?" 

He was crying now, big, hiccuping sobs. "For ruining it. I'm so sorry." 

"Ruining what?" 

He was shaking his head now, shifting to the left. "Us. I'm so sorry, Baek. I'm sorry." 

I was almost hysterical now, confused and terrified of what he would say. "What, Channie? What?" He buried his head in his hands and didn't answer. "Channie," I whispered, and he only cried harder. And then, he looked up at me. Tears were trickling down his cheeks, making them glitter, and his eyes were shiny and red, framed with black underneath. I had never seen him look so elpless, so sad. I had never seen him look like he's see the future, the horrible, heartbreaking future. 

And then he whispered three words, and as he let go of them, his expression was like he let let fly a bomb. Glad to have it gone, but afraid, certain, of the consequences. "I like you." I was stunned. Blown off my feet, sent hurling into space. 

I my lips. "What?" It was quieter than a whisper.

"I like you." He was even quieter. "More than a friend." And then he started to cry again, and I couldn't help but join him. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do.

"Channie..." 

"I know. I know, okay? I know you have Jina. I'm okay. I'll survive. It's only love, right?" He swallowed, and turned away, pressing his eyes together, and I could only watch, because I had done this.

And I had sworn. I sworn never to hurt him, because I had seen the hurt he has gone through and I have felt it, and I know what he has lived through. I know what his life was like, how it was, and I know he has had enough hurt for two people. And what have I done? What have I done? 

"I'm sorry." 

"No, no." His head is bowed, facing away from me, like he can't bear to see me, and I don't know what to do. "It's not you. It's just... It's okay. Just please... please leave me alone." 

And so I left him, confused and guilt-ridden myself as I closed our bedroom door behind me, and he was still facing the wall, shoulders shaking, in the dark, and so, so alone.

CHANYEOL POV

Why. Why, that, the first time I actually like someone, it has to be my best friend? Why does it have to be my best friend, who is currently dating a girl, and is currently, and will forever be, not in love with me?

I don't know what to do. That was a bad idea. That was a horrible idea. 

I've just ruined it. I've ruined for both of us, when I could have just kept my mouth shut. Why did I have to do that? Why did I have to let go of that bomb? 

I've ruined us. 

Why did I have to ruin us?

Ba-bam, three updates in three days! *punches air* ( actually technically not but I wrote this a couple days ago but I scrapped like half of it)

Ya, I know, this is sad. I actually had a different story line for Baekyeol but then I decided on this instead. 

So I believe that the next chapter will be incredibly dramatic, and then it won't be anymore. 

So yeah.