[Time remaining: 1 year and 1 month]

When Chanyeol hurriedly left, Luhan was left looking at the door, asking himself what he did wrong for Chanyeol to act like he did.

“Luhan hyung.”

Luhan flinched out of his thought and faced Baekhyun. “What?”

“He’s handsome. You like him, don’t you?” Baekhyun grinned at him but Luhan only shook his head.

“I don’t, Baekhyun.”

“Then why are you looking at the door, as if waiting for him to come back?” he teasingly asked.

“I’m just curious, Baekhyun. That’s all. And if anything, he looks like he’s married. I saw a ring on his right hand when he was driving me home earlier.”

Baekhyun nodded but is still grinning at Luhan.

 

 

 

---

---

---

 

[Time remaining: 5 years, according to the Doctor]

Baekhyun just came home after their class reunion. He was smiling to himself as he remembered how they were laughing so hard at their high school ID’s. He opened his bag and looked for his ID. When he saw it, he laughed. I looked messy in high school.

With his ID on his left hand, his right hand grabbed his phone which was ringing and placed it right next to his ear.

 

 

[Baekhyun, remember when Chanyeol brought you here when you were sick?]

Baekhyun put his ID on the back pocket of his pants before sitting on the couch. “Yeah?”

[I found out something.]

He paused. He think he already knows what the doctor would tell him. “What is it?”

[Is it okay for me to tell you through the phone? Or do you want to meet with me together with Chanyeol?]

“N-no. It’s okay. Just tell me now. I’ll just tell Chanyeol later.”

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun was expecting it. He knew that there is a possibility that he may had inherited it. His grandfather died because of it. His uncle also died because of it. It runs through their blood. It shouldn’t surprise him because he was expecting it but he was still shocked when he heard it.

 

It’s as if the world stopped moving. The first person that came through his mind is Chanyeol. How will he tell Chanyeol about it? He knows this news would break Chanyeol’s heart, knowing how Chanyeol loves him so much.

 

 

 

[I’m so sorry, Baekhyun.]

“I—it’s alright. I’m expecting it a—anyway. Thank you, Doctor Lee.”

 

 

 

‘5 years is still a long time’, Baekhyun told himself.

If he leave Chanyeol now, Chanyeol will still be able to move on before he dies. Chanyeol will still find new love before Baekhyun dies. When that happens, Chanyeol will not be hurt so much, he won’t be suffering from the loss of someone he loves so, so much.

 

 

 

Baekhyun prepared himself. When Chanyeol arrived home that night, Baekhyun smiled at him. Baekhyun told Chanyeol to eat well. “I always eat well, Baek.” Chanyeol replied while smiling. I will miss your smile, Baekhyun thought. After eating, Baekhyun went straight to their room. He sat on the bed and waited for Chanyeol to come out of the bathroom.

 

Tucking him to bed is not a surprising thing that Baekhyun does for Chanyeol. Baekhyun tucks Chanyeol to bed every night. But what’s surprising is, when Chanyeol thought he saw Baekhyun’s eyes spark. It’s not a bad thing that Baekhyun’s eyes looks sparkly, but what made Chanyeol nervous is Baekhyun’s sad eyes—which was sparkling because of tears?

“Baek, what’s wrong?”

“Hm? Wrong? N-nothing’s wrong, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun said, distancing himself from Chanyeol for him not so see the tears forming in his eyes.

Chanyeol sighed, he’s just probably tired that’s why he thought there are tears in Baekhyun’s eyes. “Come here.”

Baekhyun tried his best to smile out his tears before walking close to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol pulled him by his wrist. “Get on me, Baek.”

Baekhyun threw one leg in each of Chanyeol’s side.

Chanyeol cupped his husband’s face and kissed him tenderly. Baekhyun placed his hands on Chanyeol’s chest and leaned in to the kiss to deepen it.

 

 

It was past midnight, Chanyeol was already asleep. Baekhyun’s ear was pushed into Chanyeol’s bare chest, he could hear Chanyeol’s steady heartbeat. Chanyeol is enveloping him while sleeping. Baekhyun could just live like this forever. All he needs is Chanyeol, this close to him and he can survive anything. But it breaks his heart how he needs to leave Chanyeol.

Baekhyun slowly untangled himself from Chanyeol. He heard Chanyeol whined. “I’ll be back.” He whispered and kissed Chanyeol’s forehead.

He saw Chanyeol smiled in content. “Come back quickly okay, Baek? It’s cold without you.” He murmured with eyes still closed.

 

 

I’m sorry, he mouthed.

 

 

He grabbed the pants which he used the day before on their class reunion and dressed himself.

 

 

He sighed before looking back at Chanyeol who was sleeping soundly on their bed. Baekhyun took nothing with him, but he left a letter to Chanyeol.

 

“Chanyeol, let’s play hide and seek. I’ll hide, but this time, don’t look for me anymore. Goodbye.”

 

--Baekhyun

 

 

He remembers how much they love playing hide and seek. He smiles as he recalls how Chanyeol would go crazy looking for him and how Chanyeol would curse just to find him.

 

‘Baekhyun, where the are you hiding?! Why the hell are you good in playing this game?! Come on, Baek! Where are you?! Baeeek! Ya, Park Baekhyun! Where in the ing hell are you hiding?’

Baekhyun came out of his hiding area and yelled to surprise Chanyeol.

‘! You scared the hell out of me, Mrs. Park.’

‘I’m not a girl, Yeol.’ He pouted.

‘Girl or not, I don’t care, I love you.’ Baekhyun blushed. ‘Let’s not play that game again, Baek. I’m always the loser.’

Baekhyun laughed before pulling Chanyeol for a kiss. ‘Okay then. I love you too.’

 

He remembered the last time they played hide and seek. Baekhyun smiled, tears running down his cheek. He wiped off his tears but it was no use for his eyes only produced more tears. Baekhyun went to the kitchen and placed the letter on the table.

 

 

He threw their house one last look before walking away. Then he remembered something. He snatched his phone from his pocket and called Chanyeol’s best friend.

 

Baekhyun told him everything except for his sickness.

 

[So, you’ll leave him like that?]

“It’s hard for me, too.”

[I don’t know what to say, Baekhyun.]

Baekhyun smiled. “It’s okay. Just tell Chanyeol I’m gone, or I’m dead, or anything you can come up with.”

[I’m not sure, Baekhyun. He’s my best friend. I hate to see him sad, and I don’t want to lie to him.]

“I don’t want to see him sad too.”

[I’ll…try.]

“Oh, and I’ll leave my ring to you. Tell him that this is the only thing that was left of me. Can you go out? I’m outside your house.”

[O-okay. I’ll be there in a bit.]

“Thank you…Jongin.”

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun was on the train—that was going to somewhere he doesn’t know for he just bought a ticket without thinking—when he thought he really couldn’t leave Chanyeol.

 

If I won’t survive, then I have to live my days beside Chanyeol, he thought.

 

He needed Chanyeol just as much as Chanyeol needed him.

 

Baekhyun sighed, I better go back.

 

With that, Baekhyun got off the train as soon as it stopped. He was about to buy a ticket when he thought he saw Chanyeol.

 

“Yeol?” he whispered.

 

The man, who Baekhyun thought was Chanyeol walked out of the station. Baekhyun followed him until the next street and the next. When Baekhyun was near enough, he voiced out and called who he thought was his husband.

 

“Chanyeol!”

 

Little did he know, there was a car that was out of control on the side, and hit him. Baekhyun fell really hard, he hit his head on the pavement. There were blood anywhere. The driver of the car went out. When he saw blood, he ran away.

 

 

Everything in Baekhyun sight was moving in a circular motion. He thought about Chanyeol. ‘If I’m not going to die 5 years later, then I think I’m going to die because of this.’ He laughed at himself ‘I shouldn’t leave Chanyeol. I won’t live him. I will survive this. Baekhyun promised to no one in particular. I will survive for Chanyeol. As if on cue, after that, everything in his sight went blurry, seconds later, it became black. Baekhyun’s eyes closed.

 

 

 

At that time, there was a Good Samaritan who helped Baekhyun. He brought Baekhyun to the nearest hospital.

 

“Sir, May I ask what your relationship with the patient is?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know him, Miss.” He told the nurse on the counter.

 

 

When the guy saw the doctor went out of the room where Baekhyun is, he immediately went toward the doctor.

“Doc..”

“Are you the guardian of that guy in there?”

The guy nods, he’s not really the guardian but there’s no one for the guy inside the room so…“He has a quite deep scar on the left side of his head, he must’ve been hit pretty hard by something..”

“He’s okay, right?”

“I can’t tell yet, sir.”

 

 

 

 

It was days after when Baekhyun woke up to an unfamiliar face, in an unfamiliar room.

“Where—who..”

“I’m Luhan and we’re at the hospital, I brought you here when I saw you lying on the street side with blood on your head.” The guy explained.

Baekhyun nods at him, but an unbearable pain shot through his head. He groans loudly, quickly placing his hands on each side of his head, hoping for the pain to leave, but it didn’t.

Luhan only stands beside him. Not knowing the right thing to do, he gave Baekhyun a glass of water. “Here, drink.”

 

 

 

 

“You okay now?” Luhan asked him.

“Yeah.” The guy answered, not bothering to nod, afraid that the pain would come back.

“So, mind telling me your name?”

The guy froze after hearing Luhan’s question. His eyes widen as he looked at Luhan.

“Why? What’s wrong? Your head hurts again?”

“W-what—what’s my n-name?” the guy asked Luhan.

Luhan gasped, his hands covering his mouth.  “Y—you don’t remember?” His eyes widens as the guy shakes his head. “Do you remember anything—what happened? No? Do you remember someone? Still no? You don’t even remember your name.”

 

 

“Oh my god.” Luhan whispered while pacing back and forth. “What are you going to do? What am I going to do?” He sat back on the chair. “I’ve heard things about losing memory before but it’s the first time I’ve seen someone without any memory.”

 

 

“Excuse me.” Luhan looked at the door, the doctor has arrived.

“Doc, he doesn’t remember anything.”

The doctor rushed to the guy’s side. “I’m sure the scar beside his head was caused by being hit really hard and it resulted to him losing memory.”

“He’ll be fine, right? He’ll be fine.” Luhan told the doctor.

“Yes, he will be. His memories will be back, but I’m afraid that it would take a lot of time, sir.”

 

 

 

 

Some days later, the guy had got out of the hospital. Because Luhan was the only one in the house, he takes the responsibility of taking care of the guy while he still doesn’t remember anything. Luhan offered the guy to stay in his house for a while, and the guy, with his eyes blinking innocently as if he knows nothing of what Luhan was telling him, nodded like a little child.

“This will be your room.” Luhan said as he showed the guy his temporary room. “I still don’t know your name. Do you want to have a temporary name, though?”

The smaller guy only looked at him.

Luhan sighed. “Please, talk.” He then remembered the bag that the nurse gave him a while ago in the hospital. “Here. The nurse said it’s your clothes.”

“Baek.” The guy said while he took the bag.

“Huh?”

“Last night, I had a dream, it made my head hurt. I don’t know why that happened but in my dream, I saw a shadow and it called me Baek. I think my name is Baek.” the guy—Baek—said and offered Luhan a cheeky smile.

“O-okay. How many times did you have that kind of dream?”

Baek’s smile fell to a frown. “Just…last night, after the nurse told me about the kids that were playing hide and seek. When she told me about that, I think I remembered something but it was blurry, I couldn’t make out anything.”

Luhan nodded. “Good, at least you remember something,” He held Baek by the arm, “But don’t pressure yourself in remembering, I don’t want you getting hurt because you’re forcing yourself to remember.”

 

 

 

The morning after, Baek went out of his temporary room and headed to the kitchen, where he saw Luhan.

“Baek. Good morning. Coffee?”

“G-good Morning, Luhan.”

 

 

 

As Baek was sipping on his coffee, Luhan told him that he has to go back to China for a few days to visit his parents whom he hadn’t seen for months.

“Ah, but don’t worry. A friend of mine will be coming here, so you still have someone to stay with.”

 

 

 

 

The day which Luhan has to leave came. Baek cried and Kris, Luhan’s friend who went to Korea for a vacation, held him, “It’s okay, Baek. He’s going to be back. Don’t worry.”

On the way home, Baek fell asleep, leaning into Kris’ shoulder. Kris fought back the urge, but he cannot help himself. He brushed away Baek’s hair that was covering his eyes.

Is it possible to like a person in such a short time? Kris asked himself, because he couldn’t believe how Baek had easily broke into his wall.

 

Kris had been hurt. He gave his everything but in the end he got hurt. He decided not to play this kind of game again and soaked his heart into a freezing water; that made him cold. But with Baek, he thought, I would try again. Even though he don’t have a memory, Kris will take a chance and try again.

 

 

“Such a nice couple.” He heard the driver said.

Kris felt his face warmed. “Ah, thank you but we’re not a couple.”

 

Kris carried Baek, bridal style, but didn’t forget to thank the driver.

“Anytime, young man. Take care of your girl alright?” The driver laughed before driving away. Kris only shook his head while chuckling as he headed to the front door of Luhan’s house. We aren’t a couple, and this person is definitely not a ‘she’.

 

 

 

[Time remaining: 1 year]

Kyungsoo saw Chanyeol sitting on the couch. He’s in Jongin’s house again. He went closer to Chanyeol, before Kyungsoo noticed that his eyes are closed. Kyungsoo silently sits down, beside Chanyeol, careful not to wake him. But Chanyeol jolted awake.

“Kyungsoo.”

Cute. “Chanyeol, were you sleeping? I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“Uh, no. My eyes just hurts that’s why I closed them for a while.”

“Okay then.” Kyungsoo bites his lip. “Um, Chanyeol. Do you have anything to do?”

Chanyeol shakes his head.

“Okay. Go with me to the bookstore then, I’ll just buy something, I really need that. Please?” Kyungsoo pleaded and Chanyeol could not say no.

 

 

 

 

“Go. I’ll just wait here.” Chanyeol said, while leaning on his car.

“Okay.” Kyungsoo pouts but still went inside, stumping.

Chanyeol chuckles at Kyungsoo’s behaviour. He checks on his phone, after seeing nothing, he looks around. When his gaze met a figure, a familiar figure inside the bookstore, walking to the very back, his eyes narrowed.

 

Baekhyun

 

He went inside of the bookstore. When Kyungsoo saw him, the shorter went toward him. “I thought you said you’ll just wait outside, Channie?”

“I changed my mind.” Chanyeol answered, using a different tone on Kyungsoo which had shocked the latter. He then walked away, to some shelves at the back.

He heard Kyungsoo yelled a ‘wait’ but he didn’t listen. He went to the very back part of the store. He looked for Baekhyun. He knew that was Baekhyun a while ago. When he stepped backwards, he bumped into someone.

“Oh—I’m sorry. I wasn—Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol for a second before breaking into a smile—a smile which Chanyeol hadn’t seen for years.

“Oh, you’re that Stranger who helped my brother. Hello!”

Chanyeol creases his brows. He grabbed Baekhyun by the arm and pulled him outside. “Hey! I remember your name, Chanyeol! Hey—hey! Let go!”

 

 

Kyungsoo saw how Chanyeol pulled a smaller guy out of the bookstore. “Hey Chanyeol where are yo—”

“Shut up, Kyung! If you need to go back, go on your own, I need to settle things with this guy.” Chanyeol said, glaring at Baekhyun.

“W-why—let go, Chanyeol! Let go! Ouch! It hurts! Chanyeol, let go! It hurts!”

Chanyeol finally stopped and turned back, facing Baekhyun. “So it’s that easy for you, huh?”

“W-what is?” Baekhyun blinked, confused of Chanyeol, while rubbing his arm that was grabbed by the taller male.

“HELLO, STRANGER! I’M BYUN BAEKHYUN!” Chanyeol yelled at him.

Baekhyun opened his mouth but no words came out as he started to tear up.

“BYUN BAEKHYUN?! ING—STRANGER?! NOW WHAT, YOU WON’T EXPLAIN WHY THE YOU SAID THAT TO ME?! YOU WON’T EXPLAIN WHY THE HELL YOU WERE GONE FOR 4 YEARS AND NOW, WHEN I THINK I FINALLY CAME TO ACCEPT THAT YOU ALREADY DIED, YOU’LL COME BACK AND CALL ME ‘STRANGER’ AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS A ING BYUN?! WHAT THE HELL, BAEK! WHAT THE HELL—WHAT THE !”

Baekhyun flinched. Pain suddenly shots into his head.  He fell to the ground as he cupped his head with both hands. Closing his eyes, he cried, silently praying for the pain to just disappear, but no it didn’t. As he closed his eyes, he saw things. It’s as if he’s watching a movie or he’s watching from another person’s point of view. He saw shoes, he saw a person opening a door, and then all of a sudden, that person became him. He opened his bag before sitting on the couch. He then heard a voice telling him, “—5 years Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun started yelling and pulls on his hair because his head hurts and there’s a voice telling him about 5 years—5 years he didn’t know.

 

 

Chanyeol stepped back, feeling guilty he made Baekhyun cry. His eyes widened as Baekhyun fell down and started yelling at pulling his hair. He went closer to Baekhyun and kneeled in front of him, holding Baekhyun’s arms.

“Baek, a—are you—what’s happening.. Bae—”

Baekhyun’s hands find their way to Chanyeol’s shoulder and clutches on his shirt. “—it hurts!”

“What? Tell me!”

Baekhyun’s grip on Chanyeol tightened as he began trembling. Baekhyun shook his head and looked at Chanyeol. Chanyeol could see his face filled with tears and was covered with fear. “5 years—I don’t know. I don’t know what 5 years is! I don’t know!”

Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun closer and hugged him. Not minding that Baekhyun hasn’t explained to him.

Thinking about why Baekhyun is like this, Chanyeol creased his brows. What is that 5 years he’s talking about?

 

 

When Baekhyun has finally calmed down, he gently pushed Chanyeol. “I’m sorry. I barely know you, I’m sorry for messing your shirt. I just want to go home. I want to be with Luhan hyung.”

Chanyeol nodded, even though his heart seemed to painfully twist when his husband said the phrase: ‘I barely know you’

The taller then stood up and offered his hand for Baekhyun to take. “I’ll drive you home then.”

Baekhyun just nodded and reached for Chanyeol’s hand.

 

 

 

During the ride to Luhan’s house, Chanyeol kept on glancing at Baekhyun, who is looking down on his lap.

“Are you okay?” Caught off-guard, Baekhyun flinches from the sound of Chanyeol’s deep voice. He looked up at Chanyeol, whose focus is now on the road, he bit his lips before making out a small ‘yes’.

 

 

When they arrived, they saw Luhan and Kris on the couch. Luhan abruptly stood up and ran to the door when he saw Baekhyun’s distressed face. Baekhyun hugged the older and felt like crying but he didn’t. When Baekhyun saw Kris, he ran to him.

“Who made my Baekhyun cry?” Kris said, cupping Baekhyun’s face. “You cried, why?” Baekhyun didn’t answer, instead he hugged Kris as he let his tears fall and the Chinese, not knowing what had happened just hugged Baekhyun back.

 

 

Witnessing how the tall guy who seemed taller than him with blonde hair and unfamiliar accent hug Baekhyun and called him my, Chanyeol freezes.

 

 

“Chanyeol, why are you here? Did you know what happened to Baekhyun?”

Chanyeol blinked a few times before tearing his gaze away from Baekhyun and the guy he was hugging, he faced Luhan. “Can I…Can I talk to you?”

 

 

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