Part Five. Last look.

Past.

Chanyeol was worried sick about Baekhyun as the lad had been waiting for two hours. ‘Where could Hyunnie be? What’s taking him so long?’ He tried dialing Baekhyun’s number but the phone was off and just when he was about to try again, Kyungsoo had called him. “Hey, Kyungsoo. What’s u-“ He never got to finish his sentence for Kyungsoo had cut him off. “Chanyeol… *sniff* Baekhyun…” Hearing his lover’s name, Chanyeol’s heartbeat stopped for a second. ‘Why was Kyungsoo crying? What had happened to Baekhyun? Where was his lover?’ Chanyeol started to panic.

“He-He’s in the hospital…” Without any second thoughts, Chanyeol grabbed his keys and hurried towards his car. “Chanyeol… please don’t panic. Be careful.” And the phone call was cut off. Kyungsoo had texted him the address of the hospital and got there in lightning speed. He ran as fast as he could towards the emergency room and saw Kyungsoo crying nonstop while Jongin comforted his lover.

‘What had happened? Why were there nurses running around? Where was Baekhyun?’ Such thoughts lingered around Chanyeol’s head as he asked Kyungsoo what had happened.

After hearing the incomplete story, Chanyeol felt helpless and useless. His vanilla white complexion had gotten pale. His heart ached and his tears fell. ‘Baekhyun… please don’t leave. I was going to propose to you tomorrow, why’d you have to be in this state now? Please. God, save him. Don’t let him die. I have done good things in my life, I just want him back. I want our imperfect life back. I don’t want to lose him. I’d do everything to have him back. Please…’ Chanyeol prayed endlessly. He was scared... no, scared was an understatement. He was terrified. Terrified of losing the first person he’s ever fallen head over heels with.

Kyungsoo cried nonstop, holding onto Jongin for dear life while the tanned dancer comforted his lover with tears stinging the corners of his eyes as he tried to remain strong for Kyungsoo. ‘This has happened for the second time, please help him. I’m begging. God, help Baekhyun. I don’t want to lose my best friend, the angel who saved me from killing myself. He made me into a good person… please don’t let my angel leave like this. Not this way. Please.’ Kyungsoo cried in his prayers hoping He would hear his cries.

The cries of Chanyeol, Kyungsoo and Jongin brought tears to the clouds. The rain poured nonstop and so did their tears.

After waiting for almost three hours, the doctor showed up. “Are you Byun Baekhyun’s friends?” Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s eyes lit up. “Yes, doc. Is he… alright?” Kyungsoo was scared and if he was scared, Chanyeol was more than terrified. Afraid of what might have happened to Baekhyun. “No… the left side of the patient’s body took the impact of the car’s hit and his heart…” The doctor looked at Chanyeol’s eyes. “…is dying.”

Chanyeol felt weak. His tears were falling nonstop but he didn’t care. He couldn’t lose Baekyun. Not in a lifetime, and he wasn’t going to let that happen now.

Chanyeol did what he could… and that was to give his beating heart to Baekhyun. To keep the brunette alive was his only wish and if it means to take his life away in exchange of his first love’s life… he’d do it without any second thoughts.

And in one swift move of the doctor’s hand… Chanyeol died.

Kyungsoo’s tired eyes were solely focused on Baekhyun’s fingers, he swore he had seen it move a moment ago while he was hugging Jongin… and he was right. Baekhyun’s ring finger moved and as it moved, his tears started to fall as Jongin called the doctor to check up on the brunette. The doctor and the nurses were moving all around the room in a hurrying pace while instructing the two to leave as they checked up on Baekhyun’s vital signs.

With Kyungsoo’s disapproval and whining, they were thrown out of the room. Kyungsoo held onto Jongin, desperate for Baekhyun’s wellness and Jongin supported his lover. Kyungsoo was saying incoherent words that Jongin could barely understand.

This was it. Baekhyun was going to wake up and Kyungsoo had been waiting for this moment for the past three months. He felt overjoyed to see Baekhyun’s finger moving and so was Jongin to see his lover happy. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but cry tears of joy. “Kai… I’m so happy…” Were Kyungsoo’s last words before he fell asleep crying on Jongin’s shoulder.

Jongin caressed his lover’s face as he admired the features that stood out on his lover’s cute face, he felt happy for Kyungsoo and Baekhyun. He already had enough of seeing Kyungsoo crying and being hurt and seeing him smiling now was a gift from heaven for Jongin.

As the tick tocks of the wall clocks in the hallway seemed to go on forever, Jongin fell asleep as he lacked sleep because of insomnia and taking care of Kyungsoo. Jongin fell into the land of dreams soon after… dreaming about his lover Kyungsoo and his lover’s best friend, Baekhyun with his lover, Chanyeol and him having the time of their lives at a local park… but suddenly, Chanyeol disappeared. And how odd was it that Baekhyun was slowly disappearing too. Jongin’s eyes shot open with cold sweat dripping down his body. ‘Why…? Does it mean anything? No… maybe I’m just reading too much into it.’ Jongin shook his head and stared at the wall clock in front of him.

Jongin waited for hours to turn into minutes and minutes into second as he waited for the doctor’s words. He knew Baekhyun was alright… but why was he feeling uneasy? ‘Why does it feel like something bad’s going to happen? And why is that the doctor’s taking an hour or two inside Baekhyun’s room just to check up on him?’ Jongin’s thoughts were going wild and as he was about to drift off to sleep again, the doctor came out of the room and headed towards their seats. “Doc… how’s Baekhyun? Can we visit him now?” Jongin asked smiling. He wished to see Kyungsoo happy and if Kyungsoo was to see Baekhyun awake right now, he’d surely see his lover’s smiles again.

The doctor’s eyes dropped to Kyungsoo who was peacefully sleeping on his seat. Kyungsoo had tears in his eyes and a smile plastered on his face. Jongin couldn’t be happier at the scene. “Doc…?” Jongincalled as the doctor snapped out of his thoughts. “Was his heart his?” The doctor asked, staring intently at the dancer’s eyes making the lad feel uncomfortable. “Umm… from what I know… it’s not his.” Jongin answered as he remembered what Chanyeol did before to keep the brunette alive.

“His heart couldn’t make any more blood to make up to the extreme amount of blood lost… every day.” Jongin’s eyes widened in shock. ‘Every day?! Baekhyun hyung cut himself EVERY DAY?!’ Jongin thought in disbelief of the doctor’s words. His heart sank at the news but what did the doctor really mean? “Doc… what are you saying?” The lad asked, confused. The doctor took a deep breath and looked at the watch on his wrist. “Baekhyun…”

"...time of death, 10:50 pm."

Kyungsoo's eyes shot open as tears fell and Jongin's too. "The blood he lost was too much and the heart couldn't make up for the lost blood. He had been cutting every day and each day, his heart grew weaker. And eventually, his mind lacked the amount of blood it needed. I'm so sorry." The doctor walked away leaving the couple in shock and tears.

This was the end.

Byun Baekhyun’s life was over. And so was Chanyeol’s heart.

THE END