He walks down the dimly lit street, wet leaves and lingering trash pressed down by his every footstep. It's cold. His friends, drunk, laugh and stumble along beside him. The November wind snaps harshly at his back, and by habit he shoves his cold hands deep into the confines of his pockets. There they won't shake like they always do. It's not that he is afraid and it's not that he has a disorder. It's simply always cold for him and the world around him is even colder. The world around him is grey and it's always grey. The colors he had seen as a young child slowly faded away as he grew into his adolescence, just like it does for everyone else. He looks around the wide street as it grows darker and darker, the street lamps casting monotone shadows all around him. 
          "Baekhyun, you coming or not?" Chen slurs, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulder. His alcohol-heavy breath washes over Baekhyun in an instant. "Dude you're too sober, let's go for a third round!" 
          "I'm good, you guys go on ahead. I've got to get home." Baekhyun replies, making an excuse like he always does. Another habit.
          "Whatever hyung, you're no fun at all." Sehun chimes in. "What happened to the loud and party-loving Byun Baekhyun we all knew? You make everything depressing these days!"
          "Shut up Sehun," Suho says, hiccuping and tripping over his own feet as they walk. "As the *hiccup* oldest and most *hiccup* responsible leader of our group, I say we leave Baekhyun to do his stuff and drink all night by ourselves. How's that sound?" 
          Loud cheers of accordance echo around Baekhyun, who turns around and heads back in the opposite direction. He walks aimlessly on, their laughter fading to nothing. It's haunting, almost, walking alone and hearing them disappear behind him. As if he doesn't matter to them, just like he didn't matter to her. 

- Two Years Ago -

          "Have you seen Sora?" Baekhyun yells towards Chanyeol, loud music booming in the dark club. Bright neon lights flicker across Baekhyun's vision in a flurry of colors and it's beautiful. But she's missing and he needs to find her. 
          "No, sorry, but she might be by the bathrooms??" Chanyeol yells back, waving his drink around in his hand and spilling everywhere. 
          Baekhyun nods, walking away quickly. Sweat streams down his brow and he's having trouble breathing in the hot, stuffy air of the club. His mind swirls with a million thoughts at once, and he's confused. Why didn't she show up that night? Why is she here? What did he do wrong? Where did they go wrong?
          Baekhyun turns a corner and stops short in his tracks, all of those thoughts disappearing in an instant. She's there, and he has his hands all over her. It's a guy Baekhyun doesn't recognize, tall and ruggedly handsome. So unlike Baekhyun, who's short and not handsome and so obviously not enough for the woman he sees in front of him. The color of her red dress starts flickering and fading, yet he fights against it in all of his blind stupidity. The scarlet colored fabric swims before his eyes in a wave almost blood-like. Just then she looks up, and her dark eyes meet his, cold and unfamiliar. At that very moment it all turns to grey and he stumbles, an unfamiliar pain blooming across his heart. And just like that it's over. 

Since then it has been cold, and since then the grey has only reminded him of her.

- Present -
 
          After walking blindly for an hour he suddenly stops short and realizes where he is, or rather, where he doesn't know he is. Cursing under his breath he realizes that he's lost so he looks around for a sign, a light, anything. There's a lone lamppost a few yards away casting a familiar grey light, and he heads towards it without a second thought. As he gets closer he can make out the figure of someone standing besides it, and when he gets even closer he realizes that its a young woman. He can't make out her face from this far, but he decides to say hi when he gets close enough. Baekhyun is just a step away from the light when she collapses.
          Rushing forward he catches her in his arms and sets her lightly against the lamppost. Her sleeves are wet and the side of is wet too, he can see it and he can feel it. She looks up weakly and her eyes meet his, light dancing in her irises. At that moment he sees in color, but there's no time for surprise as he realizes he sees red. It's blood on and its blood on her sleeve and he has absolutely no idea what to do.
          "No, no!" He cries out, voice trembling. His hands are shaking violently now as he cups her face in his hands. "I can't lose you now, not when you... Not when I can see...."
          "Color?" She smiles weakly, her hands reaching up to settle over his hands. They're cold, just like his. "I see it too."
          Baekhyun is still panicking. "I'm going to get help, just hang on, I-"
          "Don't." She interrupts him, sadness painted her soft smile. "It won't help, I only had a week left to live anyways."
          "But a week, I can still have a week left with you!" Baekhyun argues. He's angry now, and he doesn't understand why. "I don't know you yet! I don't even know your name!"
         "Kim Hyejin." She says, the warm lamplight reflected like gold in her eyes. 
         "Kim Hyejin...." Her name feels so right on his lips. Baekhyun stumbles on his words. "I'm... I'm Byun Baekhyun..." He whispers back. He can't seem to stop the shaking now, and he can't seem to figure out what's wrong with him or why he feels this way. Is he really this desperate for love? She looks at him in concern. 
          "You're.... You're afraid, aren't you?" She says to him. He can't respond, because he knows that she's right. "You're afraid that when I'm gone, the colors will be gone again, and–" she coughs. He can only look at her red lips. 
          "And when you're gone, there will no longer be hope." He finishes for her. 
          She nods. "I know what it's like to be hurt. It's like hell when the color disappears isn't it? It's scary, and it makes you cold and afraid." He can't bring himself to say anything in response. 
          "But it isn't like that, Baekhyun. There's nothing to be afraid of. Even when he's gone, or when she's gone, that doesn't mean that love is gone. Goodbye doesn't always have to mean goodbye. Do you understand?"
He understands, and he isn't afraid anymore. 

          "Byun Baekhyun, your hands stopped shaking." 
          "I know."
          "Baekhyun..." Her voice has nearly left her by now, yet she's still smiling. 
          "I know." He says back. 
          "Goodbye." her eyes flutter closed.
          He closes his eyes too. He understands now, and when he opens his eyes the world is grey once again, but he's not cold anymore. 

Hope you you enjoyed this story! It turned out kinda depressing and a slight bit exaggerated but yeah ^^ My failed attempt at angst.... Please upvote and comment! ♡