Disclaimer: This is fiction, but the things happening might be real for someone, somewhere on this planet.

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               “Jonghyun! I’m going out now!”

They had met years ago, to Key, Jonghyun had always been like a ray of sunlight, he was radiant, warm and comforting, like the sun.  Neither of them believed there was such a thing as ‘love at first sight’, but if it did exist, it was what they had. Even though Key had been reluctant to accept any form of invitation to go on a date from the other. Jonghyun would always nag Key about it, how he should have accepted sooner, how their happiness could have been born earlier. Whereas Key had previously been hiding behind excuses to not go out with Jonghyun.

               “Still Jjong, I tried to hide from you,…but I failed” They would joke and laugh over the little things in life. Key wasn’t the type of person to admit that he was wrong or that he had failed. It had been Jonghyun’s greatest victory thus far, getting his lover to admit that he had been wrong and that they should have hit it off earlier.

After their first encounter, it was Jonghyun who decided to take the initiative to ask Key out on another date. The older of the two called and tried to arrange a nice date. Key just came up with excuses to stay away, he was playing the liar and would always find something to cancel their meeting. Jonghyun was persistent and didn’t lose hope as he kept calling time after time. After what seemed like an eternity Key decided to come clean.

               “I tried to lie to you Jjong…”

Their date had been nothing less of a dream. Jonghyun had arranged to go for some bubble tea at a very small and cosy café. They were both very awkward at first, but as Jonghyun’s natural charm started to take effect on the other, Key warmed up to the man he had tried to shut out.

               “but how I failed right?” Key said with a bright smile as they discussed why it had taken so long to actually go on that date. In the end the younger was very glad he did go on that date. He didn’t feel like lying to Jonghyun anymore, he didn’t want to, but mostly, he didn’t need to anymore.

Things never stayed quite the same, Key was facing quite some problems at home, even though his family had always been supportive of whatever he did. There was just no way that they would accept his uality. There were many heartbreaking fights and every time Key ended up in tears on his boyfriend’s doorstep. He was desperate and felt like his world was ending.  His mother’s words stung in his heart, slowly he felt his heart going black. Jonghyun would have nothing of it and without even telling Key, he went to the house of Key’s parents. He confronted them, telling them that if they wouldn’t love the boy, he would, in tenfold. The parents didn’t know what to say. That was the last dark day in Key’s life and his first in the light of his sun.

               “… and even in my darkest time, you gave me light. Jjong…please don’t ever leave me?” Key said shyly and thanked the person who had become the sun of his life.

From that moment on, Key lived with Jonghyun. It was liberating for the younger to be around someone who accepted all of him for what he was. Their fist time together had been awkward, exciting and terrifying at the same time. Though there were never any feelings of guilt and regret. This took Key  by surprise, he had expected that, since his parents had been so against everything, that he would subconsciously feel the same, since that what he was taught to feel. Nothing of that was true. The younger looked up to his lover as he was laying on his well-built bare chest.

               “You know, I never knew this kind of love, could feel so right…especially when I’m in your arms.” Key cried as he spoke, he couldn’t put his feelings in to words. The words to describe how he felt, were yet to be invented.

Jonghyun was quite pleased to see Key being able to settle into a new life with him. Even though the man had to admit that, he would have to get used to the redecorating the other had done, he loved Key to no end.

They were enjoying a movie when Key suddenly spoke up.

               “I find myself believe it, Jjong” he said with a smile on his face. Jonghyun was confused. “believe what Love?” he asked sounding interested, Key hadn’t been the one to talk about feelings of beliefs. The man could only assume that that was due to the shock he’d had from his parents not accepting his uality.

               “That we could be anywhere, without caring for what others think, so I can keep on dreaming. Dreaming of something bigger Jjong, I’m happy”

Jonghyun was quite touched by the other’s words and pulled him in for a hug and a big kiss. He actually started to cry, he hadn’t seen Key being that positive ever since they met.

               “You’re the one Key, you’re the one” he said and repeated that every single day.

Their bliss lasted for quite a while. They didn’t do everything together, because that would have been strange, but they enjoyed their time together very well. From movies all the way to fancy dinners, Jonghyun and Key enjoyed life and made it as enjoyable as possible. They both managed to get good jobs that fitted their personalities and needs.

It wasn’t until Key started to complain about being tired, that things turned into a different direction. At first Jonghyun thought nothing of it, but when the complaints didn’t go away after a month, he started to worry. Key seemed to bruise by touch, Jonghyun didn’t know what to do. “Key, please visit the hospital, you haven’t been feeling well for too long” the man voiced his concern. He found it too bad that he had an important meeting to attend to, so the other had to go by himself.

Key went to the hospital, even if he was by himself, he knew Jonghyun would be with him in spirit. All by himself he went into the doctor’s office, not sure what to expect. There were a series of tests, but because of the way Key was feeling, the doctor decided to make the boy stay until all the tests were finished.  The blood test was the first thing the doctor had worked on, it actually confirmed what he had expected, but he never wished for the result.

The first thing Jonghyun did when he got out of the meeting was to check his phone.

               28 missed calls

Something was wrong, very wrong, he couldn’t really put his finger on it, but it was a lugubrious feeling.  The man quickly called back, it was Key. He sounded calm, but Jonghyun knew it was fake, there was pain and it increased with every word he said.

 “ I have leukaemia.”

               ~*~

The world didn’t stop turning, neither did time. Everything was a blur, Jonghyun’s trip to the hospital, he found it to be a miracle he didn’t get hit. There were bound to be some speeding tickets coming in, but the man could care less.

The moment he stepped into Key’s hospital room, time seemed to slow down, as if they were in a new world of their own, a sad one. There weren’t any words that needed to be said, they only had each other. Jonghyun sat down next to his love on the bed. It was strange, knowing that the person he loved most in his life, was sick and had a disease that had claimed far too many victims already.

They never really discussed on what to do, Key entered chemo therapy treatment and had to leave his job for what it was for a while. Jonghyun managed to get a different function, so he could work from home. Because of the nature of Key’s disease, he wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital by any means.

Being in the hospital put a strain on their relationship, Jonghyun didn’t doubt his love, but Key did doubt his lover’s happiness. They did talk about how they had to carry on. Jonghyun lead that conversation since Key seemed to be too weak to bring across his feelings.

                “….And I know, whenever you want me to, I’ll go” Jonghyun knew about Key’s silent wish to suffer in solitude, he felt like a burden to the older. The older of the two, never did see it that way though, he felt that their relationship was like a natural marriage. In sickness and in health, for better or worse, always together.

               “And even if you’re not with me, I feel you’re there” he was quite sure that the connection between him and Key was more than anything that could be detected. He went closer and laid down next to his lover, to keep him warm, to make him feel loved.

               “You know, I only have to look and see in a room and I know where to look to find you. I always find you” Jonghyun whispered and held the other close. Due to the intensive chemo therapy Key was forced to wear beanies and other headwear. He made it look as good as possible and Jonghyun always knew when to say the right thing to cheer him up.

               “You know Key, when I’m holding you, the world can stop it’s turning. I would just stay here and be with you all the way until the world would stop to exist.”

Another session of the chemo started and Key didn’t take this one too well, he became sick of it, he was almost on a point on which he wanted to die already. He didn’t want to fight anymore, he was sick of having to stay in the hospital, not being able to breathe normally, not able to interact with more people. The nurses were quick to call Jonghyun and nor even ten minutes later the male was there to help his lover, to pull him through his rough mood.

               “You’re always gonna pull me through, right Jongie?” An exhausted Key asked as he laid his head back on the pillow. Jonghyun laid behind his lover and pulled him closer and nodded.

               “Always”

               “I won’t be returning after this right?”

               “no…”

               ~*~

“Whenever you're close to me, you're like the sun. You feel like the sun and everyday you're telling me; I am the one ; I am the one who, makes you shine”

“Jonghyun, You’re like the sun”