Chanyeol drifted in and out of sleep. There wasn't much of a disturbance, only the steady beeping noise and the occasional nurses coming in to check on Baekhyun's condition.

His hands found its way to the sleeping boy's face and stayed there. He wondered how he'd even end up in a state like this and how God even allowed of this -when Baekhyun was already suffering so much.

Was this a test? Was this necessary?

Why push Baekhyun further when the boy couldn't even pick himself up anymore?

No one knew how much Chanyeol wanted to take all the suffering away with his two bare hands. But he couldn't, he just couldn't.

He brought Baekhyun's cold hands in his own and blew into them to keep them warm.

"Baekhyun-ah..."

He choked back a sob.

"I'm sorry."

Chanyeol gave the boy one last look before sleep came to put him out of his misery.

Chanyeol felt his hand move. He opened his eyes to find Baekhyun stirring in his sleep.

He straightened up.

"B-Baekhyun? Can you hear me?"

Baekhyun's eyes slowly opened and squinted at the sudden blinding light.

Chanyeol squeezed his hand against his cheeks, desperate to get a response from him.

"Baekhyun you're awake?"

After a short pause, Baekhyun finally adjusted to his new surroundings and met Chanyeol's gaze.

"Who are you?"

Chanyeol's face fell.

"It-It's me, Chanyeol. Your boyfriend."

Baekhyun looked at him feebly, confusion faintly appearing on his face.

"Chan...yeol..." Baekhyun repeated.

"Yes, yes!"

"I can't recall..."

"B-Baekhyun-"

Chanyeol didn't want to believe this. He was sure Baekhyun couldn't have erased him this easily. The boy would never have found the strength.

Baekhyun pulled his hand away awkwardly.

"W-Why am I here? Is this a... dream?"

Chanyeol only wished it was.

"No this isn't a dream. We were supposed to meet at your favorite pasta place-you love pasta don't you? I was gonna take you there for lunch you-you were so thrilled!"

Baekhyun's forehead crinkled in disbelief. He would've called this Chanyeol guy a lunatic if not for the fact that he really was in a hospitable -and pasta really was his favourite.

"But then what happened?"

Chanyeol's face filled with fear as flashbacks of Baekhyun lying motionless on the floor flitted through his mind. He wasn't dead, but Chanyeol felt like he'd lost him already.

"But then I found you on the road unconscious. There was blood everywhere."

Baekhyun went silent when he noticed the tortured look on the taller boy's face. He really didn't recall having a boyfriend -or anyone in his life- that Chanyeol claimed to be. But the raw emotion in his eyes couldn't be lying.

"Let... Let me stay by your side Baekhyun. Let me do what I failed to do and allow me to protect you once more," Chanyeol pleaded.

"But I don't know you. You don't owe me anything and neither do I."

"I'm your boyfriend it's my duty-"

"No you're not. I don't even know who you are let alone date you!" Baekhyun snapped.

Chanyeol gaped in disbelief. He felt so cheated, so played. He was supposed to have at least another year with Baekhyun -how could it all be cut short just like that?

"You... don't... remember me?" Chanyeol's voice was hoarse, "You really don't remember me?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't."

Something broke within him -or maybe it was just his world crashing down on him.

He took of his couple bracelet and let it hang loosely from his finger.

"You don't remember this?" he showed the bracelet to him, "You were the one who picked this out, you said the day I lost it would be the day I lose you. I haven't lost it -I haven't lost you."

Baekhyun scrutinized at him warily. Though he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for this poor guy.

"I... I think you should leave. I don't feel comfortable," Baekhyun avoided his gaze, "Please just go."

Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun in unspoken pain and the latter busied himself with his bed sheets. He didn't want to leave but he didn't want to put the boy in a spot either. So after what was probably the hardest decision in his life, Chanyeol finally got up from his seat.

He stopped before the door to say one more thing.

"Have a good rest."

Baekhyun didn't respond.

Chanyeol gave him a weak smile before he left the room.

The door creaked open and Chanyeol stepped into the pitch dark apartment. He the light switch and was greeted by silence. Half of him almost expected Baekhyun to welcome him back home with a hug.

He switched on the television and let the news broadcaster's solemn voice fill the room -even then it felt awfully quiet, he missed hearing Baekhyun's laughter. Home didn't feel like home without him around.

Chanyeol sighed and switched off the television before going to the bedroom they shared. He took off his clothes and threw them carelessly to the side and collapsed onto the bed.

His fingers ran across Baekhyun's side of the bed and he could still smell the boy's scent lingering. Tiredly, he buried his head into Baekhyun's pillow and took in his scent fully.

He lay there motionless for a while, not knowing what to do. He just wanted Baekhyun here beside him in his embrace.

Then the tears finally came as he sobbed into the pillow, staining it wet. His fingernails dug into the bed sheets as he let the full impact of realization hit him.

His time was up. Baekhyun had finally forgotten him.

Chanyeol mocked himself. Why was he so surprised? He had known this day would come.

The past few months he was convinced that when he finally had to let Baekhyun go, he'd let him go without tears. But then why was he hurting so much now?

It hurt. It ing hurt.

How Baekhyun had forgotten him that easily. Then what would happen to him now? Was he going to give Baekhyun up? Or was he going to continue loving him knowing that nothing would ever be the same?

He had so many questions but no answers.

Chanyeol wished his bed could open up and swallow him whole. There was no point in living, he begged for someone to come and take him away.

He was done with this world and he hated God. Did God even exist? If he did then why wasn't he answering any of his prayers, why make him suffer more when he’s already suffering?

He got up and shuffled his feet to the window overlooking the busy streets. Gazing below, he figured that it was going to be a long way down. He tugged on the window grilles and pushed it away, the evening breeze hit his face.

They say in the last minutes of your life, the most precious memories you have will flash before you. And for Chanyeol it did, but Baekhyun seemed to appear in almost all of them. At least he'd take the good memories with him.

Chanyeol smiled. It's been a good life.

He took in what could've been his last breath and inched his way towards the ledge. With him gone, Baekhyun could live his life without any obstructions.

And in his last thoughts, he wished the other boy happiness and hoped they'd meet again. In the next life maybe.

He released his grip and felt himself slowly falling forward. This was it.

Or was it?

"No!"

Chanyeol felt a pair of hands grab hold of him and both fell back onto the floor of his bedroom.

"Are you out of your ing mind?!"

He turned to see Luhan sprawled on the floor and breathing heavily as he glared at him.

"Yah! Park Chanyeol are you deaf or mute? Answer me!" he yelled.

"Luhan..."

He stared blankly at the Chinese boy and then his eyes started to water.

Alarmed, Luhan rushed forward to envelop him in a bone crushing hug.

"What happened Chanyeol? And where's Baekhyun?"

Upon hearing his name Chanyeol cried even harder, soon Luhan's shirt was soaked through

Knowing that Chanyeol was probably in no condition to talk, Luhan just held him in his arms and let the boy cry till his heart's content.

As time passed, the tears started to dry up and Chanyeol's sobs were reduced to the occasional sniffs.

Chanyeol broke free from Luhan's embrace and gave an apologetic look for ruining his shirt.

"I'm sorry... I must've worried you a lot," he spoke.

"You sure did. I called your phone so many times and you didn't answer. I came to your house thinking you'd be home and I find you trying to jump off the fifteenth floor," Luhan growled, "honestly I don't know why I even bother with you at times."

But he softened up when he realised how miserable Chanyeol must've been feeling.

"Will you tell me what happened?"

Chanyeol lifted his head and gave him a sad smile.

"Baekhyun doesn't remember me anymore."

"Oh.... Oh Chanyeol..."

Luhan knew it was inevitable but he never expected it to happen so soon.

"He got into an accident and when he woke up he had no idea who I was. He said I made him feel uncomfortable," Chanyeol's eyes were dead, "Baekhyun said he'd never date a stranger like me."

"B-But how? I mean it couldn't have been caused by the accident right?"

But the knowing look in Chanyeol's eyes made it clear that it in fact was the case.

"I... I'm sorry Chanyeol. I know whatever I say now won't make you feel any better but... just know that I'm here for you."

"Thanks Luhan... I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you."

Luhan grinned at him and gave him a pat on the back.

"Not all is lost yet. You still have a chance, don't let Baekhyun slip away from you."

"What's the point?" Chanyeol lamented, "He's forgotten everything about me."

"What's the point? The point is that you Chanyeol need to find back the belief you used to have and keep your promise to Baekhyun."

"Promise?" Chanyeol questioned.

"Come on you're not the one with Alzheimer's how could you forget?"

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow.

"You promised to take care of Baekhyun. Though the boy probably doesn't remember this but I'll help him remember -so you can't go back on your word."

Luhan got up and picked up the photo frame encasing a picture of Chanyeol and Baekhyun smiling by the sea. He then placed it in Chanyeol's hands.

"You've both gotten this far, you can't just let him go like that! Chase after him!" Luhan pepped.

"How? He doesn't remember anything anymore."

Luhan shook his head at how slow the boy was.

"Then make him remember. He fell for you once," Luhan broke out in an encouraging smile, "he can fall for you again."

Chanyeol looked at Luhan and then to the picture in his hand. He was right; he couldn't give up this easily. Baekhyun was his everything -he literally had nothing to lose in giving it his all. Then at least, if he failed to win back the boy's love, the thought of not trying won't haunt him on sleepless nights.

His fingers traced Baekhyun's outline in the picture, they were both smiling so happily. Chanyeol wanted to go back to this so much, he couldn't wait anymore.

Two years ago, Baekhyun fell for Chanyeol. Tomorrow, he was going to make him fall again.

Chanyeol stood outside Baekhyun's ward, his hand was on the door knob. He turned it slightly but hesitated. What was today going to bring? He hoped it wouldn't be pain.

He pulled himself together and took in a deep, deep breath before entering the room.

Today was going to be a better day.

Chanyeol saw the boy huddled over his bed, deeply occupied with the comic book in hand.

"You feeling better?"

Baekhyun's eyes widened upon seeing the taller boy standing at his door.

"Wh-What?" he sputtered as he dropped the book, "Why are you here again?"

"Just wanted to drop by to check up on you."

Chanyeol placed the basket of fruits he had brought on the table beside him.

Baekhyun eyed it and noticed that they were filled to the brim with only apples. He scrunched his nose in amusement.

"I brought these for you 'coz I know how much you love apples," Chanyeol smiled, "I'll peel some for you."

"Who said I liked apples?" Baekhyun tried to put on a front, "You've got it wrong."

Chanyeol ignored him and focused on peeling the apple in his hand. He finally got the perfect end result and held it out to Baekhyun.

"Here you go!" he offered.

Baekhyun folded his arms.

"I said I don't like apples."

But his eyes darted across the glistening apple and its perfectly peeled exterior. Swallowing down his pride, he snatched it from Chanyeol.

"But I'm hungry I guess I'll have to settle for this then," he made up an excuse.

Chanyeol grinned, how typical of the boy. Maybe he hadn't really lost all of him.

He watched as Baekhyun nibbled on the apple quietly, occasionally glancing in his direction.

"Is it good?" he asked.

Baekhyun swallowed and looked at Chanyeol warily.

"Yes, did you put something in this?"

"Even if I did what could I do to you? I can't bring myself to hurt you."

"Lies."

"I wish it was but you know I'd never lie."

The shorter boy's cheeks reddened and he started munching on his apple flusteredly.

"I don't get it. You claim to be my boyfriend but I don't have a single clue on who you are. I...I don't know whether to believe you or not."

"Baekhyun I'm the one you spent the past two years of your life with. You love, or should I say loved, me. I don't know how to get you to believe me either but I just want you to know I have no reason to lie, I really did love you Baekhyun. And I still do."

"Then why can't I remember? Is there something I'm not aware of?"

Chanyeol's face darkened and he almost choked on air.

"You... you were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease earlier this year."

"What is that?"

Baekhyun watched as the little colour Chanyeol had on his face disappear and he figured it probably wasn't something good.

"It's a form of dementia and in your case it was probably genetics-but it's nothing serious," he lied, "it just screws up your memory that's all."

"My memory? Then is this why... I can't remember you?"

"Probably, I'd like to think so."

He leaned deeper into his bed.

"I want to believe you but... it's just all too much for me."

"It's okay I understand," Chanyeol assured, "But there's only one thing I ask for -and that is to let me stay by your side."

"Look Chanyeol... I don't mind your company but I just don't like the idea of someone being with me just to make me fall for them... it's like I'm being used."

"No it's not like that! I'm not going to deny that I want to win your love back but I want to be someone who'll be there for you too."

"Just friends then?"

"Just friends," Chanyeol assured.

Baekhyun's eyes disappeared into half-moons.

"Since all friendships start with an introduction, shall we introduce ourselves? We'll wind back the clock," Chanyeol said, "again."

He held out a hand in which Baekhyun gladly accepted.

"Hi my name's Chanyeol, Park Chanyeol. Twenty-three. Majoring in Science.

"And I'm Byun Baekhyun. Twenty-one. Majoring in Arts."

Chanyeol then finally knew why. The boy was back to being twenty-one.

"Baekhyun this may seem sudden to you but... you're not twenty-one, you're twenty-three."

"Am I?"

Baekhyun didn't know what to believe anymore, part of him knew that he was twenty-one, but the other part chose to trust Chanyeol.

"Yes b-but don’t get too bothered by that! Age is just a number after all," Chanyeol chuckled nervously.

"It is I guess... twenty-one, twenty-four, I still don't know what's happening anyway…”

Chanyeol heaved a sigh and stood up from his seat.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” he offered.

“I tried to yesterday but I had trouble standing up.”

He noticed the discouraged look in Baekhyun’s eyes and sped out of the room, coming back with a wheelchair.

“Let’s go Baek,” he said, “I’ll help you.”

And for the first time for as long as he could remember, Baekhyun laughed that laugh he had wanted to hear so much.

The pair made their way round the hospital’s rooftop garden in constant chatter. Out of all the other patients there, Baekhyun seemed the happiest among them as he doubled back in laughter over another one of Chanyeol’s lame jokes.

They talked about anything and everything but neither he nor Chanyeol brought up the past. It was almost as if they had a silent agreement. They were just going to live in the present at the moment.

Baekhyun stared at the caramel horizon hanging over Seoul and just pictured himself floating along with the clouds. He always had a thing for sky gazing.

“What’re you staring at?” Chanyeol asked curiously.

“Clouds.”

Chanyeol, amused by Baekhyun’s answer, stopped the wheelchair on the spot to let the boy gazing intently at the sky.

He looked up a few times himself but couldn’t seem to find anything the clouds had to offer that piqued his interest.

“You seem to like clouds a lot,” Chanyeol mused.

Baekhyun’s gaze broke away from the sky and went to Chanyeol instead.

“I don’t like them,” he spoke, “I envy them.”

“And why is that so?” Chanyeol replied, puzzled.

“You can’t see them, you can’t feel them but that doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. Everybody knows it’s still there in the sky. But turn the situation around and have the clouds be a person instead, would anyone still remember him?”

“I think you’re making too much out of it it’s just clo-”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. I just think that one’s existence can be so easily forgotten it’s... almost pointless.”

Chanyeol felt uncomfortable by his sudden serious self.

“Not everyone will be forgotten, look at Mozart, he died centuries ago and up till this day people still listen and recreate his works.”

“His case was different –he was a musical genius after all. I’m referring to the ones with nothing to offer in this world, the ones like me.”

“What do you mean Baekhyun? Don’t think this way,” Chanyeol chided.

“I just don’t want to be forgotten Chanyeol. Sure there’ll be a couple of people who will remember me like my future kids and stuff but… when they’re gone too…” he swallowed, “Will it be like I never existed?”

Chanyeol remained silent; he couldn’t find an answer in reply to his question.

“Oh god I’m doing it again. My bad Chanyeol I get really deep and bothered at times I hope you don’t mind,” he spoke, cheeks red in embarrassment.

“I don’t mind at all,” he grinned, relieved that they were done with that topic.

“I wish I could get off this stupid wheelchair, it’s a pain in the –literally!” Baekhyun whined.

“You can if you’d like to.”

“How? I still have difficulty walking, remember?”

“Well we can always try right?”

A gentle smile crept upon Chanyeol’s lips and he offered a hand.

“Don’t worry I’ll be there to catch you if you fall.”

“You’re not gonna push me off the building are you?”

“I have absolutely no intention of killing you so you can rest assured.”

Baekhyun gave him a wary look before he took his hand.

Chanyeol placed his other hand around Baekhyun’s waist as the latter tried to stand, the compromising position made Baekhyun blush. He grabbed onto Chanyeol’s hand tightly as he hoisted himself onto his feet.

After a short struggle, Baekhyun could finally stand on his own.

“Now slowly walk three steps forward,” Chanyeol instructed.

Baekhyun nodded and stuck his two arms out. The boy looked like he was about to walk on a tightrope, he was too terrified to take a single step.

Chanyeol noticed this and came up beside him.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I won’t let you get hurt.”

He gave the boy’s hand an encouraging squeeze. Baekhyun looked at him pleadingly but Chanyeol only smiled back.

Baekhyun took in a breath before slowly lifting up one of his foot and letting it touch down on the concrete a few inches away.

One step.

His foot hung in mid-air again and came into contact with the ground for the second time.

Two steps.

A new found sense of confidence surged through him and he prepared himself for his final step without the thought of failure ever crossing his mind. He lifted his foot one more time and let it slowly touch the ground.

But before he could feel the cold concrete below his bare feet, he felt a sudden loss of coordination. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as he fell forward and he closed his eyes to brace himself for the impact.

It all happened so fast. Baekhyun felt a pair of arms grab him and spun him around. Before he could register what happened, he found himself in Chanyeol’s embrace.

“I hope you’re not hurt.”

Baekhyun couldn’t bring himself to respond –he lost himself in Chanyeol’s hazel eyes.

“Baekhyun? Oh please tell me you’re okay.”

He smiled dazedly. He was so cute when he was panicking.

“Baekhyun?!”

Baekhyun snapped out of his thoughts.

“Huh? Oh sorry! I’m fine.”

“Jesus, you scared me there for a sec.”

“My bad, I zoned out a bit.”

Chanyeol didn’t seem to be convinced but chose not to dwell on it –much to his relief.

“Do you still want to continue practicing?”

Baekhyun nodded and the taller boy held out a hand. Almost instantly he took it and Chanyeol lit up.

The both of them carried on with their impromptu tutoring session and it wasn’t to say that Baekhyun had fallen for Chanyeol but he definitely felt something familiar coming from his heart. That he couldn’t deny.

a/n: Part 2 of this chapter is out :) Hope to hear your thoughst and am so grateful for the subscibers I've got hehe you guys are the best!