“Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.”*

It was a mouthful to say, especially when TaekWoon was still in the midst of catching his breath, but it tumbled from his lips easily, words rehearsed to repeat over the years. HongBin still had trouble saying the title without stuttering every now and then.

HakYeon was toying with the bracelet around TaekWoon’s wrist, only just recognizing the symbol on the curved silver band. The two were still in the living room, but HakYeon had laid TaekWoon out on his back when the pained gasping started, frantically shoving the living room table to the side because what was going on? After TaekWoon had recovered enough, HakYeon had maneuvered TaekWoon so his head rested in HakYeon’s lap. His expression was defeated, as if he was saying I knew it.

HakYeon’s lap was warm, and it helped TaekWoon to relax. “It started soon after my first year of high school, so I couldn’t play soccer or do anything athletic anymore. My senior year, they tried surgery, but the effects of that didn’t last, either. Medications got less effective. They suggested to fly me to the States and get treatment there…”

“And…?”

“I didn’t want to.”

Irritation passed through HakYeon’s eyes. “Why not? You could’ve been treated and gotten better and gotten your normal life back.”

How many times had that very sentence replayed through TaekWoon’s mind? “It just seemed like the right thing to do. My heart already rejected so many things. I didn’t want to bother it anymore.”

The defeated expression reappeared, and HakYeon sighed, shaking his head. “Why would you let them play you like this…?”

TaekWoon didn’t know who HakYeon was talking about, but he still mumbled, “Sorry…”

HakYeon just shook his head again, dispelling the apology. “So I assume this is why HongBin is such a pushy bodyguard?”

TaekWoon snorted. “Yeah. We’ve been friends since childhood, so we know everything about each other. Even after I was diagnosed, he refused to leave my side. It’s the only way my parents would let me leave home to go to university, too, under the condition that HongBin would look out for me.”

“Under the condition that he would repel everything from physical tests to boyfriends?”

“Seems like it. Honestly, it never occurred to me that it was possible.”

“What, having a boyfriend?”

TaekWoon paused for a bit, looking up into HakYeon’s eyes. “No. Just… having a future.”

Silence settled between them. For a while, they just stared into each other’s eyes. Then HakYeon lifted a hand to pass his fingers through TaekWoon’s hair.

“I know a thing or two about the future,” HakYeon replied, “and I know you’ll be in my future for a long time.”

A grin slowly spread on TaekWoon’s face. “That’s the grossest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Gross or not, TaekWoon remained where he was, letting HakYeon his hair until he drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Ultra-short update because *dun dun dun!* I'll update again within the next day or two. Woo! I'm already writing it. Don't worry; this isn't an empty promise @ㅁ@

I ran the disease through the Naver translator just for the fun of it, and it came out as "비후 형 심장 근육 병증" or "비대성 심근증". Both are a mouthful. I don't blame HongBin for stuttering when he tries to say it, either.

I apologize for whatever medical inaccuracies this will have m(_ _)m I knew I wanted TaekWoon to have some genre of heart condition, and my sources were Google and Wikipedia. My concentration is these days, so this certain condition seemed to conform to my evil desires the most. Bwa ha ha~