Vulnerable - easily affected to physical or emotional attack or harm; in need of special care, support, or protection

*

"I said up, lift your face up!"

Baekhyun does what he's been told, and he happens to slightly step back due to the impact of the blow, almost losing his balance. The burning sensation of the strong hand slapping his face doesn't disappear--- instead it gets worse as the pain creeps into his swollen skin.

"Don't you fucking dare look at me! Eyes on the ground!"

Baekhyun keeps his head up and his sight lowered, feeling the intense hit on the other side of his cheek. Tears are forbidden to escape his eyes, it would only infuriate Mrs. Park more. He keeps his posture straight, bearing the painful sting that cannot be compared to the growing ache in his heart.

"This is for driving my car without my permission!"

Slap!

"This is for leaving your chores at the mansion!"

Slap!

"And this," Mrs. Park says, eyeing Baekhyun with utmost dread as she grits her teeth, "This is for hurting my son and making him sick!"

SLAP!!!

Baekhyun squeezes his eyes shut, receiving the last slap on his face. Because of the rough hit, he senses ringing in his ears as though he's going deaf, together with the throbbing pain in his head. His vision goes hazy for a while before it comes back to normal.

"You thought I'm finished? I'm not yet done, come here."

Chanyeol can clearly see and hear everything from the inside. The door has a small window and the walls are paper thin. Even with the nurses and doctors roaming around the hospital, he can still witness from his bed how his mother harshly grabs Baekhyun's hair and pulls it hard according to her liking.

With ice-cold eyes, he nonchalantly watches the scene for a brief moment.

Before silently looking away like it doesn't concern him.

"Sir, your fever hasn't gone down since last night," the nurse says while checking his temperature, "Take the medicine after your check-up. You need a lot of rest."

Chanyeol nods before closing his eyes, drifting off to his pretend sleep.

*

"I'm a busy person, you know."

Chanyeol stirs from his light nap, hearing the familiar voice of a woman. Blinking slowly, he adjusts himself on the bed and watches how Yura places her bag and a basket of fruits on top of the bedside table. She sits on the chair with elegance, putting the stray hair behind her ear with a smile.

"You cut your hair."

"My husband likes it shorter," Yura answers. She notes how pale Chanyeol is lying weakly in front of her. His eyes are dull while his lips are chapped as if he hasn't had a single drop of water. "You look terrible as hell."

"And you still look ugly."

"Why are you so mean to your sister?"

"Leave if you're done," Chanyeol mutters in an almost audible voice. He looks away shortly and turns his back from her. "I want to sleep."

"The last time I saw you sick like this was when I gave birth to my daughter," Yura says, "Say, is this because of Baekhyun getting lost again?"

Chanyeol thinks the white wall he's staring at is bland and uninteresting. He doesn't expect he'd miss his comfortable room at times like this.

Yura knows that her brother is listening, "Or is it the other way around?"

Baekhyun brings his knees closer to his chest and hugs them. Yura's back is blocking his view of Chanyeol's face from the outside, so he just sighs helplessly to himself. "I envy her. She can talk to Chanyeol sunbae and get near him like that..."

As much as Baekhyun wanted to go to Chanyeol and hug him tight, take care of him and stay by his side, he really can't. Youngmi banned him from getting near Chanyeol as his punishment, aside from the painful beating he got from the woman. His face is still red and swollen, his head hurts like a bitch, the scratch and nail marks on his arms still sting. It seems like the pain relievers the nurse gave him aren't that effective.

He feels physically and emotionally exhausted. But seeing Chanyeol's face at least gives him energy and willingness to stay strong.

"Have you talked to Baekhyun yet?" Yura hands him a slice of apple she freshly peeled. Chanyeol takes it anyway and eats it slowly. "He's been there outside since yesterday morning."

"Mom won't let him get near me."

A chuckle of disbelief bubbles out of Yura's mouth.

"Wow. I couldn't believe I just heard that from you," she says. She's aware of Baekhyun's longing puppy stares from outside the window, and it's making her heart quite melt at the sight, "Since when did you become so obedient to her?"

She spares Baekhyun a short glance, so when their eyes meet, Baekhyun jumps to his seat and smiles awkwardly.

"You can just call him inside anytime you want. Mom is not even here."

Chanyeol doesn't look a bit bothered. "He deserves to be punished a little."

"A little? Have you seen his face, though?" Yura lifts an angry eyebrow. "If only she wasn't my mother, I had already reported her to the police."

Chanyeol doesn't say anything.

Letting out a tired sigh as she shakes her head, Yura stands up and gets her bag. She waves goodbye at Chanyeol, telling him not to forget to take his meds.

With that, Chanyeol goes back to his pretend sleep.

"Here."

Baekhyun is baffled, staring at the money offered to him. He blinks twice before looking up to Yura's kind smiling face. He suddenly recalls how scary and bitchy she looks like the first time he met her in Seoul.

"W-why are you giving me this?"

"You haven't had a proper meal since yesterday, right?"

Baekhyun admits to that. He only had a slice of plain bread and a bottle of water for dinner. He hasn't had breakfast yet. He didn't even realize he was hungry before Yura mentioned the word 'meal'.

His stomach suddenly grumbles, blushing, when the sound echoes even after he covers it with his hands.

"Go treat yourself to a delicious lunch. Wash up, buy new clothes, then get a haircut. You look like shit."

"Th-thank you," Baekhyun shyly says as he scratches his thick hair. He happily accepts the money with a polite bow.

"Leave now. Dad is waiting outside."

"Huh?"

"He said he's gonna drive you."

The next thing Baekhyun knows, he is running for dear life to the hospital's exit. He sees Mr. Park's black audi which honks at him, so he hurriedly runs with his eyes widening.

"Get in," Sungjin says after he lets the car window down. He sees Baekhyun panting for his breath like crazy. "Take the backseat."

"Th-thank you, Mr. Park!"

Chanyeol has managed to stand up even with his head reeling. He slides the door of his room open, looking left to right, seeing Baekhyun already gone.

"Is there something I can help you with?" the attending nurse asks.

Chanyeol scratches his nape sheepishly, "Where's the toilet?"

The nurse shakes her head, chuckling softly to herself. She gestures her hand. "It's inside your room, Sir."

Baekhyun rubs his clammy hands against his lap as he keeps his eyes and shoulders lowered. The silence inside the car is too deafening, Mr. Park is not saying anything. Should he say something? Should he compliment the weather? Or tell the man he looks healthy today?

"Baekhyun."

"Y-YES!?"

Mr. Park stops the car in front of his shopping mall.

"Take the car and bring it home safely. You could drive it on your way back to the hospital," Chanyeol's father says as he gets off the vehicle, and Baekhyun must've heard that wrongly because why the fuck would Mr. Park lend him his car and---

"You could get near my son. My wife's out of town."

Baekhyun then returns to reality after he travels to the moon and back, seeing Mr. Park now entering the building with his bodyguards behind him. He looks around the sleek expensive car before slapping himself hard.

It hurts.

"Baekhyun, come back to your senses," he tells himself. He's now alone inside the car. Is everything real? Did Mr. Park really say that? Is he really allowing him to see Chanyeol? "Oh my god! Aahhhh! Thank you! Uhm," he gives one more glance at Mr. Park, "Dad!"

"Excuse me, no parking allowed here!"

Baekhyun drives off before the officer who knocked on the window could hand him the ticket.

*

"Kyungsoo! Look! Ahhh!"

"What is it again!?"

Kyungsoo backs away but it's too late. Luhan has already slapped his face with the screen of his phone while the male wriggles hysterically beside him. Kyungsoo kicks him off the couch and grabs the phone.

Luhan wails out on the floor, "Baekhyun, that bitch, got himself a new car!"

"The weather is so nice," Kyungsoo monotonely reads the caption on Baekhyun's latest instagram post. He eyes Baekhyun's pretty selca inside his 'new' car. Well, it looks like he also got a haircut and it's making Kyungsoo cringe. "Baekhyun probably stole this car."

"Or Chanyeol gave it as a gift," Luhan wiggles his eyebrows. "I envy him!"

"I don't care about Baekhyun's life, okay," Kyungsoo mutters, rolling his eyes. He shoves a handful of cheese-flavored chips inside his mouth, "And don't envy him, he's actually," he clears his throat, "pitiful."

"What? Why!?"

"You're really clueless aren't you," Kyungsoo sighs, "I feel sorry for him."

"Oh my god, is he going to die?" Luhan asks, getting teary eyed, "Baekhyun! Don't leave me yet!"

"Bitch, he's not going to die," Kyungsoo says, slapping his forehead, "You are the one who's going to die."

"What? Why!?"

"You've been sitting on my foot the whole time and I'm gonna kill you right now."

Luhan adjusts his butt and grins cheekily. "Sorry."

"I'm home," Jongin announces. The couple on the living room turn to greet him, Luhan with an overly-high squeal while Kyungsoo just a nonchalant nod. He joins them on the couch, sitting at the middle even it's cramped.

"How's part-time?" Kyungsoo asks, flipping the channels. He stops when he sees a cooking show. "Did the owner give you a raise?"

"Ah, I want to eat spicy rice cakes again," Luhan says as he watches the chef cooks on the TV. "Yummy."

"Huh?" Jongin turns to Kyungsoo, looking a little bit lost as though he has just realized he's existing with him. He's immersed in his deep thoughts. "Oh, that? Yeah, he did. Finally." He forces a laugh. "I already paid our tuition with the money "

"You don't look happy at all," Kyungsoo says worriedly, "Is there something troubling you?"

Jongin clears his throat quietly, looking at Luhan who's focused on watching the show. He even licks his lips.

"Babe."

"Yeah?"

"I brought home some spicy rice cakes. You could eat them if you want," Jongin says, so Luhan grins at him and proceeds to the kitchen excitedly.

"It's all mine, right!?" Luhan says, already stuffing his mouth with it, "Oh god, it's so spicy!"

"Yeah! Eat a lot, okay!"

"Jongin you're acting really weird right now," Kyungsoo says while he stares at Jongin closing the door silently. Jongin locks it securely so they're now alone inside the room, "If this is another mess you made again! I'm telling you, Luhan is graduating this year and I can't have you paying for the trouble---"

"Shh! And it's not that!" Jongin says in a hush, pulling Kyungsoo on the bed so that they're sitting down together. "And I didn't turn straight either so don't throw me that look."

"Good," Kyungsoo hums, crossing his arms over his chest, "So tell me what's bothering you."

"Listen," Jongin sighs seriously and it makes Kyungsoo nervous, "Chanyeol told me something."

"Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo asks, doubtful at first, "You mean Park Chanyeol? Baekhyun's Chanyeol?"

"Yeah, who else 'Chanyeol' would it be? Duh?" Jongin says, so Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes, "And it just couldn't get off my mind. I've been always thinking about it."

"How? I mean, I didn't know you were contacting each other?"

"Chanyeol didn't tell it to me directly," Jongin whispers, "Sehun told it to me."

"WHAT?" Kyungsoo blurts out, and he's head is now seriously starting to hurt, "I don't understand why Sehun had something to do with this? And what did Chanyeol tell you?"

"Okay, let me break things down to you," Jongin mutters, "Sehun told me what Chanyeol wanted to tell me."

"Fuck, I'm so confused right now," Kyungsoo massages his temples, "Why would Chanyeol want to tell you something and how did Sehun know that? They're not even the least in good terms!"

"Sehun's in New York, right?" Kyungsoo nods. "Apparently, the two of them met."

"WHAT!?" Kyungsoo gasps, but he immediately covers his mouth with his hand. He talks in a whisper, "Why would they meet!? Are they close? They're not even friends!"

"I don't know, why are you asking me?"

"Okay, so what happened next?"

"Chanyeol," Jongin chops his palm with his hand, "asked to meet Sehun," he leans in closer to Kyungsoo's ear, "without Baekhyun knowing about it."

Kyungsoo gasps, "For real!?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe Sehun at first! But he was clearly telling the truth. He even sent me a screenshot of their text message and I felt goosebumps, oh god," Jongin says, and he does a shivering motion, "Chanyeol used a smiling emoji!"

"WHAT!? He really did that!?"

"Sehun said he felt really weird after that."

"Oh my god, this is freaking me out!" Kyungsoo says, also brushing his own arms as he hugs himself.

"Not only that. Chanyeol also," Jongin whispers, "treat Sehun to dinner."

"Oh my fucking god---"

"I know right!?" Jongin says, "Why would Park Chanyeol do that?!"

"They met secretly behind Baekhyun's back. They had dinner together," Kyungsoo states, "So, are they now dating?"

Jongin stares with a dead face.

"What, I'm just kidding, go ahead."

"Well, Kyungsoo, it's not funny," Jongin says, "Anyway, Chanyeol basically told Sehun things. I don't know what was it about because Sehun didn't tell me and he said I wouldn't have to know. Sehun only told me one thing, that Chanyeol had a message to relay to me."

"Just tell it to me, goddammit!" Kyungsoo yells in frustration. He gets a pillow and throws it to Jongin, "What the hell is it!?"

"This is driving me insane. Why would Chanyeol meet Sehun? Him out of all people?" Jongin massages his chin, "Why does he need to keep it from Baekhyun? Why wouldn't he just tell it to him directly and why the fuck do I have something to do with this!?"

"I don't know!" Kyungsoo says, or rather screams, "And why do we need to keep this a secret from Luhan!?"

"Nah, it's not that we're gonna keep it a secret from him," Jongin says, shrugging his shoulders, "I just thought he can't be in the same room as us when I tell you what Sehun told me which Chanyeol wanted to tell me. I don't wanna see him cry."

"Fuck, Jongin! One more of that and I'm gonna slit your throat for real!" Kyungsoo threatens, shaking him furiously, "Tell me! What I have! To fucking know!"

"Kyungsoo."

"What!?"

He leans closer and whispers to Kyungsoo's ear.

It takes a long while before Kyungsoo responds with a gasp, his eyes widening twice as he gapes his mouth in utter shock.

"So... What do you think?" Jongin asks.

Kyungsoo breathes and closes his eyes, holding his forehead, "Why would he ask that favor?"

"Maybe he knows we're struggling with the rent?" Jongin asks.

Kyungsoo shakes his head, "Still, he wouldn't decide on that without a reason. There must be a reason."

*

Eat delicious lunch. Check.
Take a shower. Check.
Buy new clothes. Check.
Have a haircut. Check.

Baekhyun is now done. He grins at his own reflection, feeling refreshed and energized with his new look and full tummy. He got his hair done very handsomely and he thinks he now looks like a KPOP idol.

After parking Mr. Park's sexy car in front of the hospital, he heads straight to the elevator like a new person. People inside and some nurses turn to look at him curiously, finding where that citrusy baby cologne scent is coming from.

"Which floor are you?" a blonde nurse asks beside him, giving him a flirtatious smile. Baekhyun recalls her, she's that nurse who scowled at him this morning when he asked for pain relievers. She gave him expired medicine, how dare her.

"Same floor as you," Baekhyun answers.

The nurse giggles to herself and Baekhyun has to mentally roll his eyes because eew.

Seeing Chanyeol's room brings an excited but frightened thump in his heart. His hand is trembling over the doorknob. He can't even twist it, or rather, he doesn't have the courage to do it.

It's not that he's afraid to disobey Mrs. Park, it's that, he's scared to face Chanyeol. He's so embarrassed of himself. He doesn't deserve to see him, yet here he is being greedy for wanting to hold him again after what he has just done.

Minutes of him just standing like a fool outside, he finally musters the strength to enter the room. With gentle and accurate steps he goes inside, seeing Chanyeol now sleeping on his bed peacefully. He takes a seat on the chair and fights the urge to grasp Chanyeol's hand with his own.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun mutters, staring down at his lap as salty tears cloud his vision for the first time. He didn't shed a single tear after Chanyeol was taken to the hospital that night he passed out under the rain. He didn't cry when Chanyeol was being carried to the ambulance. He didn't cry when Mrs. Park slapped his face. He didn't cry when the doctors blame him for Chanyeol's current state.

He only cried just now, when he doesn't have to pretend anymore that he's strong in front of people that is not Chanyeol. Now he can cry because it hurts so much. His heart all the hurts so much rather than the pain in his body.

"It's... It's all my fault.... You wouldn't have to get sick if it weren't for me... I shouldn't have left by my own will," Baekhyun rubs his tears-soaked eyes with his palms, "I shouldn't have been confident to myself knowing you are scared to lose me..."

Chanyeol then opens his eyes.

Then he smiles a self-assured smirk.

As if he just heard what he wanted to hear.

As if he just got what he wanted to get.

"Because... the truth is... I'm more scared to lose you," Baekhyun sobs furiously, "I took you for granted and that is my biggest mistake."

Feeling a warm hand on his hair, Baekhyun lifts his face, seeing Chanyeol now awake and now staring fondly at him. His face gets more contorted as he cries even louder and messier like a child.

"Ch-chanyeol sunbae... I'm very sorry... I left you because of Sehun... I regret being happy with another man that is not you... Even if it was Sehun, I should have put you first... I know I don't deserve to be forgiven for what I did but..."

The room is filled with Baekhyun's hiccups and sobbing noises, while Chanyeol just wordlessly notes as Baekhyun rambles trails of apologies with his snot coming out of his nose.

Baekhyun looks cute when he cries. He shouldn't forget about that fact at least.

"Why... Why are you so quiet..." Baekhyun mumbles, noticing Chanyeol's silence. He has already cried his heart out, yet Chanyeol hasn't said a single thing to him. "Please get mad at me... Hurt me if that is what's gonna make you feel better... Punish me all you want... I will accept them all..."

"Baekhyun."

Baekhyun slowly peeks at him, "W-what is it?"

"Your hair looks good on you."

Baekhyun cries again for the umpteenth time, hearing that compliment. It's not the right time to blush. He needs to pay for his sins but hearing Chanyeol spatter such warm words make his heart jump in joy.

"Come here."

Chanyeol makes room for Baekhyun on his bed, scooting to the other side. Baekhyun cluelessly stares at it, before he finally gets the idea that Chanyeol wants him to lie down and join him on the bed. Chanyeol even lifts the blanket so that he can tuck himself inside.

Baekhyun may have wanted to protest because he's embarrassed as hell, but he chooses not to instead because he also wants it so bad. He wants to squish himself against Chanyeol and hug him very tight. He misses his coziness, he misses that feeling of being home again inside his arms.

"You don't want to?"

"I-I WANT IT, OF COURSE!!!"

"Come here, before I change my mind."

So, Baekhyun quickly gets inside the blanket, lies beside Chanyeol's body, rests his head on Chanyeol's biceps, and wraps his arms around Chanyeol's waist.

He buries his face on Chanyeol's chest as he curls himself like a baby beside him.

Ah. It feels so good like this.

"Does it still hurt?" Chanyeol asks, lightly grazing his hand against Baekhyun's puffy cheek. Nodding, Baekhyun winces at the touch, but he doesn't lift his face up as he still hides it from Chanyeol's stare.

"Did you cry when my mother hit you?"

Silently, Baekhyun shakes his head, and he happens to nudge Chanyeol's clothes with his nose. He can feel Chanyeol's fingers behind his head brushing his hair ever so softly, and it makes him kind of sleepy.

"You now know what happens," Chanyeol whispers, and Baekhyun's tears start to well up again in his eyes with every caress of Chanyeol's hand, "when you stray by my side, right?"

"Yes," Baekhyun clutches on his hospital gown and nods as if he's very afraid, "I'm sorry, Chanyeol sunbae... I won't do it again..."

This is the Baekhyun he owns, a vulnerable Baekhyun who comes back crying in his arms after getting disciplined. Seeing him fragile like this makes him feel a sense of satisfaction, a feeling of assurance that Baekhyun is worthy of his love and trust.

"Lift up your face. I want to see you," Chanyeol says.

"I'm too embarrassed to look at you..."

"Still, you should look at me."

Baekhyun lifts his face up to Chanyeol with a longing gaze, studying this close how pale he is. It looks like Chanyeol is not getting enough nutrients and sleep, and it sends a pang in his heart, knowing he caused sickness to Chanyeol's health.

"Seeing you so vulnerable like this makes me want to protect you," Baekhyun says, "Please get better soon."

Chanyeol chuckles at that, "How could you say that when you can't even protect yourself?"

Baekhyun blushes, "I still want to do it."

"The last thing you wrote on your list," Chanyeol says, and he's looking at the window, seeing the darkening skies beautiful now that Baekhyun is here with him, "Let's do it."

Baekhyun stares astounded, hearing what Chanyeol has just said.

"What... What do you mean?"

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol says, "Let's go back to Seoul."

*

To be continued.