It's a long chapter, other than that, no words needed... I hope you guys enjoy : )

~

That day, Baekhyun didn't see Chanyeol at all, not even one glimpse.

He found Sehun before the second period and poked his shoulder. "Hey... Sehun, where's Chanyeol?" Baekhyun asked and the look in Sehun's eyes changed for a second before he replied.

"I have no idea, he just disappeared at the beginning of class. I saw him at his locker and then he got a phone call before he ran off," Sehun stated and Baekhyun nodded, feeling that something was wrong.

"I see..."

Sehun sighed dramatically, muttering something under his breath as he turned around and fished through his locker.

"Do you... Know where he went?" Baekhyun questioned carefully, feeling the irritated air around Sehun.

Sehun simply sighed—once again—and turned around, slamming his locker door. "If I knew, I would already by there with him."

Baekhyun frowned and nodded, apologizing before heading to his second class. He passed by Junmyeon on the way who was calling someone and looking worried, and he said hi before he kept going.

He couldn't help but feel uneasy, it was like his heart was telling him that there was definitely something wrong. He knew that he shouldn't be feeling like this, though, because if he kept worrying, what would happen to the game this afternoon?

He turned the corner and stopped when he saw a person crying while being hugged by another. He was going to just keep walking before the sight struck a chord in his mind and he remembered something that he had forgotten.

That day, when he had found Chanyeol and Junmyeon in the classroom, what were they actually talking about?

Because, how could Chanyeol cheat on Dara if she was never with him in the first place? Doesn't that mean that he actually lied about doing it with someone else?

The possibilities processed through his mind and he wanted to scream when all of his thoughts began tangling with each other.

So something serious actually did happen?

Something that could actually make him cry like that?

No matter how much he lied, he couldn't deny that seeing Chanyeol in that state hurt him physically and emotionally. Now that he remembered that event even happened, he recalled that most of the times after basketball practice, Chanyeol would go on a different bus from the one he'd usually take to go home, but Baekhyun never got to figure out where he went.

What if something really serious is happening?

Baekhyun gnawed on his bottom lip, because he knew he shouldn't be this worried about someone he gave up on, mostly when that person was a complete asshole...

But then again, friends care about each other a lot too, right?

Baekhyun nodded, accepting the fact that he couldn't just leave this alone.

He pulled out the piece of paper from his pocket and checked the time for the basketball game this evening, and he was delighted to find out that it was at 6:00PM, which meant he had a lot of time.

A lot of time to do some digging around.

~

Chanyeol still didn't come back to school, and once the final class was over, Baekhyun said goodbye to his friends and packed up his stuff, getting onto the bus.

He didn't really know where Chanyeol went, but at least he knew the route he took. From there, he could test all the possibilities of where Chanyeol would go.

He sat down and looked outside for the surroundings, almost falling out of his seat when the bus jerked to a start.

The buildings began passing him and he watched, crossing off all the options in his head.

Nope, not a tteokbokki shop, not a nail salon, definitely not a bookstore...

That process continued for a while, and before he knew it, tons of people have gotten on and off, leaving Baekhyun to wonder.

Is there actually something going on? Or is he just sick?

Not that clothing store... Not the convenience store, not the hospital...

Wait, the hospital?!

Baekhyun pulled the string on top of him quickly and the bus slowed to a stop, letting Baekhyun stand up and dash out of the bus, thanking the bus driver.

He went into the hospital quickly and went up to the counter, opening his mouth to say something before he stopped.

Who am I even here for?

"How can I help you?" The lady asked politely and Baekhyun decided to wing it, just making up some random words.

"Ummm, is there a Park Chanyeol?" He randomly asked and the lady searched it up, shaking her head. "T-Then, anyone related to him?"

"Yes, there's a Park Yoora..." Baekhyun felt excitement bubble inside him of actually getting things right, but he also felt sad that someone in Chanyeol's family was admitted into the hospital. How lucky am I? "But what's your relationship with them?" She questioned and Baekhyun frowned.

"Um... I'm close to them...?" He said, more of a question than an answer.

She sighed and gave Baekhyun an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but only family can visit her."

"Can't I just—"

"Aren't you Mr. Byun's child?"

Baekhyun turned around and spotted Chanyeol's parents, feeling relief and nervousness rush through him at the same time.

Baekhyun bowed quickly and greeted them. "Yes, my name's Byun Baekhyun."

Chanyeol's parents recognized him as the boy who hit Chanyeol in the face, but also the kid of a precious deal owner. They stared Baekhyun down for a few more moments before sharing secret looks at each other, nodding.

"It's okay, he can come with us," Mr. Park said to the counter lady and she nodded.

They went down the hall and Baekhyun followed them quietly, the awkward silence a bit unnerving.

"So, you're here to see Yoora?" His mom asked and Baekhyun confirmed. "So I'm guessing he told you about her?"

"U-Um... Not really, he just mentioned it a few times, I don't really know anything in detail," Baekhyun lied.

I so did not just take the same bus as your son and completely guessed something was wrong...

They entered an elevator and Baekhyun rocked back and forth on his feet, not knowing what to expect.

"Just... Be quiet when you enter the room, okay?" Mrs. Park asked and Baekhyun nodded, hearing the ding of the ride.

The doors slid open and the three got onto the second floor, going down the hall two more doors until they stopped in front of one with the nametag: 박유라 (Park Yoora)

They stood back and let Baekhyun go in, gesturing with their hands.

"We're just going to stay out here... We can't really stand it in there," they mentioned and Baekhyun nodded.

"I understand," he replied because truthfully, he did understand. Except, the time where he experienced it was with his cousin.

He took in a breath, mentally preparing himself. Surely, Chanyeol's sister only temporarily hurt something, right? He decided to think non-depressing things before he opened the door, pushing it back slowly. Baekhyun looked at the ground as he walked further in, not ready to face whatever was inside. He closed the door behind him quietly, hearing the small click it made throughout the room.

He also heard the steady beating of the heart monitor, and he felt relief course through him when he knew she wasn't dead. Yes, it was a sad thought but as long as she woke up to see another day, right?

He lifted his head up slowly and absorbed the look of the medium sized room, noting the dim light slipping through the windows and the neutral colored furniture.

His eyes trailed to the right side of the room, and there he spotted her.

Baekhyun knew she was going to be really pretty, but even if she was in a hospital bed, she looked prettier than Baekhyun imagined.

Once he got closer, he spotted something else on the bed and stifled a gasp with his hand, recognizing the dark hair and long eyelashes.

It wasn't hard to tell that he was crying because the area around his eyes was still red, and light tear streaks were visible.

Chanyeol was breathing steadily, his back rising and falling in a constant pace that mesmerized Baekhyun. Whatever it was that was happening to Yoora, Baekhyun knew it was bad. He knew simply because of the scene the two people in front of him was creating.

All the positive thoughts he had before crumbled and dissipated into the thin air, somehow making it harder to breathe in.

The two siblings just looked so beautiful, so beautifully sad.

Baekhyun could only wonder what had happened earlier this morning.

The knot that was already in his stomach seemed to double and he suddenly felt like puking, closing his eyes to stop himself. He felt terrible- awful, because he now knew what he had done.

When Chanyeol was suffering from the state of his sister, Baekhyun had believed his lies and called him a monster—along with a ton of other things behind his back.

All the regret piling in him was threatening to spill over, and Baekhyun didn't know a room could be so suffocating until he entered that room. He didn't know if he should venture further inside, or back away now. He reasoned with the pros and cons and once he made his decision, he went further into the room, sitting down in the chair on the opposite side of the bed.

He saw Chanyeol's hand in Yoora's, and his heart lurched in his chest, beating harder than usual.

Chanyeol shifted a bit in his sleep and his hair fell over his eyes, covering them with the dark locks. Baekhyun was tempted to reach over and brush them away, but he knew it was completely inappropriate.

He got a closer look at Yoora, and he just then realized how lifeless she looked, even if the heart monitor was telling something completely different.

He didn't know how long he sat there just watching, but the scene was already engraved in his mind.

He knew he was completely invading when he hesitatingly grabbed Yoora's hand, but he did anyways, keeping it in a strong hold.

"I hope you get better," Baekhyun spoke up, his voice cracking after not using it for so long. He cleared his throat and shifted in his spot, smiling lightly. "I don't even know what's wrong, but I hope you get better," he repeated. "I'm sure you're a great person, and the world doesn't deserve to lose someone important. It's happened too many times and I'm sure we're all sick of it. If you go, Chanyeol will be sad, and I don't want him to be sad..."

Baekhyun had surely lost his mind, but talking now just felt comforting to him. It was talking to someone who'd hear, but wouldn't remember. It was talking to someone super important to him—without them even knowing he was talking.

He sent a little prayer up to whoever was there, wishing that Yoora somehow got better.

"He's very valuable to me, you know," he closed his eyes, gathering up his thoughts. "And to be honest, I don't think things will ever be alright without him... But that's okay," Baekhyun opened his eyes and wasn't shocked when he saw that nothing changed in the room. "It's okay because he's alright without me. Even if I wish it was different, he's okay without me. He can joke around fine without me, he can think fine without me, he works fine without me, he can breathe better without me..." He set his gaze on Chanyeol and smiled, his eyes showing more emotions than the words in the dictionary, yet his lips were set into a light curve. "And it's funny because it's the opposite for me." He sat there looking at Chanyeol for a drawn out moment, absorbing the look of peace on his face.

It was ironic, because he looked so at peace but if you looked closer, you'd see the little hints and signs that he was not. For all Baekhyun knew, he was dying inside.

Baekhyun shook his head and looked down at the bed sheets, his eyes watery. "Look at me, this is probably the hundredth time I've cried, and I don't like crying..." The first tears fell out of his eyes and landed onto the blanket, causing it to become darker. He laughed lightly to himself and took his hands out of Yoora's hands, wiping his face. "I'm stupid for crying all the time."

Baekhyun sniffled and decided that he couldn't stay in the room any longer, giving the siblings one last look before standing up from his spot, walking out of the room.

He wiped his eyes and Chanyeol's parents gave him empathetic smiles, walking with him into the elevator.

They stood in the elevator, and Chanyeol's mom suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence. "She's not going to wake up anymore..."

Baekhyun felt his world stop and he turned to Mrs. Park, completely shocked. "B-But her... Her heartbeat?"

Mrs. Park held back her tears and kept hold of her husband's hand. "She's going to be in an unconscious state for another week before she leaves."

That fact only made everything worse.

Baekhyun looked at the ground until the doors slid open and he walked out of the elevator.

He turned around and bowed to the Park parents, thanking them before bidding goodbye and leaving the hospital.

Baekhyun checked the time and read 4:30PM.

He waited at the bus stop for another fifteen minutes until the bus came and he stepped on, flopping down into his seat with a sigh.

He leaned his head back and was tempted to sleep, but with the strangers and the bumps on the road, it was quite hard to do so.

Instead, he opted to just sit there doing nothing, staring at the seat in front of him.

Minutes later and the bus stopped in front of the school at Baekhyun's request. He got off and said a half-hearted 'thank you', walking into the school with heavy steps.

He checked the current and game time again, deciding that he could rest a bit in the school before he made his way over to Choego High School.

He had learned that the team they were playing against was going to be INFINITE, and that they were hella good.

Baekhyun went into the empty cafeteria and sat down, looking around the space.

He heard footsteps coming from the hall and turned his head, spotting Sehun who casually turned the corner and spotted him.

"Oh, Baekhyun, that's where you were," he remarked and Baekhyun grinned fakely.

Sehun walked up to him and dropped down onto the chair, looking tired as ever.

He leaned back and let out a sigh. "Have you found Chanyeol?" Sehun asked.

"Um... About that..." Baekhyun trailed off, and he decided that he should just tell everything to Sehun. He was already planning it for a while, so what's the harm in doing it now? Everything about his feelings that he might or might not have anymore and about the crazy thing that happened including Chanyeol and him on Tuesday. "I like Chanyeol," Baekhyun blurted out and Sehun looked at him completely shocked, his eyes looking at Baekhyun skeptically.

"What?"

"You're mad aren't you? I mean, um. Well, it might be 'I liked Chanyeol' or something like that because I'm not so sure anymore..." Sehun narrowed his eyes at Baekhyun and the smaller gulped.

"When did this start?" Sehun asked and Baekhyun took in a breath, ready to tell Sehun everything.

"It actually started a while ago..."

Baekhyun told Sehun all of his stories, and Sehun surprisingly stayed awake the entire time, nodding and sometimes looking mysteriously angry.

"—And now I've been trying to give up on him, you can have him," Baekhyun finished and Sehun nodded, oddly resembling a therapist. "I'm really really sorry, I know you like Chanyeol too and now you can have him back..."

"Alright... Well... Baekhyun, I have something to tell you too..." Sehun stood up and Baekhyun stood up also, wondering what Sehun was going to do.

Sehun backed away from Baekhyun a bit and looked at Baekhyun apologetically. "Sorry... but not really," he said and Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows just in time to see Sehun lifting up his arm.

"Seh—"

A hard slap was heard across the cafeteria, and Baekhyun stood there holding his cheek, his eyes wide as he stared at the ground.

What the fuck?

Baekhyun looked back up at Sehun, completely confused and slightly annoyed that Sehun—his ever so innocent and young friend, slapped him. "Why did you—"

"The way I see it, Baekhyun... Is that you love him," Sehun pointed out and Baekhyun gaped at him, looking at him incredulously. "Why do you keep lying and just making this confusing for all or us? Think about it—no wait, that's not possible for you because you only think about Chanyeol—let me think about it, and I'll tell you. You say all this stuff about wanting to give up on him, but here you are, coming back to me and telling me all about it. If you really wanted to give up on him, you would have kept it to yourself and let it be buried by the dust. Instead, you chose to tell me all this bullshit—"

"Sehun you just swore—"

"—and then you think I'm mad about it because I like Chanyeol?" Sehun scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm mad because you. Are. So. Stupid," he said while pushing Baekhyun slightly back with a finger on his chest, causing the smaller to land in the chair again. He was now towering over Baekhyun, and that didn't stop his ranting. "You're so stupid because you don't realize the way Chanyeol looks at you, the way he talks about you, and the way he's always by your side. And don't tell me you forgot when he fucking promised to catch you whenever you fell."

Baekhyun was trying to process all this information but Sehun was ruthless, barely even allowing himself to take a breath. "Do all these things slip by your mind? Did they just get obliterated by your idiocy? Just because Chanyeol said some things that you heard and didn't like, suddenly all the other things don't matter?"

"No, that's not—"

"Because the way I see it, is that you're only thinking about yourself. And no, you're not being selfless for giving up on Chanyeol and giving him to me because I don't want him. Never have, never will."

Baekhyun was thoroughly confused now and Sehun just began chuckling at Baekhyun's expression.

"What I'm saying is... I lied. I already told you that I was one hell of an actor. Baekhyun, I'm Oh Sehun, and I get what I want. Even if I have to lie about liking my ugly best friend—who has a thing for midgets—and crying in the process."

Baekhyun sat there for a few more moments before Sehun took in another deep breath, ready for his last words.

"So I want you to get off your ass, and make a choice already!" Sehun finished and turned around gracefully but ruthlessly, stomping away

"But Sehun, you don't understand!" Baekhyun exclaimed and stood up, pushing his chair back in the process. Sehun was almost around the corner again, but Baekhyun continued. "His promises were all void! What's the point of making them if you're just going to break them?! Of course I'm dumb, but I'm not as dumb as him who won't even tell the truth for one second!"

Sehun didn't turn or go back to him, and so Baekhyun just fell into his chair, holding his head.

~

They were crowded in a circle, all clad in their uniform except for one.

"Game time," Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun could hear the sadness in his voice.

It really hurt him to see Chanyeol hurting, but a game was in a few minutes and it was really important.

Chanyeol came to Choego High School to watch them play, and even Jongdae noticed that something was off.

"Are you sure you should be here?" Jongdae asked and Chanyeol nodded. "I mean, you almost look depressed."

Chanyeol chuckled coldly, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he said, and god, there are the lies again.

Baekhyun wanted to punch Chanyeol's face for keeping everything in when he could just reach out and ask for help.

"We're missing a lot of people today..." Chanyeol began and slowly, things began to come back to Baekhyun.

It was funny, how people could change from one thing to another in one second, all because of a single factor.

That factor was basketball. Anytime, anywhere, it always pulled at someone's heart. It was just a sport, yet it could do so many things that no one's imagined. It was just a sport, but it could hurt someone so bad. It was just a sport, but it could bring tears of happiness to anyone's eyes. It was just a sport, but it could bring people together as one. It was just a sport but fuck, Baekhyun adored it so much.

"This is the semi-finals, and without three team members, people can only dream of this working..."

Everything, everything was coming back to Baekhyun.

"But, we're going to make it a reality,"

It was because of him.

"We can't sit by and watch them take the trophy from us again."

His weird hand gestures, they were what Baekhyun was used to.

"We have to make this happen, and I know we can do it."

His strong encouraging voice, it was what Baekhyun had come to find normal.

"I know we can do it, because we are ourselves. Not that little girl over there, the dog I saw on the leash outside, or the old man—our coach—that is glaring at us. Although I've only been with some of you for a short time, I know who you are, and I know we can pull this off."

His sparkling eyes, it was what pulled Baekhyun in and made him know what it felt like to be completely safe.

"I trust us."

Yes, it was Park Chanyeol.

The person that Baekhyun loves.

----------

[A/N]

Hm hm hm.

Oh Sehunnie, my bae, the president of the Chanbaek shipping club, the almighty worshipper.

Yes harhar, you all guessed it anyway *shrug* Sehun never liked Chanyeol that way.

I have a preview for y'all, these are the covers for some of the books I'm working on huhu :) They're all so pretty <3

waow, anyway none of these are the mythical one cuz yeah I didn't wanna show that one just yet and HOLY SHIT Chanyeol and Chen's song on Sugarman it wrecked me I cried, I wanted to just bury myself forever with that song on repeat...

Chanyeol's voice was so beautiful it took my heart away oh my lord, Chen's voice just topped it all off it was so sweet I- guahkhfulkheajkdna UGH UAGH...

Yeah I'll C you later!