The next couple weeks flew by quickly for the relatively new couple. Baekhyun always waiting for Chanyeol down by the park late at night and then them both spending the rest of their time together in the others arms. They had it all in those moments and neither of them would forget any of those that they shared together. Now would be the time to hang onto those lovely memories for today was officially the turning point in both Chanyeol's and Baekhyun's lives.

Yixing, Baekhyun, Jongdae, Sehun, and Jongin had all been picked to go out on a small grocery run down at the nearby family shop that had literally all their favorite snacks. It took them about an hour to gather everything for themselves and the other members, but after convincing Sehun and Jongin to actually spend some money and not be the cheapskates they were, the five of them managed to leave the store in one peace.

No fans were around and so they didn't have to worry about rushing back to the dorm. Though on the way back, Baekhyun couldn't help but to feel as if something had gone wrong. It was like something in the air had changed and put him on edge.

The second they returned to the dorm, Baekhyun placed the groceries down in the kitchen and then made a b-line for his and Chanyeol's room. He practically tripped from trying to sprint so quickly to his fallen lover who laid unconsciously on their bedroom floor. It looked as if he had just collapsed again like he did on stage almost two months ago.

But this time was different.

Chanyeol looked even more sickly than before and his breathing was slower than it should have been. Baekhyun nearly cried out to anyone who was nearby while he quickly picked up Chanyeol's head and upper body so that he could hug him close to his chest. Junmyeon and Yifan were the first to rush into the room and needless to say they were a little, very, shocked to see the state both Baekhyun and Chanyeol were in.

They immediately called an ambulance and then tried to calm Baekhyun down as much as was physically possible. But what neither of those two leaders knew was that it wasn't just Baekhyun's friend that had collapsed, no, it was also the love of his life that was slowly slipping out of his grasp.

Once the paramedics arrived, all the EXO members were shocked and some even crying seeing the horrible state Chanyeol was in. Kyungsoo had to hold Baekhyun in a bear hug to keep the boy from hyperventilating or hysterically crying.

"Shhh, Baek, you have to calm down." Kyungsoo whispered to him. "Chanyeol wouldn't want you to be crying."

Even with those hushed words, Baekhyun couldn't stop his tears. Junmyeon wouldn't let him into the ambulance and so he was stuck within the dorm with the knowledge that maybe if he never left Chanyeol alone earlier, then maybe this wouldn't have ever happened.

It was his fault.

This was his fault.

It was a few days before Chanyeol was released from the hospital and driven back to the dorm by Yifan. The second he walked in, Baekhyun very nearly tackled him and once again began silently crying due to the fact he wasn't allowed to visit him at all while he was admitted to the hospital. Chanyeol specifically requested that Baekhyun not see him, but he never told anyone the reason.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright now Chanyeol? Will you be fine now? Please tell me you're no longer sick." The pleas came out one after another while Baekhyun buried his face into Chanyeol's chest. The other members just watched in slight shock and also in sympathy since they were also wanting to greet Chanyeol but knew just how close him and Baekhyun had grown since he first collapsed on stage.

Chanyeol only smiled as he wrapped his arms protectively around Baekhyun's back and glanced over to the other members. "I'm alright now Baekhyunnie, but this night is going to be my last so please don't cry."

It was almost comical how everyone's eyes widened when they heard Chanyeol's words. Baekhyun immediately looked up at him, tears still trailing down his cheeks as he whispered a small "you must be joking..."

Junmyeon was next to step up and ask what everyone had on their minds. "So they released you from he hospital because you're terminally ill correct?" He asked, suddenly more serious than he's ever been before.

Chanyeol gave everyone a saddened smile while hugging Baekhyun even tighter. "Yeah... I've been sick since before EXO actually. But it wasn't until I collapsed on stage that the illness finally began sinking in and I remembered that my days were numbered..."

Baekhyun tried his hardest not to cry anymore. He tried so hard to stop those damn tears and he somehow managed to do it as he pulled away from Chanyeol with the biggest smile he's ever had in his life. "Then let's make tonight the best you've ever had."

The other members had tears in their eyes the rest of the night as they played games with Chanyeol and made so many new and great memories. By the time everyone began falling asleep, each of them could honestly say that they had had the best night of their lives and it was all because of Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

Baekhyun on the other hand was still holding back tears even when he was smiling. Him and Chanyeol had walked back to their shared room and once again, like all the nights before, laid down on Chanyeol's bed with their bodies practically molded together. Baekhyun kept his head pressed tightly to Chanyeol's chest while he listened closely to every beat that his heart sounded. He didn't want to miss a single one before they were going to be ripped away from him for the rest of his life.

"You know Baekhyunnie, I really have liked you since EXO first debuted." Chanyeol suddenly whispered, causing Baekhyun to look up at him with a faint blush. "And every time you blush or smile, it just made me know that you were the one I wanted to live the rest of my life with..."

Baekhyun smiled as he moved just enough to gently place his lips against Chanyeol's in what would be their final kiss. "I liked you since then to you idiot." He said the pet name with such a bright smile it was almost saddening at the fact the tears he was holding back were threatening to spill.

But he wouldn't let Chanyeol see him cry.

Baekhyun slowly moved himself down again and went back to listening to Chanyeol's heart beat. The taller shifted a bit and then began talking again as he held one of his hands up in the air, though Baekhyun didn't look up to see what he was holding since he kept his eyes closed in concentration.

"And I don't think I've ever said this to you yet... But Byun Baekhyun, I love you."

The tears he didn't want to shed slowly came out as he buried his head further into Chanyeol's chest. "I love you to Park Chanyeol, forever and always..." Baekhyun hiccuped and it all came out muffled.

The night went by slowly after that. Chanyeol kept his arms wrapped around Baekhyun protectively once he set whatever he had in his hands down. Baekhyun was almost lulled to sleep by the soft hums Chanyeol was doing to keep him calm. He didn't want to admit that this was his reality. That his world was ending on this night. That the love of his life would be gone before sunrise.

Why couldn't it have been him that got sick and why was it he had to have fallen asleep on this night?

"No matter what Baekhyun, I'll love you whether or not I'm dead or alive. But you have to move on alright? Don't forget me, but don't keep yourself from happiness either..."

Chanyeol's words were nothing more than a low whisper as he gently kissed the top of the sleeping Baekhyun's head one last time and then slowly shut his eyes for the final time. Those melodic heart beats began to slow in there 'baddumps' and his breathing along with them. Chanyeol's entire body just stopped in all it's functions as he enjoyed his last moments with the love of his life wrapped firmly within his arms.

When morning came, Baekhyun couldn't stop the wails that escaped him as he desperately hugged Chanyeol's cold form to his chest. Everything was gone to him. When Chanyeol's heart stopped beating, so did Baekhyun's will to be happy and live.

Minseok and Luhan were the first two to enter the room and they couldn't even do anything as they stood there with tears in their eyes while watching Baekhyun hold onto Chanyeol's body, crying for him to wake up. It wasn't until Junmyeon arrived that they finally ripped Baekhyun away from the now dead boy lying in the bed and rushed him out of the room. Though he didn't go without a fight as he screamed, punched, and flailed, trying to get back to his lost love.

That was the morning where everything for EXO would change. Their twelve member band would drop to eleven and another member would be left alone. Kyungsoo had to keep Baekhyun company from then on out so he didn't do anything stupid without Chanyeol there to keep him sane. The other members very nearly pitied the poor boy since he no longer looked like he was truly living anymore.

Baekhyun, for the rest of the day, just sat in a corner of the dorm and cried to himself. He didn't want anyone near him as he let his feelings pour out.

"I love you..."

He kept repeating those three words, over and over again, praying to himself that maybe, just maybe, he would get a response...

"I love you to Baekhyunnie, please don't cry..."