Hanahaki [ A HyunHo Fanfiction ]

Chapter Nine - Gift

"No. That's not true. He's just sleeping. Why are you crying!?" Minho yelled at Changbin who is just sitting on the tiled floor. "Just leave." Minho was shocked at how tired and raspy Changbin's voice is. He looks dead. "I'll call a doctor. Stay here."

When Minho left the house, Changbin stood up and slowly walked out to see Hyunjin. He couldn't even cry harder anymore as his eyes are already in pain. He sat infront of Hyunjin's painting and smiled. "You still managed to create a beautiful painting even when you were hurting." Changbin muttered, brushing the canvas with his fingertips.

"Are you happy now that you got what you wanted?" Changbin was asking the air. There is no way Hyunjin could hear or answer him. The healthy looking man sitting on the couch seems like a statue. It's like a wax figure. A perfect one.

Changbin heard the front door open and saw Minho with the town's doctor. One glance at Hyunjin and he knew what happened. "I've only read it in books.. I can't believe it exists." The doctor exclaimed and examined Hyunjin's body. "What exists? What happened to him?" Minho was desperate to know why Hyunjin isn't breathing. "Hanahaki. It only affects the host when they get married that is why most people who has this disease don't marry. How brave is this young man?"

"Hanahaki?" Changbin shut his eyes, not wanting to hear anymore. He has heard enough when he tried to help his best friend but it was useless. He couldn't defy Hyunjin's wishes.

"Yes." The doctor unbuttoned Hyunjin's shirt after taking the apron off and touched his chest. He quickly pulled away when he got picked by Hyunjin's thorns. "It feeds on their emotions in exchange for physical pain their host cannot feel anything anymore. Especially heartache. It's like a parasite but a flower."

Minho shook his head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Are you saying the a flower is inside Hyunjin!?" The doctor sighed and buttoned Huunjin's shirt up. "Yes. It grew inside of him. His body is like a garden. A rose garden in his case. What did you do that made him suffer like this?"

"He cheated, asked for a divorce and the list goes on." Changbin bitterly said and sighed in frustration. "Me? Why is this my fault!? How the hell would I know if he stops breathing!?"

The doctor patted Minho's shoulder and smiled slightly. "You didn't proceed with the divorce? I'm actually surprised he didn't ask you to file a divorce after the first pain in his heart." Changbin covered his face with his palms, sobbing silently again as he imagined how much pain Hyunjin has to go through. And he didn't notice. "He loves you, young man."

"However, we can still save him. If you let me take the rose out of his heart then there's a good chance he'll recover." Minho nodded almost immediately, desperate to save his husband. "No." Changbin refused.

"What? Are you just going to let Hyunjin die!?" Minho pulled Changbin up by his collar only to get pushed away. "He doesn't want to be saved." Minho gritted his teeth and punched Changbin sending him to close to the rail. "What the fuck do you know? Making sure he lives is the only thing I care about!" Minho growled.

The doctor stopped the fight before it becomes mutual and cupped Minho's cheeks. "Young man. There are consequences if you agree and I understand why your friend here doesn't want to go with it. Once he recovers he will forget you. Everything about your relationship. He will not remember a single thing, not even your name or the day he met you. It's the price you have to pay for hurting him and his blessing in order for him to love someone else."

Changbin rubbed his cheek as he listened. If he gets to decide, he wants hyunjin to breathe again. He doesn't care if Hyunjin doesn't remember Minho and it might be a good chance for him to actually step up his game and show his best friend his true feelings. "Do it." Minho whispered. "I don't care if he doesn't remember me. Just.. just save him."

But Changbin knows what Hyunjin wants. "Please Minho. Are you going to hurt him again? He wants to remember your memories together that's why he chose to give you up. He didn't want to wake up one day and not remember you! That's his wish so be better to him this time and let him go." The doctor patted Minho's shoulder and walked out of the house, knowing what the final answer is going to be.

They stayed there, silent. Not one person talked. Minho and Changbin sat together on the floor as they stared at Hyunjin's peaceful face. "He looks like he's just sleeping." Minho whispered, a drop of tear running down his cheek. "You know, I came back here not knowing what to do. I didn't know if I should go on with my choice or stay with what I already have." Changbin listened, after all Minho is also his friend. "It was actually me refusing to acknowledge my mistake. I know deep inside that Hyunjin is all I want. Just because our relationship got dull recently I hooked up with someone who I thought gave me sparks."

"Why did you have to realize that so late, you bastard?" Changbin asked, turning his head to look at Minho. He looks like a ticking bomb. Anytime he could burst into tears but he's still holding it in. "I know. I married him for a reason, I chose him because I saw forever with him."

Minho sniffled and covered his face with his palms. Changbin on the other hand frowned when he saw a small envelope on the back of the canvas. "Minho-yah." Minho raised his head when Changbin called him. "What?"

"Isn't that a letter?"

Gift. That's right. Minho was supposed to receive a gift from Hyunjin. "Is the painting his gift?" Minho muttered as he stood up and took the painting from the easel. Walking back to Changbin, he sat down and turned the canvas around taking the letter taped on the wooden edge.

To my husband, Lee Minho
-Lee Hyunjin

—

"I want to know what was written in the letter grandpa.." Myungsoo is already crying. "But that was for Minho, not for Myungsoo. When you're older maybe you'll get letters that are meant for you too. Now go to sleep. The story is over Myungie."

Myungsoo hopped off from Minho's lap and crossed his arms. Chuckling, Minho gave his grandson a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Myungie."