These Stories Are Reasonable

Explosion (Alt. Ending)

Alternative ending (Chapter 154):

Gerard walked briskly after Ben, after Alex's plea to do so. It would be wrong for one to run through a hospital hallway wouldn't it? So speed walking, with the longest strides he could manage, was the next best option. Many thing's clouded the boy's clarity at this time, each begging for one more ounce of attention than the other's. The collision tore chunks of his focus away at a rapid rate, leaving a disorganized, shredded, mess in it's wake. "Ben Park!" He exclaimed, rushing around the corner only to see the closing of the elevator door. Two shiny metal forces, unstoppable.

Ben probably could've stopped the unstoppable force, since he'd always been the greatest at things like that, after all, he's the Great Ben Park of Eunjang. Though, he didn't. The boy caught a glimpse of his friend's green hair and panicked expression and carelessly dismissed it, carrying on as planned. The elevator would shoot him back down to ground floor, his heavenly escape from this. His friends. The guilt. The dreaded hospital environment.

He faked it for, with every visit, Ben would smile and tell the smaller stories. Barraging him with joke after joke in an attempt to hear him laugh. Every time Ben set foot in that hospital, no matter how good of intentions he had or how excited he was to see Gray, it hurt. His scars felt new and raw as his body subconsciously waited for the cold dripping of blood that often flowed from such a feeling. However, it failed to come, leaving his senses confused and in a considerably more amount of pain. Gray had picked up on this, as one might assume he would. Gentle violet eyes had told the stronger, bolder, broader, boy that it was okay and that he could talk about it.

"Every great therapist has a therapist," He'd smiled. It was the day of his check-up on his arm, when he'd stopped in without the other guys. Nobody else would've heard those sweet words or seen Ben when he stopped fighting the tears. If he'd stopped fighting the tears. Gray was hurting, physically, emotionally, mentally; Gray was in pain; he should be the one being comforted right now. Ben returned a half-hearted attempt at a smile, making stop motions with his hands as he'd replied with, "I'm alright, really, thank you though Gray! Look how far we've come, it's great. I do have to go though, don't tell Alex I came by," Then promptly beginning his rush out the door before Gray could make him feel like he had to stay, like Gray really could weather whatever storm, Ben was facing, alongside him.

"You remind me too much of my Stephen Ahn, Ben Park," Was the last thing he heard. Small and muffled as the words might of been. In Ben's mind the were clear as day. 
'He tried hard to mask it with a smile.'
'He tried too hard to be everyone's friend.'
'He loved too much.'
'He was too kind.'
'You remind me too much of my Stephen Ahn, Ben Park.'

"Fuck," Ben had mumbled, halfway down the hallway. Deep down, or maybe it was more superficial, he knew that he was hurting Gray, with every step he took away from the room. He knew that Gray wanted, desperately pleaded, for Ben to confide in him his problems. However, Ben kept walking.

I can't burden them when it's my fault.

Yes, Ben hated the hospital more then he let on.

Gerard raced to the stair, flinging open the door and skipping three at a time. Manually changing floors is considered old school and outdated, seeing as how the elevator was much faster and used less energy. Though in this moment, as the tall boy sprinted down stairs, begging that nobody else would be attempting them, the thought of it being slower was irrelevant. Gerard Jin was sure that he'd beat the other to ground floor.

It reminded him of racing to their very first club room off campus in Middle School. Not the one at the shopping complex, as that had come much later, instead it was an even simpler and more low-budget room. Four white walls and a ceiling over their head, as that was all one could ask for sometimes. Jinu would meet him half-way and they'd both continue the sprint together. Laughing and describing their how their respective days' had been.