the boy next door » baekhyun

xix

LEE HA-YI • XI

Baekhyun. He collapsed. Right in front of me.

I suddenly felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach. My breathing instantly hitched.

"Baek.." I muttered. He remained, lying on the floor.

"Baekhyun!" I choked the words out this time, already feeling the tears well up in my eyes. I dragged myself down, onto my knees, and placed my hands onto his cheeks. They were cold. I fumbled for his pulse underneath his suit's collar, and mentally thanked God that he still had one.

"What the hell happened?!" I heard Chanyeol's deep voice call out. I didn't bother turning around from Baekhyun, as he was already by my side within the next few seconds.

"Baek? Baekhyun!" Chanyeol cried, as he lightly shook his shoulders. I sat there, anxiously waiting for any sign of response, but nothing came. I knew everyone in the event hall had their eyes on us on the ground, as the music and all talking had stopped, but I didn't care.

Baekhyun... something's not right.

"I'm calling the hospital," Chanyeol quickly said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. I studied his face as he dialed the phone number. He was trying hard not to cry. I could see it in his eyes. But I couldn't blame him, Baekhyun was his best friend.

"Hello, yes, a friend of mine fainted, he.." Chanyeol began, but I didn't catch the rest of his words because my mind was too occupied by Baekhyun, Baekhyun, and only Baekhyun.

The last time I saw Baekhyun on that night was before he was pulled into the back of the ambulance to be rushed to the hospital. Me and Chanyeol were not allowed to go with him.

—-

VII

The next several days were a blur. It had been already four days ever since the Fall Dance, the day I had slow-danced with Baekhyun, the day he fainted.

But I haven't even seen him once.

In school, I was like a walking statue. I didn't say much to anyone, nor did anyone say much to me. I felt.. empty. Empty without him by my side. By me and Chanyeol's side. Obviously Chanyeol was sadder than usual, but he tried his best to stay optimistic, always attempting to make me smile or laugh, attempting to get my mind of Baekhyun. Even though I did try to laugh or smile back, deep down, I wasn't getting any better. I was too worried about him. He had been absent from school ever since the dance. I asked Chanyeol if he knew anything about Baekhyun, since they had been friends for much longer than me, but he kept refusing or saying that he didn't know anything. I wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but, to be honest, it wasn't that convincing.

Everyday, after school, me and Chanyeol would walk to the hospital where Baekhyun was, and wait for however long we had to wait to get a chance to speak to somebody, only to get rejected by the lady at the front desk. She must've been annoyed with us two coming back every single day. But we couldn't help ourselves. We had to know what was going on with Baekhyun. I thought he was fine. At least, that's what he said.

Again, the end of the school day had come, so I waited for Chanyeol to come out of his last class, Calculus.

"Yeol, let's go?" I looked up at him. He had his hand on the back of his neck.

"Uh, Ha-yi, the lady clearly isn't going to tell us anything, so–"

"We have to go, Chanyeol!" I cut him short and frowned. "How could you give up so easily?"

"It's not that I'm giving up, it just seems like we won't get a chance to see him anytime soon–"

"Never mind. I'll go myself," I sighed, and walked out of the school premises, not waiting for Chanyeol's reply.