Wish Upon a Balloon Part 1

Title: Wish Upon a Balloon

Pairing: BaekYeol
Minor Pairing: HunHan
Part: 1
Rating: PG
Genre: fluff, friendship, romance
Disclaimer: I wish
Warnings: this is a choose not to warn experience
Summary: Their unexpected friendship is much like a balloon- bright, colorful, and
ephemeral.

Baekhyun is staring blankly out the window when someone bursts into his room in an
explosion of color and words.

�Sehun! I can�t believe you broke a leg trying to impress Luhan with that dance
move! You�re so�� The person, a tall and rather gangly boy about Baekhyun�s age,
stops speaking when he takes in the sight of Baekhyun gaping wordlessly at him.
�And you�re not Sehun,� the boy finishes, lowering the flowers and balloons he is
brandishing.

�I-I�m sorry?� Baekhyun stammers out.

The boy flails his arms a bit, causing some petals from the flower bouquet he is
carrying to float gently to the floor. �No, I should be sorry! I got the wrong
room. Sorry to be a bother!� And like that, he left in the same whirlwind that he
came in with. Baekhyun barely has time to wonder what just happened when the boy
shuffles back in.

�Ah, sorry, but do you by any chance know where room 1362 is?� the boy asks
sheepishly.

�It should be a little further down the hall on your left,� says Baekhyun
immediately.

�Oh.� The boy looks surprised. �You know your way around here pretty well. Thanks!�
He turns to leave, but then hesitates. �Do you want a balloon?� he asks, gesturing
to the cluster of balloons he has. He selects a white balloon from the bunch and
offers it to Baekhyun. Baekhyun reaches out to take it, but the tubes keep him from
going too far from the machines.

This does not go unnoticed by the other boy. He steps closer and, before Baekhyun
realizes what he is doing, ties the ribbon in a neat bow around Baekhyun�s wrist,
careful to avoid the tubes. �There,� he says, and the smile that spreads across his
face is so wide that Baekhyun has a hard time looking at it. �Thanks again!� He
waves as he leaves the room and closes the door gently behind him, a contrast to
the loud words that had spilled out of his mouth only moments before.

Baekhyun gazes up at the white balloon, watching it bob lazily as he moves his
hand. A slow smile spreads across his face.

To say Baekhyun is surprised to see the boy sitting next to his door the following
day after his treatment is an understatement. Upon seeing Baekhyun, the boy shoots
up and waves at him enthusiastically.

�What are you doing here?� Baekhyun blurts out when the nurse wheels him up to his
door.

�I�ll take it from here,� the boy tells the nurse happily, and proceeds to wheel
Baekhyun into his room. Baekhyun is too confused to protest when the boy helps him
climb into his bed as though Baekhyun isn�t a complete stranger. The boy smiles at
the balloon that is tied to the head of Baekhyun�s bed. �You kept it!�

�Yeah,� says Baekhyun dazedly. �I�m sorry. I don�t mean to be rude, but who are
you?�

�Park Chanyeol!� the boy chirps. �And you�re Byun Baekhyun, right? I swear I�m not
being a creepy stalker or anything!� he continues before Baekhyun can ask. �Your
name was on the card under the room number thingy.�

�Oh, okay.� Baekhyun watches as the boy�Chanyeol�drags the chair from the corner of
the room to the bedside. �Do you often speak using so many exclamation points?�

Chanyeol looks surprised for a moment before bursting into a carefree, booming
laughter that fills up the room with a sort of cheer that it hasn�t seen in a
while. �Sorry, I�m kind of a loud person,� he says once the laughter has passed.
�I�ll try to be more quiet. Indoor voice.�

�No,� says Baekhyun quickly, waving a hand frantically. �That�s not what I meant.
It�s just�not many people around here speak so enthusiastically, and I like it�it�s
a nice change.� He says the last part to his lap, too embarrassed to say it to the
other directly. When Baekhyun looks up, there�s a grin so wide on Chanyeol�s face
that his eye twitches. It would be creepy if it wasn�t so endearing.

�So how�s the food here?� asks Chanyeol, smile not leaving his face. �Sehun spent
the last hour complaining about bad it was.�

�It could be worse,� says Baekhyun, and Chanyeol laughs again at the face he makes.
�Sehun�your friend who broke his leg trying to impress�?�

�Luhan,� Chanyeol fills in quickly. �Luhan is a senior at our school, and Sehun�s
been in love with him since forever. For some reason, Sehun thought breakdancing
would be the way into his heart, not the way into the hospital.� Chanyeol chuckles
at his own joke.

�Was he impressed? Luhan?� Baekhyun questions curiously.

�Probably not, but he definitely pities Sehun because he was coming in with a bunch
of flowers as I was leaving. Sehun�s probably on cloud nine right now. � Chanyeol
brightens and reaches down into his bag. �Speaking of gifts, I have something for
you.� He comes up with a miniature foil balloon on a stick and hands it to
Baekhyun.

Baekhyun stares at the �Get well soon!� printed in neon yellow lettering across the
balloon and feels deeply touched. It has been a long while since anyone has
bothered getting him a gift of that sort. �You didn�t have to,� he says, and is
horrified that his voice comes out thickly. He sniffs and tries to blink away the
tears that have inexplicably sprung up in his eyes.

�It�s just something I got from the gift store downstairs,� Chanyeol interjects
hurriedly, eyes wide as a tear makes its way down Baekhyun�s cheek. �It�s nothing
much. Please don�t cry.� Tugging down the sleeve of his shirt, he uses it to gently
dry Baekhyun�s face.

Baekhyun lets out a choked laugh. �There�s a box of tissues on the night stand,� he
informs Chanyeol.

Chanyeol pauses in his ministrations and stares dumbly at the box. �Oh.� He
scratches his head as an embarrassed smile graces his lips. �Well then. I feel
smart.�

Baekhyun clutches the stick of his balloon and gives Chanyeol a watery smile. With
as much sincerity as he can muster, he says a quiet, �Thank you.� Chanyeol�s
answering beam is so bright that it momentarily blinds Baekhyun.

�Baekhyun!� cries Chanyeol as he bursts into the room, not unlike the way he did
the first time he came in. �Guess what I have?�

Baekhyun glances in amusement at the colorful thing that Chanyeol is waving around.
�A balloon?� he guesses.

Chanyeol plops down on Baekhyun�s bed and ruffles his hair in a familiar,
affectionate gesture. �Not just any old balloon! A balloon for making balloon
animals and stuff!�

�You know how to make balloon animals?� Baekhyun asks, a little impressed.

�No,� admits Chanyeol, deflating a bit. �I got it from Luhan. Apparently, he has a
part-time job making balloon animals at one of those kiosks in the mall. He was
making all sorts of things for Sehun when I got there, and let me tell you, Sehun
was thrilled. He turned eleven different shades of red when Luhan made him a heart
with two doves in it!� Chanyeol then blows up the balloon and ties the end. They
both stare at it for a moment.

�I think this is the part where you start twisting,� Baekhyun says helpfully.

�I�m going to make a puppy,� Chanyeol announces with a determined tone. �Because
you remind me of a puppy.�

Before Baekhyun can protest that Chanyeol is the one that�s like a puppy with his
constant excitement and eager-to-please nature, Chanyeol gives the balloon a mighty
twist. His tongue sticks out between his teeth in concentration as he shapes the
balloon, and Baekhyun tries not to smile too widely at the other�s focused
expression.

�Um,� says Chanyeol a few minutes later. �That didn�t quite work out the way I
planned��

Baekhyun struggles to keep a straight face. �I think it�s a lovely sausage link,�
he says solemnly.

�Argh!� Chanyeol cries in frustration, hands running through and messing up his mop
of curly hair. �Okay, I�m going to have to ask Luhan to teach me. I will make you
something, I swear!� he promises Baekhyun with such earnestness that Baekhyun just
doesn�t have the heart to tell him that he didn�t really want one in the first
place.

Baekhyun can�t help flushing deeply when Chanyeol bounces in the next day and fixes
a clumsily made, oversized golden crown on his head, declaring Baekhyun royalty in
a deep, booming voice and mock-bowing to him. Because the way Chanyeol�s eyes
twinkle as he smiles at him really does make Baekhyun feel like the king of the
world.

�Baekhyun,� Chanyeol stage-whispers as he slips into the room. He scurries over to

Baekhyun�s bed with barely contained eagerness.

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. Chanyeol usually enters the room with as much noise as
possible, so he knows immediately that something is up. �Is something going on
today?� asks Baekhyun carefully, closing the book he had been reading and setting
it on his stand.

Chanyeol is practically vibrating with excitement as he clambers onto the bed to

open the window. �Come here,� he insists, tugging on Baekhyun�s hand.

Baekhyun allows himself to be pulled to the window. �What�s going on?� He peers out
the window and down at the courtyard below.

�Sehun is getting discharged today!� Chanyeol reveals gleefully, rubbing his hands
together.

�Yay?� Baekhyun tries, still confused. �If he�s getting discharged, shouldn�t you
be helping him with being discharged and all?�

�Nah, he�s got Luhan; he wouldn�t want me there. Besides, I have better things to
do with you�� Chanyeol procures a bucket out of nowhere and drags it onto the bed,
��and these bad boys.�

�Water balloons,� Baekhyun states blankly, looking at the multi-colored blobs.

�You see,� Chanyeol explains patiently, �your window is directly above the entrance
that Sehun will be using to leave.�

�Oh. Oh.�

Chanyeol smiles impishly. �Now all we have to do is watch and wait.�

A few minutes later, two figures emerge from the entrance. Baekhyun pulls
Chanyeol�s sleeve. �Is that them?�

�Yup,� snickers Chanyeol as the figure with crutches hobbles slowly along. �And let
the fun begin.� He hands Baekhyun a water balloon. �Here you do the honors.�

Baekhyun shakes his head frantically. �Chanyeol, I can�t water bomb a person I
don�t know,� he hisses, pushing the wobbling balloon back to the other boy.

�Come on! It�ll be fun!� Chanyeol maintains, thrusting the balloon tenaciously at
Baekhyun. �Sehun�s a good sport; he won�t be too mad. We�ve pranked each other lots
of times already!�

�No!� cries Baekhyun, knocking Chanyeol�s hand out of the way. �I can�t!� The
balloon slips from Chanyeol�s grip and flies out the window. Baekhyun and Chanyeol
exchange looks before scrambling to stick their heads out the window.

�Uh-oh,� Chanyeol murmurs as they observe the trajectory of the balloon. It�s
heading in Sehun�s direction, but not quite. �Oh no, no no no no no please not��

The balloon explodes on the person without the crutches, causing both him and Sehun
to jump in surprise. Sehun, losing his balance and toppling over on the grass,
escapes most of the water. Luhan bears the brunt of it, the balloon�s contents
drenching him from head to toe. Slowly, with water dripping everywhere, Luhan turns
around and looks up.

�Crap!� yelps Chanyeol, and he quickly pulls Baekhyun back into the room.

Chanyeol�s phone suddenly rings, Luhan�s name flashing on the caller ID. Giving
Baekhyun a horrified look, Chanyeol slowly presses the Answer button. �Hey, hyung!
How are you?� he says as chirpily as possible.

�Park Chanyeol,� a sickeningly sweet voice replies. �You clearly do not value your
life. No worries. I will relieve you of that burden next time we meet.� There is a
click as the call ends.

Chanyeol flops over and buries his face in Baekhyun�s lap. �I�m so screwed,� he
groans dramatically. �This is it�this is the end for me. Goodbye, sweet life! If
only we had longer.�

Baekhyun takes one look at Chanyeol�s prone figure, and, without meaning to, bursts
into laughter, the sound bubbling uncontrollably from his mouth. By the time he
finishes, there are tears in his eyes and a mean stitch in his side that leaves him
breathless. He looks at Chanyeol to see the latter sitting up and staring wide-eyed
at him.

�What?� asks Baekhyun self-consciously. �Is there something on my face?�

Chanyeol shakes his head, curls bouncing. �No. It�s just�� He trails off before
shaking his head once more, cheeks coloring slightly. �It�s nothing,� he assures
Baekhyun.

Baekhyun doesn�t believe him and proceeds to pester him about it for the rest of
visiting hours. But no matter how much Baekhyun pleads, whines, and, as a last
resort, tickles, Chanyeol refuses to tell him, an infuriating, secretive smile
growing on his face with every passing minute.

The next day, Chanyeol whines about how evil Luhan is under his cute exterior and
declares that small, adorable people should not be trusted on account of fraud and
deception.

�Except you,� Chanyeol adds self-righteously. �My Baekhyun is as adorable on the

outside as he is on the inside.�

�You sure about that?� drawls Baekhyun before he pushes Chanyeol off his bed and
onto the floor.

�Not you too!� laments Chanyeol when he pops back up, rubbing his butt tentatively.
�How could you, Baekhyun? I trusted you, and you betrayed me!�

Baekhyun chortles as Chanyeol gingerly climbs back onto the bed, unable to keep a
wide, silly smile off his face.

(Chanyeol can�t keep one off his either.)

Baekhyun falls asleep after receiving treatment, and he vaguely remembers being
pushed down the hallway, a whispered conversation, and going up, up, up before he
drifts off again.

He comes to once more when a warm hand gently shakes him awake. �Huh,� Baekhyun
gargles intelligently.

�Baekhyun, wake up,� a voice coaxes.

Baekhyun cracks open an eye and is greeted by a megawatt smile. �Chanyeol?�

�The one and only!�

Baekhyun straightens in his wheelchair and rubs the remnants of sleepiness from his
eyes. �What�s up?� When Chanyeol doesn�t answer, Baekhyun peers over at him.
�Chan�Whoa!� Baekhyun takes a moment to look around at the chain link fence and the
view of buildings touching the sky. �Why are we on the rooftop?� Despite the
shining sun overhead, he shivers as a cold wind blows.

Chanyeol holds up a small piece of paper and a pen. �Because we�re going to write
our wishes down, attach them to those�� Chanyeol nods at the two floating balloons
that he has ready, ��and send them off on a journey!�

�What prompted this?� mused Baekhyun.

�It�s something that I�ve always wanted to do,� Chanyeol says as he places a piece
of paper and a pen in Baekhyun�s lap. �Think of a good wish, okay? And no peeking
at mine!� He sticks his tongue out childishly and then turns around to prevent
Baekhyun from seeing.

Baekhyun bites back a smile before turning to his own piece of paper. What to wish
for� Baekhyun peeks over at Chanyeol and sees the other boy in deep thought, back
hunched in concentration. Perhaps�

Rubbing his hands together, Baekhyun picks up his pen and, willing his fingers to
cooperate with every ounce of resolve he has, puts it to the paper. He moves the
tip and produces an indistinct, shaky line. Baekhyun frowns and tries again. The
results are the same. Baekhyun bites his bottom lip nervously, glancing over at
Chanyeol to make sure he isn�t looking. He takes a deep breath, coughing slightly
when the smoky air dries his throat, and turns back to his paper.

There are red flecks peppering the white surface, slowly seeping into it. He stares
at it in horror. Baekhyun swallows thickly with rising anxiety as he tastes a faint
but tell-tale coppery tang.

�Are you done with your wish?� Chanyeol�s voice rings out, jerking Baekhyun out of
his reverie.

Baekhyun quickly rolls the stained paper up clumsily so Chanyeol won�t see. �Yeah,�
he says, smiling as Chanyeol turns around. �Ready when you are.�

Chanyeol speedily ties the ribbon around his rolled-up paper before turning to help
Baekhyun with his. �Okay,� he says when both of them are holding their respective
balloons and wishes. �We�ll think about our wish as hard as we can, and on the
count of three, we�ll let them go. Ready?� Baekhyun nods.

�One.�

Baekhyun closes his eyes and thinks about what he wants most in the world.
�Two.�

He reaches blindly to his side, and his hand finds Chanyeol, who laces their
fingers together.

�Three.�

Chanyeol squeezes Baekhyun�s hand. Baekhyun lets go of his balloon and opens his
eyes.

The two balloons float upwards, the strings tangling briefly before gradually
unraveling and allowing the balloons to travel separately. They watch the progress
until the two balloons are merely dots in the blue sky. Baekhyun lowers his eyelids
and tilts his head back, soaking in the warmth of the sunlight. It�s been a while
since he�s gone outside, so he wants to savor every moment of it.

�Baekhyun.� Baekhyun blinks, and Chanyeol�s kneeling in front of him so they are
eye to eye. Chanyeol takes both of Baekhyun�s hands. �Baekhyun,� he repeats, and
Baekhyun is mesmerized by how the sun forms a halo of light in the other�s hair.
�Baekhyun.�

�Yes?� breathes Baekhyun. There�s something in the way that Chanyeol�s lips curve
up, something that Baekhyun can�t quite put a name to nor understand. Chanyeol
doesn�t answer for a moment, merely holding his gaze with an intensity that
simultaneously electrifies and worries Baekhyun.

Then, with a soft laugh, he sets Baekhyun�s hands back in his lap and stands up in
one fluid movement. �We should get you back inside,� he says in a lighthearted tone
as he brushes off his pants. �The nurses will scold me if I keep you up here any
longer.�

Chanyeol gathers up his belongings and wheels Baekhyun back inside, chattering
about how Sehun and Luhan are finally together now and how disgustingly lovey-dovey
they are with one another.

�Chanyeol,� says Baekhyun, glancing up as said person is ranting about one

particularly traumatizing lunch period.

Chanyeol has an inquisitive expression on his face. �Baekhyun.�

�I like balloons,� Baekhyun states plainly, and this time, he doesn�t need to look
back to know that Chanyeol has an ear-splitting grin on his face.

�I like balloons too,� Chanyeol admits quietly.

His hands linger when he tucks Baekhyun into bed later, fingers lightly skimming
Baekhyun�s jaw and leaving a fiery trail in their wake.

Chanyeol bounds in, ready to throw himself onto Baekhyun�s bed, but stops short
when he sees more machines than usual.

�What are those, Baekhyun?� he asks, genuinely confused.

�Oh, these?� Baekhyun gestures flippantly with a small smile. �This one is to help
me breath when I sleep, and this one is to help me eat because I can�t�it�s a bit
hard for me to swallow.�
A weird expression flashes across Chanyeol�s face before he�s smiling and laughing
again, asking Baekhyun about his day and telling him about his friend Jongin�s
latest antics in his quest to get the cute Chinese transfer student to notice him.

Part 2

Wish Upon a Balloon Part 2

Title: Wish Upon a Balloon
Pairing: BaekYeol
Minor Pairing: HunHan
Part: 2
Rating: PG
Genre: fluff, friendship, romance
Disclaimer: I wish
Warnings: this is a choose not to warn experience
Summary: Their unexpected friendship is much like a balloon- bright, colorful, and
ephemeral.

Baekhyun is just about nodding off when the door opens and in walks Chanyeol, who
looks taken aback to see him.

�Baekhyun,� greets Chanyeol, surprise coloring his tone. He glances down at his
watch. �Shouldn�t you be in treatment right now?�

Baekhyun shakes his head, feeling much more awake. �I don�t have treatment
anymore.�

�Oh.� Chanyeol frowns. �Well, I was going to surprise you when you got back, but I
guess�� Before Baekhyun can ask, Chanyeol reaches out in the hall and pulls in
numerous colorful balloons, so many that by the time he�s done, Baekhyun can�t see
the ceiling anymore.

Baekhyun gapes wordlessly at the balloons. �Chanyeol? What is this?� he manages.

Chanyeol shuffles his feet and scratches his ear. �Surprise?� he offers. �I got as
many balloons as I could�that is, as many as the store offered�and I�� He swallows.
�I wrote messages to you, one on each balloon. Do you like it?� He looks at
Baekhyun, eyes wide and anxious.

�Do I like it?� Baekhyun repeats disbelievingly. �I love it!�

At the approval, Chanyeol perks up, a wide and oddly bashful beam lighting up his
features. �Would you like to read the messages now? They�re not much, but��

Baekhyun pats the spot on the bed next to him, and Chanyeol walks over and sits
snugly beside him. �Will you read them to me?� Baekhyun asks softly, twining their
hands together.

Chanyeol�s answering smile is affectionate. �Of course. That green one says, �Your
smile is brighter than the sun.� That red one is, �I like your eyes.� The blue one
over there��
�Hold up,� Baekhyun interrupts. �How do you know what they say? You�re not even
reading off of them. Are you making them up as you go along?�

Chanyeol rolls his eyes and flicks Baekhyun�s forehead playfully. �Because I gave
each quote a lot of thought before I wrote them, so I remember what they all say.�
He looks quite proud of himself for this accomplishment.

�Is your brain always so mushy?� Baekhyun teases him, bumping their shoulders
together.

�Oh, hush, you. You like my mush,� Chanyeol shushes, hand coming up to push
Baekhyun�s head down gently so that it is resting on his shoulder. �There. You can
sleep if you want now. Your eyes are doing the squinty thing it does when you�re
sleepy.�

�It�s not!� Baekhyun protests, squinting up at Chanyeol, who muffles a chuckle

behind his hand. �Okay, I might be a little tired,� Baekhyun admits grudgingly.
�But I don�t want to sleep when you�re here; it�s a waste of time. And I want to
hear what you wrote.�

Chanyeol falls silent for a moment before speaking up. �How about I continue
reading until you fall asleep?� he suggests.

�I�m not going to fall asleep,� Baekhyun grumbles. �But fine.�

�Sure, whatever you say,� laughs Chanyeol. �Okay, as I was saying before you so
rudely interrupted, the blue one over there says, �I�ve never met anyone as easy to
talk to as you.� And the purple one is, �With you, everything feels possible.� Oh,
and that orange one over there��

Despite his protests that he wouldn�t fall asleep, Baekhyun�s eyelids feel heavy,
and after struggling for a few minutes, he gives up and allows them to drift shut.
Chanyeol�s deep voice washes over him like a soothing, calm wave, and Baekhyun
wants nothing more than to lose himself in it, to immerse himself so deeply that he
can�t find his way back out. And that, Baekhyun dimly thinks, really wouldn�t be a
bad way to go.

When Baekhyun jerks awake some time later, he is lying down properly on the bed
with his oxygen mask in place, and Chanyeol is nowhere in sight. Baekhyun blearily
notes with not a little disappointment that the room is dark and visiting hours
must be long over. Heaving a sigh, he adjusts himself and feels a slight tug at his
wrist. Baekhyun looks up.

There�s a white balloon tied loosely to his wrist, much like the one Chanyeol had
given him when they first met. However, this one is slightly different; there�s a
wide smiley face drawn on it with wild curls on top finishing the simple picture.
And when the balloon turns lazily, Baekhyun can see that written on the back is, I
will always be by your side.

Baekhyun falls back into a deep slumber with a smile on his face, feeling a kind of
warmth that his blankets cannot provide, and dreams of a world far away, where a
boy who means everything can have his happy ending.

(�Me too, you know,� Baekhyun mumbles when Chanyeol seats himself next to the bed
the following day.

�You too what?� asks Chanyeol, absently stroking the back of Baekhyun�s hand with
his thumb.

�I will always be by your side too, no matter what. You know that right?�

Chanyeol�s thumb stills, and his hand tightens almost imperceptibly around
Baekhyun�s before he brings it up to his lips and places a butterfly kiss on
Baekhyun�s first two knuckles�carefully�as though Baekhyun will break if any more
force is exerted. Chanyeol exhales, breath tickling Baekhyun�s skin. �I know.�)

It�s getting harder and harder to stay awake for long periods of time with all the
medication they are pumping into him so Baekhyun takes care to sleep as much as
possible before and after visiting hours so he can spend those scant times
conscious to the world.

It isn�t enough though, and Baekhyun still finds himself nodding off from time to
time as Chanyeol wheels him around the hospital or, after Baekhyun is no longer
allowed to leave his room, when Chanyeol tells stories of his school life or dances
to the newest pop songs in a flurry of uncoordinated limbs. He tries to make up for
it by smiling wider (even though it takes more effort), laughing louder (even
though it leaves him too breathless too fast), and being more enthusiastic (even
though he has no energy left). Baekhyun just hopes that Chanyeol doesn�t notice the
darkening circles under his eyes, the hollowing of his cheeks, or the sallowness of
his skin.

(He does).

Baekhyun wakes up one day during visiting hours and finds a conspicuous lack of
Chanyeol in the room. To say it is disappointing is an understatement, and Baekhyun
is so preoccupied with wondering where the other boy could be that it takes him a
good few minutes to realize that there�s a phone on the chair Chanyeol usually sits
in. Attached to said phone is a post-it that says, Baekhyun, call the number listed
when you wake up, okay? :) in Chanyeol�s messy scrawl.

With unsteady hands, Baekhyun reaches for the phone and follows the instructions.
The phone barely rings once before the other line picks up.

�Baekhyun,� chirps Chanyeol�s familiar voice happily. �You�re up.�

�Yeah,� replies Baekhyun, trying to sound casual and not too frantic. �Where are
you right now?�

Chanyeol chuckles. �I�m outside.�

�And why are you outside?� asks Baekhyun, humoring Chanyeol�s playful tone.

�You�ll see in a minute. Baekhyun, look out the window, okay? Don�t look away or
you might miss it!� Chanyeol warns. Then, in a muffled, faraway voice, he shouts,
�Are you ready, guys?� There is a chorus of muted affirmatives before Chanyeol
says, �Okay, in three�two�one!�

Baekhyun keeps his gaze fixed on the white clouds and blue sky outside, pondering
what it is exactly that Chanyeol doesn�t want him to miss. He doesn�t have to think
for long though because the room suddenly explodes into hundreds of colors.

The phone slips out of Baekhyun�s hand. He stares in awe as dozens upon dozens of
balloons of every color float by, completely blocking out the window and casting
vibrantly tinted light all around the room. Weariness forgotten, Baekhyun struggles
to the window and presses himself against the cool glass as the last of them passes
by, looking up as easily a hundred balloons fly up and dot the sky like a bunch of
colorful stars. It is simply the most beautiful sight Baekhyun has ever seen. He
laughs, feeling inexplicably uninhibited, and continues to watch the sky until long
after the balloons are out of sight.

�Did you like it?�

Baekhyun turns, and there at the door stands Chanyeol, phone still in hand with
cheeks flushed and forehead slightly damp from what was probably a sprint from the
outside courtyard to Baekhyun�s room. Despite his obvious breathlessness, there is
a wide smile playing on his lips, and Baekhyun rescinds his previous thought,
because what is a bunch of colorful balloons compared to this person�this kind,
playful, big-hearted person before him.

There are no words for this moment, so Baekhyun just nods, and when Chanyeol comes
over, Baekhyun clutches his hands tightly.

�Did you do this all by yourself?� Baekhyun asks once his speech has returned.

�I had a bunch of friends help me fill the balloons up and release it and stuff,�
Chanyeol answers, finger idly tracing patterns into Baekhyun�s palm.

Baekhyun curls his hand around Chanyeol�s finger, and Chanyeol looks curiously at
him. Leaning in until they are a breath apart, Baekhyun presses their foreheads
together, and, hoping that Chanyeol will understand the lifetime of emotions he is
trying to convey in too little words, whispers, �Thank you. For everything. You
know.�

The corners of Chanyeol�s lips tug upwards. His eyes glimmer with an odd
brightness, and Baekhyun is close enough to know that it is reflected in his own.
�I know.�

�Baekhyun, are you cold?� Chanyeol asks worriedly. �You�re shivering. Should I go
get more blankets?�

Baekhyun would not have noticed if Chanyeol hadn�t pointed it out. He quietly
spreads out the fingers of a hand and sees that, yes, he is indeed shaking. �I�m
not cold,� Baekhyun laughs, and try as he might, he just can�t keep the tiredness
out of his voice. �I just�ache. Everything aches; I can feel the ache all the way
down to my bones.�

Chanyeol takes his hand silently, and even though it is painful to his
hypersensitive nerves, Baekhyun holds on tighter to the only thing keeping him
anchored there.

Everything becomes a blur from there. With the doctors prescribing more medication
and painkillers, Baekhyun finds himself sleeping for most of the day, sometimes
even through visiting hours despite his attempts to wake up in time. Chanyeol
assures him that it is perfectly fine and that Baekhyun should just sleep whenever
he feels the need to. But sometimes, Baekhyun drifts awake when Chanyeol is there,
when Chanyeol thinks he�s asleep.
Chanyeol�s grip on Baekhyun�s hand is always gentle, but desperate. With his head
bowed and his expression set in an unhappy frown that does not match his normally
cheery face, he breathes out hushed pleas and prayers.

�Please don�t go, Baekhyun,� Baekhyun hears him whisper. �I don�t want you to go.
Please don�t leave me. I�m not�I�m not ready, even though I thought I was. I just��
Chanyeol�s voice cracks, and Baekhyun feels something inside him break.

Baekhyun wakes up to his bed being turned around. �Chanyeol?� he rasps, as the
culprit can be no other than he.

�Present!� Chanyeol appears beside Baekhyun once he finishes turning the bed so
that Baekhyun is facing the window. He�s smiling widely, and his teeth glow in the
darkness.

Baekhyun blinks blearily as his vision adjusts to the dimness of the room. �What
are you doing? Visiting hours should be over.�

�They are.� Chanyeol bobs his head in agreement, his curls springing along. �I just
snuck back in.�

�To rearrange my furniture in the middle of the night?� Baekhyun chuckles weakly at
his own joke.

�Something like that,� Chanyeol hums contentedly. He carefully shifts Baekhyun to

one side of the bed before kicking off his shoes and climbing in himself. In a bed
meant for one person, the addition of Chanyeol with all his long limbs is awkward,
but Baekhyun is glad for it because Chanyeol wraps an arm around his shoulder and
presses close to him.

�Really now.�

Chanyeol�s laugh vibrates from his chest, deep and rumbling. �We�re going to watch
the stars,� he says, voice dropping into a dreamy whisper. �I think I see the Big
Dipper over there! Do you see it, Baekhyun?�

Baekhyun nods, and he closes his eyes as Chanyeol�s fingers find his hair and play
with it. Chanyeol starts humming a song, one Baekhyun vaguely remembers hearing
before. It is the only sound breaking the silence for a while, the lilting melody,
and it lulls Baekhyun back to sleep several times.

�Baekhyun, look.� Chanyeol nudges him awake gently and points out the window.
Baekhyun follows his finger in time to see a star streaking across the night sky,
leaving a trail of fading light in its wake. �A shooting star. Make a wish.�

His words jog something in Baekhyun�s memory. �Hey, Chanyeol?�

�Yeah?�

�Do you remember on the rooftop?�

�The wishes tied to the balloons? I remember.�

�What did you wish for?�

Chanyeol laughs softly. �I wished that you would get better. You?�
�I wished that you would never lose your smile even when I�m not there to see it.�

Chanyeol laughs again, but this time, there�s a melancholic undertone to it.
�That�s a good wish,� he says wistfully.

�Will you?� Baekhyun mumbles, lifting his head slightly to look at the way
Chanyeol�s profile is bathed in the pale moonlight. Chanyeol�s expression is
contemplative, and when he turns to Baekhyun, his eyes lack their usual brightness.
Chanyeol�s eyes sweep over Baekhyun�s face, taking in his features silently for a
moment before answering.

�Yeah,� Chanyeol says simply, and Baekhyun knows that he understands.

��not much longer��

There�s a white balloon tied to Baekhyun�s wrist, carefully and loosely as to avoid
all the tubes. He tries to make it bob lazily, but finds that he can�t even move
his hand, much less the balloon. This numbness doesn�t scare him though because it
hurts much more when Chanyeol grins at him and he can�t return the motion and
Chanyeol�s smile fades just a bit.

��very sorry, but��

Baekhyun wakes up one day with the sun shining on his face and the birds chirping
merrily outside his window, feeling like he is bursting with energy. He vaguely
wonders if he�s dreaming and decides that it doesn�t matter.

Sitting up, Baekhyun takes off his oxygen mask and carefully removes the needle in
his hand. He swings his legs out of the bed and stands up, giggling at the
sensation of the cold floor beneath his bare feet.

Chanyeol, who had nodded off in the chair next to the bed, jerks awake at the sound
and stares incredulously at him. �B-Baekhyun?� he stammers disbelievingly, rubbing
his eyes. �What are you��

�Come on!� Baekhyun says encouragingly as he jogs over to the door and opens it.
Without waiting to see if Chanyeol is following, Baekhyun breaks out into a run
down the hall, scaring nurses and orderlies as he whizzes by. He slides into the
elevator as it opens and presses the button for the first floor. The doors start to
close, but before they can, Chanyeol sticks a hand in to prevent them from doing
so.

�Leaving without me?� he asks, feigning hurt. Baekhyun�s answering smile is so wide
that his face aches.

When they get to the bottom floor, Chanyeol holds out his hand, and Baekhyun takes
it before they are off again, dodging all the astonished people in the lobby and
ducking past the approaching security guards to get out the door. The automatic
doors open with a gust of air, and they are outside. The pavement feels warm
beneath Baekhyun�s feet as does the sun on his face, but they don�t compare to the
heat of Chanyeol�s hand.
They reach the grassy area of the courtyard, and there is a hot air balloon
waiting, standing several stories high, the rainbow pattern on it bright and
vibrant in the morning sunlight. Baekhyun and Chanyeol slow their pace until they
are walking, intertwined hands swinging between them.

�Well, this is me,� Baekhyun says when they finally reach the balloon.

�Nice ride,� Chanyeol jokes, letting out a low whistle. �Need help getting in it,
Princess?� Baekhyun rolls his eyes at Chanyeol�s mock bow, but takes the proffered
hand with a smile and, with Chanyeol�s help, manages to clamber into the basket
with relative ease.

Chanyeol scratches his head once Baekhyun is settled in. �I guess this is goodbye
then,� he says softly, eyes downcast.

Baekhyun rests on his elbows against the edge of the basket and takes Chanyeol�s
hands one more time. �No,� he disagrees, smiling. �This is just a �see you later.��

Chanyeol looks up at Baekhyun, grinning, and there�s a twinkle in his eyes, full of
life and happiness. �Alright. See you later then, Baekhyun.� He gives Baekhyun�s
hands one last squeeze before letting go, their fingers lingering for as long as
possible.

With that, Baekhyun casts off the rope that is keeping him anchored there, and the
balloon begins to rise slowly. Chanyeol jogs beside the basket as it moves until it
picks up speed and altitude and he can�t match the pace anymore, but he keeps
jogging anyways, trying to keep Baekhyun in sight for as long as possible. Baekhyun
leans precariously over the side of the basket and waves at him until his arms ache
from the exertion, and keeps waving anyways, even when he�s not quite sure if
Chanyeol can still see him. He cups his hands around his mouth.

�See you later, Chanyeol!� he yells to the figure below. �That�s a promise!�
Chanyeol�s big grin is visible even at Baekhyun�s elevation. Baekhyun commits the
curve of those lips to memory as the balloon floats higher and higher, past the
buildings and into the clouds. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Baekhyun
looks up towards the sky above him and smiles as the breeze ruffles his hair in a
familiar manner.

He is finally free.

A/N: My OT3 Chanyeol/Baekhyun/balloons haha.