The parting Pt1

'Dementia. Is that why he always looked so tired? Lack of sleep would explain his paleness and weak body. Emotional control, and agitation. Depression, hallucinations, and delusions. Plus, his body looks so weak, it feels like he would just break from a slight touch. ', Alberu let out a sigh as he closed his laptop.

Alberu's head was a mess right now. Every time he closed his eyes, Cale's pale image came to his mind. Alberu wanted to help Cale but he couldn't figure out how.

'That nurse, choi han did say Cale had a weak constitution ever since he was a kid. He would visit hospital quite often as a kid. Haaaa I can't stop thinking about worst scenarios.'

Alberu, then tried to force himself to stop his overthinking and dragged himself to the bathroom to freshen up. He had to go meet Cale today so he wanted to at least look fresh.

Alberu brushed his teeth, took a quick shower, dressed up and headed out. On his way to hospital, he bought some fruits he thought Cale might like.

'What is this Déjà vu...' Alberu thought as he yet again stood in front of Cale's hospital room taking deep breaths.

knock knock

Alberu knocked few times before opening the door. As he opened the door, the sight of a pale and skinny young man sitting on his bed greeted him. The greeting of such sight pained him but he tried as hard as he could to not show such emotions.

"Hyung? what are you doing here? How did you know?" Cale was surprised to see alberu. He really didn't remember what happened that night.

"Oh, that night on the beach you fainted so I took you to this hospital." Alberu explained himself as he sat down on the chair next to Cale's bed.

"I see. So, you know huh"

Alberu just nodded his head in response.

"Haa can't I just reverse time and be that Cinderella that you met for the first time again? The time you didn't know all this" Cale said in a regretful tone.

"Nope you can't and I won't let you. Now let's forget about that do you like fruits?" Alberu asked trying to change the topic.

"Well, I don't dislike them"

"That's good so what do you feel like eating? We have banana, apples, some grapes too" Alberu searched through the bag of fruits.

"Apple pie..."

"Apple... wait apple pie?"

"Yeah, I don't know. I am suddenly craving apple pie."

"Should I go out and buy you some?"

"No, it's alright. I will just eat the apples without the pie. Hehe" Cale let out a weak chuckle

"No, I will go get some" Alberu got up from his chair.

"Hyung it's alright. I was kidding"

"No Cale, listen to me" Alberu grabbed both of Cale's arm and pulled him closer. "Don't. Don't ever hesitate to tell me what you want. I will do it. Everything you want me to do. Even if you feel like going somewhere, just say the word."

"Hyung, then let me ask you. Is this pity? Now that you know my condition, is this your way of showing pity? If so then I don't need it. I've had enough of people showing me their pity. I never asked for this"

"No Cale. It's not pity."

"Then why?" Cale's voice trembled.

"Because when I saw you in that moonlit night, Cale Henituse I was mesmerized to the point I wanted to just capture every bit of you. So, this is a deal, I will make your wishes come true until you are satisfied and in exchange, Cale, will you be my muse?"

After a few minutes pause, Alberu added "Oh I... I will go get you the pie. You think about it" as he stormed out of the room.

'Mu... muse??' Cale turned red just thinking about what Alberu had just said.

Cale looked at the now closed door while covering his face with both of his hands "he didn't even let me answer him"

'Am I crazy? Have I actually gone crazy?' Alberu, too, at the other side of the door had turned red.

"wasn't that literally a co... confe... Argh whatever" Alberu decided to just about forget about that and focused on buying apple pie.

Click

" Ah you really weren't kidding when you said that" Cale said while eating his 3rd apple pie.

"You look cute while eating" alberu had gotten so used to calling Cale cute or pretty these past few days that he stopped holding back on the compliment.

Alberu had been coming to visit Cale regularly for the past few days. He has also been bringing Cale apple pies and sometimes cookies because Cale said he was craving them. He had actually, in truth spent more time in the hospital with Cale than outside doing what he came here to do

"What part of a dying man, eating his pie is cute I wonder" Cale sarcastically commented.

"Hey don't say such things or no pies for you"

"Wow, I am scared" Cale said with a stoic face as he continued eating his pies.

"You little.... well while we are at it is there something you want to do today? It's been a few days so I think we can get permission to go out if I say you will be with me"

"I want to go on a drive"

"Yeah? Where? Do you have a place in mind? Although we can't really leave the village"

"Anywhere. Just far enough, to a place where I can get this hospital smell off of me"

"Okay I think I know a place like that"

"Really?"

"Let me talk to doctor Rosalyn."

"Good luck Hyung."

"Leave it to me"

*****

Tik Tik tik

It had been quite a while since alberu was gone. Cale was starting to get anxious

'Doctor Rosalyn is a tough nut to crack. I hope he is okay. What's taking him so long I wonder.

Cale was anxiously looking at the clock, walking back and forth in his room biting his nails. Cale had developed a habit of biting his nails every time he got anxious, sometimes to the point it even bled.

He, then suddenly came to a halt when he heard the door open. He stopped biting his nails, licked what little blood came out from his excessive biting and headed towards the door.

"Did you talk to her? What did she say?"

But instead of a response, Alberu gave Cale a thumbs up. Seeing that Cale's face brightened up.

"How did you did you do it? I was sure that the doctor would never say yes to this"

"Well, I just politely asked her and she said yes"

"Hoo... really?" Cale gave alberu a very skeptic look.

"Now now we got permission so let's not think about other things" Alberu took Cale's hand and dragged him out of the room with him.

********************************

What actually happened at doctor Rosalyn's office

" Doctor do you have some time, I need to talk to you" alberu said while knocking the office door that had doctor Rosalyn's name on it

"Yes Alberu-nim please come in. Did you need something?" doctor Rosalyn put down her glasses and gestured alberu to have a seat

"No, I just wanted to ask if it will be okay to take Cale out for you know some fresh air"

"I don't think that I can approve of that. The last time Cale went out for 'fresh air' he was brought in unconscious. We were lucky that you were with him or else god knows what would have happened that day" Doctor Rosalyn gave a firm answer.

"This time too, he will be with me. I will make sure to take care of him" Alberu also did not want to back off.

"Cale is still unstable Alberu-nim. You have to understand that going out like that is still risky"

"So, you absolutely won't give us permission?"

"No. I am sorry."

"Then you leave me no choice doctor"

"What are you trying to say?" doctor Rosalyn frowned at Alberu's words

"I'll kidnap him"

"What? No, of course you won't"

"I have a car" Alberu said that with a very serious face that Rosalyn couldn't pass it off as a joke.

"Do you realize how childish you sound?"

Alberu just shrugged and asked "So what will it be doctor? Either you give me permission or I am kidnapping Cale"

"...."

"haa bring him back by 6. I need to do his checkup" Rosalyn at that point gave in because this man in front of him really looked like he would do it.

"Thank you doctor, I knew you would be kind enough to understand" Alberu bowed in gratitude as he walked out of the office

"I wonder when Cale became friends with such a scary person" Rosalyn wondered as she saw alberu leave. But in truth Rosalyn was really grateful to him. Whenever Rosalyn peeked inside Cale's room to check up on him, she could see the happy and lively expression on his face while talking to alberu. That's why right now, she was really thankful for Alberu's presence in Cale's life.

'I hope it's fine'

Rosalyn then got back to her work as well.

"Where are we going?" Cale asked as he looked out of the car window. They had been driving for a while now.

"It's a surprise"

After driving for about half an hour, Alberu finally stopped the car.

"We are here" Alberu said as he opened the car's door for Cale. Alberu reached out his hands towards Cale and added "Milady"

"haa really now" Cale sighed but held Alberu's hands anyways.

"We have to walk ahead a bit; will you be alright?" Alberu asked as he pointed towards the direction of a hill.

"I think I can manage" Cale replied as they started walking towards the top of what it looked like a small mountain covered with trees.

After walking for about 20 minutes, they finally arrived at their destination

"We are here" Alberu said as he pulled Cale, who was heavily breathing, towards him.

"Are you alright?" Alberu asked as he handed Cale a water bottle.

Huff huff

" I... I'm fine. Just catching my breath" Cale gulped the water down as he finally caught his breathe.

"So, what are we here for?" Cale asked while wiping the water that was dripping down his chin.

"Look up"

When Cale looked up, a blast of cold air with a beautiful sight of the whole village greeted him.

"Holy shi.." Cale was truly in awe by the sight that was in front of his eyes

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Alberu asked as he looked at Cale's awed face with satisfaction.

"It is. I didn't know there was a place like this. We can even see the ocean from here. How did you find out about this place?" Cale took a few steps forward and stood next to Alberu.

"I happen to discover it when I was going around photographing the area" Alberu explained as he looked at the far away ocean.

"Ah... this feels nice" Cale laid down on the ground covered with grass as he added "I can't smell it anymore"

Alberu also laid down next to Cale and asked "Smell what?"

"The hospital. The hospital's smell is gone" Cale took a deep breathe.

In the meantime, Alberu took out his camera and started clicking pictures. The mountains, the trees, birds, the ocean that they were looking at and Cale.

"You don't waste any time do you"

"Nope."

"Hyung, do you know? You are weird."

"I do."

Puahahaha

Both of them laughed as they laid beside each other.

"Stop staring" Cale said and put his hands on Alberu's face

"Don't want to." Alberu took his hands and kissed it.

"Stop. That tickles" Cale flailed his hands a little but couldn't release Alberu's grip.

Alberu, then noticed something on Cale's wrist

'Scar?? No. These are blade cuts' Alberu caressed those scars

"Ah these... these are old scars. And the funny thing is I don't even remember doing any of this. That day, the only thing I remember was that there was blood, a lot of it...." before he could say any more, he noticed Alberu's expression and added "Hyung, don't look at me like that."

"I... I am sor-" alberu couldn't say anything. He felt like he would just break down and cry.

"It's alright. It was a long time ago"

'You say that but you aren't even that old to be using the term long time ago you know' Alberu wanted to say something but nothing came out of his mouth.

"You know I wanted to be a slacker."

Alberu looked at Cale, trying to figure out why he would say that so suddenly. Cale didn't notice that and continued,

"My family... Well, my father wanted me to take over the family business but I didn't want that. All I wanted to do was shut myself inside my room, eat, sleep and do nothing. We had enough money for me to live that kind of life. I absolutely did not want to work so I rebelled. I think it was around that time that my health started to get worse. I was born with a weak body but it never got much serious. But since that day, I felt even more weak, moving my body became difficult, sleep came to me even less and less, scary thoughts always filled my head and I started forgetting things."

Cale let out a sigh like chuckle and continued "Isn't it funny? How my wish to be a slacker and do nothing came true but in the most twisted way?"

All alberu could do was listen, he wanted to comfort Cale but he knew, anything he would say would just be empty words of comfort and pity. So, he said nothing and held Cale's hand even more tightly.

With their hands intertwined, they just laid there listening to each other's story. Some were sad, some were amusing, some were just dumb memories. But little did they know this small moment of conversation in itself, was becoming a precious memory.

"Hey Hyung"

"Hmm?"

"Do you have a dream?"

"A dream huh? Never really gave it much of a thought"

"Really? Is it not something like becoming world's best photographer? Or like you know clicking the rarest or most beautiful picture?"

"Hmm not really. I mean photography is just a hobby. I have submitted some of my works for exhibits but that's it I guess"

"Well, you have a lot of time to think about that I guess."

'Time huh'

"But right now, I do want to spend all my time with you" Alberu said he pulled Cale in an embrace

"That's not a lot of time"

"We don't know that"

"No, I know"

".... Cale."

"It's alright Hyung, really" Cale buried his face in Alberu's chest who still had him in his embrace.

"Mhm" Alberu couldn't do anything but hold Cale tightly in his arms.

They stayed like that for a long while, and before they knew it the sun had already set with their day coming to an end.

Stretching his arms, Alberu yawned and looked at the person lying next to him who was still struggling to fall asleep.

"Well, I at least managed to sleep for few minutes" Cale commented when he noticed Alberu looking at him and added "You slept like a log hyung. Have you not been getting enough sleep?"

"I am sorry."

Alberu really hadn't gotten much of sleep past few days because he was thinking about Cale and his situation.

"Please don't be. I bet the reason you aren't getting enough sleep is because of me."

"No, of course not. I have just been busy with this project I was working on" Alberu let out a nervous laugh as he averted his eyes from Cale's

"You know hyung you really aren't good at lying."

"I am not lying."

''I am sorry"

"Hey hey! I said it's not like that"

"Hyung, you know you don't really have to do this for...

"OH CRAP"

Before Cale could even finish what he was saying, he was cut off by Alberu's shocked voice

"What... Wait..."

Alberu hurriedly picked Cale up and started running downhill

"Hyung what are you doing?" Cale tried to get off but he couldn't. Alberu was too strong or rather he was too weak to push him away.

"We are late" Alberu screamed and did not stop running despite Cale flailing in his arms.

"What?"

"Doctor Rosalyn said 6. If we don't hurry up, we are going to be late. And I don't want to see doctor Rosalyn's angry face. More than that I don't want her banning us from going out like this again."

Alberu reached his car as fast as he could, setting Cale down on the front seat carefully, he put his seatbelts on and started driving.

Seeing this, Cale couldn't help but let out a chuckle

"It's not really funny, you know?"

"But it is."

"Ugh whatever, I am increasing the speed. Brace yourself"

"Hey! you don't need to carry me again you know"

They had finally reached the hospital and Alberu yet again carried Cale as he ran through the hallway towards Cale's room.

"No time to waste"

"Why do I get the feeling that you are enjoying this."

"Hmm? I don't know what you are talking about."

As they were running towards Cale's room, Alberu heard a voice in the distance but couldn't make out what they were saying

"Made it just in time." Alberu said huffing and putting Cale on his bed.

Huff huff "A lberu-nim! I have been calling you for a while now"

A nurse that came running, stopped and leaned on the door breathing heavily. He seemed to have been running to catch Alberu.

"Ah Choi Han.. Listen if doctor Rosalyn asks, then we arrived here an hour ago. Got it?" Alberu who was also trying to catch his breath asked Choi Han to act like they arrived in time.

"But... But"

"No buts, just act like you didn't see all this"

'Act you say' Choi Han sighed internally.

"I thought I said 6" a woman with bright red hair in her doctor's apron entered the room.

"What do you mean, we arrived here like an hour ago, right Choi Han?"

'But I can see you huffing and full of cold sweats you know' Doctor Rosalyn didn't say anything. She found it quite amusing and wanted to see where this was going.

"Ye... Yes. They. I mean. They totally. TOTALLY came here on time. Yeah. They didn't even ne... need to run"

Alberu was dumbfounded as he watched Choi Han's acting.

'I am screwed'

"You were doomed the moment you chose this guy to cover up for you" Doctor Rosalyn patted Alberu's shoulder as she went towards Cale, who was also snickering, for his check up.

"Don't worry Alberu-nim. I am not angry. I am actually quite relieved that you guys got back safely" Doctor Rosalyn added with a gentle smile on her face.

"Thanks for today hyung."

After the checkup was done, doctor rosalyn and choi han left, leaving the two of them alone. Cale thanked alberu for all he had done for him today.

"No need to thank me, you should get some sleep now and think about what we should do tomorrow." Alberu kissed Cale's forehead and stroked his hair for a while.

"Yeah, if I could"

"Want me to stay here until you fall asleep?"

"No, you should really go back hyung. I will be fine. I am used to this."

'Don't get used to it idiot'

Alberu couldn't help but feel sad. After so much pressuring and Cale's threat of not seeing him again, Alberu finally gave in and went home after a last goodbyes

**********************************

[I thought I told you to call me often. But you went and forgot about me didn't you?]

"Sorry aunt, I promise I will call you more often. I was a little busy for the past few days."

[Hoo... you found someone didn't you?]

'As perspective as ever huh'

"it's not like that aunt Tasha"

[Are they pretty]

"Aunt"

[Come on! You know you don't need it hide anything from me]

"it's nothing like that I swear"

While talking on the phone, Alberu reached the end of the hallway and stood in front of Cale's room

[I raised you young man, you think just because you have gotten a little older you can hide things from me?]

"it's really nothing …. aunt.... Cale?" as soon as Alberu opened the door, all he found himself in was an empty room

[Cale? Is that their name?]

"Aunt I will talk to you later. I am hanging up now"

[hey wait Alberu did something happen? Hey...]

Before Tasha could finish what she was saying, Alberu had already hung up his phone.

"Cale??" Alberu was overwhelmed with so many thoughts as he searched throughout the room, he checked the bathroom but Cale wasn't there either.

'Where are you Cale?'

Alberu hurriedly called Choi Han to ask where Cale was.

"Oh Cale-nim? He went to the roof. He said he wanted to get some fresh air so I took him there and came back down when he said he wanted to be left alone"

Alberu felt a little relieved after hearing that and headed to the hospital roof after thanking Choi Han

"Hey Cale, you little bastard you totally had me worried you know" Alberu shouted as he opened the door to the roof

"Cale?"

Alberu called out again but no one was there. He looked around for a while but the roof was empty. He walked around a bit more to make sure he didn't miss any place. While walking around, he got to the edge of the roof, as he looked down from there, he noticed a man walking out in the street in front of the hospital.

"Cale?? CALE!!!" Alberu shouted

'It's Cale. That red hair and small figure, that's definitely Cale and he is acting weird'

Alberu dashed out of the roof and entered the elevator as fast as he could and headed down. Alberu was getting more and more worried.

'Ugh! why is this elevator so damn slow'

As soon as the elevator reached the lobby and the door was opened, Alberu ran outside as fast as he could.

"Cale where are you going? Hey" no matter how much Alberu screamed, Cale didn't answer. He didn't even look back when his name was being called out.

Alberu was getting worried because Cale wasn't stopping no matter how much he called him. He noticed Cale had already reached the middle of the road and the traffic light was still green.

"Cale its dangerous please stop" Alberu screamed again as he was running towards Cale.

But then he noticed it. A car that was coming right towards Cale

"CALE!" Alberu screamed as hard as he could when he sprinted forward.

"hy.. Hyung??" Cale finally realized where he was. But it was already too late. It felt like someone pushed him from behind but when he finally realized what had happened, he noticed blood. But it wasn't his.

"HYUNG??"

He saw the unconscious Alberu lay in front of him and the car that crashed in the pole. He couldn't get the words out of his mouth; it was as if someone was strangling his neck. It was getting harder to breathe.

He slowly felt his consciousness fading as the sound of people's gasping and hospital nurses trying to help Alberu filled his head.

"Hyung" Cale called out to Alberu before his consciousness faded completely.