A World Without You

Keep me safe

After almost a full minute of no response, Sangwoo was so terrified of what might have become of his boyfriend that his mind went blank. He stopped caring about anything other than getting in that room to protect Yoonbum. He channeled all his anger and all his love and with one push broke the door handle off and kicked the door open. Knowing all the noise would arouse suspicion, Sangwoo locked the door behind him and spun around, expecting to see Yoonbum, but he was nowhere in sight. He was not on the bed or in the bathroom or even in the closet. Sangwoo was really starting to panic when he heard a sound from the side of the bed obscured from his view.
"Woo..."Sangwoo raced to the bed and looked over the side to see Yoonbum lying on the floor, seemingly barely conscious.
"Holy shit, Bum! What happened?!" Sangwoo lifted Yoonbum up and placed him gently on the bed.
"I can't... Woo... I'm so sorry," Yoonbum was looking into his boyfriend's eyes, fighting back tears.
"Bum what are you talking about, you're scaring me! What's wrong with you?" Yoonbum's gaze shifted to the floor in the corner of the room. Sangwoo followed his gaze and saw an half empty bottle of sleeping pills.
"Oh my god... Bum... this is all my fault," Sangwoo sobbed. He was the one who had snapped and now it was too late. He had ruined everything.
"No, Woo, it's not-"
"Yes it is!" Sangwoo shouted, gently shaking Yoonbum's slender shoulders, "don't say that. It's all my fault! I-I did this to you... it's all because of me... oh god, Bum." Yoonbum continued to object softly, but Sangwoo wouldn't listen. He just lay down next to Yoonbum and taking him in his arms leaned his head against Bum's chest to listen to his heart.

"Woo..." Yoonbum whispered,

"What is it baby? Anything you need just say the word."
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Muttered Yoonbum, clearly embarrassed. Sangwoo stood up and with urgency carried Yoonbum to the bathroom. Sangwoo stroked Yoonbum's hair as he vomited, and when Yoonbum collapsed from exhaustion, Sangwoo dabbed at his sweat covered face with a washcloth and carried Bum back to bed.
"How do you feel?" Sangwoo asked, still concerned but hopeful that Yoonbum had gotten the pills out of his system.
"Sleepy," Yoonbum replied, his eyelids heavy, "Woo, I wanna go to sleep, will you hold me?"
Sangwoo was horrified,
"No! Bum, listen to me, you can't go to sleep. I'll have to keep you up for at least a few hours to make sure you get it all out of your body." Yoonbum's eyes began to close more but Sangwoo shook him and his eyes snapped open again,
"You are not dying on my watch, Yoonbum. I said I would protect you and I will make damn sure that you live, you hear me? You're going to be fine and we'll go home together." Sangwoo became aware that he had started crying again. Yoonbum looked up at him seriously and said in the strongest voice he had used so far,
"Sangwoo, I couldn't bear the thought of being without you. I thought it would be better to die now than to keep living in a world without you. I love you, Woo. So I promise, I'll be fine. I'll be fine and we're gonna leave here and go back home together and I'll make you dinner again."
Sangwoo smiled through his tears and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek,
"Maybe I'll make dinner for a while, Bum. You need to recover." Yoonbum made a face, pretending to be disgusted at the thought of Sangwoo cooking. Sangwoo laughed in relief and gazed adoringly at Yoonbum's innocent face. Yoonbum reached up and, taking his thumb, wiped the tears off Sangwoo's face. For the rest of the night, Sangwoo held Yoonbum and kept him awake telling him stories until the sun rose the next morning. At some point the couple fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms, and they both new that from now on, everything was going to be okay.
End