~*~무한대 (mu-han-dae) n: the state or quality of being infinite~*~

Infinity (symbolically represented by a ∞) is a concept in mathematics and philosophy that refers to a quantity without bound or end. People have developed various ideas thoughout history about the nature of infinity. The word comes from the Latin word ‘infinitas’ or ‘unboundless’

Part II

Final Invasion

Chapter 6

아프다 (ah-peu-da) adj.  to be sick or hurt

“See you tomorrow! Make sure you’re not late for practice tomorrow.”

Sungyeol rolled his eyes as he waved goodbye to Sunggyu, Woohyun, Sungjong and Daeun, watching them get into Woohyun’s car. Rain cried down on the city as the two cars made their way from the theater back home.

From up ahead, there was a long honk and Sungyeol instincively slammed on the breaks, his tires skidding on the slippery pavement as a car collided with Woohyun’s car with a ear splitting CRASH.

“Sungyeol? Are you okay?”

Sungyeol knew that he should open his mouth to answer, but he couldn't find the strength as memories too vivid for comfort danced across his mind. In the edges of his consiousness, he could hear Myungsoo coming into his room, calling his name worriedly, but all Sungyeol could really see was the rain and the car accident.

As Sungyeol’s car came to a halt, Sungyeol leaned over the steering wheel for a second, breathing heavily and trying to calm down his racing heart before he looked up and gasped at the sight of the wreaked cars in front of him. His numb fingers fumbled with his seat belt and he hardly realized that he was running forward towards Woohyun’s car, yelling out for the others.

“Sungjong! Sunggyu! Woohyun! Daeun!”

He skidded to a stop at the back seats, looking into the window. The window was completely shattered. The glass shards glittered dangerously on Sungjong’s limp body. 

“No!”

The door was stuck as Sungyeol desperately tugged at the handle, alternating between yelling for someone to call and ambulance and begging for someone inside the car to answer. Finally, the door gave away under his tugging and Sungyeol fell to his knees, ignoring the glass biting through the knees of his pants.

“Sungjong! Sungjong!” 

Sungjong coughed and slowly opened his eyes, blinking dazed at Sungyeol for a couple of moments before his eyes widened and he screamed, “Daeun!”

Only then, Sungyeol looked over on the other side and gasped as he saw all of the blood.

“Sungyeol? Sungyeol? Can you hear me?”

This time it was Sunggyu calling him, he should answer, right? This was his hyung, his leader, he should answer him, but nothing came out of his mouth, only harsh breaths as panic gripped him.

Sungyeol pressed his hands against a gapping wound near Daeun’s abdomen, trying to stop the flow of blood.

“Daeun! Wake up! Daeun!”

Sungjong’s wails were a broken record in harmony with the wailing of emergancy sirens approaching from the distance.

Sungjong’s anguished voice echoed through his head and Sungyeol pressed his hands against his ears to stop the sound of the youngest’s yells. Distantly, he could feel someone’s hands on his elbows, trying to pry his hands off his ears, but Sungyeol fought to keep his posistion, not wanting to hear Sungjong’s screams that still echoed through his head. 

Everything was blurring together until he couldn’t find reality in the screaming from his memories and the members around him. 

“Sungyeol, please, you’re safe, you’re here with us, snap out of it!”

It took too long for the ambulances to arrive. Too long for Sungyeol to keep his hands over Daeun’s wound. Too long for Sungyeol to try to calm Sungjong. Too long for Sungyeol not to know how Sunggyu or Woohyun was.

Too long to save her.

“No! Don’t take Daeun away from me!”

“Sungjong! Look at me!”

“Sungyeol! Look at me!”

“They’re taking her to the hospital. They’re going to make her better. They’re going to save her.”

Sungyeol’s wild flailing hit something and he looked up to find Myungsoo’s eye filled with shock and fear staring back at him. Glancing around, he found the other five members crowded around, looking at him concerned.

“I’m...” Sungyeol stuttered. “I...”

Unable to find words, Sungyeol pushed pass everyone and sprinted out the door, not looking behind him.

“Wow... how big is this place?”

Myungsoo laughed as Sungyeol and Woohyun ran up the stairs of their beach house.  By the time that the others followed inside, Woohyun and Sungyeol were standing in the 3^rd floor loft, waving down at the others. 

“It’s so big!” Sungyeol yelled downstairs.  “I can’t believe this is all for us!”

The cabin was so large that Myungsoo was surprised that Jungyeop actually managed to get it for them. There were three floors, the third and second floor were lofts.  If it wasn’t raining, Myungsoo was sure that the place would’ve been bright from sunlight pouring in from the large glass windows. Each of them got their own bedroom, Dongwoo and his family in one of the bedrooms on the first floor with Hoya occupying the other, Sungyeol, Myungsoo and Sunggyu occupied the three on the second floor and Woohyun and Sungjong got the ones on the third floor. 

After unpacking, Myungsoo headed downstairs to the common area. Sungjong was curled up on the couch near the window, shivering slightly.  Covering Sungjong with a blanket, Myungsoo carefully knelt down in front of him.  Suddenly opening his eyes, Sungjong saw Myungsoo in front of him. 

“Hey, hyung,” he whispered. 

“Hi Jjong,” Myungsoo said with a smile.  “Sorry that I woke you.”

“No, it’s okay,” Sungjong said quietly as he sat up. They sat together in silence for a moment until Sungjong said, “Hyung...”

“Yeah?”

Sungjong sighed and looked out the window again. “Where’s Nabi now?”

Unprepared for the question, Myungsoo sank down onto the couch next to Sungjong. “They got to Paris. She’s happy now.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Sookyung loves her so much that she wouldn’t let her not be happy,” Myungsoo mumbled, “and I love Nabi so much that I need to let her go.”

Sungjong let out another sigh. “Hyung... do you think...”

Carefully, Myungsoo scooted closer and gathered Sungjong in his arms.  “Yeah...”

Sungjong laughed shakily as Myungsoo gently combed his hair. “I wish that I could be you, hyung,” he whispered. “I wish that Daeun and Mihee could be somewhere living together without me if that means that they’re still alive.”

Sungjong’s hair smelled like that expensive shampoo that he always used as Myungsoo burried his nose in his hair. “It still hurts,” he whispered. 

“We’re just a couple of broken hearted dads,” Sungjong mumbled. “I miss them.”

“I know. Me too.”

The peaceful silence was suddenly broken by a scream. Without having to think twice, Myungsoo knew where the scream had come from.

The night that Sookyung left for France, Myungsoo stayed at Sungyeol’s place and in the middle of the night, he was woken up by loud screaming. Myungsoo had rushed to Sungyeol’s room to find Sungyeol having a nightmare. When finally Sungyeol woke up, his cheeks stained with tears, he explained to Myungsoo that he had been having nightmares and flashbacks to the night of the crash, seeing the others trapped in the car every night when he managed to fall asleep. Sungyeol begged Myungsoo to keep quiet and even though Myungsoo pointed out that he had spilt the beans about Myungsoo and Sookyung’s seperation so technically, that would make them even, for the sake of sixteen years of friendship, Myungsoo promised not to tell anyone.

Myungsoo’s socked feet slipped on the floor as he hurried into Sungyeol’s room, the other members close behind him. Sungyeol was on the bed where he must have fallen asleep, but instead of sleeping peacefully, he was thrashing and turning, letting out terrified screams and whimpers.

“Sungyeol? Are you okay?”

Sunggyu reached the other side of Sungyeol, shaking him, trying to wake him up.  “Sungyeol? Sungyeol? Can you hear me?”

Instead of reply like Sungyeol usually did, his hands shot up and covered his ears tightly. Fear seemed to lock Sungyeol in that position as Myungsoo tried his best to pull his hands away.

 “Sungyeol, please, you’re safe, you’re here with us, snap out of it!”

 “Sungyeol! Look at me!”

Suddenly, Sungyeol’s arm shot out and punched Myungsoo hard in the jaw. Myungsoo yelped in pain and Sungyeol’s eyes shot open, immediately landing on Myungsoo.

“I’m...” Sungyeol stuttered. “I...”

Before any of them could react, Sungyeol pushed past them and ran out of the house.

Sungyeol sat on the beach, the rain falling down on his shoulders, but he didn’t move.  Someone came and sat down next to him, not saying anything, only popping open an umbrella to protect them from the rain as Sungyeol just scowled at the ocean waves. 

“If you’re here to yell at me, get it over with,” Sungyeol growled. 

“Can’t.”

He jumped and looked at the other, expecting Sunggyu, but finding Woohyun sitting beside him with a little smile.  “Why are you here?”

“Friend, not leader.”

He chuckled dryly, looking down at the wet sand.  “Are you going to ask about that?” he asked after a moment of silence. 

“Nope.”

“Really?” Sungyeol asked, turning to face Woohyun. “Are you sure?”

“When ready, tell me,” Woohyun said gently. “I tr-t-t-trust.”

With a weak smile, Sungyeol leaned against Woohyun’s shoulder.  “Thanks for trusting me,” he whispered, a tear running down his cheek. “I haven’t told you so much in the past few months, I’m sorry that I haven’t. I know I can trust you... but I can’t tell you just yet.”

“Know,” Woohyun said, patting Sungyeol’s hair. 

He sighed and shook his head. “It hurts to be alone.”

“Me.” Woohyun’s warmth chased away some of the cool ocean air. “You.  Me. Hyung, Jjong, Soo, Howon, D-do-dongwoo. All. Together.”

Sungyeol smiled slightly, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I really am.”

“What going through, forget...” Woohyun frowned as he got the word wrong.  “Are okay, you h-h-h-have us.  You not... lone.” 

Even as Woohyun said that, Sungyeol never felt more alone.  Quietly, without Sungyeol even realizing it himself, he realized that he was pushing everyone away. 

From behind him, he heard someone coming up behind him and Myungsoo sat down beside him.  Looking up, he smiled as Sunggyu flopped down on the sand on the other side of Myungsoo while Sungjong sat on Woohyun’s other side.  Further up the beach, coming closer, Sungyeol heard Sora giggling happy as her dad carried her and Hoya carried her brother down to join the other five.  Wrapped up in various blankets and wearing mismatched jackets to keep away the cold, the six of them smiled at him happily. 

“I’m sorry,” Sungyeol said quietly as they sat down on the sand around him.  “I’m just trying to make it easier for you.”

“You don’t need to,” Dongwoo said firmly.  “We want to make it easier for you, you don’t need to make it easier for us.”

Myungsoo leaned closer to Sungyeol, clinging to him again as he whispered in Sungyeol’s ear, quietly so none of he others could hear him, “I didn’t tell anyone, but if I did, all of us will look after you, dying or not.”

Sungyeol laughed shakily and reached behind him to cling onto Myungsoo’s hand as well, finding comfort in holding onto his best friend’s hand.  “I’m sorry” he whispered against Woohyun’s shoulder, loud enough for the others to hear.  “I really am.”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not your fault,” Hoya said, wrapping the blankets tighter around Sungjong and Haneul to keep warm in the rain.  “Don’t worry about it.  We’re here for you if you need us.”

“Thanks,” Sungyeol mumbled. 

As they spoke, rain started falling harder on their heads.  “Go,” Woohyun said, standing up and tuging Sungyeol up with him.  “No cold.”

A couple of hours earlier, when the group had just arrived at the cabin, Yejin went out to the local grocery store to grab some groceries. Yejin came back to the cabin through the rain with a bag of groceries. Shaking the rain out of her hair, she paused as she heard noise from the loft.  Following the laughter, Yejin climbed the stairs to the second floor to find a beautiful sight. 

The seven members of Infinite were laughing and dancing together, like a mini party in the living room.  For the first time since the dinner a few weeks ago, they were all smilng and singing together.  On one side of the room, Myungsoo was laughing at Sungyeol who was screaming the lyrics on the top of his lungs, dancing in that way of his that only he could do with his long limbs.  Singing into the karaoke mics, Hoya and Sungjong jumped up and down together, belting out the lyrics to their title tracks, slightly out of tune and off the rhythm of the music.  As Yejin heard her children’s giggles, she found Woohyun carrying Haneul and laughing at Sunggyu with Sora in his arms who smiled back fondly.  Dongwoo had his back to her as she snuck up behind him to wrap her arms around his waist.  He jumped surprise, but smiled at Yejin as he saw her. 

“Hey,” Yejin said with a smile.

Instead of replying to her right away, he grabbed her around the waist and kissed her deeply, only breaking apart when Sungyeol and Hoya started to sing, “Dongwoo and Yejin kissing in a tree!” instead of the lyrics to ‘Nothing’s Over’.  Yejin was busy staring daggers at Sungyeol and Hoya that she didn’t notice Woohyun behind her until he suddenly lifted her up off her feet. 

“Hey!” Yejin squeeked in protest, but Woohyun easily carried her across the room.  Glancing around as she laughed, she saw that Myungsoo and Sungjong had grabbed Dongwoo in a similar fashion, her husband laughing his head off even as they were carried towards the patio doors. 

“No way!” Yejin laughed as Sungyeol kicked open the door and Woohyun, Myungsoo and Sungjong deposited Yejin and Dongwoo outside in the rain, closing the door before they could get back in. 

“Let us back in!” Dongwoo called through the door knocking on the glass as the others inside cracked up, some finding it more funnier than others. 

“Kiss her.  Kiss her.  Kiss her.”

Yejin rolled her eyes at their childish chanting.  Their teasing had ceased after the initial teasing they had gotten when they had first started dating, but now it felt like they had travled back in time. 

“Come on, guys!  It’s cold here!” she pleaded, joining Dongwoo at the glass patio walls.  “Let us back in.”

“Kiss him!” Sungyeol yelled back.  “Kiss him!”

Yejin stuck her tounge out at Sungyeol which Sungyeol without hesitation mirrored.  She was caught by surprise as Dongwoo suddenly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.  Smiling into the kiss, Yejin stood on the tips of her toes as Dongwoo pressed against her. 

Even though they were both cold from the rain, it was one of the most sweetest kiss that Yejin had. 

By one in the morning, all of the members had finished off quiet a large amount of alcholol. Some were more coherent than others. Hoya watched as Sungjong shakily tried to pour himself another glass. Grabbing his wrist, Hoya said, “No more drinks for you, Sungjong. Let’s get you to bed.”

Sungjong laughed as Hoya pulled him up the stairs.  “Hyung, hyung!  You know what I thought?” he asked with a hiccup.  “I thought that someday, you’ll take Mihee on one of those adventures that Dongwoo-hyun takes Sebinnie on... or that Sungyeollie-hyung has with Nabi... I wanted you to be Mihee’s cool Uncle Howonnie.  So handsome... Cool Uncle Howonnie.”

Hoya only grunted in response as he helped Sungjong into his bed. 

“Hyung," Sungjong whispered, “I never wanted to die by drowning... it feels like I’m drowning without her.  I can’t breathe...  I want to breathe again.”

With a small sad smile, Hoya reached over and rubbed Sungjong’s chest gently.  “I know I’m not Daeun or Mihee, but the other hyjngs and I are always here for you, Jjong.  We’ll help you breathe.”

Sungjong smiled and laughed, his laughter slurred from the alcohol.  “I just need Daeun again... like how Dongwoo-hyung has Yejin-noona.  I want to have Yejin-noona, do you think that Dongwoo-hyun will let me steal her?”

Hoya chuckled and pushed back Sungjong’s hair from his eyes.  “Maybe.  Just sleep it off before you try to steal anyone’s wife.”

Mumbling something incoherently, Sungjong pulled at the blankets, patting down a spot next to him with a far away look.  “Yejin-noona is nice... but she’s not Daeunnie.”

Not able to find anything to say, Hoya just sighed and moved the garbage can closer to his bed. “Good night, Sungjong. Sweet dreams.”

아프다 (ah-peu-da) when not even your love can heal the pain in my heart

thanks for the support and enthusiasm on my return. hope you like this too.