It all happens so fast.

Baekhyun drives up the sinuous, winding road.

He glances down at his phone to see a text from Junmyeon inquiring as to where the hell is he.

The drunk driver in the other lane, comes barreling down the hill.

There’s a flash of light.

Both cars tumble down the hill and lay in a mangled heap at the base of the hill.

The other driver doesn’t make it.

Baekhyun blearily opens his eyes to the harshness of fluorescent lighting, a beeping monitor and hushed voices. A sharp pain in his left shoulder makes him gasp, letting out a choked sob of agony. Panicked, Baekhyun glances to his left side, his eyes widening in horror when his arm isn’t there.

Baekhyun figures his career is over; but Lee Soo Man’s words still cut deep--or rather the words of his assistant. Lee Soo Man himself considered Baekhyun unworthy of his time and presence.

We are sorry to say that you can no longer perform with EXO or represent S.M. Ent.

Baekhyun tried to hold in his tears, choking out a mangled response of, “O-okay I’ll j-just leave the dorm as soon as possible and pack my stuff and…”

Once Baekhyun is discharged from the hospital, he catches a shuttle back to his--no EXO’s dorm--he’s not a part of the popular boy group anymore. Letting himself into the cold, empty dorm, the absence of his former bandmates stabs at his heart and yanks at his heartstrings. Baekhyun occupies his thoughts with packing--it’s all he can do. By the time EXO returns to the dorm from their long schedules, Baekhyun is long gone, just a fading memory.

“But… we never said goodbye to hyung and… ” Sehun trails off, sniffling and biting his bottom lip to stop the impending onslaught of tears.

“Sehun…” the members plead with him to stay strong but Sehun is already long gone, drowning in the rivulets of tears streaming down the pale skin of his face.

Later, people tell Baekhyun how lucky he is to have survived the crash. But with a memory of waking up in the exam room, bright lights blinding him, seared into his mind, Baekhyun can’t help but wish the crash had taken his life instead.