Okay so it turns out this isn't the final chapter. I like even numbers so I will extend it. This should be th penultimate chapter.........Hopefully......

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“Sungmin........ Sungmin.”

The man reached forward and pulled the unresponsive Sungmin onto his knees. Turning his face towards him he hurriedly pushed the matted hair from his face and started to gently tap on his cheek.

“Sungmin..... come on!”

Panic was rising in him as Sungmin continued to be unresponsive.

“I am too late..... I am too late.....” he repeated rhythmically, guilt over taking him as his eyes stared down at Sungmin in a trance like gaze. Every inch of him willed for him to wake up. To look up at him with his big brown eyes. His normal sullen gaze. Anything.

Lowering his head to rest on Sungmin's chest, he listened carefully, his eyes closed tightly in concentration. It was there. A heartbeat. It was faint and laboured, but it was there.

Seeing it wasn't all over, the man continued the tapping on Sungmin's cold cheek, frantically now, not ready to give up. Each preceding tap increased in speed and strength until he was practically slapping him. The force was making Sungmin's head wobble slightly on the man's knee, only to be held in place by the man's other hand which was placed firmly behind Sungmin's head.

“Sungmin. That is enough now.” He warned. “You need to open your eyes now.”

But there was the same silence and stillness.

An idea rushing to his head, the man carefully placed Sungmin back down onto the cold floor. Standing up fully, he reached down and placed an arm around Sungmin's back and one under his knees. Moving back up to a full standing position, taking Sungmin with him, he held him bridal style. Effortlessly. His body was light and felt fragile in his arms. Then he turned and walked from the room, ascending the stairs slowly, careful as not to bang Sungmin's head into the wall. When at the top, the man listened carefully for any sound to indicate Kangin's current state. The noise he heard was a loud, pig like snore. He was asleep. Walking along the hallway, he stopped in front of the bathroom door, gently shoving it open with his foot while still balancing Sungmin in his arms.

In the bathroom, he gently placed Sungmin down onto the cold white tiles of the floor. Stretching him down on his back and kneeling before him, the man preceded to undress him, shirt first, followed by trousers, leaving on his underwear After staring at him for a few seconds, the lifeless body that he had managed to do all that he had done to without him even muttering a single sound or moving an inch. He really was in a pitiful state. The man reached down and once again picked Sungmin up. A red stain marred the floor when he had been laid; a fragment of his life left upon the bleached white tiles. Sungmin in his arms, he carefully stepped into the shower box, gentle as not to anger any of his cuts more than they already were. Releasing his grip from under his knees slightly, the man started to lower Sungmin's legs until his feet touched the floor, bending slightly in their inanimate lack of control. He held on to him tightly under his arms while taking full advantage of the shower wall as a leaning post to steady himself, pressing back hard against it. Slowly he lowered himself to the shower floor, taking Sungmin with him, his child-like body resting malleablely between the man's legs. Fully down, he closed the door then reached over to the shower dials, turning down the temperature as far as it would go then setting it going. They were instantly bombarded by cold water that fell like droplets of ice. The man hissed at the harsh feel on his skin. Closing his eyes, he buried his head in Sungmin's equally as cold shoulder while he adjusted to the feel of the water. After several seconds he lifted his head and allowed Sungmin's head to loll back to rest on his shoulder. Brushing the dark hair from his eyes, he placed a hand over them to shield them from the force of the water as they were now fully exposed to the battering massage of the drops. Burying his face into the side of Sungmin's, the man closed his eyes and willed for this to work.

He held him in place for roughly five minutes before he heard a choked gasp emit from his form, followed by a violent coughing fit that shook his whole body. This roused the man from his thoughts as he quickly lifted his head and grabbed at Sungmin's chin to turn his head to face him. He was awake and looking at him with eyes of pure terror. In panic he started to thrash his arms around, trying to grasp at anything he could. Afraid he would hurt himself, the man quickly turned off the shower then proceeded to wrap his arms around Sungmin's body, hugging him tightly in an attempt to calm the smaller's heart that was now practically beating out of his chest.

It took several minutes, but he eventually calmed down, his rapid heart subsiding to a slow rhythm. When this happened, the man slow released his grip, but left his arms snacked around his chest. Sungmin was unmoving beside the odd jolt every now and then as his body shivered from the cold.

Not wanting to move him in case he started to struggle again, but needing to get him out of the shower and dry before his vulnerable body got in an even worse state, the man slipped his arm from around him. Pushing Sungmin's body forward carefully, the man slid himself out from behind him. Placing a hand under each armpit, he lifted Sungmin's body from the floor, helped somewhat now by the pressure his feet were placing on the floor to create a pivot.

They stepped out of the shower together, the smaller man prompted forward by the taller who swiftly grabbed for the towel nearest to him and wrapped it around his shaking shoulders. He gently rubbed the towel on Sungmin as he pushed him towards the door and out, grabbing another couple of towels as they went. Stirring him with a hand on each shoulder, Sungmin walked robotically towards the room the man had been sleeping in, leaving small footprints of water in his wake.

Pushing him down to sit on his bed, the man started to vigorously rub the towel that was draped over his shoulder in an attempt to soak up as much water as possible, before kneeling down and repeating the process but with his legs and feet. He himself was still soaking wet, his dripping clothes sending droplets of water cascading whenever he moved. But he didn't care, Sungmin was his number one priority at this moment in time.

Sungmin's skin was mottled with goosebumps, his hairs standing up on end. This just accentuated the the cuts and scars and jutting bones. Scanning his eyes over the smaller man before him while he had the opportunity to be in such a close proximity to him, Kyuhyun felt his heart pick up in speed. He wondered how he had even lasted this long without his body giving up. Adjustment? Determination?...... Love?

Body all dry, the man took one of the towels and started to rub it over Sungmin's dripping locks. He had avoided looking in his eyes since he had seen that look of terror earlier, but kneeling in front of him now, drying his hair, he had no option but to look. He was surprised to find Sungmin staring straight at him, their eyes joining the instant the man turned his head. They were as lifeless as ever, but there was a spark of something, but what it was the man couldn't quite put his finger on. It was almost a look despondence, of anger. Was he angry with him for not just leaving him to die? He put this thought to the back of his mind as he continued to rub his hair, Sungmin's head moving from side to side as he did so.

When adequately dry, he left Sungmin sat on the bed with the towel over his shoulders while he went to get some get some bandages out of the cabinet in the bathroom. Recovered, he strode back into the bedroom. Sungmin was in the same position as before having not moved an inch.

“S-sungmin..... Will you stand up for me?” he asked gently but forcefully, bending slightly at the waist and looking into his eyes to encourage him to do so.

With jerky movements, he complied, putting his hands on the bed and pushing himself up. He swayed for a few moments before standing completely still. With quick but careful movements, the man set about dressing the wounds on Sungmin's back. There were many of them. Starting under his armpits, he started to wind the bandage around, thinking it best to cover the majority of his back instead of applying separate bandages. The wounds were angry looking and still spilling blood in some places which the man wiped before applying the bandage causing Sungmin to wince as the raw flesh was touched. All done the man signalled for Sungmin to sit down as he recovered one of his own shirts from his suitcase, unfolded it and draped it over his small shoulders.

“C-can you put your arms though for me Sungmin?” he asked gently

Slowly and jerkily as if thawing, he slid his arms into the sleeves. The shirt was so big on him that his hands didn't come out of the ends. While the man was busily fastening the buttons, kneeling before Sungmin again, he jumped at sudden darkness that enveloped him, followed by a pressure on his head. Sungmin had draped a towel over him. In jerky movements, he moved it from side to side, attempting to dry his hair for him. While this was happening, the man tried to continue fastening up the buttons but had to stop as he felt his heart constricting in his chest. It was such a simple gesture, and after all he had just done for Sungmin, it was some sort of repayment. But the fact that it was Sungmin who was doing it, a man who was so broken, made the man feel utterly sorrowful. He left Sungmin to continue rubbing a few more times before he mildly placed his hands on his wrists, sliding them up to his hands to still them. Then he pulled the towel of his head and looked up at the small man with compassionate eyes. The face that met him was one of child-like innocence, causing the man's heart to constrict again as guild surged though his veins. Averting his gave, he finished fastening the buttons.

Then he started work on himself, starting with his shirt. The fabric that clung to his skin was pulled off and slung to the side. Making quick, insensitive work of drying himself, he redressed himself with dry clothes. The whole time, Sungmin watched his movements with almost curious eyes. He watched the man's body, mesmerized by his almost perfect form as he bent and swayed in his rough and deliberate movements. On turning around, he could see how the man's wavy hair, still damp swung then clung to his face, droplets of water forming on the tips and falling softly to the floor. Who is he? He thought to himself again.

“Sungmin?” the man spoke, his voice drawing Sungmin out of his thoughts. “If I bring you some food, will you try to eat it for me?” he asked tenderly.

Thinking it over as if he had been asked the hardest question in the world, he slowly nodded his head.

“I will not be long then,” he said then turned and left the room.

He returned ten minutes later with some toast and a drink of water.

“Here you go,” he spoke, handing the things over to Sungmin who took it with a bow of his head.

He stared down at the plate with the toast on. This would be the first bit of food that had passed his lips for a couple of days, and even then it had only been an unsubstantial scrap. Slowly he picked up the toast and brought it to his lips, letting it rest there for a few seconds before taking a bite. After chewing it for far longer than was necessary, he swallowed it, the mush hurting as it moved down his dry, aching throat, causing him to choke. The man, who had been watching him, reached out quickly and started to pat the small man's back, changing to a forceful rub as he calmed.

“Take a drink,” he suggested, which Sungmin complied with.

He managed to eat half a slice of the toast before he felt he couldn't eat any more. The man encouraged him to drink more of the water before he put the left over down for him.

Pulling the cover back on the bed he spoke again: “You need rest so lay down, you can sleep here tonight.”

Still in a bit of a daze, he put up no argument, just slowly lowered himself onto the bed, allowing the man to pull the covers back more and spread them over him. As he was about to turn the light off, Sungmin spoke, asking: “Where will you sleep?”

“Do not worry about me. I will go downstairs and clean up, then I will sleep on the the sofa.”

“No!” Sungmin shouted, shocking the man who furrowed his eyebrows while looking at him questioningly. “Don't leave me.” He was looking at him with pleading, terrified eyes,

Then he understood. Of course he wouldn't want him to leave. He was stupid to even consider going.

“Okay Sungmin. I will stay with you. Now close your eyes.”

“Here. I want you to sleep here,” Sungmin told him, nodding his head adamantly towards the space at the side of him.

Not wanting to put up a fight, the man climbed onto the bed next to Sungmin and joined him under the covers. The instant he was down, Sungmin turned his body to face him. He stared intently at his face for a few moments, blinking his eyes a couple of times before they closed and didn't open again

The man studied Sungmin's sleep soothed face until he himself was dragged into a restless, dreamless sleep, thinking one single thought:

It cannot wait any longer, it needs to happen tomorrow.

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So Sungmin isn't dead! I don't think I could've had the heart to kill him.

Thanks for reading!