Disclaimer: Characters are not mine unless they want to. Chapter title came from Eels' song Lucky Day in Hell

Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.

"Do you know how sometimes - when you are riding your bike and you start skidding across sand, or when you miss a step and start tumbling down the stairs - you have those long, long seconds to know that you are going to be hurt, and badly?" Hyukjae mumbled, his voice was calm and his eyes have those glassy faraway look. His tears have long dried and the pain of grief was sinking in.

Nobody told him anything and he did not dare ask. But somehow he knew. Death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed. And so even without words, Hyukjae knew that the unexplainable tugged in his heart was not a consequence of the pain of unconsciously replaying in his head the hopeless moment of peering into Donghae's lifeless eyes when he barged into the room or the sinister feeling that he was too late to do anything. The pain, which horribly felt like drowning in cold water while being pierced by a thousand white-hot knives, was brought about by something else. 

In his mind, he knew --that's why he said his last goodbyes.

Have we really had our last conversation? Our last ice cream together? If I knew that that was the last time I see you, I'd tell you I care about you. That I care about you very much. Probably more than you could even imagine, and I believe you have a pretty good imagination. If I, I... if I knew that that was the last time I see you, I'd tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already...

He felt a warm hand covering his. He did not looked up but he knew it was Yesung hyung. He has been a quiet companion and he couldn't be more thankful for his presence. 

Somewhere, he heard a sound. A heartbreaking sound - the wailing of a mother. Of Donghae's mother. It was a sound he prayed he would never hear, but he did. And while Hyukkie thought that he was empty of all tears, they started flowing again.

--

Donghae cracked an eye open with so much difficulty. For a few heart-stopping moments, he could not see anything apart from the blinding white light. His body was devoid of all senses and the air was neither warm nor cold.  

"I think I'm dead." he heard his own voice call out, strangely high-pitched and thin and croaky (if that's even a word), like it was out of practice for years. He tried to move his head and a series of bright dots appeared before his eyes.

For a long time, he heard nothing else. Then suddenly, "Hi Dead, my name is Heenim and this one here is Donghwa hyung."

Donghae was fading in and out of consciousness. His thoughts were impassive and sluggish; he was pretty sure his mind was playing tricks on him. Everything was foggy and unreal. He was dead right? But how come he heard Heechulie's voice?

Then it occured to him: He wasn't dead. He tried to open his eyes, but the effort was enough to send him back to unconsciousness. It took a few minutes for his brain to relax and for his heart to adjust into regular rhythm. He realized that the choking tube on his throat is gone.

The room was small like a classroom -- a kindergarten classroom decorated by blind five year-olds. Colorful balloons were floating randomly in the ceiling while banners of all sorts were hanging aimlessly in all directions. Cards and pictures adorned the walls. 

"What's with the balloons?' he asked weakly, unable to comprehend what's happening around him.

"So you will cheer up." Heechul replied simply like it was the most obvious answer.

"What- why?"

"Uh, because it's better to be happy than sad?" 

"I don't understand... What happened?" Donghae asked again slightly confused. Nothing was making sense and Heechulie was not helping. He glanced at Donghwa hyung who was clearly asleep in the small settee in the far corner of the room.

"I'm not sure. I was expecting you could tell me..." Heechul explained, waving his hand dismissively. Donghae gave his most convincing get-your-sh*t-straight-or-I-will-strangle-you-with-my-dextrose-wire look.  "Try this, does taking four packets of painkillers sounds familiar to you? Or, I don't know maybe, poor Hyukkie bursting into your room after he got your message, because i think the look on his face was hard to forget... " Heechul droned on for what seemed like hours. Donghae was zoning out little by little, and he could only catch certain words or phrases like "damage control", "media blackout", and "Hyukjae hospitalized too"

"Hyukkie?" he croaked, breaking Heechul off his monologue.

"Yeah, apparently exhaustion and shock is not a good combination..." the gothic diva stated "But he's fine now, almost... Yesung is with him."

That's good, Donghae thought Eunhyuk will need another bestfriend, that's what I told him. "Wait, what happened to me? Why am I---?"

"Ah, oh that..." Heechul said, his confident composure slightly wavering. "Your heart actually stopped thrice already. The last one, by the way, brought Kibummie into shock, he was hospitalized too like Hyukkie. And the doctors have pumped your stomach at least four times, you were in the surgery for 10 hours. Apparently, you were dead for a full 6 minu---""

"I get it. I get it." Donghae cut him short, determined to get in the bottom of the insane situation "Then, why am I not dead yet?"

Just then, the door burst open and it revealed a very tired looking Leeteuk. The dark circles around his eyes have their own dark circles, and it looked like he hasn't showered for days.  "If it would bring any comfort for you, it won't be for long." he said grimly.

Hey there! I'm sorry if i haven't updated in a while.. Been quite busy, you see. Yeah I know, I'm surprised too. I wouldn't peg me as someone who have a life... But anyways, i hope you enjoyed this chapter, although it's a bit confusing. It really makes me feel bad writing filler chapters like this but i still hope you like it :) 

Just one quick question to @saranghaeshineekey (or to anyone who might know), what does 'jigeum jangnan anya' mean? :) I tried to google translate but it can't get me anywhere XD

PS:  Please, please do check out this oneshot. It's a little bit darker and angstier than this one but it's really really short, it won't take a lot of your time :D Pretty pretty please?

Here it is: Everyday is a Sunday Evening

PSS: I'll edit everything later, sorry for grammatical errs.