'Can you all please stop hiding things from me? It's actually starting to get a little irritating.' You said, 'I know you're doing it for the best but I deserve to know about these things. Stop thinking it'll hurt me if you tell me. It hurts me more being kept in the dark if you ask me!'

'I- Haneul, I didn't know-'

'You know, for someone so clever, you really don't have much sense when it comes to things like this' 

'Speak for yourself' 

'What?'

'We're here.' The taxi driver barked, interrupting the argument that could have been.

'Can you wait here? We'll just be a second, sir' said Kai, stepping out of the taxi and helping you out too.

'Luhan!'

'Haneul!'

'Hyung!'

'Kai! What's going on? Why have I got this message from Sehun?' Luhan turned to you, 'Haneul, I saw the news... I'm so sorry. I wish I can be with you-'

'It's fine, oppa. It's fine. You're going to debut soon so don't worry about me. Follow your dream.'

'It's tomorrow, isn't it?' Kai said

Luhan nodded.

'Luhan! Come on! We need to do a few last practices!' Came a distant voice

'Who's that?' You asked

'Minki. We're being assessed in a pair.'

'Seems like you're needed, hyung'

'Yeah...' Luhan looked at you and Kai with a torn and sorry expression, 'I really do wish I could come... Well, maybe I can...'

'Luhan?' Minki called again

'No, stay. We'll call tomorrow. When is the audition?' You asked

'2 days time.'

'2 days?' Kai breathed

'My birthday...' You said quietly

'Hey, do you want this cab or not?!' The taxi driver yelled

You ran back to the cab and jumped in saying sorry for making him wait. Kai gave Luhan a final hug before legging it back too.

'To the hospital please'

 

At the hospital, Kris was pacing back and forth.

'We can't afford to pay for all these medical bills' he kept saying to himself, 'how are we supposed to do this?'

'Hyung, noona's on her way' Chanyeol said, handing him a cup of coffee

'Did hyung do it on purpose?' Tao asked Chen who simply shrugged.

'I honestly don't know.'

'Is hyung really that unhappy?' Sehun asked

D.O put his arm around the younger boy.

'Suho-hyung's always been a bit fragile so we need to be strong and be there for him.'

The sound of high heels click clacking on the ultra-sterile, white hospital floor echoed down the corridors. They were followed by a shuffling of footsteps.

'Noona's here.' Baekhyun said 'And she's got company'

 

You had managed to bump into Jiyoung as you were hopping out of the taxi. She had Chihiro with her and her make up was fully done.

'Unnie, did you just come from a shoot? Aren't you going to get in trouble?'

'Oh blow the shoot. If Suho is in trouble then no one is going to stop me from seeing him, Besides, it's not like I'm a new face on the scene. They're going to book me either way. It's alright if I'm a diva once or twice in this career'

Running into the corridor, the rest of the boys stood up on your arrival.

'Haneul'

'Hey' you said, breathing heavily trying to catch your breath

You noticed Lay was still sitting on the bench by a window with blinds in it. Huiling was beside him holding his hand. He was trembling.

He hates it here. 

As you walked over to the window, your steps slowed. You bent down and looked through the blinds into the room. You could make out the faint beeping and whirring of the machines Suho was wired up to. He had a drip in his right arm and an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. His breathing was steady and slow and his eyes were closed. He looked serene and calm. Almost happy.

Almost dead.

He was paler than usual and his chest rose and fell in the most minute movements. There were tubes stuck to him everywhere, going in somewhere and coming out somewhere else.

Why did you do it?

You could feel hot tears rolling down your cheeks and as you turned away to hide them and wipe them dry, Kai put a hand on your shoulder.

'Come on, let's wait somewhere else.'

'When can we see him?' You asked

'Kris is finding out now but the nurse wants us gone. She says there's too many of us.'

'Where's Xiumin?'

'He's working the dinner shift. He should be home just a bit after us' said Chanyeol, 'it's overtime to get a little bit more money. He texted me about it an hour or so ago.'

'What about Baekhyun?'

'He was here a moment ago...' Tao said

'He's gone to make a call I presume to either Luhan-hyung or Xiumin-hyung, one of those two' D.O said, 'let's not worry about him'

 

You stopped off at the mini-mart on the way home. Tao and Sehun were both adamant about buying some sort of comfort food and the 12 of you dashed to the isle selling instant cup ramen. Once back in the dorm and settled down, Kris decided it would be best for everyone to sleep.

You all retreated back to your rooms at around midnight but you couldn't rest. You lay awake in your bed, lights switched off with your mobile phone by your side. Even the comfort of your make do pajamas couldn't get you settled enough. You figured you would just not be able to sleep that night. At around 4 in the morning, you still hadn't slept but you heard the pacing of footsteps outside in the main living area. Getting up and putting on your slippers, you decided to see who it was until you heard the voices.

'Hyung?'

It was Kris and the reply was an inaudible mutter.

'Hyung, please put the bottle down'

His voice was a sort of pleading. It was as if his life depended on it. You gently bent down and looked through the key hole. Kris was slowly creeping closer and closer to Xiumin who had a bottle in his hand.

A bottle of vodka.

He took a swig of it, full on straight with no diluting, wretched and swayed from side to side. Kris now had the bottle in his reach but Xiumin lifted it as if he was going to smash it on his head. You let out a scream and they both turned to look at your door. Xiumin began thundering his way over, bottle at the ready and you backed up till you were right against your bed. You huddled up into a ball expecting the worst and when your door opened, you screamed again.

'Hyung! Stop it!' Baekhyun yelled from across the dorm now fully awake.

He banged on Chen's door and Kai and D.O's room in an attempt to wake them from their slumber. Chanyeol was with him and slowly approached Xiumin who was standing at your doorway. Xiumin turned around and lept at Chanyeol only to be pinned down by Tao and his wooden practice stick. His facial expression reminded you of the first time you had met him. It was cold, scary and deathly- nothing like the Tao you knew now.

D.O slipped into your room and helped you up, giving you a hug.

'Oppa... What's happened to Xiumin?'

'He's drunk, Haneul. When he gets drunk, he goes overboard. That's why he vowed never to touch the stuff again.'

You heard Xiumin yell and knock a door down. It was followed by Sehun's voice.

'Hyung! ! Stop! Someone help me! Hyung, it's me! Woah!'

D.O took your hand. 'Given the circumstances and everything that's been happening, I can see why he turned to drink again.'

You heard a crash and the shattering of glass.

'That sounded like Suho's bookcase...' You said

D.O's eyes widened, 'it did, didn't it?... Right, let's get out of here. We'll be safer out there since there's more space to run if we need to'

'O-Okay...'

He held your hand tighter and gave you another one armed hug.

'Don't worry. I won't let hyung do anything to you.'

 

Once outside, you saw Sehun rubbing on his leg.

'Sehun! Your leg... Are you alright?'

'Suho's books fell on it but it's fine. I survived that lighting tower accident, didn't I? Don't worry.'

Kai and Chanyeol had Xiumin in the bathroom. He no longer had a bottle with him, having smashed it in Suho and Sehun's room but he was waving his arms around, threatening to punch anything in sight. Kai took hold of one shoulder with the idea of calming him down in mind. Xiumin took one look at him and kicked him stealthily in the groin, just where the inner thigh reaches the crotch area.

'Ouch... That must have hurt...' D.O said, his hand still enlaced into yours

'You don't say, hyung...' Tao replied

With Kai keeling over in pain, Lay grabbed him and hauled him away from Xiumin, giving him a wrapped ice pack and sitting him down next to Sehun. They were put in the farthest corner of the dorm, right by Kai's desk and should Xiumin want to go after them, they would be able to get on the balcony and shut the door. If Xiumin broke through the glass however, then they'd be toast.

Averting your attention back to Chanyeol who was single handedly dragging Xiumin back out and yelling 'what should I do with him?!', you noticed Chen was missing.

'Hyung! What should I do with him?! Help me someone! I don't want to get punched!'

And just like that, Chanyeol suffered a blow to his nose. You didn't hear a crack but you winced at the duff 'knuckle-hitting-bone' sound. Chanyeol stumbled back, gasping and holding his nose which had started to bleed. You wanted to run forward but D.O stopped you as Xiumin had walked towards Chanyeol again this time kicking him straight in the crotch. Chanyeol was blinded by pain and writhed around on the floor. This time D.O let go of your hand but Chanyeol glanced up at you, stopping you in your tracks.

'Stay back, Haneul. Don't get hurt.' 

Everyone looked at each other until you heard a low growl and a smash in the kitchen, followed by Sehun's helpless shriek.

'Okay, this isn't working. I'm so scared I could pee myself right now. Someone stop him please!' Kai yelled

'How?!' Baekhyun hissed back

'Get Yeollie out of the way first!' you cried, 'come on!'

Chanyeol was still lying in a fetal position on the floor, his sleeve soaked in blood from his nose.

'Someone needs to knock hyung out too...' D.O said

'Oppa!' 

'No he's right, Haneul. Tao? Lay?' Kris said

Lay shook his head. 'If I move him, he'll probably hurt even more.'

Tao nodded and ran towards Xiumin with his wooden stick in hand. He swiftly hit Xiumin's legs causing him to fall to his knees. Tao stood in front of him and when Xiumin braved a punch, he effortlessly blocked it. Once the string of drunken and sloppy punches were over, Tao hit him directly in the head, knocking him out. He swayed and groaned and Tao caught hold of his head, letting it gently rest on the floor.

'Well done, Tao' Sehun said from his corner of refuge

'Yeah, nicely done.' Said Baekhyun

 

After 10 minutes of slowly moving Chanyeol and also cleaning up his swollen, bloodied face, Chen burst through the front door with Mr Park beside him. He lifted him up and put him on Mr Park's back.

'I'll keep him for today. I'll let him know what's happened and he'll be allowed to see you when I think he's ready. Are you guys okay?'

'As okay as we'll ever be.' 

 

 

---

contrary to what most of you guys want, I've decided to write just one ending. It will be the one I've been thinking about most and I've decided I'm going to stick with that. Once this story is over, I will most likely (still not sure) release the other endings for you guys to read too but they will be in a seperate sort of short ficlet collection type thing

ok too much talking

comment if you hate me for being so dramatic

comment if you love me for being so dramatic

oh and tell me what you would name a puppy that looks like this (both male and female names will do!);

prizes for the best names (karma). nothing cliche please...

japanese, korean and chinese names allowed too! IN FACT ALL LANGUAGES! the cooler the better!

 

that's a lot for you to comment about (thoughts on the ending, thoughts on author-nim being a dramatic fairy, possible doggy names), I await your feedback!