I thought walking up a mountain was going to be easy. After all the members of Infinite were in good shape from the dancing and daily exercise.

I had believed that I was in shape but this mountain changed my mind. My lungs were screaming for a break while my legs were turning into jelly.

The rain splashed against my face making it hard to see the path which caused me to slip here and there.

I should have stayed back at the halmoni's house but I thought I would be there within an hour.

Now three had passed and I still wasn’t at my destination.

Finding Doctor Woonha was more difficult than I thought. When I arrived to the address given to me by the doctor, I had found that nothing was there just a new shopping mart.

After hours of asking locals about Doctor Woonha, I sadly was told that he had moved into the countryside to get away from the busy city.

Instead of seeing the doctor I spent the rest of the day riding a train deep into the countryside.

It felt strange leaving everything I knew behind and traveling alone for the first time. I was used to having Sunggyu hyung and the managers taking care of simple things such as passports or knowing when and where to go to catch a connection for a flight or bus.

Without them I had forgotten my passport and had to turn back an hour into my trip. I missed my bus and had to spend the night at a bath house.

Nothing was going right so when I saw the rain clouds coming closer to the village. I should have ran away but instead I decided to meet it head on.

I had just received a clue to where Dr. Woonha was and I had to act on it fast.

A couple of Ahjummas had told me that once a month they see a strange man gathering supplies at the local store. They weren’t sure if his name was Woonha but he did once cure the head villager’s broken arm with just sticks.  It was a small lead but it was all I had to find the doctor. My mother had only given me two weeks to find the doctor or else she would send the whole Korean army after me.

With the way she was acting I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.

On top of that I had promised Sungjong’s parents that if it didn’t work out I would accept Sungjong’s death.

I couldn’t and I wouldn’t do that.

I bit my lip as I heaved myself over a fallen log.

It was getting dangerous but I was sure I only had an hour left. Even if the man wasn’t Woonha I was still hoping that he would offer me some shelter.

A loud bang made me jump out of my skin as lightning flashed throughout the sky.

You’re safe Dongwoo.

Who am I kidding this was a dumb idea, I thought to myself as I weaved in between tall trees.

No one can save Sungjong, I should have just accepted that he was gone like the other have but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t let him go.

No I wouldn’t let him go.

No if I could survive this than Infinite, Sungjong, and I deserved a happy ending.

I was now at the steepest part of the mountain, there was a small ledge over a drop off that made my stomach turn. It was too dark to tell how deep it was but I knew I needed to be careful.

I wasn’t the most graceful member but I knew how to move my body.

Okay using my body to make fan girls scream didn’t compare to this but still I had to hold on to something.

I took a step on the ledge praying for the best.

I took a deep breath then took another step till I was holding tightly onto the rocks in front of me.

Thunder banged loudly around me as lighting lit my way.

Dr. Woonha was going to be there.

He was going to take one look at Sungjong’s chart and decide to help him. Sungjong is going to wake up and the rest of the members will come home. Everything will go back to normal.

It will because there isn’t any other outcome in my mind.

“Yes everything will be fine,” I mumbled to myself.

I didn’t want to think about what would happen if Dr. Woonha didn’t accept my offer.

My heart dropped as my foot slipped.

No no no no no no!

My hands swung blindly as I tried to reach for something to steady me.  I grabbed ahold of a rock and for a slight second I had hope that I wasn’t going to die.

That once in my life something was going to work out.

Then my fingers slipped and I felt myself falling backwards.

Images of things I had once forgotten flashed through my mind.

I was three or maybe four and I was playing with my mother in a garden which was weird since we lived in an apartment all my life.

I was eight and watching my parents play cards with my grandparents while drinking soju.

I was ten years old and camping in the living room with my two older sisters.

Now I was sixteen and trying out for JYP even though they all told me I couldn’t or I shouldn’t do it.

The day I decided to trust Jung Yeop and join Infinite.

Standing on stage at the age of 19 and dancing my heart out in front of judgmental girls.

Having deep conversations with Sunggyu about Infinite and other matters in life.

Dancing with Hoya till it was too hard to breathe then going on for some more.

Falling for all of Sungyeol’s pranks even the ones that weren’t meant for me.

Eating delicious food with Myungsoo even when we’re on strict diets.

Making fangirls scream with Woohyun.

Then there is Sungjong the one person who was never afraid to speak up.

There were many nights where Sungjong had joined me in bed to talk about things that had been on his mind. We would talk until one of us lost the battle with sleep.

He was my brother and I had failed him.

I’m sorry.

So sor-

“Hyung,” someone yelled shaking my shoulder roughly.

No.

I didn’t want to wake up not yet. I let out a groan as I rolled over trying my best to stay away from the annoying voice,

Why did my head hurt?

I was walking in the rain than…than I fell.

No I didn’t just fall...I fell off a cliff!

A large and very scary cliff.

I shot up quickly sending whatever was on the bed to the floor.. My head was spinning trying to regain balance of the world as I let out a loud groan.

Once I was finally able to focus my eyes nothing made sense.

I was lying in my bed but it wasn’t my bed. It belonged to the company and so did this desk and the photos on the wall.

I was back in the dorm but how?

Why?

My heart pounded quickly as I felt this morning breakfast coming back up.

I couldn’t be here!

No. No. No.

This isn’t right.

I quickly stood up but my foot caught on the blanket then I found myself toppling to the ground. Thank goodness something soft and squishy broke my fall.

It let out a groan as I scuffled away from the thing.

“Hyung seriously what was that for!” a voice shouted catching my attention.

“S-Sungjong!” I shouted.

The pale skinny boy didn’t even have a chance to say a word because my arms were around him giving him the tightest hug in history.

“Get off of me,” he shouted pulling at my arms.

“You’re not dead,” I mumbled into his shoulders as tears rolled down my face.

“Seriously hyung we have to get going. We have to practice then we’re doing filming for Weekly Idol,” he whined but didn’t make any attempts to release my grip.

“A-Are you crying?” he asked suddenly pushing my arms away so he could look upon my face.

“I eh,” I wiped away the tears quickly. “Had a bad dream.”

“What was it about?” Sungjong asked cocking his head to the side.

I hesitated for a moment and questioned if I should tell the young boy about the awful things that happen in the nightmare.

“Well I um…”

“Hyung,” Sungjong smacked my arm. “Just tell me or I’ll make you watch one of my scary movies!”

I bit my lip, he had once made Sunggyu, Woohyun and Sungyeol watch a scary movie with him and only one of them was able to sleep through the night. I on the other hand dreaded watching commercials for new upcoming horror flicks.

“I’ll do it,” Sungjong threaten me with a evil smile.

I sighed. “Fine but it was more like a nightmare. I had a dream that you were dead but not really-“

“How can I not really be dead?” Sungjong interrupted me as he sat on the bed to get more comfortable.

“You were in a coma,” I told him simply.

“Did Sungyeol kill me? Maybe Woohyun ah yes it would be Woohyun,” Sungjong joked looking over to the door where I could hear the other members talking.

I grabbed his hand turning his attention back to me. “Listen it was horrible you were in a really bad accident with Sungyeol, Sunggyu, and I. You were thrown out of the car and Sunggyu broke his leg.”

Sungjong stood up. “Hyung that’s a sick story.”

“But it wasn’t a story it was real well I thought it was,” I sputtered out. “And you were in a coma and the rest of the members split up.”

“How could you split up?” he asked shocked as if it  had really happen.

I hesitated. “It’s not like we just woke up and decided to go our separate ways. It just happen like that.”

“Well hyung,” Sungjong slapped my arm roughly.

“OUCH! What was that for?” I pouted holding my arm.

“That’s for having a dumb dream. Infinite isn’t going to break up over me and if my hyungs did that then you’re all stupid.”

“But you're alive and that never happen,” I said to myself more than him.

“Come on hyung Sunggyu hyung ordered us all breakfast,” he told me standing up from the bed.

“It better be chicken!” I laugh standing up to follow Sungjong out of the room.

Everything was going to be-

“S-Sungjong,” I sputtered out staring at the young boys back.

His light blue tee shirt was drenched in a sticky crimson color that matched the back of his head.

“S-Sungjong,” I stood there paralyzed as blood rushed to my face.

Sungjong turned around his face was even paler and there was small marks like the ones he had in my dream.

“I’m sorry hyung,” he told me with a frown.

“W-what happen? What’s going on here?”

“It’s time to wake up,” he said emotionless.

“What?”

“Wake up!” he screamed.

I shot straight up almost hitting my head against something.

“,” I mumbled to myself as I rubbed my head.

“Young man you should be more careful,” a rough voice said next to me.

I jumped once again hitting my head against something hard.

“!” I shouted again rubbing my head some more.

“If you keep hitting your head you're going to knock yourself back out,” a voice said.

I turned my head quickly making my whole body tense up once again. Sitting on a small chair next to me was a mountain man. That’s the only word that came into my mind when I look at him.

His hair was braided into a medium pony tail that was resting on his shoulder. His beard looked as if it hadn’t been brushed in weeks. His eyes looked tired but yet he held a bright smile as he looked at me.

He was wearing all plaid and two dark wool socks that I could smell from where I was sitting.

“Ahh can I help you?” I asked inching away from the man.

“I think I should be asking you that since you fell into my backyard,” he pointed out the window that was now pitched black.

“W-What!” I shot out of the cot and stood on my own two feet.

So it wasn’t a dream I did fall but how did I survive?

“I should be dead,” I mumbled to myself as I patted down my body. I had a couple scratches on my arms but besides that I looked and felt fine.

“Damn right you should be,” the man interjected taking a sip from an old blue mug. “Now if you don’t mind me asking. Why was a young man hiking alone in the middle of the woods in one of the worst storms we’ve had all year?”

“I uh was looking for someone and I was told they could be found here,” I told him truthfully. I was looking around the small cabin to find my shoes. Instead I saw I was standing in a small room. There were bunk beds that were made out of fabric and rope. Next to that was a single chair lined up to an old wooden table. There was a pile of old kitchen knives on a counter that made me more aware that I was somewhere strange.

After all I felt as if I was intruding and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Well your friend almost got you killed,” he pointed out. “If I hadn’t seen you fall then I wouldn’t have found you till the morning. By then if the weather didn’t kill you the wild beasts would.”

I swallowed harshly. “Thank you sir for saving me.” I bowed my head.

“Your parents must be worried about you,” he sighed. “ It’s not safe to go back outside so you can stay here till the morning,” he informed me standing up.

“Thank you! Mr.…”

“You can call me Woonha,” he smirked.

I paused for a moment.

What did he say?

“Dr.Woonha!” I shouted taking a step forward causing the man  to jump.

“I ehh,” the man sputtered out.

“I’m sorry,” I step back giving the man room. “I’m Dongwoo and I’ve been searching for you.”

“Why are you here?” All the kindness that once held in his voice had disappeared. Now his voice seemed scarier almost threatening.

“I need your help! My friend Sungjong is rea-“

“No!” the man interrupted me. “I don’t care who you are but you heard wrong about me. You hear!”

“I thought...”

No this had to be right.

Why would Sungjong’s doctor send me on a wild goose chase?

“I’m not a doctor,” he admitted looking out the dark window. “Any more.”

I was right.

From the corner of my eye I saw my old bag. It was dirty and still wet but that didn’t matter to me. After all I didn’t lose it.

I grabbed it then pulled out a brown envelope that contained all of Sungjong’s information.

“Please just look at it,” I begged him holding out the folder.

He didn’t take it.

“The storm should be over in the morning,” he told me ignoring the folder in my hand. “It should be safe to go home then.”

“But-”

“Goodnight,” the man grabbed his lantern off of the bedside.

“Wait!” I held up my hand. “That’s all? I came all this way and you won’t even look at his chart!? What kind of doctor are you?”

His face grew hard and I knew I hit a nerve.

I was never one to say harsh words to anyone but I was desperate. I couldn’t let this opportunity fall out of my hands.

“I’m not a doctor,” he spoke slowly.

Fight Dongwoo! I needed to fight for Infinite and for Sungjong.

I was never good at talking nor was I good at winning arguments.

How was I supposed to change a grown man's decision?

“How can you turn your back? You took a pledge to help others not live like a mountain man!”

“I would stop right there young man!” he pointed a finger at me.

But I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. All the anger, pain, and anxiety that I've been feeling for the past couple weeks was now exploding out of my mouth.

“So just because you don’t know him, his life doesn’t matter?! His name is Lee Sungjong and he’s twenty years old. He’s a good kid and rarely got into trouble in school. Yeah sure he gives his Hyungs a hard time but that’s our own fault since we take things too far...”

“Stop,” his voice was weak.

“I-I didn’t even get to say goodbye. We didn’t have a chance to say good bye.”

I didn’t even notice that I was clenching my fist till the doctor grabbed my hand.

He looked me in my eyes as he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m sure your friend was amazing but I’m not suitable for the job but I could recommend some of my old coll-”

“No!” I interrupted him. “It has to be you!”

He looked taken aback. “Why me? Why did you come to me? I’ve been out of practice for years. There are other doctors who are more willing and able to help,” he explained.

“Because you’re our last hope,” I told him truthfully. Then I told him everything I knew about Sungjong’s condition. Dr. Woonha corrected each medical term I said wrong but instead of getting annoyed he sat there and listen to me. I’m not sure how long I spoke for but I knew I needed to tell him everything I knew so I could sway his decision.

“You see and that’s why we need you,” I sighed.

Dr. Woonha took a deep breath. “Sorry...I just can’t do it.”

I bit my lip as I looked to the ground.

It was no use.

The man wouldn’t change his mind.

In all my life I had only kneeled twice. Once to beg my parents into letting me join a music label and the other time was begging Jung Yeop in letting me join Infinite.

But here I was on my knees looking at the shocked Doctor.

“Please you're my last hope! Please I’ll give you whatever you need!”

“I’m sorry,” he sputtered out. “I just can’t and this is the last time I’m telling you! Now if you excuse me I’m going to head to bed and I hope by morning you’re gone.”

The man finally turned around to leave with his lantern in his hands.

“P-Please,” the man stopped in his tracks. “He’s scared of being alone.”

The men ignored my words and quickly walked out of the room closing the door behind him.

“I’m sorry,” I sobbed into my dirty hands. “I failed you Sungjong.”

I didn’t even try to hide my loud sobs.

It can’t be over.

It can’t just end like that!

After everything we’ve went through. Maybe God is punishing all of us for not being good hyungs. I should’ve been embarrassed laying there on the dirty floor sobbing into my arms.

Nothing could make me stop.

All the tears I cried were never going to bring back Sungjong.

I was dumb to even try and get Dr. Woonha to help.

By the time I woke up Dr. Woonha was gone.

He had left me a couple of pieces of toast for breakfast but I wasn’t hungry.

I just wanted to go home and never leave my bed for weeks. I gathered my things after I changed into a fresh pair of clothes.

I was starting to smell like an animal or something  worst than that.

I took a deep breath preparing myself for the long trip ahead. It had only taken me hours to fall off a cliff but I didn’t even know how long it took Dr. Woonha to bring me to his cottage.

It was going to be a rough trip but I was ready to walk through hell to get home.

I open the cottage door bringing sunlight into the room.

“Do you always wake up this late?” he asked.

He was sitting on the porch railing wearing the same clothes as the day before.

Except next to his leg was a large dark green bag. There was a roll of rope and a clear water bottle attached to the bag.

“What are you doing,” I sputtered out.

“Ah,” he pulled something out of his inside jacket pocket. “Your friend is a very interesting.”

He was holding the folder that contained all of Sungjong’s information.

I had forgotten to place it back in my bag after begging Dr. Woonha for help.

I smiled wildly for the first time in weeks. “You’re coming!?!”

Dr. Woonha stood up placing his hand up. “Don’t get too excited!”

But my feet couldn’t stop bouncing back and forth.

“I’m not making any promises,” he pointed out. “It’s just after re-reading these charts I can’t help but be interested,” he admitted looking down at the folder.

“So you’re going to help?” I needed him to say that he was going to help us.

“I will help but that all depends on one thing,” he pointed out.

It didn’t matter what he wanted. I would give him my left kidney if it meant that he would fix Sungjong. I could already see the maknae's face when he realized how far I went to wake him up. He would punch me for being so stupid but it was really code for I love you.

“What do you need?” I demanded.

“We need to kidnap your friend,” he stated as if he was saying something normal.

“Okay, no problem…wait what?”

Vocab:

Halmoni:

The Korean word for grandmother, and also a polite term of reference given to any woman old enough to be your grandmother.

Ahjuma:

The Korean term for a middle-aged woman, it literally refers to any married woman, but is generally used for women over 40.

JYP:

A record label and talent agency founded by J.Y. Park based in Seoul, South Korea. Some of its artists are: Wonder Girls, 2 pm, 2 am, Miss. A, Got 7, 15&, and many others.

Soju:

Soju is the best known liquor from Korea.  It is distilled, vodka-like, rice liquor with high potency. Comes in a green bottle and is usually the causes  of love confessions in Korean Dramas.

Authors Notes:

I’m literally pushing myself to post this chapter tonight even though I fell asleep twice editing. I feel bad because I haven’t posted in a while, hopefully after finally moving I will be able to post more. Thank you guys for waiting for me and I hope you enjoyed this new post!

-Morgan.

*Yawn* I’m going to bed now.