Kibum was lying in the hospital bed with his eyes closed. He listened to the beeping of the machines and breathed uneasily.

 

Kibum returned to that day in his mind once again. The day that changed his life. The day he heard he had cancer.

 

He was thinking over and over again why this had happened to him. Why did he, Kibum, have to get ill? Was this is a punishment, had he been a bad person?

 

The news of Kibum’s illness had been a huge surprise, naturally, to his parents too. For three months they had given all financial support they could to Kibum, so he would feel better. Or, actually, so Kibum could enjoy his last days -- or that’s what he had concluded.

 

The doctors, not to mention Kibum’s parents, hadn’t told anything to Kibum, but he had his intuitions. He had a feeling his last moments were close.

 

Kibum felt someone sitting on the foot of his bed, but he didn’t open his eyes. He tried to fight against tears. Besides, he knew who his companion was already.

 

"Jonghyun... Can't you just leave me alone for a little while?" Kibum asked and opened his eyes a bit.

 

"Nope", Jonghyun answered and continued humming. Kibum saw the angel-like boy quite clearly already and saw mischievous smile on his lips.

 

"But I look horrible", Kibum protested weakly. He touched his wig instinctively -- chemotherapy had deprived his hair.

 

"Stop talking nonsense", Jonghyun said and moved closer to Kibum. "You know, that you'll always be the most beautiful thing in this world in my eyes, right?"

 

Kibum couldn't help but smile. How did Jonghyun always know how to cheer him up? Besides, now when he thought about it, it was much nicer to be with Jonghyun than all alone. Well, his parents did give him all the money they could. He had got the best and the most expensive doctors in Korea and a private room with everything he wanted in the best hospital of Seoul. But there was one thing Kibum's parents couldn't give him -- time.

 

"Kibum... you do know that we can have more time together if you just let go, right? We have an eternity. Together", Jonghyun whispered in Kibum's ear. The guy's warm breath caressed Kibum's skin and he felt good and relaxed.

 

Jonghyun pressed his lips against Kibum's cheek and massaged the boy's neck. "Don't you want to be with me? It's much easier in my world. All you have to do is come with me..."

 

"No", Kibum said vigorously. "Of course I want to be with you. But I can't leave just yet. I want to breathe, even though it's difficult. I want to feel, even though everything hurts. I want to spend time with people, even though I have no one. I want to live."

 

Jonghyun didn't say anything. He was quiet and laid  down next to Kibum.

 

"Jonghyun... Do you understand me? Do you remember what it felt like to be alive?" Kibum asked.

 

Kibum felt Jonghyun twitching slightly. The boy raised his head for a moment and then pressed it to Kibum's chest.

 

"Of course I do", Jonghyun said quietly with his eyes closed. "I understand you. When I was still alive, I wanted to enjoy life. Back then I thought everything would last forever. But then... Well, you know what happened. It all happened so quickly, without a warning. But you... You know, what's going to happen. You still have time. But in my case everything happened so suddenly.

 

You're still warm, your heart is still beating. If I were you, I wouldn't give up."

 

"But still you're trying to lure me to come with you", Kibum pointed out and smiled a bit.

 

 

Jonghyun and Kibum's conversation was interrupted when they heard steps in the corridor.

 

"Jonghyun, hide yourself quickly!" Kibum sputtered.

 

"Calm down, no one can see me", Jonghyun answered, amused. He went to a corner to wait anyways and left Kibum to fix his wig.

 

Kibum saw the door opening slowly and soon a boy with a wide smile peek behind it.

 

"Taemin!" Kibum exclaimed, delighted.

 

"Hi Kibum! Good to see you!" Taemin answered. "Oh Jinki, come here already!" The boy disappeared back to the corridor for a moment. Soon he returned back, dragging a boy, who was eating a chicken leg, with him.

 

"Jinki! Can this day get any better?" Kibum asked entranced. "How's my favorite cousin? And Jinki, what are you doing here?"

 

"But hyung, I'm your only cousin", Taemin said with a confused look on his face. "How could you even have another favorite cousin?"

 

"Forget it", Kibum sighed, frustrated.

 

"I happened to be around, so I thought I should visit you. I bumped to Taemin, and he told me he's going to pay you a visit. I followed him, since I had nothing better to do", Jinki answered carelessly, still eating his chicken.

 

"So, you're here only because you had nothing better to do?" Kibum snorted, acting to be hurt. "What is that, by the way?" he asked when he noticed an empty box in Taemin's hands.

 

“Well, I was supposed to bring you some chicken soup to cheer you up, but you know Jinki-hyung”, Taemin sighed and gave Jinki a threatening gaze. “I shouldn’t have mentioned the soup at all...”

 

Kibum let out a small laugher. “For some reason, I’m not surprised at all.”

 

“Well, Kibum-hyung, when are you going to return home?” Taemin asked cheerfully.

 

An uneasy silence filled the room. Even Jinki stopped eating his chicken and gulped loudly. Kibum opened his mouth, but words didn’t come out. He looked at Jonghyun, who was still sitting in the corner. 

 

“Taemin... I don’t think Kibum’s going home anymore”, Jinki said quietly, avoiding both Kibum and Taemin’s gazes.

 

“What do you mean?” Taemin asked surprised. “What do you mean, why can’t Kibum-hyung go home? Is he-” Taemin stopped talking, terrified.

 

Kibum was looking up and stared the ceiling as if it was something particularly interesting.

 

“I... I have to go”, Taemin said quietly, with his eyes on the floor. “See you later.” He turned his back to Kibum and left the room quickly.

 

“Taemin... Please don’t go”, Jinki begged, but Taemin had closed the door already. “I’m sorry -- you know what Taemin is like. He’s so... fragile”, he continued.

 

Kibum didn’t say anything. He had an introverted look on his face, but he had squeezed his lips into a straight line. 

 

“Why don’t you just leave as well? I know you want to”, Kibum said. His voice was shaking.

 

“What do you mean?” Jinki asked, confused. “I don’t-”

 

“I know what you really want to do. You want to go out and have fun with others”, Kibum cut off. His voice was high pitched. “Why are you still here? I know you think I’m boring. Just go!”

 

“I...” Jinki clearly had no idea what to say and started slowly backing up towards the door.

 

“Go!”, Kibum yelled with tears of anger in his eyes.

 

Jinki stumbled out of the door and gave Kibum a panicky look.

 

Kibum took a deep, trembling breath, but this time he couldn’t stop the tears from falling down to his cheeks.

 

“Was that necessary?” Jonghyun asked and looked at Kibum expressionlessly. 

 

Kibum sniffed, but didn’t answer.

 

“Everyone’s going to leave me at some point”, he said after a while. “So, what does it even matter? Do you even know how lonely I am?”

 

“I won’t leave you”, Jonghyun suddenly whispered next to Kibum’s ear. “I promise.”

 

Both remained silent for a short while, until Kibum opened his mouth.

 

“Does it hurt? Dying.”

 

“No”, Jonghyun answered. “I know this is like the biggest cliché ever, but it feels a bit like falling asleep. You know what it feels like to be asleep. It’s difficult to explain.”

 

“Like falling asleep... And never waking up again”, Kibum pointed out.

 

“Well... yeah”, Jonghyun admitted.

 

“I feel like... I feel like I’m ready”, Kibum said quietly.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Come with me then.” Jonghyun got up. He grabbed Kibum’s hand gently and pulled.

 

Kibum had never felt anything that weird. It felt like he was floating, but staying still at the same time. As if he was asleep, but still awake. Everything felt like a dream. But still...

 

"Jonghyun... It doesn't hurt anymore", Kibum whispered and looked at Jonghyun.

 

The boy answered Kibum with a smile. "I see. Look."

 

Kibum looked at the hospital bed, where he had been laying for just a moment ago. He gasped. Even though Kibum felt like he was in a different place, he saw his body still lying in the bed, eyes closed. 

 

"See? You look so peaceful", Jonghyun said to Kibum and squeezed his hand gently.

 

Jonghyun was right. Regardless the dark circles under his eyes and his wan body he looked peaceful for a change. Finally he could rest in peace.

 

"Oh God", Kibum whispered. "I look terrible. How have you been able to even look at me for such a long time?"

 

Jonghyun let out a small laugher. "It's called love, silly. Besides, I think you looked gorgeous even when you were sick."

 

"Stop talking crap and tell me more about this angel stuff", Kibum snapped, but was clearly delighted. "Am I able to fly now?"

 

"Do you want to try?" Jonghyun asked and took off in a flash of his wings.

 

"But what if I fall?" Kibum asked, worried.

 

"What does it matter? Besides, you're not going to fall. I'll catch you", said Jonghyun. Suddenly he grabbed Kibum's waist and lifted him up. 

 

"What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Kibum protested loudly and struggled, but Jonghyun didn't let go.

 

"I'll take you out of here, to a better place", Jonghyun answered calmly.

 

And in a flash of light they were gone.

 

 

-----------------------------

 

 

"He looks so... peaceful", Miss Kim sniffed and wiped the corners of her eyes with a tissue. Mr. Kim tightened his grip of his wife's shoulders.

 

"Your son didn't have to suffer, he has probably died in his sleep", the doctor said. "This happened extremely suddenly."

 

"Maybe it was better this way", Mr. Kim said quietly. "This would have happened sooner or later. At least he didn't have to..." his voice cracked.

 

"Yes", the doctor answered. "I admire your attitude."

 

Mrs. Kim continued crying silently. He stepped next to the hospital bed and Kibum's cheek.

 

"He's still warm", she whispered and smiled gently.

 

"I think we should go now", Mr. Kim said to his wife.

 

"Stay as long as you want", the doctor said in a friendly way. "I have to go to take care of my other patients, though."

 

Mr. Kim followed the doctor to the door already, but Mrs. Kim stood still next to her son's bed with a confused look on her face.

 

"Are you coming or not?" Mr. Kim called out and looked behind his back.

 

"I'm coming, honey", Mrs. Kim answered. She grabbed something from the top of Kibum's blanket and hurried to her husband.

 

"What do you have there?" he asked when he noticed Mrs. Kim holding something in her hand.

 

"It's nothing", she said and quickly put two long, white and grey, feathers in her pocket.

 

 

 

 

A/N: So... I decided to write a sequel after all. :) I'm quite satisfied with this, but I still think I like the frst part better.

I don't know, but I feel like my English fails in this chapter... I hope it isn't too terrible. By the way, I LOVE when people comment and give suggestions/tips! Thanks to everyone who has commented already, I really appreciate it! ^^