~*~

Chapter IX

Fireworks on the hill

4개월 후 (4 months later)

Woohyun looked down at Myungsoo on the bed.  Myungsoo was hardly awake, but he looked so alive.  Sometimes, he would drift off in the middle of a conversation, in the middle of a sentence.  Woohyun knew that even though Myungsoo had only been awake for less than a hour he would be getting tired.  “Why don’t you get some rest?” Woohyun suggested.

Myungsoo shook his head, a soft smile appearing on his face.  “I’m good for now… I want to stay awake for a little longer.”

“The doctor says that you need rest,” Woohyun said softly, running his fingers through Myungsoo’s hair.

“I’ve been resting all day,” Myungsoo said, his voice still quiet.  “I want to be awake for a little longer.”

Woohyun nodded.  “Okay.”

“Hyung,” Myungsoo murmured after a slight pause.  “Could you tell me a story?”

“A story?”  Woohyun blinked.

He smiled softly, his eyes closed.  “Yes, a story.  Please?”

“What kind of story?” Woohyun asked.

“I don’t really care.”

“How about…my birthday?”

Myungsoo laughed softly, his eyes still closed.  “Yes please.”

~*~

12월 31일

New Year’s Day came soon right after Christmas.  Infinite had performed a small stage for the KBS, SBS and MBC year end celebrations.  They had rearranged all of their parts so that they covered Myungsoo’s parts.  Still, it felt empy without silent L beside them.  It probably felt the most ridiculous when they had to sing Destiny without Myungsoo’s part in the beginning.  Their other numbers was more bearable though it still felt awkward. 

Myungsoo had watched them from home, feeling more lonely as he did, but still, he smiled. 

On New Year’s Eve, everyone had different plans, Hoya, Sungjong, Sungyeol and Sunggyu had left earlier to hang out with their friends.  Myungsoo was back at Infinite’s dorm for the week, all of his things were still at his dorm and they were planning him to move back to his parents house.  In more than one way, Myungsoo thought, that by moving out of Infinite’s dorm, he was definitely leaving his old life behind.

“Dongwoo-hyung, Woohyun-hyung.  Where are you going?” Myungsoo asked as Dongwoo and Woohyun got ready to go out.

 “Just out down the block,” Woohyun said.  “There’s a firework show by the river but we can see it from the hill.

“May I come with you?” Myungsoo asked, getting up.

“You should probably-”

“He’s coming anyways,” Woohyun interrupted Dongwoo.  “Even if you say no.”

Myungsoo grinned and grabbed his camera.  “Thank you!”

Dongwoo smiled and tossed him a scarf.  “Dress warmly, Myungsoo, it’s kind of chilly outside.”

The three of them walked down the street.  Thankfully, most of the fans that were always hanging around the dorm were at home with their families.

“Go ahead,” Woohyun said as they reached a store before the hill.  “I’m going to go get something in the store.”

“Okay.”  Myungsoo and Dongwoo headed down the street and settled down on the side of the hill.  Myungsoo picked up his camera and carefully turned it on, raising it up to take some pictures of the wintery hill.  Woohyun caught up with them just as the first set of fireworks burst above the skyline.

“Myungsoo!” Dongwoo called.  Myungsoo looked over his shoulder from his spot where he was trying to take a picture.  “Come over here.”

Myungso came back, a big grin on his face.  It felt so right to take pictures, the camera fit perfectly in his hand, everything seemed to come together with a click of the shutter. 

“Here you go.”  Woohyun handed him a glass filled with sparkling cider. “Here’s to a new year.  Here’s to the year we’ll spend together.”

Dongwoo smiled and raised his glass.  “Here’s to Myungsoo!  You’re gonna be stuck with us for a bit longer.”

Myungsoo smiled and tapped his glass against Woohyun’s and Dongwoo’s. “Thank you.  Here’s to Infinite.  We’re going to be infinite.”

They sipped their ciders as the next set of fireworks blossomed over the Seoul skyline.

Myungsoo grabbed his camera again and took a few pictures.

Click.  A dense burst of red sparkles.

Click.  Woohyun’s silhouette against a bright flash of light.

Click.  Snowflakes sparkling from the light from the fireworks.

Click.  Dongwoo’s big smile in the light from sparkling fireworks. 

“Myungsoo!  Stop hiding behind the camera!” Dongwoo scolded.  He tugged the camera out of his hands.  “Smile!”

Myungsoo smiled, but grabbed at the camera.  “Give it back.”

“Nope!”  Dongwoo leaped away, avoiding Myungsoo’s grabbing hands.  “Woohyun!”

Woohyun jumped at Myungsoo, holding his hands down so that Dongwoo could take a picture of the two of them.  “Kimchi!” Woohyun yelled. 

“Smile!” Dongwoo chirpped. 

Click.

~*~

“Hey, Myungsoo-yah.” Woohyun was holding out a marker to him.  “Write something down on this,” he instructed giving him a clear ball about the same size as a tenis ball.

“Something?” Myungsoo asked as he took the items from Woohyun.

“Anything,” Woohyun waved his hand in the air as he took out another glass ball handing it to Dongwoo.  “A wish, poem, song.  Anything.”

Myungsoo paused and started writing on the ball.

I want to fly up to the end of the hevens.

Hug the breeze in the air.

And whisper with the winged angels.

I wish for all Inspirits’ happiness and well being.  Sleep well to see the new tomorrow.  I sing this song for you.

Kim Myungsoo.

“Ready?” Woohyun asked.

“Just one more thing.”  Myungsoo turned over the ball and wrote one last thing on it.

“Attatch it here,” Woohyun instructed as he handed him a sky lantern. “We’ll light it and send it into the sky.”

Myungsoo nodded.

“What did you write?” Woohyun asked.

Myungsoo held his far away from Woohyun.  “It’s a secret.”

“Fine.” Woohyun grinned.

After all three of them light their own sky lanterns, they stood on the top of the hill, ready to let them go into the air.

“Ready?” Dongwoo asked.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Myungsoo watched as the three lanterns floated up into the sky, floating farther and farther into the night sky.  He closed his eyes and hoped that the wish would come true. 

The cold night air brushed past his cheeks, making him shiver. He could hear other parties around the hill going on, everyone happy for the new year. 

He coughed as something in his lungs tightened.

“Myungsoo?”  Dongwoo touched his shoulder, warm concern in his voice warming his heart.  “Are you okay?”

Myungsoo nodded, coughing again.

“Come on, let’s get you back to the dorm,” Woohyun said, standing up to pack up their stuff.

“I wanna…”  Myungsoo in another breath through the sensation of his chest being compressed.  “…stay a bit longer.”

“No, we’re going home,” Dongwoo said firmly.  “Come on, Myungsoo.”

He looked back over the skyline where the fireworks were still bursting into flowers in the night sky.

Their three sky candles glittered brightly in the snowy sky, still bravely floating away.

Dongwoo took Myungsoo’s camera from him, holding it safely, and looped his arm around Myungsoo’s shoulders.

Myungsoo leaned his head against Dongwoo’s warm shoulder even though it was awkward because of the height difference.  He cast a glance over his shoulder at the pretty fireworks.

That was the last thing he remembered clearly.

The rest of the night blured away.

The fireworks exploded again.

This time in his chest…

~*~

Dongwoo unlocked the door and held the door open for Woohyun and a very sleepy Myungsoo, walking past him into the dorm.

“Come on, Myungsoo, I’ll get you too bed,” Woohyun said softly.

Myungsoo nodded, not looking like he was really paying attention to him.

“Hey.”  Sungjong leaned out of his chair at the kitchen counter to be able to see the front entrance.  “Back already?”

Woohyun lead Myungsoo to the his bedroom as Dongwoo joined Sungjong in the kitchen.  “Myungsoo looked tired so we called it a night.”  Sungjong nodded as Dongwoo put the remaining drinks away.  “Why are you home so early?” Dongwoo asked.

Sungjong shurgged as he stole the cider to pour himself a glass.  “I guess I wanted to get home.”

Dongwoo laughed.  “Are you sure?  Sometimes I think that you like being alone and away from your annoying hyungs the most.”

Sungjong smirked mysteriously and took a sip of the cider.

Suddenly, a scream from the bedroom sent Sungjong spitting out the cider and both of them running towards to the bedroom.

“SUNGJONG!  DONGWOO!  COME QUICK!”

Sungjong and Dongwoo scrambled over their feet to Myungsoo’s room, both sensing that something was wrong.  Dongwoo threw the door open to Myungsoo’s room first, but froze as he saw the scene in front of him. 

Woohyun was supporting Myungsoo’s shoulders, his hand on Myungsoo’s cheeks, tilting his head down.  Woohyun looked up at them helplessly, his eyes filled with panic as he silently begged them to do something, something red was staining his otherwise pale face.

Dongwoo saw the red splots of blood on the sheets underneath of Myungsoo, the scarlet drops falling out of his mouth and he realized what was going on.

“CALL AN AMBULANCE!” 

~*~

“Here we go,” Woohyun said gently as he helped Myungsoo down onto the bed, moving the blankets for Myungsoo. 

Myungsoo didn’t reply, just allowing Woohyun to pull him out of his jacket. 

“Hyu…”

Woohyun looked up as Myungsoo quietly mumbled his name.  Myungsoo was reaching out for him, searching for his warmth. 

“It’s okay,” Woohyun said, patting his head gently.  “Just get some sleep, okay?  You must be tired.”

He shook his head, struggling to sit up.  “It… the pretty fireworks…”

“What do you mean, Myungsoo?” Woohyun asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed, holding Myungsoo’s hand.  “What about the fireworks?”

“They…” Myungsoo cut himself off with a loud hacking cough. 

“Myungsoo?” Woohyun asked, worried, cupping his cheeks.  “Look at me.”

Woohyun froze as Myungsoo coughed again and a warm liquid splatter on his hands and face.  Myungsoo’s body convulsed on the bed as he kept on coughing, blood dripping out of his mouth. 

Woohyun would’ve stood there frozen forever unless the warm splatter of Myungsoo’s blood on him hadn’t snapped him out of the trance.

“SUNGJONG!  DONGWOO!” he screamed.  “COME QUICK!”

He knelt on the bed, pulled Myungsoo onto his side.  Myungsoo seemed completely out of it as he didn’t even flinch when Woohyun screamed for help.  “Myungsoo, please, look at me,” he begged as he held Myungsoo tightly. 

He didn’t give a reply, only heaved again, another splatter of blood landing on Woohyun’s jeans. 

The door burst open, Dongwoo skidded to a stop in the door, staring horiffied at the two of them on the bed. 

“CALL AN AMBULANCE!” Woohyun screamed, not sure if he cared about anything but getting Myungsoo out of this alive. 

Sungjong pushed past Dongwoo, seeing that his hyung was frozen, rushing to the bed.  “No, forget the ambulance, just get him downstairs and we’ll use the company car!”  Sungjong placed his fingers on Myungsoo’s neck, looking for a pulse.  Woohyun could nearly laugh, leave it up to Sungjong to keep his head even in situations like this.  “Dongwoo!  You need to drive!”

Dongwoo was frozen, watching the blood drip out of Myungsoo’s mouth, fear hitting his soul.  Woohyun wasn’t much better, holding onto Myungsoo as blood dripped out of his mouth and onto his lap. 

“Hyung!  Snap out of it!” Sungjong demanded.  “Both of you, snap out of it!  We need to get Myungsoo to the hospital now!”

Woohyun was shaking violently, his face pale and tight.  He couldn’t move, even though he knew that Sungjong made sense, but he could only stare at his dongsaeng, his hands trembling as more blood poured out of Myungsoo’s mouth.  “We need to get him to the hospital now!” Sungjong yelled, shaking Woohyun as he finally looked up.

Dongwoo ran out of the room, searching for the keys to the van as Woohyun quickly lifted Myungsoo out of the bed, holding him like a baby in his arms, feeling as though he was holding only a rag doll in his arms.  Sungjong grabbed some towels and a blanket before following the other two out of the dorm.

Myungsoo was trembling as Woohyun carried him to the parking garage. Bright scarlet drops trickled out of the corner of his mouth in contrast to his nearly grey skin.

Tears fought their way out of Woohyun’s eyes as he watched the younger in his arms.  His head lolled nearly lifelessly onto Woohyun’s chest as they ran towards the van.

Sungjong and Dongwoo were yelling things at each other, but Woohyun couldn’t hear them over the roaring in his ears.  Sungjong opened the back doors of the van open for Woohyun, shoving a blanket into his arms to keep Myungsoo warm.  Dongwoo jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. 

Woohyun carefully put Myungsoo down across his lap, brushing some of the blood off of the corner of his mouth.  He wrapped the blanket that Sungjong had shoved at him around Myungsoo’s shoulders as Myungsoo started trembling again.

“Go!  GO!” Sungjong yelled as he jumped into the passenger seat. Dongwoo quickly pulled out of the garage and down the street.  When they had filmed You Are My Oppa, Dongwoo had driven for a bit and all of them had fake screamed in the back seats, pretending to be terrified of Dongwoo’s driving, which wasn’t that hard.  Now, Woohyun was actually very scared of Dongwoo’s crude driving as he nearly sped their way to the hospital. 

“Call the managers and Sunggyu-hyung!”  Dongwoo ordered.  Even in this situation, he was the oldest and they all listened to him.

“Woohyun, call Sunggyu-hyung,” Sungjong said as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone.

Woohyun nodded and dailed Sunggyu’s phone number quickly, his eyes never leaving Myungsoo’s face.

Ring… ring… ring… rin- “Yeobeseyo?”

Woohyun bit his lip, he nearly melted at Sunggyu’s farmiliar and comforting voice.  “Hyung…” he choked out.

“Woohyun?  What’s wrong?  Where are you?” Sunggyu’s voice was immediately worried.   

“I’m on the way to the hospital,” Woohyun whispered.  “Myungsoo is…” He ran his fingers through Myungsoo’s soft hair as the words died on his lips.

“I’m on my way,” Sunggyu reassured him.  “Where are the others?”

“Sungjong and Dongwoo are in the car with me, we haven’t gotten a hold of Hoya or Sungyeol yet.  Sungjong is calling Jungryul-hyung.”

“I’ll call Hoya and Sungyeol and meet you in the hospital,” Sunggyu said as there was some shuffling on the other end from Sunggyu grabbing his jacket.  “And Woohyun?”

“Yes?”

“It’s going to be okay,” Sunggyu said softly, but firmly.  “Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.”

Woohyun smiled softly, wiping back his tears.  “Thanks, hyung.”

“I’m going to be there soon.” 

“Okay, hyung.”

Woohyun dropped the phone back into his pocket and looked down at Myungsoo.  He collected his hand in his, checking his pulse.  Woohyun sighed in relief as he felt Myungsoo’s pulse faintly against his fingers. 

Sungjong hung up his phone.  “Jungryul-hyung is getting Myungsoo’s parents,” he said.  “He’s calling the doctor for us too.”

Before Woohyun could answer, he nearly fell out of his seat as Dongwoo stopped the car violently.  “We’re here!”  He pulled out the keys and jumped out of the car, hurrying to open the door for Woohyun.

Woohyun hitched the blanket a bit higher around Myungsoo took keep the January chill away.  He gently lifted Myungsoo into his arms as he stepped out of the van.  Sungjong slammed the door behind them and the three of them hurried towards the bright hospital lights in the dark January night.

A slight, weak pull on his jacket made him look down.  Myungsoo’s eyes were fluttering open weakly, struggling to focus on something.

“…oohyun… where are we?” he whispered.

He nearly cried, his heart hurting as Myungsoo weakly gripped onto his shirt.  “We’re at the hospital,” he answered as they hurried to the front doors.

“My mouth tastes bad…” Myungsoo whined.  He let out a weak cough again, blood leaking out of his nose as well. 

Woohyun couldn’t answer as Sungjong held the door open for them and they hurried into the emergency room doors.

“NURSE!” Dongwoo yelled.  “Someone!  Help!”

Myungsoo whimpered and clung closer to Woohyun.  “I’m…” he trailed off and coughed again, blood trickling down his chin and staining Woohyun’s jacket.  Woohyun could hear Sungjong and Dongwoo calling for a nurse or doctor, but the whole world narrowed down to only include him and Myungsoo.

“I know,” Woohyun whispered, patting his hair gently.  “I know, it’s only going to last for a little bit longer, then you’ll be okay.”

“Please!  Help him.”  Sungjong was bringing a nurse over, his voice a octave higher than usual in worry.  “His name is Myungsoo, he has lung cancer and he started to cough up blood.”

The nurses took Myungsoo’s limp figure from Woohyun’s arms to put him down on a gunery.

“Woohyunnn…”  Myungsoo’s brown eyes never left Woohyun’s face. “Don’t leave me…”

“I’m not going too,” Woohyun said with conviction as Sungjong and Dongwoo continued to talk to the nurses, giving them information that Woohyun was in no state to answer.

 “I’m right here,” Woohyun whispered, brushing back Myungsoo’s hair with his free hand, hoping to calm him.  “I’m going to be right here with you.  So stay awake for a bit longer, okay?”

He nodded, tears falling out of the corner of his eyes as he retched again, his back arching off the gunery, blood spilling everywhere. 

The nurses started yelling and wheeling Myungsoo down the hall.  Woohyun kept up with the gunery, keeping his hand on Myungsoo’s. 

Myungsoo smiled weakly, his grip on Woohyun’s hand never flattering even as his eyes started to close again.

“Myungsoo!  Don't close your eyes, okay?  Just for a bit longer.” 

He looked up at Woohyun as they hurried down the hall, his eyes filled with panic and fear.  Woohyun kept his hand in Myungsoo’s until a nurse stopped him, placing a hand on his chest with a soft, “You can’t go any further.”

“Hy… un…” Myungsoo panted, blood still escaping the corner of his mouth.  “Hy…”

Woohyun patted his hand, blinking away his tears.  “It’s okay, Myungsoo, the nurses will help you.”

Myungsoo shook his head, handing tighter onto Woohyun’s hand.  “Hyung… don’t…”

“It’s okay,” Woohyun said again.  “Just relax, you’ll be okay soon.”

Myungsoo still struggled against the nurses, wanting to stay closer to Woohyun.   He slowly started singing to him, hoping that that would calm him down enough. 

I stood upon a hill,

Stared up at the blue sky,

And drew a lovely person from my heart.

As Woohyun sag the lullaby that he had heard Myungsoo’s mother sing to him many times, Myungsoo smiled weakly at Woohyun, his eyes slowly fluttering shut, finally giving into the darkness that was waiting for him.

Woohyun let out a choked sob, placing his hand on Myungsoo’s head.   “Sleep well, Myungsoo.”

He turned to the nurses and nodded, watching them as they wheeled Myungsoo away through a set of double doors.  Woohyun’s knees collasped from underneath him, but Dongwoo and Sungjong were there beside him, guiding him to a set of chairs at the end of the hallway. 

“Woohyun, are you okay?” Sungjong asked, though his voice sounded far away to Woohyun.  Woohyun nodded, the tears burning in his eyes, he clenched his hands on top of his blood stained jeans, his hands trembling.  Dongwoo wrapped his arms around Woohyun’s shoulders, bringing him into his shoulder as Woohyun started to sob. 

As the new year started, Infinite was all in a state of panic.  Sunggyu, Hoya and Sungyeol hurrying to the hospital as Woohyun, Dongwoo and Sungjong waited at the hospital while Myungsoo fought to keep a hold on his life. 

Woohyun thought back to the wish that he had made on the sky candle only about a hour ago.  It seemed so foolish and unimportant.  He closed his eyes, wishing that he could take back that wish and make a new one.  

Don’t close your eyes forever, Myungsoo.  Please stay with us this year… don’t leave us now. 

WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT don't freak out!! (I think it's too late say that)  

This has a lot of WooSoo in it and a lot of angst.  One of my favourite parts to write actually, please don't kill me for saying that.  

And a question for all of you lovely subscribers, (saranghae~) which pairing did you expect from this story?  Please tell me in a comment! If you could, that would be a great help to me! Or if you're here for all the OT7-ness, say that too. Or the Myungsoo angst.  Or even one of the pairings that aren't in my tags.  Or the part where I'm pretty sure at least 99% of you will cry at the end of this story.  

Next, I have a new one shot!  내 친구 (My Friend)!  Please go read that one!  I know it says I'll update Sunday/today, but I meant to update this yesterday but then I ran out of time so I think I'll update tomorrow or next Sunday. 

I hesitated about updating this one because for my last update, I lost 2 subs.  Subbies, don't leave me! And please subscribe now if you haven't!  <3  Thank you to my subbies who haven't left me!! Please comment and upvote please!  

I really hope you liked this chapter!  Have a wonderful week!