Screeching breaks, folding metal, warm blood. One figure off to the side falling to his knees, watching as the car his friend was in got crushed by a larger vehicle. Another figure being restrained as he tried to run toward the crash, toward one of his precious dongsaengs. The one that had been in the car had been thrown from the vehicle and had landed painfully on the pavement a few feet away. He tried desperately to hold onto consciousness but it soon eluded him, just as he saw paramedics running toward him. The last thing he remembered was his name being shouted by the person he loved.

~~~

Ryeowook slowly opened his eyes to a cold, sterile, completely-white room. He stared at the ceiling for a minute before a face appeared in his line of vision; his heart fluttered painfully.

“Hyung…” His voice was soft and weak, but filled with a longing that he couldn’t hide.

“Yeah, Wookie?” Jongwoon had grabbed his dongsaeng’s hand and was holding it tightly in his own, tears in his eyes.

Ryeowook smiled a little deliriously. “I love you, hyung. I love you so much. Could you lie and say you love me back, just a little?”

The simple question nearly made Yesung start sobbing. “I love you, Kim Ryeowook.” He reached down, gently brushing a strand of hair out of the younger man’s eyes. “I love you more than anyone else on this planet. I love your smile, your voice, the way you always want to help others, and the way that you’re always there for me, no matter what. I don’t want you to leave me, Ryeowook. You can’t. You can’t leave me now, not when I’ve finally told you how I felt. I’ll miss you too much. I don’t think I’ll be able to go on.” A single tear ran down his face as he stared down Ryeowook’s face. His eyes were closed; Jongwoon heard a long, continuous beep in the background as several hands pulled him away from the one he held so dearly.

“And that wasn’t a lie,” he whispered, finally breaking down and falling to his knees, his head in his hands.