At first Daniel was dumbfounded, but then he could feel the corner of his lips going up. It was the first time he had paid attention to Seongwoo—his prominent facial features, his long eyelashes, his willowy body figure under the loose hospital shirt, and lastly, the long scar in the middle of his sternum, extending from just below his collarbone. The very same scar that Daniel has. The scar of victory, the mark that they had fought and won. The mark that they had survived.

He didn’t even know what he’s thinking, but he thought he’s definitely going to make sure both of them win. Again.

++

“Hey, Seongwoo-ssi.”

This time Seongwoo looked up from whatever he was writing.

“To make up for this,” Daniel pointed to the raw scar on his cheek, “can you join me today?”

“Join what?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

++

Daniel had brought Seongwoo to the pediatric area. Today’s performance was guided by Bae Jinyoung and Lee Daehwi, a patient from Oncology Department. Woojin will be singing today.

He led Seongwoo to sit beside him at the back seats, not far from Jaehwan. Jaehwan has just came back three days ago, Woojin exclaimed, skinnier than ever and had lost his ability to walk by his own.

Woojin had went up the stage and a piano intro has been playing, and Daniel just couldn’t stop stealing glances towards Seongwoo to see his expressions. He didn’t know if it will make him feel better or would frustrate him more. He was just trying everything he can.

It was unreadable. He couldn’t predict anything from the almost expressionless face, but he had obviously held his breath the moment Woojin started singing.

Woojin had always been this good. For someone at the age of merely 15, he’s really good.

By the time the song ended, everyone was clapping here and there, but Seongwoo stood up straightly from his seat, turned his back and walked away from the crowd. Daniel was just going to go after him before Woojin ran and hugged him tight.

++

“Seongwoo—“

There he was, in their room, the door has been left slightly ajar. He stood facing the window, his small frame racked with small sobs. Daniel felt guilty in an instant. He must have made the wrong decision to bring him there. It must have hurt when he saw Woojin standing in front of everyone and sang, considering what Seongwoo had been through. Daniel stayed still in front of the door for quite a while, cursing himself for being so stupid.

He turned around to enter the room but immediately stopped in his tracks when he heard a soft, sweet and clear voice coming out from inside.

It was Seongwoo’s voice. Seongwoo was singing.

Now he had understood why Seongwoo was terribly frustrated by the fact he couldn’t debut. He had sacrificed his life, everything he had to do what he’d always wanted to do. His voice was like his life line, and being a singer had always been his dream—to see it right in front of you, to feel it right in your grasp and suddenly taken away from you must have been traumatic.

By the time he finished singing, Daniel entered the room and clapped, as long as he could, much to Seongwoo’s surprise.

“It was the most beautiful voice I’ve heard in my life,” Daniel exclaimed. “I’m not lying every single bit. It’s literally the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. And I hope… I hope I’d be able to hear it again,”

“Please keep singing, Seongwoo-ssi.”

Seongwoo didn’t say anything in return, instead he was staring at Daniel with sad eyes. , I must’ve said something wrong, Daniel thought, and he decided it would be the best for now if he leave Seongwoo alone.

“Kang-ssi,”

Daniel was turning towards the door to walk out when he heard the voice. It was the first time Seongwoo had called him.

“Thank you,” Seongwoo paused, “Thank you for helping me find the courage to sing again,”

He smiled for a while, and Daniel just couldn’t help but to smile back at him.

“My pleasure, Seongwoo-ssi.”

“Uh… and, Kang-ssi,”

“Could you please take me together with you everytime you go to the pediatric area?”

Daniel didn’t realize his smile has gotten even wider.

“Of course I will,”

“Oh, and please stop calling me Kang-ssi, you can just call me Niel. And… can I call you Hyung?”

++

“Eomma, Appa, so we are finally going on a vacation?”

“Yes, Niel-ah, have you pack your stuffs diligently?”

“Yes, Appa! I’ve packed everything, including my favorite toys!”

“That’s my boy, Kang Daniel!”

“Eomma, Appa, where are we going? Are we going take the train? That’s why we’re going to the railroad?”

“Yes, smart boy. We are going to somewhere far, far away.”

“Really?” Little Daniel jumped up and down in excitement, his bag swinging on his back. “I’m so excited!”

“Eomma, why are trains not coming? Are we the only ones boarding the train? Why isn’t there anyone here?”

“Yes, Daniel, we’re boarding a very special train, and they have a special train for children. So Eomma and Appa are going to board first, and you are going to wait here, understand?”

Daniel nodded, as innocent as he could be. There were bells and sirens going off, indicating a train was passing by.

“Daniel-ah, we are so sorry—“

Daniel could only scream in horror by the time his parents jumped in front of the train just in time, only to witness their bodies being struck by the unforgiving speed.

++

“Niel-ah, Niel-ah! Wake up!”

“Kang Daniel, snap out of it!”

Daniel woke up gasping for air, his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest and cold sweat covering his body. His throat hurts, he swore he could hear his own voice screaming. The worried face of Ong Seongwoo came into view as he could feel a hand reaching for his shoulder and caressing it.

“It’s okay, it was just a nightmare, isn’t it? Now, calm down, come on, take deep breaths with me,”

Instead of calming down, he broke down into tears—it was too much. It’s been years since the last time he had the nightmare. The very clear scene of his parents, the last memories he got with them—taking suicide right in front of his eyes—abandoning him, left him forever, without no one to rely on.

Seongwoo couldn’t help but climb onto his bed and eventually hugged the younger boy. The screams he let out in his sleep were so desperate and devastating as he called out for his mother and father. He wondered what had happened to them, and for the nth time he regretted saying the words that ended up with a punch on his face back then. He really deserved that punch.

“Th—They left—they left me alone,” Daniel sobbed, “what have I done wrong? I didn’t do anything wrong, but they left me—“

“No, no, you’ve done nothing wrong,” Seongwoo tried to comfort him, running circular motions on his back. “It’s all in the past, Niel-ah, now it’s okay, no one is going to leave you again,”

“Hyung—“ he hadn’t stopped sobbing, “Don’t leave me,”

Seongwoo was stunned upon hearing Daniel’s confession, but he reached for Daniel’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

“I won’t leave you, Niel-ah, I promise.”

++

“Yah, Kang Daniel!”

Jisung said that morning after he finished taking his blood pressure.

“Who are you and what have you done to Ong Seongwoo?”

“What? Why? What have I done?”

“His mental condition has significantly improved,” Jisung exclaimed while tidying up his tools, “even the psychologist was quite surprised.”

Daniel smiled. The morning after the nightmare, he woke up to find Seongwoo sleeping on his bed, right beside him. The older male had comforted him throughout the night, rubbing circular motions against his hand until he fell back asleep. It was the first time Daniel got the chance to observe him from such a close proximity. No wonder he’s debuting as a singer. No wonder the female nurses felt so sorry for his bad attitude back then. His features really are no joke.

He’s beautiful.

His vision was caught on the scar on Seongwoo’s chest now. A lot of people felt insecure and hated their scars, but Daniel had always been grateful he had it. Unconsciously, his finger reached towards the scar, and he ran his finger through it.

I’ll make sure you won’t get a third scar. No, we. I’ll make sure we won’t have to be back here anymore.

Upon looking up, he almost gasped seeing Seongwoo’s eyes had fluttered open—but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he looked straight into Daniel’s eyes, his dark orbs deep and meaningful.

So Daniel leaned down to kiss him.

++

Seongwoo would always follow him to the pediatric area now. He’d join him and others guiding the kids’ performance. He was definitely better than Daniel at singing, so Daniel would just clap along for them. Woojin has taken a liking towards him, too. He’d join him in his afternoon walks at the hospital garden, meeting Mrs. Park, the elderly woman who has favored Daniel, and even singing for them. They’d sit together on the bench when Seongwoo’s becoming too tired to continue, watching a girl with his father, a woman and his lover, and a grandma with her grandchildren.

Seongwoo would sneak to Daniel’s bed at night, and they spent the night cuddling with each other to sleep—only waking up before Jisung came to take their daily tests and move back to his own bed.

It went on for months until Seongwoo couldn’t sleep without the help of machines.

So it was Daniel who would sneak to Seongwoo’s bed by then, rubbing the older male’s chest to sleep every night, hoping to brush the discomfort away. Seongwoo had looked much smaller and more fragile as time went by, but Daniel tried hard to ignore it. He’d known Seongwoo’s test results had never come out better than the last one (his were always fluctuating between better and worse) and he could only pray Seongwoo could get his donor soon (and hoped he would be strong enough to hold on until he could get his own donor).

So he planned to make the best out of it while they still could.

++

Seongwoo stood by the phone nearby Nurse Kim’s station as Daniel waited for him. He looked hesitated several times, but Daniel continuously sent him smiles of encouragement until he finally picked up the phone and pressed the numbers he remembered perfectly at the back of his head.

Seongwoo looked back at Daniel, who gave him a proud smile, and waited for the dialing tone that seems to be so long.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Eomma. This is Seongwoo.”

++

When Mrs. Ong opened the door to their room that afternoon, Seongwoo jumped off his bed and ran to hug her, tight. She was beyond surprised, Daniel could see the tears falling down her cheeks, but she ruffled Seongwoo’s hair lovingly and Daniel swore he had never seen someone so happy. She had brought them dinner, in which Daniel was so grateful that he could finally eat real food again. One of the number one reasons he hated the hospital was its food.

She fed both of them pears that night, much to Seongwoo’s dismay because he hated pears (but pears are good for the heart!). Daniel had forgotten how it’s like to be loved by a mother. The closest mother figure he had was only Jisung. Mrs. Ong cared about him as much as she cared about Seongwoo that night, Daniel had wished she could come every day.

Mrs. Ong was sitting by Seongwoo’s bed, caressing the sleeping latter’s head as Daniel climbed up to his own bed and prepared to sleep.

“Daniel-ssi,”

“Yes, Mrs. Ong?”

“I can’t believe my son is back,” she looked at the distance at she talks.

“He was beyond devastated when the company called him. I nearly thought of suing the company, but I realize it would be better if I spend the money on his health instead.”

“He said he was born this way because of me,” she suddenly was sobbing, “I was so reckless when I was young, I didn’t think I’d bring so much pain to him.”

Daniel reached for the tissue box beside his bed and offered it to Mrs. Ong.

“Thank you, Daniel-ssi,”

“Thank you for bringing him back. Thank you… for loving him.”

++

“Who want to sing in front today?”

Seongwoo called out in the kids’ practice room that day, alongside Jung Sewoon, a music major volunteer in the hospital, by his side with a guitar. The room was suddenly filled with the kids’ excited voices, each of them raising their hands, wanting to be picked.

“Alright, today I’ll pick… Han Hyeri! Everybody clap for Hyeri!”

A little girl got up from her seat and walked in front, a smile plastered to her face.

“What song do you want to sing, Hyeri-ah?”

Seongwoo was clapping along to Hyeri’s Three Little Bears as he casted a smile towards Daniel, who was sitting behind the older kids alongside Daehwi. Daniel had smiled back at him, but the smile on Seongwoo’s face faltered quickly when he saw Daniel toppled from his chair to the ground.

++

Bedrest for a week, Dr. Lee had said, no going out anywhere, I want you to rest until our next routine tests.

Jisung has inserted the IV back into his vein that afternoon, and Daniel could see the sadness etched onto his cousin’s face.

“Hyung, what’s with the face—“

“You stupid, I’m so worried about you, you really need to get better, you punk,” he said while slapping Daniel’s arm.

“Ouch, ouch, Hyung! I can report you to the police, you’re abusing your patient!”

“You’re not my patient,” Jisung sobbed, “you are my family.”

“Ah Hyung, what’s with the tears, you’re making me feel guilty,” Daniel said as he opened his arms, requesting a hug. Jisung hugged him, still sobbing on Daniel’s shoulder.

“Of course I have to get better, I haven’t taken Seongwoo on a proper date.”

With the mention of Seongwoo’s name, Jisung broke free from the hug.

“Aish, you guys are so in love it makes me envy,” he scowled, “Both of you definitely have to get better, we need to go on a double date.”

++

Seongwoo entered after Jisung went out, and Daniel gestured for him to climb on to the bed as he gave him a big hug.

“You were scaring me,” Seongwoo sobbed, but Daniel chuckled and planted a kiss on Seongwoo’s forehead.

“I’m sorry I scared you. But look, I’m fine, and I’m definitely going to get better. I need to take you on a proper date,”

Seongwoo snorted at the cheesiness but he nuzzled to the crook of Daniel’s neck.

“Niel-ah, I love you.”

“Love you too, Ong-hyung.”

“You know what? Being with you always makes me forget about why we’re here and what we’re facing.”

Daniel sighed upon hearing Seongwoo’s words. It was right. He thought he had the world when he held Seongwoo in his arms, but he shouldn’t forget about what both of them are facing.

“Look, Hyung. We are going to fight, okay? And we are going to win. I promise. We are going to survive.”

++

The weather outside was very nice that afternoon, so Daniel decided to take Seongwoo out for a walk in the garden, after being lectured by Jisung (I’ll give you guys 30 minutes at most, I’ll be checking! Oh, and don’t forget to wear a jacket!). It was the beginning of autumn; the green leaves were slowly turning into brown, and the people who usually hang out at the garden now went out with a jacket on. The sun was still shining brightly and the wind was still merely a breeze, though. Daniel and Seongwoo sat together on one of the benches, hand-in-hand.

They were not saying anything, but Daniel had always enjoyed the silence with Seongwoo. It’s not the kind of awkward silence where you felt you have to say something, but it was the calm, serene kind of silence.

Daniel acted like he’s stretching his arms, but proceeded to putting his hand around Seongwoo shoulder before the latter grabbed his arm and put it down.

“So old and cheesy,” Seongwoo exclaimed while smiling playfully, “I think my grandfather used it to flirt with my grandmother.”

Daniel snorted before proceeding to laugh. Seongwoo had always told him his ways of flirting were old and cheesy, but Daniel knew that Seongwoo secretly liked it.

So Daniel stretched his arms again, but this time he put his palm around Seongwoo’s head and pushed him gently to lean on his shoulder. He didn’t see it but he was sure Seongwoo was smiling happily.

“Niel-ah,”

“Yeah?”

“This, too, feels like a proper date.”

Daniel only smiled in answer, but he was starting to get worried.

++

Daniel jolted awake at the sound of a loud thud from his left. He slowly blinked to adjust his vision with the dimly-lit room, but the choking and gurgling sound made him jump out of his bed immediately.

“Seongwoo-hyung!”

Seongwoo had fell off his bed onto the floor, and Daniel knew something was not right when his lover, again, let out a strangled sound. He quickly reached for the emergency button on Seongwoo’s bed, pressing it frantically before running to the other side of the room to reach for Seongwoo’s body.

Seongwoo didn’t seem to be conscious, from the way his eyes had fluttered shut as Daniel pulled him into his arms. His fingers desperately clawed at his chest, and his lips has turned into a terrifying shade of blue as he continued to let out strangled chokes from his throat.

“, no, Seongwoo-hyung, come on, breathe—where the is everyone?”

Daniel panicked, his hand trembled when he reached for the emergency button and pressed it frantically, again. He didn’t even realize tears were already flowing down his cheeks.

“Come on, Hyung, you can do this, you’re strong, just ing breathe,”

The door to their room flew open as Im Nayoung, the nurse who mainly got night shifts in the cardiac department, stormed into the room. Daniel knew better than to interfere, so he quickly moved to the other side of the room when the female nurse squatted beside Seongwoo and assessed his non-existent breathing.

“Code blue!”

The nurse had shouted at the top of her lungs, when seconds later a group of nurses, including Jisung, and Dr. Lee stormed in. Daniel could only saw Seongwoo’s limp body being lifted on to the bed before one of the nurses drew the curtains. He didn’t realize he had covered his own ears and walked out of the room to sit on the chairs in front—he didn’t want to hear anything. He didn’t want to hear their attempts to save his Seongwoo.

He was scared. He was scared he’d hear if they didn’t manage to revive him. He’s scared he’d hear if they let out a sigh of defeat. He’s scared they’d announce a time of death.

Because now Daniel had seen what both of them are facing with all their might. It’s crystal clear; it’s death. And with the eerie silence of the hospital halls in the late night, the ticking of the wall clock nearby, and his Seongwoo fighting for his life inside—Daniel realized that it was real, stronger and closer than ever.

Not now.

He’s not ready.

He would never be ready.

++

After what have seemed like forever, the door of his room swung open. Daniel had sat on the chair all the time, fumbling with his fingers and sobbing softly while silently praying. A few nurses has offered him a spare room to sleep for the night, but Daniel had refused. He would never be able to sleep like this.

They were bringing Seongwoo somewhere. Daniel couldn’t see much, but he could see he was alive and breathing, despite the amount of tubes and wires embedded into his body.

Daniel plopped back down to the chair and sobbed even harder. He didn’t even know anymore if they’re tears of relief or tears of fear. He didn’t even know what to do. He just wanted his Seongwoo to be safe, to open his eyes and flash his signature smile to him.

He could hear hurried steps approaching before someone enveloped him in a hug.

“He’ll be fine,” Jisung whispered into his ear, “he’ll be fine. I promise.”

Daniel couldn’t help but sobbed into Jisung’s chest, ignoring the fact he’s staining the latter’s uniform with his tears.

“H-hyung, I just—I—I don’t know, I’m so scared—“

“It’s okay, it’ll be okay,” Jisung patted his head gently, trying to comfort him. “Now, go back to sleep, okay? So that you can wake up tomorrow morning to see him. Okay?”

++

They had put Seongwoo into intensive care, with a tube shoved down his throat and enough drugs pumped into his system he’s barely able to keep his eyes open. Daniel had spent his afternoons visiting while caressing his hand with his thumb, and occasionally helping Mrs. Ong to wash Seongwoo’s face with a damp cloth. He’d only get to see Seongwoo’s dark, beautiful orbs fifteen minutes a day at most, and it’s if he’s lucky.

Believe in him, Mrs. Ong had said, believe in him like I do, Niel-ah. We’re going to get through this together, okay?

So he did. He’d always believed in Seongwoo anyway. He believed Seongwoo would never break his promises. The promise that he’d never leave.

So when Daniel visited that day to finally find Seongwoo awake and smiling, he pulled the smaller male into his embrace and stayed that way as long as he could, ignoring the stares of nurses passing by.

“How are you?” Seongwoo uttered, and Daniel couldn’t help but let go to ruffle Seongwoo’s hair.

“Hyung, you slept for five days and left me alone, and all you said was ‘how are you’?”

Seongwoo let out a soft chuckle as Daniel pulled a chair to sit beside the bed.

“I’m sorry,” he paused, “did I scare you?”

Daniel could only sigh heavily, brushing the image of Seongwoo’s body on the floor that night off his mind. It was definitely a memory he didn’t want to recall.

“I thought I was going to lose you, Hyung,”

“But I believe you won’t break your promise and leave me alone. So you have to get better soon, move back to our room—no, go get your transplant done and get out of here, okay?”

Seongwoo reached for Daniel’s hand and gave it a weak squeeze.

“Niel-ah,” Seongwoo paused, “when they’re going to tell me my donor is available, go get it instead, okay?”

Daniel, who was carefully caressing Seongwoo’s hand had stopped his movements completely.

“What are you talking about, Hyung?”

“My chances of succeeding in the surgery is too low, but yet I’m higher on the list,” Seongwoo sighed, “it would be better if someone with a higher chance to get it instead, as soon as possible.”

“Hyung, what are you talking about?” Daniel had furrowed his eyebrows, his anger slowly rising. “You still have chances, it’s still worth the try! Why are you giving up?”

 “Dr. Lee said it was a miracle that I had survived the last attack, and he isn’t sure if my body can handle the surgery. He even said I won’t be able to leave this room anymore. Wouldn’t it be better if, you, get the donor instead, so you can get out of here and live your life happily?”

“Then what am I going to do?” Daniel had rose from his seat, his voice laced with fury. “What am I going to do, Hyung, if you’re not there?”

“Do you think I’d be able to live my life happily, without you? What does our promises mean to you, Hyung, after all this time?”

“I don’t understand. I—I thought we’re going to win together, Hyung. I thought we are fighting together.”

Daniel stomped out of the room without looking back, his vision blurred with tears.

++

Seongwoo looked out of the window with longing eyes. The trees and foliage in the hospital garden had completely turned into brown, with some of them even didn’t have any leaves left for they had fallen down, ready for the approaching winter. Daniel hadn’t visited him since that day—the day he requested him to go and get his donor instead. He just wanted the best for Daniel. He wanted the man he loved so much to be well, to be able to continue his life for he has much more chance and so much in front of him. Sometimes he couldn’t help but be mad at Daniel for his response, but he couldn’t blame him too. It was him who intended on breaking their promises to not to leave each other—but Dr. Lee’s words that day hadn’t stopped ringing in his head.

“It’s definitely a miracle that he survived the attack, Mrs. Ong,”

“There really are so much damages done to his body, I’m afraid the chances of him surviving, even after the transplant, would be too low.”

“But I really encourage he still go under the procedure, Mrs. Ong. We still have to try, even the smallest chance is hope.”

Seongwoo sighed heavily. Maybe this is the end, he thought. It would be better this way. It would be better if Daniel didn’t see him anymore, and forget about him. It would hurt less that way.

So when Dr. Lee came that afternoon to check on him, he stopped the doctor from leaving.

“Dr. Lee, I think we need to talk about something.”

++

Jisung knew something had happened between the two of them. He had seen Daniel stomped out of the ICU that day with tears breaming his eyes. Daniel’s gaze had changed. He usually woke up with bright sparkles in his eyes, and Jisung swore he resembled a puppy so much—but nowadays the sparkles are gone. Jisung was really worried the first time he found out about their relationship—it didn’t seem to be a good idea considering their conditions. But he had never seen Daniel so happy in his life. Daniel was just like his own little brother, he loved him with all his heart.

So when Jisung entered his room that morning to take his daily measurements, he was not surprised to find the younger male to be sound asleep, although usually he’d always been awake every time Jisung came. It must’ve been though for him.

Jisung approached the bed to wake the latter up, but it was when he realized something was wrong.

He’s not breathing.

++

Seongwoo was just told that a donor has, finally, available for him. If everything went on smoothly, Seongwoo would be able to enter the surgery by tomorrow afternoon—so the breakfast that day would be his last meal before they move him to pre-op room.

He didn’t feel like eating with all the thoughts circling his head. He was just playing with his food when Jisung stormed into the room, straight towards his bed.

“Daniel,”

Seongwoo didn’t realize he had dropped his spoon.

++

Dr. Lee wiped the sweat on his forehead tiredly. Kang Daniel’s condition has unexpectedly dropped this morning, and he was sent to the intensive care right away. The tests result had come out and at this rate, he needed to go under the knife right away.

“Dr. Lee, please, I beg you,” Ong Seongwoo had said that day, ”please. He still has so much chance. It’ll be better if he gets it instead.”

A donor has finally available and it’s ready to get sent to the hospital by tomorrow, but it was Ong Seongwoo’s. The latter also needed a new heart as soon as possible—their level of emergencies were almost the same.

Dr. Lee leaned on his chair and put his glasses off before massaging the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t sure Daniel could hold on until the next one is available—

“Dr. Lee,”

He almost jumped from his seat when Ong Seongwoo stormed into the room, panting heavily.

“Seongwoo-ssi, you’re not supposed to get out of your room—“

“I d—don’t care,” he stuttered, obviously struggling to breathe. “please, Dr. Lee, you have to listen to me,”

Dr. Lee had realized where the conversation was going.

“Seongwoo-ssi, you really need the transplant as well—“

Seongwoo had fallen on his knees by now, tears flowing down his face.

“I don’t care, Dr. Lee. I love him. I love him so much it hurts,” he begged, “what would you do if you’re in my position, Dr. Lee? Won’t you do the same?”

“Seongwoo-ssi, are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’ll be fine,” Seongwoo whimpered, “as long as he’s fine, then I’ll be fine.”

++

Day 9.

I have been waiting for you for nine days, Niel-ah. Please, I need you to open your eyes. I need to know you’ll be fine.

Daniel had slipped into a coma after the transplant surgery. It was indeed risky to start with, but Dr. Lee had gave in to Seongwoo’s desperate requests and gave the new heart to Daniel instead. He didn’t know if it was the right choice to make, but Seongwoo had looked much more relieved since then.

He’s undoubtedly worried about the latter.

++

“… what are you doing here?”

Daniel opened his eyes slowly only to blinded by the bright light. He instinctively put his hand over his eyes to block the light from coming to his eyes, but it was then he realized he was lying on to something soft but yet rough.

Grass?

He propped himself up by his arms to sit, trying to digest his surroundings. How the hell did he get here—

“Yah, what are you doing here?”

Daniel whipped his head to his left to find Seongwoo, his Ong Seongwoo—staring at him with confused eyes. He’s still the very same Ong Seongwoo, but there’s something definitely different from him. The latter no longer wore the usual, boring hospital shirt, he didn’t look like he’d only eat one meal a day and his skin radiated a healthy glow.

Even Daniel thought he was beautiful on his worst days, he didn’t even know what words to describe Seongwoo with.

But the thing that caught his attention the most was the scar on his chest.

It has vanished.

“Hyung, your scar—”

“Daniel, you’re not supposed to be here,”

Tears had rolled down Seongwoo’s face, and Daniel blinked in confusion—before he looked around the vast meadow he was in. He too, was no longer wearing the ugly hospital shirt.

He looked back to the tears b Seongwoo’s eyes and reached to touch the scar on his own chest—only to find it was gone as well.

He finally understood.

“Hyung, did you do it? Did you really sacrifice yourself—”

“I had to, Niel-ah,” Seongwoo whimpered, “I love you, I love you too much I’d sacrifice anything. I’m—I’m sorry—”

“Hyung,” Daniel embraced the smaller man in his arms, “thank you for everything, but I guess we’re just meant to not leave each other.”

Seongwoo couldn’t help but smile sadly.

“I didn’t know I would meet you again this soon,” he sobbed, “but I’ve missed you so much, Niel-ah,”

Daniel reached to wipe the tears on Seongwoo’s cheek.

“But now I’m here, and I’m not going to make you wait any longer.”

He leaned down to kiss Seongwoo’s lips, just like the first time.

He guessed both of them had won, too, this way.

And he’s sure in this universe, there would be no broken dreams and promises.

₊₊

the end