Eunhyuk POV

"...he has lost the ability to sing."

The doctor's expressionless, apathetic voice rang in my ears.  It kept repeating what was true, but what everyone wanted to believe was a lie.  The impossibility of her statement was more than just a disaster for us as a group; it was a disaster for Kyuhyun.

No one knew better than me just how much singing meant to him.  It had always been his dream; his passion; his reason for existing.  Even when Sungmin appeared and became yet another reason for his existence, his voice always came first as the most important part of his life.

When Kyuhyun's mom got sick, he shut himself up in his room and sang throughout the day.

When Hangeng filed the lawsuit and left Super Junior, Kyuhyun wouldn't leave the recording studio.

When Kangin went to military training, Kyuhyun volunteered to do all the background vocals for our new album.

I knew just how much Kyuhyun depended on his voice.  Even if he weren't talented; even if his voice didn't sound like that of an angel; even if he were tone deaf, Kyuhyun would forever and always turn towards the one thing that brought comfort to him.

I didn't want to be there when Kyuhyun found out.  In his eyes, he was probably better off dead than walking through life without his voice.

What was he without it?  It shaped his character, personality; it shaped him.  I couldn't imagine Kyuhyun being anyone other than the person I would always remember him to be.

The possibilities that our future held flooded my mind.  Super Junior without Kyuhyun wasn't Super Junior.  Yes, Kyuhyun joined the group late.  Yes, most of the members hated him for it.  No, we would not be able to recover from the loss of one our most talented member.

Don't be selfish.  Super Junior will be able to recover.  How can you think like that when your brother's life has just been ruined?  Have a heart.

Looking down at Kyuhyun, oblivious to the reality that would crush his eternal hopes and dreams, my heart swelled in helplessness.  There was nothing I could do; nothing anybody could do.  Time was irreversible, as much as we wished otherwise.

The world through my eyes began to tremble, and only when Donghae strong hand grabbed my waist to support me did I realize how much I was shaking.  Shaking in grief; sorrow; regret; anger; bitterness.  Kyuhyun didn't deserve to have his dreams chased away.  if anything, he deserved the opportunity to fly higher and reach for whatever lay beyond the stars.  Unlike the rest of us, Kyuhyun had the potential to do so.  Or rather, he used to.

"Hyuk, come with me."

I responded to the comforting sound of Donghae's voice almost instantly, letting myself be guided back out into the hall.  It felt like my presence was nonexistent. The sounds of Leeteuk's sobs and Yesung's small gasps of breath growing fainter as we walked farther away from the open door that led to nothing but misery.

"Hyuk, listen to me.  Pull yourself together and listen."  Donghae wrapped both his hands around my hunched shoulders and pulled me around to face him.  His grip on me constricted my blood flow.

I was barely able to rip my eyes away from the floor long enough to see the expression that coated Donghae's handsome features.  His face was pulled down into a permanent, agonized frown of pure self-revulsion.  I couldn't comprehend the reason behind it.

"I wouldn't blame you if you hated me for this.  I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again.  But I need to get this off my chest.  Now.  It wouldn't do anything for me if I told anyone else.  I need to tell you."

"What are you saying, Hae?" I replied softly, my breath sifting through the air lazily.  "I could never hate you."  My mind couldn't wrap itself around his words.  I couldn't register the meaning.

"You wouldn't hate me if I told that I was the one that caused the accident?"

I huffed in amusement, my mouth pulling up at the corners.  Was he trying to lift my mood?  It wasn't going to work with jokes like that.  My puzzlement and confusion was overshadowed by my disbelief at how sick his joke was.

"Don't joke about things like that, Hae.  It's not funny."

The disgusted laughter that had bubbled up inside my throat died down as I realized how serious he was being.  Disbelief clouded my senses.  What was he saying?  That he...what? Caused Leeteuk's injuries?  Caused Kyuhyun's inability to sing?  Just the thought of that being true was ridiculous.

"Eunhyuk....I....I'm so sorry," I watched in frozen silence as tears drowned his face.  "Please forgive me."

No.  No.  Please don't let him be serious. Don't let it be true.

I didn't want to believe him.  I didn't want to accept the fact that he was the one who had set into action the chaos that would forever exist within our group.  I couldn't.

"I...I was upset and was hurrying to try and find you after you left the motel.  And I wasn't paying attention.  Before I knew it...I was about to crash into your van. I swerved at the last minute...but...oh my goodness, Hyuk...I...I'm so sorry, Hyuk."

"Stop," I said, my tears flowing freely down my face.  "Just stop."

Donghae peered at me with his big, puppy-dog eyes.  The expression on his face broke my heart.  I heard it breaking even more as I uttered my next words.

"For anything else, Donghae, I'd forgive you.  If it had been anything else you were apologizing for, I would understand.  But," Donghae's tears were now a full-fledged river, "I can't forgive you.  Not for this."

My heart was plunged into blackness and loneliness as I my heel and walked away.

Donghae's sobs followed me down the hall; down the dark, miserable path that I knew belonged to me.

Donghae, I love you.  Loved you.  But I love our group more.  I'll be friends with you.  I'll converse with you.  But after this, I can never love you.  I'm sorry.

The pained yells that echoed down the hall and reverberated around me left me gasping and shaking uncontrollably.  The wrenching inside of me was an all-too-familiar feeling.

I blocked out Donghae's cries as I waved a sad farewell to our short-lived romance for the last time.

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A/N: I can't believe this is almost over.  I'm going to miss writing for this story...so much ;~; You guys have been the best support system ever.  I can't even begin to express how much each and every one of you mean to me.  I love you so much<33...BUT it's not over yet!! Look forward to a whole lot more within the next 3-4 chapters.  I promise they will not disappoint (actually they might....the plot twist will probably kill you all) I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SPONTANEOUS DEATHS DURING THE READING OF THIS FIC!! but i would totally understand if you wanted to kill Me. I'm cool with that.  Oh...and should I remove the tag?  I feel like there's no in here at all....it pretty much turned into a full-fledged angst fic...whatever, doesn't matter now cuz it's almost done.  Byee~~ 

OH YEAH!! After I'm done with this fic /sobs/ I will be working on my newest fic, My Lucky Stars, which can be found here. I hope you guys like Exo, cuz this fic revolves around them.  HOWEVER, it does not contain any hint of , , bromance, or twincest.  It is a fic which I hope will come to have meaning and depth.  I'll try to make it as realistic as possible.  thank you!!~