"So? How've you been?"

Sungyeol takes Myungsoo’s outstretched hand and they pull each other into a friendly, familiar embrace.

"Good. Really good, actually."

Myungsoo gives him a few firm pats on the back. "That's good to hear.” He steps back. “You need to drop by your place at all before we head to dinner?”

Sungyeol nods, “Mm, yeah. I miss having my own private shower.”

They get into Myungsoo’s car and drive off.

Sungyeol stares out the tinted window, feeling a little out of place in the city after the few months he’s been gone. He drifts off to the sound of Myungsoo humming along softly to the radio.

Sunggyu is met with the smell of coffee and the murmur of TV ads when he gets to his apartment. It’s odd -- he really wasn’t expecting anyone, but an intruder probably wouldn’t take their time to browse his kitchen and catch an afternoon drama in the midst of robbing him.

A loud laugh echoes from the living room, one that he’d recognize anywhere. He enters and, sure enough, there’s Dongwoo on his couch, along with another unexpected guest.

Woohyun notices him the moment he steps through the doorway and smiles that wide smile that turn his eyes to crescents and makes his cheeks look squishy. At times like this, he seems just like an elementary school child. “Hyung! Welcome home!”

Sunggyu hugs him tightly, then turns to Dongwoo and laughs as the shorter man squeezes the air out of him. “What are you two doing here?”

Woohyun pours him a cup of coffee from the pot on the table. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re here to welcome you back.”

“Woohyun wanted to surprise you.” Dongwoo settles back down onto the couch, patting the seat next to him.

Sunggyu sinks down onto his own sofa. "Has anybody heard from Sungjong?"

"He's working today, but he'll meet us at the restaurant on time." Dongwoo says, flipping through TV channels.

He stops on a celebrity gossip program. They're talking about the latest Big Bang scandals: more investigations into illegal activities in buildings owned by the members.

Woohyun stares blankly at the screen. "Do you think they'll make it through all this? After they're all back from the military, will they be able to continue as a group?"

Sunggyu smiles somberly. "I wonder…"

They gather for dinner in a private room of a restaurant they've gathered at multiple times throughout their years together.

The oldest three arrive first. They're followed shortly by Sungyeol and Myungsoo, and they exchange the warm greetings of friends who have been together for a decade. This is probably the longest any of them have gone without seeing one another in all their years of knowing each other; they haven't gathered like this since before Sunggyu enlisted in the military.

Sungjong arrives just as the first rounds of alcohol are brought in by the server.

They gush and coo at his cropped hair, joking that he's become the most diligent worker of them all.

He welcomes their teasing, even playing along and saluting proudly as they praise their "brave little soldier." He missed this.

They converse over dinner and drinks, filling the room with boisterous laughter and toasts to the most ridiculous things they can think of.

"To Sungjongie's hair! May it grow back as beautiful as before!"

"To Sunggyu-hyung's middle-aged mother fanbase!"

"To Dongwoo never getting scammed ever again!"

"To Sungyeollie's Captain America body transformation!"

"To Myungsoo finally overcoming his weird otaku phase!"

"To Woohyun never reviving grandpa-style aegyo!"

They cackle even harder when Woohyun gives a live demonstration.

Sunggyu calms down, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard, and asks the server to bring water for them. "Can't have anybody passing out just yet," he tells the others.

It takes a while for all of them to sober up enough to stop giggling at every little thing, but they get there eventually.

Then, late into the evening, a silence settles over them and it becomes clear that it's time to discuss the true reason they've gathered.

Sunggyu sighs, looking up at the rest of the group from his spot at the end of the table. “So, I guess we’re all on the same page?”

There’s no verbal response from any of the other members. Most of them look down at the table and give little shrugs and tilts of the head in acknowledgement.

He sighs again. “Alright then. I’m assuming everybody’s thought out their future plans a little bit, and I think we’d all like to know what each other will be doing. I’ll start.

"Honestly, all I know is that I'm still going to be making music, no matter what. Of course, I still want to be an active idol, but if that's not possible because of my age or popularity or other factors that are out of my control, I'm ready to accept that. My backup plan is to be a producer. As long as I'm putting my music into the world, I'm happy with that.”

Woohyun’s lips quirk up at the corners and he casts Sunggyu a sly glance. “I’m sure your mom-following would be enough of a fanbase for you to continue as a soloist.”

Sunggyu offers a small smile in return.

After another moment of silence, Sungyeol clears his throat. "I think I'm going to stay in the military a while longer. Longer than I need to. And then I'm going to keep acting. I don't think singing or dancing has ever really been what I was made to do, anyway."

“Sungyeol, you’re not bad at either of those things.” Myungsoo says firmly. He places a hand on Sungyeol’s shoulder, squeezing to accentuate his point.

He shrugs. “I guess not, but I’ve never really felt… comfortable, I guess. Never felt fully confident in my abilities as an idol. My original intentions were to debut as an actor anyway, remember?”

Sungjong, who’s sitting across from him, gently bumps their knees together under the table. “Well, you’re an amazing actor, hyung. All of us are gonna support every single movie and drama you’re in.”

Sungyeol bumps his knee back in a friendly manner. “Thanks, guys.” He looks directly at Sungjong. “What about you? What are you gonna do?”

“I’m… I'm going to look for a job as some kind of host. On a variety show, or a music program. Or maybe even on the radio. I really enjoyed doing Midnight Black. I'm probably still young enough to join another group, but I don't think I'd ever be able to do that after being in Infinite."

Unexpectedly, it’s Sungyeol that starts crying first. He’s already tearing up at Sungjong’s words, “after being in Infinite.” It feels as though the unspoken reality has just been placed in front of him. There’s no more avoiding it or running away, and he has to do his best to come to terms with it, because there’s no other option. He bows his head to hide his watery, stinging eyes.

Dongwoo wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer. He was the only one to notice at first, but his caring gesture caught the attention of the others.

Woohyun tries to make light of it, “Aw, Sungyeollie, don’t cry. What happened to the tough guy we all know?”

“I-I can’t hel-help it,” he sobs out into Dongwoo’s shoulder.

“Hey, it’s okay. How about I tell you what I’m gonna do? Alright?” Dongwoo croons. When Sungyeol gives a little nod against his sweater, he begins, “Okay. I'd like to take some time off. I think it's time for me to meet someone and… probably settle down a little. After that, I'll see if it's possible to sign with another agency as a solo artist, but if not, I'd wanna become a mentor to new trainees. I think I’d really enjoy being a dance instructor or a choreographer. Maybe even both.”

Sunggyu chuckles, “You’ve basically been both to the rest of us for the past couple years.”

“Yeah? Am I any good?”

The leader nods confidently. “The best.”

Sungyeol’s calmed down, breathing normally despite stray tears continuing to flow at their own leisure. “It’s true, hyung. You’re really the best.”

Dongwoo grins his full, genuine, sunshine-smile. “That makes me really happy to hear.” He pours himself a shot and Woohyun’s quick to join, clinking their glasses together and downing them.

Myungsoo speaks up from the head of the table. “I’ll go next. I'm gonna keep acting for sure. As for singing…” he hesitates, “I’m not sure yet. Music has always been huge for me, but I’m not really into the whole fabricated idol lifestyle.” He sighs out a humorless laugh. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I plan to say goodbye to L for good."

Sungyeol nudges him in the ribs. “You really are outgrowing your otaku phase.”

“Drop it,” he snorts. “You don’t even deserve to complain about my manga while you look like this.”

Sungyeol frowns pulls out his phone to check himself out in the camera. “Oh, jeez. Jeez. I look terrible.” He sniffles and rubs at the corners of his eyes.

“None of us mind.” Woohyun pours shots for Dongwoo and himself, tapping their glasses again. “Anyway, it’s my turn.” He throws it back, cringing at the burn. "I want to keep singing. That's set in stone for me. Whether that means I sign a solo contract with our company, or scout out a new company, I know that I'll still be singing. And I think I'd like to do another musical someday. I'd definitely be looking out for opportunities like that."

“Your musical was awesome,” Sunggyu praises.

Woohyun gives him a lopsided grin. “Thanks, hyung. I was really happy when you came to watch.” He takes yet another shot with Dongwoo. “You know what, guys? I’m gonna miss this.”

In a matter of minutes, Sungyeol’s crying again, and Dongwoo and Woohyun have started, too. The older two are taking shot after shot of soju, touching glasses across the table each time.

“I love you guys so much!” Dongwoo wails throwing his head back as tears streak down his face.

“Me, too. I love all of you.” Woohyun howls, hooking his arms around Sunggyu and Sungjong on either side of him and pulling them in close.

Sungjong sniffles as tears start falling. “I don’t wanna say goodbye to Infinite.”

“Infinite is supposed to mean forever!” Sungyeol cries. He scoots up next to Myungsoo, and the younger boy hugs him tightly as he bawls into his chest.

“It really is, isn’t it?” Myungsoo mutters to himself, squeezing Sungyeol tightly. He can feel himself choking up now too, pressing his face into Sungyeol’s shoulder when hot tears start to flow.

Sunggyu looks around him at the family he’s known for a decade. His brothers, people he watched grow up, whom he grew up next to, crying, looking like lost children. He’d be less of a man if the sight didn’t make him cry. And so, he lets go. The heartbreak of saying goodbye to Infinite hurts so much more than he ever could have expected. But, in essence, they’re saying goodbye to the very thing that brought them together in the beginning and kept them together for so long.

“We’re having a sleepover at my place tonight.” Sunggyu announces, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

A few teary faces look up at him, confused.

“It’s decided. No arguments.” He orders. “Tonight’s my treat.”

“Thank you, hyung,” the boys chime automatically.

Some things never change.

Sungjong and Sunggyu haul the drunk Woohyun into Sunggyu’s car and lead the way back to the leader’s apartment.

Myungsoo and Sungyeol help Dongwoo into the backseat of Myungsoo’s car and buckle him in before climbing into the front.

Sungyeol still gasps in little breaths every now and then, eyes swollen and stinging from all the salty tears.

The drive to Sunggyu’s place is quiet, and Myungsoo casts quick glances at the other men in his car now and then to make sure they’re alright. When they arrive, they work together to hoist Dongwoo onto Sungyeol’s back, then head up in the elevator.

“Dongwoo-hyung is so skinny.” Sungyeol comments, staring at the floor numbers lighting up in succession above the door.

“He never sleeps enough.” Myungsoo stares at Sungyeol, observing the changes since he last saw him. He’s a little more tanned, and he’s lost weight in his face. His hair is about the same length as it was when he enlisted.

The doors open and they step out. It’s silent throughout the building, given the hour, and they try their best to be quiet as they head into Sunggyu’s place.

The couches and coffee table in the living room have been pushed to the outskirts of the room, and there’s blankets and pillows littering the middle of the room.

Woohyun’s already stripped down to his underwear, on the verge of falling into unconsciousness as Sungjong tucks a blanket around him.

Sunggyu appears from the hallway with an armful of clothing that he drops on the coffee table. “Pajamas, if you guys are decent, unlike Woohyun.”

Dongwoo stirs a little on Sungyeol’s back and he carefully lets him down onto one of the couches. Sunggyu comes over and they help him into comfortable clothing before moving him to the floor and tucking him in next to Woohyun.

The four conscious members take turns washing up and changing, then they meet in the living room and settle down. The rug is reasonably soft, and there’s an unreasonable amount of pillows and blankets for one person at Sunggyu’s place. When Myungsoo brings it up, Sunggyu brushes it off, saying they’re fan gifts. Deep down they all know Sunggyu bought them for himself because he’s a er for comfort.

Sungyeol and Myungsoo lie at the end of the row, wide awake long after the others have drifted off for the night.

Sungyeol rolls over to face his friend. “Hey, Myungsoo,” he whispers.

“Hmm?” He rolls over, too.

“Are we still gonna be friends after this?”

“Are you still drunk? What kind of question is that?” He pokes a hand out from under his blanket and pats Sungyeol’s cheek. “Of course we are.”

“Good.” He reaches out and pats Myungsoo’s cheek in return. Then, a little softer, he adds, “I’m really glad.”

Myungsoo smiles and rolls back onto his back. “I feel like we’re back at the dorm. I haven’t heard Dongwoo-hyung’s snoring in a long time.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Sungyeol sighs. “You know, I have a feeling that we’re gonna be friends for a long time.”

“Isn’t that what I just told you?”

“I’m not talking about me and you. I’m talking about all of us.”

Myungsoo closes his eyes, pondering it. “That might be the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”

“So you think so, too?”

“Yeah. We’re all gonna be friends for a really long time."

"How long?"

He peeks at Sungyeol out of the corner of his eye. "How should I know?"

"How long?" he prompts.

Myungsoo sighs, grinning. Even though he knows it's cheesy, it's exactly the answer Sungyeol's fishing for.

"Forever."