Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Cuckoo.

Cuckoo.

Cuckoo.

Cuckoo.

Minhyun opened his eyes. The first thing that greeted him was the brown wooden ceiling. He blinked, feeling as if his facial muscles hadn't moved in years. He started to try to loosen his muscles, his hands, legs, toes. He let out a sigh and looked at the ceiling fan rotating.

What day is it?

What time is it?

Maybe it's doesn't matter anymore because he's dead. He slowly sat up, grunting as pain shot up his back. Or maybe he's not dead. He looked around the unfamiliar room yet had a familiar scent. He couldn't wrap his head around it but there were familiar things scattered around him. Like that weird elephant statue and the large yellow plushie stuffed in the corner. Still, he couldn't remember why they were familiar as he tried to jog his memories a little. He moved his arms and wondered why he felt like a zombie waking up from a deep slumber. He slowly put his legs on the ground and wobbled. Feeling unsteady, he grabbed onto something to lift himself up but even so, it proved to be a difficult task. He steeled himself however and did it again, pulling himself up to his feet until he could slowly slide himself forward.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Until he reached the door and pushed it open. The light was blinding at first and he had to squint to keep it down but then his eyes adjusted and he didn't recognise the porch filled with fake soft grass. He stepped onto it and his feet tingled, sensations prickling up his back. He stretched his back and tried to stand up straight as he basked in the warmth of the sunlight, feeling his skin heat up gradually. 

"Huh."

"-was so excited that he almost fell off the boat!" a familiar voice said, getting louder and louder. Minhyun turned his head towards the door as it creaked open. 4 males chatting away with each other with the brightest of smiles walked in.

Oh.

Dongho.

Jonghyun.

Aron.

Mingi.

He wanted to call out to them but couldn't find it in his voice to do so. The first to notice him was Aron who stopped and gaped at him.

"Aron hyung?" Mingi chirped.

The next was Jonghyun who gasped as he looked at Minhyun in disbelief.

"Hey, hey, Jonghyun?"

Dongho dropped the groceries and broke into a sprint. He charged up to Minhyun who stood still until he was tackled by Dongho right onto the soft grass. It was then that Mingi finally noticed him.

"Minhyun! Wahh," Dongho sobbed as he squeezed him. Minhyun smiled and slowly lifted his hand to pat him but ended up being smothered by the other 3 as well.

"Minhyun!"

"MINHYUN!"

Choruses of his name echoed in the air and he felt as if he had been welcomed home, unknown to the fact that he had been in a long coma.

"You slept for 5 years!" Dongho wailed at him after they had settled inside the house. Mingi was also crying his eyes out but Dongho definitely took the cake since he had been the one who took care of Minhyun for all those years. Everyday making sure he was comfortable and clean, everyday making sure he was still alive and breathing. Everyday talking to someone who didn't reply him but still he held onto the belief that Minhyun would wake up someday. Aron wiped away his tears and sniffled, smiling brightly along with Jonghyun who patted his back. "5! I thought... I really thought... That I had to give up..."

Minhyun smiled, unable to find words to explain how he felt to them. He was just so happy. Even though he had lost 5 years of his life, it didn't matter because they were all here. Together, still. After 5 years. It made him feel at peace. His sacrifice was worth something after all.

"So... What happened to the bows and arrows?" Minhyun asked after Dongho had calmed down.

"We threw them away. Dongho burned his and Jonghyun left his behind," Aron said and Minhyun tilted his head.

"What happened to mine?"

"It disappeared," Dongho said. Your bow and arrows were gone when we tried to find for it."

Minhyun just nodded.

"Okay. I'm just glad everyone is alright."

"Us too. We didn't know what happened to you. You just passed out and fell into a coma. All those years....," Jonghyun said softly and his voice trailed off as he thought back of the first year Minhyun had been stuck in coma. Dongho's uncontrollable outbursts and his own denial were difficult to handle. As difficult as it was for them to take in what happened, they still persevered and moved on with life. Without their bows and the responsibility of the world's timeline weighing them down anymore, they realised life was much more different from how they have always been living it. Even though they went in different ways, they still found their way back together eventually. 

"I'm back now and we are all back together. That's all that matters," Minhyun said as he stared at the 4 faces that stared back at his. Their smiles reflecting off one another's. If this was what he had sacrificed himself for, then it was for the best. 

I love all of you. 

Forever. 

And ever more. 

The end.