~ One year later ~

  13 men stood on the stage, watching as the crowd shouted their name. Most had a bitter smile on their faces, some filled with sadness. The end to one of the greatest groups in the history of K-Pop, performing for the last time together. Most would go their separate ways after that, but the years that they spent together being brothers will not be forgotten. Two men stood a bit in front of the group, their faces solemn as the background music came on. Two pictures appeared on the large screen behind them, and the noise became a hushed whisper. Some members held back tears, as the first man raised the mic up to his mouth to sing.

Ssahyeoganeun shigandeureun

Amado yokshimeul bureuna bwayo

Eojeboda oneul deo

Apajingeol bomyeon... Oh girl

It seems as though the accumulated time is being greedy

seeing as it hurts more today than yesterday.. oh girl

Greed... That’s what happened. That’s what tore them apart in the first place...

Nareul hyanghan misoedo

Manyang haengbokhal su eobseojin geon

Teukbyeorhami eobdaneun geol

Ara beorin hubuteoyeojjyo baby

It was after I realized that I couldn’t be totally happy with that smile towards me,

that there was nothing special, baby

Of course the story ended like that. There was no such thing as fairy tales for them. Any hopes of a happy ending was when he left him with a cold shoulder. Yesung berated himself for letting go so easily. All the planning... everything was pointless in the end. Their dream of keeping Ryeowook and Sungmin safe all went down the drain. A mistake that ended with a harsh blow.

What if geudaega nal

Saranghal geotman gata

What if.. it seems like you’re going to love me

Jogeum gidarimyeon

Naege ol geotman gataseo

Because it seems like you’re going to come to me if I wait just a little..

Ireon gidaero naneun

Geudael ddeonal su eobjyo

With these anticipations, I can’t leave you

Geureohke shigani

Ssahyeo apeumi dweneun geol

Jal algo isseumyeonseo... Oh girl

Even though I know that as time accumulates, it becomes pain.. oh girl

All the members sang the chorus together. The closing act. Many were in tears already, and many hearts were broken that night. Yesung knew that they were listening. Well, he hoped they were. He glanced sideways to where Kyuhyun stood, trying to hold everything together. He saw a hint of white in the back pocket of the man’s black pants. Although they were wearing an all black outfit, Kyuhyun kept a white rose pinned to his blazer. Innocence... What they both had. Yesung clenched his hands tighter, a tear slipping past his defences.

Singing his part in the song was hard enough, but listening to Ryeowook and Sungmin’s voices through the speakers was killing, even though they didn’t want anyone to replace them.

Naegeman juneun georago

Midgo shipeojineun misoyeojjiman

Anin geogejjyo geuraedo hokshina

Hamyeonseo...

Even though I wanted to believe that that smile was just for me,

It probably isn’t, right? But still.. Just maybe…

If people were shocked to see Kyuhyun openly weep, then they didn’t show it. His eyes were already red and swollen, so much that even makeup couldn’t have hid it. Oh how stupid they were. Sungmin and Ryeowook both gave their unconditional love to them, and even if it was done as a measure of precaution, the blow had hurt more than anything else.

What if naega geudael

Meonjeo mannasseoddamyeon

What if.. I met you first..

Ani charari na

Geudaereul mollasseoddamyeon...

No, if I didn’t know you,

Ireon saenggakdo naegen

Amu soyongi eobjyo

These thoughts are useless..

Gipsukhage bakhin

Geudaeraneun shigan soge

Imi salgo isseuni...

for I’m already living in the deeply set times of you

Ryeowook’s final moments made Yesung realise a lot of things. One, that he should have never let him go in the first place, and two, that he already had nothing more to give since Ryeowook had stole his entire heart away along with his death.

~Flashback two weeks ago~

“There’s nothing more we can do. It’s honestly a miracle that he has survived for so long...” The doctor said as he checked up on the body lying on the hospital bed. Yesung tightened his hold on Ryeowook’s bony hand. Soon, Ryeowook is going to leave them all. Soon, Ryeowook is going to leave him...

His heartbeat was still steady enough to last the night (he had to tell himself that over and over again to convince himself of that fact). Yesung had not really left his bedside, ever since he slipped into his ‘sleep’. That was three days ago, and the doctor said that he would never open his eyes again. Eunhyuk and Donghae had visited him constantly, along with everyone else. The only one who didn’t show up was Kyuhyun. Yesung tried to get him to go in at least once when Ryeowook was asleep, but the man must have felt horribly guilty for leaving them alone, that he couldn’t even enter the room (unbeknownst to him, Kyuhyun did end up visiting Ryeowook when Yesung was asleep).

Throughout the night, Yesung could not sleep. He laid on his side, watching as Ryeowook’s chest rose and fell, holding his breath to see if it was going to stop, before letting it go and repeating the process all over again. All the time, memories of them together continuously assaulted him. From their first meeting, to their first hug, to their first kiss, their first time and so on. He tightened his hold on Ryeowook’s lithe body when flashbacks of their fights came.

“You’re acting weird again,” Ryeowook said as he entered their shared bedroom. Yesung jumped, not sensing him come in. “Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Wookie. I’m just a bit tired from our schedule.” Ryeowook gave him a look that says no you’re not, so spill it.

“Are you sure? We usually have a bit more packed into the schedules and you can handle those better than you are right now.” Ryeowook placed a hand on his shoulder, but Yesung just nudged it off and laid down on his bed.

“Like I said before, I’m fine, Wookie. Just tired. Why don’t you go and bug Sungmin for a bit?” He said as he turned around to face the wall. Yesung did not see the hurt in Ryeowook’s eyes, because honestly, he was a little bit more tired than usual, but that was probably due to receiving the fifth poison pen letter earlier this morning and trying to talk to Kyuhyun about it. So far they came up to blanks at how the person knows, and had spent almost an hour looking everywhere for hidden cameras or recorders. The only thing they can do for now is to stay alert for anything weird. With that thought in mind, Yesung fell into a light slumber. He did not notice Ryeowook’s tears, nor his soft footsteps against the hardwood floor walking towards the bathroom.

‘I was such a fool. How did I not notice the changes in him?’ Yesung thought as he held onto Ryeowook a bit more tighter. He had slowly edged away from him further and further until the notice of the disbandment came down. After then, no attempts to contact them was made in fear of the crazed person going after them both. And still, their time ended too quickly. Yesung buried his face into the thin fabric, as if it was going to stop the onslaught of tears.

“Crying won’t do anything, Jongwoon.” Yesung looked up from sheets to see an awake Ryeowook.

“Wookie...” he started to pull his hands away, but Ryeowook made a sound of discomfort.

“Don’t...” Yesung stopped and rewrapped his hands around him in a more comfortable position. They stared at the white ceiling, one too hesitant to talk, and the other waiting patiently.

“They s-said that you would n-n-never wake up again. I-I thought that I...I would have n-never gotten to say g-g-goodbye.” Yesung’s voiced cracked, trying again to keep his tears at bay. Ryeowook said nothing, and kept staring at the ceiling.

“...Why?” He said as he turned his head around to face him. Yesung saw all the pain and sorrow held in Ryeowook’s eyes, and his guilt was almost crushing him by now.

“Because I didn’t want you hurt. But I guessed everything backfired in the end.” He let out a sad chuckle. Ryeowook looked away, feeling something tug at his heart, but decided not to say anything else and snuggled a bit more in Yesung’s embrace.

“...Jongwoon, it’s getting cold.” Yesung looked at the window, seeing the fresh, white snow fall outside. His eyes widened. After all, what are the chances of snow falling in June...? He looked back to Ryeowook, whose eyes were now closed. Yesung watched as Ryeowook took a slightly ragged intake, before releasing it. Again, a slight intake, and another release. This time, there was a pause, before he took in another breath. Intake, pause, then release. Intake, pause, then release. Intake, pause, then release. Another pause came, and Yesung counted the seconds until the next breath came.

15 seconds, 16 seconds, 17 seconds...

When he realized that Ryeowook wasn’t going to take another breath, he let go of the one he was holding. Ryeowook had already left him, without him saying goodbye. He decided to do nothing, and hold on just a bit more to the still body.

White is the color of purity. Winter was always our favorite season of the year. Ryeowook-ah, did I ever tell you that I love you?

Shiganui moogemankeum

Sarangeun deohargago

Even though love increases as much as time’s weight,

Apeumi mugeoweodo

Geurade eonjengan nal

Saranghal geotman gata

Even though pain is heavy

Still, I feel like you’ll love me

Jogeum gidarimyeon

Naege ol geotman gataseo

Because it seems like you’re going to come to me if I wait just a little...

Ireon gidaero naneun

Geudael ddeonal su eobjyo

With these anticipations, I can’t leave you

Geureohke shigani

Ssahyeo oneureul mandeun geol

Jal algo issemyeonseo...

Even though I know that the accumulated time has made today...

The end.

Hi all~! The story is finally complete! ^^

Just wanted to say thanks to cweetdark for encouraging me throughout the last chapter! Also, thanks to my sister, who read this over for me and gave her approval! ^^ This one was particularly hard to write, especially with the massive writer's block that I couldn't kick away. Shout out to all of my subscribers too! I thank all of you who have been paitently waiting for this story. I'm sad that this has all come to an end. T.T I hope to see you guys again soon! Don't forget to comment~! 

See you all at the next story!

~Ana