A man of many actions, Jang Dongwoo, would brighten up anyone's day with his wide gummy smile and a body that spoke more than the man himself. A bright soul such as his was a rare find indeed, especially in a neighborhood with residents that preferred keeping to themselves, trying their best to uphold their reputations as respectable citizens when in fact everyone secretly knew deep down that it was all nothing but a facade. This was one of the reasons as to why Sungjong despised the place he lived and the people there but no matter how many times he complained to his mother he knew they had no choice but to stay. With his father leaving them years ago, their mother made the decision to move and go as far as possible from all the memories to start anew.

Sungjong was never one to mix in well whereas Dongwoo was the complete opposite. It's still baffles him when he tires to remember how they managed to form their relationship. All he can remember is hiding behind a car as a group of older boys ran past looking for him. Sungjong wasn't what you'd expect a boy to look like, with his bright round eyes, fair smooth skin and long dark locks that fell just past his ears, so it wasn't a surprise when he caught the attention of the older boys and his uncommon appearance made it a reason to bully him. Luckily, Sungjong was faster than he looked and always managed to escape unharmed, he couldn't give his mother any clues of his troubles otherwise it'd only worry her further and he wouldn't want to add to the pile of problems already pressing on her.

Although the boys were out of sight, Sungjong stayed crouched down, catching his breath until someone tapped his shoulder. Quickly the younger boy swerved around losing his balance and landing on the cold pavement. With his heart suddenly racing in fear he looked up only to be blinded by the sun, obscuring the figure.

The person looking down at him let out a bright pure laugh that eased the worry Sungjong had as he reached out towards the hand offered by the stranger. He brushed off the dust on his shorts and looked at his stranger who was smiling brightly at him, exposing most of his teeth.

Sungjong was left speechless at first. He had seen plenty of smiles but in his few years he learnt quickly to differentiate between the real ones and fake. He had a lot of practice from a young age when his mother would always smile at him comfortingly after a row with his dad or when his dad would force a smile at him after returning from work. Almost everyone in the neighbourhood smiled with their mouths only when he walked past but this boy, who couldn't be so much older than him, smiled with his eyes as well.

If Sungjong was being completely honest with himself, as much as he admitted that the smile was dazzling, he hated it. Someone that could express so much happiness, innocence and not a worry in the world from a single facial expression made him jealous.
He hadn't smiled like that since he was 7.

“What's so funny?” Sungjong asked as he narrowed his eyes.
 

“Nothing, I was just wondering why a girl was crouched behind my dad's car but it turns out you're a boy.” The stranger let out a short amused laugh.
 

“Is that a problem? Were you expecting a girl or does it freak you out that I don't look like a boy?” Sungjong anger was slowly bubbling underneath but he tried his best to keep his voice calm despite the fact this conversation was only annoying him. He'd heard all this before.
 

“Nope, why would that be a problem? I think it's awesome how you can look so pretty and yet have a manly aura about you. My name's Dongwoo by the way, what's yours?” Dongwoo held out his hand to only have it ignored. He awkwardly pulled it away and scratched the back of his head, “Are you new? I haven't seen you around much. If you want I can show -”

“Guys, there he is!”
 

Dongwoo stopped mid-sentence and glanced behind Sungjong's shoulder who turned around to see familiar distant figures growing bigger at a fast rate. Sungjong had barely had a chance to run when Dongwoo grabbed his thin arm firmly enough to prevent him from running away without hurting him.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” His wide eyes darting between the burly outlines of the boys and back towards Dongwoo.
 

“Those boys seem to know you. If they're friends then you shouldn't run away but greet them.” Dongwoo said in a quiet tone. His smiled had vanished completely now and it shocked Sungjong to see what a stark difference it made to his features; he no longer looked welcoming and kind but older and slightly more intimidating.
 

“There's you are!” One of the healthier boys called out in triumph while his comrades were bent over, wheezing and panting, “What are you doing hiding behind.. ” The boy's eyes widened as he finally looked at Dongwoo's face. The others boys that had finally regained their strength also gaped at Dongwoo.
 

“Is there a problem?” Dongwoo simply asked yet this seemed to strike fear in the group. One of the more daring one broke away from the huddle and approached them.

“Nothing at all, we were just playing tag with our friend but he mistook it for Hide & Go Seek. I'll just take him and leave.” The boy put on a smile and a fake laugh to go with it as reached out to grab Sungjong's arm. Before the effeminate boy even had a chance to move away Dongwoo's free hand roughly grabbed a hold of the others wrist and pulled him close to his face. With barely an inch between the two's boys' faces, Dongwoo let out a low whisper that sounded more of a growl, “I've seen you cause trouble too many times, you know what will happen if you carry on don't you?”

The boy gulped before he slowly nodded. Dongwoo released him roughly before turning to the rest of the group who were already retreating. Sungjong was left speechless. Dongwoo, who was just shorter than him and seemed harmless had managed to render a group of 7 tall sturdy boys in to nothing more than little pesky flies.

While lost in his own thoughts he hadn't realised Dongwoo had finally released him and was now walking away from him.

“Hey, Dongwoo!” Sungjong called out, surprising himself that he was actually listening when Dongwoo was babbling away earlier.
 

Dongwoo looked around and smiled at the younger boy, “Don't worry kid, they won't mess around with you any more and I won't bother you either.”
 

“It's not that, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself -”
 

“Yes, you did. I gave you one but you ignored it.” Dongwoo interjected chuckling at the younger boy.

Sungjong wasn't sure how to reply to that truthful statement so he did was he did best: ignore it. “I'm Lee Sungjong and yes, I'm new here. I moved here just a couple of weeks ago so I don't have any friend just yet so I hope you'd be mine.” He held out his hand only for it to be ignored by Dongwoo this time.

“Look, Sungjong, if you want to be my friend just because you think those guys will come back, take my word for it. They won't.” Dongwoo said as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“That's not it. I really do want to be your friend.”

Sungjong had never been so sure of anything in his life ever before. He was silly for not liking Dongwoo at the start but now Sungjong couldn't imagine living in the small town without him. Dongwoo is what brought excitement and colour to the boring and bland area.

It was a few months in to their friendship when Dongwoo disclosed the reason as to why he strikes fear in the toughest of boys. His father is a busy police officer that hardly had time for family causing his mother to leave them. The troubles had effected his older brother greatly and he began rebelling against authority and turned to crime. Although his older brother had left home long ago he still remained in contact with Dongwoo as they shared a close bond.

The story had given Sungjong some perspective. He always thought his family was broken but after gaining insight to Dongwoo's, his issues seemed very minor yet with Dongwoo's cheerful personality nobody would have guessed.

Sungjong and Dongwoo's relationship grew deeper with each passing day. Dongwoo was always there to help the younger and became more of a shadow than a friend sometimes which Sungjong didn't mind in the slightest, as long as Dongwoo was there he was content.

But slowly their meetings became less frequent and Dongwoo's smile seemed to glow a little less. Sungjong didn't want anything worry himself so he always ignored the dark feeling and pushed it far away until one day he couldn't ignore it anymore.

Dongwoo lay on Sungjong's bed, his legs stretched out and eyes closed as he basked in the warm sunlight flooding in to the room from the large windows. Sungjong leaned against the wall as his eyes traveled over the resting figure.

“If you keep staring at me like that Jong, I'll assume you have a crush on me.” Dongwoo laughed lightly at his joke while his eyes remained shut.

“Wha- how did you know?”

“What? You really do have a crush?” Dongwoo laughed filled the room while a flustered Sungjong tired to regain his composure, “Not that! How did you know I was watching you?”

“What's on your mind? C'mon tell me?” Dongwoo sat up and patted the space on the bed beside him as he leaned against the wall.

Sungjong sat down and examined his friend's face carefully before speaking, “You've gotten thinner,” he poked at his hyung's once chubby cheeks sadly.

“And you've gotten naggier... I wonder, is this what it feels like to have a girlfriend?”
 

“Hyung! I'm serious!” Sungjong flailed, “And you don't need a girlfriend, you have me! I'm prettier than most anyways.” He said proudly. This would not have been something usually said by Sungjong but Dongwoo had made him feel a lot more comfortable with himself and his insecurities.
 

“That I can't argue with,” Dongwoo smiled as he played with the tips of Sungjong's hair unconsciously, “Maybe I should make it official and ask you out on a date.”
 

“As long as we don't go anywhere cheap. I want a meal at a fancy restaurant, the kind only rich people go to and then a movie followed by a nice walk in the park at at night so we can watch the stars.” Sungjong's head rested on Dongwoo's shoulder as he fantasized. He would be lying to himself if he said he hadn't thought about this before.
 

“Whatever you say princess..”
 

“Dongwoo, are you sure nothing's wrong?” Sungjong looked up worriedly to see Dongwoo smile as his eye's slowly shut.
 

“Perfectly fine, just going to catch some z's..”

But he wasn't fine.

Sungjong was returning home from an errand when he overheard one of his neighbors talk loudly over the neatly trimmed hedges to the other.

“.. yup, Officer Jang's son.”

“But I thought he ran away..?”

“No, that was the older one. It's the younger one that collapsed at home. Heard he was in the final stage.”

Sungjong froze in his tracks, hand hovering over the door handle.
 

“What a pity for the Officer. First the wife and then son and now him.” The woman said without a hint of grief in her voice.

“Such a bright boy as well, no one would've predicated that boy would end up in Infinite Hospital fighting for his life.” His neighbor replied in almost a bored voice. Sungjong clenched his fists and jaw.

“Life is pretty strange sometimes, hey did you hear about -”

To prevent himself from intervening between the two women's gossips, Sungjong flung the door open and ran to the kitchen, dropping the groceries on the table with uneeded and force and scrawled his mother a quick note, trying to make it as legible as possible while his hands shook, before pedaling fast towards the hospital.
 

“Dongwoo, Jang Dongwoo. What room is he in?” Sungjong said in between gasps for oxygen once he reached the reception at the hospital.
 

The nurse eyed him suspiciously, “Are you a family member young.. man?” She added a little unsure.
 

“Yes, I'm his brother. Which room is he in?” Sungjong said hoping the woman wouldn't check any records.
 

“Your father just left on an important call and Dongwoo is resting in his final moments -”
 

“Don't say that!” The younger yelled, louder than intended.

The woman looked taken aback but looked down at her documents before pointing down the corridor, “Room 404.”

Without another word Sungjong dashed towards the room not wasting a second. He pushed the door open and froze, all energy draining out of him at the sight.

Dongwoo lay in bed, his face pale and hollow, eyes closed and chest slowly moving up and down. He could've have passed of as sleeping peacefully had it not been for the equipment monitoring him and the plain hospital gown. Sungjong approached him silently, sitting beside him on the chair that was no doubt previously occupied by Dongwoo's father. Sungjong reached out and took a hold of Dongwoo's now weak hand, tears threatening to fall any second.

“I was wondering when you'd find out.. I didn't expect this soon though.” Dongwoo mumbled weakly and he opened his eyes.
 

“You call this soon? Did you expect me to find out after you.." he quickly stopped himself, realising what he was about you say, "you idiot... why didn't you tell me?”
 

“Same reason I didn't take any treatment, I didn't want to hinder the last stages of my life. I just want to live happily and fully and I wouldn't have been able to do that if I had you worrying about me while I was on medication and therapy. This way's better, I can die happily.”
 

Sungjong wrapped both hands around Dongwoo's this time, tightly, “You are not going to die, I'll make sure of it. You're too strong to be giving up Dongwoo, I know you can overcome this. You're just trying to scared me, aren't you?”

Dongwoo let out a small chuckle and it horrified him to hear how quiet and weak it was. The laugh that would usually fill the room with light as it echoed barely made it to Sungjong's ears this time.

“I can't scare you Jong, no one can. The days are gone where you would hide behind a car and run away.” Dongwoo smiled up at him gently.
 

“That because you were always there. I knew I was safe with you!” Sungjong cried out as he failed to hold back his tears, “Just because you think I've grown up that makes it okay for you to leave me on my own?!”
 

Dongwoo frowned at the younger boy breaking down in to sobs and reached out with his free hand to wipe away the tears, “I only have one regret and that's not being able to spend more time with you. Now stop crying, you know you'll only get me started. My own father didn't cry when he came to see me...”

“Dongwoo.. please.. don't leave me..” It was useless begging, Sungjong knew, but it was all he could do.

“Silly, I'd never leave you. Even if I'm not here, I still am. Not to protect you, you can do that on your own now but to love you and make up for the time I couldn't be with you.”

When receiving nothing but sniffles followed by a fresh bout of sobs from Sungjong, Dongwoo continued a little quieter, “It'll take time but you'll get used to my absence, slowly.”

“You're not going.” Sungjong declared stubbornly.

Dongwoo slowly closed his eyes, the familiar smile gracing his lips, “I need to.. I can watch over you better from there...”

Dongwoo hand went limp in between Sungjong's, who had now stopped crying and stared at his best friend who still wore a small smile on his pale, a single tear flowing down his hollow face.

“Dongwoo..” Sungjong whispered, hoping in his heart that this was some sick joke. That Dongwoo would would jump out of bed any second now and his laugh would fill the bare hospital room. He waited and waited only to be met by disappointment.

Sungjong did not move from his position until a nurse entered 20 minutes later. He made his way home in a slight daze, not feeling anything as his feet moved on their own accord (his bike lay forgotten outside the hospital) and didn't response to any of his mother's calls.

The neighborhood carried on as usual the next day and the day after and the day after that. Nobody even noticing the absence of a bright laugh or the sight of a colorfully dressed young man that would be seen bouncing up and down the street. Ever since that day, the place Sungjong lived was drained of color and he despised the area and people more than ever.

Occasionally, in the silence of the night he swear he could still hear a pure and contagious laugh, a laugh that momentarily ended his worries and tears.

At these times Sungjong would smile to himself knowing that he never truly was left alone.

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[A/N] Sorry about the vague unnamed mystery illness. The story isn't perfect but I'm still to improve my writing and writing a death scene is something completely new. It's sad how the first story I write about Dongwoo has him dying. Thank you for reading ^^