“We’re here, Sunggyu!” Dongwoo.

 

“We’re finally here! And we got flowers for Woohyun-hyung!” Sungjong.

 

“Hey, Sunggyu. How’s Woohyun? Is he better yet?” Hoya.

 

“It’s been horrible at home without you, hyung! Sungjong is hoarding all of our food for himself!” Sungyeol.

 

“Do you know when he’s going to wake up?” Myungsoo.

 

Infinite. That was the sound that had awoken Woohyun’s awareness, though his physical body remained immobile, and his eyes still closed. It was a sound that he had known for the past five years of his life, and it was that sound that pained him so much to hear, because he was listening, yet unable to contribute toward the conversation. He missed Infinite so terribly, and damn he still could not wake up; Infinite was just so close to him right now...yet so far.

 

“Hey, guys,” the leader’s wary voice spoke, and Woohyun could just hear a tired smile in those words. “I hope you’ve been behaving since I was gone.”

 

“I made sure that things are in order, don’t worry,” Dongwoo said.

 

“It’s not the same at home without you and Woohyun-hyung,” Sungjong whined. “And I did not hoard all the food!”

 

“You did! I saw you!” Sungyeol shot back.

 

“But that was just a bag of chips!”

 

“So? It was Woohyun’s bag of chips. You’re taking advantage of the situation!”

 

“It was going to expire!”

 

“Doesn’t matter. Sunggyu-hyung, Sungjong has turned into a food thief since you’ve been gone,” Sungyeol told. “You should make him do dishes for a month.”

 

Woohyun chuckled in his mind out of amusement. This, this was what he missed. The nostalgia was getting to him.

 

“Guys!” Dongwoo cut the both of them off. “We didn’t come here to complain. We’re here to visit Woohyun.”

 

“Thanks, Dongwoo,” Sunggyu murmured.

 

Dongwoo whispered, “Sorry. I’m not that great of a leader. It’s been weird without the two of you.”

 

“Sorry about that.”

 

“We understand,” Hoya said carefully.

 

An awkward silence had passed, Sunggyu seemingly deep in thought while the members watched Woohyun’s fragile form. Woohyun could feel their stares, as he squirmed uncomfortably in his mind.

 

Breaking silence, Myungsoo asked, “How are things here?”

 

Sunggyu sighed and admitted, “Same. I just...I don’t know, it’s been seven days.”

 

Seven days? If Woohyun could move he would probably choke on his own spit. He’s been in coma for that long? But...but...It felt like just a little while ago, that he was in for two days. But seven? Good lord, time passes so quickly for the unconscious, Woohyun thought.

 

So then….If Sunggyu was still here, then the leader had been here for all seven days? No, and Woohyun tried to dismiss the thought. He didn’t want to mean so much to the leader, because he couldn’t stand the thought of Sunggyu worrying about him for that long by his side. God, the group probably worried about them for seven days, and Woohyun felt sososo bad, and he just wanted to wake up and shout Don’t worry! I’m awake! I’m fine! but as much as he tried, he couldn’t. And that killed him.

 

“Damn, and when Jung Yeop gave you a break, we thought you were so lucky. But you look so terrible,” Sungyeol observed.

 

“So I’ve been told,” Sunggyu said.

 

“So you should rest, hyung.”

 

“Yes, I should,” Sunggyu murmured. “But if only I could.”

 

“Oh…,” Sungyeol said, as if surprised. "Can't you?"

 

“Hey hyungs,” Sungjong then spoke, “Do you think Woohyun-hyung can hear us right now?”

 

Woohyun’s mind jumped at the mention.

 

Yes! He wanted to shout. Yes, I’m listening! He was thinking, he was actively listening, but he couldn’t ing move.

 

“You know, I heard about that, too,” Hoya mused.

 

“So, Woohyun could already know that his favorite bag of chips are gone?” Sungyeol pondered, and smirked, “Sungjong, you’re so in trouble~”

 

“No!” Sungjong insisted. “I just said-”

 

“Sungjong. Yeollie. This is a life-and-death situation,” Myungsoo interrupted, then said more quietly, “you guys should be more serious.”

 

 

Oh, Myungsoo, Woohyun wanted to tease. They didn't have to be so serious because of him, Woohyun never wanted any of them to worry..

 

He could practically hear Sungyeol and Sungjong droop as they apologized, “Sorry.”

 

It’s okay, he wanted to say. Sungyeol and Sungjong’s banter calmed him, actually. It was nice to listen to Infinite, it grounded him back to the reality, to know that yes, he had another life out of this numbing darkness, a life where he was a part of Infinite and Infinite loved him and Sunggyu would hold his hand and-

 

“Well, if you can hear me, Woohyun,” Myungsoo began, voice serious, and Woohyun held his thought. “Please get better soon. It’s too quiet in the dorms anyways.”

 

Woohyun’s heart was tugging at his chest as he listened to words, that were meant for him. God, Myungsoo, I-

 

“Yeah, Woohyun-hyung!” Sungjong chimed in. “You have to get better! Or else, who else is going to cook good food for Infinite? Do you know how many times we had to eat take-out these past few days? Please get well soon!”

 

Sungjong… Woohyun could feel his heart sinking.

 

“We need you, Woohyun,” Sungyeol offered meaningfully. “And besides, who else am I going to share jokes with, and who else am I going to look up to, when you’re not here?”

 

Deeper.

 

“Wake up, Woohyun,” Dongwoo said. “Come on, without you there will be no 2Woo. And our Inspirits need 2Woo or else they will be sad. We can’t have sad Inspirits. Infinite is forever, and 2Woo is also forever.”

 

...And deeper.

 

“We don’t talk that much, Woohyun,” Hoya said quietly. “Yeah, we’re a little awkward sometimes, but to tell you the truth, I find myself missing our awkwardness. Please get better, so we can enjoy our awkward moments together.”

 

Oh, you guys, Woohyun wanted to wail, and if he could, he would be crying like a baby by now. For the first time, he realized that his fellow members really valued him, and it wasn’t just for his strong vocals.

 

Since always, Woohyun had thought that the reason why he was important to Infinite was for his voice, and that was true, but only now did he truly understand, that his voice was only important to Infinite the group. To Infinite the people, however, each member was equally valued by all the members not for their talent, but for their character. Infinite valued him because of his unique person, and that was truly the most meaningful thing that Woohyun had to offer.

 

There was one person left who hasn’t said a word, and after a few minutes of silence, the members going through their thoughts (Woohyun still swore that he could feel their stares on him), he started to doubt that the leader was even going to talk at all.

 

But that was okay to him, though. He always knew that Sunggyu wasn’t a person of many words. He never expressed his emotions or talked about his feelings as easily as Woohyun did. Woohyun had always thought that thought that that quality of Sunggyu made him a good leader, because it makes him strong.

 

Sunggyu scolds a lot, and he almost never gives praise off the camera. But in doing so, the value of those words increase tenfold when, in those rare occasions, that Sunggyu does praise the members. Infinite has always taken Sunggyu’s words seriously, and if Sunggyu had no  words to give Woohyun, then it was perfectly okay. Woohyun knew that he will just have to work harder next time.

 

“...Are you going to say something, Sunggyu-hyung?” Sungjong asked after a moment.

 

“...” Sunggyu was deep in thought.

 

Finally, “...No,” the leader finally answered. “I have none.”

 

And sure, Woohyun was okay with that, but it nevertheless hurt his soul a bit. But he knew, deep down, that Sunggyu wanted him to wake up, too. All of them wanted him to wake up, even he wanted himself to wake up, and so be God, if he wasn’t going to wake up, he would die trying.

 

Woohyun mentally grunted, and remembering Infinite’s words to him, used this newfound strength that suddenly materialized in the dark recesses of his mind. His determination was strong, and he reminded himself, over and over again, that he needed to wake up for the people around him.

 

They need me, Woohyun screamed. I have to wake up!

 

Come on, and he summoned up all of the energy and willpower that he could muster.

 

Come on!

 

“What was that?” Sungyeol jumped.

 

“What?” All of Infinite said at the same time in synchronicity, turning towards the tall man.

 

“Woohyun, he...he…” Sungyeol stuttered, eyes wide. “He moved.”

 

Yes! Woohyun shouted in his mind, already exhausted from effort. I’m right here! I can hear you!

 

“He didn’t,” Sunggyu said in a dead voice, that made Woohyun’s heart drop.

 

“I swore I saw his index finger twitch!” Sungyeol exclaimed, pointing at the bedridden man. “Tell me I’m not crazy, guys!”

 

“...You’re not,” Hoya stated, eyes wide. “I saw it, too.”

 

Myungsoo nodded, “I thought it was just my imagination at first, but yeah, Woohyun just twitched.”

 

Suddenly Woohyun could feel Sunggyu’s presence closer to him. The leader was grasping his hand, and the younger man almost swore that his breath hitched right then and there.

 

“Woohyun?” Sunggyu half-whispered. “Are you there?”

 

I’m here! Woohyun tried to scream. Sunggyu! I’m right here!

 

Just that twitch had left him mentally exhausted. Tire was starting to win over him, but Woohyun fought it, because if he fell back into darkness again, who knows how much longer it’ll be until he wakes back up. He wanted to wake up right now, damn it, but all he could do was twitch a damn finger.

 

But, at least it was something.

 

Sunggyu sighed after a while and released a hand, leaning back into the chair and then Woohyun immediately began to miss his touch.

 

“When do you guys have to get back by?” the leader murmured.

 

“We have the night off,” Dongwoo quietly said back. He then addressed the members, “I don’t know about you guys, I’m going to stay right here with Woohyun and Sunggyu.”

 

“I’ll stay, too,” Sungjong chirped in. “Woohyun-hyung needs us.”

 

Dongwoo looked questioningly at the rest of the members, “and you guys?”

 

“Well, as I have nothing else better to do,” Sungyeol sighed, stretching his long arms. “I guess I’ll have to stay.”

 

“Me, too.” Hoya nodded.

 

“I’ll stay,” Myungsoo shrugged simply.

 

“Alright,” Sunggyu nodded warily in gratitude. “Thanks. I suppose I could use the company.”

 

“Looks like you could more use the rest,” Dongwoo noted.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“Of course you’re not.”

 

“I am!”

 

“No, you’re not!” Infinite assured at the same time.

 

Sunggyu lifted an eyebrow.

 

“We came here to let you get some rest,” Dongwoo admitted. “You need to sleep, and we will keep watch.”

 

“I’m not leaving.”

 

“We never said you were, hyung,” Sungyeol appeared, holding pillows and sheets in hand.

 

“Oh,” Sunggyu nodded in understanding. “But...What if-”

 

“We’ll all be right here, hyung,” Dongwoo assured. “We’ll tell you if anything happens, you can rest here if you want.”

 

“I can’t sleep.”

 

“Woohyun would want you to sleep,” Myungsoo pointed out. “Woohyun wouldn’t want you tiring over him.”

 

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep watch for you,” Hoya said.

 

 

“You’ve always helped Infinite," Sungjong chirped. "Now, let Infinite help you.”

 

Woohyun could hear Dongwoo pulling Sunggyu off the chair and the ruffle of cloth as Sungyeol took some spare sheets and pillows and made a spare bed on the hospital floor. He inwardly prayed for the elder to sleep; it had done enough on his conscience already that the leader was losing rest because of him.

 

“It’s not exactly a soft bed,” Sungyeol mumbled after setting down the white sheets. “But it’ll do.”

 

“You guys don’t need to do this,” Sunggyu protested as Dongwoo pulled him down to the pillow. “I can-”

 

“Shh,” Dongwoo shushed, laying the leader down carefully and pulling a light blanket over him. “We’ll be right here. Now sleep.”

 

“I feel terrible,” Sunggyu muttered under his breath, and when his head hit the pillow did he finally realized just how terrible.

 

“And sleep will make you feel better,” Sungjong said. “We all want you to feel better, hyung.”

 

“Thanks, Sungjong,” Sunggyu breathed, eyes closed.

 

The members then proceeded to seat themselves around the room, Myungsoo and Sungyeol sliding down against the corner of the wall, Hoya sitting in Sunggyu’s plastic chair, Sungjong watching over Sunggyu on the ground, and Dongwoo, standing next to Woohyun’s bed and staring down at the younger.

 

The members were quiet as they let Sunggyu sleep. It wasn’t until an hour passed until the leader’s breathing evened and he was finally asleep, but the rest of Infinite was still awake, keeping watch and deep in thought.

 

“Wake up soon, Woohyun,” Dongwoo whispered, next to him and just enough for Woohyun to hear. “Infinite is here for you.”

 

And Woohyun had heard, and his heart immediately felt a burden lifted off his shoulders, and a huge sense of relief. Relief on Sunggyu, because the leader was finally getting some rest and not worrying over him, relief on himself, because he could feel himself getting better (he twitched a finger today and that was a ing achievement), and relief on Infinite, because now he finally learned the definition of ‘team’--Infinite was a team, and burdens were shared upon each member. He wasn’t going through this alone, because Infinite was rooting for him. All of them: Dongwoo, Hoya, Sungyeol, Myungsoo, Sungjong, and most of all, Sunggyu.

 

Woohyun will wake up. Now with Infinite’s support right next to him, he will. He was sure of it.

 

Thank you, Dongwoo.

 

And then Woohyun let himself rest with a peace of mind.