The Sunset

Memories

 

She had worked at the nurse's station in Seoul General Hospital for the past four years. It had been her first week when the leader of the biggest Korean group was wheeled through that ER door, fans of the man gathered in the staff room and wept for the fallen god. She had been one of them.

She had been standing outside of the emergency room, waiting for the surgery light to go off and the doctor to come through and give them the news. Then it hadn't really matter what the news would have been, the waiting was killing everyone. But mainly the wish that the surgery would end was all for one person. The other half of the man currently fighting for his life after a car accident that occurred barely a month after he had made it through his mandatory army service without so much as a scratch.

Changmin hadn't moved a muscle since he had watched his hyung be wheeled through those large intimidating doors. Denying any medical assistance the moment he walked through that door, just begging the staff to save his hyung. He had wanted to continue, but the doctors stopped him, saying that he would be more of a hindrance than a help. Maybe things would have changed if the surgeon had allowed Changmin into the operating room, maybe then his hyung would have remembered him.

When the news had finally come, it wasn't at all what we expected or imagined would happen. The young man waiting had been joined by countless people by now, yet none of them could get him to sit down or move from his post by the door. She watched as the doctor came out of the room, ignoring everyone else, and went straight to Changmin, his expression grim. We had all expected the worse, but then we realized that there were far worse things than death when the verdict came down.

"The damage to his brain was more extensive than we had originally believed. If he ever wakes up, it would be a miracle if he even remembers who he is. I'll be honest with you, since I respect both you and your hyung, but the chances of him coming out of the coma..." The entire hospital watched as the young man who had stood so strong throughout the surgery crumble to the floor, a choked sob being ripped from his chest.

No one moved. No one could have imagined that this man, this god of music, was kneeling on the floor his cries echoed through the halls, begging a god any god to save him. Even today if she listened hard enough she could still hear the young man's heart breaking as he was informed that the only person in this world that he cared about could never truly wake up.

But that's all in the past. Now all these years later, the young man's face had become familiar to her, and her's to him. She had heard the news about Yunho-ssi, who in the hospital hadn't. They were all trying their best to keep it from the press for as long as they could. Wanting nothing more than for Changmin to choose without anyone else interfering. It had stupefied the hospital that the Jung's would leave their son's life in the hands of the young man, who aged ten years with every passing month.

Though it should have been expected. Changmin spent more time here in one day, than any of his family does in a year. It hurt them too much to know that their son knows who they are, but doesn't know them.

She watched with sad eyes as the doctor left the room in which the remaining gods were resting. Changmin had made his choice then, and judging from the grief on the doctor's face, she knew what decision was made. Calmly she muted the heart monitor for Yunho-ssi room and waited.

It had taken half an hour for the light to go off. Yunho had always been incredible strong for a man of his age. Seeing a drop of water hit the paper below her, she reached her hand up to her face and felt her tears coming down. She didn't bother to try and stop them, knowing that showing tears for such a great man will never be seen as a weakness.

Wanting to give the young man some more time with his hyung, she waited a full twenty minutes before she ventured near the room. The silence was eerie, like the whole floor knew and was paying their respects to a man that the world had forgotten expect for one.

Placing her hand on the door, she couldn't hear any movement on the other side, and she knew. The past four years she had spent learning about the teenage Yunho and all his quirks, but she had also come to know the man that Changmin was forced to become. She knew what she would find on the other side of that door, she just hoped that for once she was wrong.

The sight that greeted her when she opened the door, caused her once dry eyes to water once more. Choking back a sob, she ventured into the quiet room, careful not to make any noise to not disturb the men by the bed. Her heart was in her eyes as she looked at the two men that she had idolized in her youth and had come to love in her adulthood. Yunho was lying on the bed, his once tan skin now pale that shown in the darkness of the room. The needles and tubes that had been keeping him alive, lay scattered on the floor. His still handsome face was turned to the body lying next to him. Changmin was curled up on the bed next to his hyung, his arm flung out around the other man as if to keep him from leaving. They were like night and day, in their personalities, temperaments and even in appearance. But right now they shared one thing in common; they had long since left this place.

The young nurse knew that she had to tell someone, but she wanted to leave them alone for a few minutes more. They had been harassed almost all their lives, it’s about time they got some time to themselves. Looking beyond them, a book lying on the dresser caught her eye. She knew the book very well, she had seen Changmin writing in it every day. Once she had snuck it out of Yunho’s room when the two had been sleeping, curious as to what he had been writing. Every entry was about Yunho, and the times Changmin had visited, and there were a few things in there that had made her close the book and never look at it again, it was too private.

Looking at it now, it was open to a blank page. Well, almost blank. Sprawled across the page was a message that she knew was meant for the man lying dead on the bed. In a moment of curiosity she picked it up and read the final words of a man she came to respect for his unwavering love for his hyung.

 

I'm sorry, but I can't follow your last request Hyung, at least not in the way you envisioned. I found my path. It took me so long because it was entwined with yours. Our paths are the same, or similar. You shouldn’t be too surprised, I’ve always been happiest with you even when we were fighting, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. Where you go I will follow, always. How else will I make sure you eat or tell you where you left your phone.

So I'm sorry hyung, but I'll be seeing you a lot sooner than you would have wished. Wait for me alright?

 

Letting her tears fall freely, she placed the journal gently back on the dresser. Her heart feeling heavy, but her soul light, she walked over to door and pressed the emergency button. Waiting for the doctors to respond, the nurse stood next to the chair that Changmin had always used when he visited, and watched the sunset on two of the greatest men she'll ever have the pleasure of knowing.

 

 

 

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Mickey-Dee #1
Chapter 3: I'm bawling my eyes out. Very nicely done with the multiple perspective.
Lanysa #2
Chapter 3: re-read this story...tears falling again... ;;
nam101 #3
Chapter 3: that was beautiful.
HominYC #4
Chapter 3: This is so much for me, I can not endurance
I can not stop crying TT_TT
cassie_minnie
#5
I really like the way u elaborating the plot
So touching... (TT^TT)
I could feel myself tearing from the emotion
Love it, looking forward to read ur stories more afterward
Kyung1Ari #6
Chapter 3: A sad and beautiful story.
Lanysa #7
Chapter 3: So, changmin follows yunho to death? 。゚(゚´Д`゚)゚。
Hiks. Yunho. Hiks. please don't make changmin crying again, ne? Hiks. Because he gave out his life.hiks. just to be with u.hiks. (;_q)
Thanks for this bittersweet story, ♥
Siren-shi #8
Chapter 3: Can't. Stop. Crying.
pimprime #9
Chapter 3: if ur friend would kill you for the ending, i definetly will give big hug and sloppy kisses. *kidding*
but really, i love your writing and the ending is perfect.
thank you for writing this story beautifully. ^^