~STORY OF THE HEAVENS~

동산 위에 올라서서 파란하늘 바라보며

천사얼굴 선녀얼굴 마음 속에 그려봅니다

하늘 끝까지 올라 실바람을 끌어안고

날개 달린 천사들과 속삭이고 싶어라

~*~

Chapter I

A Chance for Infinity

A few months in the future:

Click.

Sowon’s soft ear lifted up as he heard the farmiliar footsteps enter the house again.  He jumped off of the youngest’s bed and ran towards the door.

His soft nose picked up each scent of each Infinite member, each of them unique in their own way.  Sunggyu’s warm scent of cinnamon, the distinct smell of Dongwoo’s detergent, the aftershave that Woohyun always wore, the mixed smell of deodorant and soap that made Hoya, Sungyeol’s shampoo overlapped with Jerumi’s scent, and the sweet scent of Sungjong’s strawberry scented shampoo.

Sowon liked the smell of Myungsoo even though he didn’t know him very well, only knew him by the others members mentioning him often.  But he remembered Myungsoo’s warm scent, he smelled like everything that he’d ever encountered before, although now he was realizing that there was many things in the world to smell.  Myungsoo smelled like the coffee that always brewed in the morning, the freshness of grass from the park, the chicken that Woohyun and Sungjong would feed him, all wrapped up in the smell of love that the members smothered him with.

Sowon’s paws slipped and skittered over the slippery floor as he hurried to the door.  No matter how many times he would see them, Sowon would always be excited to see them.  He knew that they were there to play with him, feed him and give him more love.  There was the farmiliar sounds of their shoes being taken off and he looked up.

There was a strange feeling he hadn’t felt before.  Sowon sat down confused as Woohyun and Sunggyu walked by Sowon without looking at him.  Always, whenever they passed, especially with Sunggyu, they would give Sowon a pat on the head or at least some greeting.  Sowon whinned as Hoya and Sungyeol passed too without a second glance.  Sungjong looked down at Sowon as he passed, his eyes glassy.  He knelt down and picked Sowon up in his warm arms.

Sowon could tell something was up, he didn’t know exactly what it was though, but he could tell that Sungjong wasn’t the same happy person he usually was.

“Life’s going to be good for you when you’re with Infinite, they’ll take care of you well, but can I ask you one thing? Take care of them when I’m gone.  They’ll need someone to do that for them.  You need to take care of them.”

Sowon reached up and gently Sungjong’s chin.

Sungjong looked down at him, his eyes shining with tears.

He whispered something to Sowon and hugged him closer.

Sowon didn’t know what happened to make Sungjong cry, but he had a feeling it was something big…

~*~

4월 27일

Kim Myungsoo. 

Sungyeol’s fingers traced the four letters that made his best friend’s name.  A small smile twisted his lips as he touched the braclet that that wrapped around Myungsoo’s wrist.

Kim.  Myung.  Soo.

Lung cancer patient at Seoul University Hospital. 

Myungsoo looked like a baby.  His face was soft with sleep as he had fallen asleep a few minutes ago in the middle of Sungyeol’s story.  Since he had woken up a few days ago, it seemed like Myungsoo could fall asleep as quickly as Dongwoo could.  Myungsoo could never stay awake for more than a hour at a time as he ever so slowly gained back his energy. 

Sungyeol looked down at his best friend, straightening the blankets to cover Myungsoo more.  Myungsoo sighed happily in his sleep and reached out to grip the blankets closer to himself. 

Sungyeol sighed and straightened the nasual cannula that ran under Myungsoo’s nose to help him breathe.  It hurt to see Myungsoo this vunerable, lying weakly between the sheets, sometimes struggling to take in the next breath. 

It had all started last August while they were were preparing for their next come back, Down the Road, it had all started with a dull cough.  All starting while they were singing, there was no way that they could ever confirm that it started there, but Sungyeol often thought it started there and found some what it ironic.  Sunggyu would always say that he would create music until he died, Sungyeol knew that the beginning of the end started from when Myungsoo was creating music.

Myungsoo’s cough had continued through the next few months.  Sungyeol wasn’t sure how they hadn’t noticed until after the fact.  During interviews, Sungyeol could now realize how many times that Myungsoo would be holding a cough in, or how many times Myunsoo would have to turn slightly away to cough a few times.  Myungsoo would always refuse to go to the hospital as required it idols got sick, Sungyeol was pretty sure that it was in his contract somewhere, but he couldn’t remember the exact wording. “That’s your job,” Myungsoo would say to Sungyeol.  “Sunggyu is right when he says that you’re sick too often.”  When Sungyeol got sick, he would be blackmailed into going to the hospital or at least a clinic by Sunggyu, but it was different with Myungsoo, Sunggyu always favoured Myungsoo, if Myungsoo didn’t want to, Sunggyu could never say anything against it.

To anyone other than Infinite looked into what was happening, they would say that it all started when Myungsoo came down with pneumonia in early October.  They had rushed Myungsoo to the hospital when his temperature rocked through the roof and he stopped responding to the members frantic calls.  He had recovered quickly.  Quickly was always needed in the idol industry.

Their comeback came quickly after that. Myungsoo didn’t show that anything was wrong, he didn’t even think that there was anything wrong until that day of fate, October 28^th.  The day of their comeback stage, the day that all seven of them hoped would be perfect.

Instead of a perfect day, they had one of their worst days.  Myungsoo would often say to them that they didn’t need to worry, he didn’t think of that day as a regret or a day that he would do over again.  Sungyeol wished that it had happned to Myungsoo on a different day, any other day than the stage, he would always remember the way that they all watched helplessly as Myungsoo collasped on the stage as the whole world was watching him.  Sometimes, he would have a nightmare about it, each step that he took going no where, never closer to Myungsoo as he watched him being swallowed by shadows.  He could still hear the fans screams and Sunggyu’s sharp voice telling him to carry Myungsoo backstage and the medic’s voice telling them to head to the University Hospital and not to worry. 

Sungyeol could feel the empty feeling as they watched, as six, not seven, as Myungsoo was wheeled away from them.

In that visit to the hospital, Myungsoo received his first diagnosis: lung cancer, an undertermined amount of time to live.  The days passed quickly, Woollim put Infinite on hiatus as Myungsoo took a extended sick leave to receive treatment. 

Christmas came soon with the news that Myungsoo only had seven months left with them.  With that in mind, they all tried to give him the best Christmas.  Maybe they couldn’t give the best gift, but they gave something to Myungsoo.  Something that would last forever, a promise. 

A promise that he’ll last for infinity, that he’ll be infinite.

With the new year, came the hardest month for Myungsoo and Infinite.  On New Year’s Eve, Dongwoo, Woohyun and Sungjong rushed Myungsoo to the hospital as Myungsoo started to cough up blood.  The days following New Year’s were hard for Myungsoo as he struggled to wake up again.

They were all relieved when Myungsoo woke up, just in time for Woohyun’s birthday.  They spent a day at the park together, eating cake and just thankful that after a hard month, they were all there together again. 

Even if they didn't all say it aloud, they all felt like an era had ended when Myungsoo moved all of his stuff out of the dorm and back to his parents house.  Sungjong was the only one brave enough to help Myungsoo pack his stuff out of their room.  The dorm that was once too crowded for seven boys, felt too empty with six boys. 

In the middle of February, Sungyeol felt like whatever God that Sungjong prayed to had blessed them with one last night with Myungsoo.  As a company, all of the Woollim artists were out at dinner together and had a fun night with Myungsoo what felt like the last time.  Geonam had dropped them off at the dorm, they all waved and yelled good night’s and see you tomorrow’s at Myungsoo and went to sleep, not knowing that Myungsoo would be rushed to the hospital as he passed out again.

Each day they waited for Myungsoo, they held his hand and tried to tell him that they were there for him as his tired body tried to pull through.  After long weeks of waiting, Myungsoo finally woke up but quickly fell into a depression as he learned that he only had two months left. 

Just around that time, the other members of Infinite decided to make a surprise for his birthday.  Myungsoo didn’t tell the others that he was dying, instead, smiling at them any time they came to the hospital.  They didn’t have much time to visit, working on their present for his birthday, a chairty that they set up for him to help the people in the hospital around him.  Maybe they couldn’t help him directly but they could try to make him smile once again.  Together, once again as the seven members of Infinite, they performed at the hospital gardens in front of the audience of young patients.

And Myungsoo smiled once more.

One day, Myungsoo ran away from the hospital with Dongwoo.  Sungyeol liked to think of it as a full circle, they had escaped from being an idol for a little while during the Seseame Player, hanging out in market places and eating chicken and going to noraebangs.  For one day, they were free. Just like that, Myungsoo was free from the hospital for one day. 

Myungsoo returned with a surpirse: a puppy for Infinite to take care of, just like when they used to take care of Dubu, Coco and Nurungie.   Woohyun suggested naming the puppy Sowon, meaning wish.  A silent wish for Myungsoo to come back to them.

Three weeks after that, Myungsoo was taken into surgery as he started to have difficulties breathing.  It was scary to come into Myungsoo’s hospital room and see him that still, that sick.

Everyday, they called out for Myungsoo, asking him to come back to them, but each they he didn’t answer. 

It was a great relief when Myungsoo woke up, struggling out of the darkness so that he could be beside the others again. 

A soft hand rested on his lower arm and a voice jarred him out of his thoughts. “Hey, Sungyeol-ah.”

Sungyeol looked up at Myungsoo, surprised.  “Yeah, what do you need?”

Myungsoo slowly closed his eyes again.  “Do we have practice again today?” he asked sleepily.  “Will hyung be mad if I take a longer nap?”

Sungyeol blinked.  “Huh?” he asked, puzzled.  “What do you mean?”

“Dongmin or Sunggyu-hyung will be mad at me if I sleep longer?” Myungsoo asked, his eyes fluttering open again to look at Sungyeol.  “Our comeback is coming soon, I still need to practice the scorpion dance, I’m a little bit behind you and the others.  I don’t want them to think I’m lazy, I’m just tired right now.  I want to sleep.”

Sungyeol reached out and touched Myungsoo’s forehead.  “You got a fever, Myungsoo,” he said, gently running his fingers down his cheek.  “I’m sure that Dongmin-hyung will give you a break today.”

Myungsoo smiled and snuggled closer to his pillow.  “I want to go see Umma soon,” he said quietly. 

He tired to smile in return.  “You aren’t a child anymore, Myungsoo-yah,” Sungyeol teased gently. 

“I’m only 20,” Myungsoo argued.  “You’re 21.”

Sungyeol finally realized what was happening.  Through Myungsoo’s fever, he thought it was a few years ago, just before their Before the Dawn comeback.  “That’s right,” Sungyeol whispered, trying to smile for Myungsoo’s sake.  “Just a little baby, right?”

Myungsoo laughed and traced patterns over the bedsheets absent mindedly.  “Sungyeol… why is it like this?”

Sungyeol frowned, running his fingers through Myungsoo’s hair again.  “What do you mean?”

“I know that this isn’t the dorm… I don’t think that this is reality… is it a dream?” Myungsoo whispered, looking up at Sungyeol with tear filled eyes.  “I’m…”

Sungyeol felt his eyes well up with tears.  “Hey, Myungsoo.  It’s okay.  You can just rest for today.”

Myungsoo noded, closing his eyes again, one tear slowly escaped his eye, running down the side of his nose.   “Sungyeollie… is reality scary?”

Sungyeol bit his lip to stop the tears as he nodded.  “It’s scary… but that’s reality,” he whispered.  “This is a dream.”

~*~

4월 30일

Myungsoo stared blankly at the TV as he watched the newest episode of Immortal Song 2.  Ailee was singing one of the songs that his mother liked when Dr. Song came into his room. 

“Good morning, Myungsoo,” Dr. Song said in greeting as he read the chart on the end of Myungsoo’s bed.   

“Good morning,” Myungsoo greeted, turning off the TV.

“Your vitals are doing well,” Dr. Song said, placing the chart back into the pocket.  “We were afriad of the cancer spreading to your liver or kidneys, but fourtunetly the new medicine is doing well.”

“So I’m doing better?” Myungsoo asked, sitting up so that Dr. Song could give him a check-up like usual.

“All your vitals are stable,” Dr. Song answered as he placed a stethescope on his back.  “I think at this stage, it can go either way for you.  Please breath in and out.”

Myungsoo did as he asked, trying not to shiver from the cold stethescope.  Dr. Song finished checking up on Myungsoo and closed the folder.  “Now I have something that I would like to talk to you about.  I consulted some of my colleagues and they agree with me.”

“About what?” Myungsoo asked, his stomach filled with butterflies. 

He smiled broadly.  “Because we are starting you on different treatments and this one is working better, we think that it will be okay for you to go home for a few days.”

Myungsoo’s mouth dropped open and he started to smile.  “What?”

“It won’t be for long term, maybe only a couple of days to a week, but I think it would do you a world of good.”

“I-I can go out, I can go spend my day with my family… and Infinite?”

“Anything that you want to do of course, I’m not going to limit your activities,” Dr. Song smiled.  “Well, don’t go do bungee cord jumping or do anything that’s unreasonable.”

Myungsoo grinned and shook his hand.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He was nearly jumping with joy when Dr. Song left the room.  Myugnsoo grabbed his phone off the side table, turning it on quickly.  Ignoring the few missed texts from some friends and quickly texted Infinite’s group chat. 

Myungsoo:  Guys!  I’m coming home! 

Myungsoo closed his eyes, smiling happily. 

He was going home….

~*~

5월 5일

“Oppa!  Oppa!”

Sungyeol opened the van door and scooted over as Myungsoo jumped into the van beside him, Sunggyu jumping in behind Myungsoo and closing the door behind him. 

“Did you miss this?” Sungjong asked from the passenger seat. 

Myungsoo grinned.  “You have no idea how much,” he said. 

Woohyun laughed from the backseat, leaning forward to ruffle Myungsoo’s hair.  “You have no idea how much we missed you too.”

Myungsoo smiled at Woohyun and pulled his hood up over his now ruffled hair.  This day was for Myungsoo to hang out with Infinite, including a meeting with the CEO.  Myungsoo was carrying around a bag filled with medicine and emergency equipment.  Dr. Song had told him it was just a precaution, but it still scared the others so much. 

They stopped in front of the Woollim Offices.  Sungjong jumped out of the van first, waving at the small group of fans, bowing quickly to greet them.  Sunggyu got out next, taking Myungsoo’s bag from him as Myungsoo ducked his head, stepping out the van. 

The fan’s screams increased as they saw Myungsoo.  Myungsoo had hardly came out of the hospital since he first arrived to the hospital, just once during the Christmas break, but that was all.  The Inspirits missed Myungsoo as much as Myungsoo missed the Inspirits. 

Even with the short journey to the door, Myungsoo was bombarded with fans around him.  Even though too many people were grabbing at Myungsoo, when they got into the safety of the building, Myungsoo was grinning widely. 

“The CEO is ready to meet with you,” the secetary said as the seven of them entered the lobby. 

Sunggyu lead the way into the conference room.  Their company CEO, Jungyeop, was sitting at the head of the table.  Each of their seats were set out for them, a folder with the information that they needed in the meeting, their contract tucked into the back of the folder. 

“Good morning, boys,” their CEO stood up to greet them, shaking their hands.  “How are you today, Myungsoo?” he asked as he reached out for his hand.   

Myungsoo smiled and shook his hand, bowing quickly.  “I’m doing fine today,” he said.  “I don’t know about tomorrow, but today I’m fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Jungyeop smiled, guestering for them to sit down.  “We’ll start today’s meeting then.”

As Jungyeop talked about their future as Infinite and further plans, Myungsoo glanced around the conference room.  They were all united there in that conference room, under their dream of being idols. 

“… in your folders, you’ll see the up-coming plann for the next half year…”

Myungsoo flipped open the folder, but his trembling fingers flipped the folder open too far getting to the end, where his contract lay.  He frowned and traced his fingers over the contract, reading it once more.  His contract was longer than the others’, he had more details including details about his acting and photography carrer.  It was a good contract, when he talked to his other idol or actor friends, it had better conditions than some of them.

“Um, CEO-nim,” Sungyeol peeped up.  “What do you do you mean ‘comeback’?”

Myungsoo’s head jerked up as Sungyeol quietly interupted the CEO.  He flipped the papers over to the correct page and quickly scanned over the page, a heading jumping out at him. 

Comeback for September

“But Myungsoo isn’t well enough to make a comeback in 5 months,” Sungjong protested.  “We would be recording soon and-”

“Boys, if you read the rest of the plan, you’ll be-” Jungyeop started.

“Making this comeback without me,” Myungsoo finished. 

The other six stared at him, looks of shock mirrored on all of their faces.  Myungsoo looked down to avoid all of their gazes.  His eyes landed on the contract.  He read it over again and over again, making sure that he was reading the right contract. 

“But… Myungsoo..” Sungyeol stood up to stand behind Myungsoo. 

“CEO-nim!”  Sunggyu stammered out.  “But we’re Infinite, we’re supposed to be seven, we’re the seven of Infinite.”

“He’s right,” Woohyun added, his discomfort with the CEO momentarily forgotten.  “We can’t be less than seven, we can’t make this comeback without Myungsoo.”

Dongwoo and Sungjong jumped up started to argue too, protesting in vain, but desperately.  Myungsoo traced the letters on the contract, reading the contract again. 

“We can’t do this.  We cant make a comeback without Myungsoo,” Sungjong argued. 

“Yes, you can.” Again, they all stared at Myungsoo as he quietly spoke up.  “Make this comeback without me.”

~*~

“Are you sure about this?”

Myungsoo laughed as Dongwoo asked the same question that they had all been asking him for the past hour after the meeting.  Each of them were holding a copy of the contract in a folder.  None of them wanted to agree to Jungyeop’s plan and do a comeback without Myungsoo.  To them, it was like admiting defeat before it was all over. “Hyung, this descision is final,” Myungsoo siad.  “This is what I want.”

Sunggyu, who had been stragely silent since the meeting, suddenly stomped his foot and threw his jacket down on the ground.  His behaviour looked like he was five-year old, but his voice was no where near a child’s  “Kim Myungsoo, you come with me.”  He grabbed Myungsoo by the upper arm and dragged him behind him. 

“Hyung, stop it, you’re hurting him,” Woohyun snapped, trying to break Sunggyu’s hold. 

Sunggyu shook off Woohyun.  “You, come with me too,” he snapped.  “All of you!  Follow!”

They all stared at Sunggyu as he marched past all of them, still holding Myungsoo in a tight grip.  Sunggyu didn’t ever get mad at any of them, if he did, he could hold a grudge against them for weeks at a time.  And he certainly never ever got mad at Myungsoo. 

“Hyung, you’re hurting me…” Myungsoo said hesitantly as Sunggyu relentlessly dragged him on. 

“Hyung!  Stop it,” Sungjong snapped for Myungsoo’s sake. 

Sunggyu didn’t stop, dragging Myungsoo down to the practice studios, throwing the doors open, not caring about the stares following them as Woohyun, Hoya, Sungyeol, Sungjong and Dongwoo followed helplessly after Sunggyu and Myungsoo. 

Sunggyu reached Infinite’s practice studio and threw the doors open, shoving Myungsoo none to gently into the room.  “Get in,” he said sharply to the others. 

He slammed the door behind him, glaring at Myungsoo.  Sungjong stepped in front of Myungsoo as if he was afraid that Sunggyu would punch Myungsoo. 

“Hyung, calm down.”

“Lee Sungjong, sit down,” Sunggyu ordered.  “All of you listen to me and sit down.  All of you.  Now.”

They all dropped down to the floor at the same time, unsure of how to deal with Sunggyu’s apparent anger. 

“This room.”  Sunggyu swept his arms around the room.  “This room, this is the room that makes all our dreams.  All of this, this is here because we’re Infinite.  We’ve been together for what it feels like forever now, we can’t stop now. 

“Myungsoo, you can’t agree with Jungyeop’s plan.”  Sunggyu turned to Myungsoo, a depserate tone in his voice.  “Seven is Infinite, Infinite’s seven.  You can’t leave us…”

Myungsoo dropped his eyes.  “Hyung, I’ll never leave you.  It’s only going to be one comeback.  I’ll be back with you for the next one.”

“But what if you aren’t?”

The day was still filled with surprises as Myungsoo suddenly jumped up and threw his arms around Sunggyu.  The other five stared at the two, confused on what was happening. 

“It’s okay,” Myungsoo said gently.  “It really is.”

Sunggyu sighed and hugged him back.  “I know, but don’t sign that contract, okay?  Infinite needs to be seven.  I need six dongsaengs, not just five.” 

~*~

Myungsoo sat on the bench on the side of the practice room, watching the others dance.  There was no true break for idols, even on their day off, there was the meeting with the CEO and a quick dance practice. 

To be honest, Myungsoo was a bit disappointed about their schedule, but he decided it was better to sacrafice a hour for the next two hours they had together. 

“Good practice!” Dongmin said as all of them collasped on the floor, groaning about how tired they were.    

“Here’s the food!” Jungryul called as out.  Everyone scrambled up to their feet, grabbing for their favourite food first.  Myungsoo jumped up with them and knelt by the bags, trying to find something to eat. 

“Boys, I’ll be back in two hours to pick you up, if you aren’t going to be here, text me where you need to be picked up,” Jungryul said, grabbing his things from the bench.  “Boys?  Are you listening to me boys?”

“Yes, hyung,” they all chorused out of habbit. 

He sighed and waved goodbye to them.  “Rememeber to text me.”

“We will,” Sunggyu said, through a mouthful of food. 

“Bye, hyung!” Myungsoo called out as he grabbed some food, not paying attention to anything except getting food in his stomach.   

The other six members started to aruge over the food, demanding different pieces.  Myungsoo back out of the way, sitting down on the bench behind the group and settling down to eat his food. 

Suddenly, something started to clench in Myungsoo’s chest.  Myungsoo put down his food beside him on the bench and wrapped his arms around his midsection, bending over his knees as his chest felt like it was set on fire. 

It felt like he was inhaling pins and needles with each breath.  Fire pounded through his veins, he tried to keep breathing, but soon he was gasping for breath. 

Myungsoo closed his eyes and tried to breath through the pain, concentrating on the other’s voices.

“Hey, are you okay?” Dongwoo asked.  The noises around him died down as all of them gathered around Myungsoo. 

Myungsoo pressed his hand against his chest, feeling his stomach crap as something stab against in chest.  He managed to open his eyes as a warm hand touched his cheek.  Sunggyu was kneeling in front of him, relief flashing in his eyes as Myungsoo made eye contact with Sunggyu. 

“Are you okay, Myungsoo?” Sunggyu asked, placing his hand over Myungsoo’s hand.  “Let’s lay you down for a little while, okay?”

He gave a short nod, allowing Sunggyu and Woohyun to lay him down on the bench.  Hoya bundled his jacket underneath Myungsoo’s head.  All of them watched him, scared and worried.  He wanted to tell the others that he was okay. 

“Get his bag,” Woohyun said.  There was a loud clatter as Sungjong passed Myungsoo’s bag up to Woohyun.  Sunggyu kept his warm hand on Myungsoo’s shoulder, rubbing it gently as Woohyun rummaged around in Myungsoo’s bag, drawing out bottles of pills, and finally a oxygen mask. 

“Here.”  Dongwoo grabbed the mask from Woohyun and pressed it against Myungsoo’s mouth.   

“You have so much things in your bag,” Dongwoo said softly, adjusting the mask.  “You’re worse than me.”

Myungsoo tried to laugh, to ease the worry in Dongwoo, but he could only lay there, breathing through the pain, the oxygen mask making it a bit easier to breath, though it was still painful.  One hand gripping the fabric of his shirt, clawing at his chest, unsure of what to do with the pain.  Sunggyu took Myungsoo’s free hand, his other hand Myungsoo’s shoulder. 

“Do you want us to call the hospital?” Sunggyu asked. 

Myungsoo was about to say yes when suddenly the nausea struck.    

He pushed Sunggyu out of the way, falling off the bench in the process, throwing the oxygen mask out of the way.  Sungyeol loved to tease Myungsoo about his clumsiness all the time.  Myungsoo slipped the most on the stage or in practice, falling over and over again.  This time, he nearly fell on his face, barely scrambling to his hands and knees as the first wave of nausea over came him. 

The noise or the sight of Myungsoo’s vomit hitting the floor was not a pleasant one and Myungsoo looked even worse.  He was trembling, his arms shaking as he tried not to faint into the puddle of vomit.  Everyone was making a ruckus over him, but he could hardly hear their jumbled words. 

“Myungsoo!”

“Are you okay?”  

“Someone get Dongmin-hyung!”

“Myungsoo, can you hear me?  Are you okay?”

Myungsoo tried to reply, but instead of words leaving his mouth, another wave of vomit joined the puddle on the ground.  He could only see red in front of his eyes.

“Oh my god.  That’s blood.  He’s bleeding!”

Myungsoo gagged again and he felt something wet run down his chin.  He knew that he looked like a zombie, vomit and blood stained his chin and the front of his clothes.  The only thing he could smell was the mess of vomit and blood in front of him.

“We need to get him to the hospital.”

He looked up at the others, his body felt like a wrung out towel that was squeezed repeatedly for water.  Tears stung his eyes as he retched, more blood and vomit pooling onto the floor. 

His body was starting to feel numb and he could’ve fainted into the mess when Sungyeol’s hands gently took around his shoulders to bring him back to lean against Hoya’s warm body. 

“It’s okay, Myungsoo, you’ll be okay in no time,” Sunyeol whispered to him as he wipped the blood off his chin.  Sungyeol must have seen Myungsoo’s face tighten as he stomach gave another flip, because Sungyeol immediately pulled him off Hoya quickly just in time as Myungsoo lost the battle with his stomach.

Sungyeol wrapped his arm under Myungsoo’s shoulder to wrap around his chest, holding him safe, as tears of pain and exhastion fell down Myungsoo’s cheeks.  His whole body was shaking so violently that Sungyeol had to tighten his grip around Myungsoo.  

As Sungyeol was lying him back down against Hoya’s lap, Sungjong rushed back into the room with Dongmin.  “Get out of the way!” Dongmin ordered to the crowd of curious trainees and some of the girls from Lovelyz.  Before he even reached Myungsoo, Dongmin was already giving out orders to the other members as he checked Myungsoo’s temputure quickly.  “Grab a blanket and a bag-”  The word was passed between the trainees and someone ran away to grab a blanket.  “-Someone call the hospital and get Dr. Song on the line-”

“I’ll do that,” Sunggyu said quickly between Dongmin’s rushed words. 

“And call Myungsoo’s parents, don’t let them drive, get them to take a taxi, I don’t think it would be the best for them to drive right now.”

“Yes, hyung,” Sungyeol said. 

“One of you need to call back your managers,” he said, looking around for someone who wasn’t doing anything and Sungjong nodded, hurrying to call Jungryul back. 

Someone from the crowd shoved a blanket forward and Dongwoo took it, wrapping it around Myungsoo’s shoulders.  “You okay, Myungsoo?” he asked, rubbing Myungsoo’s arms.  Myungsoo nodded slowly, trying to find warmth in Dongwoo’s hands. 

“I’ll bring my car to the front, so Hoya, carry him out the car.  Hurry,” Dongmin ordered quickly as he searched for the van keys. 

“But, hyung, what about the fans?” Sungjong asked, a voice of reason always even in panic. 

“Whatever, we need to get him to the hospital right now.”

“Dr. Song is waiting for us at the hospital,” Sunggyu said.  “He says he needs to check on Myungsoo as soon as possible.”

“Hoya, pick him up, we need to get going,” Dongmin said as he hurried out of the room to go get the car started.  “Everyone go back to your own business!” 

There was a murmer of agreement and the everyone left the room, whispering wishes of good health for Myungsoo, leaving only the other members of Infinite who were all in a panic. 

“Myungsoo, can you hear me?” Sungyeol asked again.

Myungsoo wanted to reply, but instead, a goey spat of blood and mucus splattered down his chin and onto Sungyeol’s pale face in front of him.  Sungyeol didn’t look fazed as he wipped off the blood from Myungsoo’s face.

“It’s okay, Myungsoo, we’re giong to be at the hospital soon,” Sungyeol said.  Sungyeol manuvured Myungsoo onto Hoya’s back, Myungsoo’s head fell against Hoya’s shoulder.  

“Feeling okay, Myungsoo?” Hoya asked as he stood up, hooking his arms underneath Myungsoo’s thighs. 

He didn’t answer as his chest heaved against Hoya’s back as he threw up more blood mixed vomit, narrowly missing Hoya. 

Myungsoo couldn’t even attempt to reply as the world blurred away.  His eyes fluttered shut as he fainted.

As he floated away, he could hear the other members yelling at each other as Hoya carried him down the hall.  He wasn’t sure when he out, but the only thing that he was aware of was the their yells and whispered words in his ears. 

“Myungsoo? Can you hear me?  Answer me.”

“Hoya, hurry!”

“I can’t go faster without dropping him!”

“Everyone, shut up!”

“Hyung!  Hurry!”

“Myungsoo, hang on, hang on, keep on breathing, just keep on breathing for me.  Keep on breathing for your family.  You need to wake up for them soon, okay?  So hang on… please.”

For a moment, just before he let go, Myungsoo was suspended in nothing, just on the edge of something endless: an infinity. 

Myungsoo let go slowly, one last thought echoing through his head, drowning him in darkness. 

This is my chance for infinity.  

Hello!  I really did mean to update like two weeks ago, but I had this really stupid group project and my Wi-Fi was down on a day that I was going to update.  

So I finally updated!! Yay!  

I have a question for everyone: before you read this chapter, which one between SoG and SotH did you think was the happy ending and which one was the sad ending?  Tell me in the comments!  Give me a lot of comments!!  Lots of them! 

I'm planning to update SoG's first chapter sometime this week, but I'm not sure about it.  I'm going to try by best to update!  Also, my finals week is in a week and a half (totally didn't realize that until now orz) so I don't think I'll be able to update SotH until after the finals, so I'll update in like two weeks again or so.  

Sorry for making you wait so much and sorry (but not sorry) for leaving you with this horrible cliff hanger! I hope you liked this chapter and please comment, upvote, subscribe!  Bie!