~*~

Chapter XV

A Final Lullaby

5년 후: 3월 14일

A dull cough is what started it all. 

A long road home is what took for Myungsoo to end it.

A stabbing pain in his head is what started it again.

It was years after Infinite had returned from their army service.  Myungsoo had gone himself for the four week training session instead of the full term.  As seven, Infinite had risen through the charts, becoming even stronger than before. 

It was now seven years after his diagnosis of lung cancer.  The seven months that he was diagnosed with came and left, turning into years instead of months.  Every day, Myungsoo could feel the pain of the past fade away and Dr. Song told him not to worry about his canccer.  

In the past few weeks, Myungsoo had started getting headaches nearly every day and even though he rested a lot, he couldn’t shake the feeling of fatiuge off.  One day, while the seven of them were together, Myungsoo suddenly crumbled down to the ground, only barely caught by Woohyun.  He felt like his head was being crushed and he couldn’t breathe. 

In that moment, they all knew something was wrong. 

Dongwoo and Hoya took him to the hospital despite Myungsoo telling them that he was going to be okay.  His heart was in more pain than his head as Dr. Song booked him an appointment to take an MRI for the next day, saying that it was an emergancy.  For his appointment the next day, Sungyeol took him to the hospital, blowing off a date with his girlfriend.  Even though Myungsoo protested against that, he was thankful when he was done the MRI that Sungyeol was there to hug him, telling him that it was alright.  During the ride back home, he hoped with everything he had that it was nothing. 

That evening, Dr. Song called, asking him to come back to the hospital the next day so that he could tell him the results from the MRI and Myungsoo knew that it couldn’t be good. 

Each member told him that it was going to be alright, that it was all okay.  The whole night, Myungsoo tossed and turned too nervous about the apointment the next day, unable to fall to sleep despite the overwhelming fatigue.  His anxiousness didn’t ease when he threw up in the morning, clutching onto the toliet bowl as Sungjong gently rubbed his back, soothing away the tears. 

A couple of hours later, Myungsoo was sitting in Dr. Song’s office, waiting for the doctor to come in with the results.  Dr. Song came into the office, apologizing for being late, and as Myungsoo shook his hand, he kept on smiling and nodding even though he was not able to hear anything through the the roaring of blood in his ears, only the question of, “Myungsoo, we have the results right here, would you like anyone else in the room?”

Even though all of the members had insisted on tagging along, telling him that they would be there for him, Myungsoo shook his head but he shook his head slowly to Dr. Song’s question.

“I’m sorry, Myungsoo...”

Myungsoo’s heart froze as Dr. Song told him his diagnosis.  The whole world seemed to stand still and Dr. Song was saying some comforting words, but Myungsoo couldn’t hear anything. 

Suddenly, there were warm arms around shoulders, breaking through the numbness.  Myungsoo recognized Sungyeol’s arms and the others were around him, hugging him too and holding him close.  Safe in their arms, Myungsoo broke down, crying helplessly.  In the back of Myungsoo’s head, he was thankful that Dr. Song called Infinite into the room, but all he could do was cry helplessly in their arms, listening them quietly singing a song to him. 

I stood up on a hill,

Stared up at the blue sky,

And drew a lovely person from my heart.

Around him, Infinite was protecting him from a world that Myungsoo didn’t want to face.  Sungyeol was still not letting go of him, Myungsoo could hear him crying in his ear too.  Sunggyu was running his fingers through Myungsoo’s hair, giving him something to concentrate on other than the stabbing pain in his heart.  Sungjong had his hand on his knee and beside him Hoya was saying something about it being okay, but Myungsoo couldn’t quite believe him.  Dongwoo was crying too, even though he had no idea what was happening, Woohyun was too as he wipped away Myungsoo’s tears.  

Myungsoo pressed a hand against his chest.  There, he could feel his heart racing and his remaining lung taking in air, giving him life.  For the longest time he hadn’t thought of how the cancer took away his lung and torn him a hard road back to his old life.  He had thought that he left all of that behind, but yet, it came back to haunt him again.    

There is going to be a day when all you have left is a handful of time, a heart full of goodbyes and your brothers by your side. 

And that day, for Myungsoo, would be tomorrow. 

“Myungsoo.  We love you... we’re right here with you.”

I want to touch the ends of heavens,

Hug the breeze on the air,

And whisper with the winged angels. 

Gathering his courage, Myungsoo looked up at the others and whispered the words that made his world crumble once again. 

“Infinite...

“I have brain cancer.”

~*~

동산 위에 올라서서 파란하늘 바라보며

I stood up on a hill, stared up at the blue sky,

천사얼굴 선녀얼굴 마음 속에 그려봅니다

And drew a lovely person from my heart.

하늘 끝까지 올라 실바람을 끌어안고

I want to fly up to the ends of heavens, hug the breeze on the air

날개 달린 천사들과 속삭이고 싶어라

and whisper with the winged angels

~*~

End

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hello everyone! 

This is the end.  

It's been two years since I started writing Down the Road, and I had no idea where it was going to go.  It's two years and it's the end, I'm not sure what I'm going to do without this fic.  I'm going to miss this.  

Now that I have finished Down the Road and its sequels, I have a new fic: 무한대 (Infinity).  I hope that all of you will enjoy Infinity as much as you enjoyed Down the Road and Story of the Heavens.  

Thank you everyone for supporting Down the Road and Story of the Heavens; commenters, upvoters, subscribers, silent readers, all of you.  

Thank you so much for letting me share this story with you.  

Now, we have reached...

the end.  

tokkeiko

151011

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