Broken Clockwork: Chapter 6
Title: Broken Clockwork
Fandom: Infinite
Pairing: MyungGyu (Myungsoo x Sunggyu), OT7
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, Romance
Length: Chaptered
Summary: Myungsoo is sick and tired of his continuous and tiring schedules and wishes he no longer needs to deal with the life of an idol. But he realizes a little too late that he should be careful of what he wishes for as he wakes up ten years into the future, and Infinite is no longer together...
Chapter 6
Sunggyu is about to make a solo debut. Myungsoo is standing in the rain, holding up an umbrella as he tries to convey the emotions that the director tells him to. He stares at the actress, but in reality, he wants to run around to the corner of the fake street and grab Sunggyu’s hands. The leader is absolutely nervous about shedding the title, and appearing on stage without the rest of Infinite. Although the other members have told him that he will be absolutely amazing, Sunggyu isn’t convinced.
Myungsoo shakes his worries about the leader from his head, and concentrates on filming. It’s the only way that he can support Sunggyu.
“3, 2, 1. Cut. Perfect! I think we can wrap it up now.”
Myungsoo smiles and runs over to Sunggyu, who takes Myungsoo’s hands in his own.
“You know I’m…bad with words, but I just want you to know that it means a lot to me that you’re doing this.”
Myungsoo hugs Sunggyu and whispers the words “I know.”
---
He still doesn’t know what had happened.
One minute, life was beautiful. Everything was perfect. He was living with Sunggyu, and everything was right. But the next thing he knows, Sunggyu tells him that he wants him gone from his apartment.
“I think you need to leave in order to find yourself. You can’t stay 21 forever. You need to figure out what the ‘you’ in your thirties is like. And staying with me will keep you at 21.”
He wonders why it was so sudden. Things were going according to plan - he had talked to Sungyeol and Sungjong, and neither of them had seemed to have a grudge on him anymore. Sungjong had introduced his girlfriend, and Sungyeol welcomed him back with open arms. It seemed that they had all been talking amongst each other though - Sungyeol and Sungjong both knew what happened with Howon and Dongwoo. Sungyeol had patted him on the back. It was awkward at first, but soon Myungsoo realized that he had his best friend back.
He had returned home in high spirits, thinking that the only thing left was to make it up with Woohyun. But the next day Sunggyu told him to leave home.
And so here he is in his apartment. Except it’s not really his apartment. He doesn’t recognize the furniture. The photos on display are unfamiliar. Everything seems to be colder and it scares Myungsoo that this is his. The words Sunggyu said to him, his request for Myungsoo to leave, replays over and over again in his head. It doesn’t help that he frequently has dreams of what could have been - recording a music video for Sunggyu, starring in various sitcoms alongside touring Japan, living in the dorm with the others until they all grew old together. It was painful to think that something he wanted was so different from the reality of how things turned out.
With a heavy heart, Myungsoo explores his apartment thoroughly. Every single thing he finds just seems to reiterate what a cold-hearted person he had become. But it isn’t until he comes across a locked room that he feels that there may be more to the story that he thinks. He takes out the bunch of keys that he finds, and tries the keys one by one.
The last key makes the lock make a clicking sound, and Myungsoo slowly swings the door open. Myungsoo stares in disbelief as he is hit with bursts of color. Posters of Infinite, and the members of Infinite after the split are hung on the walls. Packages of gifts from fans that Myungsoo still recognizes, gifts from when he was still a part of Infinite, are scattered on the floor. Photos of him and the other members are neatly pinned onto a bulletin board that sits on the desk. None of the photos are recent, but it warms Myungsoo from head to toe to know that at least he kept the photos. He had been on the brink of believing that he strayed far away from where he used to be, from the person he once was. But this room showed him that deep down, he was always Kim Myungsoo. He had just become better at hiding that part of him, buried deep down.
He quickly takes out his phone, and presses one on speed dial.
“Sunggyu hyung? I need you to come over.”
---
Sunggyu looks tired when Myungsoo welcomes him at the door, but Myungsoo still releases a breath of relief as he sees the man in front of him. He reaches out to grab Sunggyu’s arm, but Sunggyu hand jerks away. Myungsoo frowns slightly, and lets his extended arm fall back down to his own side.
“You said you made some mind-blowing discovery and you needed me here?”
“Yes. Hyung, follow me.”
Myungsoo leads Sunggyu to the room, the room that proves that what they thought about Myungsoo disappearing heartlessly wasn’t entirely true. Sunggyu eyes widen in shock and he takes in everything. He walks around and touches everything silently, but Myungsoo can see that he’s touched by the amount of stuff in there. There are posters from all 5 solo projects that Sunggyu had released, and the CDs, in mint condition, are displayed proudly on a bookcase. Myungsoo picks up a copy of their first album, Come Back Again, and smiles as he sees the messages. They had autographed the CD with messages from the members to the future Myungsoo.
A tear rolls down Myungsoo’s cheek as he reads Sunggyu’s words for him, written so many years ago with the optimism of boys that just debuted.
Myungsoo-ah! I love you, you know that right? I may not always show it, but you’re one member I’d hate to live without. Be strong, and achieve all your dreams! Future Kim Myungsoo, you’re definitely amazing in every way, and I hope that this will always give you strength to go on. Always remember back to the times we’ve worked hard, and work even harder. I love you!!
He reads the others’ messages, each encouraging in a different way, and he feels a hand on his shoulder. His vision suddenly becomes blurry as Sunggyu pulls him into a hug. He is a little embarrassed at how emotional he is, but seeing all these things being kept means so much. Although he has been trying to figure things out and fix things with the other members, the guilt that he caused everything to fade, to make Infinite very finite, had been gnawing at him. Sunggyu pats his back soothingly, and Myungsoo closes his eyes.
For the first time in a long time, he feels more comfortable in his own skin.
---
A/N: It's been too long! I know I haven't been the best of authors, updating this really really really slowly. If you've been waiting for this, thank you so so much for sticking with me. College has been hectic, and I've had so many things to deal with. I know this chapter is a little shorter than what I normally write, but I just really wanted to update this fic. I'll definitely try and get some more writing done, and hopefully you won't have to wait as long for the next time I post.
Obviously the beginning part is inspired by the new MV for our leader's SOLO. Yesss. I swear Woollim can read my mind. It was so perfect and flawless in every way. But keep in mind that the first part of each chapter is now going to be an event that would've happened had Myungsoo never left Infinite. In a way, it's reality for us, but it's an alternate reality for the characters in the fic.
I love you all~ comments are appreciated!