014.

[almostkiwi]

First comes heavy breathing
Staring at the ceiling
What will happen next
I don't wanna know

A phone call was never good news, not one that was loud and obnoxious at 11pm, disturbing grateful bodies falling into sleep.

"Did you hear?" someone asks him sharply, and he's ready to mouth no, what? before he's interrupted.

"Kyuhyun, he's been in an accident."

Oh god, not again, is his first thought. Oh god, wasn't once enough?

He bites his tongue, flinches against the pain.

"Is he okay?"

Jungsu's breath is sharp and static-y against his ear.

"He's been hurt badly. Real bad, Sungmin. I'll try to keep you updated, okay? Don't tell anyone else; it'll only panic them and there isn't any real news anyway."

Sungmin licks his lips, nods.

"Yeah, okay. I just hope, hope it'll turn out okay."

"Pray," Jungsu says simply. "That's all we can do now."

"Right."

Jungsu hangs up and Sungmin avoids looking at kyuhyun's bed, the absence of a body in it almost menacing.

He lies and stares at the ceiling, breathing, wondering. What now?

That's how Ryeowook finds him at 5.30; eyes unseeing and staring at the ceiling, glazed over with guilt. I should've been there, I could've stopped it.

"Sungmin?" he asks softly, and Sungmin blinks once, twice, and turns his head.

"Ryeowook," he says, and Ryeowook's frightened at what he sees, the blankness and endless what now?

"Are you okay?" and Sungmin's face just crumples.

He curls into the foetal position, hands coming up to shield his face from - from what? He starts crying, dry heaving sobs that say nothing and everything, and Ryeowook freezes before rushing over, dropping by Sungmin's side.

"Sungmin?"

Sungmin shakes his head, trying to wipe away tears, face broken and teeth clenched in some attempt of control.

"Sungmin, what's wrong?" Ryeowook tries to sooth him, worry written over his face as he smooths Sungmin's fringe away.

"Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun, accident," Sungmin says brokenly, trying to control himself.

Ryeowook's hand stills, mind rushing at a thousand miles an hour, before he clears his throat.

"I'm sure he's ok, that he will be ok."

"Remember Heechul?" Sungmin's voice reaches out, plaintive, and Ryeowook takes a deep breath shakily.

"It'll all be okay," Ryeowook repeats, and now Sungmin knows Ryeowook's lying as he laces their fingers together.

It won't be okay, but they'll try their best for Kyuhyun.