Fatum contra Fatum [Prologue]
Title: Fatum contra Fatum (Fate against Fate)
Length: Series
Author: LadyDusk_Raku
Rating: PG-16
Genre: Angst/Tragedy, Drama, Romance, AU
Pairings: JaeHo, YooSu, Changta
Summary: In a place they don’t quite understand, five strangers must figure out the meanings in their lives or never move on. Five Souls in pain. Five Tragedies that should not have happened. To trust, to love, to accept…only with their bonds will they reach paradise. Maybe…fate can still work within another fate.
Dedicated to
soloscry for being the coolest ever and reading this over before I posted. So glad I did! :D
A/N: I think…this story was in a way inspired by ‘The Five People You Meet In Heaven’ - Mitch Albom. A very good, recommended read if you haven‘t already. I’m liking all of that man’s books so far. A bit different from my previous fics ~__~ Enjoy? Er…maybe not this chapter >.>
{::Fatum contra Fatum::}
Prologue
“Death is not the greatest loss in life.
The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”
~Norman Cousins~
***
Life.
Mysterious…fleeting…incomprehensible?
Whatever the label, it was damn stressful; that much Jung Yunho knew. Tired hands gripped the steering wheel, callused and dry from a hard day’s work under the sun. The colors of the passing buildings were beginning to blur at the edges of his vision, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He’d just gotten off of an overtime shift; nearly marking twenty-four hours since he had last been home. The man made an honest living, working weekdays, five to five. Overworked and underpaid. What little good it did him.
Yunho managed to get by on money every time, but it was never enough to come out on top. It was taxing and yet…he felt a tired smile creep onto his face. Those smiles on the kids’ faces. He could live with that. That was a part of his life he lived for. Unlike…
The light up ahead shifted to red and Yunho eased his pickup truck to stop, wincing as the breaks screeched loudly. The tired male leaned forward, resting his head against the steering wheel. This was not the time to think about that. He had to concentrate on getting home, where he could take a hot shower to ease his aching muscles and sleep everything away…where he could be alone and relaxed…not worried about hanging around her--
BEEP BEEP!
Yunho jerked out of his daze, looking up to see the light that was now green. Cars were lined up behind him, and he sheepishly drove on, rubbing his eyes. Gods, he was so tired…it was about time he took some time off and went out for some quality relaxation, maybe even visit his mother since he missed her so much. He knew just the spot for a good vacation…
He blinked a few times, realizing that he was going into a daze again. Must keep awake! He turned up the radio, humming along to the song even though he didn’t know it. Fatigue was pressing on him heavily, weighing down his lids at a constant rate despite everything he tried. His vision slowly grew bleary and a yawn welled up from his mouth; his brunet head nodded forward and the foot on the gas pressed down…
A loud honk abruptly broke through his senses, snapping him awake again. Yunho looked up and took a sharp intake of breath as his truck sped straight for another vehicle, head on in the wrong lane. His foot hit the break in less than a second and he felt his panic rise when it soundlessly slammed straight down. The breaks!! He wrenched the steering wheel desperately to the right, swerving safely out the other car’s path, despite his dangerous speed. He was hardly relieved with no time for it in the first place, but as he cleared the near collision and swerved away, he looked ahead…and felt his adrenaline raced heart clench.
A kid.
There was a kid in his path. His foot slammed repeatedly on the breaks in vain, as a constant mantra flitted through his mind.
NoNoNoNoNO!! He couldn’t.Not a kid.Move!No where to turn.Closer.Closer.Closer.
It was all in a matter of seconds that presently seemed like a lifetime. He was inches from the child, with no time to even swerve anywhere else. His breath stopped, another second passed, and within the next, a body shoved the smaller one out of the path of the car, taking it’s place. Yunho’s horror couldn’t have mounted higher, for he didn’t have the precious moment to before his truck hit the person head on at a harsh speed, running over them as it continued on. Dark black hair and fair skin were all he caught sight of before the body disappeared under the heavy wheels of his truck. The jolt it gave to his vehicle knocked all sense from him and he immediately swerved hard, twisting the vehicle sideways, tires screeching and the car out of control. His mind was panicked and rushed, the situation leaving him helpless even as he crashed into another car passing by. The impact rocked him hard; he was not aware of the truck flipping over and crashing down, rolling and then sliding easily into the busy street ahead like a crumpled piece of paper.
There seemed to be a muffled silence, as if everything were far away. Yunho slowly came to, cracking his bleary eyes open. He didn’t know when he’d blacked out or for how long. It couldn’t have been much; he could make out the sound of horns and commotion. A metallic taste filled his mouth and he understood that it was blood. What he didn’t understand was why it dribbled from the corner of his mouth, and up his face instead of…he was upside down. He could make out the shattered windshield of his truck, and the rest of the smashed interior, part of which was pinning his legs; he couldn’t feel one of them. He could only feel pain either way. Fear started to grip him, but before panic could set in, he heard another beep of a car horn, louder, deeper and seemingly more urgent. His gaze rose, or more accurately, lowered to make out the street ahead of him.
His mind hadn’t cleared enough for him to make sense of what he was seeing and it was with a clouded mind and eyes that Yunho watched a large diesel barrel straight into what was left of his truck in a fatal crash.
__________________
Short legs rocked back and forth in tandem, one crossed over the other. Kim Seungwoong sat patiently on the cushioned seat, playing with his handheld game and being quiet like his big brother had asked. He always did what his hyung asked of him; always. Even if it was waiting silently in the lobby of the boring bank until all that ‘grown-up stuff’ was taken care of. He just hoped they weren’t late for his martial arts class.
Another hour crept by and the young boy was starting to doze off when a hand gently ruffled his head. Seungwoong blinked himself awake, looking up to find his brother smiling down at him. Looks so similar to his own, only much older.
“Ready to go, Seung?” Jaejoong asked. Even if he was actually the elder brother, most would say the male fit the role of a mother figure more than anything to his younger sibling. The soft-spoken yet firm way he handled things; sometimes it kept Seungwoong from wondering why his mother wouldn’t do it or dwelling on if it were strange that his brother seemed to handle everything. He nodded to the taller male’s question and stood up, shrugging on the backpack with his change of clothes inside. Jaejoong picked up his own things; a blank canvas and a black messenger bag full of his art supplies. Throwing the bag’s strap over his shoulder, he took hold of his younger brother’s hand as they walked out.
It was still morning, getting close to the afternoon. Jaejoong was confident that they wouldn’t be late, even if things had run a bit long…
“Hyung, you’re done with that grown up work, right? Can we…can we go out for ice cream and stuff when you get off of work?”
Jaejoong sighed but smiled apologetically at the smaller boy. “I don’t know, Seung. We may have to wait.” They weren’t getting as much money in the loan as he’d thought; Mother wouldn’t be happy to hear about that. He couldn’t explain that to an eight year old; that things were too rough for them to go get ice cream and just play like they usually did. Not now, anyway. Just a bit longer before he was able to sell his next painting, another piece of himself, away for an extra bit of cash to keep them ahead. Then they would go out as much as Seungwoong wanted. The boy was all he had, he would do anything to keep him smiling. “I promise we’ll do something soon though, okay? When I pick you up and we go back to my job, I’m sure we can find a treat for you. The kind ladies there have been making a lot of sweets lately.”
Seungwoong nodded. Jaejoong always kept his promises. The ladies at the bakery were nice too, even if they tended to ask too many questions sometimes. Like why such a cute little boy had to suffer waiting long hours before going home with his brother or why he was home schooled. He didn’t know about the latter really, but he didn’t ask questions about either. He just knew that it was better that after his martial arts classes, he went back with Jaejoong to his job, instead of going straight home. It was just…better.
They walked down the sidewalk, hand in hand as Seungwoong started to talk excitedly about his classes the minute his brother asked about it. He also mentioned how cool his friend Moonbin was; he took dance lessons as well as martial arts. Jaejoong listened intently, smiling as he took in the other’s enthusiasm. It was these times that made him regret less the decision of not going abroad to study art. Why couldn’t times always be like this…? He shook his head, clearing it of those thoughts as they came to a familiar intersection they crossed in the mornings.
They were just passing the corner when another form bumped into them--or rather Jaejoong--roughly. The raven-headed male tightened his grip on his younger brother, pulling him closer as he avoided stumbling and glared at the man. The man who had bumped into them glared back darkly, hands in his pockets as he turned and continued on. Jaejoong held his brother protectively, not liking the look of him. The man was slimy looking, with a strange scar on the side of his face, and he just exuded trouble. He waited until the man was out of sight before releasing Seungwoong, reassuring the wide-eyed boy with another smile.
“Don’t worry, I just didn’t like how he acted. Let’s get you to your class, alright?” Seungwoong nodded, smiling back before they started to cross the street; he made sure to stop like his brother always said, and look both ways before he did, too. He didn’t notice Jaejoong pause and set down his canvas, looking into his bag. “Wait, Seungwoong,” Jaejoong mumbled a curse so his brother wouldn‘t hear, searching through his bag as a sudden second thought. Didn’t they say most people who did that ‘bump into you’ routine could be pick pocketing you? He checked his things to make sure.
Many things caught his attention at once. As he started to zip up his bag, he realized with a jerk that his little brother wasn’t waiting by his side. At the same time, the sound of horns and screeching reached his ears, snapping his attention to the road at the left. A large red pick-up truck missed colliding with a car head on, swerving out and still speeding along…There was barely a moment before that made him turn frantically to the middle of the street ahead, where Seungwoong had been walking, but was stopping as the sounds caught his attention as well. He gasped sharply.
“SEUNG WOONG!!” he screamed. The world slowed down, as his younger brother started to turn toward him, but caught sight of the red truck speeding for him. Both brother’s eyes widened; one stared in paralyzed fear. The other moved without a thought. The canvas and bag hit the ground; once precious paints and tools breaking and cracking upon the pavement as they spilled out. They were no longer important.
Jaejoong dashed across the road, spurred on by the adrenaline that seemed to envelop him within an instant and pure fear. There wasn’t a thought that he had time to process, only his life standing in the middle of the street, right in his sights. Jaejoong would have bet anyone that he had sped faster than the truck within that moment… if he’d ever had the chance to. He ran straight into his brother, practically stretched out, and shoved him hard off of the ground and out of the way.
He hoped he hadn’t hurt him, was the last thought he could think before the truck struck, knocking him off of his feet and to the ground before the heavy tires ran over him.
__________________
Jaded eyes watched the flat screen TV uninterestedly, following the players on the field as they dashed across the grass, balancing both passing and dodging in a myriad of teamwork and skill. The black and white ball was kicked in a soaring shot, flying past the goalie and into the goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy of cheers. The hand gripping the remote control clenched; a finger sliding over the buttons as the sports commentators spoke.
“Amazing! Did you see that?”
“I think we’re watching history in the making here!”
“I‘m telling you, I think this new kid is going places.”
“I haven’t seen talent this prominent and fierce since Kim Ju--” The screen blinked off, leaving nothing but a black screen and a faint reflection of a form lying on the couch. Silence prevailed, filling the room to an almost unbearable level.
A barely audible beeping sounded, coming from the watch on his arm. Junsu glanced at it, sighing as he realized what time it was. At least another appointment meant he had something to do; that much he was grateful for. Then again, it only served to remind him even more than it already did. He closed his eyes, taking another moment in silence…He broke it, sitting up and stretching before it could draw him in too deep. They had told him it was best to stay active; …it was always easy to know everything when you were standing on the outside looking in.
He swung his legs off of the couch, standing to his feet and looking around the plain room. He spotted his keys on the kitchen counter; sitting amongst a clutter of meds, water bottles, and leftover take out. The brunet grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on, making his way over to the counter with awkward steps. Snatching up the ring of keys, he started to head for the door before he stopped, glancing down at the silver cane resting in the corner beside the apartment door. His lips thinned, before he limped over and grabbed it silently on his way out; his walk hardly better than before.
The afternoon air was a bit cool as he had expected and he trudged along the second level of the apartment building, heading for the stairs. Another resident came up, passing by him without a word but eying the cane curiously like they always did. He said nothing, letting her pass and felt his eyes shift to the apartment door next to his own. 215 stood silently, seemingly lonely and far too quiet.
‘I wonder…if he’s there today.’
The ‘5’ was hanging crooked again and Junsu reluctantly stepped over, solemnly sliding it slowly back in place. His fingers lingered for a moment.
‘Would you write me a song…?’
He shook his head in disgust, breaking that train of thought and walking away quickly. Pathetic. He always sought after what he couldn’t have, couldn’t handle. Even his father had told him as much when he was younger. ‘Song?’ He’d had two options long ago and he’d chosen one, letting the other fade and wither; failed at the choice he had made. What was the point of trying to start something new? Junsu made his way down the stairs, being cautious and careful not to trip.
Who wanted a broken has-been for a singer?
__________________
He wasn’t sure what had woken him up; a quiet scraping had eased into his senses, the quiet sound louder than it normally would’ve been. His head was starting to throb and he cracked open his heavy eyelids to stare at the wall beside his bed. No…couch. He hadn’t made it to the bedroom if he recalled correctly. Yoochun groaned, rolling over to fall ungracefully on the floor. He muttered a curse, brushing aside balled up sheets of paper and an upturned ashtray.
His shirt was damp, a thing he found strange until he noticed the empty beer bottle on the floor. He must have fallen asleep with it last night. Standing up with a grunt, he swayed slightly before glancing around in search of a clock. What time was it? A bright red dot glowed in the left corner of his vision, and he walked over to the answering machine that sat waiting to be checked, ignoring the scattered mess of the apartment. Pressing the button and slumping against the wall, he glanced around hesitantly, eyes locking onto the keyboard that sat on his coffee table, surrounded by sheet music and pens. The machine beeped and he winced. He couldn’t even remember the hook he‘d been working on…
“Yah, Micky-bay~bee. You wanted your old pal to give you a deal, right? Well, you owe me. Bring me your best stuff down to the studio and I’ll see what I can do okay? 2 P.M, don’t be late. …And, Micky, call me alright buddy? You haven’t been the same since……call me, alright?” click.
Yoochun raked a hand through his long dark hair, unplugging the machine with the other. Good. That was good news. He hadn’t had a breakthrough or solid deal in a while. A long while. Standing back on his feet, he leaned forward to glance at the digital clock beside the machine. His eyes widened and he let out a vehement curse. Shit! Nearly stumbling, he made a run for the bedroom to find some decent clothes and take what just managed to pass as a shower. Minutes later, he briskly strode out into his living room, a folder in hand as he searched the room for the sheets of music he barely remembered having the other night.
He gave a small cry of joy at finding them under the keyboard, and promptly put them in the folder after a short moment of arranging the sheets neatly. There wasn’t any coffee in the cabinets, so he settled for an aspirin with a swig of some half-empty energy drink in the fridge. Yoochun gave his pockets a pat, looking around the room for his car keys. He spotted them in a candy dish on the floor, along with a near-depleted pack of cigarettes and his lighter. A lock of hair fell into his face as he rushed over to nab the pack and set of keys; he pushed it behind his ear and lit up the white cancer stick, drawing in a slow breath and then exhaling. The keys jingled as he took it away from his mouth and he stopped, staring at the hand that held both items with a growing somber expression.
“Oy, didn’t I tell you to stop smoking?”
“I’m trying. It takes a while.”
“Whatever, bro. Guess what I just bought?”
“We get a huge deal on a song and you spend your half already?”
“Tch, like you didn’t. Come here, come here….Check it out, pretty isn’t it?”
“…An SUV? Are you serious?”
Laugh. “As a heart attack.”
Yoochun dropped the cigarette and smashed it with the heel of his shoe, holding the keys tightly in his hand as he made sure to lock the door before leaving. The air was a bit breezy, but he didn’t bother worrying about a jacket. He was going to be pushing it close as it was. Taking the steps two at a time, he jogged out to the parking lot and unlocked the forest green SUV that was parked slightly crooked. He didn’t remember doing that; …he couldn’t remember much after breaking down--the thought passed.
Jumping into the front seat, he laid the folder in the passenger seat and cranked up the car, backing out slowly and glancing at the clock: 1:45 P.M. He could make it with no problem at this rate. He shifted into drive and began to head out of the parking lot, looking around to make sure no one else was in the way. Someone else standing with their car caught the musician’s attention and he turned with mild curiosity.
It was his neighbor…Junsu. Yoochun didn’t know him that well, hardly at all since they had only talked once or twice within the year the guy had been here…if mumbled greetings or nods of recognition counted as ‘talking’. He didn’t know much about him either, aside from his past stardom status that the other tried to hide, which had ended after his leg injury. He also knew that the guy was living off of his insurance money, but that wasn’t important; Junsu-ssi didn’t seem as if he used it for anything expensive, other than the nice car he drove that currently had it’s hood up as the owner inspected it. He wondered if the man expected the money to just last …or if he even cared at all.
Yoochun blinked, realizing what he’d just observed. Hood up? He double-checked, lighting up another cigarette absentmindedly. Hn. Apparently he’d left the lights on all night; it wasn’t starting. He didn’t know if Junsu knew anything about cars, but unless he had a jumper cable and another willing car owner, he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon and it looked like he was anxious. A feeling came over him, and he stared, eyes traveling down to the cane in the man’s right hand. He wasn’t sure why, but…he didn’t want to leave him here. The hesitance barely lasted before he made up his mind without question. He pressed the car on forward, pulling up as close as he could before rolling down the window and plucking the cigarette from his mouth.
“Hey…You need a ride?” he called.
Junsu jumped lightly, glancing up at the voice that had called out. He froze when he noticed who it was, feeling a mix of content and embarrassment. So he wasn’t staying shut in today…“Um, sorry?”
Yoochun gestured to his car. “You left your lights on, right?” A nod. “The car won’t start unless you get someone to give you a jump and I don’t have any jumper cables on me…you want a lift?” he asked again. From where he sat, he couldn’t see the light blush that came across Junsu’s face.
“A-ah. Thank you.” he closed the hood and locked his car, dropping the keys into his pocket as he walked, eyes cast down to his feet as he shuffled along. He didn’t want to see those eyes as they glanced down to watch him limp like a cripple. The brunet made his way to the passenger side, opening the door and stepping up into vehicle. Yoochun moved a folder out of the way so he could sit and drove off once he was settled and buckled in. “Thanks.” he repeated quietly.
“No problem. …Where do you need to go?” the man pressed the cig to his lips, drawing in.
“A doctor’s appointment. I…leg.” Junsu finished lamely. Yoochun merely nodded, turning onto the street and exhaling smoke as he talked.
“The hospital, right?” A nod. He glanced at his right side mirror, catching sight of the other male’s face as his nose twitched. His eyebrows lifted at the frown and he lowered the window to flick the unfinished cig quickly. There hadn’t been another passenger in this car for a while now, he’d forgotten…just how long had he been unsocial? He shook his head, avoiding the other’s gaze at the action and glanced at his dashboard, only for his eyes to widen again. “Damn.”
“What?” Yoochun winced. Oops; bad habit around people you didn’t know.
“Ah, sorry. I just realized I’m dangerously close to ‘E’.” A severe understatement. “We’re just gonna have to make a pit stop.”
Junsu nodded in understanding. “Okay.” The rest of the drive was made in silence, almost uncomfortable but…not quite. One made a point of staring out of the window at anything, anything to keep from glancing at the driver. The other was inwardly torn about whether to use this chance to re-enter the social world and talk to someone, or to just leave it alone. The guy probably didn’t want to talk anyway. A gas station finally came into view and Yoochun thanked his lucky stars as he turned into the lot. No sooner than he did, the car began to halt in a jerky manner, running practically on gasoline fumes. He frantically found a spot to park, sighing when he made it just in time before the car gave out. A muffled snigger caught his ears and he looked up in confusion at his passenger.
Junsu bit his lip. “Close to ‘E’, huh. You always leave the house with just a drop of gasoline in the car?” he teased quietly. He wasn’t sure why he dared to but he couldn’t help it. Yoochun blinked at him in mild surprise, before smiling and shaking his head.
“I didn’t know I had left it that low…” he looked around, not noticing any workers. He had been sure that this wasn’t a self-serve station; oh well. He turned to Junsu, opening his door to get out. “Don’t bother getting out, I’ve got it.”
The brunet frowned, figuring that he was thinking of him as some invalid. “I can--”
“It’s not that,” Yoochun said, having noticed the affronted look, and waved his hands in peace. He reached over, tugging at the man’s seat belt, and missed the blush the action caused. “It’s this seatbelt. It’s been… ‘funny’ for a long time, but I’ve never thought to get it fixed. We’ll worry about it when I drop you off.” He left off the fact that he’d never had to, since there hadn’t been another passenger in this car since the past year. Junsu made an ‘o’ with his mouth, nodding. Yoochun flashed a thin smile, getting out and jogging to the small station building.
Left alone, the male rested his head against the glass, watching nothing in particular. There was only one or two other cars nearby; in one he could see a woman, obviously waiting like he was. The other was empty, and he couldn’t see any workers. Wasn’t this one non-self serving? Hm. His gaze traveled down inside the car, landing onto the folder stuck between the two front seats. A curious eye brow rose, and even though he knew he shouldn’t, he plucked it gently, opening it and leafing through the papers inside. Brown eyes widened as he took in the carefully marked notes and words of the song, it’s title hastily scribbled at the top; it was in English. He hadn’t known that Yoochun knew English…
From underneath the trees
We watched the sky
Confusing stars, for satellites
“F..From under…neath the trees…” he stumbled over the words with his limited knowledge of the language, trying to understand what he was reading. “We…watch the sky…con…confusing….stars for…satel-.” he shook his head. What? That’s what he got for snooping. He trailed his fingers down the page, daring for once to wish that he’d thought more about his decision a long time ago. He was sure this was a beautiful song…
A barely audible yell sounded from the direction of the small building, causing him to look up. He narrowed his eyes in confusion, spotting the woman in the other car who had heard as well. There was nothing for a few minutes but then two loud blasts sounded; gunshots. Junsu shot up in shock, both frightened and worried. He hoped he had heard wrong, and frowned, watching and listening. There were two more definite gun shots, but then--
An explosion, louder and more staggering than anything he’d ever experienced shook the ground and the car; a chunk of the building had just blown away, and he could feel the heat surrounding the place as a fire began to spread and bits of debris fell. Stunned, Junsu stared in shock as the only other person outside with him screamed.
Wha…What…? He was distracted from the damage as the station door was banged open; a man swathed in dark clothing was fleeing quickly. He stumbled in his haste, dropping a gun as his feet caught him up. Stringy black hair clung to his face, unable to hide the odd scar that marred it. The woman in her car screamed again, as other people were starting to flee from the burning station; one clutching his bleeding shoulder. The stranger jumped to his feet and ran out of sight, cursing.
Junsu realized he had stopped breathing, but he didn’t allow himself to start back as he searched the panicked few running to their cars or as far away as possible. Yoochun! He couldn’t see him. He pressed against the window, his eyes locked onto the station door, willing, wishing, hoping--
The door slammed open again as a figure rushed out, running like a bat out of a literal hell. The frantic brunet let out the breath he’d been holding as relief flooded him. Thank goodness. Yoochun looked fine, if not scared out of his wits. The dark haired male flung himself at the driver’s side door, wrenching it open and hopping inside, fumbling with his keys. He was panting, completely uneasy with what had just happened. Junsu flinched as part of the station crumbled with a loud crash.
“What just--”
“Some loon tried to rob the place, screwed up and shot something.” Yoochun rushed, cranking the car and trying to floor it out of there. They had to get away. He was met with sounds of protest from the vehicle; it merely giving a jerk before it refused to budge at all. Junsu let out a dismayed cry and he slammed his hands on the wheel. “Damnit!” They never got any gas. The fire was completely engulfing the place now, reaching the high roof that extended over the cars parked nearby. Damn the car, Yoochun thought, and turned to the other man. “Forget it, let’s get out of here!” Junsu nodded anxiously and the two opened their doors to get out. The taller male was already out and starting to run when he heard his name called hysterically. He turned back, noticing the other man still in the car.
“Y-Yoochun!” Junsu jerked in his seat, face pale. “I can’t get out! This seat belt…!” The man ran back and crawled in across the driver seat, leaning down to inspect it. The brunet pressed the release button and tugged it to show him. It was halfway out, but wouldn’t give an inch past that. “I think it’s stuck!”
“Not today, not now…” Yoochun murmured, tugging on it violently. Everything was burning down too close to them and even if they were a bit safe from any flames reaching, it still wasn’t safe to be here. The belt went back in, then refused to move even halfway out like before. He jerked on it, starting to fret.
“Stop!” Junsu said, looking at him. The musician could see how frightened he was. “G-Go get help! If you hurry I should be fine.” he pleaded, yet he was shaking. His body was betraying his words; he didn’t want to be alone.
Yoochun glared. “I’m not leaving you here!” There was another crash and spark as something flammable went up in flames. He shook off his growing fear, working on the seat belt again and avoiding those large frightened eyes. “Don’t worry, I can get this before any flames manage to reach us. It can’t get to the gasoline; the tanks run underground.” A hand covered his abruptly, halting his efforts. A quivering voice reached his ears.
“That’s not the problem…” He looked up, puzzled, to see Junsu staring out of the window, upwards. Apprehensive, he leaned forward until he was able to see the same thing. A large crack was widening in roof structure above them, loosening with every crumble and raining fragments. One of the support pillars gave an ominous creak, then broke completely, halting for a moment. The two stared, frozen. “…Run…” Junsu whispered, barely audible. There was no response.
The pillar broke away, causing a large mass of the roof to crumble and fall. The last thing Junsu felt as tears mercifully blurred his vision, was Yoochun’s hand tightening around his own before the section of the roof came crashing down and crushed the car.
__________________
“Okay boys, let’s move it, move it!” Uniformed men rushed about; figures hopping onto the large red fire engine that sat parked and waiting amongst the backdrop of synchronized commotion and a loud, ringing alarm. The chief gave everything a once over before joining the driver in the front with an affirmative nod. “Let’s go!”
The sirens wailed, signaling to everyone within hearing range that there could be a serious crisis at hand. They were there to see to it that the situation was controlled, safety was established, and if need be, lives saved. They were firemen, a job that took bravery and strength. Cars ahead of them slowed and pulled to the side, letting them pass to do their duty. There were two men riding at the tail of the truck, holding on securely while the rest rode inside.
Heechul nudged his partner, gesturing to the quiet male sitting across from them when Siwon turned to him inquiringly. Upon seeing him, the two shared similar knowing smirks; the contemplative fireman unaware.
“Is this really the time to be daydreaming, rookie?” Heechul called. The mild tease broke Changmin out of his musings and he rolled his eyes when he’d realized what had been said.
“I’ve been at this for two years already, don’t you think it’s time to drop the ‘rookie’ term?” he said with an eyebrow raised. All of the other guys had dropped the name when referring to him long ago, but Heechul sunbae, a man who had had his own share of trouble getting people to take him seriously in this job, had yet to refer to him by his name alone. “And I wasn’t…daydreaming.” he added as an afterthought. He turned to hide his expression.
“Yeah, right…”
Siwon shook his head at the two of them, nudging Heechul as a sign to behave. He turned back to their ‘rookie’ smiling; the guy couldn’t fool him. “Changmin ah.”
“Hm?” Changmin hardly turned, staring out of the small window as buildings blurred past and the sirens wailed; sounds they were all used to by now. A lift of the eyebrow was the only sign he was listening.
“I saw you earlier in the locker room. That ring you were holding…who’s the lucky girl?” he said with a grin. Heechul had a look of genuine surprise.
“Ring?” he looked at Changmin. The male had bit his lip, unsuccessfully trying to stifle his smile. Caught. “Ring?!” he laughed. “Who is it, when’s the wedding, and where is my invitation?”
Changmin refrained from blushing and shook his head. “You’re nuts. I haven’t even asked yet and this is hardly the time…” He turned away, ignoring his hyung’s insistent whines that followed. In truth, he didn’t want to talk about it. Merely the thought was causing his heart rate to quicken. He needed to be calm, this job was rushing enough as it was. He tucked away a reminder at the back of his mind. ‘Remember. 6 PM. Be at the airport after work.’ He mentally snorted.
As if he could forget.
“C’mon, just tell me!” Heechul pleaded, even as the fire truck stopped, braking at their destination. “Just a letter!” Siwon pushed him, eager to get out. Changmin sighed, knowing they’d be at this all day if he didn’t comply.
“Fine,” he muttered loud enough, opening the door and looking over his shoulder. “K.” He was rewarded with a satisfied grin from the other man, before they all exited the vehicle and immediately took on more professional persona as they took in their newest mission.
The fire had begun to rage wildly; roaring flames incinerating every flammable surface of the ruined gas station. The high roof that stood over the station and lot was weakened, crumbling and breaking off in bits from the intense heat. It was a bad one; Changmin had seen worse, but he never doubted or put one fire above another. They were all just as dangerous.
They were immediately at work, freeing the hoses and attaching them to the nearest hydrants. Another fire engine joined theirs within minutes, bringing another team to help. The chief called out instructions, taking in what needed to be dealt with the quickest and choosing the best men for it.
“Kim, Choi!” he rounded the pair up and pointed towards the people who were starting to make a crowd. “Get these bystanders back, I’ve got a crushed SUV over here, check it, make sure there’s no one inside or in need of help.”
“Yes sir!”
“The rest of you boys, let’s get this fire doused!”
Changmin nodded with the rest, busy securing one of the hoses to a hydrant. He gave a thumbs up, signaling to those manning the hose that they were set. The men waited until another signal was given; the area had been checked thoroughly for gas leakage, and was now secure. Water blasted out in a stream, arching over the station to cool the wild flames. He stood to his feet and jogged toward another hose to help handle it, but an anguished scream to his right caught his attention. Turning around, his eyes widened as a woman came running--a frantic man was chasing after her--undeniably intent on reaching the burning structure behind him. He blocked her path and caught her, grasping her firmly by the arms as she struggled violently.
“Nooo! Let me--let me go! You don’t understand!” she screamed. The man that had given chase reached them, throwing his arms around the woman to hold her securely.
“Stop this!” he cried, panting. She pointedly ignored him.
Changmin forced her to look at him, trying to catch her eyes so she would listen. “Ma’am, ma’am, please. You cannot go near this building, it’s far too dangerous.” he warned. The woman nearly broke free of his grasp, violently protesting.
“But my daughter!” she wailed. Changmin tensed, feeling a sense of dread at those simple words. He narrowed his eyes sternly, immediately realizing the situation.
“Your daughter? Your daughter is still inside?” he questioned urgently. The woman nodded, her body shuddering with worried sobs as she spoke.
“Y-Yes! We looked and asked every where for her, but she isn’t out here. She has to still be inside, s-she’s--” Her husband held her, taking over with a grim face.
“Jimin; She’d gone to the bathroom before everything happened here, she has to be inside!” he urged, although one could tell he’d already prepared himself for the worst. Changmin didn’t waste time, nodding as he took in the information and felt a fierce sense of duty override him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll going to go in for her.” he promised, releasing the mother and heading for the truck to grab an axe. He plucked the hefty tool from it’s compartment, and headed straight for the burning station. “Chief!” he called as he passed, “We’ve got a kid inside, I’m going in!”
The man nodded from his position on a hose, turning to call over his shoulder. “Kangin! Donghae!” the two men came forward at his call. “I want you with Changmin; we’ve got someone inside!” They both nodded and followed after the younger man at once.
Changmin was already plunging into the burning entrance by his last word; flames licking at his resistant jacket as he passed the charred doorway. Heat engulfed him as he glanced quickly around the building. The area was lit in a gold-red hue from the fire that surrounded him, and hardly a thing was distinguishable amongst the smoke as he peered through his visor. His gloved hand tightened around the axe handle as he made his way through the debris that littered the ground. There was hardly a thing not aflame, as it was a small station, but that made it easier to figure out where the girl could be. At the back he could make out two doors; one had fallen halfway off of it’s hinges, falling against the door across from it. Because the doors opened outward, this one was effectively pinning the other in place. If anyone was inside…
“Is any one in here!” Donghae yelled, holding onto a hose as he followed, keeping an eye out. Kangin walked close to Changmin as they made their way cautiously towards the back. Changmin kept low, so as not to inhale the smoke and moved obstacles away with the head of the axe. Within feet of the doors, the eldest firefighter caught sight of a body lying on the ground, unconscious. There was also a very weak banging, coming from the pinned door. The trio made their way over quickly, reaching the bathroom doors. As Kangin crouched down to inspect the man on the ground, Changmin leaned towards the door and knocked with a gloved hand.
A faint, child’s voice sounded. “Help! Somebody help me!” There was a hacking cough. “I-I can’t get out!”
Changmin laid a hand on the door, speaking loudly. “Is your name Jimin?”
“Yes!”
Kangin gave a small grunt as he stood with male victim, who was rather heavy set and out cold. Giving Donghae a pointed look, he pulled one of the man’s arms over his shoulder to hold him properly. “Give me a hand here, he’s out from the smoke and needs medical attention as soon as possible.” Donghae came over to the other side of the man, copying Kangin’s tactic in holding him. He turned back to look at Changmin.
“We’ll get this guy out of here while you save the kid.” His dongsaeng gave an affirmative nod, turning his attention back to the door as they made their way to the front.
“Jimin, stand back, alright? I’m going to use an axe on the door,” he called.
“O-okay!” he heard shuffling as she moved away, and adjusted his grip on the sturdy tool before hacking the fallen door that blocked the way into two, after a few powerful swings. He kicked the broken wood away, turning to face the remaining door. He checked the knob, assuming it to be already unlocked from the girl’s attempts to get out. It swung open with ease (he noticed the small jacket the girl had smartly stuffed under the door) and inside the small bathroom, he could just make out the huddled form beside the commode, shaking in fear at the sudden wave of heat and smoke that rushed in.
“Jimin,” he crouched down in all haste, reaching for the girl. She crawled forward; a short child who could’ve have been older than nine or ten. Letting her encircle her arms around his neck, he hefted her up into his, being mindful of the axe. “Let’s get you out of here!” she nodded with a violent cough, and he stood, turning to leave the bathroom. “Don’t breathe in the smoke, I‘m going to get you to your parents.”
The pair exited the bathroom, just as a familiar voice sounded from near the entrance. “Changmin!” his sunbae came into view, ducking low to avoid the smoke. “You found her?” Heechul called.
“Yes!”
“Let’s go! The fire’s gotten too much of the roof outside--” There was a resounding crash as part of the very roof nearly fell in, breaking under the heat and pressure. Jimin gave a muffled scream that broke Changmin from any chance he might’ve had to freeze.
“Go! I’m right behind you!” he yelled sternly, and Heechul nodded, turning back to the door as the younger man followed suit and ran as quickly as he could with his charge. The elder man gave a quick glance behind him, only escaping through the door when he was sure they were close behind. The minute he did, however, there was a loud creak as the roof above the doorway crumbled and caved in on itself. Heechul whirled around in horror, screaming as the girl’s parents did as well.
“CHANGMIN!”
“JIMIN!”
Inside, Changmin halted, dropping his axe to shield Jimin as the roof fell in. Small hands gripped tightly onto his coat, frightened whimpers muffled as she buried her face into his shoulder. Damn! he mentally swore, dropping to his knees as small debris showered onto them. He could make out the entrance; it was blocked and burning, cutting off their escape. Sounds of commotion could be heard as other fire fighters moved about outside.
No. They had to make it out, they had to!
“Changmin!” he heard his name, surprisingly clearer than he expected.
“Hyung?” he questioned loudly. Movement caught his attention and he spotted daylight at the bottom of the entrance he’d thought to be completely blocked. Keeping Jimin close in his arms, he moved to the fallen heap in the burning doorway. There was a small opening, unsteady but there. “Hyung!”
Heechul’s face appeared on the other side, close to the ground as he peered through. “Changmin! Are you two all right?”
Changmin coughed from the dust and smoke, giving Jimin a once over before nodding. “Yes, fine but she needs to get out of here. She’s wont last long with this smoke!” The girl’s body shook as she coughed again, as if proving his point. Heechul’s mouth thinned as he thought. Another face appeared next to his--Siwon; the man gave the opening a good look before peering in at Changmin.
“Min, is the girl small enough to fit through this?” he called out. Changmin looked at the child and back, thinking.
“I think so! Should we risk it?” he called back.
Heechul shook his head, keeping an eye above them in case it got too dangerous for them to be so close. “Some of the debris is burning, she might get burned!”
Changmin frowned, feeling sweat trickle down his nape from the heat. His eyes lit up as he looked at Jimin. “Hold on!” he called to them, before grasping the girl’s hand to get her attention. “Jimin?”
“Are we going to die?” she murmured, tears streaming down her face as she looked up from his shoulder. She cringed at the sight of the roof burning above them, and he turned her face back to him. It was too hot in here, he feared she would faint if they didn’t get her out.
“No, no. We’re going to get you out of here, alright?” he said in a firm tone. He pointed to the opening. “See that hole? You should be small enough to get through it, there are two men on the other side who will help you.” Her eyes widened.
“But the fire--”
“Here,” he set her down close, still crouching and undid his coat. Slipping it off, he draped it around her; with her small frame the large coat was able to cover her head even with her arms in the sleeves. She looked at him in confusion, jumping as the fire crackled loudly nearby. “My coat is fire proof, so you wont get burned and those men will pull you all the way through, okay?” It was heavy, but if Heechul and Siwon grabbed her and pulled her out, he wouldn’t have to worry about it weighing her down.
Jimin nodded, frightened, and crawled toward the hole. Changmin leaned down as well, shouting. “She’s coming through now, you guys got her?” There were two affirmative yells. As Jimin started to crawl through the opening, there was another sudden crack; Changmin gazed up, eyes widening as he saw the flaming roof breaking apart. Burning sections rained down, falling toward Jimin’s bare legs. A few landed close, causing her to shriek in panic as she shuffled forward. Heechul and Siwon reached in to grab her arms, ready to pull.
The burning roof began to break and collapse and Changmin lunged forward to give the girl a push. “The roof is falling! GO, GO!” he called. Sections began to fall and Jimin screamed in fear as Heechul and Siwon each grasped an arm and yanked her out in an instant, putting her out of harms way. The second she was clear, Changmin scrambled back, leaping out of the way as the rest of the roof fell. A bit of rubble caught his foot as it dropped, slowing him too long for him to get out of the way as a larger fragment fell right on top of his legs, pinning him down.
Changmin cried out in pain at the abrupt pressure; it may not have broken anything, but he wasn’t going any where now. His helmet had fallen off, and he squirmed in vain to move away from a burning flame too close to him for comfort. Faintly, he could hear his name being called frantically, but he knew if it was barely heard in here, they wouldn’t hear him calling back out there. The thick smoke burned his lungs and he coughed, sweat and dirt coating his skin and hair as he looked around for something that could help him in any way.
It was hard to avoid looking at the burning rooftop, at least what remained of it, when you were flat on your back and completely facing it. Changmin felt his heart rate quicken and averted his eyes as he tried to gaze at something else.
Pinned. Fire everywhere. It was the first time he’d actually thought about the possibility of burning alive. As a fire fighter, it had to be a thought somewhere in the back of the mind, but he fought fires. He’d never really thought….He coughed again, inadvertently inhaling in more smoke as he tried to gain his breath back. His eyes watered, stinging from the coughing spell and dangerous fumes. An intense heat was gathering near his right leg and he looked down in a panic, thinking that he might have caught on fire. The fallen segments of roof were burning, but he was protected by his pants. He wondered how long.
I can’t die here.
He thought urgently. I can’t.
The panicked male desperately tried to sit up, attempting to pull his leg out. A jolt of pain sent him lying back again, biting his lip to keep himself from going into another coughing fit. The smoke felt like it was wrapping around his lungs; it was poisoning him. His vision blurred slightly, sending the view of the burning roof into nothing but a mesh of flaming orange.
He didn’t know how much time had passed; he was sent into a series of coughs every second it seemed and he could focus on nothing but the disorienting orange flames all around him. His eyes were half-lidded in his daze and Changmin was sure he couldn’t have cried for help now even if he wanted. His throat felt raw. Everything was too hot, burning, burning. He was loosing track of thought.
He couldn’t stay here. He had somewhere to be…somewhere after….work. His eyes watered again, but he didn’t know if it was from the smoke or not. Everything felt so faint…
“What do you want from me?”
“…Come home.”
“Japan is my home…”
“Kei…”
“I thought we agreed that it was over--at least, that we needed a break.”
“I know that. …I’m done with this break. We might have meant well, but…”
“But what?”
“I miss you.”
“…You can’t just--”
“Damn it, Kei. We can’t ‘take a break’ every time there’s trouble. What’s the point if we can’t face it together? I don’t want to lose you and I don’t plan to let you leave next time something happens.”
“And just how are you going to manage that?”
“Trust me…I want you with me…I need you. Please…”
“……”
“Kei…”
“……Okay…Okay, I’ll come back. Only because I missed you too. I‘ll tell you the time and date. Alright?”
“Alright. …Kei…I love--”
“No. …I want to see you when you say it. Wait till then. I l--bye.”
“Bye…”
Changmin closed his eyes, conjuring up a better vision from memory than reality could offer at the moment. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye, and he sighed his last breath with the faintest of words.
“I love you, Keita.”
{::to be continued ::}
Oh thank goodness O_O I’m DONE.
…*bursts into sobs and glomps DBSK* What have I done?!? DX I feel so ‘final destination’-ish. I think it got worst with each one too.
*hides*
Solo, luv, I took your advice on everything I believe; I hope I made it a bit more realistic with your bit of advice, especially on Changmin‘s part since I wanted to make the right adaptations without rewriting too much. I love you so much for your time and help~! ^ ^ *glomps*
I'd also like to thank Nickelback for providing the songs that helped me write this 'Someday', 'If Everyone Cared', 'Savin Me', and 'Far Away'. 8D
Length: Series
Author: LadyDusk_Raku
Rating: PG-16
Genre: Angst/Tragedy, Drama, Romance, AU
Pairings: JaeHo, YooSu, Changta
Summary: In a place they don’t quite understand, five strangers must figure out the meanings in their lives or never move on. Five Souls in pain. Five Tragedies that should not have happened. To trust, to love, to accept…only with their bonds will they reach paradise. Maybe…fate can still work within another fate.
Dedicated to
soloscry for being the coolest ever and reading this over before I posted. So glad I did! :D
A/N: I think…this story was in a way inspired by ‘The Five People You Meet In Heaven’ - Mitch Albom. A very good, recommended read if you haven‘t already. I’m liking all of that man’s books so far. A bit different from my previous fics ~__~ Enjoy? Er…maybe not this chapter >.>
{::Fatum contra Fatum::}
Prologue
“Death is not the greatest loss in life.
The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”
~Norman Cousins~
***
Life.
Mysterious…fleeting…incomprehensible?
Whatever the label, it was damn stressful; that much Jung Yunho knew. Tired hands gripped the steering wheel, callused and dry from a hard day’s work under the sun. The colors of the passing buildings were beginning to blur at the edges of his vision, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He’d just gotten off of an overtime shift; nearly marking twenty-four hours since he had last been home. The man made an honest living, working weekdays, five to five. Overworked and underpaid. What little good it did him.
Yunho managed to get by on money every time, but it was never enough to come out on top. It was taxing and yet…he felt a tired smile creep onto his face. Those smiles on the kids’ faces. He could live with that. That was a part of his life he lived for. Unlike…
The light up ahead shifted to red and Yunho eased his pickup truck to stop, wincing as the breaks screeched loudly. The tired male leaned forward, resting his head against the steering wheel. This was not the time to think about that. He had to concentrate on getting home, where he could take a hot shower to ease his aching muscles and sleep everything away…where he could be alone and relaxed…not worried about hanging around her--
BEEP BEEP!
Yunho jerked out of his daze, looking up to see the light that was now green. Cars were lined up behind him, and he sheepishly drove on, rubbing his eyes. Gods, he was so tired…it was about time he took some time off and went out for some quality relaxation, maybe even visit his mother since he missed her so much. He knew just the spot for a good vacation…
He blinked a few times, realizing that he was going into a daze again. Must keep awake! He turned up the radio, humming along to the song even though he didn’t know it. Fatigue was pressing on him heavily, weighing down his lids at a constant rate despite everything he tried. His vision slowly grew bleary and a yawn welled up from his mouth; his brunet head nodded forward and the foot on the gas pressed down…
A loud honk abruptly broke through his senses, snapping him awake again. Yunho looked up and took a sharp intake of breath as his truck sped straight for another vehicle, head on in the wrong lane. His foot hit the break in less than a second and he felt his panic rise when it soundlessly slammed straight down. The breaks!! He wrenched the steering wheel desperately to the right, swerving safely out the other car’s path, despite his dangerous speed. He was hardly relieved with no time for it in the first place, but as he cleared the near collision and swerved away, he looked ahead…and felt his adrenaline raced heart clench.
A kid.
There was a kid in his path. His foot slammed repeatedly on the breaks in vain, as a constant mantra flitted through his mind.
NoNoNoNoNO!! He couldn’t.Not a kid.Move!No where to turn.Closer.Closer.Closer.
It was all in a matter of seconds that presently seemed like a lifetime. He was inches from the child, with no time to even swerve anywhere else. His breath stopped, another second passed, and within the next, a body shoved the smaller one out of the path of the car, taking it’s place. Yunho’s horror couldn’t have mounted higher, for he didn’t have the precious moment to before his truck hit the person head on at a harsh speed, running over them as it continued on. Dark black hair and fair skin were all he caught sight of before the body disappeared under the heavy wheels of his truck. The jolt it gave to his vehicle knocked all sense from him and he immediately swerved hard, twisting the vehicle sideways, tires screeching and the car out of control. His mind was panicked and rushed, the situation leaving him helpless even as he crashed into another car passing by. The impact rocked him hard; he was not aware of the truck flipping over and crashing down, rolling and then sliding easily into the busy street ahead like a crumpled piece of paper.
There seemed to be a muffled silence, as if everything were far away. Yunho slowly came to, cracking his bleary eyes open. He didn’t know when he’d blacked out or for how long. It couldn’t have been much; he could make out the sound of horns and commotion. A metallic taste filled his mouth and he understood that it was blood. What he didn’t understand was why it dribbled from the corner of his mouth, and up his face instead of…he was upside down. He could make out the shattered windshield of his truck, and the rest of the smashed interior, part of which was pinning his legs; he couldn’t feel one of them. He could only feel pain either way. Fear started to grip him, but before panic could set in, he heard another beep of a car horn, louder, deeper and seemingly more urgent. His gaze rose, or more accurately, lowered to make out the street ahead of him.
His mind hadn’t cleared enough for him to make sense of what he was seeing and it was with a clouded mind and eyes that Yunho watched a large diesel barrel straight into what was left of his truck in a fatal crash.
__________________
Short legs rocked back and forth in tandem, one crossed over the other. Kim Seungwoong sat patiently on the cushioned seat, playing with his handheld game and being quiet like his big brother had asked. He always did what his hyung asked of him; always. Even if it was waiting silently in the lobby of the boring bank until all that ‘grown-up stuff’ was taken care of. He just hoped they weren’t late for his martial arts class.
Another hour crept by and the young boy was starting to doze off when a hand gently ruffled his head. Seungwoong blinked himself awake, looking up to find his brother smiling down at him. Looks so similar to his own, only much older.
“Ready to go, Seung?” Jaejoong asked. Even if he was actually the elder brother, most would say the male fit the role of a mother figure more than anything to his younger sibling. The soft-spoken yet firm way he handled things; sometimes it kept Seungwoong from wondering why his mother wouldn’t do it or dwelling on if it were strange that his brother seemed to handle everything. He nodded to the taller male’s question and stood up, shrugging on the backpack with his change of clothes inside. Jaejoong picked up his own things; a blank canvas and a black messenger bag full of his art supplies. Throwing the bag’s strap over his shoulder, he took hold of his younger brother’s hand as they walked out.
It was still morning, getting close to the afternoon. Jaejoong was confident that they wouldn’t be late, even if things had run a bit long…
“Hyung, you’re done with that grown up work, right? Can we…can we go out for ice cream and stuff when you get off of work?”
Jaejoong sighed but smiled apologetically at the smaller boy. “I don’t know, Seung. We may have to wait.” They weren’t getting as much money in the loan as he’d thought; Mother wouldn’t be happy to hear about that. He couldn’t explain that to an eight year old; that things were too rough for them to go get ice cream and just play like they usually did. Not now, anyway. Just a bit longer before he was able to sell his next painting, another piece of himself, away for an extra bit of cash to keep them ahead. Then they would go out as much as Seungwoong wanted. The boy was all he had, he would do anything to keep him smiling. “I promise we’ll do something soon though, okay? When I pick you up and we go back to my job, I’m sure we can find a treat for you. The kind ladies there have been making a lot of sweets lately.”
Seungwoong nodded. Jaejoong always kept his promises. The ladies at the bakery were nice too, even if they tended to ask too many questions sometimes. Like why such a cute little boy had to suffer waiting long hours before going home with his brother or why he was home schooled. He didn’t know about the latter really, but he didn’t ask questions about either. He just knew that it was better that after his martial arts classes, he went back with Jaejoong to his job, instead of going straight home. It was just…better.
They walked down the sidewalk, hand in hand as Seungwoong started to talk excitedly about his classes the minute his brother asked about it. He also mentioned how cool his friend Moonbin was; he took dance lessons as well as martial arts. Jaejoong listened intently, smiling as he took in the other’s enthusiasm. It was these times that made him regret less the decision of not going abroad to study art. Why couldn’t times always be like this…? He shook his head, clearing it of those thoughts as they came to a familiar intersection they crossed in the mornings.
They were just passing the corner when another form bumped into them--or rather Jaejoong--roughly. The raven-headed male tightened his grip on his younger brother, pulling him closer as he avoided stumbling and glared at the man. The man who had bumped into them glared back darkly, hands in his pockets as he turned and continued on. Jaejoong held his brother protectively, not liking the look of him. The man was slimy looking, with a strange scar on the side of his face, and he just exuded trouble. He waited until the man was out of sight before releasing Seungwoong, reassuring the wide-eyed boy with another smile.
“Don’t worry, I just didn’t like how he acted. Let’s get you to your class, alright?” Seungwoong nodded, smiling back before they started to cross the street; he made sure to stop like his brother always said, and look both ways before he did, too. He didn’t notice Jaejoong pause and set down his canvas, looking into his bag. “Wait, Seungwoong,” Jaejoong mumbled a curse so his brother wouldn‘t hear, searching through his bag as a sudden second thought. Didn’t they say most people who did that ‘bump into you’ routine could be pick pocketing you? He checked his things to make sure.
Many things caught his attention at once. As he started to zip up his bag, he realized with a jerk that his little brother wasn’t waiting by his side. At the same time, the sound of horns and screeching reached his ears, snapping his attention to the road at the left. A large red pick-up truck missed colliding with a car head on, swerving out and still speeding along…There was barely a moment before that made him turn frantically to the middle of the street ahead, where Seungwoong had been walking, but was stopping as the sounds caught his attention as well. He gasped sharply.
“SEUNG WOONG!!” he screamed. The world slowed down, as his younger brother started to turn toward him, but caught sight of the red truck speeding for him. Both brother’s eyes widened; one stared in paralyzed fear. The other moved without a thought. The canvas and bag hit the ground; once precious paints and tools breaking and cracking upon the pavement as they spilled out. They were no longer important.
Jaejoong dashed across the road, spurred on by the adrenaline that seemed to envelop him within an instant and pure fear. There wasn’t a thought that he had time to process, only his life standing in the middle of the street, right in his sights. Jaejoong would have bet anyone that he had sped faster than the truck within that moment… if he’d ever had the chance to. He ran straight into his brother, practically stretched out, and shoved him hard off of the ground and out of the way.
He hoped he hadn’t hurt him, was the last thought he could think before the truck struck, knocking him off of his feet and to the ground before the heavy tires ran over him.
__________________
Jaded eyes watched the flat screen TV uninterestedly, following the players on the field as they dashed across the grass, balancing both passing and dodging in a myriad of teamwork and skill. The black and white ball was kicked in a soaring shot, flying past the goalie and into the goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy of cheers. The hand gripping the remote control clenched; a finger sliding over the buttons as the sports commentators spoke.
“Amazing! Did you see that?”
“I think we’re watching history in the making here!”
“I‘m telling you, I think this new kid is going places.”
“I haven’t seen talent this prominent and fierce since Kim Ju--” The screen blinked off, leaving nothing but a black screen and a faint reflection of a form lying on the couch. Silence prevailed, filling the room to an almost unbearable level.
A barely audible beeping sounded, coming from the watch on his arm. Junsu glanced at it, sighing as he realized what time it was. At least another appointment meant he had something to do; that much he was grateful for. Then again, it only served to remind him even more than it already did. He closed his eyes, taking another moment in silence…He broke it, sitting up and stretching before it could draw him in too deep. They had told him it was best to stay active; …it was always easy to know everything when you were standing on the outside looking in.
He swung his legs off of the couch, standing to his feet and looking around the plain room. He spotted his keys on the kitchen counter; sitting amongst a clutter of meds, water bottles, and leftover take out. The brunet grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on, making his way over to the counter with awkward steps. Snatching up the ring of keys, he started to head for the door before he stopped, glancing down at the silver cane resting in the corner beside the apartment door. His lips thinned, before he limped over and grabbed it silently on his way out; his walk hardly better than before.
The afternoon air was a bit cool as he had expected and he trudged along the second level of the apartment building, heading for the stairs. Another resident came up, passing by him without a word but eying the cane curiously like they always did. He said nothing, letting her pass and felt his eyes shift to the apartment door next to his own. 215 stood silently, seemingly lonely and far too quiet.
‘I wonder…if he’s there today.’
The ‘5’ was hanging crooked again and Junsu reluctantly stepped over, solemnly sliding it slowly back in place. His fingers lingered for a moment.
‘Would you write me a song…?’
He shook his head in disgust, breaking that train of thought and walking away quickly. Pathetic. He always sought after what he couldn’t have, couldn’t handle. Even his father had told him as much when he was younger. ‘Song?’ He’d had two options long ago and he’d chosen one, letting the other fade and wither; failed at the choice he had made. What was the point of trying to start something new? Junsu made his way down the stairs, being cautious and careful not to trip.
Who wanted a broken has-been for a singer?
__________________
He wasn’t sure what had woken him up; a quiet scraping had eased into his senses, the quiet sound louder than it normally would’ve been. His head was starting to throb and he cracked open his heavy eyelids to stare at the wall beside his bed. No…couch. He hadn’t made it to the bedroom if he recalled correctly. Yoochun groaned, rolling over to fall ungracefully on the floor. He muttered a curse, brushing aside balled up sheets of paper and an upturned ashtray.
His shirt was damp, a thing he found strange until he noticed the empty beer bottle on the floor. He must have fallen asleep with it last night. Standing up with a grunt, he swayed slightly before glancing around in search of a clock. What time was it? A bright red dot glowed in the left corner of his vision, and he walked over to the answering machine that sat waiting to be checked, ignoring the scattered mess of the apartment. Pressing the button and slumping against the wall, he glanced around hesitantly, eyes locking onto the keyboard that sat on his coffee table, surrounded by sheet music and pens. The machine beeped and he winced. He couldn’t even remember the hook he‘d been working on…
“Yah, Micky-bay~bee. You wanted your old pal to give you a deal, right? Well, you owe me. Bring me your best stuff down to the studio and I’ll see what I can do okay? 2 P.M, don’t be late. …And, Micky, call me alright buddy? You haven’t been the same since……call me, alright?” click.
Yoochun raked a hand through his long dark hair, unplugging the machine with the other. Good. That was good news. He hadn’t had a breakthrough or solid deal in a while. A long while. Standing back on his feet, he leaned forward to glance at the digital clock beside the machine. His eyes widened and he let out a vehement curse. Shit! Nearly stumbling, he made a run for the bedroom to find some decent clothes and take what just managed to pass as a shower. Minutes later, he briskly strode out into his living room, a folder in hand as he searched the room for the sheets of music he barely remembered having the other night.
He gave a small cry of joy at finding them under the keyboard, and promptly put them in the folder after a short moment of arranging the sheets neatly. There wasn’t any coffee in the cabinets, so he settled for an aspirin with a swig of some half-empty energy drink in the fridge. Yoochun gave his pockets a pat, looking around the room for his car keys. He spotted them in a candy dish on the floor, along with a near-depleted pack of cigarettes and his lighter. A lock of hair fell into his face as he rushed over to nab the pack and set of keys; he pushed it behind his ear and lit up the white cancer stick, drawing in a slow breath and then exhaling. The keys jingled as he took it away from his mouth and he stopped, staring at the hand that held both items with a growing somber expression.
“Oy, didn’t I tell you to stop smoking?”
“I’m trying. It takes a while.”
“Whatever, bro. Guess what I just bought?”
“We get a huge deal on a song and you spend your half already?”
“Tch, like you didn’t. Come here, come here….Check it out, pretty isn’t it?”
“…An SUV? Are you serious?”
Laugh. “As a heart attack.”
Yoochun dropped the cigarette and smashed it with the heel of his shoe, holding the keys tightly in his hand as he made sure to lock the door before leaving. The air was a bit breezy, but he didn’t bother worrying about a jacket. He was going to be pushing it close as it was. Taking the steps two at a time, he jogged out to the parking lot and unlocked the forest green SUV that was parked slightly crooked. He didn’t remember doing that; …he couldn’t remember much after breaking down--the thought passed.
Jumping into the front seat, he laid the folder in the passenger seat and cranked up the car, backing out slowly and glancing at the clock: 1:45 P.M. He could make it with no problem at this rate. He shifted into drive and began to head out of the parking lot, looking around to make sure no one else was in the way. Someone else standing with their car caught the musician’s attention and he turned with mild curiosity.
It was his neighbor…Junsu. Yoochun didn’t know him that well, hardly at all since they had only talked once or twice within the year the guy had been here…if mumbled greetings or nods of recognition counted as ‘talking’. He didn’t know much about him either, aside from his past stardom status that the other tried to hide, which had ended after his leg injury. He also knew that the guy was living off of his insurance money, but that wasn’t important; Junsu-ssi didn’t seem as if he used it for anything expensive, other than the nice car he drove that currently had it’s hood up as the owner inspected it. He wondered if the man expected the money to just last …or if he even cared at all.
Yoochun blinked, realizing what he’d just observed. Hood up? He double-checked, lighting up another cigarette absentmindedly. Hn. Apparently he’d left the lights on all night; it wasn’t starting. He didn’t know if Junsu knew anything about cars, but unless he had a jumper cable and another willing car owner, he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon and it looked like he was anxious. A feeling came over him, and he stared, eyes traveling down to the cane in the man’s right hand. He wasn’t sure why, but…he didn’t want to leave him here. The hesitance barely lasted before he made up his mind without question. He pressed the car on forward, pulling up as close as he could before rolling down the window and plucking the cigarette from his mouth.
“Hey…You need a ride?” he called.
Junsu jumped lightly, glancing up at the voice that had called out. He froze when he noticed who it was, feeling a mix of content and embarrassment. So he wasn’t staying shut in today…“Um, sorry?”
Yoochun gestured to his car. “You left your lights on, right?” A nod. “The car won’t start unless you get someone to give you a jump and I don’t have any jumper cables on me…you want a lift?” he asked again. From where he sat, he couldn’t see the light blush that came across Junsu’s face.
“A-ah. Thank you.” he closed the hood and locked his car, dropping the keys into his pocket as he walked, eyes cast down to his feet as he shuffled along. He didn’t want to see those eyes as they glanced down to watch him limp like a cripple. The brunet made his way to the passenger side, opening the door and stepping up into vehicle. Yoochun moved a folder out of the way so he could sit and drove off once he was settled and buckled in. “Thanks.” he repeated quietly.
“No problem. …Where do you need to go?” the man pressed the cig to his lips, drawing in.
“A doctor’s appointment. I…leg.” Junsu finished lamely. Yoochun merely nodded, turning onto the street and exhaling smoke as he talked.
“The hospital, right?” A nod. He glanced at his right side mirror, catching sight of the other male’s face as his nose twitched. His eyebrows lifted at the frown and he lowered the window to flick the unfinished cig quickly. There hadn’t been another passenger in this car for a while now, he’d forgotten…just how long had he been unsocial? He shook his head, avoiding the other’s gaze at the action and glanced at his dashboard, only for his eyes to widen again. “Damn.”
“What?” Yoochun winced. Oops; bad habit around people you didn’t know.
“Ah, sorry. I just realized I’m dangerously close to ‘E’.” A severe understatement. “We’re just gonna have to make a pit stop.”
Junsu nodded in understanding. “Okay.” The rest of the drive was made in silence, almost uncomfortable but…not quite. One made a point of staring out of the window at anything, anything to keep from glancing at the driver. The other was inwardly torn about whether to use this chance to re-enter the social world and talk to someone, or to just leave it alone. The guy probably didn’t want to talk anyway. A gas station finally came into view and Yoochun thanked his lucky stars as he turned into the lot. No sooner than he did, the car began to halt in a jerky manner, running practically on gasoline fumes. He frantically found a spot to park, sighing when he made it just in time before the car gave out. A muffled snigger caught his ears and he looked up in confusion at his passenger.
Junsu bit his lip. “Close to ‘E’, huh. You always leave the house with just a drop of gasoline in the car?” he teased quietly. He wasn’t sure why he dared to but he couldn’t help it. Yoochun blinked at him in mild surprise, before smiling and shaking his head.
“I didn’t know I had left it that low…” he looked around, not noticing any workers. He had been sure that this wasn’t a self-serve station; oh well. He turned to Junsu, opening his door to get out. “Don’t bother getting out, I’ve got it.”
The brunet frowned, figuring that he was thinking of him as some invalid. “I can--”
“It’s not that,” Yoochun said, having noticed the affronted look, and waved his hands in peace. He reached over, tugging at the man’s seat belt, and missed the blush the action caused. “It’s this seatbelt. It’s been… ‘funny’ for a long time, but I’ve never thought to get it fixed. We’ll worry about it when I drop you off.” He left off the fact that he’d never had to, since there hadn’t been another passenger in this car since the past year. Junsu made an ‘o’ with his mouth, nodding. Yoochun flashed a thin smile, getting out and jogging to the small station building.
Left alone, the male rested his head against the glass, watching nothing in particular. There was only one or two other cars nearby; in one he could see a woman, obviously waiting like he was. The other was empty, and he couldn’t see any workers. Wasn’t this one non-self serving? Hm. His gaze traveled down inside the car, landing onto the folder stuck between the two front seats. A curious eye brow rose, and even though he knew he shouldn’t, he plucked it gently, opening it and leafing through the papers inside. Brown eyes widened as he took in the carefully marked notes and words of the song, it’s title hastily scribbled at the top; it was in English. He hadn’t known that Yoochun knew English…
From underneath the trees
We watched the sky
Confusing stars, for satellites
“F..From under…neath the trees…” he stumbled over the words with his limited knowledge of the language, trying to understand what he was reading. “We…watch the sky…con…confusing….stars for…satel-.” he shook his head. What? That’s what he got for snooping. He trailed his fingers down the page, daring for once to wish that he’d thought more about his decision a long time ago. He was sure this was a beautiful song…
A barely audible yell sounded from the direction of the small building, causing him to look up. He narrowed his eyes in confusion, spotting the woman in the other car who had heard as well. There was nothing for a few minutes but then two loud blasts sounded; gunshots. Junsu shot up in shock, both frightened and worried. He hoped he had heard wrong, and frowned, watching and listening. There were two more definite gun shots, but then--
An explosion, louder and more staggering than anything he’d ever experienced shook the ground and the car; a chunk of the building had just blown away, and he could feel the heat surrounding the place as a fire began to spread and bits of debris fell. Stunned, Junsu stared in shock as the only other person outside with him screamed.
Wha…What…? He was distracted from the damage as the station door was banged open; a man swathed in dark clothing was fleeing quickly. He stumbled in his haste, dropping a gun as his feet caught him up. Stringy black hair clung to his face, unable to hide the odd scar that marred it. The woman in her car screamed again, as other people were starting to flee from the burning station; one clutching his bleeding shoulder. The stranger jumped to his feet and ran out of sight, cursing.
Junsu realized he had stopped breathing, but he didn’t allow himself to start back as he searched the panicked few running to their cars or as far away as possible. Yoochun! He couldn’t see him. He pressed against the window, his eyes locked onto the station door, willing, wishing, hoping--
The door slammed open again as a figure rushed out, running like a bat out of a literal hell. The frantic brunet let out the breath he’d been holding as relief flooded him. Thank goodness. Yoochun looked fine, if not scared out of his wits. The dark haired male flung himself at the driver’s side door, wrenching it open and hopping inside, fumbling with his keys. He was panting, completely uneasy with what had just happened. Junsu flinched as part of the station crumbled with a loud crash.
“What just--”
“Some loon tried to rob the place, screwed up and shot something.” Yoochun rushed, cranking the car and trying to floor it out of there. They had to get away. He was met with sounds of protest from the vehicle; it merely giving a jerk before it refused to budge at all. Junsu let out a dismayed cry and he slammed his hands on the wheel. “Damnit!” They never got any gas. The fire was completely engulfing the place now, reaching the high roof that extended over the cars parked nearby. Damn the car, Yoochun thought, and turned to the other man. “Forget it, let’s get out of here!” Junsu nodded anxiously and the two opened their doors to get out. The taller male was already out and starting to run when he heard his name called hysterically. He turned back, noticing the other man still in the car.
“Y-Yoochun!” Junsu jerked in his seat, face pale. “I can’t get out! This seat belt…!” The man ran back and crawled in across the driver seat, leaning down to inspect it. The brunet pressed the release button and tugged it to show him. It was halfway out, but wouldn’t give an inch past that. “I think it’s stuck!”
“Not today, not now…” Yoochun murmured, tugging on it violently. Everything was burning down too close to them and even if they were a bit safe from any flames reaching, it still wasn’t safe to be here. The belt went back in, then refused to move even halfway out like before. He jerked on it, starting to fret.
“Stop!” Junsu said, looking at him. The musician could see how frightened he was. “G-Go get help! If you hurry I should be fine.” he pleaded, yet he was shaking. His body was betraying his words; he didn’t want to be alone.
Yoochun glared. “I’m not leaving you here!” There was another crash and spark as something flammable went up in flames. He shook off his growing fear, working on the seat belt again and avoiding those large frightened eyes. “Don’t worry, I can get this before any flames manage to reach us. It can’t get to the gasoline; the tanks run underground.” A hand covered his abruptly, halting his efforts. A quivering voice reached his ears.
“That’s not the problem…” He looked up, puzzled, to see Junsu staring out of the window, upwards. Apprehensive, he leaned forward until he was able to see the same thing. A large crack was widening in roof structure above them, loosening with every crumble and raining fragments. One of the support pillars gave an ominous creak, then broke completely, halting for a moment. The two stared, frozen. “…Run…” Junsu whispered, barely audible. There was no response.
The pillar broke away, causing a large mass of the roof to crumble and fall. The last thing Junsu felt as tears mercifully blurred his vision, was Yoochun’s hand tightening around his own before the section of the roof came crashing down and crushed the car.
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“Okay boys, let’s move it, move it!” Uniformed men rushed about; figures hopping onto the large red fire engine that sat parked and waiting amongst the backdrop of synchronized commotion and a loud, ringing alarm. The chief gave everything a once over before joining the driver in the front with an affirmative nod. “Let’s go!”
The sirens wailed, signaling to everyone within hearing range that there could be a serious crisis at hand. They were there to see to it that the situation was controlled, safety was established, and if need be, lives saved. They were firemen, a job that took bravery and strength. Cars ahead of them slowed and pulled to the side, letting them pass to do their duty. There were two men riding at the tail of the truck, holding on securely while the rest rode inside.
Heechul nudged his partner, gesturing to the quiet male sitting across from them when Siwon turned to him inquiringly. Upon seeing him, the two shared similar knowing smirks; the contemplative fireman unaware.
“Is this really the time to be daydreaming, rookie?” Heechul called. The mild tease broke Changmin out of his musings and he rolled his eyes when he’d realized what had been said.
“I’ve been at this for two years already, don’t you think it’s time to drop the ‘rookie’ term?” he said with an eyebrow raised. All of the other guys had dropped the name when referring to him long ago, but Heechul sunbae, a man who had had his own share of trouble getting people to take him seriously in this job, had yet to refer to him by his name alone. “And I wasn’t…daydreaming.” he added as an afterthought. He turned to hide his expression.
“Yeah, right…”
Siwon shook his head at the two of them, nudging Heechul as a sign to behave. He turned back to their ‘rookie’ smiling; the guy couldn’t fool him. “Changmin ah.”
“Hm?” Changmin hardly turned, staring out of the small window as buildings blurred past and the sirens wailed; sounds they were all used to by now. A lift of the eyebrow was the only sign he was listening.
“I saw you earlier in the locker room. That ring you were holding…who’s the lucky girl?” he said with a grin. Heechul had a look of genuine surprise.
“Ring?” he looked at Changmin. The male had bit his lip, unsuccessfully trying to stifle his smile. Caught. “Ring?!” he laughed. “Who is it, when’s the wedding, and where is my invitation?”
Changmin refrained from blushing and shook his head. “You’re nuts. I haven’t even asked yet and this is hardly the time…” He turned away, ignoring his hyung’s insistent whines that followed. In truth, he didn’t want to talk about it. Merely the thought was causing his heart rate to quicken. He needed to be calm, this job was rushing enough as it was. He tucked away a reminder at the back of his mind. ‘Remember. 6 PM. Be at the airport after work.’ He mentally snorted.
As if he could forget.
“C’mon, just tell me!” Heechul pleaded, even as the fire truck stopped, braking at their destination. “Just a letter!” Siwon pushed him, eager to get out. Changmin sighed, knowing they’d be at this all day if he didn’t comply.
“Fine,” he muttered loud enough, opening the door and looking over his shoulder. “K.” He was rewarded with a satisfied grin from the other man, before they all exited the vehicle and immediately took on more professional persona as they took in their newest mission.
The fire had begun to rage wildly; roaring flames incinerating every flammable surface of the ruined gas station. The high roof that stood over the station and lot was weakened, crumbling and breaking off in bits from the intense heat. It was a bad one; Changmin had seen worse, but he never doubted or put one fire above another. They were all just as dangerous.
They were immediately at work, freeing the hoses and attaching them to the nearest hydrants. Another fire engine joined theirs within minutes, bringing another team to help. The chief called out instructions, taking in what needed to be dealt with the quickest and choosing the best men for it.
“Kim, Choi!” he rounded the pair up and pointed towards the people who were starting to make a crowd. “Get these bystanders back, I’ve got a crushed SUV over here, check it, make sure there’s no one inside or in need of help.”
“Yes sir!”
“The rest of you boys, let’s get this fire doused!”
Changmin nodded with the rest, busy securing one of the hoses to a hydrant. He gave a thumbs up, signaling to those manning the hose that they were set. The men waited until another signal was given; the area had been checked thoroughly for gas leakage, and was now secure. Water blasted out in a stream, arching over the station to cool the wild flames. He stood to his feet and jogged toward another hose to help handle it, but an anguished scream to his right caught his attention. Turning around, his eyes widened as a woman came running--a frantic man was chasing after her--undeniably intent on reaching the burning structure behind him. He blocked her path and caught her, grasping her firmly by the arms as she struggled violently.
“Nooo! Let me--let me go! You don’t understand!” she screamed. The man that had given chase reached them, throwing his arms around the woman to hold her securely.
“Stop this!” he cried, panting. She pointedly ignored him.
Changmin forced her to look at him, trying to catch her eyes so she would listen. “Ma’am, ma’am, please. You cannot go near this building, it’s far too dangerous.” he warned. The woman nearly broke free of his grasp, violently protesting.
“But my daughter!” she wailed. Changmin tensed, feeling a sense of dread at those simple words. He narrowed his eyes sternly, immediately realizing the situation.
“Your daughter? Your daughter is still inside?” he questioned urgently. The woman nodded, her body shuddering with worried sobs as she spoke.
“Y-Yes! We looked and asked every where for her, but she isn’t out here. She has to still be inside, s-she’s--” Her husband held her, taking over with a grim face.
“Jimin; She’d gone to the bathroom before everything happened here, she has to be inside!” he urged, although one could tell he’d already prepared himself for the worst. Changmin didn’t waste time, nodding as he took in the information and felt a fierce sense of duty override him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll going to go in for her.” he promised, releasing the mother and heading for the truck to grab an axe. He plucked the hefty tool from it’s compartment, and headed straight for the burning station. “Chief!” he called as he passed, “We’ve got a kid inside, I’m going in!”
The man nodded from his position on a hose, turning to call over his shoulder. “Kangin! Donghae!” the two men came forward at his call. “I want you with Changmin; we’ve got someone inside!” They both nodded and followed after the younger man at once.
Changmin was already plunging into the burning entrance by his last word; flames licking at his resistant jacket as he passed the charred doorway. Heat engulfed him as he glanced quickly around the building. The area was lit in a gold-red hue from the fire that surrounded him, and hardly a thing was distinguishable amongst the smoke as he peered through his visor. His gloved hand tightened around the axe handle as he made his way through the debris that littered the ground. There was hardly a thing not aflame, as it was a small station, but that made it easier to figure out where the girl could be. At the back he could make out two doors; one had fallen halfway off of it’s hinges, falling against the door across from it. Because the doors opened outward, this one was effectively pinning the other in place. If anyone was inside…
“Is any one in here!” Donghae yelled, holding onto a hose as he followed, keeping an eye out. Kangin walked close to Changmin as they made their way cautiously towards the back. Changmin kept low, so as not to inhale the smoke and moved obstacles away with the head of the axe. Within feet of the doors, the eldest firefighter caught sight of a body lying on the ground, unconscious. There was also a very weak banging, coming from the pinned door. The trio made their way over quickly, reaching the bathroom doors. As Kangin crouched down to inspect the man on the ground, Changmin leaned towards the door and knocked with a gloved hand.
A faint, child’s voice sounded. “Help! Somebody help me!” There was a hacking cough. “I-I can’t get out!”
Changmin laid a hand on the door, speaking loudly. “Is your name Jimin?”
“Yes!”
Kangin gave a small grunt as he stood with male victim, who was rather heavy set and out cold. Giving Donghae a pointed look, he pulled one of the man’s arms over his shoulder to hold him properly. “Give me a hand here, he’s out from the smoke and needs medical attention as soon as possible.” Donghae came over to the other side of the man, copying Kangin’s tactic in holding him. He turned back to look at Changmin.
“We’ll get this guy out of here while you save the kid.” His dongsaeng gave an affirmative nod, turning his attention back to the door as they made their way to the front.
“Jimin, stand back, alright? I’m going to use an axe on the door,” he called.
“O-okay!” he heard shuffling as she moved away, and adjusted his grip on the sturdy tool before hacking the fallen door that blocked the way into two, after a few powerful swings. He kicked the broken wood away, turning to face the remaining door. He checked the knob, assuming it to be already unlocked from the girl’s attempts to get out. It swung open with ease (he noticed the small jacket the girl had smartly stuffed under the door) and inside the small bathroom, he could just make out the huddled form beside the commode, shaking in fear at the sudden wave of heat and smoke that rushed in.
“Jimin,” he crouched down in all haste, reaching for the girl. She crawled forward; a short child who could’ve have been older than nine or ten. Letting her encircle her arms around his neck, he hefted her up into his, being mindful of the axe. “Let’s get you out of here!” she nodded with a violent cough, and he stood, turning to leave the bathroom. “Don’t breathe in the smoke, I‘m going to get you to your parents.”
The pair exited the bathroom, just as a familiar voice sounded from near the entrance. “Changmin!” his sunbae came into view, ducking low to avoid the smoke. “You found her?” Heechul called.
“Yes!”
“Let’s go! The fire’s gotten too much of the roof outside--” There was a resounding crash as part of the very roof nearly fell in, breaking under the heat and pressure. Jimin gave a muffled scream that broke Changmin from any chance he might’ve had to freeze.
“Go! I’m right behind you!” he yelled sternly, and Heechul nodded, turning back to the door as the younger man followed suit and ran as quickly as he could with his charge. The elder man gave a quick glance behind him, only escaping through the door when he was sure they were close behind. The minute he did, however, there was a loud creak as the roof above the doorway crumbled and caved in on itself. Heechul whirled around in horror, screaming as the girl’s parents did as well.
“CHANGMIN!”
“JIMIN!”
Inside, Changmin halted, dropping his axe to shield Jimin as the roof fell in. Small hands gripped tightly onto his coat, frightened whimpers muffled as she buried her face into his shoulder. Damn! he mentally swore, dropping to his knees as small debris showered onto them. He could make out the entrance; it was blocked and burning, cutting off their escape. Sounds of commotion could be heard as other fire fighters moved about outside.
No. They had to make it out, they had to!
“Changmin!” he heard his name, surprisingly clearer than he expected.
“Hyung?” he questioned loudly. Movement caught his attention and he spotted daylight at the bottom of the entrance he’d thought to be completely blocked. Keeping Jimin close in his arms, he moved to the fallen heap in the burning doorway. There was a small opening, unsteady but there. “Hyung!”
Heechul’s face appeared on the other side, close to the ground as he peered through. “Changmin! Are you two all right?”
Changmin coughed from the dust and smoke, giving Jimin a once over before nodding. “Yes, fine but she needs to get out of here. She’s wont last long with this smoke!” The girl’s body shook as she coughed again, as if proving his point. Heechul’s mouth thinned as he thought. Another face appeared next to his--Siwon; the man gave the opening a good look before peering in at Changmin.
“Min, is the girl small enough to fit through this?” he called out. Changmin looked at the child and back, thinking.
“I think so! Should we risk it?” he called back.
Heechul shook his head, keeping an eye above them in case it got too dangerous for them to be so close. “Some of the debris is burning, she might get burned!”
Changmin frowned, feeling sweat trickle down his nape from the heat. His eyes lit up as he looked at Jimin. “Hold on!” he called to them, before grasping the girl’s hand to get her attention. “Jimin?”
“Are we going to die?” she murmured, tears streaming down her face as she looked up from his shoulder. She cringed at the sight of the roof burning above them, and he turned her face back to him. It was too hot in here, he feared she would faint if they didn’t get her out.
“No, no. We’re going to get you out of here, alright?” he said in a firm tone. He pointed to the opening. “See that hole? You should be small enough to get through it, there are two men on the other side who will help you.” Her eyes widened.
“But the fire--”
“Here,” he set her down close, still crouching and undid his coat. Slipping it off, he draped it around her; with her small frame the large coat was able to cover her head even with her arms in the sleeves. She looked at him in confusion, jumping as the fire crackled loudly nearby. “My coat is fire proof, so you wont get burned and those men will pull you all the way through, okay?” It was heavy, but if Heechul and Siwon grabbed her and pulled her out, he wouldn’t have to worry about it weighing her down.
Jimin nodded, frightened, and crawled toward the hole. Changmin leaned down as well, shouting. “She’s coming through now, you guys got her?” There were two affirmative yells. As Jimin started to crawl through the opening, there was another sudden crack; Changmin gazed up, eyes widening as he saw the flaming roof breaking apart. Burning sections rained down, falling toward Jimin’s bare legs. A few landed close, causing her to shriek in panic as she shuffled forward. Heechul and Siwon reached in to grab her arms, ready to pull.
The burning roof began to break and collapse and Changmin lunged forward to give the girl a push. “The roof is falling! GO, GO!” he called. Sections began to fall and Jimin screamed in fear as Heechul and Siwon each grasped an arm and yanked her out in an instant, putting her out of harms way. The second she was clear, Changmin scrambled back, leaping out of the way as the rest of the roof fell. A bit of rubble caught his foot as it dropped, slowing him too long for him to get out of the way as a larger fragment fell right on top of his legs, pinning him down.
Changmin cried out in pain at the abrupt pressure; it may not have broken anything, but he wasn’t going any where now. His helmet had fallen off, and he squirmed in vain to move away from a burning flame too close to him for comfort. Faintly, he could hear his name being called frantically, but he knew if it was barely heard in here, they wouldn’t hear him calling back out there. The thick smoke burned his lungs and he coughed, sweat and dirt coating his skin and hair as he looked around for something that could help him in any way.
It was hard to avoid looking at the burning rooftop, at least what remained of it, when you were flat on your back and completely facing it. Changmin felt his heart rate quicken and averted his eyes as he tried to gaze at something else.
Pinned. Fire everywhere. It was the first time he’d actually thought about the possibility of burning alive. As a fire fighter, it had to be a thought somewhere in the back of the mind, but he fought fires. He’d never really thought….He coughed again, inadvertently inhaling in more smoke as he tried to gain his breath back. His eyes watered, stinging from the coughing spell and dangerous fumes. An intense heat was gathering near his right leg and he looked down in a panic, thinking that he might have caught on fire. The fallen segments of roof were burning, but he was protected by his pants. He wondered how long.
I can’t die here.
He thought urgently. I can’t.
The panicked male desperately tried to sit up, attempting to pull his leg out. A jolt of pain sent him lying back again, biting his lip to keep himself from going into another coughing fit. The smoke felt like it was wrapping around his lungs; it was poisoning him. His vision blurred slightly, sending the view of the burning roof into nothing but a mesh of flaming orange.
He didn’t know how much time had passed; he was sent into a series of coughs every second it seemed and he could focus on nothing but the disorienting orange flames all around him. His eyes were half-lidded in his daze and Changmin was sure he couldn’t have cried for help now even if he wanted. His throat felt raw. Everything was too hot, burning, burning. He was loosing track of thought.
He couldn’t stay here. He had somewhere to be…somewhere after….work. His eyes watered again, but he didn’t know if it was from the smoke or not. Everything felt so faint…
“What do you want from me?”
“…Come home.”
“Japan is my home…”
“Kei…”
“I thought we agreed that it was over--at least, that we needed a break.”
“I know that. …I’m done with this break. We might have meant well, but…”
“But what?”
“I miss you.”
“…You can’t just--”
“Damn it, Kei. We can’t ‘take a break’ every time there’s trouble. What’s the point if we can’t face it together? I don’t want to lose you and I don’t plan to let you leave next time something happens.”
“And just how are you going to manage that?”
“Trust me…I want you with me…I need you. Please…”
“……”
“Kei…”
“……Okay…Okay, I’ll come back. Only because I missed you too. I‘ll tell you the time and date. Alright?”
“Alright. …Kei…I love--”
“No. …I want to see you when you say it. Wait till then. I l--bye.”
“Bye…”
Changmin closed his eyes, conjuring up a better vision from memory than reality could offer at the moment. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye, and he sighed his last breath with the faintest of words.
“I love you, Keita.”
{::to be continued ::}
Oh thank goodness O_O I’m DONE.
…*bursts into sobs and glomps DBSK* What have I done?!? DX I feel so ‘final destination’-ish. I think it got worst with each one too.
*hides*
Solo, luv, I took your advice on everything I believe; I hope I made it a bit more realistic with your bit of advice, especially on Changmin‘s part since I wanted to make the right adaptations without rewriting too much. I love you so much for your time and help~! ^ ^ *glomps*
I'd also like to thank Nickelback for providing the songs that helped me write this 'Someday', 'If Everyone Cared', 'Savin Me', and 'Far Away'. 8D