Chapter 387: Rest in Peace

*Beep Beep Beep*

"Shit, he's bleeding out."

"He's really pale, and I barely feel a pulse."

"Don't let go of his wound, you idiot!"

"I'm going to faint. June's blood is on my hands."

"It's his precious blood. Keep pressing hard!"

June could hear his surroundings—from the frantic cries of his members to the sound of the hospital machinery.

He could also smell the sterility of the room, but he couldn't seem to open his eyes nor say what he was feeling.

'It fucking hurts,' he thought.

June felt a cold hand grasp onto his, and he instantly recognized it as Minjun. He wanted to tighten his hand around the young teen's, but June couldn't find the strength to do so.

"Bro. I'm sorry. Please wake up. I'll tell you everything!"

"Oh gosh, he's crying. June's crying!" Akira exclaimed.

"You're right! Tears are coming out of the corner of his eyes," Zeth said, concern heard in his voice.

What the hell?

'I'm crying?' June thought.

"What would we do if he dies? Will Zeth become our center? I don't want that."

"Don't even think about it!"

"My big bro's not going to die!"

June could still hear what they were saying, but it was slowly growing more quiet.

Just then, he felt himself being transferred to a harder surface.

"We'll take it from here," an unfamiliar voice said.

"Please take care of him well," Jay said, worry evident in his voice.

The sound of the machines became louder, and the voices became softer.

And then, he finally found the strength to open her eyes.

However, all he saw was white.

"Fuck," he managed to whisper.

He slowly became numb, with the pain of his body fading away.

No more noise.

No more pain.

'This feels nice.'

***

"In the noisy corners of the world of entertainment, a hush has descended as we bid farewell to a truly extraordinary talent. His recent passing has left a void in our hearts, but we are also grateful for having the privilege of experiencing his performances."

A silent sob was heard in the room.

"His journey was not paved with privilege from the outset. Rather, it was a climb, a climb fueled by his burning desire to share his unique perspective with the world. Through the highs and lows, he remained resolute, demonstrating that success is not a destination but a continuous, evolving odyssey."

"He was well loved by his friends, and maybe that's why his passing hurt even more—because only when we love will we be able to feel pain. And that's the beauty and cruelty of life."

"Now, as we reflect on his short legacy, it's impossible not to be moved by his voice and the radiance of his smile. The world feels dimmer without the vibrant colors he brought to it."

"We are forever grateful for the spirit that fueled his journey and for the beauty he shared with our lives."

"You will always be remembered..."

"Choi Min-gi."

"Don't read things like that while June is still in the hospital, you bastard!" Jaeyong exclaimed, slapping the back of Akira's head.

Akira sniffed, wiping his tear-stricken cheeks.

"But he was my favorite actor," Akira said.

"My mom loves him too," Jisung said, sniffing along with Akira.

Jaeyong shook his head and sat on the couch.

"I thought you were talking about June for a second," he worriedly said.

Zeth smiled, patting his thigh.

"His vitals are stable now," he assured. "I'm sure he'll be alright in no time. June's a fighter."

"I know," Jaeyong whispered. "I'm just worried because he hasn't woken up yet."

"Me too," Ren said. "I want to visit him quickly."

"I want that too," Jay said, coming back to the living room after attempting to get Casper out of his room. "But the company told me that there are way too many media outlets outside the hospital right now."

At the very last moment, before the police came, Mansik was able to capture the gun and shoot it at June.

It was perfectly aimed at June's head, but with his instincts, June was able to evade the headshot.

However, since the events happened too fast, June's shoulder was still hit in the process.

"I'm just glad the media didn't paint us to be the bad guys," Sehun said. "It would be the worst if we had to deal with hate comments along with an injured member."

"Some are still hating on us, though," Jisung said.

"But the majority are on our side," Zeth said. "I scrolled through Navel a while ago and saw that most comments are commending us for standing up for what is right."

"I really thought we'd receive harsher backlash," Akira said. "But because of MinMin's post, the public found out the truth."

"I wonder who the guy behind the account is," Zeth said. "Their posts always come up to my feed, and they seem to be a good fan. They also know quite a lot about current events. It's shocking how he exposed Minjun's bullying incident with evidence and all. It even contained some of the footage of our fight that night!"

They all turned to one person.

"Is it you?" Jisung asked Jay.

Jay disappointedly shook his head.

"I hope it was me," Jay said, "but this guy is definitely better than me."

Akira nodded in agreement. "Jay's not that smart, you guys."

Jay glared at Akira while the latter chuckled.

"By the way," Ren said, changing the subject. "Is Casper really not coming out of his room?"

"I tried to get him out, but he says he's on a strike," Jay said.

"A strike for what?" Casper incredulously asked.

"He said he won't go out of his room until June wakes up."

***

It was hard to breathe.

It felt like something was occluding his nostrils, rendering him breathless.

He tried to catch his breath, but it was no use.

The occlusion was still there.

"Doctor! I think he's waking up!" he heard Grandma's voice, causing a small smile to emerge from his face.

"Big bro?" Minjun said, his voice shaky.

He opened his eyes, but all he saw was a dim white.

June frowned.

He was certain he heard Grandma's and Minjun's voices. He could also feel the warmth of somebody's hold on his hands.

However, his surroundings didn't make sense.

Did he actually die and was now recalling his past memories?

He heard frantic footsteps coming out before the dim whiteness became lighter.

Then, he saw familiar and unfamiliar faces looking down on him, smiles playing on their lips.

June stared at the white-haired doctor who was holding onto a white cloth in his hands.

"Why did you cover me with a white cloth again, Dr. Oh?"

"Oh, goodie! He's awake."