THE sound of the monitors beeping was all she could hear at that moment.

She stared into nothing as she sobbed, the terrifying realization hitting her like a locomotive.

They were dead.

They were all dead.

She let out a small gasp of she felt a pair of weak, clinging arms wrapped around her torso, hugging her closer to their owner. Tears streamed down her face while she sobbed violently.

All she could do at that moment was to beg for an awakening.

She wanted to pinch herself to wake up.

She hoped, more than anything in the world, that she was dreaming.

She hoped that it was a terrible nightmare, which she was soon to be awakened from.

Her heart ached as she heard the doctors hurry inside each room of the seven rooms, then try to do CPR to revive at least one of them.

But it didn't take long for them to give up and come out of each room, announcing their severe apologies and their deep condolences for the pair, who were still hugging each other and crying like there was no tomorrow.

This couldn't be happening.

It was all just a dream, right?

They were going to wake up any second now, and hug them both and apologize for scaring them.

Right?

She stared with heartbreak at each of the rooms, hearing each monitor beeping as if mocking her through her despair.

They were all dead.

There was nothing she could do about it.

Her knees buckled, and she struggled to breathe. The room spun below her feet, and soon enough, she was kneeling onto the floor for support. The boy beside her soon followed.

He hugged her tightly, taking fistful of her shirt while he sobbed.

"M-Mal."

She hugged his waist closer to her and continued to cry. Her heart ached, making her run her hand through his hair while she rethought the past situation over and over again in her mind.

The pain was unbearable.

All she could was to hug the boy and try her best to think of something to do. She wanted to believe it was all a dream.

For the first time ever, she was desperately hoping for a miracle.

Any miracle to save them both.

Any miracle to save her seven friends, who were lying on their deathbed, and to somehow make them alive again.

"We're deeply sorry, ma'am. Would you like to say goodbye before we move their corpses?" She heard the doctor's monotone voice calling, and she could see his feet standing before her through her tears.

She frantically nodded, then pulled herself up. The boy soon followed her by taking her hand through his hysterical sobs.

They followed the doctor towards each room, and tried to keep a straight face as they kissed each of the bodies goodbye.

"Chan... Chan, I love you so much. I promise I'll do my best to make your wish come true." Mal whispered with a violent sob, leaning in to kiss his palm, then his temple.

"Minho. Changbin. I love you both so fucking much. I'm so sorry."

"Hyunjin. Han. You're the best friends I could ever ask for. You helped me through so much, and I love you both so much."

"Seungmin. You're the most beautiful person I've ever encountered, inside and out. I love you a lot..."

She then headed to the final room. The room she dreaded entering so much.

She stood by the bed, staring down at the now limp body before her. His long, mullet-styled hair. His extremely handsome, pretty face. His slim body, the body she loved holding close to her so much.

Now she wouldn't get to hold it again.

The thought terrified her.

"Felix..."

She sat down beside him on the bed, and squeezed his (rather small) hand before kissing it repeatedly. Over and over, knowing that she couldn't stop any time soon.

In a matter of hours, maybe days, the bodies would be buried. She knew she would never see him again even if she tried.

All she wanted to do was hold him between her arms and beg him to wake up.

She leaned in and planted a soft, desperate peck over his lips, hoping for only a moment that he would kiss her back. Then planted repeated, quick kisses all over the soft skin on his face.

"Felix, I love you so much..." she whispered in pure heartbreak, "please, wake up. For me."

No avail.

She held his hand once again and kissed the crown of it gently.

"You're my sunshine... You mean everything to me, Felix," she sobbed as she kissed his soft, dyed-blond hair, "I love you a lot. You shouldn't have suffered like that, neither should the rest. I'm so sorry I let this happen to you. I shouldn't have let you all leave in the first place."

Just then, she felt a weak pair of arms around her torso, followed by soft sobs of heartbreak and despair.

"Noona, don't blame yourself. Please. We should've listened to you..." the younger boy sobbed into her shoulders. Mal wrapped her arms around him immediately to stop him from speaking.

"No, Innie, don't blame yourself or the others about this. I should've stopped you from leaving, it's all my fault."

He shook his head while sobbing.

"No..."

After a few moments of heartbroken sobs in silence, the boy let her go and stared at the dead body before them.

"I-I'm so sorry, hyung. We should've known that we weren't safe here. We should've stayed in America. I wish we didn't do this..."

He planted a small, soft kiss on his friend's forehead.

"I love you so much. I'm going to miss you all for the rest of my life."

Mal let out a sob of pain and agreement, knowing that what her friend was saying was completely true.

"Noona, I'm going to leave you alone with him. I won't intrude anymore. I'll wait for you outside..."

She nodded through her tears and watched his figure leave the room, then turned to Felix's dead body, completely heartbroken and ready to break down at any moment.

"Sunshine... Please don't leave me. You're my everything... Please wake up, and I promise I'll make you happier than ever."

However, she knew that no matter how she put it, they were all gone.

She rested her head against his chest and continued to sob as she clutched his worn out light-blue sweatshirt, hoping he would wake up and hug her tightly.

"Baby, just wake up..."

____________________