☦︎︎ 𝙉𝘾𝙏 𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙏𝙎 ☦︎︎

NOHYUCKMIN - THE END OF THE WORLD

Donghyuck could feel his heart racing, his mind frantic. "No... no... no."

Jeno taps Jaemin on the shoulder and they both turn to look at him. "Should we wake him?" asks Jeno, the morning sunlight now peaking through the curtains.

Jaemin nods, "Sounds like another nightmare."

Jeno leans over and taps Donghyuck awake, "Donghyuck. Donghyuck, you're okay. It was just a dream."

Donghyuck wakes up with a startle and a deep breath. He peers around the dark room, his eyes focusing on Jaemin then Jeno before he comes to his senses. "Was I sleep talking again?"

The two boys nod in response.

Donghyuck hangs his head, "I'm sorry. It's embarrassing that you have to keep waking me like this."

Jeno puts a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, don't worry about it." He smiles at Donghyuck, reassuring him, before getting up and packing his backpack.

"Is the storm coming back this way?" asks Donghyuck to Jaemin.

Jaemin shakes his head. "The storm is going the other way for now, but Jeno heard the meteor is meant to hit within the next 3 days. We figure we should keep moving if we have any chance of surviving."

"The meteor?! I thought you guys were joking about that!" exclaimed Donghyuck as Jaemin passes him his backpack.

"We wouldn't joke about that stuff, Donghyuck," Jeno says putting his coat on and tossing the other's coats to them.

"How big is it? It's- it's just a little meteor, right?"

Jaemin and Jeno exchange looks before looking back at Donghyuck. "Jeno heard it was compared to the meteor that wiped the dinosaurs at the end of the Jurassic period. So, you decide if it's big or not."

"Oh..."

~

The three had been heading North for the past 3 weeks. They didn't have any vehicles, I mean how could they? The roads were littered with empty transport, it would be difficult to get anywhere. They were lucky when they came across a couple of bikes a few weeks ago but the chains snapped and now they were back to on-foot travel.

"Meteor is meant to hit the Meditteranean in approximately 2 days now. We're lucky we have some distance with it but it's not gonna be enough," Jeno turns to the other boys.

"What do you mean?" asks Jaemin, exchanging looks with Donghyuck.

Jeno shakes his head. "Our chances of survival are slim. Half the world's already been taken by the storms, the virus, the bombs. Anyone remaining will be taken out by this. It's like someone wants this entire planet gone."

"Wh-what are you trying to say?!" says Donghyuck, a few tears falling from his eyes. Jaemin puts an arm around him to comfort him.

"I'm saying," Jeno holds a hand of Donghyuck's and a hand of Jaemin's, "these are our final days."

Jeno tries to shine a small smile to the group while Jaemin's eyes widen. "What do you mean?! Jeno! You told us we'd make it through!" his voice was cracked and hurt.

Jeno wraps his arms around the two of them and waits for them to return his hug. Jeno starts to sob quietly and that's the moment when their hearts really sink. Because Jeno has never cried before.

Donghyuck and Jaemin hug tighter and the three stand together, holding each other for one of the last times.

"Are- are you serious, Jeno?" asks Donghyuck.

Jeno hugs the boys tighter before releasing them. He nods and hangs his head down. "I'm sorry, I should've told you sooner. It's just, you- you really had hope. I didn't want to ruin it."

Donghyuck begins to sob furiously and Jaemin links his arms around the two other boys, "Hey, no need to get upset. Jeno, It's not your fault. Don't feel bad. And Donghyuck, don't worry. No matter what happens we'll all still be together."

Donghyuck looks up at Jaemin with tears lining his face, "Really?"

"Mhmm," Jaemin nods, his eyes letting a few tears drop out of them, "isn't that right, Jeno?"

Jeno looks up at Jaemin and smiles when he sees how brave Jaemin is being. "Mmm, we'll all be together. Forever."

The three hug again, even more needy and meaningful than the last one. Jaemin opens his eyes over Jeno's shoulder and notices a hill with a hiking trail. "Do you guys wanna see the stars? It's getting dark anyway. We'll have a perfect view at the top of that trail."

The two separate from Jaemin and nod at his suggestion, Donghyuck still crying all the while. The three interlock their hands and head up the mountain. Jaemin tries to make jokes while they climb up the hill but they don't land very well. I guess the air was a bit too sorrowful for jokes.

When they make it up the trail they spot an old wooden bench; its back was broken and the handles on the sides were missing. Yet somehow it was perfect for the three of them. They made their way over and sat with Donghyuck in the middle so they could hug him tightly.

The three peer out to the night sky and it almost feels like they're going to be okay. They're going to make it out alive. It almost feels unreal, the whole situation they're in. Who would've thought that one pandemic would set the world into an apocalypse?!

Jaemin and Jeno rest their heads on Donghyuck's shoulder and the three begin to sob quietly as they peer out along the tree line and look at the stars. Donghyuck moves his arms around the two boys and he holds them tightly, wishing he never had to let them go.

"I love you two," says Jeno, his voice broken. He shuts his eyes and holds onto the other boys.

Donghyuck peers upwards in the sky, watching something falling very far away from them.

"I love you guys so so much, okay?" says Jaemin, sniffling. He tries to hold back his tears but it doesn't happen and he lets them flood out of him.

Donghyuck hugs the boys tighter. In the distance, he sees that ball of light growing bigger with every passing second. He inhales a heavy breath and closes his eyes too, "I love you both so much," he kisses the tops of their heads gently. He looks up to see the light moving across the night sky. "I'll be with you forever, got it?"

"Got it."

"Got it." The two say in unison.

They grip tightly onto each other, treasuring these moments. Their last moments together. Forever.