Subterranean- Yeonkai

Seeds and ashes

Yeonjun helped Kai into his military uniform. He was still weak from the surgery but insisted on being at the funeral. Yeonjun helped his husband into a wheelchair and they took off in the modified car.

Funerals in the globe worked a little differently than before the war broke out. If they buried everyone who died, there wouldnt be space for anything. Instead, the bodies were all cremated and placed into a biodegradable pouch filled with the seeds of a plant of theirs or their family's choice. The family or spouse then got the plant to take care of. It was like giving them a second chance at life. Something else that was theirs to love.

If someone died and they had no loved ones, their ashes would be added to the soil of a random farmer's greenhouse. In a small way, they would live on to feed their community.

If a prisoner died and their loved ones didnt want their plant or they had no loved ones, their ashes were released outside to join the dust.

Beomgyu's plant pouch contained lilac seeds. The ceiling of the globe turned the sky into dark gray clouds. They lost a leader. Sunshine felt disrespectful.

Soobin saw Kai in the wheelchair and ran up to hug him. The tears built up in his eyes as he said "Im so glad youre alive!"

Taehyun ran up to him after and started loudly sobbing into his shoulder. "Youre alive! Kai dont fucking do that to me ever again!"

Yeonjun wrapped his arms around him from behind when he heard him crying.

Kai held onto his arms and burried his face into his neck. He turned to hug Soobin and Taehyun again. "It doesnt hurt anymore..."

Taehyun wiped his eyes with his pocket square and asked "what doesnt Kai?"

"Thinking about you guys... it doesnt kill me anymore..."

Soobin fell to his knees and started crying on Kai's lap. "I missed you so much. Youre my best friend Kai... now Beomgyu is gone... youre all I have left... YOU CANT LEAVE AGAIN!" He started screaming into Kai's lap "YOU CANT! YOU CANT LEAVE ME AGAIN KAI! BEOMGYU IS GONE! I CANT LOSE YOU!"

Everyone who wasnt crying before, absolutely broke at the sound of pure despair in Soobin's voice.

"Soobin..." his dad pulled him away as the funeral was about to start.

Yeonjun wheeled Kai up towards the front. Taehyun stood on the other side of Soobin.

The pastor started as the clouds got darker. "Friends, family and citizens of the globe. We're gathered here today to remember the life of Beomgyu Choi. He was fearless in every sense of the word. A fearless soldier, a fearless friend and a fearless partner. He sacrificed himself to save our city. His life will live on in all of us because we will not let his memory die. I'd like to invite friends and family to say a few words."

Soobin went up first. He took the podium and started choking his tears back so he could get through this. He let out a small whimper into the microphone which made Kai cry even harder.

"Beomgyu... Beomgyu gave me the happiest two years of my life. He..." Soobin stopped to swallow more tears back. "He drove me crazy every single day. Those who knew him, knew that he never stopped talking but you almost didnt want him too."

The crowd quietly chuckled at the joke because it was true.

"He... hold on, Im so sorry." Soobin drank some water before continuing. "He never missed my birthday or one of our anniversaries... we had plans to get married... I-I even got him a ring..." He held up a small gold metal ring. "This piece of metal is now a symbol of what I lost. I lost the person who made me whole. The person who kept me together as I lost my best friend. What... what am I supposed to do without him now?"