THE8 | Junhao

|| SPECIAL CHAPTER ||

| 61 Years Later |

Minghao was 86 years old now. Sure, laugh all you want, but it's an age he never expected himself to get to. He feels warmhearted that he's made it this far, and is incredibly happy with all the family and friends that surrounded him.

Minghao married someone when he was 29. And him and his husband adopted a nine year old little boy just a few months later.

He was 44 when he realized just how much his son had grown up. He knew it would happen, but he sobbed in his husband's arms when his son announced his wife's pregnancy. He wasn't ready for his little boy to grow up, and he's glad he had a loving husband by his side to guide him through everything.

Soon enough, Minghao had a little granddaughter running around his house each time his son's family decided to visit.

It felt like flowers were blooming in his chest.

Even when he turned 60, him and Jeonghan still went out for drinks. Minghao was merely tipsy when Jeonghan broke the news.

Stage 3 colon cancer.

Minghao cried a lot that day, realizing that Jeonghan had taken him out to get drunk so he could let him know easily. But it ended up being the complete opposite. Minghao wasn't ready for Jeonghan to go, and he was ready to do anything to keep his best friend by his side.

Jeonghan beat cancer when Minghao turned 62.

Minghao met up with Dino, Mingyu and Wonwoo occasionally. He didn't just ditch them after all they had done for him. The four of them, plus Jeonghan, would always hang out, talking about the old days and laughing hysterically at the jokes Dino was never too old enough to spill.

Minghao checked up on Jungwon every once and a while, happy to find out that he'd settled down with someone he had finally been able to love. Minghao was so happy for him, and Jungwon cried when Minghao told him that he knew Jay would most definitely be proud of him too.

Soonyoung was.... well, he was Soonyoung— Still that bright ball of energy Minghao would never be able to get tired of.

He had taken a little liking to Jihoon, the sniper that had helped Minghao escape that very day. Minghao remembers an insane amount of surprise invade him as soon as his cousin announced their marriage. That was so long ago. Minghao was old, but was he really that old?

He laughs about it now.

When Minghao turned 78, he had to go through Dino's unfortunate passing.

It was so sudden. But Minghao was happy it was a painless death. Just old age. He already misses Dino, but he knows he's floating as free as a dove in the sky. Minghao wondered if he were one of heaven's main angels up there. He was already one in this world, after all.

The universe gave Minghao a three year break before he lost Jeonghan.

He was 80 when Jeonghan's cancer came back, and he was 81 when his best friend couldn't fight it anymore.

Minghao's so thankful to have ever known such an amazing person. And for however long he has left for himself, he'll spend every hour, every minute, every second cherishing Yoon Jeonghan.