City Undertaker || Bang Chan Mafia AU

Epilogue

One year later, Lex, Chan, Minho, Jisung, Felix, Hyunjin, Changbin and Seungmin gathered around the moss-covered stone on Jeongin's birthday. Petals of whatever flowers they found lay dry and shrivelled in front of the stone. Each petal had been a sign of when they thought about him. There were piles amongst piles around the stone. They often left fruit nearby for small wildlife to enjoy.

On an evening with the orange sky shining above them, they gathered in the backyard. They brought a large rug that fitted all of them and set out platters of assorted foods. It was a cool climate and sunset was upon them. They had made Jeongin's favourite food and set the bowl in front of him.

They had all long come to accept what had happened, but that didn't mean they couldn't honour his memory. Deep down, they knew Jeongin wanted them to be happy. That was what he aimed to do in his life, make others smile.

"You sat on my hand!" Changbin whined, tearing his hand away to tuck at his stomach.

"Your hand sat on my butt," Jisung retorted, crossing his legs.

The surrounding friends couldn't help but roll their eyes at the immature interaction. Conversation came by naturally. Jisung started off by stating he had seen a squirrel couple nibbling at the fruits a few days ago. It managed to branch off into stories involving wildlife before leading to their current favourite media. They were free from the shackles that once held them down, enjoying a timeless moment within each other's presence.

Seungmin laughed louder than he had for the last year, it made them all proud to watch. They reminisced the cherished memories they made with Jeongin, but this time, it filled the air with laughter. The sound was refreshing to their ears. It had been so long, and to have each of their friends by their side was a blessing.

Though they had a long journey ahead of them, having each other gave them a ray of hope. There were still nights when they experienced a moment of weakness, but they could always count on someone to be there for them, no matter when, where, or what they were doing. They weren't alone.

Hyunjin excused himself for a moment and dashed back into the house. When everyone turned to Seungmin, he only shrugged. Hyunjin returned and brought out a large, flat rectangular object outside, hiding it behind his back as if he didn't want to spoil the surprise for Jeongin. He approached them, bouncing on his heels as a grin graced his face. After cheers of encouragement, Hyunjin held it in front of him, peeking at the top for their reactions.

Jaws dropped, eyes widened, followed by a chorus of clapping. It was a painting of Jeongin, possibly one of the last times he had been smiling. Hyunjin had completed the sketch a year earlier while lounging in his JYP dorm with Seungmin. After what happened, he couldn't bear to look at it.

Then he found that creating this work of art slowly helped him take hold of his emotions. His completed masterpiece commemorated their fallen brother. And it was beautiful. The sight of his bright smile warmed their hearts. They would never stop missing him, but they were going to live for him.

Jisung rested his head on Minho's lap, making obscene references to something he had watched recently. Hyunjin wrestled Seungmin around the neck while Felix cheered them on. Lex felt her heart warm. For a moment, the world felt safe to live in, as long as she was with her friends.

Chan wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he listened to Changbin recount a story. She turned to face him, watching as his eyes lit up while he laughed at a joke Changbin made. Their happiness was contagious, she couldn't help but mirror their smiles. She loved them.

Sana had visited a few times within the months that passed, along with Bam and Mark. Each paid their respects every time they were there. Lex tried to track any remainder of Chaeyoung's family. When the search came up empty, Lex took it upon herself to plant some marigolds in honour of her. While she wished she had been kinder to Chaeyoung, she was going to live in regret about it.

Lex leaned against Chan as she met eyes with Minho. He nodded his head at her as they shared a smile. Their story started with them and ended with them. Their life could finally be at peace, free from crime and part of a new start. Each of them marked their skin with a variation of a fox, it made them feel closer to Jeongin. Lex hadn't gotten hers yet, an aversion to needles had formed sometime during her isolation, but she planned to one day.

So much was uncertain, their future was unpredictable. One thing was certain, they were a family. After searching for so long, they had the one thing they truly wanted. Family.

~

Published: 4th May 2022

I hope you have enjoyed this journey. Thank you for reading!

Please read the next chapters if you're interested in something I want to make for my readers and upcoming projects!