It was the sixteenth of September. 2024. 0503. Luhan was wide awake.

He was sitting on a couch near his bedroom. It was five in the morning, and he had already done every morning routines. He woke up at three and found himself unable to close his eyes. He sat alone in the dark room. Sehun, his roomate, was still deep in slumber.

Luhan heard the knocking sound of rain against his window. He could see black clouds hovering above the town with some help from thunderbolts. It was frightening, as if the sky was angry and opened up a path to Hell. Maybe above that horrendous sight, there was an actual nightmare. Or better, there was Heaven. Either way, it was still scary. Luhan was shivering when a lightning striked, leaving a horrible white mark everytime he rolled his eyes.

He found nothing good to do except laying in fetal position, that until he saw Sehun, still rubbing his eyes, came and sat beside him.

“You’re up early,” said Luhan, forming a smile. “Something happened?”

Sehun simply shook his head. “I just can’t sleep after hearing those lightning. It’s odd, when was the last time we have such a bad weather,” Sehun looked at a clock on the wall, squinting a little because of the dark room. “At five in the morning. Great, I’m not going anywhere today. You’d better follow my lead.”

Luhan chuckled. He grabbed a remote from the table beside him. He turned the TV on, only to be scared and gasping for air.

“—the government commands us to stay away from seashores. All citizens, please prepare yourself, we have to move to the nearest highlands. We estimate that maybe in this noon, the earthquakes will strike and tsunamis will likely crash. It is the first time in such a long time that tectonic plates are crashing continuously—“

Luhan stopped listening after that.

Outside, the sky was screaming a painful song.

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It was the sixteenth of September. 2024. 0712. They were having breakfast.

Sehun ate the last piece of his toast, his eyes were closed in bliss. Luhan frowned. “Is that toast that good?”

“Yes, everything is good at the last time.” Sehun looked as if he was going to cry, but there were no tears on his face. Luhan gripped his coffee mug tighter. “Hyung—no, may I call you Luhan? For today?”

“Why are you acting as if the world are going to end? We still have many tomorrows,” Luhan’s voice was cracked. “We can pack our things now, then we will go to the highland, and—”

“If you want to go, then feel free. But I don’t want to.”

Luhan stared at him. He wanted to say something along the lines “Are you crazy?” or “Just pack your things now” but the only word he could  manage was, “Why?”

Sehun looked away, averting his gaze to the window. It was still raining, and it was worse than earlier. Luhan shifted uncomfortably, still waiting for the answer. The coffee in their mugs were going cold, but they didn’t care. The TV was on and showing the same notification as earlier. Apparently, all the TV’s workers were on their way to the highlands.

“Sometimes we can’t change something that means to be happpened,” he answered. “I think that’s for the best; I will choose ‘Drowning in tsunami, then die’ or ‘Crushed by falling skyscraper, then die’ over ‘Run away, stay in the safe place for awhile, seeing everyone you love suffer, then die of hunger because supplies won’t last forever’. Maybe I’m just hopeless, but I’m staying. Now, I’ll help you pack your things.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“I’m not. Hurry, you have an hour to pack, then I’ll drive to the highland. Or, do you want to go with Xiumin-hyung? I will call hi—”

“No, no, shut up. I’ll pack your things along with mine. Just wait here.”

Sehun watched as Luhan’s back disapears.

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It was the sixteenth of September. 2024. 0734. Sehun unpacked all the things Luhan did for him.

“Why you have to be so difficult?”

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Sehun was ready to get up from his seat, but seeing Luhan’s smile, he sat back.

“Maybe you’re right, or I’m just as hopeless as you,” he said. “Let’s play, Sehun. Let’s be happy. For the last time.”

They got up and played chess. They were laughing despite the fact that everyone in the neighborhood already moved away. They were happy even when their friends were calling and texting them to hurry up.

Luhan smiled when he saw that, even when disaster happened and war was coming, the Kings and Queens remained side by side.

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It was the sixteenth of September. 2024. 0821. They were laughing in the living room.

Both of them were laying on the floor, not caring that they were the only ones that was still in the town. Jongin had given up calling, Minseok stopped texting. They thinked Sehun and Luhan were already on their way to the safe place.

Luhan laughed when Sehun pinpointed that. “Hey, they’re right. We’re going to the safe place, anyway,” Luhan said, eyes closed. “Heaven is a safe place, right?”

“But only you who will go to that place.”

Luhan rolled over so he was facing Sehun, arm rested on his head. The younger blinked, not because of the lack of space, but because Luhan was frowning. “Why? We can go together.”

“I will be a very bad angel, Luhan.”

“Then, let’s go to Hell.”

“You will find yourself being kicked out; You will be a very bad demon.”

“Well, demons are supposed to be bad, right?”

“We’re not having this conversation, Lu. You know what I mean.”

There was silence. Luhan didn’t move an inch from his position. The sky went white and lightning striked.

“Lu, are you sure about this? You don’t have to feel bad about me. It’s not too late to pack,” said Sehun. Luhan smiled.

“This is my decision. I want to stay with you.”

“You’re so cheesy.”

“You love me, anyway.”

They didn’t know who leaned first, or who kissed first. Luhan did nothing when Sehun held his hands. It was warm against his cold palm.

Outside, the sky went white and lightning striked.

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It was the sixteenth of September. 2024. 1042. The ground started shaking.

Sehun held him tight through all the crushing sounds.

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His mind went blank, and the only thing he was aware of was Sehun’s arms enveloping his trembling body in a tight hug. He was glad to hear Sehun’s encouraging words with whimpering voice. He was not the only one who was scared.

It was for the first and last time, both of them. But they were happy, and that was the most important part.

Kings and Queens remained side by side, and that was all that mattered.