The sound of a train passing by the fields resounded in the quiet little home situated beside a flower field. The morning sunlight streamed into a room past fluttering curtains. There, on the bed, laid a young man, his ash blond hair messily strewn over the pillows.
A soft cry broke the silence, waking the male. Sitting up, he looked to his side, smiling softly as he spotted the source of the cry.
His 2-year-old princess was pushing her twin brother’s head which was lying on her stomach, making her uncomfortable. Helping her, he lifted his son and placed him back onto the bed on the other side.
Getting off the bed, he watched as the twins went back to sleep, letting silence to take over the house again. Closing the bedroom door quietly behind him, the tall male made his way to the bathroom to wash up, only to be stopped when the front door opened, revealing his mother in law.
“Sehun! You are awake. Did the twins wake you up again?” her aged voice filled the room.
His deep chuckle resounded against the wooden walls as he nodded.
“Alright, go and wash up. I’ll prepare the food.” She walked into the kitchen, leaving Sehun to wash up.
While he shaved, the door to the bathroom opened, and the twins stumbled in sleepily.
“Daddy, carry.” They murmured in sync as they raised their arms towards their father.
Rinsing his face one last time, he let his bangs fall to cover his eyes partially as he bent down to pick the two up effortlessly.
“Good morning. Had a good sleep?” he asked the twins who were lying their heads on his shoulders.
“Uh huh. We visiting baba?” Xavier, the elder, asked his father.
“Yes we are. How do you know Captain?” placing the two down onto the sofa in the living room, he ruffled Xavier’s hair and sat down between the two.
“Grandma wearing black!” Jennifer, his princess exclaimed with a smile, proud that they managed to guess correctly.
The sweet scent of waffles wafted through the air, making the kids jump up in excitement, running to the kitchen to their grandmother.
“Oh! You kids… Excited aren’t we. Settle down and you can have your waffles.” Her laughter filled the house, making the two kids smile brightly.
Contrary to the light atmosphere in the house and the smile he had put on his face, Sehun’s heart was throbbing with sadness.
Breakfast was over in a flash, and the family was out of the house, making their way to the train station. They were wearing black, the elder woman holding a basket with food. Her son’s favourite food.
As the train left the station, the two kids fell into slumber with nothing to do. The elder woman could only fall asleep as well. After all, she was not young, and she could not catch up with the two children’s endless bounds of energy.
The soft murmurs of other train passengers were the only sounds other than the constant chugging of the train as it moved past fields and mountains, making its way towards its destination.
Sehun looked out of the window, letting his mind escape reality and get pulled back into the memories of the past. The past he shared with the one he loved, the one who gifted him with his twins, the one whom he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with.

Laughter filled his ears as Sehun reached the playground in his neighbourhood. As a child, his parents always brought him to the park, hoping that he will mingle with the other children and make friends.
That is only something they had hoped. He was cold, and always played by himself. Refusing to speak, any child who approached him left in the end, feeling bored as he never talked to them.
All except one.
“Hello! I’m Luhan! What is your name?” a chirpy voice was accompanied with a shadow that loomed over the sandcastle he was making.
Silence ensured, and most children would have just pouted and ran away, saying that he was weird or mute. Luhan though, sat down on sand opposite of Sehun, smiling brightly as he helped Sehun build up the castle.
Talking even though there was no answer, Luhan introduced himself, and by the end of his speech, they had finished the sandcastle. Sehun had still not talked.
A woman’s voice called out to Luhan and he looked over to see his mother calling him to go home.
“Oh… I have to go now. You will be here tomorrow right? It’s Christmas! I’ll see you tomorrow!”
He never did say bye. Or maybe it was intentional, for the very next day, he was there again. The cycle repeats, and he was always there. Talking to Sehun who never really spoke to him.
He was persistent, never gave up on Sehun and one day, his patience paid off.
“Why do you still talk to me when I don’t reply you?” as a four-year-old, Sehun’s voice was pretty deep, surprising Luhan.
His shocked expression quickly changed to those of happiness as he jumped up and hugged Sehun tightly.
“Because I like you! I wanna be your friend!”
Sehun’s heart was filled with happiness, even if he did not show it.
That day, Sehun made his first friend. The only one he spoke to other than his parents.

“Sehun! Let’s go to school!” Luhan’s entrance to the Oh family’s house was loud as usual. It was early in the morning of their first day in school, and 6-year-old Luhan wanted to go to school with Sehun.
Skipping into the kitchen, he spots the other jumping off his seat after his breakfast to get his bag sitting in his room.
“My bag.” Short and sweet. Typical Sehun.
Carrying their matching school bags – Luhan had insisted when they went shopping for school supplies together – the two young kids left the house hand in hand, walking to the bus stop just in front of the park they always go to.
As they approached the crowded bus stop, Sehun’s steps flattered ever so slightly and he began to hide behind Luhan, even if he was slightly taller. Noticing Sehun’s behaviour, Luhan turned his head to smile reassuringly to Sehun.
It was known to him that Sehun had troubles speaking to new faces, and even if he had a straight face on, he was always anxious when they are out in public. Going to crowded areas made him afraid, needless to say. Even when they went shopping with their mothers, Sehun had stuck to his side, despite him not needing to speak to anyone at all.
Now, meeting their new schoolmates is a difficult task that Sehun does not want to confront. And Luhan knows that well, so he squeezed Sehun’s hand slightly and pulled him forward, right to the front of the bus stop where there were lesser children – most staying in the shade.
The school bus soon came along and they filed in, Luhan pulling Sehun along to the back, allowing Sehun to sit at the window so he did not need to interact with the other kids. Along different stops on the way to school, the bus slowly became filled up, and Sehun began fidgeting in anxiety.
Luhan noticed immediately and his brows furrowed in worry. Luckily, the bus came to a stop at the school, and they got off the bus, standing at the corner of the hall the teachers ushered them into.
“Hello, why are the two of you here?” A teacher came by and bent down to meet their height.
Sehun hid behind Luhan almost immediately, surprised and scared.
“We don’t want to be in the crowd. Is it alright to stay here?” Luhan replied for Sehun, his hand still holding onto Sehun’s.
“Are you sure?” Luhan nodded his head in response.
She took a look at Sehun who had his head down before giving them a small smile.
“Alright, but don’t wander off alright?” Luhan smiled brightly thanking her for her understanding.
She stood upright and patted him on the head. She turned to leave, but hesitated and turned back, only to pat Sehun on the head as well before leaving.
That teacher was Ms Seo, the only teacher who noticed Sehun for who he was, not a pitiful boy with social anxiety. 

“Next station, Montreal Station.”
The announcement brought Sehun back to reality as he turned to wake the twins and elderly lady.
As the train came to a stop, he carried the sleepy twins in his arms and walked towards the open carriage door. Walking out of the station, he made his way to the bus stop just outside and got on the bus that will bring them to their destination.
As the bus moved, Sehun noticed a café that was bustling with activity. Tears brimmed at his eyes, threatening to fall at the memories which were rushing back to him.

The tingling of the bell was heard as the door to the café opened. It was late at night on Christmas eve. The air was cold as snow started to fall. The café was almost empty, save for the employees cleaning.
“Minseok, can we have two hot chocolates?” Luhan asked his good friend, who was a barista at the café.
Sehun trailed after him with both of his hands tucked in his pockets, nodding to Minseok as a form of greeting. Smiling back at the two of them, Minseok nodded his head and turned to make the drinks.
Luhan hooked one arm around Sehun’s and dragged him to a certain seat beside the window. Sitting opposite each other, Luhan talked animatedly while Sehun just listened to him, inputting his opinions every now and then.
Jongdae, Minseok’s boyfriend walked over to them with their drinks and left them to be as he walked back to his boyfriend.
As the time passed, an alarm sounded from Luhan’s phone.
“Oh oh! It is 11.59! Let’s countdown!” He excitedly opened the clock app on his phone and placed the phone in the middle of the table at an angle such that the both of them could see the time.
“30… 29… 28…” They counted in sync.
Luhan’s eyes drifted towards Sehun’s face which was close to his.
“20… 19… 18…”
Luhan turned his head slowly.
“10… 9… 8…”
Luhan moved his head and pressed his lips against Sehun’s cheek, right beside the lips.
3… 2… 1…
“Merry Christmas Sehun… I love you…” his face was flushed red as he stood up to go back home in embarrassment.
Only that he could not walk away.
Sehun reached out to Luhan after he recovered from the surprise and pulled Luhan down to his lap, kissing him right on the lips.
Luhan’s wide eyes fluttered close as they enjoyed the feeling of each other’s lips on their own.
They separated after a while, and stared into each other’s eyes.
“I love you too. Merry Christmas Lu.” His voice seemed to have deepened slightly as he whispered his words.
At age 15, the two confessed their love for each other.

It was a Friday, the end of orientation week. After having gone through an overnight camp, tours around the large high school, all Sehun had wanted was to stay home on the co-curricular activity try outs, since it was optional.
Unfortunately for him, he has a hyperactive male for his boyfriend. At the ripe age of 16, Sehun found himself dragged from booth to booth to check out different CCAs, and then he was put in front of a line of judges unwillingly.