On All Hallows Eve, the people of Never End swarm the streets dressed up in a myriad of costumes, from fairy tale creatures to nightmare monsters, from beloved celebrities to identities best left to their own cultures. The children carry their plastic or paper candy bags, the teens gather in groups to head to the nearest party, and the adults either stay at home pretending the world isn’t celebrating or dare to venture out for some much needed fun.

Halloween is a most celebrated holiday in Never End. It’s tradition for people to put out their decorations from the first of October until the second of November, filling their front yards and porches with pumpkins, ghosts, fake spider webs, skeletons, and many other spooky trinkets. There are only two houses at the end of thirteenth street which bear no festive decorations, but the families there have their reasons for not keeping with tradition anymore.

Speaking of traditions, there is one that is exclusive to a pair of young men in Never End. It started when they first met each other in elementary school. After the youngest was bullied for his costume, he’d ran away and hidden in the town’s cemetery. The eldest had found the younger by chance as he crossed the cemetery to return to his own home at the end of the day. A few kind words, some candy exchanged, and the boys became pretty much inseparable from that moment on.

No one and nothing ever came between them.

It’s five minutes past midnight on this year’s All Hallows Eve night. The youngest walks confidently down the rows of old and new markers in the cemetery, heading for the old willow tree with the blindfolded angel statue. His black jacket and single white glove shine with sequins under the light of a full moon. He tilts his fedora and smiles to the few other children that walk by on their way to collect candy.

Deeper into the cemetery he goes, until he leaves the main trail and steps onto the dirt path. His shinny shoes don’t pick up any muck as he walks down to his rendezvous near the cemetery pond. 

A dark silhouette waits under the tree, leaning against the angel statue. The figure straightens and his sharp words cut across the hush of night. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Jongin stops. “What?”

The figure moves closer, out of the shadows and into the faint light filtering through the willow branches. Kyungsoo, dressed in a penguin onesie, yells, “We agreed, Jongin!”

A burst of laughter escapes Jongin’s mouth before he can think better of it. At the eldest’s growl, Jongin snaps his mouth shut and covers it with a fist. “I’m sorry. I totally forgot.”

Kyungsoo glowers at him. “Change. Now.”

“Okay, fine. But first, don’t I look awesome.” Jongin spreads his arms, showing off his jacket, and then twirls once, before stopping in a signature MJ pose.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, but the corner of his mouth tilts up. “You always do. Now change so I stop feeling ridiculous by myself.”

Jongin grins. He snaps his fingers and his clothes poof away to be replaced by a bear onesie. “Better?”

Kyungsoo cackles. “Yes, now we both look like idiots.”

After adjusting the hoodie of his bear costume, Jongin holds out his hand. “Ready to trick and treat?”

“Let’s go!” Kyungsoo twines his fingers with Jongin’s and pulls him along. Just like old times. Just like all the times.








The bear and penguin walk around the streets of Never End enjoying the odd and surprising sights of their neighbors’ costumes. They have this game where they pick out the best and worst dressed by assigning points to each person they come across. In past years, the winner has always been the old granny on second street who dresses herself and her four pugs to movie themes. This year, they’re playing dress-up as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with the granny being sensei Splinter.

Kyungsoo is still laughing at the pugs with color bandanas and turtle shells on their backs as they make their way down third street. Jongin simply shakes his head, and looks ahead with a big smile on his face. This is why he loves Halloween, because they can relax and have fun and be themselves once more.

There’s a group of teens seated on the corner of fourth street. Their chatter reaches Jongin a second before he takes a closer look. Recognizing them, Jongin yanks Kyungsoo behind the nearest row of bushes, uncaring that they’re stepping on a neighbor’s lawn. He opens a space between the leaves and peeks.

Beside Jongin, Kyungsoo mutters curses and picks himself up from the grass. “What the , Jongin?”

“Shh!” Jongin grabs Kyungsoo by the arm and pulls him low so he can see between the leaves as well. They squat side by side and listen in.

“Where to next?” the prince asks.

The priest shakes his candy bag and pouts. “We’re running low on candy.”

“Luhan texted me. He said his parents just left,” the pirate says.

The prince nods. “Okay, so a candy run before we head to Luhan’s house.” 

“Don’t forget the stop by the cemetery,” the steampunk gentleman adds.

“We never forget,” the pirate says, subdued.

Jongin smiles when Kyungsoo grips his hand and squeezes. It’s nice to see their old friends again. The ever loud-mouthed Baekhyun dressed as a prince, the always happy Chanyeol in a pirate costume, stoic Sehun with a steampunk outfit, and jokester Jongdae as a priest. The foursome are sitting around the curve, cans of soda in their hands and bags of candy at their feet, having a nice time like always.

“Let’s trick them,” Jongin whispers.

Kyungsoo pulls back and looks him up and down. “You’re a cute bear and I’m a cute as hell penguin. How are we going to scare anyone in this?”

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