Chapter 31: Echoes of Past 1.2

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Sehun sits on his chair in his office combined with Suho’s office. He had just finished his daily routine of checking of test results of Hallway 510 of 12 patients. His boss is busy with his records of files and is busy checking the test results of Yixing after the younger taken his MRI.  He shakes his head at the fatigue he is slowly feeling and stares at the picture frame.

Two young boys holding hands and their face held a cheeky grin.

“Sehunnie~ let’s take a picture together!” Luhan held the younger’s hand and pulled him into a hug. Sehun blushed but nodded his head.

Luhan grinned and took out a camera from his drawer and held it up in the air.

“Say cheese Hunnie!” Luhan spoke excitedly. Sehun grinned at Luhan’s silliness but did what the older wanted.

He mouthed a ‘cheese’ and Luhan took a picture.

They took a lot of photos that it took them 2 hours to finish. As they are about to sleep, Luhan smiles softly at Sehun, the younger looked at him, confused.

“One last time, Sehunnie~” Luhan grinned. Sehun sighs but nods his head and held up a small smile. Luhan leans and peck the younger’s lips and pressed their forehead together. He locked his hand with the younger and smiled cheekily.

Sehun smiled back and together they looked at the camera with a cheeky smile. Pressing the small button, the camera took a picture.

Words were inscripted below the picture near the edge of the picture. A handwriting that was very familiar to him.

Remember that I’m always here for you, no matter what.

No matter where I am, I’ll be right beside you.

Your handsome lover,

Luhan

P.S. I love you.

Tears fall down from his eyes; hot tears flowed down to his cheeks as he rested his head on his arm and swallows an aching soundless wail.

Every single word stabs him in the heart. The words of a liar. The words that he cannot help but cling onto while he wait. The words that kept him from doing stupid things. The words that painfully choke him to death. The words that constricts the air in his lungs.

The words that mingles in the hope he made is slowly dissipating.

 

 

Luhan dropped himself on his king-sized bed and lets out a moan. He finally got back from the exhausting work he went through. He just finished signing all the papers he had to work on. He wasn’t supposed to finish it all but he decided to finish it all so that he won’t be troubled in the near future.

He heard about Jongdae’s condition, having a nasty flu and is currently trying to recover from it and it seems the latter won’t be back in a few days. Luhan growls in frustration, yet he’s concern with his best friend. He lets out a soft sigh before letting his eyes land on a picture frame on his bedside table.

A picture containing a single boy who was smiling softly with a book in his hand.

“Sehunnie! Look at me.” Luhan called out to his young lover. Sehun looks at him with confusion.

Snap!

Luhan grinned at the photo he got making Sehun shake his head and smiles a little and returned reading the book that he was reading awhile ago.

Luhan took another shot of Sehun and squealed at the shot he took. Sehun continues to ignore him and continues to read.

Luhan puffs his cheek before smiling brightly.

“Hunnie~” He called out softly to his lover. Sehun smiled at Luhan’s calling. He knew he was into another shot. He looks up and smiles softly.

Snap!

Tears were b down in his face as he remembered the memory. It was one of his precious memories he had. He isn’t the type to cry at those memories but he’s crying now.

“Are you crying now, Sehun? Are you?” Luhan smiles painfully as his heart ache in pain. He swallowed down his choke of sob.

“I’m sorry for not being right there beside you now. It hurts me to know that you’re crying like this. I’m really sorry, Sehun. I’m so sorry. I’ll find you soon, soon enough, and we’ll be together again like last time,” Luhan whispers, his heart breaking at his tearful words that seems so surreal and unpromising. Yet, he vows to find Sehun until the end before the clock starts and ends and with that, sleep claims him, letting his own tired and drained body to rest on the comforting and soothing bed of his.

 

 

“Taemin?” Kai called out softly to his lover who was in the kitchen, cooking food for them. It was an early morning where Kai has no class due to that their homeroom teacher got sick and that they have to resume class after a few days, which automatically made the students incredibly happy.

Receiving no response, Kai frowned a little bit and left the room and made his way to the kitchen finding Taemin setting the foods on the table.

“I called you out, why didn’t you answer?” He spoke with disappointment. Taemin looked at him in surprise and smiled apologetically.

After setting down the plates and the food, he made his way to Kai and pulled the younger into an embrace.

“I’m sorry Kai. I was too busy setting the foods and the utensils, that I didn’t hear you’re calling. I’m really sorry, forgive me?” Taemin pulled out from the hug and looked at the younger in the eyes. Kai frowned at his reason making Taemin sigh before giving his cute puppy eyes and in a matter of seconds, the older was pulled into a hug.

This means that he was forgiven. Taemin smiles at the response. He knew Kai isn’t a grudge holder or something much less than disappointed. The younger easily forgives and gives in yet emotionally sensitive considering him as weak and fragile like a glass that appears strong but when mishandled, it easily breaks into pieces.

Just like a certain someone who is like flower that easily withers.

Kai pulls away and pulls the younger into the dining table and together they eat.

While they were eating their food, a ringing sound was heard. Taemin blinks and stops eating while Kai just continued to eat. Taemin took out his phone in the pocket and a wide smile expressed in his face as he saw who the caller is. And just in time, Kai looks at Taemin and catch his smile which made Kai curious and felt his heart crack a bit.

Taemin looks at Kai and immediately the younger looks down in his plate.

“Excuse me…”

Taemin excused himself and left the dining area. Kai puts down his fork and looks at where Taemin is and saw the older’s happy and laughing expression, delighted, giggling, chuckling, warm expressions, and true happiness was clearly seen in Taemin’s face.

Kai found himself asking who the person Taemin was talking to is and that this person seem to bring fun to Taemin’s face.

Has Taemin seeing someone?

He found the older stuck with the phone these past few weeks (apparently when Kai started attending his morning class) and he couldn’t help but worry and question if his lover has another man beside him.

He shakes his head and decides to push the thoughts away, thinking that he may be imagining things but…no. Taemin came back and pockets his phone, a cheery expression was in his face.

“Kai-ah, I’m sorry if I can’t join you today and we couldn’t have our date today. One of my clients needs to talk with me right now and will probably take up until evening. I’m really sorry for today,” Taemin apologized and kisses the younger in the lips as a goodbye and apology and left without waiting for the younger to reply.

“Okay…bye…” Kai mumbles and all doubts, questions and worry came back to him.

Worry and doubt are in his heart.

 

 

Kai looks at their photo album of Taemin and him. He smiles at the photos that he came contact with. The memories rush up to him and he remembers the memories of him and Taemin.

He stops at one photo and a warm smile pulled in his lips. The photo was the day when they have their first anniversary date. Kai could remember the ed up date and the stupid banner and all, he thought that would make their date beautiful, but no, really. He chuckled at the memory and soon, his chuckle died out and his fingers trailed at the picture.

His eyebrows lowly hanged and his eyes were glassy and his face was full of doubt and worry.

“Are you seeing someone?”

A rhetorical question that was supposed to be intended to someone and somehow, in the back of his mind, he knew Taemin is seeing someone and things aren’t going too well, for his liking.

 

 

Kai found himself in front of the floral shop he knew very well.

He gulps.

What was he doing in front of the shop? And most importantly, how did even get here? He was in a daze just thinking about Taemin’s disappearance every day and it’s frustrating him already and thanks to his mind being occupied, his feet led him to a certain floral shop near his school.

Sighing, he was about to leave when he heard the chime of the bell ring. His ears grew alarmed and his eyes widen when Kyungsoo pushes the door but freezes at the sight of him, holding a hose in his hand, looking at him with confusion.

What is he doing here? Kai could see it on Kyungsoo’s face. He laughs nervously and waves his hand.

“H-hi hyung…” he greets with a nervous smile. Kyungsoo blinks before grinning at him. He steps out of the door and went to Jongin and smiles at him.

Jongin smiles back at him and Sehun came in the view. He blinks and watches the two K’s (Kyungsoo and Kai) look at him. While Kai shows a surprise look, however, Kyungsoo gave him a different one. And Sehun immediately knew what he wanted. Sehun quickly goes back inside leaving Kyungsoo and Kai outside.

“What was that about?” Kyungsoo hear Kai mutters. He grins and grabs Kai’s arm and led him inside the shop.

Settling him in a seat in front of the counter, Kyungsoo gave the hose to Sehun, who has his hair tied at the back and disappears to the ‘kitchen’ (if it was) while Sehun has left to water to flowers and plants outside the shop.

Kai looks around the shop. There are 7 doors (including the kitchen) inside the shop. One door leads to the kitchen and the other one (he believes) leads to the paper stocks and calls. However, the five doors are different from the two doors. And Kai couldn’t figure it out what it is. But never mind that, as he takes another look, there are new sets of flowers. New fresh plants and flowers are on the display cabinet.

And he recognizes one of the flowers though. Mayflower was it? Yeah, that’s it. Kai nods his head as he recognizes one of the flowers on the cabinet and by that time, he smells the aroma of tea. He quickly snaps his head in front and found Kyungsoo putting the tea in front of him.

Kai grins and took the cup of tea. He smells it first and smiles at Kyungsoo who in return, smiles back with a tint of red on his cheeks. He takes a sip and couldn’t help but smiles widely.

“Gosh, thank you for the tea, hyung. You don’t know how much I love how you make the tea,” Kai compliments and Kyungsoo’s cheeks grew redder than before. Kyungsoo smiles shyly before nodding his head and takes a sip on his tea, looking everywhere but the man in front of him.

Kyungsoo's simple smile easily melts all negative auras from him and he thanks the older for that.

A warm smiled visible at his face, heart beating fast for the older.

 

Sehun waters the plants outside, giving the two K’s their private time, because for once, Sehun thinks they look cute together. And if you’re wondering how he ended up here, he just finished his shift in the hospital and Suho gave his permission to let him leave. And after that, he finds himself in the flower shop, watering the plants outside.

Sehun finds his mind wandering back to Luhan, wondering how he is and what he is doing now. He hopes that the older is okay and is doing fine. Letting his lips smile sadly, he shakes his head slightly; telling himself the Luhan is older than him and practically knows what to do with his life.

But even so, Sehun couldn’t help but worry for his own lover, proving how much he loves the older with all his heart. Showing how dear and important Luhan is in his life. Luhan is like his half and so does the other thinks so, they need each other to complete one another and become one as whole.

Two separate beings with two souls, yet one in heart and mind. They don’t think the same, actually, it just came out that way to prove out their connection and how their heart beat for only one another and no one else. They are connected by the red string of fate, as Luhan would call it. They are practically made for one another and nothing could separate them.

But Sehun thinks otherwise, taking in the world’s calls and hushes, making him think otherwise of Luhan’s point of love. He knew that something would separate them in the future, from the start of their relationship, he had this inkling feeling that someday he would suffer from waiting for his lover to come back and every day, he grew restless, nervous and panic that it may came, and it did, but he can’t do anything about it all.

And Sehun calls it fate. Fate loves to hassle one’s life and Sehun wonders what its reason for doing this is, wondering why of all people, must it be them to be the victim of fate’s childish game. He receives no answers, but Sehun doesn’t mind, somehow, in the back of his mind, he knew the answers to all of his questions. He’s just afraid to know them at all, because he still has to wait for Luhan.

Because the older told him that he’ll be back and look for him and that they’ll be together again.

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A/N: Yes, I know it's short and kind of crappy. Sorry about that. TaeKai needs some screen time and thoughts of Hunhan are needed to be displayed. So yeah, you get my point.

So how's everyone? I guess that some cried, flipped tables and such, screams and yells, and othes when the MV teasers and the two MVs are realeased, huh? So yeah, that's my daily question. What is your reaction?

Oh, and please tell me what you think about this chapter. I need it so that the following chapters are to be improved. And for a little side note, I already finished the final chapters of each couple, well except two, but working on it ^^ Hope you'll be prepared. Thank you for reading and lots of love from author-nim.