Wufan lets the afternoon breeze kiss him as he walks along the shoreline where the sea laps on the grains of sand, creating lullabies to accompany him in his loneliness. The waves sound peaceful, serenading, inviting.

It has been three days since Yixing’s funeral. He has admitted defeat to lamentation and has not eaten anything since then. He has torn all the clothes that belonged to Yixing, burned their most precious treasures (their pictures, their log books, their journals). Wufan has failed to water the flower garden Yixing made, adored, and loved, treating those plants like they were his own children. Wufan crumpled, tore, and threw away all Yixing’s love letters to him when there was a time that Wufan had to come back to Canada. Wufan gave away the books Yixing gave him as birthday presents. Wufan discarded all the CD's and DVD's they loved. But there were two things he can't let go, can't destroy.

Their apartment is now just an empty room full of happy and bitter memories. Wufan could not bear to stay in such a place. Not even his closest friends could console him. On the second night, his friends Chanyeol and Xiumin came over to his place and invited him for a drink, which he declined. He said he wanted to be alone.

But with all the things he had done—however unjust they were to Yixing’s lingering soul—he keeps Yixing’s only diary and guitar as close to his heart as possible. It’s Yixing’s documentary of his daily life—as he was so forgetful anyone would’ve had thought he was suffering from retrograde amnesia—and it’s the only thing that Yixing kept private from him.

The diary has a cute, tiny heart-shaped lock with engravings of unicorn on either side of a little bit larger dragon image. Wufan has never realized until last night when he was unconsciously fumbling on his necklace  that he has always been wearing the key to Yixing’s heartfelt outpourings. Even knowing that, he has not dared to open the diary and to read its contents.

He is afraid to break into tears.

He is afraid to cry.

He is afraid to long for that one thing that no longer exists in his life.

He is afraid to let go.

So, he keeps it by his side. He will carry it to his grave, not ever knowing what was written inside.

He’d rather not know. He’d rather not know. He’d rather not know.

It might not be worth knowing at all.

It will just break his heart into thousand pieces again.

Right now, he feels so empty. He is starting to forget about Yixing. His love for him, his longing for him. He is no longer even sure if he still feels despair. All he knows is his feet suddenly dragged him to this place. To this beach where his plans would’ve come to completion. To perfection. To paradise.

*              *              *

“What are you doing out here by yourself?” Yixing asks, as he walks down the shore to stand beside Wufan.

Wufan smiles, saying, “I just love the view out here. It makes me feel like I have the entire world.”

Yixing sits on a sack stuck deep into the sad and removes his shoes. He lets the salt water from the sea touch his toes. He looks up at Wufan, who is still lost in his gaze up ahead, and tells him, “I get the feeling you want to dive.”

Wufan breaks into a bigger smile. He, too, removes his shoes and sits on the sand just beside Yixing, so that they could look at each other eye to eye at the same level. “It just makes me want to see underwater. Do you believe in mermaids?”

“No,” Yixing replies.

“But you believe in unicorns.”

“I used to.”

“Used to? I believe unicorns do exist.”

“Oh, yeah? What scientific explanation are you going to harass me with this time around?”

“Zhang Yixing,” Wufan says, to Yixing’s surprise. Wufan seldom calls him by his full name, unless Wufan is mad at him or wants to be serious with him. But when he does, it gives Yixing goose bumps and the younger one definitely likes it.

“Hmm?”

“You’re a unicorn. You exist. So unicorns exist.”

Yixing laughs lightly at Wufan’s presupposed joke. “Stop kidding me, Daddy Dragon!”

Wufan wraps an arm around Yixing’s shoulder and gives him a kiss on the temple. Yixing lets Wufan hold him as he leans his head on the elder’s shoulder.

“I’ve been thinking for quite a while now, and this might be the right time after all,” Wufan says, gazing at Yixing’s beautiful face. “Can I have one dance with you?”

Yixing’s eyes widen as he is taken aback by Wufan’s sudden…He doesn’t even know how to describe it. “Wufan, what is wrong with you? You’re eerily different.”

“What different? I’m still me. I’m just being sweet towards my boyfriend to give him time to prepare for the biggest blast in his life.”

“Stop being cheesy! I’m not used to it!”

“Well, will you dance with me or would you miss the chance to?”

“You know I won’t, you devil!”

“Yixing~ Would you please stop calling me names?”

“No, I won’t. It makes you more lovable.”

“Why, am I not lovable enough for you?”

The edges of Yixing’s lush lips run into the corners as he kisses Wufan passionately. “If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be taking your hand in mine now.”

Wufan smiles back, leans his forehead against Yixing's, and whispers, “It is an honor to have this dance with you.”

Wufan wraps an arm around Yixing’s waist and leads a slow dance.

“Not the perfect time,” Yixing begins to murmur, his eyes closed. His hands feel secured and right where they are. Held by Wufan’s bigger hand and just around the curve of Wufan’s neck. “Sunset is yet to arrive. Not the perfect place. Our friends are still busy with their party over there. Not the background music I expect to hear while we do this.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just listen to the waves. And listen to me.”

“Like, listen to how you breathe?”

“Yeah. And just look at me.”

“I look at you every single time.”

“I know, because I look at you every single time as well.”

“God, why are we saying these things now?”

“I set the mood. Don’t ruin it, Zhang Yixing~”

“I know.”

They lean in for another kiss. This kiss is different from their usual kiss. Gentle, unhurried, careful, respectful, passionate. Their lips just brush against each other’s like feathers. As if their lips weren’t there but were actually there.

Then, tears just start streaming down Yixing’s face.

Wufan asks him why he’s crying, but Yixing only shakes his head, saying that he’s too happy to be here. Too happy to be embraced by Wufan. To happy to be in love with the world’s one and only Wufan.

Wufan smiles and kisses Yixing’s tears away.

But Yixing lied. Truth is, there’s a nagging feeling inside him that somehow, this is some kind of farewell for the both of them. He doesn’t know why he feels that way, but he could feel that one of them is going away. Yixing tries to knock off the negative thoughts. He is just being too emotional, too carried away.

But Yixing should’ve never neglected his instinct.

“Place your toes on mine,” Wufan says.

Yixing gladly complies. A moment later, Wufan is turning them around, round and round like in Merry-Go-Round, until the world whirls and all Yixing could see is Wufan’s tranquil being.

When Wufan stops, Yixing finds balance again on the sand. He holds his head, as if to prevent it from falling off his neck, as things come into focus again. Before he knows it, Wufan is already down on one knee, a ring held out in front of him.

“Zhang Yixing, will you do the honor of marrying me and be my wife, my lover, my friend, my everything until the day I die?” Wufan asks somberly.

Yixing throws his hands up to his mouth, feeling the tears streaking down along his cheeks again. “Is this what you’ve been planning all this time?”

Wufan shrugs. “I thought it was just a matter of time.”

“Yes! Yes, yes, Wufan, I’ll marry you!!!”

Wufan stands up and grabs Yixing by the waist, lifting him off the ground and whirling themselves around again. Wufan can’t help but scream in utter happiness, announcing to the whole world that Zhang Yixing is to be married to him finally.

All their friends, who were apparently and supposedly celebrating their own party, ran to them to officially congratulate them on their engagement. There were tears and laughs and jokes.

Yixing has never felt happier in his whole life, but the nagging feeling only gets stronger and stronger, as if telling him that he is making the biggest mistake in his life even though this is exactly the one thing he could ever want in his entire lifetime on earth.

“May I?” Wufan asks expectantly, indicating on the ring.

Yixing nods. With uncontrollably shaking hands, Wufan inserts the ring onto Yixing’s finger, where it fits perfectly. Yixing holds up his hand and looks at the metal band, saying, “Whoa, it’s beautiful, Wufan.”

“But not as beautiful as you are~” Wufan embraces Yixing and pulls him in for yet another kiss.

A life full of love, kisses, embraces. A happy life. A perfect life.

This is what they thought was in their hands.

They had it; however, things didn’t last long.

***To be continued***

[A/N]:

I personally like this chapter that I wrote tonight.

I love how Wufan is sweet towards Yixing,

and how Yixing feels that and end is soon coming their way.

I conjured the idea during a Christmas party while strolling on the beach.

I would've elaborated more but I think I'll just leave things as they are.

I wouldn't be kind on the following chapters.

I myself might as well cry after rereading my own work.

I'll do my best to bring out the emotions that should be felt.

Thank you, everyone, my dear readers and subscribers and upvoters for everything~

Saranghae!!! <3

P.S.: Duizhang Kris is sick right now. Let's pray and hope for his quick recovery.