Luhan watched as Sehun retreated into his room. Once he was sure the younger boy had left, he softly knelt onto the ground. His breathing quickened, and his body convulsed raggedly. Clutching himself, he curled into and ball until the shudders became mere shivers, and then they were gone. Shakily, Luhan gingerly pushed himself up onto his feet. Unsteadily, he walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner materials.

“Vegetables, tofu, seasoning, onions, rice… ah, ,” Luhan cursed under his breath.

“Luhan?” Sehun suddenly appeared in the kitchen, looking concerned. “Is something wrong?”

Flustered, Luhan felt himself blush. Where had that cuss word come from? He never used to swear.

“No… I forgot to buy rice, Sehun, that’s all. Could you do me a favor and run over to the grocery store and buy a bag of jasmine rice?”

“Sure.” Sehun ruffled his messy hair in an attempt to make it flatter.

“Here’s some money… Also, could you buy me a lighter?” Luhan felt himself begin to shiver again.

“Luhan… Of course I will, but I’ve noticed that you’re acting a little differently today. Is everything all right?” Sehun walked forward, only to hold himself back from touching Luhan on the shoulder.

Stepping back and crossing his arms in an attempt to keep the impending shudders at bay, Luhan weakly smiled at Sehun.

“Of course I am. It’s been a wonderful day for me.”

The door swung shut, Sehun calling a soft “see you soon”, and Luhan fell to the floor. Gripping his head in his hands, he sobbed. Tears streaked down his face, and his body shook with the force of his sobs.

It had been a terrible day. This day would be a terrible day for every year more that he lived.

At the grocery store, Sehun strolled down the aisles. The weather was becoming chillier. Wrapping his threadbare scarf tighter around his neck, he puffed out a breath of air.

“Let’s see… Jasmine rice…” Sehun bent over to pick up the rice bag, but stopped when he felt another hand under his.

“Oh! My bad, sorry… Sehun?” A flustered Yixing quickly stood up, handing the bag of rice to Sehun. “I didn’t see you there!”

“Oh, hey,” Sehun mumbled, mind wandering. Why had Luhan been acting so strange earlier?

Yixing tipped his head to the side slightly, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s just… My friend whose house I’m freeloading at was acting a little weird today.”

“Oh,” Yixing said, “I’d been meaning to ask you who you’re living with. Is he a boy? Or a cute girl?”

Shaking his head slightly, Sehun said, “His name is  Xi Lu Han.”

Wrapped up in blankets, Luhan sat on a chair and wrapped his arms around his legs. As he reached for a mug of hot chocolate, he sneezed.

Yixing shook his head disbelievingly. “Did you just say… Xi Lu Han?”

Attention pulled to Yixing, Sehun frowned at him. “Yes, that’s his name… Do you know him?”

Yixing began to laugh nervously and conspicuously bent over to pick up his basket. “I don’t know, Sehun. I’ve got to run now, I’m really hungry. But let me just say this: the dead will remain dead. There’s no way that the person you’re living with right now is Xi Lu Han.”

Yixing began to walk off with large strides, but Sehun clamped a hand onto his shoulders.

“Wait, Yixing. Please. Tell me what you meant just now.”

‘Where is Sehun?’ Luhan stared in front of him, at the spot where Sehun normally sat. ‘Why isn’t he here yet?’

All of a sudden, Luhan began to feel very cold again.

Sehun ran through the streets of the quaint town, heart thudding against his chest.

‘Xi Lu Han died five years ago.

It was all over the town. Even though I was studying abroad for high school at that time, my parents called me to tell me about it. It was a tragic accident, and the whole family died.’

Sehun’s foot hit a rock in the path, and he crumpled to the ground in pain. Electric pain shot up his leg; his shoe had been done in for good.

‘They were such a nice family… They lived in the woods near the university. Lu Han’s father was an environmentalist who moved his family here to study the animals and botany here. His mother was a nature photographer, so everything worked out perfectly.’

Pushing himself onto his feet again, Sehun stumbled, but kept running.

‘Luhan was a really nice kid. He was older than me, but I remember playing with him when I was really little.

But one day, the weather was really cold. ‘Perpetually freezing’ is what my mother said.

Everyone saw smoke coming from the woods, but no one thought that it was anything out of the ordinary.’

Tears pricked his eyes from the cold, and he blinked rapidly.

He wished that he hadn’t.

‘Three days later, all that was left of the family was ashes, charred black.’

Flames the wooden walls of the small cabin. Luhan’s home was on fire. 

A/N: omg everyone I am so, so sorry for not updating in so many months.

I know, it was ridiculous. I have no plausible excuses because there are never any excuses.

I hope it's not too much of me to ask you guys to please enjoy this chapter... and thank you all so, so much for sticking with me this whole time. I love you all <3