He was hesitant in entering the cafe, and Yixing flinched every time someone walked by. He knew he was being ridiculous. It was obvious he didn't want to see Scarlett, so why was he standing outside the building seriously debating on whether or not to go inside

 

People threw him looks but Yixing hardly noticed them. Every time he saw the color red, it took all his willpower not to dive behind the flower pots.

 

Wait. Was he legitimately scared of a high school girl?

 

No, this particular high school girl was persistent, obnoxious, and had no boundaries when it came to Yixing. It was perfectly reasonable to feel scared of her.

 

Yixing mentally patted himself on the back for his good argument. 

 

"Why are you staring through the windows?" A voice sounded beside him and Yixing nearly fell over. "People are starting to notice."

 

He whipped around to find a pair of all too familiar black eyes peering inquisitively at him. 

 

"I was debating on running away." He answered honestly.

 

"Why?" Scarlett looked surprised.

 

"You." He grimaced and walked into the cafe as if nothing had happened. He pulled out his usual stool and plopped himself down, already aware that Scarlett was right behind him. 

 

"How come you always sit in this chair? The cafe may not be big but it has more than this stool." 

 

"Routine." Yixing responded, gazing out the window.

 

"Well, you better throw that routine into the garbage because that's exactly what dead people do. I'm trying to make you live again. Living means changing it up." 

 

Yixing sighed. "I don't think sitting in a stool has anything to do with how I live my life."

 

Scarlett patted his arm. "That's where you're wrong. It's the little things that start a habit and they're the hardest to get rid of." 

 

He didn't reply.

 

"Tomorrow, let's sit over there." She pointed to the table by the counter. Currently, an old couple were sitting at it sipping their bubble tea in silence.

 

"I like sitting here."

 

"Work with me here, Yixing. I need to break your habits and I really don't feel like dragging you." Scarlett twirled her stool in circles.

 

"Stop that." He snapped.

 

"Why?"

 

"It's making me dizzy."

 

Scarlett gave him a look. "I think you're a sixty year old man stuck in a twenty year old's body. What a waste of a good face." 

 

Yixing glared at her.

 

His attention was captured by a blonde man walking by. He had a young face, but his posture suggested he was older than his appearance. He wore blue jeans and simple, white cotton shirt. Another man was with him.

 

His companion was taller but Yixing could tell he was younger. He was thin and his brown hair was mussed by the wind. He was dressed more fashionably in black skinny jeans and a flashy shirt.

 

Yixing turned his focus back on the blonde man. He was very handsome. Almost to the point where he was pretty. He had large eyes and a princess nose, but his small lips were pursed in an attempt not to laugh. He patted the taller on the back and Yixing watched them cross the street and out of his eyesight.

 

Scarlett, who'd been observing him quietly spoke up. "Are you, perhaps, gay?"

 

Yixing looked at her sharply. "Excuse me?"

 

"I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it. That guy was very attractive. I was just curious."

 

"I'm not gay." Yixing huffed. 

 

"Why were you staring at those guys?"

 

"He... looked familiar." Yixing said quietly, his eyes glued to the spot where they'd disappeared.

 

"Really? Let's go see if you know him! This could be a great way to get you moving again!" Scarlett beamed and attempted to pull him out of the cafe.

 

Yixing stayed in his seat like a deadweight. "No."

 

"Why not?" She whined.

 

"Some things are better left dead." He said stonily. 

 

Scarlett heaved an exasperated sigh and sat back down next to him. "Why did you die?"

 

Yixing spared a look at her. "Isn't it supposed to be 'How did you die?'" 

 

"No, I want to know why. 'How' indicates that you didn't have a choice. I want to know why you stopped living when you obviously had a future worth striving for. You're handsome, talented, and... well, you're nice enough when you aren't angry with me."

 

Yixing sat in silence for a few minutes. "I don't know." He sighed eventually. "Let's go."

 

"When you remember, tell me." Scarlett stood up with him and raised an eyebrow when he threw down a few bills. "I don't understand why you waste your money when you're not exactly living a life of luxury."

 

"Force of habit." He grumbled and walked out of the cafe. 

 

She skipped a few paces behind him. "Wanna go to the toy shop?" 

 

"No."

 

"Where are we going?"

 

Yixing shrugged.

 

"We're just walking?"

 

He nodded.

 

"Will you buy me something to eat?" Scarlett jumped ahead of him and began walking backwards, nearly causing several people to run into her.

 

"Buy something yourself."

 

"So you'll spend money on nothing at the cafe but you won't buy me a simple snack."

 

He didn't respond.

 

"Since we're walking aimlessly anyway, let's stop by the toy shop and I'll bring Kyung with us. She's getting fat because I haven't been walking her as often as I should." 

 

Shrugging, Yixing followed Scarlett past unremarkable shops until they reached the toy shop.

 

"Wait here." She commanded at the entrance. "And don't even think about running off. I know where you live."

 

"I wouldn't dream of it." Yixing muttered sarcastically.

 

"Don't take that tone with me." Scarlett murmured, disappearing into the store.

 

Yixing decided to spend his time looking at the model airplanes suspended above the action figurines he'd first noticed when he stumbled across the shop. His attention was riveted on a particular plane with a red nose and bright silver wings. A yellow logo was on the side but Yixing couldn't read it. There was even a pilot painted in the window of the plane and he mentally applauded the artist who put so much detail into the toy. 

 

"I like the black one better, but that one is cool too." Scarlett interrupted his thoughts by appearing so suddenly he jumped back a foot.

 

"You've got to stop doing that." He huffed.

 

"What?" She shoved the leash she'd been holding into Yixing's arms and looked at him questioningly.

 

"Appearing all of a sudden. What am I supposed to do with this?" He held out the leash for her to take back but Scarlett crossed her arms.

 

Kyung weaved her way behind Yixing and started tugging him down the street. He pulled her back lightly and offered the leash to Scarlett again. "Take it, I don't want it."

 

"I always walk her. Plus, she likes you. Just hold the leash. It's not hard."

 

He frowned and looked down at the dog. "It's your dog." He mumbled.

 

"Let's go to the park." Scarlett suggested and before she could get a confirmation, she was already halfway down the street.

 

Yixing muttered curses under his breath and questioned his sanity for staying with the psychotic girl. 

 

When he'd caught up with Scarlett, Kyung began to drag him in different directions. First, she wanted to smell the flowers lining the pavement, then she wanted to pee in the bushes. 

 

Yixing was tempted to drop the leash and just let the mutt do as she pleased but he'd become slightly fond of the canine so he held on and let himself be tugged wherever. 

 

He finally slumped down on a bench to rest his feet after being led in three complete circles when Kyung thought she hadn't visited a particular shrubbery... Three times. 

 

Scarlett was giggling and following him quietly. 

 

"You should dance for me." She said finally. "No one's around."

 

"I'm sore from yesterday. Why don't you dance for me?" Yixing huffed through closed eyes.

 

"I'm bad at dancing. You should play the guitar for me then."

 

"Do you see a guitar with me? Why don't you amuse me or something. Isn't that what you offered?" 

 

"I never signed up to be a toy." Scarlett pouted. "Besides, I don't have many talents. I wanted to learn to play the piano but complications came up and I didn't have a very fulfilling childhood." She sounded sad and Yixing felt his heart pull.

 

"Why'd you come to Korea anyway?" He asked, dragging Kyung back to the bench when she tried to take off after a bee.

 

"Reasons." She said, her lips pursed. 

 

He didn't pursue the topic. 

 

"Why'd you come?"

 

"I dunno. I wanted to explore. My Korean was okay so I decided to try being a transfer student. I originally wanted to go to Taiwan or the Phillipines but we had relatives in Korea." 

 

"What were your parents like?" 

 

"Good." 

 

"Who was that guy you thought looked familiar from before? The blonde one?"

 

Yixing hesitated. "An old friend."

 

"What happened between the two of you?"

 

There was another pause. "I... I just didn't hold on when I should have. We both fell but he was the only one who tried to get back up. The only one who tried helping me back up. I didn't want the help and he gave up." 

 

Scarlett was silent. "I suppose we're both pretty messed up in our own ways."

 

"What makes you messed up?"

 

"I believe I can make people fly." She smiled softly. "I believe I can bring people back to life, give them reasons to keep living, and leave an impression to never die. I'm a little kid." She laughed. "I still think if I try hard enough, I'll never die too."

 

"I don't think that really qualifies as being messed up." Yixing mumbled, tying Kyung's leash to the bench.

 

"I don't want to die." Scarlett said. "I want to live. I don't want you to be dead either so I'll try hard and bring you back." She grinned at him. "I'm really terrified of dying, you know. It's my biggest fear. I know we all have to die eventually, but it's too scary for me. I want to live forever." 

 

"No one can live forever."

 

"They can if enough people love them." Scarlett patted his arm. "You need to experience more love, Yixing. Find people and love them."

 

"Are you usually this morbid and cheesy at the same time?" 

 

"Only with dead people." 

 

He didn't respond. 

 

"Will you ever play the guitar for me?" Scarlett pushed his shoulder lightly.

 

"I don't know. Ask me tomorrow."

 

"You'll play it tomorrow?" 

 

"No, but eventually I'll run out of tomorrows to procrastinate with it so it won't matter anymore." 

 

"Don't say stuff like that." Scarlett frowned.

 

"What? Running out of tomorrows? We all do, as you pointed out. But like you said, I ran out of tomorrows a long time ago. Tomorrow looks like yesterday. Today looks like yesterday. If you ask me what day it is, I wouldn't know. I'm not dead. I just live in yesterday."

 

"Living in yesterday does mean dead, stupid." Scarlett looked at him with a dead pan expression. 

 

He shrugged. "I don't think so."

 

"Let's go back to the shop. Tomorrow you'll definitely play the guitar for me."

 

 

---

 

 

 

A.N

I really hope people are starting to see what I'm doing with the story. I'd love to hear what feel people are getting from it or if they're confused about a certain part. I love feedback c: I have chapter five written already but I'll wait to post it because I'm mean like that XD

Here's Lay spelling his name with his booty because I love you