The alarm that goes off the next morning is enough to make Kyungsoo scramble under the covers and awaken with eyes glued shut and moist morning lips. He grabs his cellphone under his pillow and turns off the alarm with his right eye just barely cracked open before he goes back under the covers and curls his knees up to his chest.

                Yesterday, Minseok had told him that if he came to work or even school that day, he’d have to force him away. It was straightforward and bluntly put, and Kyungsoo knows that when Minseok tells him to do something personally, he’s serious.

                Before he knows it, the next time he opens his eyes it’s already almost noon and he faintly hears his room door squeak open. A hand touches the sheet’s surface around for a bit, just about slaps Kyungsoo’s upper thigh from behind, and the action is so sudden that Kyungsoo yelps, scrambling under the blankets and holding them tighter. His face is searing red, and Jongin gasps. He’s realized what he’s done, and fumbles with his words as he tries his hardest to think of an explanation.

                “I’m sorry- I was going to wake you! It’s getting pretty late, and…” he quiets down. Kyungsoo blinks at the light that lightly shines through the sheer sheets. “And…Yah! What are you even doing, sleeping in so late?!”

                It’s already too late to react by the time the pillow comes flinging down towards him. It hits him with a light whack and Kyungsoo whines.

                “Get out of bed already- We should eat somewhere and…talk.” He says. The door closes with a click, and it’s very quiet.

                He takes a while to find the urge to climb out of bed, sliding off the side and rubbing his calves together when the cold air touches his milky white thighs. The wooden floor is even colder, though, compelling him to rush towards the bathroom.

                Once he’s finally finished, they both leave with a small black umbrella to shelter them from the light rain. The trip doesn’t take too long, either, despite the fact that Jongin kept arguing about what kind of food he wanted to eat. Eventually, they finally decide on a place and walk.

                There isn’t much interaction when they sit at their booth, and Kyungsoo’s hands are feeling clammy from how nervous he’s feeling. But it’s weird, because he doesn’t exactly understand why he’s feeling so nervous when he shouldn’t be.

                What he doesn’t know is that Jongin is feeling the exact same way.

                They both finish ordering, and Kyungsoo is the first to break the silence, seeing as how Jongin’s too busy staring either at him or past him, (he can’t really tell,) but the point was that he was completely frozen for a good two minutes until Kyungsoo bothered to get his attention with a cough.

                “What was it you needed to talk about?” he asks, pointer finger shyly covering his lips. Jongin raises his eyebrows and his mouth hangs open in a pause.

                “It’s about the contract,” he explains. “I never really got to elaborate on it, so I thought that I’d…” he fades, completely given in to the way Kyungsoo’s poking his lip in thought.

                “Go ahead, then. Tell me more about it.” Kyungsoo starts getting more comfortable, leaning back into the seat.

                Jongin’s struggling to mentally put together what he’s going to say. “Your soul,” is the first thing he says to him, pointing a lazy finger at him. “I will take it from you in the future.”

                He nods. “You told me this,” he says slowly. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

                Jongin hums, tapping his foot. “Given as this is your second chance, for fair reasons, your life is drastically cut and you will still die young.”

                Kyungsoo nods, and it’s upsetting, but understandable. “Go on.”

                “No refunds.” He says, and Kyungsoo’s face goes from surprised to a wry smirk.

                “How would that work out?” he asks. Jongin shrugs.

                “Breaking the pact is a bit difficult…When the contact is ripped up, time sort of goes back and the death that was supposed to happen takes place. Everything after that is altered, and none of it will be remembered. But, when a contract is fulfilled and the death “naturally” takes place, then…“ he pauses and stares into his coffee.

                Kyungsoo looks up at him with concern. “Then what?”

                Putting his hand over his mouth and leaning against it, Jongin looks away as if guilty, and Kyungsoo ‘s already prepared for the worst.

                “Kai, tell me.” Kyungsoo forces, his words strong and cold. The lump in Jongin’s throat starts to burn, and he remembers why he’s always hated his job, and when he finally speaks with a hoarse, regretful voice, he says,

                “No one will remember you.”

                Those words hit Kyungsoo hard. He doesn’t even realize the food that’s been put on the table because of his dumbstruck pause, and he’s staring at Jongin with moist eyes and his lower lip trembling.

                “What?”

                “Although I’ve given you the chance to live again, it doesn’t mean that I can control when you will die, and it doesn’t mean I have the power to change what happens after-“

                “And, how, Kai, is this any beneficial to me?” he asks. “Why didn’t you tell me that this whole damn thing only ends with…with…with this bull?!”

                “Because, if I told you, you wouldn’t have made the deal-“

                “Then maybe I shouldn’t have!”  Kyungsoo shouts. Jongin looks around, relieved to find that they were alone for now.

“Look, Kyungsoo, I’m sorry… I know, I should have told you everything when we were making the-“

“And tell me, why the are you so regretful? You’re the one who put me into this mess, you forced me to make a deal with you, it’s all your fault, yet you’re acting sorry because-“

                “Because I’m the one who remembers,” Jongin says, voiced raised, and that’s what makes Kyungsoo stop. “I’m the one who remembers everything. All the people I’ve made contracts with, Kyungsoo, they’re all gone, and it’s my fault, because it’s the only way for me to feel like I can live.”

                Jongin lowers his head to the table, holding back tears with clenched fists. Kyungsoo’s rage dies down at his words, and he starts to wonder why Jongin’s only starting to open up to him now. The poor boy has his head hung, and he’s shaking with a grimace on his face. Kyungsoo has to ask what made him this way.

                He doesn’t.

                “…Eat your food,” he orders calmly, picking up his utensils. “…Before it gets cold.”

--

                “Where are you going?”

                Kyungsoo slips on his jacket and wraps his scarf around his neck. “I have school today,” he confesses, tapping his shoes into place and finally slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Finals are in December. I only have a month to take in these classes, so I have to go in as often as I can.”

              Jongin peels himself off the sofa and stumbles on his feet, hair messy from his afternoon nap. “Wait. Let me come.”

                “Jongin,” Kyungsoo sighs, but it’s too late. He’d already leaped into Kyungsoo’s room to grab some fresh clothes, and he’s out within seconds.

                Kyungsoo eyes him down, judging his sloppy appearance. “You’re going out like that?” he sneers, lips curling at the corners. He puts his bag on the floor and leans against the kitchen counter. “…I’ve give you five minutes to brush your teeth, but if you’re not done by then, I’m leaving.”

                With a jolt, he’s gone again, bathroom door slamming open and echoing throughout the small apartment. Kyungsoo pulls out his phone to check the time, puts it back, and waits.

                Just when he’s about to leave again, Jongin slips through between him and the door and is the first out of the house. He turns on his heels and beams at the other, teeth bright and eyes crinkled into crescents, possibly to show that he had finished what he was asked.

                Kyungsoo smirks. “You’ve got a little something there,” he says, pointing towards his mouth. Jongin furrows his eyebrows and runs his tongue over his teeth.

                “What? I’m sure I…” But Kyungsoo laughs and the elevator opens,  Jongin shuffling in and looking at his reflection in the metal walls, and Kyungsoo just stares.

                Waiting at the crosswalk, Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin with concern and reaches up, fixing his hair part and sweeping his fringe away from his eyes. He’s never exactly realized it, but Jongin’s eyes aren’t brown. Instead, they take the shade of a grey like blue- definitely unnatural, but he has to ask, “Are you wearing contacts?” and Jongin looks at him like he’s crazy, but eventually, he smiles.

                “These are my natural eyes,” he answers proudly. “Nice, huh?”

                Kyungsoo is still looking at them, but when he notices that they just missed their chance to cross, he looks away with a light blush and nudges his arm before pressing the button again.

                “Are you willing to wait for me somewhere?” he questions once they step foot onto campus. Jongin shrugs his shoulders, hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat as he rocks on his feet.

                “I can wait at the cafeteria…” he answers. “How long will you be?”

                They start walking again. “I’ll try not to be too long. I’ll call you.” He says, and just like that, they separate.

                The cafeteria isn’t at all busy, and it pleases Jongin to know that he will be having some peace and quiet until a familiar face passes by.

                He turns the corner with another, does a double take, and whispers to him. They’re at the table within seconds with some snacks and drinks.

                At first, Sehun doesn’t say anything and he only just eyes Jongin, but Luhan finally has the courage to speak up.

                “Your name is Jongin, am I right?” he laughs awkwardly. Jongin nods with a small smile.

                “His name is Kai,” Sehun mutters. “And we actually know each other pretty well…Don’t we, ‘Jongin’?”

                There is a short silence, but Jongin finally laughs, and Sehun laughs as well. The two bump fists lightly, and their laughs wane.

                “You two know each other?” Luhan asks. Jongin and Sehun nod slowly.

                “We do have the same job. We bump into each other every now and then, but it’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other.”

                “We were more enemies than friends,” Jongin admits. “Frienimies, if anything.”

                Sehun opens a roll of chewy candy and pops one into his mouth. “We were the very competitive bunch, and everyone else was boring.” He looks at Jongin smugly. “Jongin here used to get all the contracts, right? But that’s only because he got all the suicide victims. But recently, he’s been with no one.”

                Jongin’s now dispirited, glaring at the wall, and Luhan catches his sad look. “I stopped contracting suicide victims,” he mumbles, and that makes Sehun shut up.

                “How long have you two been in a pact?” Jongin decides to ask to liven up the situation.

                Sehun lowers his head just a bit. “About… Four years, I’d say.” He looks at Luhan, who looks back at him sheepishly.

                Luhan fixes his gaze on Jongin, who snatches one of Sehun’s snacks. “So, you saved Kyungsoo?” he asks, and Jongin nods.

                “I made a deal with Kyungsoo a few weeks ago…” he pauses. “He’s still a bit angry with me, I think. I told him what happens in the end after we made the deal, and he was furious.”

                With that, Sehun looks at Luhan again with a distraught look on his face. “It really is a shame…” he adds. “That it will end like that. I don’t like it, but I’m at least glad to say that I won’t forget.”          

                Their hands that are intertwined squeeze together tightly, Sehun rubbing his thumb other the others. “I’m making the best of it,” Luhan reassures the both of them. “If I hadn’t agreed to the deal, I wouldn’t have met Sehun. I don’t think I would have been this sad, and happy, if I had decided to die that day.”

                Jongin’s eyes don’t leave their hands throughout the whole conversation, and there’s a small ping in his chest that makes him look away quickly with his own hands fiddling with each other.

                In time, Luhan and Sehun leave Jongin, and Kyungsoo calls sooner than expected, just as promised.

--

                Kyungsoo’s packing his bag when Jongin appears at the top of the stairs, waiting for him to finish. He walks down towards him and peers over at his notebooks, only to be left confused by the alien language he saw. Kyungsoo shuts the book and stuffs it in his bag.

                “University must be hard...”Jongin says shyly, rubbing the back of his head.

                “It is, but it’s worth it in the end.” Kyungsoo notes, zipping up his bag and putting it on.

                “Oh, Kyungsoo!”

                He turns around to find his psychology professor, Joonmyun, waving at him with a few papers in hand. Kyungsoo pats Jongin’s arm before heading towards him.

                Joonmyun fans the papers before handing them over. “Some more elaborate notes,” he sighs. “For you, my favorite student.”

                Jongdae is sitting at his desk again, feet propped up atop the table exactly the same as before. He twirls a pencil in his hand with his index finger and thumb.

                “Is it against school policy to favor students and give them elaborated notes that other students don’t have?” he questions. Joonmyun raises his eyebrows.

                “Don’t know, don’t care. If there’s one student I appreciate most, it’s Kyungsoo.”

                Kyungsoo looks at the papers and shifts his eyes up again. “But, why do you favor me?”

                “You,” Joonmyun points, “Have potential. I can tell. Plus, you actually pay attention. Now, let me ask you a question.” he leans forward and whispers, “Is that your boyfriend?”

                If at all possible, Kyungsoo chokes, face flushed a rosy red and hand covering his mouth that twitches and begs for a smile. “I have to go now,” he stutters, turning to leave. “Have a nice night.”

                This time, both Joonmyun and Jongdae are waving, but Kyungsoo doesn’t look back even as he passes Jongin with a “Let’s go home.” And as he passes and refuses to face him, he finally smiles happily.

--

                It takes weeks for Kyungsoo to finally let Jongin meet the rest of his friends, and the initiation wasn’t at all his idea, neither. Jongin one day just pops into the café as he’s working, and he’s apparently daring enough to scare him as he’s reading off the daily checklist.

                Kyungsoo squeaks when Jongin pokes at his sides from behind, whining at him when he realizes who he was and playfully punching his chest until he finds all the other workers staring at them, unmoving. They cease movement for so long until Jongin realizes that his right hand is placed at the small of Kyungsoo’s back and left on his hip. He quickly pulls his arms away in shock and looks away.

                Fortunately, it was closing time, and everyone dashes over like a mad horde with gasps and lots of questions.

                “No way!” Chanyeol gapes, along with Baekhyun.

                “I never thought you’d be able to find someone so…” Baekhyun motions towards Jongin’s figure and grunts a little. Kyungsoo’s mildly offended, but he lets this one slide.

                “Who is he? What’s his name?” Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun are eyeing them both at every angle, and Minseok has to pry them from getting too close.

                Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and nods his head to Jongin. “This is Jongin. He’s my roommate.”

                “Roommate?!” Baekhyun makes an unbelievable face. “For how long?!”

                “Like, five weeks…” Kyungsoo answers timidly. Baekhyun and Chanyeol gape as Sehun and Luhan walk over, Sehun lightly punching Jongin in the arm as a form of “hey.” Luhan makes a small wave.

                “You know each other? Why didn’t anybody tell us?!” Chanyeol nearly screeches. Minseok ruffles Kyungsoo’s hair before leaving to wipe counters.

                Everybody settles down at a table and Jongin doesn’t seem to mind the attention. Tao and Kris are visiting from China and seem equally as interested as well.

                “Where did you come from?” Baekhyun asks, finally a bit calmer. Jongin plays with the salt on the table.

                “I moved here from a neighboring city,” he lies. “I met Kyungsoo when apartment shopping one day, and I eventually got him to let me stay.”

                Baekhyun’s mouth is still hung open. “So, you two are, like, ing?” and Kyungsoo wheezes, covering his face with both hands. Jongin’s eyes widen and his shock is open to the world as his face burns from embarrassment.

                “W-we’re just friends!” Kyungsoo stutters behind his hands, heart beating quickly. “We’re not dating!”

                “Yet,” Yixing, the second manager pops in. “Not dating, yet.”

                A bunch of hot drinks are placed on the tables, and everyone thanks Minseok for his generosity. He heads to the front of the shop and turns the “Open” sign over to “Closed” before sitting with the others.

                Kyungsoo’s about to say that they will never date, but the feeling in his chest makes him think otherwise. He peeks at Jongin whos eyes water from how much his face is burning, and it’s hard for Kyungsoo not to look happy.

--

                “Do you age?”

                Kyungsoo leans against his hand as he lies on the couch, watching Jongin nibble at his leftover sub with as much grace as the last autumn gave him through the thin curtains. Jongin moans in thought as he chews.

                “If I want,” he answers, fixated on the variety show on the television. “I don’t have an age, so I can change myself to look younger or older at will.”

                “Like, right now?”

                Jongin smirks. “It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

                Kyungsoo frowns and reaches for the sub, to which Jongin is surprised that he hands it to him readily.

                “So, you won’t die?” Kyungsoo asks, taking a small bite. Jongin shakes his head.

                “No. Not even accidents are worthy of my immortality.” He boasts, mimicking an evil vampiric laugh. “I’m stuck here forever.”

                Kyungsoo shuffles around and holds himself up onto both of his elbows. “So, you’re like a God?”

                “I wouldn’t say that…”

                Kyungsoo frowns again and lets Jongin finish their snack. He takes note of how comfortable they had gotten with each other, even though Jongin still seems like a stranger to him. He stares at him from the side for a while as Jongin sits on the floor, and his hair lightly touches Kyungsoo’s side and it tickles. It’s dumbly romantic, but still. Jongin’s laugh is super cute, and Kyungsoo can’t stop staring. It was impossible. Kyungsoo felt stupid.

                “You know what sounds good right now?” Jongin sighs. “Goguma.”

                Jongin’s stupid, too.

--

                When exams are finally over, everyone celebrates at the café on a late December night. Even Joonmyun and Jongdae are invited, and Yixing carelessly hands out drinks to everyone.

                “Isn’t it illegal to give out alcohol to minors?” Joonmyun asks, dress shirt sleeves rolled up to just above his elbows. Jongdae swirls his drink in his hand with a smirk.

                “This is for celebration purposes,” he sighs. “As long as we don’t cause trouble, we should be fine.”

                As the sky darkens, the laughter gets louder, but Kyungsoo’s just as quiet, if not quieter. His body feels warm, and he’s playing with the straw in his cup and swirling the drink with a very worried look on his face. Baekhyun calls over to him, only to be given a sharp stare, and he whispers to the others, “He’s drunk.”

                Yet, even as the others beg for Jongin not to go over to him and talk to him, he does so anyways. He slips into the seat next to his with his drink, and Jongin’s not actually drunk, but Kyungsoo doesn’t know that. When he asks what’s wrong, Kyungsoo merely doesn’t say a word.

                Jongin’s able to relax a bit when Kyungsoo looks less like he wants to murder someone, so he starts off casually.

                “Are you happy that exams are over? You have a good break for a month, now.”

                Kyungsoo nods and it’s quiet again. Jongin looks out the window, arm resting on his knee and listening to the others chatter freely. The moonlight beams gently in through the windows and onto the furniture, and Jongin’s face glows. He sips his drink.

                “Jongin,” he mumbles, staring at drink through the glass and admiring its dark crimson color. Jongin turns his head slightly and looks at him to show attention. “Back at the restaurant, when you told me what will happen when I die… What did you mean?”

                There’s a long lull between the questions. “What do you mean?”

                Kyungsoo’s body still feels warm and his chest feverish, but he’s calm. “You sounded really sad when you said you would remember me,” he recalls. “Did something happen before?”

                Jongin glances away and back outside. “It was a long time ago, and I’m over it…” he explains. “…But, I made a contract with someone who attempted suicide because they changed their mind at the last second. I got close to him, but he committed suicide again, and it was painful having no trace of him after he died. I guess that’s why people don’t think people like us exist- because anyone connected to us only ends up disappearing in the end. It’s like they never really existed.”

                “But, you said you like making deals because…?”

                Jongin laughs. “I guess, being with someone and being close to them makes me happy. I like the memories and living through it all, even if it means nothing in the end.”

                Kyungsoo stops drinking. He fiddles with his fingers and keeps his head down.

                “It means everything…” he whispers. Jongin is astounded by his words, never had he heard such words before, and his throat burns. “What you did for me means everything, Jongin. I’m glad you will be the one to hold the memories of me, Do Kyungsoo.”

                “Kyungsoo…” he cried. Kyungsoo twists and reaches up and around his neck, resting his head on Jongin’s beating chest and listening to it thump.

                “And maybe, Jongin, I’ll be glad to have you in those memories as well, because I think I’ve…” and he can’t say the rest, but Jongin shudders.

                “You’re sure one of the different ones,” Jongin murmurs, lips pressing against the other’s head. “It’s ok, though, because I think I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”

               And it’s slow and painful, but Kyungsoo’s lips are pressed against Jongin’s as hot tears of grief stream down his face, and he’s really sad about it all, but he also really loves Jongin. Kyungsoo huffs through his cries, and the rapid conversing between the others relaxes as they all stare sadly, but the two pay no mind.

                Jongin’s gaze is to the outside again, and resting his chin on Kyungsoo’s head, he smiles holds his hand. “Look,” he says. “It’s snowing.”

                Kyungsoo’s head turns and he sniffles with a smile, enjoying the night.

                “If it makes you happy,” Kyungsoo smiles, “I never really was drunk.” Jongin holds him tighter, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

                “I know.”

                Years later, Do Kyungsoo ceases to exist, and so does Luhan, and both Jongin and Sehun watch as time passes by from afar the café everyone spent so much time at, Minseok wondering why one of the late night shifts were missing, Baekhyun wondering why a loose apron hangs from the rack, and everyone questioning why that specific day went by slower than the others. No one remembers except Jongin and Sehun, and they both walk quietly away from the café and towards nowhere.

                Except, looking up at the same crosswalk from so many years ago, he finds a familiar pair of eyes and next to him a mop of golden brown hair across the street, and when the two nearly run forward amazed, the other two smile up at the both of them, and the one with the large sparkling eyes smiles that same heart-shaped smile, he knows when he says,

                “I’m a new life-dealer, and my name is D.O.”

HOLY CRAP this took forever to finish sorry but yeah that’s it It’s done, over, bye.

I might make a sequel depending on how much people actually want one?