when the carnival lights go off ★--

hunhan/pg-15/fantasyau, half-crack warning:minorcharacterdeath

Sehun’s head hurts like a thousand elephants just stampeded over it. He grunts as he shifts around - his limbs hurt like someone had tried to dismember him. He opens his eyes. The bright sunlight hits it directly so he squints and turns his head back towards the pavement.

The pavement?

Sehun’s hands s the ground and he opens his eyes again. He’s indeed on the pavement - the cold hard ground.

“What?” he grumbles, confused. Why is he laying on the ground? He pulls himself up and surveys his surroundings.

He’s in an amusement park. It’s a familiar looking one - the small local one from his house. His brain hurts too much to bring up a name. He recognizes the loops of the Cobra Twist roller coaster and the big Shipwreck ride and the carousel. Everything in the park looks in place and normal. But something is off.

It’s empty. The ground is dry and the sun is burning his back - it can’t be a rain date. How did he end up in an amusement park? Why is he the only person in here? Why is it so quiet - where are all the people? More and more questions bombard him like bullets to the mind.

“You’re awake,” a voice says from behind and Sehun twitches. He whips his head around too quickly - he cries out in pain. He comes face to face with the young face of a boy with honey brown hair who looks at him with expectant eyes. Sehun sees a bottle of water in the boy’s hands - it’s then that he is hit with the realization that his throat is parched as .

The boy must’ve read Sehun’s mind because he hands over the water. Sehun grabs it quickly and downs the whole bottle. Bad idea because this water has obviously just been taken out of the fridge - Sehun gets a brain freeze.

“Goddamn,” he curses as he holds his head in his hands.

“It’ll go away eventually,” the boy says pitifully. Sehun looks up at him.

“Where am I?” he asks. His voice sounds rougher than usual.

“You don’t remember,” the boy states calmly. “It’s okay. You’ll remember.”

Sehun is confused. “Where are all the people? What time is it? I don’t think I should be here.”

The boy gives him a strange look. “I don’t think you’re understanding the situation here, Sehun,” he says.

“You know my name,” Sehun gasps. 

“My name is Luhan,” the boy introduces. “Now you know mine too.”

“I don’t think I’m understanding the situation here either,” Sehun says weakly to Luhan.

“Well it’s quite simple actually,” Luhan says, smiling. He leans closer to Sehun who shifts back a little at the lack of personal space. Wow, Luhan’s eyelashes are so long. His eyes are sparkling. Cute.

“You’re on your way to Heaven,” Luhan tells Sehun, and pulls back. "Congratulations!"

“What?” Sehun asks dumbly. Luhan smiles a dazzling smile at him and walks over to the carousel. Sehun watches as Luhan whips out a fancy pen and taps a blue horse with a red saddle and gold highlighted tassels.

“Come on, Eve, let’s bring him to Kris,” Luhan says to the horse who leaps out of it’s pole and the carousel.

It neighs and that’s all Sehun remembers before everything blacks out.

☁

Sehun’s head hurts like a thousand elephants just stampeded over it, chewed it up, and spit it back out.

“You’re weak,” he hears and his eyes fly open to see a young face of a boy who looks at him with an amused smile.

“You’re still here!” he cries. He holds his blanket closer to him. Wait, blanket? This isn’t his blanket.

“You fainted so I carried you to my house,” Luhan explains. Sehun thinks he can really read minds. “Tea?”

“No thank you,” Sehun says numbly. “I’d like some explanations though.”

Luhan sits down on the velvety couch across from the bed Sehun is on.

“I told you. You’re on your way to Heaven.”

“I’m dead?” Sehun asks, horrified.

“If it makes you feel better, no you’re not dead. You’re not dead until you’re officially in Heaven,” Luhan clarifies.

“So what am I right now? In limbo? How did I get here? Why am I here?” Sehun yelps.

“How am I supposed to know?” Luhan says. He’s annoyed. “Shut up. I’ll bring you to Kris in a few and he’ll tell you everything.”
“Who the hell is Kris?” Sehun asks. Before he demands an answer, Luhan blows on a whistle that came out from nowhere and Sehun hears the loud footsteps of horses nearby. The same blue horse from the carousel followed by a similar white one appears at the open doorway of Luhan’s house.
Sehun squeaks and points an accusing finger at them. “W-w-what are those?!”

“They’re horses, you ,” Luhan says, ready to face palm the kid. “Don’t be surprised. There are way more things around here that you’ll deem strange.”

“Why are they moving? Why aren’t they on the poles?” Sehun asks. 

“Just because,” Luhan says, not bothering to explain. He grabs a can of Coca Cola. “You’re not really in the living world anymore, so whatever is strange here should be normal.”

“You don’t make any sense,” Sehun says dumbly.

“I don’t have to,” Luhan says as he mounts on the blue horse. “Get on,” he tells Sehun.

Sehun gets up from his bed and walks weakly over to Luhan. He grabs the reins of the blue horse that Luhan is on. Luhan kicks his hands.

“Not Eve! You idiot, get on Lily,” he says, cocking his head towards the white horse who neighs at Sehun. Luhan is so not cute.

“You want me to ride on a horse by myself?!” Sehun asks, nervous. He has never ridden a horse before.
“Get used to it,” Luhan says and nods to Lily. Before Sehun can respond, Lily bends her head and flips Sehun onto her back. Sehun screams like a girl.

“, , ,” he curses, he can’t ride a horse!

“Hold on tight,” Luhan warns and nudges Eve. “Let’s go. Don’t faint, Sehun-ah.”

“What do you mean by th - woah! Wait!” Sehun screeches as Lily kicks back her legs and leaps into the air. “I’m gonna fall, I’m gonna fall!”

“Chill, you won’t fall,” Luhan says, calmly riding on Eve’s back as if he weren’t five hundred feet off the ground.

Sehun shuts up and grips tightly on Lily’s silver and gold mane. Luhan’s a , he concludes as he tries not to look down. Don’t look down, don’t look down…Sehun looks down. His breath hitches. It’s not out of fear, though.

He isn’t as afraid as he assumed he would be. It’s already nighttime - Sehun wonders how long he was unconscious for. The amusement park’s lights are all and it showcases bursts of colors against the dark night. It’s mesmerizing and Sehun is no longer afraid of the flying horse -

Wait yes he is still afraid of the flying horse because Lily is diving towards the Dragon Mountain Ride 20 ft/sec and Sehun feels like his heart is going to fly out of his chest if he doesn’t hold on to it. He squeezes his eyes shut. He swears they are about to crash when Lily lands gracefully on the park ground.

“Told you you wouldn’t fall,” Luhan says, hopping off Eve. “Get down,” he orders. 

Sehun’s eyes are still shut and his fingers are curled around a tuft of Lily’s mane. She whinnies.

“Come on,” Luhan says softly, reaching out. Sehun peeks at him and sees Luhan extending a hand to him.

“How gentlemanly of you,” Sehun mutters sarcastically and grabs it. He thinks about ice and cool water bottles as an attempt to erase the visible heat away from his face. With Luhan’s aid, he hops off Lily successfully. Luhan takes out that same pen and taps Eve and Lily with them and they immediately turn back into the wax looking horses that belonged in the carousel. Sehun decides not to ask and pretends that it’s totally normal (it’s actually freaking him out).

“Kris is waiting,” Luhan tells him, and leads him towards the cave.

“We’re going in there?” Sehun asks. He prays not.

“No, Kris’ll come out.” Luhan knocks on the side of the cave.

“Kris, I brought him,” Luhan shouts into the entrance of the cave. He steps back and gestures for Sehun to move away.

“Kris likes to be dramatic,” Luhan explains. “It’s best if we go all the way back.”

Sehun totally cannot wait to see what ‘dramatic’ meant. But he doesn’t have to wait because suddenly, a bunch of fireworks go off above the cave and lights up the night sky. There is roaring and then fire shoots out of the cave and Sehun is so glad Luhan told him to step all the way back. There is rumbling and then holy crap -

A gigantic green dragon shoots out from the cave and Sehun ducks and attempts to follow fire drill protocols to stop, drop, and roll because there is fire and everywhere. Luhan grabs him to stop him from making a fool out of himself.

“I’m going to burn!” Sehun screams and Luhan shushes him.

“Quiet,” Luhan shushes him.

A terrified Sehun and a collected Luhan watches as the dragon flaps his wings thrice and spews more fire. He lands and a man appears from on top the dragon’s back.
“Okay Fan Fan, let me down,” he says to the dragon. It crouches down. The man - Kris, probably - jumps down from the dragon’s back and walks towards Luhan and Sehun.

“Hello, Se-“ he begins to say, but starts to choke from the all the dust and burnt debri.

“Wa-hem-ter,” he splutters, and Luhan throws the can of Coca Cola to him.

“I told you the dragon and the fire was a bad idea,” Luhan scolds, and walks over to hit Kris’s back. “You just made yourself look like the biggest idiot ever.”

“Shut up,” Kris says and crumbles up the now empty can of Cola. “So as I was saying,” he continues, straightening his posture.

“Hello Sehun, and welcome,” he says. Sehun doesn’t feel welcomed but maybe that was just proper greeting for anyone who showed up here.

“I’m sure you are very confused and curious and maybe even scared,” Kris says.

“I am all three,” Sehun agrees. He’s glad Kris can understand.

“But I can convince you, there is no reason to be! I will answer all questions you have so shoot! But only one at a time please, and three max,” Kris says.

“Why am I here?” Sehun asks.

“You will remember eventually, when you need to remember it,” Kris states simply. “Next!”

“Wait what? That’s it?” Sehun asks disbelievingly.

“Yes,” Kris answers. “Next!”

“What?! Okay fine, how do I get out of here?” Sehun asks.

“When you have decided to pass on or respond to the beckoning of the one that calls you, you will leave this place depending on what you choose,” Kris replies. “Three questions are up! Luhan, I assign you to take care of him.”

Sehun stands there baffled.

“Pft. Always me. That’s only because you were here first and made yourself emperor or some ,” Luhan scoffs. “But fine. I wouldn’t trust you with people anyway.”

“Hey, I resent that,” Kris mumbles. “Okay. I have work to do. Fan Fan, bring me back. Have fun, Sehun!” He climbs onto the fat dragon and makes his way back inside the cave.
“That’s it? I thought you said Kris would be helpful,” Sehun deadpans, turning to Luhan.

“I never put it that way,” Luhan says defensively. “Anyway, we’re going back to my place and I can explain everything to you.” They walk over to the fake horses. Luhan turns them back into real horses.

“Why couldn’t you do that before?!”

“Kris didn’t want me spoiling anything. Home we go!” Luhan shouts as he climbs on Eve.

“We have to take them again?” Sehun asks, horrified.

“Aw, Sehunnie is scared,” Luhan coos and reaches down to chuck Sehun’s chin. “But yes, now get on before I leave you.”

Sehun makes his signature >:I face but climbs on Lily just in case Luhan really did leave without him.

☁

Sehun is tired and nauseous.

The whole double flying horse ride was too much for him - hell, everything was too much today. Waking up in an empty amusement park, finding out he was dead (well, almost) and witnessing a fire breathing dragon shoot out from a case. Forget explanations, especially “why does Luhan have a house in the middle of a carnival?”. It was all much too overwhelming.

“I’m tired and nauseous,” he voices out to Luhan. The first thing he aimed for when they had reached Luhan’s home was the bed that he had been in an hour ago. Luhan had grunted distastefully but didn’t object.

“Go to sleep,” he hears Luhan tell him but his eyes are already closed. He faintly remembers Luhan draping the fluffy blanket over him but maybe that was in his dreams.

☁

Sehun wakes up to annoying loud dubstep music that is blaring all around the carnival as if it were broadcasted through an intercom.

“That’s Kris’s wake up call,” Luhan says groggily. He had just woken up too. Sehun watches as he rubs his eyes and stretches like a baby. Cute.

“When is it gonna stop?” Sehun asks. He has never been a morning person and this dubstep is making him even more annoyed.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop until Kris himself wakes up,” Luhan says. “Get used to it, because Kris is one deep sleeper.”

Sehun groans.
“What would you like for breakfast?” Luhan asks, getting up from the couch. Sehun momentarily feels bad for making him sleep on the couch.

“Pancakes would be nice,” Sehun suggests shyly.

“Great, I have pancake mix. Do you know how to make it?” Luhan asks, shifting around stuff in his cupboard.

“No,” Sehun replies.

“Oh well, milk and cereal it is,” Luhan calls, taking out a box of what Sehun hopes is frosted flakes. He only eats frosted flakes. Luhan comes back with two bowls and a box of cereal.

“I’ll go get the milk,” Luhan says as Sehun grabs the box of cereal. It’s oatmeal bran. He hates oatmeal bran.

When Luhan comes back with the milk, Sehun pouts at him.

“I don’t like oatmeal bran,” he relays to Luhan. “Don’t you have anything else?”

“What do you want?” 

“Frosted flakes.”

“You are such a baby,” Luhan complains and whips out his special pen. He taps the box of cereal and the purple oatmeal bran box turns into Sehun’s favorite blue frosted flakes box.

“Where can I get one of those pens?” Sehun asks, amazed.

Luhan stuffs his pen into his pockets and waggles his index finger at Sehun.

“It’s a special pen not to be played with by children,” he tells Sehun as if Sehun were some daycare student. Sehun scoffs in reply.

“Says the one with the baby face. I’m not a child, I’m 20,” Sehun declares. He pours himself some cereal like a man.

“I’m 22 so I’m still older,” Luhan argues. “You should be calling me hyung. Now finish your cereal. I’ll answer any questions you have while we eat.”

“Do you have a maximum?” Sehun asks warily.

“No, I’m not Kris.”

“Why are we the only ones here if this is a passing to Heaven?”

Luhan looks at him. “This isn’t the only one. In fact, passing could be anywhere. The reason we’re here is that we had accidents right in this very park. You’ll remember it eventually. I’ll take you out to the ferris wheel tonight, it’ll help you.”

“Why the ferris wheel?”
“You can see everything from the top. Whatever you see might trigger something. And the ferris wheel goes slower than the horses do.”

“Hm. How do we get out of here?” Sehun asks.

“Do you mean back to the living world or to Heaven?” Luhan inquires. “Please elaborate.”

“…Back to the living world,” Sehun says.

“Well,” Luhan starts. “It’s difficult. Time doesn’t pass by the same time as it does on the other side. You have to wait until you hear the call.”

“The call?”

Luhan nods. “I don’t know how it sounds like. I’ve only experienced indirectly in the past when some that showed up got a call. It sounds like a voice calling you, I assume. I heard it sounded like it was over an intercom - like Kris’s wake up call. They usually respond to the call, I don’t know how they do it. But the next thing I know, they’re gone.” He looks over at Sehun.

“It’ll probably happen with you too,” he reassures Sehun. “The only thing is, you never know how long you have to wait. The time here is different from the time there.”

“Why hasn’t it happened to you?” Sehun asks curiously.

Luhan looks at him with sad eyes and Sehun feels a stab in his chest.

“I don’t have anyone important waiting for me on the other side,” Luhan tells him softly. Luhan looks down and focuses on his cereal.

Sehun looks at him, mouth full of food and milk dribbling down his chin.

“I’m sorry,” he says apologetically.

“For what?” he laughs. “It’s okay. I like it here.” Luhan stares at Sehun with an amused expression on his face.

“What?” Sehun asks. His face flares from the attention.

“Come closer,” Luhan orders softly. Sehun has learned to automatically follow Luhan’s instructions so he immediately leans a bit closer. Luhan whips out a napkin and reaches over to Sehun.

“You have milk dribbling all over chin,” he says and lightly dabs at Sehun’s chin. “Like a baby.”

Sehun blushes fifty shades of red. He clears his throat. “I’m done,” he announces.

“Go put your bowl in the sink, we have stuff to do.”

☁

Sehun is still not used to riding on a flying horse.

When they land, Sehun has to take a few deep breaths to compose himself and next to him Luhan laughs at him.

“You should see your face,” Luhan wheezes, slapping his thigh and then slapping Sehun’s arm. Sehun is unamused. “Anyway, pick a color,” Luhan says, gesturing to the colorful carts of the ferris wheel.

“I like purple,” Sehun says. He looks up at the ferris wheel. The carts are all painted red or yellow or blue or green. No purple.

“I meant red,” he says quickly before Luhan can point out how stupid he is.

“Red it is,” Luhan agrees, walking inside to the booth where an old “Employees Only” sign is almost about to fall off. Sehun follows inside and is surprised to find out Luhan knows how to function the big wheel.

“You know how to use that?” Sehun asks. Luhan nods.

“Been doing it for years,” Luhan says. “I programmed it to start working in twenty seconds, so hurry up!” He clutches Sehun’s hand and pulls him along to the awaiting ferris wheel carts.

Sehun looks down at their intertwined hands and wonders if Luhan can feel his rising pulse from the contact.

Luhan lets go when they reach the red cart and Sehun almost whines at the lack of touch. They crawl inside and sit across from each other.

“Just look outside and take notice of everything,” Luhan explains. “It works every time. Make sure you look both sides, the wheel rotates twice.”

“Okay.” Sehun stares outside to his left. There isn’t much to see yet - everything is blocked by the metal mechanical parts of the ferris wheel. It takes a few seconds before the cart shakes as if it hasn’t been in use for a while. Sehun grips his seat as they slowly start making their way up.

“This would be prettier at night,” Sehun says, as he presses his face against the glass.

“It would be,” Luhan agrees. “We can come back if you want. But then again, we always have the horses, if you aren’t afraid.”

“Ha ha ha, no please, not the horses.”

“Shush and keep a look out on the rides,” Luhan says. Sehun obeys quietly and stares outside.

From up so high, he notices Kris’s dragon cave, the Haunted Mansion, and other loopy and insanely terrifying rides. None of them catches his attention or sparks anything like Luhan said they would. It’s anti-climatic.

“Nothing’s interesting,” Sehun tells Luhan who nods.

“It’s okay. On the second round, check out the right side too,” Luhan suggests.

So up they go again, and this time Sehun stares outside the glass panel on the right. Sehun sees the famous gigantic Cobra design of Cobra Twist ride and the big ship of the Shipwreck. The carousel is nearby.

“Hey that’s where I came from right?” Sehun says excitedly to Luhan and points down to the spot where he believes he woke up from.

“Yup,” Luhan confirms, “Even though I have no idea where you’re pointing at because we’re up so high but that’s the general direction.”

Sehun ignores him and looks at the surroundings. From up high, the ship doesn’t seem as scary  - it looks like any other regular ship with a load of seats. He looks over at the green Cobra, with its spirals and upside down loops and the little gap that has broken off in the middle - 

☁

“Goddamn,” Jongin says as he tries to aim at the big water balloon that is moving left and right at a speed too fast. The huge game host smiles smugly at him as he counts the bills on his hand - all from Jongin.

“Come on, oppa, give up and let’s go do something else,” Krystal whines from the side.

“No, I’m going to win that rabbit for you, babe,” Jongin says, determination painted across his face. “One more,” he tells the host who grins and accepts another bill from him.

“Let him be,” Sehun says to Krystal who sighs. “He needs to save whatever is left over from his pride.” Next to him, Sulli giggles.

They watch as Jongin summons all of his concentration into watching the balloon. He aims his dart gun on the center and shoots. The dart graces the balloon on the skin but it does the trick and the balloon pops and splashes water everywhere. Bystanders cheer at the refreshing feeling of the cool water on burning skin.

“Yes!!!” Jongin cheers and turns back to laugh in their faces. “Told you, ers!”

“After about a thousand and one tries, I am proud of you,” the host says and detaches the big pink rabbit from the string it was hanging off on.

Jongin pretends to not hear the embarrassing comment and snatches the rabbit out of his hands to hand to Krystal.

“Thank you oppa,” she says sweetly. 

“Sulli, do you want one too? I’m sure Sehun wouldn’t mind winning one too,” Jongin asks, grinning a maniac smile at Sehun.

“No, it’s alright, don’t embarrass yourself,” Sulli giggles.

“Hey, I wasn’t that embarrassing was I?” Jongin asks, ashamed.

“No, bro, you were amazing,” Sehun says sarcastically.

“What do you say we go ride something? We’ve only been playing arcade and stand games so far,” Krystal suggests. “People have been raving about the new Cobra Twist ride since it came out!”

“Sounds good to me,” Jongin says. “Let’s go!” Krystal links his arm and the group walks over to the nearby ride.

“I’ll stay back,” Sulli says, shying away. 

“I’ll stay with you,” Sehun says. It would be rude to leave her alone.

“No, no,” Sulli says, pushing Sehun towards a waving Jongin and Krystal. “Go have fun, I’m just afraid of heights is all. I’ll carry the bags.”

“Are you sure?” Sulli nods reassuringly.

“Well alright then,” Sehun says and joins the couple in front of him.

“Sulli isn’t coming?” Krystal asks.

“She’s afraid of heights,” Sehun explains.

“Alright, Jongin has the tickets,” Krystal says, disappointed. “Let’s go line up.”

When it’s their turn, Jongin and Krystal are the first in line for the new round. 

“Oppa, I don’t want to go on the first cart,” Krystal says, tugging at his sleeve.

“I’ll go,” Sehun offers and steps in front of them.

“Thanks oppa,” Krystal says, relieved. The gatekeeper dismisses the people on the ride and when they’re gone, he opens up the gate.

Sehun takes a lonely seat in the front and Jongin and Krystal joins behind him.

“How lonely is it up there?” Jongin teases.

“Shut up,” Sehun says and reaches back to give Jongin a light punch.

“The Cobra Twist will start in thirty seconds! Please buckle up your seat belts and hold tightly on the handle in front of you! Pictures will be taken on the third drop so be ready!”

“THREE! TWO! ONE!”

The passengers cheer as the the roller coaster starts to make its way up the first drop. Behind him, Sehun can hear Krystal already beginning to scream and he can just imagine Jongin is trying to look cool in front of his girlfriend. They’re nearing the first drop.

It’s exhilarating and Sehun lets out a little whoop! and laughs as the first drop sends them flying down along the rails. There is a lot of screaming and crying as the ride shoots down and slowly makes its way up again for the second drop. The ride is going smoothly until it suddenly lurches forward and stops.

“What’s going on?” Sehun voices out. Behind him, Krystal asks the same thing. There is suddenly nervous rambling amongst the passengers as they try to figure out why the cart has suddenly stopped functioning.

“Please be calm. There is a malfunction in the railing, please hold on until we try to fix this.”

Sehun looks around nervously as they are suspended probably a hundred feet above the ground. He turns around and sees Krystal hyperventilating and a few praying and crying.

“We’ll be fine,” Jongin says soothingly to Krystal who is freaking out.

“Please continue to hold while our maintenance team makes their way here,” the announcer says.

“Hurry the up,” Sehun hears Jongin says. Sehun sits there alone, hoping for the best. He suddenly wishes he wasn’t alone in the front.

Suddenly, the ride starts to move forward again and the screaming gets even louder.

“Is it supposed to be ing moving?!” someone screams from the back.

“Stop the ride!” the announcer