It was with light taps on his cheek and a whisper of his name that Luhan woke up and realized that he had fallen asleep.
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. The car had stopped and Luhan recognized the street they were parked on.
With one click, his seatbelt was removed, then Sehun was out, walking in front of the car and the passenger door was being opened.
Luhan let himself be dragged out but, soon enough, exitation triumphed over his drowsiness and he was taking the lead as he pulled his laughing boyfriend in the direction of their house.
"Lu, you don’t have to run."
Luhan didn’t care about what Sehun was saying as long as he was running too. Luhan wanted to be home already and call his friends so they could end the night together, talk about what they were up to, share their –
Luhan stopped on his tracks. He stood there an instant, numb, before letting go of Sehun’s hand and wordlessly going inside the park.
The park that was covered with roses.
Slowly marching further into it, Luhan was gaping and looking at every single flower seeming to wave at him. The moon associated with a few stars were throwing their light, showcasing their dazzling red color.
"109."
Luhan turned around and blinked at Sehun who walked closer towards him. “What?” he asked, slightly dazed.
"109. It’s the number of roses here."
Luhan blinked, he looked around him once again before locking eyes with Sehun. This time, instead of surprise, a frown was accompanying his stare. “109?” He tilted his head slightly and his heart was beating weirdly fast.
His boyfriend seemed to notice it because he took a hold of his hand and ran his thumb over the back. The action only made Luhan’s heart beat faster.
Sehun laughed at his boyfriend’s face. “Why do you look so scared?”
"What does it means?" Luhan asked back. There must be a meaning.
Sehun yanked him forward and Luhan landed flat on his chest. Sehun burrowed his face on Luhan’s hair and inhaled before whispering, “The number of red roses on this planet will never be enough to symbolise how much I love you.”
Even if he was smiling widely, Luhan rolled his eyes. Of course it had to be something cheesy. He looped his arms around Sehun, hugging him back to make him understand that he appreciated it greatly and his words were reciprosal.
"But that’s not what it means."
Luhan pulled away and Sehun was gazing at him, his face serious. So serious, it made Luhan’s inside churn with an uncomfortable feeling. He stayed silent as he watched Sehun taking a deep breath. A nervous Sehun wasn’t something common but, on the rare occasions it happened, Luhan felt anxious and tonight, it was duplicated.
The more the silence was growing, the more Luhan was fidgeting. He couldn’t bear it anymore. “W-what does it m–” Luhan gasped and looked with wide eyes at what Sehun took out of his pocket.
Sehun chuckled and paused a moment before declaring, “I don’t see myself with anyone else and I can’t because I love you more than anything else in the world. During these four years together, I learned that I couldn’t live without you. I want you to stay by my side and I want to stay by yours so, Luhan…” He took Luhan’s hand with his free one. “Will you marry me?”
What?
The unexpected question was the only thing on Luhan’s mind. He couldn’t even feel Sehun’s hand anymore. His eyes were on the two silver rings on Sehun’s palm. His vision was starting to get blurry and Luhan knew why.
The reason behind his tears, the reason behind his grin and ragged breath, the reason behind his happiness and that feeling of being esteemed, cherished, of being loved.
Another round of tears came down when Luhan looked up and was met with the source behind it all. He stared at that smile he fell in love with on that exact same place he first saw it four years ago.
The signification was different; this one was for him. The brightness of that smile could dry Luhan’s tears but gentle fingers were already wiping them off. A laughing sound was the cause of a bubbly feeling growing on Luhan’s inside.
"Is that a yes?"
Next thing Luhan knew, his arms were around Sehun’s neck, their lips locked. Sehun almost fell backwards when Luhan jumped on him but he was quick to steady himself as he had an idea of what Luhan was about to do.
At the sounds of claps, Luhan turned around and his wide eyes were filled with sparkles at the sight of his friends. Especially a frowning Baekhyun who had his hands on his hips.
"You two are late," he said and Luhan didn’t wait a second to run to him and give him a tight hug. Baekhyun tensed under his hold but Luhan couldn’t care right now; he had missed his best friend too much.
When they let go of each other, Baekhyun’s angry expression disappeared behind a tearful one. “My baby’s so grown up.” He said almost inaudibly, reaching to touch Luhan’s face, his eyes tracing it along with his fingers. Their gazes met and Baekhyun sniffed before his hand was in front of his bright smile. “And now, we’re both engaged.”
Luhan smiled at the golden band around his best friend’s ring finger. The one he had been bragging about for the last few months. Luhan touched it, it felt great to not be separated from it by a screen.
"By the way," Baekhyun cried, taking everyone’s intention – and even maybe from some neighbor. "You’re all invited to my wedding which is in a month!"
"Uhh Baek," Chanyeol nudged Baekhyun slightly from aside. "I don’t have a date yet–"
"Except you!" Baekhyun pointed his finger at an unimpressed Kai. "Unless you bring a beautiful and expensive gift."
Kai looked at Baekhyun’s wavering finger then at his face, then at Chanyeol's. “Are you sure you want to marry him?”
"Ye–"
"Of course he wants to! Why are you even asking? I’m fabulous! It’s an honor to be with me. Right, Yeol?"
"Uhh, I– yes."
Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at him. “Are you doubting it?”
Kyungsoo shook his head at the pathetic scene in front of him. He turned around to smile at Luhan and Sehun. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you two.”
"Thank you Kyungsoo for remembering what was happening here." Sehun said, voice void of any emotion as he watched Baekhyun crying on a pitiful looking Chanyeol, asking the latter if he was cheating on him. Kai, surely feeling bad, trying to calm down the situation but ending up receiving kicks from Baekhyun. Sehun frowned. "Did they really grow up?"
”Who are you cheating on me with?! Is it this of Eunyoung who tried to smile at you once?!”
”What?! No! Baek! I would never do that!
”Damn Baekhyun! He’s not cheating on you– Yah! Stop hitting me!"
"You, shut up! It’s all your fault!"
…
Kyungsoo sighed. “I don’t think so…”
Luhan couldn’t stop laughing.
It felt so good to be home again.
***
"We should celebrate our engagement."
"Celebrate?"
Sehun rolled his eyes and pushed a giggling Luhan down the bed because the latter knew exactly what he meant.
"You may want to pay attention to me." Sehun said when Luhan’s attention was still on the ring around his finger.
Luhan drifted his gaze towards the face of an annoyed Sehun and smirked. “Are you jealous?”
Sehun scowled and Luhan laughed. “Plus, there’s nothing to celebrate. I never said yes.” he added as he looped his arms around Sehun’s neck.
Sehun scoffed. “What did you accept the ring then?”
Luhan batted his eyelashes. “It’s really pretty?”
During the silence that followed, Sehun blinked a few times, slowly realizing what Luhan had said and sneered. “You must be kidding.”
Grinning, Luhan shook his head. He slipped a hand on Sehun’s hair, his fingers running through his locks as he subtly pulled Sehun’s face closer to his own. He noticed the darker glint on Sehun’s eyes and playfully his lips before whispering, “I may also be deeply in love with you?”
As if mesmerized, Sehun watched him a few seconds before leaning closer and asking, “You may?”
Luhan brought Sehun’s face down and hummed against his lips.
That night, Luhan was shown once again how worthy he was to the most important person of his life and, honestly, if the purpose of his existance was to love Sehun, Luhan considers himself extremely fortunated.
"Why are you smiling?"
Luhan blinked up at Sehun who yawned. Luhan reached to brush his fringe away and saw that Sehun was having a hard time keeping his eyes opened. Luhan smiled and pressed his lips on his – a gentle kiss to soothe him back to sleep.
"Is that the reason?" Sehun mumbled tiredly with a thin smile.
Luhan just smiled wider and snuggled closer.
You are the reason.
…
"I can’t believe it."
"…"
"You, Oh Sehun, the coldest person I ever met, engaged?"
Without throwing him a glance, Sehun tasted his drink and took all his time to answer the person sitting on the stool next to him. “Are you envious?”
Kai scowled and muttered an, “As if.” He eyed the silver band around Sehun’s finger and thought that maybe, Sehun was right. Kyungsoo and him also have matching rings, but it didn't have the same meaning. He looked back up at Sehun’s face and, after seeing his focused gaze, Kai rolled his eyes. His best friend was staring at the same person since the party started an hour ago, never getting him out of his sight despite the huge crowd. That person would come sometimes to check on him, never forgetting to kiss him before leaving.
"Luhan’s not going to disappear you know," Kai informed, following Sehun’s stare and finding a beaming Luhan showing his ring at Yura and Jongdae.
Sehun hummed and Kai almost didn’t hear him through the blasting music. He sighed again.
"I still don’t understand why you payed for the rings. It was supposed to be a gift from Junmin. The guy has jewelry shops all over Beijing, giving for free two rings wouldn't have bothered him at all."
"I didn’t want the symblols of our unison to be a gift. I buy them because it was important for me that Luhan received a ring I earned with my own money."
Kai snorted, even though he was, for once, impressed with his best friend.
"Sehun!"
Kai looked ahead to see a girl with straight black hair, a white mini dress and high heels.
"Eunhee," Sehun greeted back with a smile. It was the first time from the whole night that he took his gaze off of Luhan. "Didn’t know you would be here. Aren’t you studying abroad?"
"I am. I came back to spend the week with my family and heard about your engagement this morning." She smiled brightly. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks."
Luhan suddenly appeared and plopped down on the vacant stool next to Sehun, took his arm and intwined their fingers. With a strained smile, he said, “Eunhee, hi.” Even if she was now his friend, Luhan couldn’t erase their first meeting and that picture of her and Sehun sitting way too close at the beach. She's too comfortable around Sehun and it makes him, well, uncomfortable. The way she dresses was also not Luhan’s cup of tea and the amount of make up she put on completely change her face – that was why Luhan couldn’t recognize her at Yixing’s party in high school.
"Luhan! It’s been so long! You’re absolutely gorgeous!" Eunhee said in awe as she looked at his black tuxedo, a red bowtie lighting up his outfit and his dark brown hair styled up.
"Thank you, you look great too," Luhan complimented back. He was not lying, she did look really beautiful. But if she could be beautiful somewhere far from Sehun, it would be better.
"You do know this party was held for your engagement with Sehun, right?" Kai asked Luhan after Eunhee bid them goodbye to join some friends.
"I know." Luhan replied, unconsiously tightening his grip on Sehun's arm. It didn't go unnoticed by Kai who smiled.
"Luhan, Sehun proposed to you. No need to be jealous."
"I’m not jealous." Luhan said with a pout, his voice a lot lower than usual, as if he wasn’t conviced by his own saying.
With an amused face, Kai shook his head and stood up to look for Kyungsoo. When he was gone, Sehun slided an arm around Luhan’s waist and whispered on his ear, “So, you're jealous?”
"No! I’m not j-jealous!…" Luhan protested and gulped when Sehun kissed his ear. He took a deep breath and tried to stay as calm as possible, diverting himself by looking at the dancing crowd in front of him.
Sehun chuckled and his hot breath tickled Luhan’s neck, making the latter squirm. He was so close, Luhan could feel Sehun smirking when he said suavely, “Good, because I’m yours.”
Luhan’s eyes widened before he squeezed them shut because freaking Sehun and his freaking y voice had to tell him something that almost made him scream in the middle of a freaking party. And he didn’t stop here, oh no he didn’t; he took advantage of his state to surprise him with a sudden kiss.
And as always, Luhan forgot where he was.
"Seriously guys? I just leave you two alone a minute and that’s what happen? Can’t you wait to be home for tha– yah!"
"I hate you! I ing hate you!" Baekhyun howled in between hits and Kai's yelps. "Always ruining my videos, I swear!"
Though he was a bit dizzy and probably red on the face, Luhan tried, “Baekhyun, please, don’t–“
Unfortunately for Kai, Luhan’s voice was too weak compared to Baekhyun’s shrieks. Luhan found out that trying to get an angry Baekhyun away from Kai by pulling on his arm was mission impossible so he begged him to stop and Luhan turned his head around, searching for some support but blinked when he saw Sehun sipping his red drink as if nothing was happening.
"You’re not going to help him?!"
"No, I’m fine."
"What?!"
"Baek, stop!" Chanyeol cried, panting as if he just ran a marathon. Everyone in the cafe was now looking at them, some were laughing and most were... cheering? Chanyeol looked back and forth between Kai on the floor and Baekhyun kicking him, not knowing what to do. He looked around for a person wearing a white suit and was appalled to see that person sitting on the stool next to Sehun. "Kyungsoo! Help me please?!"
Kyungsoo shrugged. “No, I’m fine.”
"What?!"
"WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!" Jongdae screamed, his voice stopping every single movements and sounds.
***
"This is all your fault."
"Shut up! It was yours first!"
"Shouldn’t we help them?" Chanyeol asked, gulping under Baekhyun’s glare pratically yelling at him, bring your here and help me!
"No." Kyungsoo answered as he kept on watching Kai and Baekhyun wiping the floor of the cafe. "Their fault, their problem."
At the same time, Luhan and Sehun were on their way home.
Luhan had wanted to stay and help Kai and Baekhyun after Jongdae forced them to clean up, but Sehun refused, saying that they had to go because tomorrow, he was driving Luhan back at the dorm. Luhan forgot that it was already the end of the holiday and that he’ll be apart from Sehun another month before graduation.
From afar, Luhan could see the red flowers. Who knew the person he saw inside that park would be marching with him in direction of their shared home four years later?
Sehun was about to turn the corner but Luhan had other plan than returning home. He pulled on Sehun’s arm and stopped once they were inside the park.
Though he was curious, Sehun didn’t say anything and waited as Luhan inhaled and took both his hands in his own. When he looked up, Sehun saw a glint of determination in his wide, beautiful eyes.
"Remember when you told me that there are time when we need to make a choice. Even if this choice is a hard decision to take, you pick it because it has the best outcome?" Sehun nodded. "To me, being with you is one of these choices."
Sehun frowned slightly and Luhan squeezed his hands before confessing, “I love you. Waking up and falling asleep knowing that you feel the same is my biggest strengh, the reason I can go through the day. I may have make wrong choices, and probably continue to do so, but I’m sure that loving you is the best I made and I’ll never regret taking it. What’s hard is that I know a lifetime won’t be enough to give you the love you deserve, but I’ll try my best!”
Luhan raised his fist and nodded ardently to strengthen his point. Sehun laughed, the soft sound making Luhan smile fondly. Sehun’s happiness was his prize and he wouldn’t hesitate spending his whole life trying to gain it.
His well-being depended on it.
His heart craved that smile.
And his heart was beating fast when he expressed honestly,
"You don’t know how grateful I am to have you."
~~~~~~
"Mom," A 16 years old Sehun called as he stepped in the garden. "Breakfast is ready."
Sehun knew his mother heard him but she didn’t turned around. “Mo–“
"Sehun, look. The roses had fully bloomed."
Sehun walked to stay by her side and looked around him at all the pink roses covering the garden. They were glowing under the sun and dancing with the wind.
He threw his mother a glance and saw the proud look ornering her soft features. Sehun smiled.
"I hope," She started as she rest a hand on Sehun’s face, turning it to look into her son’s eyes and leaving feather-like touches on his cheekbone. "I hope you know I love you."
Sehun stared at her. He had always been amazed by the way her eyes seemed to have stolen every single star in the sky. “Of course, I do… You tell me that everyday.”
"I just want to be sure you don’t forget." She let go of his face and took his hand. "I won’t always be here to tell you."
"Mom–"
"Sehun, just promise me you’ll remember."
"I–" Sehun paused because she was doing it again. She was hiding her sadness. But Sehun could see it on her dimming eyes, he could feel it with her hand tightening around his own and he could hear it at night, when she prays for him. Whatever he said or did wouldn’t change what was going to happen.
"I promise." Sehun said quietly. He didn’t want to lie, but his smile was forced.
He kept on lying about his real emotions since he found out she was sick.
But it was better like this. Somehow, as he learned to accept it, the truth showed itself naturally.
Sehun knew that his mother was aware of it but she never mentioned it because she also lied sometimes.
A hand passed on his hair and Sehun looked up at her mother wearing a smile that could make anyone forget that the act of faking could even exist.
"You don’t know how grateful I am to have you, Sehun."
~~~~~~
"Sehun?"
Sehun came back to the present and was greeted with two worried brown eyes.
"Is everything okay?"
He blinked a few times, a reassuring smile appearing as he hummed and cupped Luhan’s surprised face before leaning in and planting a loving kiss on his lips. Dainty fingers found their way around his neck, eager to depen the kiss but Sehun pulled away and smiled when he heard a muffled whine.
"You know I love you, right?" Sehun asked, their foreheads connected.
"Of course, I do," Luhan said with a huff, annoyed at the distance between their lips. "You tell me that everyday." He tugged on Sehun’s neck, pulling him down impatiently and muttered onto his lips, "But I like it better when you show me."
The wind seemed to sing for the searing kissed they shared, the only spectators being flowers blushing at their mutual passion and the moon shining high above them.
"That’s better," Luhan said with a satisfied smile and a pat on Sehun’s cheek. Sehun laughed.
"I’ll make sure to remember."
"Can’t you just keep on showing me so I won’t forget?" Luhan asked innocently, already bringing Sehun's face closer with a sweet smile – one that was hard to resist.
Sehun could, and he was about to tell him, but Luhan apparently couldn’t wait.
And it was fine because words were not necessary. They were anyway, not enough to express the love he had and they'll never be.
Neither was a ring.
Or a garden.
Those were just symbols to display an ounce of the unconditional love he needed to share with the person he gave his heart to.
He’d surely never be able to let it all out, even with all the gifts in the world.
That was why he promised himself that, as long as he lives, he’d continue to give Luhan what he merits.
By always showing him how grateful he is to have him.
Actually, as I said, there’s one chapter left, but you can consider this chapter as the end of this fic. (Sort of)
The next one is more like a bonus. (again, sort of)
Well, I hope you had a great time and liked the story.
5 months since I started it and, even if it's not the end, I'm happy I could go this far and didn't give up.
I'm happy you didn't give up.
Thanks a lot for the upvotes, subscriptions, comments, thanks for reading.
For everything,
Thank you! :)
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