green - main characters
faded green - already set couples
blue - friendship
dotted blue - aqcuaintance
* Please note: This chart describes the situation at the end of their story.
 

It was a warm day at the end of summer. Even though heavy rain poured down onto everything it could reach, the sun was shining unusually brightly in between the grey clouds.  A lone figure was sitting on the edge of a short wall. The slender boy was positively drenched, his blond hair sticking to his face in wet strands as much as his clothes were clinging onto his slim frame. His equally slender hands grasped the edge tightly, pale fingers turning even whiter against the reddish stones.
He could see the warm sunrays reflecting on every wet surface blindingly.
He could smell the rain, heavily permeating the sweet late-summer air.
He could hear the loud pitter-patter of the heavy raindrops against the leafs above his head.
He could taste the summer on his tongue, it's bittersweet flavour.
He could feel the soft wind coldly against his wet cheeks.

Still, there was no one to share his thoughts with.
No one.
 

Black. Everything was black.
I couldn't see anything.
Couldn't hear a sound, couldn't smell or taste anything, I couldn't even feel my own body.

For the longest time I didn't realize anything at all. Trapped in a world of dreamless sleep, of half-consicious dreams.Then realization slowly sank in, as the dreams kept reminding me of a world that grew more and more foreign to me.
My mind was hazy. Whenever a clear thought began to form in my subconsciousness, soft but insistingly bubbling to the surface, I would drift off into the black again.
I was helpless. Losing against myself.
Lonely.
That is, until that soft voice called out, echoing into the emptiness of my mind.
From then on, for onlookers nothing changed.
I still couldn't hear, feel, nor see.
But I wasn't alone anymore.
 

"Hello Kris."
Hey.
"How are you doing?"
Pretty much as always, I guess. You tell me.
"Well, you do look gorgeous as always."
Haha, thank you. So how about you, then?
"Me? Ah, nothing interesting happened."
Tell me, anyway. Maybe I'd consider it interesting, you never know.
"You're just too lazy to lead the conversation."
Might be true. Now come on, tell me. Please.
"Ugh, fine. But don't you dare fall asleep, since it's really, really boring! So today I worked at the conbini like every monday. And there were no interesting customers at all. There was just that weird cat-obsessed ahjumma, that always turns up in the morning..."

__

Luhan.
I had only seen his face for a split-second, met his sparkling eyes for only that tiny fragment of a moment, before my world broke down and faded to black; but that moment alone was enough to paint his face into my dreams, to recall the soft blonde hair and pale skin. And those eyes. Again and again.
__

Say, Luhan?
"Yes?"
I was wondering...
"Yeees...?"
...Are there any other patients in my room?
"Hm? No. There's another empty bed, though. I think this room is reserved for gifted ones."
Huh... Surely they could make an exeption for me, couldn't they? Seeing as my power is no threat to anything at all...
"Are you on onto that again? Stop disregarding your gift, flying is awesome. You can be free. And it works just for you, you don't need anyone or anything, unlike me."
Yeah, but I always wanted to get in contact with other people. Having a gift, however useless, made it so much more complicated. You, on the other hand-
"I know, I can connect easily. But still... Being able to create connections to everything and anything is even more useless when there's no one to connect to."
You're connected to me right now.
"Obviously. Yet you still insist on company in your room? I'm wounded."
I don't know why. I was just wondering. Whether someone was suffering beside me, without me even noticing.
"In that case I can assure you: There's no one here but you and me. Gosh, even now you're trying to save the world."
I don't think I'll ever be able to save anything anymore.
"Shush. What's wrong with you today?"
I'm sorry...
__

Luhan.
When I heard the voice telling me its' name, I already knew it would belong to that sparkling eyes. I don't know why. It just naturally occured to me.
And I was right.
The last person I ever saw was named Luhan.
Luhan was also of Chinese origin and a little older than me, though I could've sworn he looked pretty young. He had also left his family behind to come to Seoul. He was also a gifted one. He also didn't know what the next day would bring.
We had many things in common.
The most obvious one being that we cared to save complete strangers.
__

"So, Kris?"
Hm?
"Today, the little boy you saved came to visit you."
Really? I'm glad he's alright.
"He seems a little weak, but he's being taken care of."
Yeah? That's good to hear.
"I heard from your doc that he comes over on a regular basis."
Oh, he doesn't need to bother himself with it. You can tell him it's ok.
"Please, he's obviously a stubborn one. He proclaimed he'll come to visit again and again, until you awake."
I... I don't want to burden him with negative feelings.
"Kris. You saved him from getting hit by a train. Of course he has strong feelings for you. He told me that he still couldn't believe his luck, having been found by you that day."
It was a mere coincidence, though.
"Still, you saved him."
Well, you saved me as well.
"That wasn't the same."
Yes it was. You told me the boy was uncounscious. If it wouldn't have been for you, I would have bled to death.
"I didn't revive you..."
...Yet you called for help until you found someone who could.
"Ah, arguing with you is just so pointless. Anyways, as I was saying... The boy is visiting you from time to time, just so you know. He is endlessly grateful and keeps praying for you to wake up one day."
...
"And I'm praying for you, too."
...

__

The concept of time didn't actually apply to me anymore. I didn't know whether it was day or night, monday or sunday, it just wasn't important. Still, I felt that Luhan visited me at least once a day. And he always stayed for quite some time, even though I couldn't picture the exact minutes or hours.
__

"Hey, Kris?"
Uh... Y-Yeah? Hi. Have you been here for a long time?
"Ah, no, don't mind it."
God, this is embarrassing. Can't you just, I don't know, wake me up? Call out to me in my thoughts or something?
"That'd be pretty rude."
Nonsense. It's probably nowhere near a reasonable time to sleep anyway. What time is it?
"Uhm... Exactly 2:30 in the morning."
What the hell, Luhan? Not that I'd mind in any way, but... Go home, man! Catch some sleep!
"I'm not tired, don't you worry. My shift at the conbini begins later."
You're crazy... Who even let's you in at this time?
"Oh, I'm pretty good with your doctor, he always manages to sneak me in. I think he has a suspicion about our connection."
Are you flirting with my doctor? ...Is he a e?
"Excuse me, Mister, I'm older than him-"
No way!
"-And also older than you, if I might remind you."
...So am I a e, then?
"...Do you want me to go home?"
No, no, just kidding! ...Seriously, though, is my doctor handsome?
"He is, sort of. I guess. He's also Chinese."
I don't like it.
"Aww, Cutie, don't be jealous. He's happily taken. And guess who's the lucky one...?"
Huh? How would I know? I know absolutely no o-
"It's the gifted one you rescued."
Really now?
"Yeah, they make a fascinating couple. Fire and more fire. Makes me wonder who's on top in their relationship."
Oh God, Luhan.
"What?"
You're... You're so... Shameless.
"Huh? Why?"
I don't want to discuss the life of other people!
"You barely know them, though."
No improvement there.
"Well, okay, you can just as well tell me about your-"
Stop right there.
"If you're interested in my-"
I'm not.
"...Booo~ring."
Remind me, please, what's your age again?
__

Luhan had become my eyes and ears.
It was his voice, telling me of my surroundings, the time and the weather, that kept up whatever thin string connected me to reality.
It utterly fascinated me, how reality kept going as I was asleep. As if a complex soap opera was unraveling itself, while I was only able to follow it over the radio. It was intriguing, yet so distant.
Reality didn't actually matter to me at that time. Nothing did, really.
But then again Luhan mattered.
Luhan lived in this reality he told me so vividly about.
And I yearned to be an active part in this world of his.
__

What are you humming? I think I don't know that song?
"H-huh? OH.  I'm so sorry. Ever since they played that song on the radio this morning, it has been stuck in my head. I can't seem to get rid of it. Sorry for letting this into our conversation."
No... No, don't be sorry. Is it a popular song?
"You bet it is! They've been playing it everywhere!"
How does it go?
"Uh... Just... It's called 'Just one day'."
Yeah, so how does it go? Can't you sing it again?
"W-what? My voice is horrible."
My world consists of nothing but your voice and I find it more than pleasant to the ear. Now come on, please.
"Ugh, fine. That's so embarrassing! ...It goes kinda like this:
     'If only I could be with you, for just one day
     If only I could hold your hands, for just one day
     If only I could be with you, for just one day

    If only we could be together, just for one day'..."

It sounds beautiful. ...Or maybe it's just your voice that's so beautiful.
"Oh God, you're so cheesy."
That's because we're communicating through thoughts. I don't think I'd have the courage to say stuff like that out loud.
"Kris..."
Yeah?
"I'd like your world to have more than just my voice."
Yeah... Yeah, I'd like that, too.
__

I always felt very dependant on Luhan. Letting aside the age, because of my situation I always felt as if I was taking advantage of him.
In retrospect, that was a pretty selfish thought. For it had always been a mutual thing between us. Luhan depended on me as much as I did on him, in a different way. He needed me for reasons I couldn't comprehend in the beginning. Unlike me, he also had a good grasp on our thought-conversation, not being entirely as careless and open as I was. And even though we were always joking and poking fun at each other, I'd sometimes get a glimpse at the serious and mature Luhan, who, under all the layers of carefree lightness, had grown an attachement to me, equal to the one I had for him.
__

"Kris, there is something that has been bothering me..."
Mh?
"Didn't you, like,-... Ah, forget it. No, uhm, wait."
What is it?
"..."
Luhan?
"...When you told me you weren't seeing anyone... You didn't lie, right?"
Huh? Why would I lie?
"How would I know? It's just... I've seen him visiting you. I've seen him twice now, and so I asked Lay, and he told me that he comes regularly to see you. I don't wanna sound like a stalker, it's just that you told me you had no close friends, and-"
I don't know who you're talking about. Seriously. What does he look like?
"Uhm, he's about our age, and very tall, with brown eyes and hair, rather lanky."
...Huh. I've still no idea who you've seen, sorry.
"He was really handsome, you know. With big, shining eyes and nice facial features. Well, he sported this kinda weird perm, but-"
Aaaah. Now I get it. It's Chanyeol.
"And who might that be? You've never talked about him."
Well, that's because we're not close at all! Or so I've thought. I told you I was majorly active in the voluntary fire brigade, right?
"Yeah. That's where you came from at that day of the accident."
Yes, exactly. That's where I met Chanyeol. He's a gifted one-
"I know. I could sense it."
...Yeah, and since his gift revolves around the element fire, he's really eager to join the voluntary fire brigade as well. So he sticks around our base a lot, diligently helping out and studying. Still, he's only allowed on outside missions if his wind-controlling friend accompanies him, for his control isn't that brilliant. Well, it was my first time meeting another gifted one, so we naturally talked a little.
"Still he comes all the way out to see you."
It suprises me as much as it does you, really. I would have never expected him to visit me even once. In fact I thought he'd just think I quit or something.
"Well, he obviously cares, after all."
You know... Yo're being pretty snappy today.
"Tch, I'm not."
You so are. Are you that jealous someone else but you noticed me vanishing?
"No... No. That's not it. I'm sorry. ...I just thought, because he's handsome..."
Really now? ...Chanyeol? He's like a puppy! ...A tall one, admittedly.
"Hah, I could easily compete to him in terms of looks, anyway."
We both know that.
"So you admit I'm more handsome?"
There's nothing to 'admit' when I never even denied it. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen.
"You... You only saw me for two seconds at most!"
That sufficed.
"...
...Wait, did you just say 'beautiful'?! I wanna be handsome! Girls are beautiful! I'm a guy~!"
Quit whining, Hyung. Be more of a role model.
"Hmpf."
__

Luhan had always been so eager to get to know me. Always asking all kinds of things, be it about my childhood, my preferences or simply my way of thinking. He wanted to know everything, and I kept answering all of his questions truthfully. Somehow our communication had always been void of those social borders that applied to the regular everyday life.We talked about privat, even intimate things in a free way and I bared my whole soul to him. It just happened, the flow of things too natural to feel uncomfortable. Soon I felt like Luhan genuinely knew the real me. And I, as well, had a very clear image of the person 'Luhan' in my head. But still, it remained an image only.
__

"Have I ever mentioned you look completely like a model? Like the male version of 'Sleeping Beauty'?"
Well thank you? I guess?
"I'm serious; you're so handsome, it's ridculous. I could snap a picture with my cam right now and print it on an advertisement. And you're only clad in this hideous white hospital stuff. I don't know if my brain could keep up if you wore anything more fashionable."
Oh, I'm actually kinda passionate regarding fashion. Ha, you'd like to see me dressed a little more y than that?
"Oh well. Wouldn't complain. Some pair of leather pants wouldn't do any harm, I guess."
Would you prefer black or grey? I might even have a dark red one in the back of my closet.
"Seriously now? If I'd wear that I'd just look like a pimp."
Really? I'd like to judge that for myself, though.
"Tch. No way in hell! ...I think I'm just missing the certain something for leather pants. You just have this aura..."
Aura?
"You just emit this cool type of an image. I mean, you always have this serious facial expression, even when asleep."
Yeah, I've been told I have a face that scares people off.
"Huh? Hm... Still, to me you seem very friendly, and you're laughing a lot. I can't see how people would be scared of you."
Well, I might look scary, but I'm not a machine, you know.
"...I can hear so many emotions, but I only ever see your sleeping face. It's such a pity. I would like to see your face acting out all of those emotions."
Nah, are you sure about that? Maybe you'd want to uphold the illusion. I have been told I look all intimidating, until I start laughing. Then I'd just look dumb.
"Dumb?? Haha, I don't believe it! Beside, it sounds cute, you're lucky. My friends tell me I look hideous when I laugh!"
What? I don't believe that, either. You're too beautiful for that. I won't believe it until I see it.
"I second that. Your face can't possibly look dumb. And yes, I am sure; I want to see it."
__

I told him I wouldn't want him to see me. Looking back, there's no telling how much of that was a lie. Partly I meant it. Of course I wanted to see Luhan, to wake up.But another part of me was scared. Having something holding me back, however tiny, wouldn't stay hidden from Luhan, though. Nothing ever did.
Luhan was stubborn and straight-forward, never sugar-coating his thoughts to me. But he was also pretty attentive and sensitive, maybe a side effect of his gift. Or maybe he just paid a lot of attention to me.
__

"Since you proclaimed I was insensitive, I'll ask before-hand for permission; Can I ask you a serious question?"
I'm not sure if like that tone, but please do so?
"You do want to wake up... Don't you?"
Huh?
"I... Maybe... Maybe it sounds stupid to you, but I can feel it somehow. That something is off. I don't know how to explain, though."
Of course I want to wake up! It's my only wish at this point...
"Okay, let me re-phrase it, then. Is there anything that would burden you as soon as you wake up?"
I...
"Please, tell me. Kris. It's important."
It's just... stupid. I'm stupid. Forge-
"No, I won't forget about it. Tell me. Come on. If we can't figu-"
-I like you, Luhan.
"W-what?"
It's, it's just that you're very important to me, you see? And when I wake up I'm kinda scared that reality might not be what I think it's going to be like.
Maybe I got it all wrong.
"Got what wrong?"
Well -  you, me, everything. I don't know.
"..."
I told you it's stupid, we should-
"I don't think you got anything wrong."
What? ...How would you know?
"Hm... I can't simply read all of your thoughts. And you can't read all of mine, either. So let me make this clear, right now: As soon as you wake up, I'm going to pursue you. I don't know whether you're even interested in me in that way. You don't need to worry if you aren't - We will still see this through together. I just want to let you know that I like you as well, Kris. I really do."
But... What if everything is different from what we think? What if I'm not as you imagined me?
"I'm in your head right now, please. I got to know your truest form, so to say. As for myself... I'll work hard to live up to your expectations."
I'd never be disappointed in you.
"See? The same goes for me. So... From now on, let's work hard to get you to wake up, okay?"
Yes.
__

Never had anyone been so close to me. Even though I knew his innermost thoughts as he knew mine, he still remained unreachable on physical terms. It was agonizing, to say the least. And with every passing conversation my desire to get even closer to him was growing.

I never wanted to die like that. I never thought: Oh well, maybe I should just sleep forever and leave it at that.
There had always been a reason for me to look forward to waking up. But it used to be about other people only; I wished to wake up to resume helping people, to ease the mind of that boy I saved.
Now, gradually Luhan overshadowed those thoughts. It wasn't that I didn't want to burden him, it was actually of an even more selfish origin - for I just wished to be even closer to Luhan. And I wished for it so badly. Yearned for another look into his bright eyes, for a smile directed at me, for a touch of his porcelaine skin. I wanted to confirm that everything was real, since it could as well be a fidgement of my coma-induced imagination. At that time this was what frightened me the most. Sometimes my desire threatened to drive me crazy, the frustration preventing me from any logical thought.
But I wanted to believe in him, in myself. In the both of us.
This urge to wake up was much stronger than my previous motivation, and maybe that was the key to everything.
__

"...And then Tao and I kept talking in Chinese, just to tick him off, and Kai got so frustrated, he eventually-"
...!
What...?!
"Kris? What was that? Are you in pain?"
No, but I... Luhan!
"W-what is it?"
There's something on my hand! On my right hand! I can feel it!
"What? You can... Feel something?"
Am I hallucinating? There's nothing, is there?
"Uh... There is, actually. I-I'm touching your hand."
Really? My right one?
"Yes. I... I only touch your hand to ease the connection, though, I'm not a ert...!"
Nevermind that, I know you're a ert anyway, but I can feel it...! That's so amazing. Oh God, it feels so real. Everything feels so much closer. I can feel your fingertips over my knuckles... Wow. I'm... I'm so happy. I probably sound like an idiot, but now I feel like I could actually make it. Like I could go back to reality and continue living my life... And I will be able to see your face again, and to embrace you... I'm so excited! ...Luhan?
"..."
Luhan, what is it? Are you... Not happy?
"..."
Huh? My hand feels kinda different... Are those tears? Are you crying, Luhan?
"Kris... Kris."
Y-yes?
"...You'll make it... You'll open your eyes and wake up one day, so I can hold you tightly. And you won't leave me then, right? You'll come and meet my friends and take walks with me and go shopping and-"
I'll do whatever you want. You won't even get rid of me if you tried. I will not leave your side. I don't want to step back into my old reality; I'll build up a new one, together with you .
"Okay. I will hold you down to that."
Don't you say I didn't warn you. ...Now stop squeezing so much, you'll break my fingers before I get used to feeling 'em!
"S-sorry."

 

Soo... Happy Holidays to everyone~!
So this is the first part of Kris & Luhan's story.
I hope it's not too complicated to understand, since I tried my hands on a different style once more.
And yes, that's Bts' 'Haruman' that I mentioned. It's one of the songs that inspired me to write this, next to 'Crime Punishment' and Yifan's solo song.
As always: Love (love love ;) to everyone who subscribed, commented or upvoted - I'm super-happy about every notification I get regarding this story ♥
Don't freeze in this weather, wherever you are~
Sugar-and-Salt ♪

On another note: There is still space in the next chapter for one Exo-Cameo, but I didn't set it yet, since pretty much anyone would fit. Anyone you'd like to make an appearance? :)