Yunnan, China, March 26 (Night)

---

It's a busy night once again in Lijiang, a Chinese city situated in the Yunnan province. Lay's currently on a bus, on his way to one of his favorite restaurants that's hidden behind an alleyway.

When he first arrived in this prefecture-level city a year ago, he was without his friends and a home. Luckily though, he and his friends had saved up enough money to rent apartments or smaller living spaces for a long while (from jobs here and there back in South Korea). And some months ago, he met a man around his age who he became quick friends with who also works at the restaurant that he's heading to now.

The bus soon reaches his stop and after thanking the driver with a smile, he gets off and grabs his bike from the back before mounting it and riding off towards the alleyway. A lot of people are out and about right now, mostly college students and other adults, and so he has to weave around them and ring his bike-bell a couple of times as he turns into the alleyway.

After he's entered it, he still has to weave past even more people as he passes by brightly lit shops and such until he gets further in and can finally ride freely. Though, he quickly finds himself getting reminded of his old friends as he passes by more unlit shops.

After Kris and Luhan got caught, he and his friends had to make a decision. Either those two would get sent back to the group's home-planet, EXO-planet, or the captured two could stay here on Earth, on the condition that they would all have to sacrifice their bond and no longer use their powers. But, Lay and his friends knew that their planet was not in a good enough condition to return to since it'd been taken over by their enemy, the red force, three years ago. So, Kris and Luhan getting sent back there wasn't ever even an option in their minds then.

And after a lot of arguing and even some heartfelt confessions, they all agreed to the sacrifice in exchange for Kris and Luhan getting to stay with them on Earth. (The two of them having to forfeit use of their own powers and lose contact with each other and the rest of the group as well.)

And they all did it...but sometimes Lay wonders if the sacrifice was really even worth it.

---

After some more seconds of riding through the alleyway, Lay reaches the restaurant. A small white flower bud lies a few feet away from the entrance, but it goes unnoticed by him.

After getting off of his bike and setting it near the entrance, he plugs in a wireless earbud into his ear and pulls open the front doors of the shop to enter. His friend's right there at the front, sitting with his elbow on the table and his head resting in his hand. He's also turned to the side, still wearing his work uniform and looking so exhausted that he doesn't even seem to notice when Lay walks inside. With a sad smile, Lay walks closer to him.