Jongin wasn’t afraid of a lot of things in his life.

He was an overall confident child, rule-breaking teen and lost young adult. He was never doubtful of himself or his abilities—he thought of himself very strong.

Thus, he could walk down an alley without fearing anything.

Except now.

There were sirens echoing through the numerous alleyways in the whole neighborhood. Police.

They were hot on their heels as Jongin ran for his dear life, holding onto Luhan’s hand, guiding them through the turns in search of their freedom.

Winter had come and with it came a season they leaned more and more on each other, only to walk the wrong blocks at the night policemen wanted to ambush.

Jongin could hear the police cars and as soon as they reached the main street, white headlights shined on them. With a low “!”, he pulled Luhan along across the street, the sounds of threats coming through megaphones drowning their labored breaths. He wasn’t sure where they were going but home was way too far and they stepped onto the large bridge parting the Han river in two. Another car appeared and drove after them.

They were surrounded.

If they were caught now, it’d be the end of them.

As intoxicated as they were, at their drugged state, they also carried huge amounts of pills in their pockets.

Jongin came to a sudden stop, turning around and facing a much terrified Luhan. They were both scared. If they were to be caught now, who knew when they would feel such freedom again.

If ever.

“Do you trust me?”

Luhan glanced over his shoulder at the cars approaching, threats of them to surrender echoing so loudly at the late hour. Then, he looked back and nodded firmly.

“Of course.”

“Then jump.”

Luhan wasn’t fast to register everything.

In mere seconds, Jongin had pushed him away from himself and the air engulfed him as the sirens became more and more distant. And then he fell into cold water. He heard Jongin’s body slam the surface of the river shortly after. Luhan swam towards him, both grabbing on each other tightly. As if they had to make sure they were still there.

Alive.

Awake.

Free.

“Always dreaming of the end.”

“But it never comes.”

“Now it feels closer than ever.”

“But voices guide me back.”

“Someone’s asking for me.”

“And I have to return.”

The weather was poor and the wind made both of them tremble as they fell on the grass. Jongin lay over Luhan, covering him from the cold and the other’s trembling hands grabbed on his wet clothes. Their breaths were short and fast, their eyes wide after the temperature shock. They locked their stares, both staring whilst trying to survive the bone-chilling cold.

And they laughed, their breaths coming out as white mists.

They’d somehow survived the fall and swam to shore in freezing water. And they were still somehow alive and breathing.

They’d somehow made it to safety.

Together.

Somehow.

And the pills in the inside of Jongin’s jacket made it all worth it.

***

The days and nights that Jongin would spend with Luhan at his apartment were countless. They’d stay up until early in the morning, cuddled in the small balcony, holding onto each other and a thick blanket. They’d greet the morning sun, the first birds to chirp and the first cars to drive floors below.

It was those hours that were the quietest, the most calming, that they’d enjoy each other’s company the most.

And Jongin would listen to Luhan talk about this paradise that was meant for them and only them. At first, the blond didn’t believe it. But it started to become tempting the more Luhan would talk about it.

It is a world of happiness, Luhan would say. There, there’ll be no one except us. There’ll be nothing sharp to hurt us, just us. We’ll have everything we wished for in this life, we’ll be given everything we deserve but never got. Afterlife is so kind, she’ll grand us so much, Jonginnie! She’ll give us everything we ever dreamed of. Do you believe that? Everything, Jonginnie! She’ll spare our souls and make us well again. We’ll be lost in seas of alcohol and fields of growing weed. We’ll feed on Ecstasy and dress only in our skin. The only thing we have to do, is sacrifice the nothing we have now, Jonginnie. And she’ll give us everything.

Everything we ever wanted!

Do you believe in her, Jonginnie?

You do, right?

Jongin wasn’t entirely sure he did. But it sounded so damn tempting, so beautiful to be a lie, so perfect to be a made-up story. He knew that if there was anyone that would understand them, it’d be Afterlife herself.

There, no one would get in between them, no one would be there to stop them, never t