Kai cut through his friends and family to meet Sung-kyung. He didn’t know what to say. After all these years, he was still a fool when it came to words. He’d thought he was doing the heroic love thing when he’d let her get on that bus, but it had taken 10 YEARS for fate to bring her back. 

“What are you thinking?” She sounded anxious. 

“I’m thinking what a superfan you still are,”

The jibe came so naturally with her. It was in the mischievousness of her eyes, the soft smile, the way her hand felt in his. Smaller than his. He’d always thought her the strongest person. The way she’d left home to find her big sister, worked for the Madame, enduring the danger and evil, and him. He hadn’t made things easy for her. He would always have to carry the guilt that his existence probably led to Emi’s dying right here on this bank.

Chen clapped his hands calling everyone to him, “Ere, we’re going to make a toast to Emi and then light the lanterns.”

Minah and Arran distributed the bottles of wine to everyone. “This is a big toast.” Sung-kyung eyed the bottle.

“We plan to be here for a while,” Kai told her.

“SK, you’re up.” Kyungsoo motioned with his hand for everyone to stand in a circle. Sung-kyung beamed at him. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Pali. Sehun needs his medicine.” 

Sung-kyung had missed this banter. She’d missed all of them together. Looking at Kai, she realised he’d missed it too. He’d been an outsider in his own family because of Lilly, because of her too. She remembered what it felt like to be an outsider in this group. How cold it felt seeing them wrapped up in the sun. How Kai must feel now. She took a deep breath. “I used to watch my sister flip through magazines and cut out pictures of Seoul and women in fancy dresses and paste it on the wall of our bedroom,” everyone smiled as they imagined it, “Emi wanted to do big things and when she got to come here, she was so happy.” Sung-kyung paused, “We all know how the story ends.” Sung-kyung inhaled shakily. Baekhyun stared at the dark water. He could still feel Emi in his arms, dragging her heavy body through the water, trying to break the surface. He’d wanted to save her with every cell in him but she’d died anyway. He shook his head as if that could push the memories away. Arran took his hand.

“What I do remember about that night, against all the madness and the pain, was how you guys stood by me. You came here to find me. You put your lives at danger for a stranger. When I first arrived at that posh private school, I was petrified, but you all crashed into my life – larger than life. I lost someone I loved but I gained you crazies and I really – really love you guys.”

“Awwwww” everyone rushed to pinch her cheeks.

“To Emi, thanks to her we can all be here together,” Sehun said and looked at his brother. Kai got the message. Sung-kyung was the reason they were all here tonight.

They took a sip of wine and then lit the lanterns. Kai and Sung-kyung sat on the sand and watched the lanterns floating into th