May 15th.

Daehyun stared up at the ceiling, and let out a heavy sigh. It was going to be tomorrow.

He sighed softly and got out of bed when he thought that So Eun would be up soon. He washed up quickly and changed into his uniform, waiting for So Eun at the end of the stairs.

She was early as well and Daehyun figured that she couldn't sleep much. She gave him a half-hearted smile and bit her lip. "Morning, Daehyun."

Daehyun sighed softly. He didn't want her to feel scared or worried, or any of those negative feelings. He knew she trusted him to do everything he could to save her this time round, but that didn't mean she wasn't afraid.

The fact that she was still afraid pained him, because he knew there was nothing he could do to assure her, with her trust already bestowed to him.

And he couldn't assure himself either, because he was afraid as well.

It .

"Morning." Daehyun murmured. He cocked his head towards the breakfast table and both of them ate their breakfast in silence while Mrs Kim chattered about this and that. They just nodded their heads at appropriate moments and pretended to listen even though they weren't.

So Eun couldn't even finish her slice of toast even though she usually ate two, and Daehyun secretly transferred it over to his plate when she told him that she couldn't finish. They trudged out of the house to get to school, meeting the equally dull BAP boys.

"Morning, So Eun." they chorused. "Morning Daehyun."

"Morning." So Eun faked a smile. "Wow it's Wednesday already eh?" she tried to beam but it turned into a grimace. "How time flies huh? I'm going to be 18 tomorrow."

Everyone remained quiet.

All of them were thinking of how it would feel if So Eun was indeed taken away from them. They were thinking about what they should tell Mr and Mrs Kim should that happen. They were thinking about how they were supposed to continue on with life should their best friend be taken away.

They didn't find answers.

So Eun bit her lip hard till she could taste blood. She didn't care.

Should she? If she was to die tomorrow?

How would Hong Yu try to kill her tomorrow anyway? Maybe he would arrange a sudden meteor to fall from the sky and crush So Eun into bits. Maybe he would flood the entire city and only leave a single wooden board for So Eun and Daehyun so that she had to choose who was to die. Her or Daehyun.

She knew she would choose to save Daehyun despite him being currently immortal. Should the injuries be so deep that when it turned May 17th, Daehyun was still unable to recover and he turned back into a human being who could die, So Eun would never forgive herself if he really passed on.

There were too many things at stake. Her life. His life. Their happiness. Everyone else's happiness.

She wanted to save herself and him at the same time,  because she didn't know how she was to live if Daehyun left without her. It would be equivalent to dying, wouldn't it?

Even though So Eun only knew Daehyun for a measly short period of time compared to the amount of time she knew the other BAP boys, the bond between them was so strong that So Eun really believed her love for him had been passed on from her past lives. Some of her love from last time had to have transferred into her this time, which was why she felt such intense feelings for Daehyun.

"Yah." Daehyun snapped, cutting everyone from their thoughts. He squeezed So Eun's hand lightly and made her look at him.

"Why are all of you so down?" he asked, frowning. "I don't like how all of you are even more quiet than I am, I'm supposed to be the ice prince alright?"

Youngjae slowly smiled and laughed softly. "Daehyun's right. We're too quiet today that it's become uncomfortable." he grinned. "Hey everyone, want to hear a joke I heard yesterday? Why does the mermaid where seashells?"

"To hide her assets!" Himchan raised his hand.

"Because there aren't bras underwater." Jongup blinked, scratching his head. "I don't know. Haerin asked me this once and I forgot."

"Because she wants the pearls in there and doesn't know what to do with the shell." Zelo grinned. "Wait..." he scratched his head. "Do mermaids wear seashells?"

"Aish all of you are wrong." Yongguk boomed. "Mermaids wear seashells because it's illegal to be topless by Poisedon's law."

"WRONG!" Youngjae laughed. He looked at So Eun and Daehyun. "Won't you two guess?"

"It's bound to be stupid." Daehyun muttered, frowning. "Agree." So Eun nodded. Daehyun looked down at her and sent her a small smile, ruffling her hair.

Youngjae rolled his eyes at their interaction and turned to the rest of the boys. "Because....the mermaid has grown out of her B shells!!!"

He stared at them with utmost concentration and willed them to laugh. The boys looked at each other for a few moments and strolled off. "I can't believe Youngjae is first in school." Himchan murmured. "Unbelievable."

"Yah!" Youngjae frowned. "You're just angry that you didn't guess the answer! Come back here!"

The boys started fooling around again and Daehyun let out a small sigh of relief. He watched So Eun silently as she too bickered with the boys like they did everyday and he smiled softly. He hoped he could keep that smile on her face forever.

So Eun stared at the clock and gulped.

11:38pm. It was going to be her birthday in a few.

She tried sleeping a few hours ago and she was still tossing and turning on her bed after three hours of trying. She just couldn't sleep no matter how she tried. She knew that Daehyun was just in the next room but she still felt scared.

She imagined the shadows moving in her room and her lights two hours ago. She thought she heard someone talking and she played music on her iPod an hour ago. She tried counting sheep and lost count after two thousand and fifteen.

She just couldn't stay calm enough to sleep when her heart was thudding so quickly in her chest as the digital Pororo clock blinked beside her.

11.39pm.

So Eun bit her lip and shivered. She was really really scared and she was ashamed of it. She was supposed to be a brave girl wasn't she? Afraid of nothing? Except death, apparently.

So Eun couldn't stand it any longer and she tip toed out of her room, sneaking into Daehyun's. She expected him to be asleep, but instead, Daehyun was leaning against the window, staring out into the night.

He turned when he heard her and he raised his brows. He didn't ask anything, just nothing how her eyes were slightly red and her face a little stained with tears.

He beckoned her nearer and opened his arms as she sank deep into his chest, sniffling softly. Daehyun sighed deeply and her hair in a slow soothing rhythm, swaying them side to side.

"I'm scared." she whispered after a while. She glanced over his shoulder at the clock and took a sharp intake of breath. "Ten more minutes, Daehyun." she sounded close to crying.

"Shh." Daehyun held her close. "I know it's not convincing when I say everything is going to be alright, but I want you to believe it okay? Can you do that for me?" he murmured, kissing her temple. "I hate to see you frightened, So Eun."

"I'm trying." So Eun squeezed her eyes shut. She counted to ten and peeked at the clock again. She let out a frightened squeal. "Daehyun! Eight minutes." she whispered in horror.

"We have to be alert for the next twenty four hours, So Eun." Daehyun pulled away from her and took her wrist, dragging her to his bed. "You have to rest to survive it, okay? I'm going to be here beside you, watching you the entire way. Nothing is going to happen, I promise." he held out his last finger.

So Eun nodded, her eyes darting around like a child. She hooked her finger with his and he shook it once. "Now, go to sleep and I'll be here-"

"I can't!" So Eun sat up again, panicking. "Seven minutes." she gasped. "What if I die right away at 12am? I'm cowardly, Daehyun. I'm afraid of death."

"Love." Daehyun sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. He knew she had to get her rest because Hong Yu was the sort of person who would want to watch them panic. He would never attack So Eun before the last few crucial minutes of her birthday, because then it would be more exciting and nerve wracking.

If So Eun was breaking down the first few minutes of her birthday, how was she to survive the next twenty four hours?

Daehyun nodded to himself once and pressed his lips in a firm line. "Wait here." he ordered, darting to his cupboard and rummaging around for something. So Eun glanced at the clock and trembled. Five minutes left.

Daehyun found what he was looking for and promptly went back to So Eun. He sat beside her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer. "I didn't want to give it to you before your birthday actually," he admitted. "I wanted to give it to you when we break the curse and everything turned fine."

He looked at her and bit his lip. "So I'm not going to ask the question just yet." he murmured. "I'm going to ask it after we survive this, but I want you to safe keep one side of it until then okay?"

So Eun blinked at him confusedly, glancing at the clock distractedly. "What is it?"

Daehyun sighed and reached out to turn the clock face down, tilting her head towards him. "Here." he passed a small red velvet box to her.

So Eun didn't register the size of the box until she popped it open. Two beautiful rings sparkled at her, a beautiful fair sized diamond on the smaller ring and a larger sturdy ring.

So Eun's jaw dropped and she snapped her gaze towards Daehyun. "Wha-" she gaped. "Where did you get this?"

"Just somewhere." Daehyun shrugged. He looked around for a string and he tied it around the smaller ring. He kissed So Eun's forehead as he put the makeshift necklace around her neck, and So Eun touched the ring carefully. "It's beautiful, Daehyun." she whispered.

"Just like you." Daehyun smiled softly. He took his own ring and threaded it through another string, putting it around his neck. He patted the ring on his chest and looked at her. "I think you know what I'll be asking."

So Eun bit her lip, her cheeks burning red. "I think I..." she fanned herself. "You're seriously asking that? I can't believe...Daehyun!" she hugged his chest. "I love you."

"I love you more." Daehyun kissed her nose. "When you think it's going to be difficult, remember the ring okay? You must wait till I pop the question before answering alright? Remember the ring and stay strong."

So Eun nodded as she clutched it in her palm.

She couldn't believe Daehyun actually got them rings, and they weren't just promise rings or friendship rings or engagement rings. No.

So Eun knew what Daehyun was going to ask and she knew her answer too.

She had to live till then to hear his question, and be able to answer him. She HAD to.

Daehyun smiled down at her and leaned down to meet her lips. So Eun kissed him back, sighing softly in content as she leaned into his embrace. The rings were cold against their chests but they felt anything but cold.

They almost forgot about what was to happen, the iminent future. With that...

...the clock chimed twelve.

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