Kai opens his eyes and squints immediately. The room he's in-- if it even is a room-- is bright white, so bright that he has to close his eyes for a few moments before opening them again. As his eyes adjust, they land on a certain figure sitting peacefully next to him. The boy has big, clear eyes, and turns to grin at him once he notices Kai staring. Kai turns away, his heart beating quickly. 

"Is that--" He tries to speak, but immediately stops upon realizing that he cannot hear himself. He tries again. "Can--" Kai panicks, unable to come up with a reason as to why he can't hear himself. Suddenly, a gentle hand on his shoulder calms his racing heart as he snaps his head to turn, staring at the boy next to him. 

The boy smiles a tiny smile, his eyes sparkling. He gently prods Kai to turn and face him, and Kai does so. The boy takes both of Kai's hands, lifting them up slowly and gracefully and then pressing his own palms against Kai's. Kai can feel the boy's warmth spread through him, and he opens his mouth to speak again, only to be stopped by the boy who shakes his head slightly.

Kai laces his fingers through the boy's, closing his eyes and inhaling a familiar scent. They stay like that for a few moments, not embracing, not speaking, just relishing each other's presence. Kai suddenly realizes that he's losing heat. The air around him is becoming colder, and when he opens his eyes, he realizes it's also becoming darker. He can barely see the boy now, and he feels the boy's grip on him tighten in a silent plea. I don't want to leave, though, he thinks. It's not me, I promise! I want to stay with you--

Kai wakes up, the light in his room bright but not bright enough. He runs into his bathroom, grabbing a bottle of sleeping pills and filling a glass with water. Quickly, he heads back into his bedroom and swallows two pills. Please, let me come back...

<><><>

Luhan's eyes widen. He's--

"I'm going back in," he announces. Yunho sighs, but nods his approval.

"Yixing, keep watch." Yixing turns upon hearing his name, and nods once to show his understanding. "Luhan, don't get too caught up," Yunho warns. "Consequences could follow."

Luhan merely nods before going under.

<><><>

Kai turns to the boy. He gestures wildly, trying to communicate with him.

"What are you trying to say?" The boy laughs, his caramel hair blowing slightly in the small breeze. They're sitting in... light. 

Kai raises an eyebrow, slightly embarrassed. "You can hear me?"

The boy nods. "Yeah," he replies. "It's because our connection is stronger."

Kai narrows his eyes, trying to pinpoint where exactly he had seen this boy. He was so familiar, yet Kai couldn't recall exactly who it was. The boy almost seemed faceless, though Kai knew that he was pretty. "Are you...?"

The boy sighs, as if he had seen what was coming. "Luhan." He seems to disappear for a moment, then reappears, his image stronger than ever. Kai scans his face, eyes widening when he realizes that yes, this is Luhan.

"What are you doing here?" Kai can only breathe out those words. 

Luhan shrugs. "I don't know. I want to get to know you better." He leans his head on Kai's shoulder, and Kai can smell the familiar scent again. "Like..." Luhan pauses to think before continuing, "What's your first name?"

"Kai," Kai replies automatically. 

"No, 'Kai Kim', your real first name." Luhan picks his head up and faces Kai. 

Kai blinks. "...Jongin," he finally says. He wants to be angry at Luhan for abandoning him, for leaving close to no answers, but he finds that in this peaceful moment, with nothing around them, he can't be angry.

"I... I like that name. Jongin." Luhan lets the name slide off his tongue, almost tasting the way the name sounds. He pulls his legs into his chest, resting his chin on his knees. "How are you, Jongin? Did you eat, Jongin? What have you been up to, Jongin? It's been a while, Jongin." Luhan smiles and sighs. "Yep, that sounds perfect. I could get used to this."

They sit in a comfortable silence for a while. "Hey," Luhan says suddenly, breaking the silence. "Watch what I can do." Luhan waves his hand, as if gesturing to someone behind him, and a large orb of water comes hurtling towards them. Kai reacts, scrambling away, only to watch as Luhan brings the orb to a sudden halt right in front of his face. "Cool, huh?" he giggles.

"How did you..." Kai is speechless. 

"You can do it, too." Luhan grins, moving the orb up and down in front of Kai. 

"I can- what?" With an encouraging nod from Luhan, Kai concentrates the best he can on the orb in front of him, and...

Nothing.

"I can't do it," Kai says, crossing his arms. "You're some weird alien or something." 

Luhan just laughs and shakes his head. "No, I don't mean this," he explains while moving the orb back in front of himself. "I mean that everyone has the ability to do something related to something they love in this room." He plays with the orb for a while. "For example, this orb of water was made by someone who's always loved swimming. So, when I visited him and brought him here, he created a bunch of these water orbs." Luhan pauses. "So, what do you love?"

Kai thinks for a while. "Well... I've always loved travelling." 

Luhan raises an eyebrow. "So?" 

Kai closes his eyes, focusing on a picture that he'd once seen of the most beautiful beach. I'd like to spend time here with the person I love the most... He suddenly blanked out, and when he came to only moments later, he smelled the sea. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was standing on the sandy shore. 

Luhan stood beside him, stunned. Kai took a look at his surprised face and laughed. "Right? It's beautiful here." 

"Y-Yeah." Luhan nods slowly. No, not that. It's just that-- you took me with you?

Jongin suddenly feels chilly again, and he sees that everything is becoming darker though the sun hasn't moved from its spot in the sky. "Lu-"

"You have to wake up now. Goodbye, Jongin."

Wake up?

Kai wakes up, feeling like he's having a hangover. "My god," he breathes. "It was just a dream." He drops on the bed dejectedly, cursing. "Damn, I knew it was too good to be true." 

He reaches over to his nightstand, pouring out a handful of white powdery pills, and swallows them all. Then he waits.

<><><>

Luhan's eyes widen again. "Again? For the third time?"

Yunho sighs. "Luhan- please." 

"Xing, keep watch," Luhan tells Yixing, who nods again. 

And then he's plunged in.

<><><>

"What did you do?!" Luhan screeches, staring at Kai with a panicked expression. 

Kai's taken aback at the fact that Luhan's losing his composure. "What? I just came back." 

"Oh my... this isn't good. I can't do this... This isn't happening... Xing!" Luhan paces the room, and he almost seems to flicker before Kai's eyes. What? Who or what is this 'Xing'? Luhan's image begins to glitch, dissolving and then reappearing seconds later.

And then he disappears, leaving Kai alone on the beach.

Leaving him alone, again.

<><><>

"X-Xing..." Luhan struggles to pull himself away. When he finally does, he gasps, his eyes widen with fear. "XING! GO! NOW! BEFORE I'M PULLED BACK IN!" 

Yixing takes one look at Luhan's panicked expression and is quick to react. "What happened?" 

"Kim Jongin-- hurry!" Yixing nods, and quicky leaves. Then, Luhan's pulled back in.

<><><>

Kai sees Luhan reappear before him. "Luhan! Where were you? I was worried--" He's cut off by Luhan, who strides over to him and throws his arms around Kai's neck. 

"Don't you ever do this again, Kim Jongin." Luhan's crying into Kai's neck, and Kai's arms wrap instinctively around Luhan's waist. Kai pats Luhan's back gently. "Don't ever do this again." Kai feels Luhan's tears on his skin. "It's going to be okay, Jongin. It's going to be okay."

"H-Hey, shouldn't I be saying this to you?" Kai laughs, slightly nervous. He rubs comforting circles into Luhan's back as he speaks, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. 

Luhan pulls away from Kai and looks into Kai's eyes, his own b with tears. Then, he leans in and presses a soft kiss onto Kai's lips. "It's alright," he whispers in between kisses. "It's okay. It'll be okay." 

Kai's confused but he tugs Luhan closer nonetheless. It's only when he feels that chilly feeling again that he begins to realize that right, this is a dream. 

"Now, Jongin," Luhan whispers, "do me a favor." 

"Anything," Kai whispers back a little breathlessly because he's so taken away by Luhan and his beauty. 

Luhan closes his eyes and whispers fiercely. "I need you to wake up." 

HI GUYS SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. THIS IS A DYSFUNCTIONAL CHAPTER AND UGH SO I HOPE YOU KINDA LIKED IT?

LEAVE ME YOUR LOVELY COMMENTS + DON'T BE AFRAID TO TALK TO ME!