“It didn’t work in the end…” Luhan sighed, closing the book he was reading a spell from. “I’m sorry, Sehun.”

“It’s fine. I was doubtful about spraying ashes of burnt orange peels and chanting gibberish would do it, honestly.” Sehun retorted good-naturedly.

Chanyeol repeated Sehun’s words to Luhan who apologized once again before slumping on the sofa.

“I’m tired. I don’t really know what else to do. I found nothing on the books concerning people half-dead. The only half-dead mentioned there were vampires! And they don’t even really exist!” Luhan sighed.

Baekhyun came sauntering towards the small crowd on the living room, “Another failed spell?” he asked, “Why am I surprised?” he teased with a serious face when Luhan nodded at him.

Luhan didn’t even scold the kid for being cheeky. He continued sulking instead.

“Anyways, hyung, how long was it since you died?” Baekhyun asked Sehun.
Sehun sighed, tired of repeating his sentence over and over again, “I fell into a coma about three months ago now, more or less. Why?”

Baekhyun just gave a sound ‘hmm’ and went to get the red book he had been reading for a while now. “You see, I read something in this book that mentioned something about souls wandering around for 100 days. And how, if their bodies are properly taken care of, they can still go back. It sounds ridiculous to me, but it’s kind of near to your case.”

Luhan was suddenly on Baekhyun, nearly toppling the kid. “Hey! Where did you get this book, Baek?” he asked as he turned pages rapidly.

“Duh, in the library of course. It was kind of interesting so I kept on reading it.” Baeykhyun replied and joined Chanyeol on the couch.

“Hyung, the book said that if a soul couldn’t go back to its body after 100 days, then the link between the body and soul will be severed entirely. The soul won’t be able to go back to its body for ever.”

“What?” Sehun gaped, heart thundering. He counted exactly how many days it had been since the accident. “It’s been around 97-98 days since then, give or take.” and then it sunk into him. “Oh my God! I’m going to die!!” he started panicking.

“Who’s going to die?” Anya asked as she entered the living room, Tao on her heels. “Yah, brat, what’s wrong with you?”

Sehun kept on pacing around, his hands on his hair. “I’m going to die in two days! Oh my God! Oh my God!! OH MY GOD!!!”

“What the heck is he talking about?” Anya asked Luhan who was reading the red book intently. “Why is he going to die in two days?”

“This text says that the link between the body and soul expires within 100 days. After then, there is a less chance that the soul can go back to it’s physical body and the disappear from the living world entirely.” Luhan explained.

Sehun panicked even more. If he doesn’t find a way to get back to his body in two day’s time, he’s going to be gone. For good. Forever.

“What am I going to do?” he cast a pleading look at Anya. “Please, tell me what to do?”

Anya has pity on her eyes. “Don’t worry, Sehun. We’ll figure things out. Okay?” she said before going to brainstorm with Luhan to find a solution as fast as possible.

“Hey, there’s some spells here! Look! These just might work!” Luhan exclaimed. “They are a bit complicated, but they just might work!”

Sehun leaped towards Luhan and peered into the book. “Really? Come on! Let’s do it already!”

“Don’t be too hasty, Sehun. We can’t just cast a spell without considering the side effects. What if it backfires? We need to study it first! You might disappear forever, or worse, you might end up somewhere you don’t want to be, if we just jump with the spells without preparation.”

“There is no time, Anya! I’ll be gone for good in two days if we don’t hurry!” Sehun insisted.

“And you might end up being a distorted soul if we mess up! And I don’t want that! I’d rather send you to the other side than make you suffer, okay?” Anya replied determinedly. “Even if we have our differences in many things, I can’t bear to think that you’d be hurt and end up in a worse situation.”

Sehun could see the honesty and concern in her eyes.

“Fine. But can you hurry it up?” he asked.
Anya smiled gently, “I have a deal with you. And you’ve already helped me far too much for me to just screw this up. I’ll help you, I promise.”

Sehun couldn’t put up with the anxiousness, waiting around for Anya and Luhan to figure things out and made sure that the spell would work or at least won’t have a bad side effect. The long wait was eating at him.

“I’m going to go out for a while.” Sehun announced.

“What? Why? Where are you going?” Anya frowned.

Sehun tried to smile at her concern even if his head was in a mess. “It’s not as if I’m going to be in more trouble as it is. I just hate waiting and doing nothing. I’ll be back in an hour, okay? Don’t worry.” he smirked.

“Who said I’m worried, brat?” Anya scoffed.

Sehun didn’t miss the soft ‘Be careful.’ though as he slipped out of the house.

When he was somewhere around the busy streets of Seoul, he called out Suho, knowing that his guardian was always there for him.

“What?” Suho asked as he fell onto a step beside Sehun.

“Did you know about the 100-day limit for a soul to go back to it’s body? Did you know that if I’m not able to got back… I’ll disappear… forever?”

Suho was silent for a minute and his silence was only adding to Sehun’s agitation.

“That is an incomplete information you got.” Suho replied, clearly choosing his words.

“But it doesn’t mean that it isn’t true.” Sehun snapped. “Why hadn’t you tell me? If you had warned me about it then I could have done something sooner to get back to my body!” he accused the guardian.

“Listen, Sehun. I’ve got my reasons. I am only a Guardian, and there are things that are out of my hands-”

“And telling me about this darn deadline is out of your hands too?” the helplessness Sehun was feeling is making the rage inside him build to great heights.

“Everyone will go up to judgment after a 100 days, Sehun. Even if I tell you or not about the hundred days limit, your fate will still be on the hands of someone greater than me.” Suho explained.

“Still! You should have told me about it!” Sehun still fumed. “If you did, then I might’ve found a solution early into this… mess! Or did you think that I was that hopeless? That I won’t be able to find whatever it is that you always tell me on stupid words I don’t understand?” he scoffed angrily.

“NO! That’s not it, Sehun. I trust you! I knew you will find it!”

“Then why didn’t you tell me, huh? You are my freaking Guardian! But you left me all alone in the dark! You purposely failed your task!”

Sehun didn’t expect for the gently Suho to bellow at him.

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to live, Sehun! I’ve been a guardian to far too many lost souls, and I think I’ve seen far too many of them forget the true purpose of being given that 100 days to stay in this dimension before they are either allowed to go back or forced to move on.” Suho let out a heavy sigh, calming himself down again. “Many of them were too focused to beat that stupid deadline they didn’t notice that they were actually getting away from the real goal.”

Sehun watched as something akin to loneliness lingered for a few moments behind Suho’s eyes. Something he never expected on someone like the ever-smiling Suho.

“I just wanted you to live, Sehun. To live without worrying about an impending doom that might or might not even happen. Unlike those who were before you. Many of them didn’t go back. And those who did, only few had lived more fruitfully after. Most of them never knew what life really means until they died for eternity. I just… I just wanted to help at least one soul find happiness… at least one in this timeless existence that I have…”

Silence reign over the two. Sehun knows that Suho meant well, but he still can’t get over the fact that his Guardian had withdrawn something from him that might have helped him avoid the frustrations he has now. He might have found a way and could’ve been living his normal life now.

A life without Anya, Deer Eyes and the kids. If Suho had told him, there’s a big chance that he couldn’t have been bored that much on that fateful night and followed a heartbroken girl walking under the rain. He wouldn’t have meet a certain wide-eyed guy who put up with whatever he does to him. He wouldn’t have met three kids who made filled his days with laughter.
He would have never known that his life actually amounts to something.

“I’m sorry, alright.” Suho’s voice was soft and apologetic. “You don’t know how guilty I am for not telling you. But believe me Sehun, I never meant it for your demise. Back in your life, you never care for anything or anyone. You live life day by day without purpose. Not even for yourself.”

Hearing the reality of his life, Sehun felt that familiar heavy feeling inside his chest. Everyday of his life he ask himself why he feels that way and now he understands. He was lonely. Because there was no one he shares his life with. He was alone.

“Before you met Anya, I was about tell you. About the 100 day limit. By that time, I’ve lost hope that you will find that thing on your own without a motivation. But you met her. And her family. And I saw that every day you spend time with them, you changed. You no longer care for no one and nothing, even yourself. And I thought you might just make it.” Suho sighed heavily. “And you found it, Sehun. Maybe it’s not enough to help you go back. But you lived. You’re no longer an island. And that’s what the 100 day is all about. So you would feel life to it’s fullest. Without inhibitions, without hesitations. Just to live.”

“But I’m still going to die.” Sehun replied in a small voice. “I may understand how it is to live now… but I will still die.”

“Don’t lose hope, Sehun.” Suho patted Sehun’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “Didn’t someone promised you that she will help you?”

Sehun looked at Suho, the hope inside him being lighted again. “Will something work? Is there something that will work? Tell me, Suho! Don’t keep me in the dark again this time.”

Suho gave Sehun a small smile. “I told you before, I am only a Guardian. It is not in my place to know what fate has in mind. But I do know this, Sehun. Believe, and it will happen. Our faith can bring forth miracles. Do not lose hope even if everyone has given up.”
Sehun could feel his spirits rise with Suho’s words.

Yes. He will not lose hope. Not now when he’s got people who he doesn’t want to lose forever. Not when he finally realized that he has a purpose. Not when he had found a piece of happiness that filled his empty life. Not now when he finally understand how beautiful life can be.

With a renewed determination in his mind, and hope filling his heart, Sehun went back to the house that felt like his home now. Back to where he felt how it is to have a family. It’s imperfect and slightly dysfunctional. Heck, many will even look down on it. But it something that Sehun will not give up easily. Not even when the deadline, his deadline, is in two days.

As he made his way back, there’s this weird feeling he’s got though. There’s this insistent hunch that he just don’t understand but can’t shake off either. Feeling the hair on the back of his neck tingle with the weird sensation, he decided to hurry up.

A block away from Anya’s house, the sight of police cars and an ambulance made Sehun’s heart beat fast in fear. What the hell was happening?

The sight of a crying Tao over an unconscious Anya in a gurney made Sehun’s insides turn in overwhelming fear and shock. His heart was racing but seemed to stop at the same time.

No, he thought. This could not possibly happening to him. Not when he had just found his hope. The light in the dark tunnel that he had been walking throughout his life.

How can fate be this cruel?
 

Sehun: Yah, nuna, do you hate me?

A/n: eh?? of course i don't!! why?? O.o

Sehun: because you're such a sadist! first you made Suho lie to me and then you end this chap with Anya in a gurney! if that doesn't say you hate me then i don't know what does!

A/n: hey! Suho did not lie...technically... he just...kind of did not say the whole truth?? (;-;)

Sehun: ( eyebrow)

A/n: uh... i'm sorry??

Sehun: you better give me a happy ending or i'm going to cast all of EXOTICs on your !

Suho: Hey, hey, hey. We do not make EXOTICs murder writers.

Sehun: you don't have a say on this, hyung. you have withdrawn information from me so that's why i only got a couple of days to look for a solution and get back to my body!

Suho: O.o uh... it's just a fic, Sehunnie... you don't have to be-

Sehun: i want a happy ending!!!! Kai had his! i want mine!!! author-nuna!!!

A/n: (sighs) ugh, my life...

Kai: i'm good. (TWO MOONS ending)

Sehun: shut up.