Looking down at the airplane in his hands, he smiles softly but still the tears are flowing. A small beeping sound playing somewhere in the background. The world around him is moving in slow motion but the memories are still moving fast, racing through his mind. Almost visible to the eye.

Yixing and Luhan had stayed together since their first meeting. Almost attached at the hip. They sent messages by airplanes, a new plane would be sent once every week, if weather allowed. Messages would be labeled with a date to be sure they knew the context of the message. Luhan secretly kept all such airplanes in a chest, a log tapped up on the inside of the hood. Although undeclared, the ritual became that the last person to hold the airplane would send it over in the morning, once the receiving end’s window was open, with a morning message and something interesting.

On such a day as today, it was the deer resembling boy’s turn to send the message. He heard the slams of the doors downstairs. His parents were fighting again. It was hard not to wake up when the violent sounds of yelling, door slamming and sobs. Sighing, he sits up and looks at the time. 7:00 AM on the dot. Not terribly late, but early considering it was summer time and the weekend at that. The boy quickly remembers the airplane he received the night before and quickly goes to retrieve it from his desk and scans over the messages from the day before.

It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it? The breeze is just right for our messages, how often do we get to send these at night? High school will be fun for us, won’t it? We’ll be okay I think. I’m excited Luhan. I am.

It is beautiful. I love looking at the sky. The stars are twinkling and even the moon is out. I wish I could get a better view of it. High school though? I guess it may be fun. I’m worried though. You know how I get when new people are involved Yixing. Oh, how’s learning the guitar?

I like the view I have, it’s beautiful as is. But I wish to get closer as well… my view is bright and cheerful. Pleasant and lovely. Luhan, I know how you are around people, but I know you’ll do well. You always adjust and you have me, right? Guitar though? I love it. It’s great. I should play a song for you sometime. Hey, Luhan. Do you want to go somewhere tomorrow?

I’ll have to see it from your point of view sometime then. Oh! A song! Please do. I like to listen to you playing music. Somewhere? Would I? I would love to! Sounds like fun! Anywhere in particular Yixing?

That’s for tomorrow. I’ll be the one to decide it though. Shouldn’t you go to bed?

I do… I guess I’ll go to sleep now. Good night and sweet dreams.

Good night Luhan. Sweet dreams.

He smiled and looked up and out of his window, checking to see if his friend had woken up yet but was disappointed to see that regrettably he was not. Sighing he turned away, setting the airplane on his desk again and open the door slightly, listening in to his parents’ most recent argument. Luhan knew that despite his own happiness in moving here his father and mother were not so pleased and constantly argued over it. Where they should have been. How their life should have been. Luhan didn’t know everything regarding their arguments though. After all he was only a 14 year old boy how was he supposed to figure out everything regarding his parents’ marriage? All he knew was that in the few years that have passed since they moved in he has gained a younger sister Hua (Lu Hua) and that his parent’s fighting got worse. Luhan snuck down the stairs, feeling his stomach being empty and starting to rumble. Being careful of the creaky steps he got down the stairs easily and slowly made his way into the kitchen.

“Oh, Luhan.” His mother’s fake smile showed along with the tear stains that were on her cheeks. The older woman was making breakfast, omurice to be exact. Something Luhan liked a lot. But something was off and Luhan knew it. Despite their fighting, Luhan’s mother and father had always reconciled somehow for the children and for the family’s “happiness”. He looked around for his father, letting his voice come out slowly.

“Where’s Dad?” He looked at his mom innocently, only to see a frown, cold and distant gaze that rested in the direction of the door. The older lady folded the omelet, putting it onto a plate and set it on the table as she sat across from where her son was expected to sit.

“Luhan… Dear. Mother and father...” The choked back tears were trying not to be set loose, Luhan took a seat and set his hand on his mother’s. “We’re splitting up Luhan.”

Splitting up? Mother and father were splitting up. What exactly did she mean? “W-what?”

The fake smile of his mother’s started to crack and fall apart.

“Mom and Dad are getting divorced. Dad… is leaving us.”

The teenage boy stared at the sobbing woman in front of him, seeing the grieving pain that she had received from his father. Over the past 14 years of Luhan’s life he had always seen his mother show the large amount of love she possessed for the whole family: Lu Han, Lu Hua and her husband. But never once had Luhan seen his father return that love. What had gone wrong? Does Dad not love Mom?

Is love like this?

Does it crash so easily? Perplexing questions rattled the boy’s mind but not for long since his younger sister came downstairs and all had to be happy for young Lu Hua.

Confused and sad. Luhan ate in silence, trying to understand how love worked. He got up once finished and made his way back to his room, looking over to see the paper plane on the desk.

He walked over and opened up the plane, dating a section before writing a brief message.

Good morning Yixing. I hope we’re still hanging out today, I need to see you. I need to tell you something. But first, my interesting tidbit. Hm… Well my dream last night was about flying to the moon. You were in it and we both had a lot of fun. But I woke up to screaming again, so I don’t know how it ended.

Folding it back up, he walks over to her window, seeing that Yixing’s window was now open and the younger boy looked over at him, a grin on his face. Luhan leaned forward testing the breeze before sending over the airplane. Watching it glide over he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming himself down. Seeing the boy who now read the message he sent, always calmed Luhan. Yixing calmed him. He relied on him, he knew this and he was frightened for the day it would have to end.

Before writing a message, the younger boy looked up at him and nodded, indicating they were still going to hang out today. Luhan felt a smile play across his face, turning into a grin before running over to his closet to find clothes to wear. As he was getting ready he heard the crinkle of paper and felt the breeze against his skin lightly. He smiled and finished dressing himself before walking over to pick up the plane.

Good morning Luhan. Of course we’re still hanging out today silly. I need to see you as well. Something to tell me? What is it? I’ll wait until we’re there. Be ready in 10 minutes, okay? And bring paper and pens. We were flying to the moon in your dream? Sounds like fun. I guess your dreams wanted you to feel closer to the moon like you wanted to be last night. You woke up to yelling though? Your parents again? I’m sorry Luhan. I really am. I’ll see you soon, let’s brighten up that day!

Smiling, he runs to do as told, getting ready quickly and packs a small bag with some treats, money, pen and paper before going downstairs quickly.

“Mom. Yixing and I are going to hang out. Is that okay?”

His mother nods as the doorbell rings, Luhan runs over to answer it, swinging the door open and hugs the boy in front of him who chuckles.

“Someone’s happy to see me.”

He lets go only to playfully glare at boy. “Well if you don’t like it...”

The boy shakes his head, smiling. “I like it a lot. Bye, have a nice day ma’am.” Yixing waves to the women behind Luhan and then takes the hand of the older boy in front of him, pulling him away calmly.

“So where are we going?”

“The field.”

“The field? How come?”

“I saw some flowers there yesterday and wanted to bring you.”

The boy’s smile only brightened. “What color were they? Are they pretty? Do they smell nice?”

He looked over at the older boy, the look on his face peaceful and happy. “They we pretty, but I know something better than them.”

The boy tilted his head. “You do? You know something prettier than flowers? That just doesn’t seem possible” He shook her head and turned forward walking along.

“I know something prettier than a lot of things. But I don’t know if I’m ready to share it yet. Oh. I brought my guitar, I’ll play something for you.” The boy’s eyes lingered slightly on his friend before smiling as the older boy turned to see Yixing looking at him. Both teenagers played off this small interaction naturally before joking around as they reached the field. They played in the grass, even picked some flowers, Yixing even started to teach Luhan how to play the guitar. Finally though, they were relaxing, Yixing strumming lightly onto his guitar while Luhan layed down and looked up at the sky. The older boy sighed.

“My parents are divorcing Yixing. My father is leaving us.” The music stops abruptly.

“What? I mean, I knew they fought a lot but…”

“My mom told me this morning. Dad’s gone…” Feeling the tears leaving pressure onto his own eyes as the idea finally settles and registers itself into Luhan’s mind. “Yixing… my dad’s gone. Didn’t he love us? Didn’t he love my mom?”

The boy let the tears stream down her face. “Is love so easy to crash?” He feels the softness of a finger brushing away his tears. Looking over at his friend he gets up and hugs him. “I’m so glad we’re friends. You’re always here for me. I trust you Yixing. Sometimes I think I’m even reliant on you.” he chuckles at the thought, pulls away slightly before wiping away his tears.

The younger boy smiles softly in front of him.

“The truth is I have something to tell you Luhan.”

“You do?” He looks at him worried, Yixing nods but reaches for the older boy’s bag.

“First, let’s fly.”

“Fly?”

The younger boy chuckled and took out the paper and pen. “Let’s write our feelings and thoughts on a paper plane and let it fly. Let it take care of our worries for us. Okay?”

Luhan smiled and laughed a little. He knew the idea sounded ridiculous but he agreed regardless. Something in what he said, made him believe that it was possible. Yixing always had a way in doing that. Making him believe in the impossible. They folded the plane and started to write on it, starting with the date.

As they finished writing, Yixing handed him the plane and nodded, as if to signal to send it off.  With a light toss, the paper airplane took off into the distance, the worries and feelings settled into place. Everything seemed lighter and not so much of a burden anymore.

“Luhan, what I wanted to tell you was. I think I li-“

“Luhan! Dinner time!!!”

The older boy’s eyes widened and he cleans up quickly. “Sorry, Yixing. It’s time for me to go, tell me later okay?” He smiles and gives his friend a hug before running off, leaving him alone.

Eyes lingering onto the older boy’s every moment until he’s gone from his sight, Yixing groans before picking up his stuff and moves to retrieve the airplane with the message he had been wanting to tell him.

Luhan, I think I like you. 

I know this may be strange, but I'd like to hear some feedback. I'm not really a writer, so please forgive me. But I'd like to get to know how you feel with these chapters, so please leave a comment so I know!