"Hi Chief, nice to see you again after so long."

"Hey Chen! Welcome back! I missed you."

"... Whatever."

"I'm being serious here! You got my letter, didn't you."

"Yes, I did."

"... Chen. I... I'm sorry that I put you in this spot. I cannot express how bad I feel about this. I never expected it to become so... Serious..."

"It's okay. It's... I can manage."

"Are you sure, Chen?"

"... Chief. Actually, could you... Is it possible if... You erase my memory?"

"All of it?!"

"Yes..."

"Chen!! That's rather selfish of you. What about Luhan?"

"I'm not allowed to go back to the other universe anyway. Just let me forget. Please? It hurts too much..."

"Chen..."

"Please."

"... ... Actually, I have an idea."

"Idea?"

"I'll erase your memory from your mind, but I won't delete it away."

"What do you mean?"

"... I have a different plan for it."

 

***

Life without Chen was extremely painful, immensely difficult and horribly empty. 

Luhan found himself a job at an office, and Chanyeol, being the sweet best friend he was, went to quit his job at the department store and joined him. Baekhyun was, and always have been, the sweet comforting friend that would cuddle with him when he was lonely or sad. 

Luhan was indifferent. Everything in his life was just like that. If it happens, it happens. Just go with the flow. Nothing really matters much anymore.

He knew that he shouldn't be doing this with his life, he shouldn't be rotting himself away into nothingness, he should be out there making a difference. Out there living his life to the fullest. Out there finding a reason to live happily ever after.

But he couldn't.

Nothing he tried ever seemed to fill the gaping hole in his heart, nothing he did ever ceased the dull ache in his chest, nothing anyone did ever made his heart twitch the way Chen did.

Luhan didn't cry, he tried his best not to think of Chen especially at night. When he did think of Chen, he thought back to the blissful one week they spent together at Namsan, the happy moments spent curling together on the park bench, the one and only time they bared their bodies and slept together like true lovers would.

It hurt, but Luhan smiled.

Because I promised Chen to be happy for his sake.

Luhan keeps promises rather well.
 

 

***

It was autumn. Luhan couldn't believe it had been 4 months since Chen left. It felt like he left just yesterday. The days really seem to fly by without any meaning.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol were the ones who suggested to go on a holiday. And, of all places, China. 

"You need to relax, take your mind off things and just go CRAZY like typical tourists!!" Baekhyun chattered incessantly and clung to Luhan's back like a koala.

Chanyeol plucked Baekhyun off and smacked him playfully, before turning to ruffled Luhan's hair. "I promise it'll be fun, just come with us!!"

Luhan nodded with a smile, not even bothering to put up an argument. Chanyeol frowned and opened his mouth but Baekhyun quickly clamped it shut with his hand.

"Yayyy!! Luhan's the best!!"

 

***

Beijing was ever-bustling with crowds of people on the streets, in malls, in restaurants. Luhan's ancestors were from China, but he had never been into the country before. It was like returning to a hometown that you never thought of as your home before. 

Clad in comfortable attire, with a DSLR in his hands, Luhan wandered about the busy streets, trailing behind Chanyeol and Baekhyun, snapping pictures of everything and anything, not even pausing to look at his photos before changing the roll of film. He just kept snapping, snapping, viewing the world through the tiny lens of the camera. 

On the third day, Luhan finally decided that it was pointless to trail behind his two best friends because all they wanted to do was to eat and shop. He went on his own mini expedition, and found himself in front of a tranquil lake in a small unpopulated park near the hotel.

Luhan kicked at the grass idly, and found a small pebble. He picked it up and smiled, angling the pebble and tossing it expertly into the lake, watching it bounce in the water, creating a pretty row of ripples.

A faraway look flickered in his eyes as he remembered doing a similar action with someone in the distant past. Luhan brushed it off and took out his DSLR, snapping a few pictures of the disappearing ripples.

As he turned his back towards the lake, a figure sitting on a bench caught his eye. Luhan narrowed his eyes and walked slowly towards him. 

When he was several metres away, the person lifted his head and looked straight at him. Luhan's eyes widened and his DSLR slipped from his fingers, toppling onto the grass below him.
 

 

***

"Chen!!" He gasped.

It's Chen. It's unmistakably Chen, with his bright eyes, long lashes, high cheekbones, curvy lips, small slender body. It's Chen through and through. 

The person stood up and stared hard at him. "I'm not Chen."

Luhan started. Am I hallucinating again?!

The person walked over to the DSLR and bent down to pick it up, handing it to Luhan. Luhan stared at it for a long time, before looking up.

"You're not Chen?"

The person shook his head slowly, a strange look crossing his eyes. "I'm not Chen... I'm... Jongdae..."

Jongdae?!

Luhan blinked and rubbed his eyes vigorously. But even after doing that, coupled with some face-slapping and arm-pinching, Chen's face still stared right back at him.

My hallucinations are getting out of control. This is no good.

Luhan spun on his heel and quickly walked away, trying to ignore the buzz in his heart, something he never felt for a long long time, but failing miserably.

Then something made him stop right at his tracks.

"You're Luhan, aren't you?"

 

***

It's strange.

I know this guy, but I don't. 

I have seen him before, but this is my first time meeting him.

I know his name, I know all about him, yet I have never met him in my entire life.

Who is this person?

Who is Luhan?

 

 

***

Luhan turned back to face the person named Jongdae. He was watching him was uneasy, confused eyes.

"I... Do I know you?"

Jongdae? Luhan didn't know any Jongdae.

Wait.

Suddenly it hit him.

This Chen lookalike wasn't some hallucination. In fact, he was Chen's doppelgänger. He was the Chen that belonged to this universe. He was the Chen that didn't have to leave.

Then again, he was not Chen, he was Jongdae. That doesn't explain how he knows my name?!?

Jongdae stepped towards him slowly, his expression soft and wistful. Luhan found himself rooted to the spot, his mind swirling with incoherent thoughts . Jongdae was right in front of him now, and he gently reached up and cupped the side of Luhan's face.

There was a split second, before Jongdae suddenly gasped, his eyes widening into large circles, and he collapsed backwards onto the grass.

"J-Jongdae...?"

"I remember now!" Jongdae leapt up and clasped Luhan's hands tightly, leading him towards the bench and pressing down on his shoulders. Luhan sat obediently, watching him with anxious eyes.


Jongdae fiddled with his fingers nervously. 

"I... I had a dream. A dream about you. You see, I was in a coma for six months following a car accident, and by pure chance I woke up one day without warning. And... During that six months I had this really long dream."

Luhan held his breath.

"I dreamt about Superpowers, I dreamt about flying and zooming and healing and warming, I dreamt about protecting. Protecting... You."

Jongdae looked up nervously at Luhan, as if not believing his own words.

"I dreamt that you were in danger, and I came to protect you and save you from the evil people. I dreamt about handling muscular guys, about getting possessed, about travelling to a faraway country by water. I dreamt about a holiday at a ski resort, a holiday at a park."

Luhan felt his airways clog up extremely badly, and he struggled to breathe.

"I dreamt about... You. About protecting you, about caring for you, about..." Jongdae's breath hitched. "About loving you."

He gently intertwined their fingers softly.

"Call me stupid, but even though it was just a dream and I have never really met you before, I think I'm in love with you, Luhan."


Luhan didn't care that Jongdae wasn't Chen. Luhan didn't care that Jongdae was just Chen's doppelgänger. That he had a different life, different family, probably different personality, different character... He was not Chen. Even though he looked like Chen.

But the most important thing was that Jongdae understood him, just like Chen did. Jongdae felt a bond with Luhan, a magical spark that stirred in Luhan's heart, awakening the sleeping emotions inside - awakening his ability to hope, to care, to love.

Maybe it was fate that Chen was the one who was sent to protect him.

Maybe it was fate that Chen had to leave after six months.

Maybe it was fate that he would come to China and meet Jongdae, the boy who had all of Chen's memories.

Maybe, it was fate.


Luhan leaned in to press a shy kiss on Jongdae's lips. It felt like their first kiss, all over again. Jongdae didn't flinch or pull away, so Luhan took it as a good sign. 

Jongdae sighed and closed his eyes. "That's the first time you kiss me, but somehow I miss it. I miss it so bad. Weird, right?"

"Nope," Luhan whispered against his lips, his heart swelling with happiness, "not weird at all."

Jongdae smiled and kissed back, and Luhan was filled with his intoxicating scent. New, yet familiar. 

Then he leaned away and smiled, his head tilting to one side cutely. "So... Chanyeol and... Baekhyun? How are they?"

Luhan laughed and his hair. Chen is back. 

Chen is back in the form of Jongdae.

And Luhan had never been happier.


"You're back... My Superman is back."

"I'm not your Superman anymore... I don't have powers". Jongdae pouted,

"That's where you're wrong." Luhan wrapped the boy in his arms, trying to control his erratic breathing and madly pumping heart. 

"You're my Superman because you rescued me from my depths of despair, sparked a sliver of hope in my heart and filled it up with love and happiness. You taught me about the importance of trust and loyalty, of strength and courage, of sweet and innocent unconditional love."

Jongdae blushed and played with the ends if Luhan's shirt shyly. Luhan tilted the other boy's chin upwards, to look at him.

"You being my Superman has nothing to do with your powers, Jongdae. It's to do with your heart."


"Thank you for coming back into my life. Nothing felt complete without you, my missing puzzle piece."

"I love you forever, and this time I'll never ever let you go."

 

 

 

A/N: Sorry for the wait!

Umm this is the last chapter is there for Luhan still one part about Chen left so technically this isnt the last chapter :)

Hope you guys enjoyed and hopefully i've satifies your feels :) haha