A soft low chuckle reverberated throughout the spacious house, lighting up the bare walls. No later than 3 seconds, the chuckle echoed once again.

“Sehun? Where are you?”

Giggles were his response. Luhan breathed out in frustration and glanced at his watch, ten minutes until his meeting began. Now was not the time for distractions; this meeting was the pivotal point in his career. He might be promoted to director. This was a life crisis.

“Sehun, I’m running late. Bye!” he shouted as he seized his briefcase, a present from Sehun himself, and rushed out the door, not forgetting to lock it.

He never forgets to lock it.

“Luhan! Man you barely made it.”

In front of Kris, stood a baby-faced man with disheveled hair and wrinkled pants. Luhan leaned over and inhaled deeply, complimenting himself on taking the taxi instead of the bus.  Although he paid the driver an extra $50 just to make a few illegal turns.

Luhan grinned. “How could I miss it? It’s a once in a lifetime chance.”

Kris hummed in response as he took the  briefcase from his friend and began their journey to the 4th floor, ready to present their idea. Both men smiled in satisfaction at each other. They spent at least a year on this project, spending time away from loved ones on various occasions. Despite the intensity of the movement, they made idle chat.

“So why were you late anyway?”

“Sehun forgot to set up the alarm clock again. He has been forgetting recently.”

Kris hummed in response once again, wincing when the elevator stated that they were at their destination.

“He might give Lay a run for his money,” Luhan joked.

Luhan smoothed out his tux and aligned his tie. Before the ding from the elevator occurred, Kris handed Luhan the briefcase.

“...Yep.”

Luhan met Sehun during his last year of college. Due to his appearance, many flocked to him. They stayed because of his personality. Not only that, he was the captain of the soccer team, lead dancer of the school’s dance club, and top in grades.

It was no surprise every corporation wanted the Chinese man. It was expected of him to accept the top offer. Of course, the best for the best. Nevertheless, Luhan choose a small company barely starting out.

So, while Luhan had everything, even a job waiting for him when he graduated, he only ever desired one thing: love. His family attempted to set him up, but the issue wasn’t the girls. In fact, they were drop dead gorgeous with pleasant personalities but, they were girls. Luhan was gay. And he didn’t have the guts to ever announce that to his homophobic parents.

It was when Luhan’s nth blind date was over when he bumped into a teenager. A very handsome teenager at that.

“Are you okay?”

The stranger’s voice plucked at Luhan’s heartstrings. Little to his knowledge, the teenager spilled some of his beverage on his suit. A quite expensive one at that.

“Look, I’m in a rush here. Call this number and I’ll pay for your dry cleaning,” the stranger blurted as he glanced at his watch, ready to run out of there.

Finally, Luhan came back to his senses and immediately grasped the stranger’s wrists. “Why is a minor like you drinking alcohol?”

Even while being infatuated with the stranger’s looks, he still had his righteous mind.

The teenager’s eyes widened. “You could tell I’m a minor? Damn, don’t tell my parents! Please!”

Luhan pressed his lips in a line before shaking his head. “Tell me your name,” he demanded.

The stranger gulped, sweat forming on his forehead. He stared at his hands before quietly mumbling, “Oh Sehun.”

Luhan smiled at the quick response of the teenager, Oh Sehun. Interesting, he thought.

On the other hand, Sehun was shocked at how easy he responded to the feminine male. He would usually have simply flicked him off and walk away or even punched him, but this man was different.

After a few seconds, Sehun gathered up the courage and asked “What’s your name?”

“Lu Han.”

“Cool.”

Throughout the next 3 months, Luhan’s and Sehun’s friendship blossomed. Sehun was more than shocked when he found out Luhan was a college senior. He could have sworn he was younger. Luhan simply laughed.

Every passing day was full of smiles, jokes, and memories, much to Luhan’s satisfaction. He was in love after all. He was in love with the boy who despised him for his baby face. He was in love with the boy who drank bubble tea as if was water. He was in love with boy who had a girlfriend.

A boy who was homophobic.

Luhan high fived his friend and partner as the CEO gave them an approving smile. Tears threatened to spill over for both Kris and Luhan. The day they were both waiting for had finally happened.

“I have to call Tao!” Kris exclaimed as he walked away, phone already ringing. Luhan stared at his friend and congratulated him on his happiness. Now it was time for him to deliver the fabulous news to his own lover.

He took out his phone and dialed Sehun’s number, by heart of course. It was instantly sent to voicemail.
 

“You have reach Oh Sehun’s voicemail! If this is Luhan, baby I’m sorry. If this is anyone else, screw yourself.”

Luhan chuckled lightly. Sehun never changed. He slid his phone back into his pocket. Sehun was probably watching a movie, a old habit he always did whenever Luhan was too busy.

Kris came back happily and smirked at Luhan. “Tao is watching a movie, but he still answered! Isn’t my baby awesome?”

Luhan nodded. “Was he with Sehun by any chance?”

Kris’s face darkened, making Luhan question himself. “Why would I know?”

A serious Kris was a scary Kris so Luhan simply brushed it off as nothing and smiled. “Just a question.”

It wasn’t until Sehun began to attend college when Luhan noticed the boy’s popularity. Even a simple lunch meeting went without hoards of girls surrounding their table.

It angered Sehun very, while Luhan never understood why. He personally was accustomed to it. The number increased slightly, but overall, it was the exact same.

“Hyung, do you know what they say about us? About you?” Sehun confronted him as Luhan walked out of his new office. Even though he had wealthy offers from companies such as Samsung, Apple, etc. he decided on a upcoming starting company, E.X.O. The pay was still better than the average salary, and they offered free insurance. Plus, he wanted to help build a company from the bottom up.

“That I am handsome? I know that, Sehun-ah,” Luhan said smiling softly at the troubled boy in hopes for a laugh. Silence was not what he expected.

Sehun’s eyes were clouded with an unexplainable darkness. Luhan had never seen this side of the boy, and truthfully, he wanted to runaway.

“They think we are a couple,” Sehun finally stated after what felt like eternity. Luhan bit the inside of his cheek, of course he had heard those rumors. He shamefully liked them. At least, to other people, they were a couple.  That’s something. Enough to satisfy him.

Luhan feigned shock. “Oh, really?”

Sehun glanced at Luhan before nodding. He rubbed his shoe against the pavement. “Well, I just wanted to let you know. I don’t mind eating together though, do you?”

Luhan could have sworn he saw a gleam of hope in Sehun’s eyes, but he recalled his declaration of hate for homouals months back, and pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

“Rumors never get to me. Your hyung is cool like that! Now, let me treat my favorite dongsaeng to bubble tea,” Luhan smiled, pointing to a cafe less than a block away.

Sehun dipped his head and swung his knapsack over his shoulders. Luhan threw his arm over Sehun’s broad shoulder and cheered, “Let’s buy my baby bubble tea.”

Luhan pretended that he didn’t catch Sehun’s “I’ll show you that I’m not a baby, hyung.”

Luhan was worried sick about Sehun’s whereabouts. Everytime he dialed, he was met with dialtone. Texts were being sent every second. Luhan felt perspiration form on his forehead.

“Sehun-ah, where are you?”

Luhan shut his eyes closed and began to pray as the taxi drove past skyscrapers and shops. He was somewhere in this big city of Seoul. Seoul had never looked so appalling and dark.

“Hyung! People are staring!” Sehun hissed as he attempted to drag Luhan once again, but failed. Luhan stubbornly stuck onto his spot and shook his head. Both boys were currently standing in line for the merry go round, and when it was their turn, Luhan froze and refused to get on.

“Are you two getting on?” A attendant asked staring at Luhan uncanningly. Sehun grunted and seized Luhan’s gaunt wrists and hauled him to a tree with a bench underneath.

“Hyung! You embarrassed me!” Sehun bawled as he covered his face with both hands. Luhan smiled sheepishly and began to apologize. “I’m sorry!”

Sehun flopped onto the wooden bench and exhaled. He waved his hand, signaling Luhan to take a seat as well. Luhan sat and apologized once again.

“I’m sorry, Sehun-ah.  But you should have brought your girlfriend instead, I’m sure she would have enjoyed it.”

Sehun twirled and gazed at Luhan. He was uncomfortable as he informed Luhan on their current relationship.

“You broke up?! Why?”

To put it into smaller words, Luhan was horrified at the news. He had convinced himself that Sehun and him don’t even have a glimpse of hope of getting together since he had a girlfriend who was beautiful, rich, and delightful. Now that he was single, he was giving Luhan false hope, despite his homophobia.

“We both agreed it’d be better if we met new people...” Sehun uttered as he peeked at Luhan.

Luhan’s facial expression was unreadable. It was a mixture of happiness and torment.

“Are you going out with someone, hyung?” Sehun asked out of the blue. Luhan almost choked on his own saliva while his face reddened. He didn’t know what to say so he nodded his head.

For a slight second, Sehun’s eyes widened, but it disappeared just as quickly.

“Girl...or boy?” Sehun inquired even further, whispering the last part.

“Boy... Is that ok?” Luhan remarked, looking forward. No more than 12 feet, stood a man selling cotton candy.

Sehun turned forward as well and replied, “Yeah... You’re still my hyung.” He smiled as he stood up to buy the Chinese male some cotton candy.

Luhan squealed inwardly and muttered a “Cool.”

Luhan bit his lip and ignored the taste of copper as his phone rang. Without hesitation, he picked up. “Luhan, are you looking for Sehun again?”

A deep voice slightly calmed Luhan down. Slightly. Luhan couldn’t help but stare as the cab passed an elderly man selling cotton candy.

“Chanyeol, have you seen him?”

A deep breath was heard on the other side. “No. Go home, hyung. Don’t stay up late again.”

Luhan smiled at his friend’s fretness.  “I’ll just stop by a few more places. Sehun is a grown man after all,” he said.

“He’ll return, don’t worry. Go home and sleep. Good night, hyung.”

And like that, Luhan couldn’t help but notice the hostility from his childhood friend. He gawked at his phone and gave the driver his address. Maybe Sehun returned home. That boy is lazy after all.

Sehun pouted as Luhan order him a small chocolate bubble iced tea. “Cheap hyung,” he muttered. Luhan rolled his eyes and jabbed his side.

“I’m saving money. I’m planning on buying a home.”

Sehun’s face darkened as he handed the cashier Luhan’s debit card. “For you and your boyfriend?”

Luhan was about to ask what boyfriend but then he remembered he lied. “O-oh, no. We broke up,” he replied nonchalantly.

In an instant, Sehun now wore a dashing grin. “Ah, I see. So you’re single now?”

Luhan gulped and took a step backwards. “Y-yes.”

This boy was seriously giving him so much hope.

Luhan finally arrived home. He smiled at the beautiful brown house in front of him. Sehun’s and his home. He paid the driver and grabbed his briefcase.

He giddily jumped over the stairs leading to the door and paused when he noticed the plants besides the driveway, dead.

“Sehun hasn’t watered the plants? I thought they were his life...”

Luhan, now filled with concern, reached for the knob and subconsciously twisted it. The door swung open, the house dark and silent.

“I thought I locked it. I always lock it.”

“Hyung, there is something I have been meaning to tell you.”

Luhan giggled at the rainbow colored hair in front of him. “Sehun-ah, did you go to a kindergarten and steal the kids’ markers?”

Sehun growled as Luhan broke out into a fit of giggles. Kris smirked, sipping from a new can of beer. “Who knew he was a light drunk? One whiff and he was out.”

Sehun politely smiled. He recognized the tall man as Luhan’s co-worker and Tao’s boyfriend. Sehun had brought Tao along with him to visit Luhan at the office when Tao bumped into Kris by accident. It was love at first sight.

The fact that Tao had managed to make the model-like man his boyfriend in a short while still made his blood boil.

He has known Luhan for over a year, and he was still stuck as his favorite dongsaeng.

“You’re number 1 on his speed dial. I was expecting his mom or the police, but it’s you,” Kris said as Sehun half carried half dragged the drunk male out of the restaurant.

This was news to Sehun. Fantastic news.

“I see. Thanks for informing me. Have a good night,” he said a little too happy.

Sehun glanced at the giggling Chinese male next to him and smiled. This wasn’t so bad. Drunk Luhan was actually quite charming. He had drool falling out of the corners of his mouth.

Without realizing it, Sehun wiped away the drool. Luhan, who was singing some idol’s song, now stared intently at Sehun. Their eyes met.

“So pretty...” Luhan whispered as he tapped Sehun’s lips. Sehun instantly froze as Luhan’s warm hands studied his entire face.

“Hyung, stop it...” Sehun managed to mutter as he ogled Luhan’s pink lips.

Luhan pulled away and giggled, cheeks pink. “But Sehun is so pretty! I like Sehun because he’s so pretty!”

Sehun’s eyes doubled. “You like me?”

Luhan’s face gleamed as he nodded furiously. “Luhan likes Sehun, a lot! But Luhan is sad because Sehun does not like Luhan the way Luhan likes Sehun.”

It was now Sehun’s turn to laugh. Luhan dumbfoundedly blinked and scratched his head in a clueless manner. This boy was too damn cute.

“What if Sehun told Luhan that he was wrong?” Sehun mimicked Luhan’s mannerism of speaking.

To Sehun’s surprise, Luhan smiled the most beautiful smile he has ever seen. It was breathtaking.

“Then Luhan would be very very very happy!”

Sehun chuckled and agreed happily. Before Luhan could say anything, Sehun wrapped his arms around Luhan’s waist and kissed him. Within seconds, Luhan returned the kiss.

Before it could escalate even further, Luhan pulled away and cutely asked, “Is this what Sehun meant when he would prove that he isn’t a baby?”

Luhan collapsed onto the cold marble floor.  There, in the middle of the living room, stood a television with a VCR appliance plugged in.

“Sehun? Are you playing your tricks on me again? This isn’t funny...” he said, voice low.

He crawled on over to the TV and pressed play. Luhan heard a slight cough and looked up. And there he was-Sehun in flesh. But through pixels.

Luhan’s face contorted to fear once he noticed the setting of the background: a hospital, in its pristine white.

“Sehun...?”

The Sehun on the TV coughed once more. A nurse came over and patted his back. “Sehun-shi, are you sure you want to do this?”

The Sehun on TV pushed her away and muttered incoherent lines. After a few seconds of adjusting himself, Sehun looked towards the camera.

“Hyung, are you watching this? If so, then Chanyeol was right. Luhan, I’m dead. I died of ALS, but you might recognize it as Lou Gehrig's disease. Chanyeol said that this occurred with your first love as well. When he died, you went on as if he never died. Now, you’re doing the same with me.”

Luhan felt his heart skip a beat and an uneasiness emotion surround him. “No...”

“Hyung, forget me. Everyone is suffering around you, can’t you see? It’s not easy acting as if I’m alive. Please, for their sake and mine, wake up from this world.”

Tears cascaded down Luhan’s pale cheeks. “This can’t be happening...”

“Hyung, I loved you. Wait, never mind, I still love you. Even in my deathbed, I am chanting I love Lu Han over and over. When I first met you I wondered how this little girl thinks she is doing coming up to me. I was shocked when I found you were a boy and way older. Not that I think of it, I only told you I was homophobic so I could delude myself. I was falling in love, and I was afraid you wouldn’t be there to catch me. But when Kris called me through your phone, I was planning on forgetting you. But you always have the best timing. I was about to kiss another girl when I saw your  name through the screen. I pushed her away and ran. And then you confessed. You were drunk, but that’s okay. I know your feelings were sincere.”

Luhan hugged his knees and began to sob quietly into his shirt.

“I love you, Hyung. I really do-” The Sehun on TV began to cry. “I don’t want to die! Hyung, I’m sorry. I prayed to God everyday when I was diagnosed but he didn’t listen! He didn’t listen!”

The Sehun on TV was bawling like a baby now. Luhan looked the exact same.

“Sehun-ah!”

“My love, live happily. Live the life I couldn’t.”

And just like that, the VCR stopped, unlike Luhan’s tears, which kept on streaming down.

Besides his briefcase, Luhan’s phone rang. Lifelessly, he picked up. He muttered a hello.

“Luhan, did you watch it?”

It was Chanyeol. Luhan didn’t respond.

“...I’m sorry, Luhan.”

Luhan wiped his tears and asked, “How long has he been... dead?”

Chanyeol sighed. “2 years...”

Luhan shut his eyes at the heartbreaking news.

“Chanyeol... Is that why I always leave the door unlocked despite my insisting that I locked it?”

“...”

“Because somewhere deep inside, I wish he will come back. Because what if he comes and it is locked. It has to be open so he can enter and see the house I bought for him...”

“Luhan-”

“Chan, he never saw the house did he?”

“...No.”

“Okay. That’s all. Good night, Chanyeol.”

“But Luha-”

Luhan threw his phone against the wall. A bunch of frames came crashing down, exposing the photographs of Sehun and Luhan. Luhan sobbed once again, by himself.  Now that he thinks about it, he has always been himself, for the past 2 years.

[The Next Day]

A soft low chuckle reverberated throughout the spacious house, lighting up the bare walls. No later than 3 seconds, the chuckle echoed once again.

“Sehun? Where are you?”

Giggles were his response. Luhan breathed out in frustration and glanced at his watch, ten minutes until his meeting began. Now was not the time for distractions; this meeting was the pivotal point in his career. His first meeting as director of the company.

“Sehun, I’m running late. Bye!” he shouted as he seized his briefcase, a present from Sehun himself, and rushed out the door, not forgetting to lock it.

He never forgets to lock it.