Luhan waits for a few minutes, hoping that Jongdae would start talking first but he just sits there, watching their hands and humming softly. Finally Luhan nudges Jongdae softly with his arm, "Hey ... did you hear me? we need-"

"Please stop," Jongdae interrupts him. "Just for a few more minutes, please. Let's just sit here and pretend like everything's okay." 

Luhan sighs, not wanting to wait any longer. Every minute he spends with Jongdae makes him want to stay with Jongdae forever and he knows that he can't do that, not anymore. But when he sees the slight despair in Jongdae's eyes he nods his head softly and allows Jongdae to rest his head on his shoulder.

They sit there in comfortable silence, holding hands and Luhan gazes outside the window at the snowfall. He remembers the countless number of times they had done this before, wrapped up in a blanket and he knows that Jongdae remembers it too.

After all, I'm only a hallucination of his, Luhan thinks bitterly. 

As the warmth slowly spreads over Luhan's body, he becomes more and more reluctant to break the silence but after a little while Jongdae, takes a deep breath and sits back up, looking at Luhan.

"I know you're not real," Jongdae says so bluntly that Luhan can't help but flinch. Jongdae squeezes Luhan's hand and continues, "But I don't care."

Jongdae's hand grips Luhan's tighter with each passing second as he says, "I don't care if you're not real, I don't care that I'm the only who sees you, I don't care because you're the only thing I have left and if you leave I won't have anything."

"That's not true," Luhan says finally, ignoring the tears in his own eyes. "You have Baekhyun, you have Yixing, you have Jong-in, you have all of them." He turns his head slightly, not wanting Jongdae to see his tears.

"But then I won't have you, Luhan." Jongdae says stubbornly

Luhan turns his head and looks Jongdae straight in the eyes and says the one thing Luhan wanted never to say, "But I'm not really Luhan."

Jongdae stiffens immediately, as he stares right back at Luhan. Luhan watches with held breath as Jongdae stares at him and slowly lets go of his hands.

Jongdae turns to fiddle with the blankets and shivers from the cold. "Let's go to sleep. I don't want to talk about this anymore," he says no longer able to look at Luhan. He drapes the blanket over them both and pulls Luhan to sleep next to him, their foreheads slightly touching. 

Luhan sighs as he sees Jongdae tightly shut his eyes, trying to sleep. He watches the curve of Jongdae's long eyelashes and frowns when he sees tiny droplets of tears on them. He slowly blows them away and watches Jongdae's nose crinkle slightly. Luhan reaches up to cup Jongdae's cheek, just like how he had always done, just like how Luhan always did. 

This feels right. This feels normal. Luhan thinks angrily. He wants to stay like this with Jongdae. He belongs with him, but now that sinking feeling in his stomach was getting bigger. Ever since he remembered the accident, Luhan felt like he was missing something. And if Luhan was missing something that means Jongdae was too. Something wasn't right and Luhan had no idea how to find out. He wasn't even real. He was a part of Jongdae, just a mere figment of his imagination. He was essentially powerless, unable to help the boy he loved so dearly. 

Jongdae squirms closer to Luhan and Luhan tightens his arm around Jongdae. He knows he shouldn't, he shouldn't even be here but he can't help it. Jongdae needs him and Jongdae wants him to be here. Jongdae silently moves his hand over Luhan's chest and whispers, "I can feel your heartbeat, Luhan. It beats just like mine, just like it always has. So let's just stay like this... please."

Luhan doesn't respond, nor does he stop Jongdae from hugging him tighter. He simply closes his eyes because that's all he can do. He knows this is wrong, but him lying here with Jongdae in his arms feels too real and too right for it to be something wrong. 

~

Yixing sighs as he closes the door as quietly as possible after seeing that Jongdae was fast asleep. He leans his head back on the door and lets out a long sigh. 

Suho's right. This can't keep happening. It's going to kill him he thinks to himself sadly. Yixing grimaces as he remembers all the events of that night. He remembers the phone call that told him that his best friend was dead and that Jongdae was in a coma. He remembers the car ride to the hospital with the rest of his crying band mates. He remembers Baekhyun running into the hospital, still dressed ready to perform. He remembers seeing Suho take Baekhyun to the side and the look of agony on Baekhyun's face as he crumples to the ground. He remembers having to break the news to Luhan's family over the phone, their cries still ringing in his ear. He remembers having to be the one to formally identify Luhan's body at the morgue because he was the closest thing to family in Korea. And most importantly, he remembers finding it. The morgue technician helps him open the rigid fingers enclosed around it and Yixing remembers the wind being knocked out of him when he sees it. 

The ring. 

Yixing makes his way to his room and takes out an old shoebox from underneath his bed. The top's quite dusty since Yixing only ever takes it out on one day, Luhan's birthday. He slowly removes the top and he can't help smiling when he's greeted with a picture of them smiling widely in front of the SM building. It was the day that they had been told that they were both in the new group debuting. Luhan had forced Yixing to take a picture right after the announcement had been made, even though they were both sweaty and dirty from dance practice. Luhan had told him that this was going to the picture that they would show to their children and grandchildren because this was the moment that all their dreams had come true. 

"It's a new beginning," Luhan tells him smiling so widely that Yixing can't resist but punch his best friend on the shoulder. 

"You're going to get wrinkles on that baby face if you keep smiling like that," Yixing says as he begrudgingly stands next to Luhan and gets ready for the picture.

"Shut up, you grumpy pants and smile for our future!" Luhan says as he throws his arm around Yixing's shoulder. 

Yixing chuckles as he rummages through all the pictures in the shoebox, documenting their lives together. As the pictures get newer and clearer, the rest of the exo members start to show up in all the pictures, especially Jongdae. Yixing smiles as he remembers when he first met Jongdae. He had taken an immediate liking to him and half-fought with Luhan over who could have him. He remembers all the nights that Luhan had kept him up, chattering away about anything and everything that Jongdae did. He had watched his best friend slowly fall in love with Jongdae and he had been so sure that it was meant to be.

Luhan had thought so too.

Yixing stills as he finally finds what he was looking for. He slowly takes out the small dark blue box and flips it open. Tears start to form in Yixing's eyes as he looks at the two beautiful rings. He takes out the rings and grazes over the engraving as he remembers the day he first saw the rings. 

"Earth to Yixing!" Luhan says frustrated as he yanks out the earphones from Yixing's ear.

"What was that for?" Yixing says as he tries to grab them back, angry that Luhan had disrupted his Beethoven moment. 

"You keep zoning out! Way to be a best friend," Luhan says as he stuffs Yixing's earphones into his bag. "You promised you'd help me now do it."

"Alright! Man when you asked me for some advice or help, I thought it was going to be with choreographing some new steps or something... not something dumb, like shopping," Yixing says grumpily as he shuffles closer to Luhan.

Luhan rolls his eyes. "We're almost there, stop complaining. Besides, we have to wait for Baekhyun anyways."

"Why is Baekhyun coming? See he's the one you should be taking on these shopping trips of yours, or maybe Tao. Why me?"

Luhan turns and looks at Yixing. "Because you're my best friend and I trust you."

Yixing raises his eyebrow, a bit surprised at the seriousness in Luhan's face. "Okay okay. I didn't know buying clothes was so important to you."

Luhan tosses his hands up in the air. "This isn't about clo-"

"Oye lover boy, let's get this over with." Baekhyun yells from the front of the store, interrupting Luhan's tirade.

Luhan and Yixing both whirl around to see Baekhyun leaning against the glass of a fancy store. It suddenly dawns on Yixing the purpose of this trip when he sees what exactly the stores selling.

"Now do you get it?" Luhan says quietly as he drags Yixing over to Baekhyun. Yixing, finally alert and awake, grips Luhan on the shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "Best man at your service!"

Luhan snorts, "Who says you're going to be my best man?"

"Well you won't pick Kris because he's gonna mess something up, you won't pick Tao because he's just gonna cry, you won't pick Minseok because he could care less about party planning and since you're marrying Jongdae I guess you're stuck with me," Yixing says with a pleased grin on his face.

"Luhan's best man's not even gonna have to do anything because I am already planning the perfect wedding for my best friend," Baekhyun says a matter of factly as he pushes the door open to enter the store.

"Pft yeah right. Jongdae has better taste than that. He's not going to want a wedding full of tacky decorations," Yixing says sticking out his tongue. "They're going to go for a classier look which is right up my alley."

Baekhyun snorts, "Classy? Please Yixing-hyung. You're meaning of classy revolves around hoodies and sweatpants."

"Hey comfort over some dumb itchy suits."

"No pain no gain."

"Guys! Who says you're going to plan the wedding!" Luhan says sticking his face between the two arguing boys.

"Because we're the best men!" Yixing and Baekhyun scream in unison.

Luhan holds his head in his hands and sighs in defeat. "Well there's not going to be a wedding to plan if we don't ever pick out a ring!"

"Oh right!" Baekhyun claps his hands together happily and skips over to the display case. He scans around and points one out to them. "How about this one?"

Luhan and Yixing both peer over to look and both grimace.

"Baekhyun I don't even think anyone can hold their hand up with the amount of diamonds on that ring."

Baekhyun pouts and points to another equally big one.

"Baekhyun...."

"Alright fine! I thought you wanted my expertise." Baekhyun says crossing his arms in disappointment.

"I called you because you know Jongdae better than anyone really so will you pick something that maybe he'll like?" Luhan says pleadingly. 

Baekhyun nods his head with a frown and walks over to the other side of the store. Luhan sighs in relief but when he turns around he see's Yixing sitting on the couch.

"Why aren't you helping me look?"

Yixing shrugs, "They all look the same to me Han."

Luhan rolls his eyes for the hundredth time that day and reaches over to pull his best friend up. "Stop being lazy and help me find the perfect ring for the perfect person."

Yixing gags at Luhan's corny line but when he gazes up into Luhan's face he sees the worry and anticipation in his best friend's eyes. 

"It's going to be alright," Yixing says switching to their native tongue. "Jongdae loves you and so he'll love anything you pick out."

Luhan sighs, his shoulders drooping. "I know. I just want everything to be perfect," he says quietly in mandarin.

"Then it'll be perfect. I'll make sure of it," Yixing says with a grin. 

Luhan smiles up at him and nods his head. Suddenly his phone starts to vibrate and Luhan lights up when he see's that it's Jongdae calling him. 

Yixing pushes him towards the door. "You take the call. I'll make sure to find the perfect ring." 

"Thank Yixing." Luhan says as he opens the door and walks out.

Yixing turns around and looks at the many many display cases in front of him. It was going to take him forever to go through all of them but he would do it for Luhan and for Jongdae. 

Sighing he walks over to Baekhyun and starts the long process of elimination.

After about a half an hour Luhan finally walks back into the store. Jongdae had been bored at the recording studio and was complaining that everyone was ignoring him. Luhan had to suppress many giggles since it was partially his fault that all the members were avoiding him. They were all terrible at keeping secrets and Luhan took no chances. 

Yixing and Baekhyun glance up when Luhan walks up to them and they both smile at each other when they see the look of apprehension on Luhan's face.

"Alright guys. Show me what you guys picked. I just hope it's nothing big or gaudy." Luhan says grimacing.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes and nudges Yixing to show him.

"We think it's perfect," Yixing says as he brings out the box and opens it up for Luhan to see. 

Luhan stills as he see the pair of rings. He doesn't say anything for a few moments making Baekhyun and Yixing worry. They had both thought that these were the perfect ones for Luhan and Jongdae. The rings were white gold and were very simple but still extremely beautiful, shining brightly even in the dimmest of lights. 

After what seems like forever, Luhan turns to the jeweler behind the counter and breaks into a smile. "Are you sure you didn't give them a hint?"

The old jeweler smiles and shakes his head, "They picked it out themselves I promise even though the red head was a bit sidetracked by the giant sapphire ring next to it."

Yixing and Baekhyun look back and forth between the jeweler and the now laughing Luhan. "What's going on?" they ask incredulously.

Luhan laughed as he grabbed both of them into a giant hug. "You guys picked the ones that I loved as well!"

Yixing and Baekhyun both heave sighs of reliefs before they start to jump around in happiness as well. 

Luhan leans back and tries to stealthily wipe the tears from his eyes. "So that mean's he's going to like it."

"Correction. He's going to love it," Baekhyun says confidently. "Now give me a few minutes to pick out a gift from myself for doing such a good job."

Luhan laughs as Baekhyun runs off to the bracelet display cases. He shakes his arms slowly as he feels a giant weight being taken off of him.

"So you're really going to do this?" Yixing says quietly in mandarin, studying his best friend.

Luhan scratches his head and smiles sheepishly. "Yup. I really am going to do this." He looks down on the floor and Yixing almost misses what he says next. "Do you think I'm ready?"

Yixing leans over and pulls Luhan into a giant hug. "You know I asked you the same thing the day we both found out we were a part of Exo... do you remember what you said to me?"

Luhan shakes his head.

"You told me that, we'll never truly be ready for anything but as long as we continue to dream and to love we'll be as ready as we'll ever be and besides you have me and I'm awesome enough for the both of us."

"Ugh I was such a corny person back then," Luhan says embarrassed. "But I still am awesome enough for the both of us."

"Yeah yeah but that line worked on me and now I'm saying the same to you. I have no idea if you're ready but you and Jongdae are meant to be and you will always have me backing you up."

"Ugh alright but before you actually make me cry, let's get out of here. Jongdae actually might come looking for us and Baekhyun actually might buy everything in this store," Luhan says tugging Yixing's hand.

Yixing nods his head but reaches for his pocket to pull out his phone. "But first picture time!" He slings him arm over Luhan's shoulder and lifts up his phone to take a picture. "It's a new beginning," he says as he snaps a picture of another significant moment in both of their lives. 

Teardrops fall on said picture as Yixing tries to smooth out the creases in the picture. He had had it printed out the next day to add to their collection, even though Luhan tried to make Yixing photoshop the eye crinkles from the picture. Yixing had about it endlessly but now he wished nothing more to see if those crinkles had gotten even deeper. 

Yixing heaves a big sigh as he takes out the ring box and slowly puts the rest of the old pictures back into the shoebox and tucks it safely away back underneath his bed. He gets up and slips the box into his pockets as he wipes away the stray tears. The day Luhan died, he had made a decision about these rings together with Baekhyun. They had decided to not show it to Jongdae. Jongdae was too broken, too hurt to be hit with even more news about what could have been. They had wanted to protect Jongdae but now Yixing has a feeling that maybe this had been the wrong way. They were running out of options and Yixing was starting to get desperate. Jongdae was not moving on, they needed to do something, they needed to everything they can to make him move on. 

But first, Yixing had to talk to Baekhyun. He had made the decision to hide the rings from Baekhyun three years ago and so he needed Baekhyun's okay to go back on that decision.

~

Yixing enters the K dorm and looks around to see it empty. He sees a note on the fridge from Suho to Baekhyun. The rest of the members had gone out for groceries. Yixing makes his way to Baekhyun's room and slowly knocks on the door.

"I'm busy," Baekhyun says from inside the room. His voice is muffled and so Yixing knocks again before opening the door slightly.

Baekhyun turns to glare angrily at the intruder from underneath his blanket but sits up when he see's Yixing.

"Yixing-hyung. Is anything wrong? Is Jongdae alright?" he asks worriedly. 

Yixing shakes his head, "No everything's alright. Jongdae's asleep... I think. I just wanted to come up and talk to you about something." He glances over at Baekhyun's bed and sees it full of old notes and pictures. Baekhyun quickly tries to gather up all the pictures, but Yixing stops him. He reaches over to grab an old picture of Jongdae, Luhan and Baekhyun. Jongdae's smiling brightly at the camera while Baekhyun's sticking out his tongue at Luhan while he sits on Jongdae's lap. Yixing laughs as he remembers all the times Luhan would come bursting into the room, complaining that Byun Baekhyun was stealing his boyfriend. 

"You always knew how to push his buttons," Yixing says as he sits down next to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun laughs quietly. "That's because all of his buttons were Jongdae." 

Yixing leans his shoulder on Baekhyun's and slowly takes out the ring box from his pocket. Baekhyun stiffens as he realizes what Yixing's holding.

"Baekhyun we need to-"

"You know I was just thinking about the day we picked out those rings for them," Baekhyun interrupts. "I also remember the day I last saw them."

"Baekhyun I think we have to give these to Jongdae. They belong to him, Luhan bought it for him," Yixing says hesitantly.

"Well he should be here then to give it to him," Baekhyun says bitterly.

Yixing sighs as Baekhyun's shoulder's slump down. 

"Sorry.. I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean it like that," Baekhyun says tiredly. He rubs his face with his hands. "I -I just don't know what to do. How do we know those rings won't drive Jongdae over the edge? Don't you remember how broken he was? He wouldn't even speak for weeks after that. What if we lose him completely? We don't even know if Jongdae remembers the rings or if Luhan even had the opportunity to give it to him?"

"But what if we don't? What if this is the closure that Jongdae needs? What if this is what he needs to move on? We can't keep this from him forever. Luhan loved Jongdae and was ready to spend his life with him, Jongdae needs to know... or he needs to remember," Yixing says trying to sound confident even though he feels anything but. 

"I don't know... I don't know anymore Yixing-hyung. I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I'm losing him, I'm losing Jongdae more and more every minute and it's scaring the out of me."

Baekhyun grabs an old letter from his bed and shows it to Yixing. "You know when we used to promote separately Jongdae and I would write each other letters. We wanted to be cool and different and since email was the new in thing, we went with snail mail." 

Baekhyun chuckles as he recalls all the ridiculous pen names they would make for each other. They made those pen names to conceal their identity from any stalker fans but also just cause it was fun. Baekhyun was Mega Buns Bacon while Jongdae had been...

"Foxy Kitty Kat," Baekhyun says with a smile as he holds up the letter.

"Those names sound inappropriate," Yixing says trying not to laugh. 

"That's the point!" Baekhyun said looking over at Yixing mischievously. "No one would know it was actually us."

"Oh I would've definitely figured it out and so would everyone who knew how ridiculous you two were," Yixing says as he punches Baekhyun lightly on the shoulder. 

Baekhyun pretends to be in a lot of pain but ends up laughing as he remembers how ridiculous the two of them had been. "You know all his letters would talk about Luhan and how perfect Luhan was. It made me insanely jealous." 

"I'm pretty sure you made Luhan insanely jealous every time you kidnapped Jongdae."

Baekhyun throws his head back and lets out a loud laugh. "Ha! I knew it! I mostly did it just to annoy him and besides even when it was just Jongdae and I... I couldn't stop Jongdae from talking about him 24/7." 

"They both wouldn't stop talking about each other 24/7." 

Baekhyun laughs and nods his head in agreement with Yixing and they both continue to laugh as they share stories of the good old days. 

One story about Luhan dressing up as a photographer and donning a wig just to go see whether anyone (basically Baekhyun) was making any moves on Jongdae during their promotion as the vocal trio had Baekhyun laughing so hard that he felt like he was going to cry. 

Tears eventually started to fall out and Baekhyun wasn't sure whether it was from the laughter or from the sadness. He calmed himself down and wiped away the tears. "They.. he really loved him didn't he?" Baekhyun says voice wavering slightly. 

Yixing holds his hand and squeezes. "More than anything ... and because we also love Jongdae I think it's time we give these to him." 

Baekhyun stills as he goes over all possibilities in his head. He knows they're taking a big risk with this. Baekhyun doesn't want to bring any reminders of Luhan back into Jongdae's life but he knows that trying to hide away all these reminders isn't necessarily helping him.

"Can I.. Can I sleep on it?" Baekhyun asks quietly. "Can we decide tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Christmas."

"I know but just give me some time to think it over," Baekhyun says stubbornly.

Yixing looks at him for a couple of seconds before nodding his head. Setting the rings next to him on the bed, he slowly walks out of the room. As he closes the door he gives Baekhun a sad smile. "We need to try, Baekhyun. We need to." 

After Yixing leaves, Baekhyun flops back onto his bed in frustration. He ruffles his hair angrily as he tries to make a decision. He is Jongdae's best friend. He should know what's best for him but all he feels right now is lost. He doesn't know anymore how to help him.

Baekhyun grimaces as he remembers the agonizing week that had Jongdae in a coma. Baekhyun had visited everyday, talking to him, singing to him, making jokes for him. The members each took turns sitting by Jongdae's side but Baekhyun stubbornly sat there the whole time. 

"I need to be here when he wakes up... I need to be here when he realizes what happened. I need to be here when he realizes that he won't be able to see Luhan hyung anymore," Baekhyun said when Suho and Kris had tried to force Baekhyun back to dorms to rest. 

Baekhyun remembers the range of emotions he had felt throughout that week. When he had first found out about the accident, he was shocked. When he had heard Luhan had passed away, he had felt grief. When he had heard that Jongdae was in a coma he had felt desolate. The days he spent by Jongdae's side he had felt anger. Anger at the world, anger at the stupid drive and finally anger at Luhan. He had been furious at Luhan, for leaving Jongdae, for breaking the promise. 

Baekhyun turns over to look at the pair of rings, still shining so brightly and remembers the day that Luhan had asked him for permission.

"Dude I'm pretty sure that you're asking the wrong person if you're asking what I think you're asking," Baekhyun says sarcastically as he looks back at the mirror. 

"I'm not asking what you think I'm asking you ," Luhan says rolling his eyes before kicking Baekhyun's chair.

"Ow.. you moron. Just because Jongdae is in love with you won't stop me from killing you if you ruin my eyeliner one more time."

"God Byun Baekhyun. I'm being serious right now so stop acting like a little and be serious for once in your life."

Baekhyun sets his makeup down and turns to look at Luhan accusingly. "Alright fine, I'm being serious. But you're asking the wrong person. Who even asks for permission to marry someone anyways. I'm not Jongdae's parents."

Luhan snorts, "First of all I already talked to them about it and it's the gentlemanly thing to do and secondly, I don't need your permission."

"Then why are you asking me?" Baekhyun says scrunching up his nose. "I keep trying to convince Jongdae that you're actually a psychopathic serial killer. He doesn't believe me yet... but it's only a matter of time." 

Luhan slaps his hand to his forehead and tries to remember why chose to fall in love with a boy that had the most outrageously annoying best friend ever. "Oh forget it." he says giving up.

He starts to leave but Baekhyun grabs onto his arms. "Oh come on hyung. I was just joking. J-O-K-I-N-G. You should be used to it by now." 

Luhan rolls his eyes but allows himself to be dragged over to the windowsill. 

"My dumb best friend Kim Jongdae loves you very much so I don't know why you need to go get everyone's okay to ask him to marry you," Baekhyun says with a smirk. "especially his annoying best friend." 

Luhan glances over at Baekhyun. "You can't be serious. I have to ask you of all people." 

Baekhyun raises his eyebrow, "I don't get it." 

Luhan laughs as he leans back on the windowsill and looks around the room. "Look around your room and apart from pictures of your self, who's the person that's in most of your pictures." 

Baekhyun looks around and shrugs, "Jongdae I guess." 

"It's the same on Jongdae's side of the room downstairs." Luhan says slowly. "When we first started to date or whatever, I used to be incredibly jealous of you, you know? I thought it was unfair that there was someone who knew my boyfriend better than me... that there was someone that had been a part of the many important moments of Jongdae's life that I hadn't been a part of. I know that you and Jongdae are just best of friends but it still didn't keep me from wanting to draw my face over your face in a lot of those pictures."

"Well that's not creepy at all," Baekhyun says sarcastically but he let's Luhan continue.

"But then I started to realize that I was grateful and thankful to you Baekhyun for always being there for Jongdae. He always had a shoulder to lean on just like how I had Yixing. I knew that whenever I wasn't there, he had you to take care of him. I love Jongdae very much and I know he loves me just as much. But I also know that you and Jongdae love each other as well and though it took me a while to differentiate between love and friendship I know that he's an important part of your life and you're an important part of his. So that's why I need your okay... your permission before I ask Jongdae to move onto the next chapter of our lives. You'll always be an important person to Jongdae and in some ways to me as well. 

Baekhyun stays silent when Luhan finishes and this is a first for Baekhyun. Luhan was sure that Baekhyun was going to ruin the moment with a witty or dumb remark but all Baekhyun does is continue to stare at Luhan. 

"You... you promise to always love him?" Baekhyun asks quietly after a little while. "You won't break his heart?"

Luhan puts his hand over his heart and nods, "Never. I'll always be there for him. I promise. And if for some reason I'm not, I know you'll always be there." 

Baekhyun tilts his head and pretends to think it over before throwing up his hands and saying loudly, "Good ... cause if you do.. I'm gonna hapkido your tiny tight little flat ."

Luhan groans at the insult to his , the moment ruined but he smiles because it's just Baekhyun being Baekhyun.

"Alright, now I have another favor to ask," Luhan says with a smile.

Baekhyun glares at him. "You seem to ask an awful lot of favors Luhan-hyung. I might have to start charging you for my time." 

"Oh god Baekhyun, stop talking."

"Can't hyung. Jongdae and I are a package deal. I guess you're stuck with me as well," Baekhyun says happily as blows an imaginary kiss in Luhan's direction. 

Baekhyun chuckles as he remembers his cheeky younger self. He had been a brat back then and he thinks he probably still would've been if it weren't for that accident. Sure, he still played the part on programs and on TV but without Jongdae by his side, he didn't have the strength to be like that all the time anymore. Baekhyun sighs as he closes his eyes. He knows what he has to do. He knows that they have to give it to Jongdae. He's just scared... scared of what could go wrong. 

He sits back up after a while and looks at an old picture from Halloween. It was of him, Jongdae, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. Chanyeol, Jongdae and Baekhyun had decided to dress up as the Powerpuff girls and had forced Kyungsoo to dress up as the evil monkey Mojo jo jo. They had decided that the picture should show them win against evil so Baekhyun and Jongdae were sitting on Kyungsoo's back while Chanyeol was standing over them with a peace sign.

Baekhyun smiled as he looked at the radiant smile on Jongdae's face. He hadn't seen that smile since that terrible day. He missed his best friend terribly and he knew that he was willing to try anything.

~

Yixing's reading a book when Baekhyun walks into the door and closes it behind them. Yixing watches Baekhyun pace back and forth around the room before stopping right in front of Yixing. He slowly takes out the ring box and places it on the table in front of them.

"We tell him together," is all Baekhyun says before he walks out of the room. 

~

Jongdae wakes up from his little nap and almost panics before he sees Luhan sitting by the windowsill, watching the snowfall. 

Jongdae rubs his eyes sleepily as he walks over to Luhan. He tries to wrap his arm around Luhan but Luhan pulls away. 

Jongdae frowns but doesn't push it. "What time is it?" 

"Almost 6pm. You slept through most of the day." Luhan says quietly.

Jongdae frowns as he looks outside. He should sleep more. He doesn't like Christmas Eve. "I'm going to get something to eat," he says. "Do you want any-"

"I'm not real. What's the point?" Luhan snaps.

Jongdae flinches but doesn't protest. He just sighs and slowly walks out of the room, trying to make this all seem like a bad dream. He's fixing himself a bowl of ramen when he hears someone come up behind him.

"Luhan.. I-" he starts but stops when he sees Baekhyun and Yixing in front of him.

"Uh hey guys," he says as he puts the bowl on a tray and lifts it off the counter. "Sorry about that I was just feeling a bit hungry."

"It's alright Jongdae. We're glad you got some rest." Yixing pulls out a chair and gestures for Jongdae to sit down. 

"Oh um I'm actually just going to go eat in my room," Jongdae says trying to walk around them. He gives them a hopefully cheerful smile before walking to his room.

He's almost through the door when he hears Baekhyun call out to him. He hesitates but turns around, not wanting to ignore his best friend.

He watches curiously as Baekhyun starts to say something but seems to change his mind. Yixing gives Baekhyun's arm a small squeeze and after a few moments Baekhyun pulls out a little blue box from his pocket and sets it on the table.

Jongdae stares at the box, trying to remember where he had seen it before. He doesn't quite remember.

However when Yixing leans over and opens the box, Jongdae lets out a gasp as he recognizes the familiar gleam and shine even in the darkness of the room.

His head starts to swirl and the room becomes dizzy as Jongdae struggles to take a breath. His hand starts to tremble and the tray falls from his hands. He doesn't even feel the hot ramen spray against his legs as he continues to look at the rings. He can see Baekhyun and Yixing run towards him from the corner of his eye and he suddenly feels a set of strong arms from behind him. He hears Luhan saying his name, asking if he's okay. 

But Jongdae can't respond to anything. All he sees is a bright light coming straight at them. He sees Luhan being flung out of the car, he hears glass shattering and he hears someone screaming out his name.

Jongdae covers his ears and squeezes his eyes shut as he starts to remember everything that happened that night... as he starts to remember Luhan dying. 

A/N:

Wow! i'm super sorry for the super late update. Life's been a pain. The last update might take a long time! But atleast there's only one chapter left. xoxo