~Last Chorus~

After Jongdae's passing Luhan had begun to feel a little disjointed from the rest of the world. He had been so shaken when he had gotten back to his apartment that Minseok had immediately asked what was wrong, and after Luhan had explained everything, he had pulled him into his arms and had rocked him gently until he had managed to calm down. He just couldn't believe that the other ghost was gone. And all Luhan had done was offer him his friendship.

Why was he losing everything before he even got a chance to have it? His life in China, friendships with Jongin and Sehun, someone to look up to in Yixing, a little brother figure in Chanyeol, friendship with Jongdae, even his romantic relationship with Minseok in some ways... and now he was having to lose an older father like figure too.

He had continued to visit Joonmyun afterwards of course. It was expected of him and he couldn't let the old man down now. Not when he was inching ever closer to death, every breath becoming more and more laboured. But he wasn't so sure he could handle watching Joonmyun die so soon after watching Jongdae fade away in front of his eyes.

He didn't have a choice though.

He had promised the elderly gentleman that he would be there. And Luhan never broke his promises.

Yet walking down the hall of the cancer ward towards the older's room yet again filled him almost with a sense of foreboding. A feeling that only increased as he knocked on the door and entered to find an incredibly weak Joonmyun on the bed, his eyes barely open, breathing hard and laboured. Kyungsoo was helping him to lie back again, readjusting the oxygen mask which now covered his mouth and nose.

The nurse had looked up at Luhan's knock, giving him a small smile before speaking. "I'm just on my way out but Luhan... could I have a word?" He asked, pulling the covers back up over the patient's chest.

"Don't leave on my account." The old man rasped, his hand weakly patting one of the nurse's.

Luhan watched as Kyungsoo turned to face Joonmyun again, giving him an affectionate smile. "I'm not. I just have my rounds to do, as you know already." He said, playfully scolding. The look in his eyes though was sad, and Luhan had to swallow thickly. Whatever the nurse had to talk to him about, it couldn't be good.

"I'll be back soon." He heard Kyungsoo say before he was joined by said man and ushered over to the side to speak privately in hushed tones. "He really doesn't have long left Luhan. I don't think we'll lose him today but..." He left it hanging, but Luhan knew what he was trying to imply. Any day now Kim Joonmyun was going to die.

Tears sprang to Luhan's eyes and he dropped his head to try and hide the wetness but the nurse had seen them. A small hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing softly. "I know." He went on. "I don't want to say goodbye either but... I think it's time we do just that."

Nodding softly, Luhan swallowed thickly again before raising his head to give the other a small smile. "Okay. Thank you for letting me know, Kyungsoo."

The nurse nodded softly in return before removing his hand from Luhan's shoulder and stepping back. "I'll be just down the hall, okay? You know what to do if anything does happen."

Luhan nodded softly himself in reply before watching Kyungsoo leave the room. It took him a moment to pull in his strength before he pasted a soft smile onto his face as he approached the bed and sat down in his usual seat. Joonmyun was eyeing him suspiciously and it was only another moment before he spoke. "He told you, didn't he? That I don't have long left."

It was almost unbelievable how aware of everything Joonmyun still was with how close he was to dying now. He didn't miss a thing and that thought made Luhan's smile grow slightly as he nodded in answer. "Yeah." He confirmed, his eyes beginning to fill with tears again. Ducking his head he tried to wipe at them hurriedly. "I'm sorry." He apologised, his voice thick with sadness.

"Don't be silly. There is no need to apologise. And there is certainly no need to cry." The gentleman scolded, though with no real strength in his words any more. "I've lived a good life. And now it's my time to go."

"Not yet, I hope!" Luhan blurted out, sniffing and wiping at his eyes again before smiling a little sheepishly. "I mean... you're still so lucid. So please don't keel over or something on me yet, please?"

Joonmyun's lips lifted slightly as much as he was able to with how weak his body had become. "Okay. I'll try not to. But only because you asked me so nicely, okay?"

This encouraged a laugh out of Luhan before he nodded softly. "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." The elderly man continued. "I don't want to die with any more regrets after all." Though his tone of voice was light, Luhan knew that he had meant what he said, and tilting his head, he gave Joonmyun a questioning look.

"Regrets?" He asked before his brain twigged. "Your son?"

He was proved correct when the patient nodded his head gently. "Yeah."

"But... his death wasn't your fault, Joonmyun."

A tired smile spread across the older's lips at this and his expression dimmed slightly. "I know. I wasn't driving the car that hit his. Nor was I driving the car that started the whole mess. But maybe if I had kept him home, stopped him from going into work that day... maybe he would still be alive now?"

Luhan swallowed, a strange feeling passing over him. Why did that sound so familiar? The way that the other was explaining the accident... he had heard it before, he knew that much. But he couldn't pin point where. His head was just filled with confusion. He tried to shake it off though as he continued to speak to the older man. "Nobody can predict the future though, Joonmyun. And I know you wouldn't have kept him home without reason. It was a tragic accident that shouldn't have happened."

The elderly gentleman was quiet, taking a moment to get his breath back before he shakily reached out to pat Luhan's hand. "I know, Luhan. I know. I'm just an old man thinking back on his life and what he could have changed. I don't really mean it." He said, before he looked into Luhan's eyes who was hit with an incredible wave of emotion. Joonmyun's eyes were so sad and full of apologies and even guilt. "I just wish I knew if he forgave me or not."

"F-For what?" Luhan asked, his lips as he felt his chest tighten.

"For not saving him. He called me his Guardian Angel, yet the one time he truly needed me... I wasn't there. I hope he can forgive me for that." Joonmyun said, his voice quiet yet full of remorse.

Luhan was about to open his mouth to reply, himself, when he heard something behind him. It sounded a lot like a voice yet when he turned to see who it was... there was no-one there. Strange, but he swore he heard someone whispering behind him...

"I already did, Dad. Long ago. I love you..."