The members were gathered inside the secret room the next day. They thought Baekhyun and Chanyeol were both absent, so they just continued like nothing happened.

 

 

“I think we should pay them a visit later.” All the members agreed. Everyone went out as their gathering was done, but one student was running like hell and bumped into the group.

 

“I-I’m sorry—Oh! You’re Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s friends! I have something to tell you!” The student panted heavily, and his eyes widened as he finally saw the group after searching the whole school.

 

“Calm down, boy. What happened?” Xiumin said.

 

“I saw them! They disappeared!” All the members stood still, not knowing what to feel. T-They’re gone? Just like that? We didn’t even see that coming!

 

“And not only them! Almost all of the contestants from the singing contest disappeared as well. I don’t know why, though.” Everyone didn’t move an inch. The student who informed them noticed the awkward atmosphere, and so he left.

 

 

No one dared to speak. All of them came into one conclusion:

 

 

We won’t be paying a visit to anyone later.

 

**

 

“Shouldn’t we be happy? That they fulfilled their happiness?” Luhan asked to no one in particular.

 

“We are happy,” Tao said gloomily.

 

“Yeah, you sure are.”

 

“Well, I was just shocked at how it was so sudden.” D.O sighed.

 

“Without even a warning…” Kai slumped to his seat.

 

“I think it’s okay. The important thing is they’re happy, right?”  Chen cheered.

 

“Right…” Sehun muttered.

 

“What do we do now?” Xiumin asked.

 

“We can’t stay like this. Remember our goal? To help everyone in this world get over with the life they’ve had. We all know that all of us had an unfair life, that’s why Sehun is trying to give us happiness that we couldn’t live when we were still alive.”

 

“Right, right. Shall we shout our slogan?” Chen, being optimistic as ever, asked.

 

 

All of them huddled. Luhan had warned Sehun earlier so he knew already. With great determination coming from their hearts, they shouted,

 

 

“EXO SARANGHAJA!”

 

 

**

 

 

Weeks passed after that incident. The students are getting lesser and lesser in number. The members’ closeness is getting stronger. There are only 8 of them left, and of course they miss the other members who were gone.

 

 

Many things happened during those weeks. Suho, being the leader, became stronger than ever. He believes he needs to stand up if the others couldn’t. The other members, seeing their leader’s determination, eventually stood up and stayed strong for the members who had disappeared.

 

 

Xiumin and Chen still have their useless fights against each other. The members already know that something may or may not go between them, but they knew better. They chose not to say anything about it because the two may get awkward after that.

 

 

D.O and Kai became really close since the bloody battle. Ever since, D.O treated Kai with respect because Kai was the one who brought him back to reality and made him think about himself way back then. He always runs errands for him, and he doesn’t want anyone bring harm to the younger one. Was it really just respect?

 

 

Tao just focused on his martial arts, and he doesn’t deny that he misses his lover. Practicing with his wushu stick was the only way to relieve stress. And besides, he got the other members with him. Why wouldn’t he be happy and contented?

 

 

Luhan and Sehun are getting closer. Sehun is weird, and Luhan knows that. Sehun doesn’t speak much, and he’s really bad at communicating with other people. So Luhan is trying to make him talk more and speak out. Sometimes Sehun will go with Xiumin, because they both are not that gifted with communicating skills. Sehun’s face sometimes is emotionless, but he can’t deny that when he’s with Luhan, all the emotions he could ever imagine just start appearing.

 

 

**

 

 

Luhan was talking a walk on the grounds, particularly the soccer field. He remembered the time when his best friend almost got obliterated. That idiot, Luhan thought. If it weren’t for Chen’s risky move, he wouldn’t have his best friend by his side anymore.

 

 

And speaking of Chen…

 

 

“Chen-ah!” He called. He saw Chen doing sit-ups as he came closer.

 

“Oh, Luhan hyung. What are you doing here?” Chen sat up as he talked. He decided to take a break first from what he was doing, and talked to his hyung.

 

“I was just taking a walk then I saw you. What are you doing?” Luhan asked back.

 

“Doing sit-ups?” Chen questioned. Is this hyung dumb or what?

 

“I know that.” Luhan remembered that Chen is the type to be outgoing, and sometimes he doesn’t look tired at all after literally playing the whole day.

 

“Chen, are you always this hyped up?” Luhan’s curiosity was triggered again.

 

“There are no classes today, right? Let’s play, hyung!” Chen stood up and grabbed Luhan. Why didn’t he answer my question?

 

 

But oh well, I’ll just play with him today.

 

 

**

 

 

Luhan literally played with Chen the whole day. They first played dodge ball, with only him hitting Chen all over again. Chen’s energy hasn’t drained yet, and so they played Frisbee. Chen is always about to catch it, but due to his short height, he always stumbles and fails. When they got bored, soccer was the thing they did, much to Luhan’s delight. The other members joined them as well. It was late in the afternoon when the members one by one went home already, and only the two of them were left. Chen decided he wanted to play baseball, and Luhan complied. He was the one throwing the balls, and Chen was hitting nothing. Slowly he learned when to hit and where, and started to enjoy the game. The sun was setting, and Chen had his first homerun.

 

 

“WOHOOO! YEAH! THAT WAS A HOMERUN, HYUNG! SAW THAT? I REALLY DID IT!” Chen cheered happily and Luhan just smiled. Really, he doesn’t get tired.

 

“I know, I know. Congratulations for that, Chen-ah.” Luhan smiled sincerely at his dongsaeng because he saw how happy Chen was when he achieved that homerun.

 

“You look really happy,” Luhan noticed.

 

Chen smiled before speaking. “I really am.”

 

“Why? You seem really happy despite the fact that you used all your energy in moving around.”

 

 

And that was when Chen started to talk about his life.

 

 

CHEN - BEST LUCK

 

 

“When I was alive, I was paralyzed. I couldn’t move an inch, much less than hitting a homerun. I couldn’t do anything by myself. I always needed my mother to take care of me. She feeds me, bathes me, and even turns the TV on for me. I was just there, lying in my bed the whole day, doing nothing productive because I can’t.”

 

“And now, I am able to move around this much. I even hit a homerun. I am really happy right now, Luhan hyung. Thank you for being patient as you played with me.  I know I took up your whole day today.” Chen laughed and Luhan did as well.

 

“Then…you’ve done everything you want? You don’t have regrets anymore?”

 

Chen hesitated, but he said what was lingering on his mind. “Well…there’s one thing.” There’s still one thing? Luhan asked in his mind.

 

“What is it?”

 

“To have someone love me.”

 

“We love you, Chen. Isn’t that enough?”

 

“Well...” Chen swung his baseball bat as he spoke. “All I want is for someone to love me and accept me wholly, that’s all. But I can’t do that, because…well, who wants to be with a paralyzed person, anyway?” Chen flashed a bitter smile. “God is so mean, you know. He took all my happiness away…”

 

“Don’t say that, Chen-ah. That’s not true,” Luhan almost whispered.

 

“Then, hyung, do you love me that way?” Luhan’s eyes widened. He didn’t see that coming. He didn’t know how to answer to his dongsaeng’s question.

 

“I...I...Chen--“

 

“I love you!” Someone shouted. Chen dropped his baseball bat. Both he and Luhan looked to the direction where the voice came from. Minseok…

 

 

The person walked closer to them and repeated his words, as if he had no plans to take it back.

 

 

“I love you. I mean it.”

 

Chen breathed out heavily before speaking again. “But…how can you say that? You don’t even know who I really am.”

 

“It doesn’t matter, Jongdae.” Chen cringed when Xiumin called him by his real name. “I really love you, no matter what kind of handicap you had back then.”

 

“But…I can’t really walk. I can’t get up, either. I’ll just be a burden to you if you’ll be with me.”

 

“I said no matter what kind of handicap, didn’t I?!” Xiumin growled. “When I first met you, I admit, I didn’t really like you and the way you talk and sing, even your existence itself. But as we grew closer, I realized that you are just being Jongdae, being yourself. The person I came to meet in this world isn’t a fake. It was really you. And I love you for that.” Chen’s tears started to form. No...No…don’t cry. Be strong, Jongdae, Chen told to himself.

 

“In the real world, I am sure that we’ll never meet each other, anyway. What’s the point in saying those words?” Chen wiped his tears. He cried at the bitter truth.

 

“Well, I’ll be playing soccer outside. I’ll kick the ball too strong, and it’ll crash in one of your windows. I’ll go retrieve that ball, and I’ll see you lying on your bed comfortably.” Minseok let out a soft laugh. “That’s how we’ll meet.” Chen remained speechless, touched by Minseok’s sweet words. So he took the chance to continue speaking. Chen bowed his head and continued crying.

 

“I know there’s a little chance. Let’s say that there’s a 99% chance that we won’t meet ever. But that tiny 1% chance…I’ll believe in that.”

 

“Why?” Chen asked in between sobs.

 

“Because I love you too much to believe that the impossible will become possible.” Chen is literally breaking down because he was so happy to hear those words. And now…he is slowly becoming transparent. This is it. This is really it.

 

“Say, when we’ll meet again in the real world, be sure to take the weight off of my mother’s shoulders. She’s done enough for me.” Chen smiled.

 

“Of course. Count on me.” Minseok approached Chen and slowly enclosed him in a warm hug. “I have a favor, Jongdae.”

 

“What is it?” He asked in between sobs.

 

“Remember the first time we met? You sang in front of us, right?” Jongdae nodded. “Sing one last time for me, please.”

 

Jongdae let out a chuckle. “Of course.”

 

 

After singing, Jongdae had his last words said.

 

 

“I love you too, Kim Minseok.”

 

 

Luhan was still stunned to see the whole scene. He never thought Minseok could actually do that, but he did.

 

 

“Is that…okay?” He asked.

 

“I guess I’m still here because I still need to help you guys. Don’t worry, it’s okay.” He started to walk away.

 

 

Because deep inside his heart, he knows it’s not.