England 1923

Kai found himself standing six inches deep in snow. There wasn't any pain and his wounds from before were gone.

This he was always grateful for, though he wished he wouldn't feel pain altogether. But he was only human at the end of the day and as humans we have no choice but to get hurt at times.

He looked around the snowy village and noticed that not a soul was in sight. Curious, he trudged towards the nearest house.

Taking a peek through the windows, he noticed the festive atmosphere as two children gathered round a christmas tree; opening their presents excitedly.

One of the boys noticed Kai standing at the window and stared at him in confusion. Kai gave him a smile.

"Mummy is that santa?" the boy pointed as he tugged at his mother's skirt.

Kai whisked away from view just as the woman was about to turn around. He wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble and didn't want to risk getting beaten up again -this time he wouldn't have anyone to save him.

Minseok.

He lifted his gaze to watch the falling snow.

Kai hoped the boy was in somewhere better. Leading a life far better than his previous one.

A few seconds passed with Kai quietly standing in the snow, thinking of how the boys he met during the previous two days both met such unfortunate and untimely ends.

He sighed and proceeded to walk on aimlessly. Hopefully today wasn't going to wear him out too much -both physically and mentally.

-x-

18 hours 17 minutes 46s

Kai had found shelter in a pub that was open throughout the year, rain or shine. It was pretty empty, apart from the bartender and a chubby little boy playing by himself.

He ordered a shot of whiskey and downed it all in one shot. The warmth spread through his body from within. He couldn't help but let out a sigh in satisfaction.

The bartender looked up from the glass she was polishing.

"Not spending time with your family?" she asked.

"I don't have any."

formed an 'O'.

"What about you?" Kai prodded.

"My son's over there."

She gestured with her head at the little boy occupying a table on his own with his toys scattered all around.

"What's his name?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? I think he'll like someone talking to him."

Kai nodded and made his way to the little boy. The bartender watched in silence.

He took a seat right opposite him and brought his cheeks to rest on his palms.

"Hello, what's your name?"

The boy released his grip on the toy train and met his gaze. A toothy smile then flashed across his face.

"Luhan."

"Hi Luhan my name's Kai," he introduced and held a hand out.

Luhan stared hesitantly at his outstretched hand and then looked at his mother. She nodded in approval. Luhan then reached forward to shake his hand.

"Do you want to play with me uncle Kai?"

"Sure."

The boy lit up immediately upon hearing this and grabbed the nearest toy he could find before handing it over to Kai.

"This is Mama bear," Luhan said.

He then craddled a replica of the same bear except this one was smaller.

"And this is Baby bear."

Kai frowned slightly.

"What about Papa bear?" he asked.

"Baby bear does not have a daddy. Just like me."

Kai's eyes widened at the sudden news and avoided his gaze abashedly.

"Oh."

He watched as Luhan carried on playing, as if his question hadn't affected him at all.

"Luhan..." Kai hesitated, "do you want a daddy?"

Luhan paused to ponder for a while before shaking his head.

"I have Mummy and uncle Kai."

Kai smiled and ruffled the boy's jet black hair. This boy was so easily satisfied.

"Luhan come over! Dinner's ready," the bartender yelled from the other side of the room.

And Kai had forgotten she was there throughout their whole conversation, he wondered if she had heard the question he asked.

Luhan jumped off from his seat and waddled towards the dinner table his mother had set up.

Guess this was his cue to leave. Kai stood up and made his way to the door.

"Why don't you join us?" the bartender suggested.

"Would that be okay?"

"Yeah I cooked too much anyway," she said, lowering her gaze, "and... it's always just been the two of us... it would be nice to have some extra company on Christmas day."

"Thanks for having me then," Kai grinned and took a seat beside Luhan.

"Can we eat now Mummy?"

"Go ahead."

They ate in silence and Kai watched as the bartender wordlessly filled her son's plate with food, though there was barely any on her own plate.

She caught Kai looking and gestured towards the dishes.

"Help yourself Kai."

Luhan stabbed a chicken wing and dropped it on his plate.

"Uncle Kai have some chicken wings -they're my favorite!"

The tan boy chuckled and thanked Luhan before digging in.

This was nice, he thought.

Kai finally wasn't going to spend Christmas alone.

-x-

"Not going to bed yet?"

Kai's head jerked up and diverted his attention away from the crackling fire.

"No... not tired yet," he replied

He scooted aside to make some space for Luhan's mother.

"Luhan seems to like you a lot."

"Really? I'm not surprised though he seems like the kind of kid who likes everybody."

"I guess he does but..." she smiled wistfully, "I've never seen him this happy with someone."

"Well thanks then," he replied sheepishly, "I like Luhan a lot too."

She grinned.

"You know if only his father was like you. Everything would work out perfectly."

"Hope you don't mind me asking but, what happened to his father?"

The smile on her face vanished.

"He got in trouble with the law," she replied nonchalantly, as if she couldn't be bothered, "probably rotting in prison."

"Oh. Oh I see."

"Hard to imagine, right? Someone as tainted as him could produce a child as pure as Luhan."

Kai only nodded along.

"Kai..." her voice suddenly took a serious turn, "would you take care of Luhan?

The intensity in her eyes rose and Kai could almost feel it piercing through his skin.

"I would," he muttered, "if I could."

"Do you think that maybe... you'd see him as one of your own?"

"Well yeah. I mean Luhan is a really likeable child... but why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

"Oh nothing," she rose from her seat, "it's nothing."

She left the room, leaving Kai perplexed.

-x-

9 hours 23 minutes 09s

In the morning he awoke to Luhan jumping on his bed, begging him to take him outside.

"Wake up Uncle Kai!"

Kai pretended to be asleep and allowed the boy to continue pestering him.

"It's a snow day! We can go outside and play!"

Still no response.

"Come on!"

In one swift movement, Kai shot up and lifted Luhan in his arms and spun him round. The chubby little boy screamed in surprise and then proceeded to giggle uncontrollably.

"Let me down," he said between fits of laughter.

"Not till you say please."

"P-Please," he replied, breathless, "please Daddy!"

Kai froze and Luhan took this opportunity to squeeze out of his grip.

"Luhan... what you called me earlier... don't call me that ever again alright?"

The boy looked at him confusedly.

"Why?"

"Because... I'm not your Daddy and you can't just call anybody Daddy you got that?"

"O-Okay..."

Luhan stumbled out of the door. Kai felt horrible for saying that but it was the truth. He couldn't lie to him.

"Hey Luhan!"

Said boy spun round upon hearing his name.

"Let's build the biggest snowman ever."

And to his utter relief, Luhan had on the biggest smile.

"Let's do it!"

Kai nodded enthusiastically, and the both of them raced out of the pub, onto the snowy streets.

They started working on their snowman immediately, with Kai doing most of the actual work and Luhan only frolicking in the snow.

Kai didn't mind to be honest. There was nothing he could give Luhan -nothing but this snowman.

He was determined to see that smile Luhan had given him earlier again, and continued rolling snow to form the base of his sculpture.

7 hours 47 minutes 05s

Quite some time passed and Kai finally paused to admire his work and catch a breather. The snowman he had spent the past hour and a half building was taller than he was.

"Luhan come over here! The snowman is huge!"

It was only then he realised the boy's absence.

"Luhan?" he called out. "Luhan where are you?"

His heart palpitated faster when no one answered him.

"Luhan?"

Kai ran around to search for him but couldn't find any traces of him.

Oh , he thought. Oh , oh , oh .

He sprinted back into the pub to find Luhan's mother but she too had vanished.

Panick overcame him and he searched the entire house to no avail. Stepping out of the backyard, he noticed a set of fresh, tiny footprints in the snow.

He followed the trail without a moment's hesitation, bringing him into the woods. Kai swiped at the branches in his way and had to avoid the many torns jutting out from bushes.

The footprints then stopped. Kai turned to see Luhan bended over something.

His mother was lying cold and unmoving on the bed of snow.

"Mummy wake up, it's cold here," Luhan spoke as he tried to shake his mother awake.

"Lu-Luhan."

The boy ran up to Kai and tried dragging him to his mother.

"Uncle Kai help me get Mummy to wake up! She won't listen to me!" he pleaded.

Kai stood there wordlessly, he couldn't find the means to do anything. He noticed an empty bottle strewn limply beside her and everything clicked.

"Uncle Kai!" Luhan continued, tugging at his sleeves harder.

He snapped out of his thoughts.

"Luhan let's go."

"But Mummy can't sleep here! She'll fall sick!"

"We'll go find help for her alright?"

"No! I'm staying!"

"Luhan please-"

"No! No! No-"

Kai didn't let him finish -he scooped up the boy in one arm and proceeded to trudge back to the pub, ignoring Luhan's wails and struggling.

"Uncle Kai we have to go back for Mummy! Please let me go!"

He didn't respond. He only let the boy down when they reached their destination.

Kai didn't know what to do, he just knew he couldn't let Luhan stay there any longer.

"Can we go back now?" Luhan asked, eyes shining with tears.

"Luhan... we... we're going on a short trip alright?"

"Is Mummy coming with us?"

"No she-"

"I want Mummy!"

"Be good Luhan I'll-"

"I want Mummy!" he wailed even louder.

Kai exhaled heavily -his head was hurting.

"Your Mummy's not coming with us she-"

"Then make her come with us I don't care!"

"Luhan please listen-"

"I want Mum-"

"She's dead!"

Kai instantly regretted his words. For almost the past century, he'd never said anything as horrible as this.

"Dead?" Luhan breathed, eyes dilated.

"Look Luhan I didn't mean what I said. Y-Your mother isn't dead, she's... she's just asleep."

Kai knew it was all too late. Luhan wasn't stupid -he must've put the pieces together all on his own.

Luhan sank to his knees and started sobbing uncontrollably into his hands. Kai could only watch helplessly from the side, he never expected to feel anything like this again. He was just sorry.

But then Luhan clasped his hands togetherand looked up to the sky, snow falling upon his white face.

"I-I'll become a very good boy from now on. I won't say anything selfish. I'll study a lot, too. And read lots and lots of books to become smarter."

Tears seeped from the corners of his eyes and Kai had never seen anyone want something this badly.

"I'll eat my vegetables and won't ask for anymore toys."

He clasped his hands even tighter.

"So dear God, I beg you. Please give Mummy back to me."

Luhan shook with every word.

"Please...please give Mummy back...please."

Tears brimmed in Kai's eyes. Did God even exist? How could he even allow something like this to happen?

Kai held the crying boy in his arms.

Answer me God... why?

-x-

Kai and Luhan were on a carriage heading to the nearest orphanage. Luhan had stopped crying, but Kai would have much rather hear him cry than the eerie silence.

As they got further away from the house, Kai watched the snowman poke out from the snow as if bidding them goodbye.

He glanced at his watch.

0 hours 55 minutes 08s

Sighing, he hoped he'd have enough time to settle his business here.

The carriage ride was short and they arrived at a white building. The orphanage was surprisingly more pleasant than he expected, which comforted him a little knowing Luhan was going to be in a good environment.

"Hello Luhan it's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Teresa and I'll be your caretaker from now on."

The lady smiled warmly at him.

Luhan didn't reply.

"I'll leave you two alone then."

Kai mouthed a word  of thanks and he walked off.

He bent down to straighten Luhan's shirt and wiped off the remaining snow on him.

"Do you have everything with you?"

Luhan nodded.

"Your clothes all packed?"

He nodded again.

Kai sighed and got on his feet.

"Be a good boy okay? Listen to your caretakers and make friends."

He patted Luhan's head.

"She's waiting, go on in."

Kai watched as Luhan strolled off and he his heels to leave.

He didn't get far before he felt a pair of arms wrap around his thighs.

"W-Wait!"

Looking down he saw Luhan grabbing hold of his leg tightly.

"What is it Luhan?"

Luhan threw his bag down onto the snow and rummaged through his bag for something seemingly important. His hands then reappeared with the bear figurine from yesterday.

"This is Papa bear," Luhan said, ing the gift into his hand, "and I want to give it to you."

Kai stared blankly at the bear, his grip then tightened.

He hugged Luhan tightly, not wanting to let go. This time it was his turn to cry.

"Luhan I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Kai tried to stifle his sobs.

"I know this may seem selfish but please live happily for me."

Luhan hugged him tighter and Kai could see the faintest signs of a smile on his face.

"I will and you'll come visit me?"

His words stuck an arrow through his heart and Kai could only look into his naive eyes and say, "I will."

"Thank you Uncle Kai. I had so much fun playing with you, you'll play with me again right? Promise?"

"Promise."

Luhan's eyes disappeared into half-moons.

0 hours 0 minutes 3s

The last thing Kai felt was his tiny hands.

a/n: Pulled an all nighter writing this chapter -never again. As always comments are appreciated and please feel free to sub and upvote :)