YEARS LATER

           “That shirt looks stunning on you my dear.”

           “I know baby,” Luhan smirked, “and thank you for buying it for me.” Luhan bent his knees slightly to kiss his paramour on the cheek; his wedge-heel Adidas had put him a few inches above Sehun. The two had been in Paris for months now, eating and drinking out on Sehun’s parent’s money, which Luhan leeched off of in the form of clothing, free lodging and free food. It was a lifestyle Luhan had done for many years now, free of emotions, until it came to this particular university graduate. They’d been hitched since their wedding a day before flying in to Paris.

            Meanwhile…

            “Can I buy you another mocha?” Yixing asked, more focused on devouring his boyfriend’s looks with his eyes. He didn’t know what it was; his muscular, toned body or his gorgeous, tanned complexion that made Yixing so mad about Jongin.

            “No thanks.” Jongin smirked, trailing his ballet-pointed toes against Yixing’s inner calf, tracing his dancer-muscles slowly. “I think we should probably go home before this storm starts falling down on our heads.” Jongin said, looking out and up at the sky from their alfresco seating. “Maybe spend the day in bed?” He winked. Yixing could have sworn his heart jumped in his chest. Those deep, chocolate eyes might as well have been Cupid’s arrows through his heart.

            “That weather is really bad isn’t it? We should hurry.” Yixing smirked. “I’ll go pay.” Yixing left a kiss on Jongin’s cheek before going to pay, which gave Jongin the time to survey the passerby’s. He liked Paris; people from all walks of life bustling in one city together. It was, romantic, he thought. It was the city of love after all, with many a honeymoon spent within the city. If only the walls could talk… A particularly expensively dressed couple caught Jongin’s attention, one shorter and younger boy with a slightly taller boy in his arms and wedge heels. The hair was different- chestnut brown like Jongin’s used to be, but now his was white- but the face was unforgettable. It had also caught sight of Jongin, and the two just stared from across the street.

            “Jongin?” Yixing called, standing by him and holding their shopping bags. Jongin looked up, quick to stand and then continue looking over the street. The younger boy put his arm over the older boys and asked him something, but he simply nodded, smiled and continued walking.

            Across the street…

Luhan moved so fast in life it was hard for Sehun to reconcile him even stopping on the sidewalk. “Sweetie?” Luhan’s attention was fixed on a boy across the street. His complexion had changed over the years- now with a healthy, caramel glow about him- and so had his hair, but the face was unforgettable. It had caught sight of Luhan, and the two were just staring from across the street. Another boy with light brown hair came and stood by the darker-skinned and seemed to catch his attention. He was distracted briefly, before standing and looking back over at himself.

“Are you alright?” Sehun asked, clasping a hand over Luhan’s forearm, confused by their sudden stop. Luhan nodded, grinning across the street at the boy whose muscles were looking much healthier. A brief flash of memories flooded his mind, but Luhan quickly sought to suppress them before tears struck. He pulled Sehun along as they continued on their way. “Luhan?”

           “I’m fine.” He affirmed. Despite his efforts, a tear entertained the corner of his eye and had not gone unnoticed.

           “What’s wrong honey? Please, tell me.” Luhan composed himself with a deep breath before answering.

            “Well how about I tell you about a boy from a long time ago, who had met this other boy…” Luhan started.

“One day, whether you
are 14,
28
or 65

you will stumble upon
someone who will start
a fire in you that cannot die.

However, the saddest,
most awful truth
you will ever come to find--

is that they are not always
with whom we spend our lives.”

-- Beau Christopher Taplin, “The Awful Truth”