#45 [EXO, SEHUN/LU HAN]
Fandom: EXO
Title: Gone with the Wind
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s)/Focus: Sehun/Luhan
Length: 4,162 words
Summary: Listen closely, and you’ll hear the wind singing a song sadder than anything you’ve ever heard.
Warnings: Character death
Notes: I’m terribly sorry for this rushed-out fic, paradisist! The original fic is so, so beautiful, and I wish I could have done it more justice. This remix was really fun, though, and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Remixee author: paradisist
Title of work you remixed: when the wind blows (know i’m with you)
Link to work you remixed: http://paradisist.livejournal.com/15206.html
It’s warm, yet awfully cold. Luhan likes to think that the weather can’t make up its mind. He isn’t complaining, though- he’s always liked that time of year when the dial of the seasons hovers between autumn and winter. The world becomes a painting, a slow-moving picture, bathed in red and gold and every shimmering hue in between. And that’s when Luhan’s camera is put to work.
Luhan’s extremely fond of taking photographs, but that isn’t what he’s here for. Not now, at least. Today, a windchime dangles from his fingers instead of his trusty camera, tinkling quietly as he treads through the forest on light feet.
Take a windchime deep into the forest and hang it on the biggest tree, the townspeople say, and the forest spirits might just grant the wish you write on it. Luhan doesn’t consider himself a believer of magic and the likes of it, but he thinks it’s worth a try.
Luhan hears the tree before he sees it. Before long, the sound of the windchime in his hands is joined by a chorus of countless others.
The Great Tree soon comes into view- it's a few feet taller and wider than the rest, and exudes an aura of calm. Like a wise old man, Luhan thinks. Windchimes of every shape and size hang from its branches.
As he walks up to the tree, he can't seem to shake off the feeling that he's being watched. Imagination, Luhan, it's just your imagination. Nevertheless, he stops to do a quick scan of his surroundings- the coast is clear- before reaching out to hang his windchime on one of the lower branches.
The wind picks up then, interrupting the stillness of the forest. Goosebumps trail up his arms when he hears the steady crunch of leaves punctuating the rustle of the trees. He turns towards the source of the noise, and--
He most definitely was not expecting to see a large, sandy shape disappearing into a nearby patch of trees. At first he can't figure out what it was, but then he realizes that it had a tail. And paws. Oh my god.
Luhan is now suitably freaked out. He doesn't know if he should run, scream, or climb the tree and stay there until one of the townsfolk comes to his rescue. "Okay, just get this over and done with, then you can get the hell out of here," he mutters to himself. He reaches out once again with a trembling hand, standing on his tiptoes as he balances the windchime on the tips of his fingers to hook it onto the branch. Almost there-
A sudden fierce rustling makes Luhan jump. The windchime slips from his fingers, falling to the forest floor with a muted jingle. "I swear this place is toying with me," he huffs, casting another nervous glance around.
One moment he's alone, and the next, he isn't. He could have sworn that there was nobody else in the area a second ago, so he has to clap a hand to his mouth to muffle a shout of surprise when he sees a pale, sharp-faced boy standing not more than six feet away.
The first thing he notices about the boy is his hair- it’s a shock of colour. A wild mix of red, purple, orange, yellow, blue, green, something Luhan’s never seen around town before. It forms a sharp contrast with the threadbare tunic hanging off his bony frame, which makes for an extremely odd appearance overall.
He shifts a bare foot in Luhan’s direction and takes a tentative step forward.
Luhan's blood turns to ice when he hears a soft growl coming from somewhere behind the tree. The mysterious boy must have heard it too, for his entire body tenses up and he stops in his tracks. Slowly, cautiously, he takes another step towards Luhan, and the steady growl abruptly turns into a snarl.
The boy closes the remaining distance between them in two large strides, takes hold of Luhan's hand and breaks into a run.
Luhan barely has time to protest before he finds himself practically flying through the forest, everything a blur except for the boy yanking him forward. Leaves scatter behind the two boys as they run, crackling beneath their feet, and he vaguely wonders if the huge sandy wolf-creature is trailing behind.
The trees melt into one another as they speed past; Luhan's long stopped worrying about colliding into one. He's beginning to feel a little lightheaded when he feels the boy loosen his grip, and they both stumble to a halt.
"What the hell was that?" Luhan pants, leaning over to catch his breath. He's sprinted to catch the bus out of town a few times, but that hardly comes close to the mad run he's just experienced. Rainbow hair just stands there, hands stiff by his sides, eyeing him warily. He's barely panting- in fact, he isn't panting at all.
Luhan raises an eyebrow, still gasping for breath. A small part of him knows that this is really creepy- he's alone with a stranger in a forest- but the other part really doesn't give a damn. He's just glad to have gotten away from that thing.
"Are you...okay?" are the first words the boy utters, after half a minute of staring at Luhan gasp and wheeze. It's as if he can't fathom how anyone could possibly be breathless after running a mile.
"Yeah," Luhan manages to choke out, leaning on the trunk of a nearby tree for support. "Just, um, weak lungs? Give me. A sec."
So the boy waits. When Luhan's breathing has evened out, he opens his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry if I startled you."
"Good to know," Luhan mutters under his breath. Then, louder: "What was that for?”
“I was running,” the boy says slowly, “from something.” He looks like he’s having an internal struggle.
“From that huge creature back there?”
The boy looks startled. “You’ve seen it?”
“Yeah… it was growling at us before you grabbed me and bolted, wasn’t it?”
“Oh…yes, that. I think we lost it! We’re safe now.” The boy gives Luhan a weary grin.
Luhan can’t help but heave a sigh of relief. “I guess that makes you my lifesaver,” he grins back, “so thanks! I’m Luhan, by the way. I don’t think I’ve seen you around town. You are?”
“Sehun,” the other boy replies. “I’m Sehun.”
They aren’t far from the entrance to the forest- Luhan can see the path leading out, illuminated by the rays of the setting sun.
"Well, Sehun, it's getting late," he says. "I should be going. You'd better get home before the sun sets, too!"
As if on instinct, the other boy turns back to glance at the forest, biting his lip. "Take me with you," he suddenly says.
The sudden request catches Luhan off-guard. "What?"
"Please," Sehun says, his voice tinged with desperation. "I have to get out of here."
"Can't you at least tell me why?" Luhan asks, crossing his arms. "If I'm going to have to bring a stranger home, I think I deserve an explanation for it, at the very least."
"I'll explain later," the pale boy quickly replies, tripping over his words in his hurry to get them out. "Please, just trust me."
Luhan doesn't know what made him cave so fast. Perhaps it's the fact that the boy looks like he's in desperate need of a meal and a bath, perhaps it's the unexplainable sadness in his eyes. In a split second, he feels his resolve crumble.
"Well, it's a long walk back," Luhan says, turning to head in the direction of the entrance to the forest. "I hope you can keep up." He doesn't doubt it.
Somewhere in the forest, a windchime lies forgotten in a pile of leaves.
Luhan's house is tiny and cramped, sandwiched between two equally small houses at the end of the street. It's not much, but he doesn't see the point of settling for any more.
"You live alone?" Sehun asks meekly from where he stands in the doorway, casting furtive glances around the house.
Luhan hums in response. "I used to live with my little brother, Xiumin. He died of pneumonia a few autumns ago, before I came to this town."
Sehun seems to be momentarily stunned, blinking a few times before murmuring, "Oh...I-I'm sorry."
"Nah, don't be," Luhan says casually. "I’m going to make dinner now, you can talk while I’m cooking. You look like you could use a meal.”
Sehun looks a little bewildered, but he trails after his host anyway. He stands awkwardly in the kitchen doorway as Luhan bustles around in the kitchen, pulling items from the refrigerator and spices from the pantry and dumping everything into a pan. It’s a while before he looks over his shoulder at the new guest. “Don’t look so worried, I’m not preparing some sort of poisonous brew,” he chuckles. He wipes his hands on a paper towel, then pulls up a chair and gestures for Sehun to sit down at the kitchen counter. “Oh, and you’d better get on with that explanation.”
Sehun licks his lips nervously, cautiously lowering himself onto the chair as if it’s a bed of needles. “Well…I hope you like long stories.”
To cut the long story short, Sehun is the spirit of the forest, the one who hangs around the inner shrine of the Great Tree and grants wishes. He’s the wind that drifts through the forest and rings the windchimes. His guardian, Baekhyun, roams the forest in the form of a wolf with sandy fur- he doesn’t grant wishes, but instead makes sure that Sehun gets the job done. After decades of idling in the forest and yearning to see the outside world, Sehun decided to venture out, which pissed Baekhyun off big-time. And that’s when he met Luhan.
Luhan takes it surprisingly well. After hearing the townsfolk’s stories of the spirits and the Great Tree, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise to him. Still, he’s amazed.
“Whoa,” he says, gaping. “That means-“
Sehun smiles. "You're in the forest. The wind is blowing, the trees are swaying, the windchimes are moving. Do you see?"
Luhan closes his eyes and lets himself drift. "Yeah, I think I do."
A small smile lifts the corner of Sehun's lips. "That's me. All of it."
"Wow," is the only thing Luhan can manage. “It’s pretty incredible.”
“Also, I think I smell a forest fire.”
Luhan’s eyes fly open when he realizes that the forest spirit is right- the smell of burning is growing stronger in the kitchen.
He turns to look at the stove. “Damn it.”
When Luhan sets dinner on the table, Sehun takes one look at the steaming plate of vegetables and nearly falls off his chair.
"Are those-" he says, face contorted with horror- "leaves?"
"...yes," Luhan says slowly, trying to make sense of Sehun's reaction. Oh right. Forest spirit. "I'm sorry, Sehun, but grazing is the norm here. Try some, it actually tastes pretty good!"
"Ah," Sehun replies morosely, picking at a limp stalk with the prongs of his fork, "but I don't eat."
"Is it some spirit thing?"
"We do not require physical sustenance. But this, I have to admit, is quite fascinating." He squints at the piece of vegetable, scrutinizing it.
“Don’t frown like that,” Luhan says with a small chuckle, leaning over the table to press his thumb into the spot between Sehun’s eyebrows. The sudden contact takes the latter by surprise, but he reluctantly relaxes.
All of a sudden, Luhan pulls back. “Oh yeah, I nearly forgot! Wait here, I’ll go get you a change of clothes. If you’re going to be staying here for now, you’d better look like you belong in town.”
He hurries out of the kitchen, leaving Sehun sitting alone, the foreign sensation of human warmth still pulsing above the bridge of his nose.
That night, the wind is stronger than ever. It rattles the windows and pounds at the door, and. Luhan thinks he might be going crazy, because the howling of the wind sounds almost like...
"A wolf?" Sehun pipes up, lifting a corner of the curtain to peer out the window. "Yeah, that's Baekhyun. He's out there, looking for me." He pauses, biting his lower lip nervously. "As you can tell, he isn't very pleased."
Luhan hums as he climbs into bed, shifting over to make room for Sehun. “You’re safe here with me. Don’t worry, okay? C’mere, it’s freezing.”
Sehun has no choice but to curl into an unfamiliar warmth and trust Luhan with all his heart.
The world is red and gold and every shimmering hue inbetween. Sehun is all of that, and more. Luhan honestly can't remember a time when his world was more colorful.
It's a little strange to wake up to the sounds of somebody else in the house, but Luhan thinks he could get used to it. Bit by bit, Sehun adjusts to the mortal way of life, but he still has a long way to go.
Sehun knows that his guardian would never dare to search the town in broad daylight, so Luhan takes him out in the mornings, when the wind is nothing more than a harmless breeze. Together, they explore every inch of the tiny town, and Sehun takes in the sights and sounds with absolute wonderment. He runs curious fingers over the items in the marketplace (much to the irritation of the shopkeepers), pauses a little longer in front of signboards in the street so that he can read every word. Luhan won’t admit it, but he finds it adorable.
On one lazy afternoon, Luhan asks if Sehun would like to see the ocean. As usual, the latter is more than happy to go. It's a ten-minute walk from Luhan's house, and when they arrive, Sehun nearly forgets to breathe. The sea flashes a million different colours in the sun, and the air tastes of salt and freedom. This is what he’s here for.
He toes off the shoes he’d borrowed from Luhan and takes his first step onto the sand, marveling at how different the powdery grains feel compared to the coarse dirt of the forest floor. It isn’t long before Luhan springs a surprise attack on him, tackling him into the sand with laughter as musical as the windchimes. They end up chasing each other along the shoreline and splashing around in the waves, and it’s the most fun Sehun’s had in a while.
As the sun begins to sink below the horizon, Luhan suddenly remembers his Polaroid camera. He runs back up the beach to fetch it, then sinks into the warm sand beside Sehun.
“Smile,” he says, raising the camera and pointing it at the both of them. Click. Sehun watches in fascination as the rectangular piece of film slides out. Luhan holds out the photograph as the image slowly comes into focus, and for a moment, he swears his heart stops beating.
“Wow,” Sehun breathes.
“I know, right?”
Sehun looks up from the photo, into a face framed by glimmering droplets of seawater and the glow of the setting sun. “Wow,” he says again.
Luhan looks back at him, and smiles. No more needs to be said.
On that day, two boys each realize that the other is beautiful.
The world is red and gold and every shimmering hue inbetween, but the colors are fast disappearing. Sehun watches through Luhan's window in the morning as leaves drift by, and gingerly picks them up in a swirl of fluttering crimson-orange. A young girl stands on the street outside, giggling as the leaves dance around her and tickle her nose. The sight makes Sehun smile a little himself.
"Ara!" Sehun automatically jerks upright at the sound of a familiar voice. A slight figure appears amid the falling leaves- it's Luhan, the ends of his scarf dancing in the wind and his golden hair a tousled mess, carrying a bag of groceries. He looks absolutely breathtaking even with his crumpled shirt and hair falling in his eyes.
"Luhan-oppa!" little Ara squeals, running over to wrap stubby arms around his torso. Luhan chuckles and pats her head before turning to glance up at the window and flash Sehun a grin.
The girl follows Luhan's gaze and soon spies Sehun behind the windowsill. "Who's that in your house, oppa?" she questions innocently. "Is he your friend? He has pretty hair."
"Ah, yes, he's a new friend. He'll be staying with oppa for a while," Luhan replies. He squats down so that he's at eye level with Ara, pinching her nose affectionately. "Go and play with the other kids, okay? I hear they're making leaf angels in front of Dong-mi's house."
Ara immediately perks up at the mention of her playmates. "See you later then, oppa!" But before turning away, she hesitates. "Luhan-oppa, are you coming to the autumn festival tomorrow?"
Festival. Sehun’s heard tales of such celebrations in the human world. He remembers perching on a wide branch at night, listening to Baekhyun describe the music and dance and food as they both watch fireworks burst into bloom above the treetops. It’s like spring, only prettier.
"Oh, right," Luhan says, and his eyes turn into crescent moons. "I nearly forgot about the festival! Thanks for reminding me, Ara. I'll be there!"
When the little girl has disappeared down the street in a flurry of crackling leaves, Luhan ducks into the house.
"Hey, Sehun," he greets cheerfully. “I had to go stock up on groceries- the market runs out of produce really quickly on the weekends.”
Sehun doesn’t respond. He continues to stare out the window, still lost in thought. He thinks of Baekhyun waiting by the shrine in the forest, along with all the ungranted wishes, and guilt slowly worms its way into his heart.
"You...you're getting restless, aren't you?" Luhan murmurs, breaking the silence. "I can feel it."
Sehun hesitates, then gives a small, nearly sheepish nod. "I have duties. I don't think it's right for me to leave them unfulfilled for such a long time."
"So you're going to go back?" Luhan carefully maintains his expression, but Sehun doesn’t miss the slump of his shoulders.
Another nod. “I have to. How I wish I wouldn’t ever have to leave.”
Luhan sighs. "One more day?" he asks. "There's going to be a festival in town tomorrow. Will you go with me?"
"But-" Sehun starts to protest. He looks up into the warm eyes he's grown so attached to, and realizes that he hasn't intended to resist all along. "I. Yeah. Okay."
It's funny, Luhan tells Sehun, how the autumn festival isn't for the celebration of autumn, but winter. The evening air is warmer than usual, but Luhan pulls his scarf a little tighter around his neck as they make their way down the row of brightly-lit houses toward the town square. The festival is everything Sehun imagined it to be- there’s food and song and dance and music, and with Luhan by his side, it’s just perfect.
Amid the festivities, a little girl runs up to Luhan, tugging on his jacket. It’s Ara, the kid from yesterday. “Luhan-oppa,” she says shyly, “Grandma brought me to hang a windchime on the tree for you today.”
“Oh,” Luhan says, eyes darting to Sehun. “Thank you, Ara, that’s awfully kind of you. Here, give this to your grandmother for me, will ya?” He hands her a ceramic mug he’d purchased earlier, and pats her head. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
When the little girl has left, Sehun turns to Luhan. “What was that about?”
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Luhan laughs with a wave of his hand, although it sounds a bit hollow. “C’mon, let’s go see the street performers!” he says, and drags Sehun into the crowd before the spirit can protest.
Luhan grows progressively wearier as the festivities carry on into the night, until at last, he can’t take it anymore. “I’m feeling a little tired, Sehun,” he murmurs, as the townsfolk begin to trickle away from the booths to prepare for the fireworks display. “Can we go sit down somewhere?”
Sehun’s a lttle disappointed- he’s been having so much fun- but Luhan looks scarily pale, and it worries him. They settle on the porch of an empty house near the town square, and Luhan leans heavily onto him with a sigh.
“I think I’ll take a nap, if you don’t mind,” he says, and yawns widely. “Oh, but before I forget…” He takes out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, and presses it into Sehun’s palm. “This is for you. Read it only after I’ve gone to sleep, ‘kay?”
Sehun mumbles an “okay” in response, and Luhan rests his cheek on the forest spirit’s shoulder with a sign of content. “Goodnight, then,” he says. Within moments, he’s fast asleep.
Sehun takes it as his cue to unfold the note. Luhan’s writing is neat and deliberate, filling the page with orderly rows of letters.
Dear Sehun,
I don’t have much time left. I’m sorry for not telling you earlier, but I really don’t. Remember when I told you I had weak lungs, on that first day in the forest? Well… let’s just say that isn’t the only problem. I’ve gotten a death sentence, Sehun, and it’s going to be carried out any day soon. I just hope that you won’t be around to witness that.
I don’t think you know this, but I went into the forest that day with the purpose of seeking help from you. But then I met you, and went down a completely different path.
Thank you, Sehun. Thank you for the few days we’ve spent together- I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the happiness you’ve brought me. I don’t regret a single bit of whatever we’ve been through, and I’d take that over a wish any day.
Thank you once again, and farewell. (I wonder which of us will be the one to say goodbye.)
P.S. The Polaroid is for you.
Sehun’s fingers are numb as he holds up the photograph of them at the beach. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he whispers, voice cracking. A wave of nausea washes over him, and he has the sudden urge to run somewhere, anywhere. Before he can do that, though, a burst of colour lights up the sky and the town square erupts into deafening cheers.
“Luhan,” he calls, shaking the other boy gently. “Luhan, wake up. It’s the fireworks! Wake up!” The other boy doesn’t stir.
By the time he realizes that Luhan’s body has turned to ice, it’s too late.
As the first rays of lazy sunlight filter through the leaves of the forest, the wind spirit drifts further and further into the forest, back to the shrine. On usual days, the shrine is peaceful, but today Sehun can hear the tinkling of windchimes from a mile away.
“What have you done?” Baekhyun nearly snarls when he catches sight of the boy. He’s standing upright, and positively seething with rage. It’s been a while since Sehun’s seen him in his human form.
“Leave me alone,” is all Sehun can manage, and Baekhyun bristles.
"I tried to warn you, Sehun," he spits out. "I searched everywhere for you, I tried to get you to come back--"
"I'm sorry, okay?" Sehun snaps, wiping away an angry tear trailing down his cheek. "Get off my back. I didn’t raise my voice at you when you lost Chanyeol, did I?”
The name renders Baekhyun speechless for a moment, and Sehun immediately feels a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to…”
Baekhyun shakes his head sadly, and gestures towards the tree. “Read the messages,” he whispers. So Sehun does.
The windchimes are filled with messages from the townsfolk, each wishing for the same thing.
I wish for Luhan to be healed.
Please help Luhan, he doesn’t have much time left.
Luhan oppa is the best person ever, I really really hope he’ll get well soon!
Sehun’s entire body is trembling by the time he reaches the last one. He’s choking on guilt and sorrow, feeling their grip on his neck getting tighter by the second. He should never have set foot out of the forest--
“Hey,” Baekhyun’s gruff voice interrupts. He swallows loudly, and Sehun looks up to see that his eyes are glistening as well. “Look, kid. This one never made it onto the tree.”
He holds up a little wooden windchime for Sehun to see, and the first sob finally forces its way out of the forest spirit’s throat when he reads the message written in heartwrenchingly familiar letters.
If you’re out there, listening, help me. Please.
Winter arrives a little earlier this year. The wind sings a song more sorrowful than anything the town has ever heard.
Title: Gone with the Wind
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s)/Focus: Sehun/Luhan
Length: 4,162 words
Summary: Listen closely, and you’ll hear the wind singing a song sadder than anything you’ve ever heard.
Warnings: Character death
Notes: I’m terribly sorry for this rushed-out fic, paradisist! The original fic is so, so beautiful, and I wish I could have done it more justice. This remix was really fun, though, and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Remixee author: paradisist
Title of work you remixed: when the wind blows (know i’m with you)
Link to work you remixed: http://paradisist.livejournal.com/15206.html
It’s warm, yet awfully cold. Luhan likes to think that the weather can’t make up its mind. He isn’t complaining, though- he’s always liked that time of year when the dial of the seasons hovers between autumn and winter. The world becomes a painting, a slow-moving picture, bathed in red and gold and every shimmering hue in between. And that’s when Luhan’s camera is put to work.
Luhan’s extremely fond of taking photographs, but that isn’t what he’s here for. Not now, at least. Today, a windchime dangles from his fingers instead of his trusty camera, tinkling quietly as he treads through the forest on light feet.
Take a windchime deep into the forest and hang it on the biggest tree, the townspeople say, and the forest spirits might just grant the wish you write on it. Luhan doesn’t consider himself a believer of magic and the likes of it, but he thinks it’s worth a try.
Luhan hears the tree before he sees it. Before long, the sound of the windchime in his hands is joined by a chorus of countless others.
The Great Tree soon comes into view- it's a few feet taller and wider than the rest, and exudes an aura of calm. Like a wise old man, Luhan thinks. Windchimes of every shape and size hang from its branches.
As he walks up to the tree, he can't seem to shake off the feeling that he's being watched. Imagination, Luhan, it's just your imagination. Nevertheless, he stops to do a quick scan of his surroundings- the coast is clear- before reaching out to hang his windchime on one of the lower branches.
The wind picks up then, interrupting the stillness of the forest. Goosebumps trail up his arms when he hears the steady crunch of leaves punctuating the rustle of the trees. He turns towards the source of the noise, and--
He most definitely was not expecting to see a large, sandy shape disappearing into a nearby patch of trees. At first he can't figure out what it was, but then he realizes that it had a tail. And paws. Oh my god.
Luhan is now suitably freaked out. He doesn't know if he should run, scream, or climb the tree and stay there until one of the townsfolk comes to his rescue. "Okay, just get this over and done with, then you can get the hell out of here," he mutters to himself. He reaches out once again with a trembling hand, standing on his tiptoes as he balances the windchime on the tips of his fingers to hook it onto the branch. Almost there-
A sudden fierce rustling makes Luhan jump. The windchime slips from his fingers, falling to the forest floor with a muted jingle. "I swear this place is toying with me," he huffs, casting another nervous glance around.
One moment he's alone, and the next, he isn't. He could have sworn that there was nobody else in the area a second ago, so he has to clap a hand to his mouth to muffle a shout of surprise when he sees a pale, sharp-faced boy standing not more than six feet away.
The first thing he notices about the boy is his hair- it’s a shock of colour. A wild mix of red, purple, orange, yellow, blue, green, something Luhan’s never seen around town before. It forms a sharp contrast with the threadbare tunic hanging off his bony frame, which makes for an extremely odd appearance overall.
He shifts a bare foot in Luhan’s direction and takes a tentative step forward.
Luhan's blood turns to ice when he hears a soft growl coming from somewhere behind the tree. The mysterious boy must have heard it too, for his entire body tenses up and he stops in his tracks. Slowly, cautiously, he takes another step towards Luhan, and the steady growl abruptly turns into a snarl.
The boy closes the remaining distance between them in two large strides, takes hold of Luhan's hand and breaks into a run.
Luhan barely has time to protest before he finds himself practically flying through the forest, everything a blur except for the boy yanking him forward. Leaves scatter behind the two boys as they run, crackling beneath their feet, and he vaguely wonders if the huge sandy wolf-creature is trailing behind.
The trees melt into one another as they speed past; Luhan's long stopped worrying about colliding into one. He's beginning to feel a little lightheaded when he feels the boy loosen his grip, and they both stumble to a halt.
"What the hell was that?" Luhan pants, leaning over to catch his breath. He's sprinted to catch the bus out of town a few times, but that hardly comes close to the mad run he's just experienced. Rainbow hair just stands there, hands stiff by his sides, eyeing him warily. He's barely panting- in fact, he isn't panting at all.
Luhan raises an eyebrow, still gasping for breath. A small part of him knows that this is really creepy- he's alone with a stranger in a forest- but the other part really doesn't give a damn. He's just glad to have gotten away from that thing.
"Are you...okay?" are the first words the boy utters, after half a minute of staring at Luhan gasp and wheeze. It's as if he can't fathom how anyone could possibly be breathless after running a mile.
"Yeah," Luhan manages to choke out, leaning on the trunk of a nearby tree for support. "Just, um, weak lungs? Give me. A sec."
So the boy waits. When Luhan's breathing has evened out, he opens his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry if I startled you."
"Good to know," Luhan mutters under his breath. Then, louder: "What was that for?”
“I was running,” the boy says slowly, “from something.” He looks like he’s having an internal struggle.
“From that huge creature back there?”
The boy looks startled. “You’ve seen it?”
“Yeah… it was growling at us before you grabbed me and bolted, wasn’t it?”
“Oh…yes, that. I think we lost it! We’re safe now.” The boy gives Luhan a weary grin.
Luhan can’t help but heave a sigh of relief. “I guess that makes you my lifesaver,” he grins back, “so thanks! I’m Luhan, by the way. I don’t think I’ve seen you around town. You are?”
“Sehun,” the other boy replies. “I’m Sehun.”
They aren’t far from the entrance to the forest- Luhan can see the path leading out, illuminated by the rays of the setting sun.
"Well, Sehun, it's getting late," he says. "I should be going. You'd better get home before the sun sets, too!"
As if on instinct, the other boy turns back to glance at the forest, biting his lip. "Take me with you," he suddenly says.
The sudden request catches Luhan off-guard. "What?"
"Please," Sehun says, his voice tinged with desperation. "I have to get out of here."
"Can't you at least tell me why?" Luhan asks, crossing his arms. "If I'm going to have to bring a stranger home, I think I deserve an explanation for it, at the very least."
"I'll explain later," the pale boy quickly replies, tripping over his words in his hurry to get them out. "Please, just trust me."
Luhan doesn't know what made him cave so fast. Perhaps it's the fact that the boy looks like he's in desperate need of a meal and a bath, perhaps it's the unexplainable sadness in his eyes. In a split second, he feels his resolve crumble.
"Well, it's a long walk back," Luhan says, turning to head in the direction of the entrance to the forest. "I hope you can keep up." He doesn't doubt it.
Somewhere in the forest, a windchime lies forgotten in a pile of leaves.
Luhan's house is tiny and cramped, sandwiched between two equally small houses at the end of the street. It's not much, but he doesn't see the point of settling for any more.
"You live alone?" Sehun asks meekly from where he stands in the doorway, casting furtive glances around the house.
Luhan hums in response. "I used to live with my little brother, Xiumin. He died of pneumonia a few autumns ago, before I came to this town."
Sehun seems to be momentarily stunned, blinking a few times before murmuring, "Oh...I-I'm sorry."
"Nah, don't be," Luhan says casually. "I’m going to make dinner now, you can talk while I’m cooking. You look like you could use a meal.”
Sehun looks a little bewildered, but he trails after his host anyway. He stands awkwardly in the kitchen doorway as Luhan bustles around in the kitchen, pulling items from the refrigerator and spices from the pantry and dumping everything into a pan. It’s a while before he looks over his shoulder at the new guest. “Don’t look so worried, I’m not preparing some sort of poisonous brew,” he chuckles. He wipes his hands on a paper towel, then pulls up a chair and gestures for Sehun to sit down at the kitchen counter. “Oh, and you’d better get on with that explanation.”
Sehun licks his lips nervously, cautiously lowering himself onto the chair as if it’s a bed of needles. “Well…I hope you like long stories.”
To cut the long story short, Sehun is the spirit of the forest, the one who hangs around the inner shrine of the Great Tree and grants wishes. He’s the wind that drifts through the forest and rings the windchimes. His guardian, Baekhyun, roams the forest in the form of a wolf with sandy fur- he doesn’t grant wishes, but instead makes sure that Sehun gets the job done. After decades of idling in the forest and yearning to see the outside world, Sehun decided to venture out, which pissed Baekhyun off big-time. And that’s when he met Luhan.
Luhan takes it surprisingly well. After hearing the townsfolk’s stories of the spirits and the Great Tree, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise to him. Still, he’s amazed.
“Whoa,” he says, gaping. “That means-“
Sehun smiles. "You're in the forest. The wind is blowing, the trees are swaying, the windchimes are moving. Do you see?"
Luhan closes his eyes and lets himself drift. "Yeah, I think I do."
A small smile lifts the corner of Sehun's lips. "That's me. All of it."
"Wow," is the only thing Luhan can manage. “It’s pretty incredible.”
“Also, I think I smell a forest fire.”
Luhan’s eyes fly open when he realizes that the forest spirit is right- the smell of burning is growing stronger in the kitchen.
He turns to look at the stove. “Damn it.”
When Luhan sets dinner on the table, Sehun takes one look at the steaming plate of vegetables and nearly falls off his chair.
"Are those-" he says, face contorted with horror- "leaves?"
"...yes," Luhan says slowly, trying to make sense of Sehun's reaction. Oh right. Forest spirit. "I'm sorry, Sehun, but grazing is the norm here. Try some, it actually tastes pretty good!"
"Ah," Sehun replies morosely, picking at a limp stalk with the prongs of his fork, "but I don't eat."
"Is it some spirit thing?"
"We do not require physical sustenance. But this, I have to admit, is quite fascinating." He squints at the piece of vegetable, scrutinizing it.
“Don’t frown like that,” Luhan says with a small chuckle, leaning over the table to press his thumb into the spot between Sehun’s eyebrows. The sudden contact takes the latter by surprise, but he reluctantly relaxes.
All of a sudden, Luhan pulls back. “Oh yeah, I nearly forgot! Wait here, I’ll go get you a change of clothes. If you’re going to be staying here for now, you’d better look like you belong in town.”
He hurries out of the kitchen, leaving Sehun sitting alone, the foreign sensation of human warmth still pulsing above the bridge of his nose.
That night, the wind is stronger than ever. It rattles the windows and pounds at the door, and. Luhan thinks he might be going crazy, because the howling of the wind sounds almost like...
"A wolf?" Sehun pipes up, lifting a corner of the curtain to peer out the window. "Yeah, that's Baekhyun. He's out there, looking for me." He pauses, biting his lower lip nervously. "As you can tell, he isn't very pleased."
Luhan hums as he climbs into bed, shifting over to make room for Sehun. “You’re safe here with me. Don’t worry, okay? C’mere, it’s freezing.”
Sehun has no choice but to curl into an unfamiliar warmth and trust Luhan with all his heart.
The world is red and gold and every shimmering hue inbetween. Sehun is all of that, and more. Luhan honestly can't remember a time when his world was more colorful.
It's a little strange to wake up to the sounds of somebody else in the house, but Luhan thinks he could get used to it. Bit by bit, Sehun adjusts to the mortal way of life, but he still has a long way to go.
Sehun knows that his guardian would never dare to search the town in broad daylight, so Luhan takes him out in the mornings, when the wind is nothing more than a harmless breeze. Together, they explore every inch of the tiny town, and Sehun takes in the sights and sounds with absolute wonderment. He runs curious fingers over the items in the marketplace (much to the irritation of the shopkeepers), pauses a little longer in front of signboards in the street so that he can read every word. Luhan won’t admit it, but he finds it adorable.
On one lazy afternoon, Luhan asks if Sehun would like to see the ocean. As usual, the latter is more than happy to go. It's a ten-minute walk from Luhan's house, and when they arrive, Sehun nearly forgets to breathe. The sea flashes a million different colours in the sun, and the air tastes of salt and freedom. This is what he’s here for.
He toes off the shoes he’d borrowed from Luhan and takes his first step onto the sand, marveling at how different the powdery grains feel compared to the coarse dirt of the forest floor. It isn’t long before Luhan springs a surprise attack on him, tackling him into the sand with laughter as musical as the windchimes. They end up chasing each other along the shoreline and splashing around in the waves, and it’s the most fun Sehun’s had in a while.
As the sun begins to sink below the horizon, Luhan suddenly remembers his Polaroid camera. He runs back up the beach to fetch it, then sinks into the warm sand beside Sehun.
“Smile,” he says, raising the camera and pointing it at the both of them. Click. Sehun watches in fascination as the rectangular piece of film slides out. Luhan holds out the photograph as the image slowly comes into focus, and for a moment, he swears his heart stops beating.
“Wow,” Sehun breathes.
“I know, right?”
Sehun looks up from the photo, into a face framed by glimmering droplets of seawater and the glow of the setting sun. “Wow,” he says again.
Luhan looks back at him, and smiles. No more needs to be said.
On that day, two boys each realize that the other is beautiful.
The world is red and gold and every shimmering hue inbetween, but the colors are fast disappearing. Sehun watches through Luhan's window in the morning as leaves drift by, and gingerly picks them up in a swirl of fluttering crimson-orange. A young girl stands on the street outside, giggling as the leaves dance around her and tickle her nose. The sight makes Sehun smile a little himself.
"Ara!" Sehun automatically jerks upright at the sound of a familiar voice. A slight figure appears amid the falling leaves- it's Luhan, the ends of his scarf dancing in the wind and his golden hair a tousled mess, carrying a bag of groceries. He looks absolutely breathtaking even with his crumpled shirt and hair falling in his eyes.
"Luhan-oppa!" little Ara squeals, running over to wrap stubby arms around his torso. Luhan chuckles and pats her head before turning to glance up at the window and flash Sehun a grin.
The girl follows Luhan's gaze and soon spies Sehun behind the windowsill. "Who's that in your house, oppa?" she questions innocently. "Is he your friend? He has pretty hair."
"Ah, yes, he's a new friend. He'll be staying with oppa for a while," Luhan replies. He squats down so that he's at eye level with Ara, pinching her nose affectionately. "Go and play with the other kids, okay? I hear they're making leaf angels in front of Dong-mi's house."
Ara immediately perks up at the mention of her playmates. "See you later then, oppa!" But before turning away, she hesitates. "Luhan-oppa, are you coming to the autumn festival tomorrow?"
Festival. Sehun’s heard tales of such celebrations in the human world. He remembers perching on a wide branch at night, listening to Baekhyun describe the music and dance and food as they both watch fireworks burst into bloom above the treetops. It’s like spring, only prettier.
"Oh, right," Luhan says, and his eyes turn into crescent moons. "I nearly forgot about the festival! Thanks for reminding me, Ara. I'll be there!"
When the little girl has disappeared down the street in a flurry of crackling leaves, Luhan ducks into the house.
"Hey, Sehun," he greets cheerfully. “I had to go stock up on groceries- the market runs out of produce really quickly on the weekends.”
Sehun doesn’t respond. He continues to stare out the window, still lost in thought. He thinks of Baekhyun waiting by the shrine in the forest, along with all the ungranted wishes, and guilt slowly worms its way into his heart.
"You...you're getting restless, aren't you?" Luhan murmurs, breaking the silence. "I can feel it."
Sehun hesitates, then gives a small, nearly sheepish nod. "I have duties. I don't think it's right for me to leave them unfulfilled for such a long time."
"So you're going to go back?" Luhan carefully maintains his expression, but Sehun doesn’t miss the slump of his shoulders.
Another nod. “I have to. How I wish I wouldn’t ever have to leave.”
Luhan sighs. "One more day?" he asks. "There's going to be a festival in town tomorrow. Will you go with me?"
"But-" Sehun starts to protest. He looks up into the warm eyes he's grown so attached to, and realizes that he hasn't intended to resist all along. "I. Yeah. Okay."
It's funny, Luhan tells Sehun, how the autumn festival isn't for the celebration of autumn, but winter. The evening air is warmer than usual, but Luhan pulls his scarf a little tighter around his neck as they make their way down the row of brightly-lit houses toward the town square. The festival is everything Sehun imagined it to be- there’s food and song and dance and music, and with Luhan by his side, it’s just perfect.
Amid the festivities, a little girl runs up to Luhan, tugging on his jacket. It’s Ara, the kid from yesterday. “Luhan-oppa,” she says shyly, “Grandma brought me to hang a windchime on the tree for you today.”
“Oh,” Luhan says, eyes darting to Sehun. “Thank you, Ara, that’s awfully kind of you. Here, give this to your grandmother for me, will ya?” He hands her a ceramic mug he’d purchased earlier, and pats her head. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
When the little girl has left, Sehun turns to Luhan. “What was that about?”
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Luhan laughs with a wave of his hand, although it sounds a bit hollow. “C’mon, let’s go see the street performers!” he says, and drags Sehun into the crowd before the spirit can protest.
Luhan grows progressively wearier as the festivities carry on into the night, until at last, he can’t take it anymore. “I’m feeling a little tired, Sehun,” he murmurs, as the townsfolk begin to trickle away from the booths to prepare for the fireworks display. “Can we go sit down somewhere?”
Sehun’s a lttle disappointed- he’s been having so much fun- but Luhan looks scarily pale, and it worries him. They settle on the porch of an empty house near the town square, and Luhan leans heavily onto him with a sigh.
“I think I’ll take a nap, if you don’t mind,” he says, and yawns widely. “Oh, but before I forget…” He takes out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, and presses it into Sehun’s palm. “This is for you. Read it only after I’ve gone to sleep, ‘kay?”
Sehun mumbles an “okay” in response, and Luhan rests his cheek on the forest spirit’s shoulder with a sign of content. “Goodnight, then,” he says. Within moments, he’s fast asleep.
Sehun takes it as his cue to unfold the note. Luhan’s writing is neat and deliberate, filling the page with orderly rows of letters.
Dear Sehun,
I don’t have much time left. I’m sorry for not telling you earlier, but I really don’t. Remember when I told you I had weak lungs, on that first day in the forest? Well… let’s just say that isn’t the only problem. I’ve gotten a death sentence, Sehun, and it’s going to be carried out any day soon. I just hope that you won’t be around to witness that.
I don’t think you know this, but I went into the forest that day with the purpose of seeking help from you. But then I met you, and went down a completely different path.
Thank you, Sehun. Thank you for the few days we’ve spent together- I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the happiness you’ve brought me. I don’t regret a single bit of whatever we’ve been through, and I’d take that over a wish any day.
Thank you once again, and farewell. (I wonder which of us will be the one to say goodbye.)
P.S. The Polaroid is for you.
Sehun’s fingers are numb as he holds up the photograph of them at the beach. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he whispers, voice cracking. A wave of nausea washes over him, and he has the sudden urge to run somewhere, anywhere. Before he can do that, though, a burst of colour lights up the sky and the town square erupts into deafening cheers.
“Luhan,” he calls, shaking the other boy gently. “Luhan, wake up. It’s the fireworks! Wake up!” The other boy doesn’t stir.
By the time he realizes that Luhan’s body has turned to ice, it’s too late.
As the first rays of lazy sunlight filter through the leaves of the forest, the wind spirit drifts further and further into the forest, back to the shrine. On usual days, the shrine is peaceful, but today Sehun can hear the tinkling of windchimes from a mile away.
“What have you done?” Baekhyun nearly snarls when he catches sight of the boy. He’s standing upright, and positively seething with rage. It’s been a while since Sehun’s seen him in his human form.
“Leave me alone,” is all Sehun can manage, and Baekhyun bristles.
"I tried to warn you, Sehun," he spits out. "I searched everywhere for you, I tried to get you to come back--"
"I'm sorry, okay?" Sehun snaps, wiping away an angry tear trailing down his cheek. "Get off my back. I didn’t raise my voice at you when you lost Chanyeol, did I?”
The name renders Baekhyun speechless for a moment, and Sehun immediately feels a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to…”
Baekhyun shakes his head sadly, and gestures towards the tree. “Read the messages,” he whispers. So Sehun does.
The windchimes are filled with messages from the townsfolk, each wishing for the same thing.
I wish for Luhan to be healed.
Please help Luhan, he doesn’t have much time left.
Luhan oppa is the best person ever, I really really hope he’ll get well soon!
Sehun’s entire body is trembling by the time he reaches the last one. He’s choking on guilt and sorrow, feeling their grip on his neck getting tighter by the second. He should never have set foot out of the forest--
“Hey,” Baekhyun’s gruff voice interrupts. He swallows loudly, and Sehun looks up to see that his eyes are glistening as well. “Look, kid. This one never made it onto the tree.”
He holds up a little wooden windchime for Sehun to see, and the first sob finally forces its way out of the forest spirit’s throat when he reads the message written in heartwrenchingly familiar letters.
If you’re out there, listening, help me. Please.
Winter arrives a little earlier this year. The wind sings a song more sorrowful than anything the town has ever heard.