Title: And We Meet Again

Title: And We Meet Again

Pairing: immortal!Minghao x reincarnated!Reader

Warnings: discussions of death, mentions of medication, mentions of an anxiety attack, angst in general.

Genre: Soulmates, Romance, Fluff, Angst

Synopsis: There is something familiar about that house on the hill, even though you swear that you have never seen it before. But you’re drawn to the lavender fields and the ocean view - and the lonesome looking man you see sitting on the porch. When you approach him there is something in his eyes that you cannot understand - a knowing, a deep feeling. The question is, will you ever have enough time to figure out what that look means?

A/N: i want to thank @wondernus and @heartkyeom for helping me out with this one!! your comments helped me stay motivated and embellished the story a lot more <33

Word count: 6k

This is a collab with @svthub!

Click here to see the other fics in the collab!

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“Where do you want it, my love?” Minghao asked as he carried the shovel over to where you were standing, “Is here good?”

“It’s perfect.” You looked down at the tree sapling you were holding in your hand.

The wind was blowing around you. This really was the best place to build a home. A big field, up on a high cliff, with a view of the ocean. Your fiance was helping you plant a tree in what was supposed to become the garden. Minghao’s long hair was getting in his eyes while he shoveled up the dirt to plant the tree sapling, making you giggle. He looked up at you.

“You know we won’t be able to see the tree grow, right? Those take ages to get to their normal size,” he sighed.

“That means someone else can enjoy it in the future, darling,” you explained, “It is like we are leaving our mark on this place.”

“Anything you want, I suppose.” He smiled and kept digging. “Should this be deep enough?”

You hummed and placed the sapling in the hole, brushing your hands together to get rid of any dirt. Minghao shoveled the dirt in and patted on the ground. As soon as he put down the shovel and turned to you, you hugged him tightly. 

“Imagine our house here,” you sighed, “Just the way we want it.”

Minghao pressed his lips to your temple, pressing a warm kiss on your cold skin. The base of the tree was thin and frail - but you knew that, with the right amount of love and care, you’d get it to a grand and beautiful size.

“I will see to it that you get the exact home that you want, love,” Minghao murmured.

“Hm? Even with a patio with lots of plants? Or a garden filled with lavender?” you asked with a beaming smile.

“Anything you want, darling.”

“I’ll give you a list then.”

The tree stood proud in that spot in front of where the house was supposed to be. You couldn’t be happier with your now husband standing right beside you in front of the place that you were going to call home.

Five hundred years later, the tree was still standing. Much larger and with ridges that showed its old age. Minghao’s hand grazed the rough bark of the tree. A sad smile appeared on his lips as he thought back to when the two of you planted this tree. The tree was dying, it was dry and had a grayish brown color instead of its past lively green bark. Time was disappearing like sand through his fingers, but he didn’t feel it. Unlike the tree, no signs of age could be seen on Minghao’s skin. He put his forehead against the wood. It was warm from the sun’s rays. Spring had finally come, and the buds on the branches were about to bloom. At this moment, it felt like only yesterday that he had planted this tree with you. He stepped away from the tree, the feeling of the rough texture lingered on his skin. He wasn’t sure why he ended up by the tree. It might have been the thought of you that led his subconscious to move his legs for him. He missed you, there was no denying that. However, even if you weren’t here with him right now, you would return soon.

The train rolled past beautiful scenery, ocean views and lavender fields. Your train cabin was cramped, but at least you were the only one in there. The small luggage you had brought along was tucked under your seat, except for a smaller backpack laying on the seat beside you. It contained anything you could need; tissues, a book, a phone with the notifications turned off, and your pain meds. So far the ride had been peaceful. It was quiet, the only sound being the clashing of the train tracks against the wheels. Outside you saw the most calming view you had laid eyes on in a while. Color flooded your senses; purple, green, and blue hues spotting the landscape right in front of your finger tips. You could picture how fresh the air was. The clear skies and slight wind blowing through the trees, and the white spots of seasalt clinging to the window, made you want to go outside to take a deep breath. This was exactly what you needed for your final vacation, a quaint village by the seaside with an utmost harmonic atmosphere. Houses were sparsely built in this area, but a bit further away you could see the village where you were going to stay.

The moment you stepped foot in the village, you could tell it was a tight-knit community. Everyone seemed to know everyone and tourism didn’t seem to be very common. Still, you were given a warm welcome. The hostel you were staying at had a nice older man running it. He showed you to your room - a small but cozy room with a low ceiling. It was good enough for you especially since the bed was comfy enough for you to fall asleep right away. In the morning, you set off immediately after breakfast. Your feet took you to the big lavender field and you were hit with a huge wave of the wonderful scent. There was a small path paved for you between two big fields of purple flowers. On top of the hill was a house - a white villa with a black roof. Beside it stood a big oak tree.

From where you were standing, you could see the outline of a man sitting on the porch. Everything felt so awfully familiar, a huge wave of deja vu hit you. It felt wrong to just go to some stranger’s house, but you told yourself it would be right to ask for directions - you were out in the middle of nowhere after all. When you got closer, you could see that the man was looking back at you - and you swore you saw him smiling.

“Hi! Sorry for intruding,” you said as you approached the porch, “I’m just a little lost.”

The man was slender with dark hair - there was something mysterious about him, specifically in his deep brown eyes. But he was calm, you might even describe him as peaceful. 

“You’re not intruding.” His voice was smooth, and his emphasis on ‘you’ had you taken aback. 

He got up from his seat and approached you with a warm look on his face.

“I’m just here on vacation, I’m living in the town across the fields,” you explained. “And I was going to go to the sea, but these flowers got my attention.”

“They’re pretty, aren’t they?” The man looked out across the fields.

“Lavender’s my favorite.” You nodded.

He gave you a knowing smile before silently inviting you to sit down with him. There were two cups on the table on the porch, and one pot of tea. You would never normally do this, but you accepted his kind gesture.

“My name’s Minghao,” he said and brought the cup to his lips.

“Y/N,” you answered and drank the lavender green tea.

“That’s a pretty name,” he said.

“Thank you.” You put down your cup and looked around you. “Do you live here by yourself?”

“Mostly.” He nodded, and you could tell that he wasn’t going to explain further.

You closed your eyes and took in the spring breeze. Everything was calm and peaceful. You thought about what a nice life you could live here. It was something you could see yourself doing something like this in another life. You felt Minghao’s eyes on you, and you turned your head to look at him.

“How long are you staying in town?” he asked.

“A few weeks.”

He nodded. Suddenly something sad appeared in his eyes, but it disappeared as fast as it got there. There was no doubt that there was a connection between you and this stranger - although it seemed insane. The two of you had only spoken a few words but it felt right. Just as right as it had been getting on the train over here, and just as right as it had been to walk down this path.

“Have you lived here for long?” you asked.

“Longer than you can imagine”

You gave him a weird look, which he responded with a soft chuckle. It felt restrained, his entire posture was restrained. There was more to this interaction than he let on, but you had no idea what it could mean.

“I think I should start heading back.” You stood up, “Thank you for the tea”

“Come by again sometime.”

“I will.” You nodded. “... is it alright if I pick some lavender?”

“It’s all yours,” he hummed.

Minghao gripped the armrests of the chair tightly as he watched you walk away. You bent down beside the path and picked up a few lavender flowers, turned back to the house, and waved before walking back. 

He took a deep breath. This wasn’t the first time you had walked away from him. 

Far from it. 

You were the same as you always were -  sweet, curious, and just as he remembered you. Every single time he got to see you again, you were perfect. You had been from the start.

The first time Minghao had met you was five hundred years ago. It was a different town than where he lived now. There, the two of you lived far apart but close at heart. You were the child of the duke of the land; Minghao, nothing more than a physician’s apprentice. Despite getting proposals from people of high standings across the lands, your eyes never wavered from him. Minghao was the one you had set out to marry no matter who disagreed. 

That’s exactly why you decided to run off together. Not much had been planned out, except that you’d try to steal two horses, or maybe even one, and that you’d do it during a night when the moon didn’t cast light upon your trail. The night when you followed through with your half-finished plan, it came to you unexpectedly. You ran off to Minghao’s cabin as soon as dusk came.

“Come on, get your things!” You shook Minghao awake.

“Your majesty-”

“We don’t have time for this, my love,” you interrupted. “No one’s around, this is our only chance. Get yourself ready, I’ll go get the horses.”

The two of you escaped into the night, planning on never stepping foot into the town again. You found a small village where you decided to stay. It was right by an open field, and close to the seashore. You immediately fell in love with this field, which is why the two of you decided to build a house there.

It was all you would work on, day in and day out you would sketch new ideas. You had picked a spot right in the middle of a big field. There was open ground, perfect to build upon, and a view over the sea. However, just a few years after getting married, you died. 

A weak heart, was the only explanation he ever got - but there people just weren’t as knowledgeable back then. Minghao, a few moments before you passed, made a promise that he’d see you again, that his life would never be complete without you. He finished building the house you wanted, following every instruction you had written down, and planted a tree right next to it. Since he had already planted your favorite tree, he began planting lavender patches around it, they were your favorite, and every year he’d plant more. 

Many years passed and Minghao never seemed to age, he didn’t feel it, and others noticed it. When his childhood friends started passing away while he still looked the same as all those years ago, he knew that something was wrong. 

Minghao couldn’t die. 

At first he didn’t understand, but then he saw you again. A visitor from a nearby town, who had no idea who he was. So he thought of it as a coincidence, maybe he was going mad. But then, a few decades later, it happened again. And again, and again, and again.

 Every time it was different, but it was you - it was definitely you. Minghao learned to live with it at first. He’d move away a few years, come back just in time for you to visit, and it would keep going in an infinite loop. 

Around the fifth time it had happened, he tried to tell you about all of your past lives. He somehow managed to convince you, but a week or so later you passed away suddenly. That’s how he found out he wasn’t allowed to tell you, but he also found out that his actions could change things - meaning that there had to be a way for you to stay. Finally, after all these years, he might know how. 

Once you were back in the village, you were looking for a place to eat lunch. Your eyes fell upon a cheerful looking house with a small restaurant at the bottom floor. The old lady working there sat you down at a corner table and gave you some bread and water, leaving you some time to look at the menu. When she came back, and you placed your order, she asked you where you were from. You answered and she nodded with a smile.

“We don’t get many tourists here nowadays,” she explained. “It’s hard to not spot an unfamiliar face.”

“Well, this place is absolutely wonderful.” You smiled. “I’m surprised more people don’t come here… I mean, just the lavender field out there is enough of an attraction.”

“Oh, so you’ve been wandering around this morning, then?”

“Yes, I talked to the man who lives out in the middle of the field - Minghao I think it was,” you said.

“Oh, you’ve talked to Mr. Xu?” She sounded surprised. “We rarely see anything of him… he comes to the market a few times, but that’s about it. I’m surprised he’d talk to a stranger.”

You watched as she went to give your order to the chef, shocked to hear about him in this way. Minghao had been so friendly and didn’t seem like what the lady described him to be. After lunch, you walked around the market - at first just looking, but soon enough you were interviewing. You began talking to the townsfolk, asking them about the lavender fields and the house right in the middle of it. Everyone told the same story; the fields had always been there, so had the house, and no one could seem to remember when Xu Minghao moved into it.

Minghao was in his kitchen when he saw you walking back over the field, just a few days after the first visit. He quickly dried off his hands from washing a few fruits. With rushed steps, he made his way toward the front door. This was important, the second visit always was. His hand lingered on the door handle, but the thoughts were pushed away as soon as he pushed open the door. Light flooded into the dusty hallway, but he quickly closed it behind him. The sound of the door closing caught your attention. You were looking up at the crown of the tree, but now your attention was turned to him.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning,” you answered, “Sorry for just dropping by.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” He shrugged it off and approached you. “I enjoy a bit of company.”

You gave him a strange look, which he couldn’t decipher. However, it quickly faded and was replaced with a smile. You met him halfway, walking closer to the house. 

“I was about to go on my morning walk,” Minghao lied. “Do you want to come along?”

It was a steep way down the hill towards the shore, but the two of you took it slow. You walked close behind him, watching each step you took. But the closer you got to the beach, the smaller the rocks were under your shoes - making it harder to walk. As if he somehow knew, Minghao held his hand out for you to take just as you were about to fall. 

“It’s hard to walk here,” he hummed even though he was walking perfectly fine like he had walked there a million times before.

“Thank you,” you answered breathlessly, “I don’t have the right shoes for this.”

“You’re doing good,” he assured you with a smile.

His hand gripped yours a bit tighter, as he helped you over a more difficult part. Nevertheless, you weren’t doing so good. You thought back to your family and friends at home, to the letter you had left them. There had been no warning signs, from what you could imagine, and then you suddenly left them. 

Suddenly, it’s like you were back there. You had received the news of the state of your health. A few months left to live, is what the sum of it was. It wasn’t something that you expected would ever happen to you. From that moment, you moved on with your life as normal - but the second you started feeling symptoms, you knew it was time to leave. You couldn’t stand seeing the worried faces of your loved ones while you slowly decayed. So, you wrote them each a letter and left - they explained your condition, and that you wouldn’t be returning. It hurt, but it was for the best. After this trip, you had decided to go to the hospital and spend your last days there. It wasn’t what you wanted, but you didn’t want anyone to see you in such a fragile state. Perhaps it was selfish, but you saw no other way.

The air was salty and warm like in a daze, but the cold breeze and the few droplets occasionally escaping from the ocean brought you back from your thoughts. You looked over at the man beside you. He was still holding your hand, still leading you across the safest path. A part of you wanted to ask Minghao a billion questions, but something kept you quiet - a single thought that you were mulling over in your head. 

How was it possible that you seemed to know him? 

No, you didn’t know his favorite color, or what kind of music he liked, but you remember his face from somewhere - like a distant memory. Minghao stopped walking, seemingly tired of the silence between you.

“This is my favorite spot,” he said.

He let go of your hand, and you immediately missed the warmth of his touch. Minghao looked at you. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocky shore filled your ears, and the noise seemed to drown out all thoughts. Nothing else but the depths of his eyes existed in this moment. He smiled, a dimple appearing on one of his cheeks. 

“It’s beautiful,” you finally answered.

Your eyes never left his - it seemed impossible to do. His eyes had looked black before, but now, with the sun reflecting in them, they were a warm and inviting brown color. One of his hands reached out to your face. His thumb brushed against your cheek.

“Eyelash,” he murmured.

You smiled at him, silently thanking him. The sound of the waves echoed in your head, a slow rhythm building and merging with your heartbeat. Minghao’s hand lingered before he let it drop to his side again. 

“Are you enjoying your time here?” he asked softly.

“It’s been calming,” you answered, “I finally feel at peace.”

Minghao’s eyebrows furrowed, as if there was something about you that he wasn’t expecting. However, as soon as the sound of another wave hitting the shore echoed toward you, his face readjusted to its normal state with a flinch. He was an enigma to you, a mystery you were unable to solve - a paradox.

“There’s something about you…” You stopped, unable to find any words that could accurately describe what you were feeling.

“Perhaps it’s infatuation,” he joked.

You let out a flustered laugh and looked out over the ocean, just to avoid his sharp eyes. It was a more bold comment than what you had heard from him before. As you’re about to go back on your word, to try to find the words you were searching for, you feel a sudden pain in your chest. It was a frequent symptom that you had gotten to know all too well recently. It’s sharp, starting in the middle of your chest before it spreads and eventually dulls. There’s nothing to do about it; it happens at random, and leaves too quickly for any pain meds to take effect - constantly numbing yourself wasn’t an option either. No, you saved your medication for more dire situations.

“It’s nothing.” You shake your head and bring your hand to your chest. “Should we head back?”

“Are you alright?” Minghao held his hands out, hovering around your body but not daring to touch you.

You can’t help but to look at him. Minghao is looking right at you, but his mind is somewhere else. A distant memory rumbles within him. He’s right next to you, but he’s mentally in another place. Despite your pain, you give him a small smile. You take one of his hands in yours, and you place your free hand on his shoulder. Minghao’s breath quickens, his eyes drifting away from you. Your hand leaves his shoulder to cup his cheek. He looks at you, and you smile at him again.

“Should we head back?” you asked again.

Minghao nods.

He watches you walk in front of him, his hand still in yours. However, as much as he tried, he couldn’t shake the gnagging feeling away. Seeing you just now, clearly in pain, put everything in perspective for him once again. You were dying, much like every other time you were here. There was always the slightly unsettling inkling that you had shorter and shorter time on earth each time you got reincarnated. He thought back to the first time you had died - how you had reached for your chest just like before, and how you had the same scrunched up facial expression. That time, you had collapsed - right in front of the tree the two of you had planted together. He wished he never had do see you like that again. Mindlessly follow you back home was all he could do now.

When you find yourself in front of Minghao’s house again, you also find that the pain in your chest has faded. It never lasted for long. A hand landed on your shoulder, and you turned to look directly into his eyes.

“Do you want to come inside? Maybe you should rest?” he asks, worry dripped from his words.

You wouldn’t mind staying with him for longer, and you were curious about how he lived. Playing up your pain felt wrong, but it also seemed like Minghao wanted you to stay for other reasons than your wellbeing. Moreover, when he, just a few seconds later, offered you a cup of tea, it was hard to say no.

Minghao’s home was exactly what you thought it’d be. Old trinkets, plants everywhere, and large windows that let lots of light in. He showed you into his kitchen, where he let you sit down by a dinner table, and he situated himself by the counter. The arcitecture of the house was old, but he had clearly renovated it to add a few modern details. As if he was afraid to leave the past behind, but found himself needing to adapt.

“So, what do you do in order to afford to own a place like this?” you asked.

“I’m a doctor.” Minghao speaks with his back to you, as he started the tea kettle.

“A doctor?” You look around the house, trying to find some sort of proof of his profession. “You’re not very busy for a doctor.”

“... I work privately,” he said.

Minghao takes out two mugs from the cupboard and walks up to you. You watch as he puts one mug in front of you and one mug in front of the chair opposite of yours. He doesn’t look at you, and goes back to the counter quite quickly. It wasn’t time for questions, you could feel it in every way he moved. Minghao was tense, and his movements almost robotic. He had done this routine a thousand times before, you could tell from the way he didn’t even have to look when he reached for the many tea leaves. He never asked you what you wanted, but you weren’t questioning it.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened on the beach?” he asked.

You thought that you could ask him the same question, but you decided to not voice this hypocrisy. 

“Chronic pain,” you hummed, “It’s…”

You were going to say that it wasn’t serious, but it seemed as if Minghao could read your mind about these things. He hummed in response, setting down the tea kettle right in front of you before sitting down. 

“It’s an illness,” you admit, “I won’t bore you about it… but I don’t have long left.”

It’s silent - you can hear a pin drop. Minghao picks up the kettle, and pours the tea in your mug. The sound of the water pouring is calming to you, his act makes you think that he’s understanding. 

“There’s nothing you can do?” he asks.

“Nothing that I have heard of,” you said, “And I’ve gone through a lot of tests.”

“What about traditional methods?”

“Traditional?”

“I might have something for you,” he explained, “If it doesn’t cure you, it might just help your passing.”

You looked at him, skeptical at first but seeing his serious expression made you let go. At this point, you were willing to try anything.

“Come by tomorrow,” he said, “And I’ll have something prepared for you.”

You don’t know why, but you trust him without a doubt.

The very next day, you got worse. The pain in your chest was there when you woke up, but wouldn’t go away. You took your pain meds, which kept the pain at bay. However, you knew it was only temporary. You stayed in bed all day, only going out to the bathroom or to get food. The next day, you did the same. Then the day after that, and the day after that, until you had to ask the owner to bring your food to your room. Your body was betraying you, and you had no idea what to do. The thought of Minghao stays with you throughout this time. How you’ve failed him: you said you would be there, now you’ve left him alone for days. You wonder if he saw it coming, or if he was disappointed that you didn’t show.

By day five you decided you had to try to get to him. Your medication was running out, since you had taken more than you were recommended to, but it was enough to carry you through the journey. You left all of your things at the hostel, you couldn’t carry anything in this state, and snuck out without anyone seeing. The owner had grown attached to you, and had urged you to not go anywhere these past few days - so you didn’t want anyone to see you leave. 

Minghao sits on the porch, where you had first seen him, when you arrive at the villa. You’re out of breath and limping, but it doesn’t stop you. His eyes widened when he first spotted you, and he hesitates before running toward you. You collapse in his arms, finally feelingn safe enough to relax.

“I didn’t forget you, I promise,” you whisper hoarsely.

“I didn’t think you would,” he hummed and soothingly started stroking your back. “Let’s get you inside.”

He lifts you up, and lets you prop yourself against his shoulder. You steady yourself on him, and limp in through the house. Instead of stopping in the kitchen, like you thought he would, he carried you into a different room. The room was brightly lit, due to the large windows, and was different from the rest of the house. This room didn’t have any modern touches, it was seemingly completely original. And untouched. Dust flew around the room, although nothing was dirty. The room was well taken cared of, but not frequently visited.

“Rest in here,” Minghao said.

He sat you down on the bed, then proceeded to remove the linens that covered it just enough for you to settle down under the duvet. When he helped you into the bed, he made sure to handle you carefully. His touch was gentle, and you swore that he barely even breathed. 

“I’ll get your medicine.”

In the kitchen, Minghao hurried together his ingrediendts. Lemon, honey, jasmine flowers, sage, root of valeriana, and, most importantly, lavender grown from the fields outside. He got the potion from one of his old books - two different sleeping potions mixed together. Maybe, just maybe, with a little help of some of his other trinkets, he could save you. He ground the ingredients up together, making it into a paste before diluting it with water. Before bringing it to you, he needed to gather a few other things. An old locket, a branch from the tree outside, and a bouquet of lavender and other wild flowers he had found outside. Memories from your past lives. The tree and the lavender was vague enough for you to not question it, but the locket he had to act carefully with. Inside it was a picture of him and you, from your wedding ceremony. It had been a small affair, so no one could tell it was a wedding picture from just looking at it. But the picture alone was suspicious for you to see. Nevertheless, Minghao put everything on a tray and carried it in to your room. 

You had fallen asleep when Minghao walked back into the room. He put the tray on the bedside table. The bouquet went in a glass and golden vase, and then he sat down next to you. To wake you, he put a hand on your shoulder and gently shook you. As soon as you opened your eyes, your eyebrows furrowed in pain.

“I’m sorry,” he winced.

“It’s okay,” you mumbled, “Do you have it?”

Minghao hummed and helped you sit up. Once you had done so, he put the cup in your hands but stopped you when you attempted to drink it. One of his hands covered the top of the cup, and he kept it there.

“I have to warn you. This is strong,” he said.

“I don’t care, I just want to get better,” you said in a cracked voice, “Any way possible.”

Minghao nodded, and reached for the locket. He looked at you, hesitating before putting it around your neck. You were about to ask, but he stopped you with one, serious look.

“You’ll be different when you wake up, Y/N.”

“Different is better than dead,” you said dryly.

You put the cup to your lips and turned it upside-down. Minghao took your cup when you finished and helped you lay back down. Pulling the covers up over your chest, he watched as sleep took over you and as you fell into your deep slumber.

Days passed and you hadn’t woken up. Minghao had put fresh flowers in the vase for you, and had put the tree branch in your hands, laying on your chest. You looked peaceful like this, not like you had when you came to him. Seeing you stumble towards the house, sweating and heaving, was more painful than having knowledge of all the times you had passed on - your suffering was forever carved into his memory.

The more time that passed, the more anxious he grew. Minghao stopped going into your room altogether. Maybe it was a mistake to try, maybe it wasn’t supposed to be this way - what if he was doomed for all eternity to watch you come and go, what if that was his destiny? Had he ruined it all? Would he never be able to see you smile again? His thoughts kept spiraling, and he didn’t know how to stop it. His routine was the only thing that kept him calm. Wake up, breakfast, morning walk, take care of the plants, eat, read, make tea, eat, sleep, repeat. Everything was done with the same robotic motions, it was the only thing to keep him from going completely insane with anxiety. Patience is a virtue, but it’s impossible to keep up when time had gone on for an eternity already. He was so close - if this could only work. 

Once half a year had passed, he decided to check up on you. Despite his fears, you looked exactly the same. Dust had settled on your figure, but you were the exact same as before - peaceful, with your hands across your chest, and the locket around your neck. It must have worked. If you had died, then you would’ve decomposed by now. Then it was only a matter of time. Another winter alone, but the love and hope for you was enough to warm him.

You took a deep breath. Everything smelled of lavender. The corners of your mouth turned up, and you finally opened your eyes. The sun was bright, but the curtains dulled it’s glow. You sat up, looking at the twig in your hand. The tree. Yes, you remember. You remember planting it, and seeing it each time your life was renewed. You remembered everything. The cold locket against your bare skin made you aware of it’s presence of it around your neck. When you opened it you found your fondest memory - your wedding day. You looked around. Everything was just as the room you had designed for you and Minghao, all those hundred years ago. Minghao. You took off the duvet and put your feet on the ground. It was cold, and when you got up to walk it felt unusual, like you hadn’t walked in ages. As you stumbled your way to the door, the only thought in your mind was the one of him. You would finally see him again, remember him again. 

When you got to the porch, you had to sit down. Everything was just the way you wanted it to be, the exact way you had planned it. Minghao had done well with your instructions. You sat down in one of the chairs on the porch. The tree had grown big - and he said you would never see it grow. Life found it’s way. What intrigued you the most was the lavender fields. Sure, you had asked Minghao for some lavender in your garden, it was your favorite flower after all, but you never imagined he would take it this far. As you looked over the fields, you saw someone coming towards the house in the distance. A tall man, with black hair, and a graceful walk. Though you couldn’t walk far, you stappled toward the railing and steadied yourself against it.

“Minghao!”, you shouted and waved one of your arms.

The man noticed you. At first he stopped walking, but then he began running. You stumbled down the stairs, and tried to close the distance between you even faster. The two of you collided, and he engufled you in his embrace. You lost your balance, and both of you fell to your knees. 

“My love, you’re alive.” Minghao’s voice was cracked with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. 

“I’m alive,” you sniffled, “I’m alive, and I remember it all - everything you have done for me. Thank you.”

Minghao released you slightly from his embrace, before bringing his lips to yours. Kissing you for the first time in ages felt like heaven on earth. He never wanted this moment to end, and neither did you. For the first time in over a centennial, you could fulfill a life together.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Seventeen taglist: @junhui-recs ✧ @enhacolor ✧ @shuabby1994 ✧ @dkakapizzaboy ✧ @just-here-to-read-01 ✧ @loviehan ✧

𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 ◛⑅·˚ ༘

about the writer.

hi, i'm adri! i'm a '05 kiddo, and first off, thank you for coming into this blog and reading my work :> means a lot to me!!

reblogs, likes and comments are always appreciated 💌 while my updates may not always be consistent, i'll be sure to write posts and updates when i can! requests and asks are open unless otherwise stated 🫡

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if this blog ever garners comments, let's be nice to each other! this is a fun and safe space for interaction. if you comment anything sexist, racist, homophobic, offensive to any racial/political party, or anything rude in general, i will block you

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happy browsing ੈ♡˳

Same anon from before here checking in again! I got my assignment in on time with the help of multiple tissues hahaha. I don’t mean to pressure you so I hope I didn’t! Write what you’d like to, it doesn’t have to be a happy ending, I have plenty of tissues to spare LOL. Again thank you for writing aaa sending much love!

HI AGAIN! HAHAHAHAHA OMG THANK GOODNESS you submitted it in time 😚

and noo i didn’t feel any pressure whatsoever! i took it as a compliment actually so thankyou 😭 no worries at all and i hope you’ll like the upcoming stories, i hope i won’t make you cry (??) HAHAHAHAH

sending luv right back to youuu!!

NOOOO OMG 😭😭

𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 (𝐱.𝐦𝐡 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

💌 feat: idol!minghao x non-celebrity!reader (angst, i almost cried planning this oneshot)

💌 summary: once a dream relationship with the love of your life, now doomed to fail because of the media, you can only hope that minghao will think of you again -- even if it's in your wildest dreams.

💌 word count: 3.25k words

a/n: inspired by taylor swift's 'wildest dreams', bolded and italic words signify the lyrics!

"He said let's get out of this town, drive out of the city, away from the crowds..."

You sing the lyrics softly, looking out of the car window.

"Ironic," Your boyfriend chuckles from next to you, eyes trained ahead as he drives on the never-ending road, winding into evermore. "Exactly what we're doing now."

You let out a laugh, leaning your head on the window as he raises your interlinked hands to press a kiss on the back of your hand. "That we are, dear."

The sunset winds into the distance and shines, just the way you like it, and you pull out your camera, letting go of Minghao's hand to snap photos, much to his dismay.

"Hey," He nudges you after you're done admiring the way the oranges and yellows twist and intertwine in all the right places, and holds his hand out again. "Hold."

You pat his cheek affectionately and take his hand.

Thirty minutes later, the same man offers you his arm to hoist you up onto the roof of the van, where he insisted was the most beautiful place on earth.

You lay your head on his shoulder and sigh in content.

The sunset could shine all it wanted, and be the largest and prettiest thing in the sky, but nothing would beat the man who was currently nestled into your side, arms snug around you and smiling with the awe and love of a lifetime.

The photo you take of you two is now framed in your shared house, and your phone next to the photo frame buzzes and lights up.

"Happy two years dear, I love you to the moon and back. Sorry I had to go back to the city, but I promise I'll make it up to you."

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

"Nothing lasts forever... but this is gonna take me down..."

"What did you say?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, Hao, don't be sorry," you cajole. "We'll be okay. What did the company say?"

"They'll be releasing a statement." Minghao sounds half-frustrated, half sad as he paces around, you can hear his footsteps scuffing the floor. "They're trying to do damage control, but the media is already eating it up. People are spreading the photos and I just-- I'm sorry you have to go through this. I know we wanted to keep us private."

"It was going to come out at some point," You sigh. "We both knew that."

"But it shouldn't have happened this way." Minghao counters.

"I know," You murmur, "But don't think too much and worry. We'll be fine. I love you, and I'll see you tonight, okay?"

With the promise of seeing him and spending the night together, you hang up.

Two years is a lot, you tell yourself. He'll stick by you and you'll have the ending you always dreamed of with him.

But along with the consolation came a sense of dread. Were you convincing him or yourself?

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

"I can see the end, as it begins, my one..condition..is…"

"Minghao?" Your voice is meek, so scared, soft and vulnerable.

Minghao hates the way the happiness in your voice has disappeared.

"Darling?"

"Th-there's reporters shouting outside," You say, clutching the phone tight as if you could gain comfort from it. "Lots of them with cameras. They... I think you might have been followed home last night. They probably waited for you to leave."

"Shit," he curses. "Wait for me, I'll be right there."

"No!" Your voice cuts through. "You can't. Y-you'll be ambushed. I know how scary the paparazzi can get. I just--"

"Baby," He says, tears welling up in his eyes, because you’re right. He would be torn to shreds. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, a million times over. You don't deserve any of this, I-"

"No more of that," You whisper, and he goes quiet. "I love you. All I need is you. If this is what we must go through for me to be with you... so be it."

"I love you," he chokes out through a haze of tears and anguish. "I love you so, so, much, you have no idea."

"I love you too, Hao," You reply, and say that you'll hide out for a while so they'll leave before hanging up.

Minghao slumps down and cries like he's never cried before.

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

"I said, "No one has to know what we do", his hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room...And his voice is a familiar sound..."

"Baby!" He races to you, sitting in the living room, still slightly shaken. He engulfs you in a hug. "I'm so sorry, I'll be sorry for the rest of my life..."

"It wasn't your fault," You reply softly, pulling back to cup his face, drawn and blotchy with tears. "Love you lots."

He wipes at your eyes, slightly swollen with your tears, ears still ringing with the shouts and camera clicks, eyes still seeing stars with the flashes as you stepped out to threaten calling the police.

"I love you," He weeps, clutching at the material of your clothes. "Why can't I just love you without other people getting involved?"

And you don't have an answer to that, so you just pull him in and press your mouth to his. It's salty with his tears, and he's shaking, but he hugs you tight, grip firm and unwavering.

He whispers promises into your skin, swears to every higher being that he'll keep you safe, promises that he'll love you for the rest of his life, and no one could keep him away from you, you both were too strong together for that. He tells you things will get better, they have to.

You believe him as you come undone, the tears staining the sheets beneath you.

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

"And when we've had our very last kiss...my last request...is.."

From that day on, everything changes, as much as you both vow to prevent it from happening.

Kisses are still shared, and movies are watched. His arms wind around you as you go to sleep, but those events are few and far between as he shuttles between you and the city, fulfilling his career.

When he comes home, he's either too tired to do anything, and you're not exactly inclined to ruin the one moment of peace he finally has for him.

What used to be a sanctuary of love and laughter and life, is now just an empty shell. Two people cohabiting in a desperate attempt to keep the flame kindled, huddling together for warmth.

You can feel it, and you know he can, too.

Things haven't gotten easier like he claimed. Your love hasn't dwindled one bit, but the media has only gotten more ferocious, even now hounding your workplace and regular haunts. You're practically confined within the walls of your home, either alone or with Minghao.

No more sunset dates. No more shared giggles under a blanket fort, no more pillow fights as he tackles you. No more late-afternoon cuddles as thin sunlight slants into the room. No more midnight instant noodle sessions. No more of anything. Silence overtakes, and the days drag by.

You know it's bubbling, the frustration, the anger at the media and at the world for being absolute busybodies, at Minghao (you don't know why), and at yourself.

And it's only a matter of time before it boils over.

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

You explode in the worst way possible.

It starts when Minghao comes home, looking even more tired than usual. You don’t even look up to greet him anymore as he trudges into the room, simply humming in acknowledgement. The spark in your eyes long gone, your smile feigned.

Perhaps those were the tell-tale signs of a relationship long gone. The spark wasn’t there. None of the previous joy you felt when he came home was there.

Were you falling out of love with him? ..No, that couldn’t be it. You knew you loved him for years, ever since you set eyes on him at an art museum, and you would always love him. Now, you just felt nothing but sadness when you saw him. If it wasn’t love, you would have only felt indifference.

None of you spoke about the reporters. It was like they didn't exist, only you knew it was the opposite, with them clamouring outside, with no reprieve. It was to the point where you had to lock every door and window for fear they would break in. Yet, both of you avoided the topic like a taboo, while it loomed over your bond like a dark cloud.

You came to the conclusion that it wasn’t that you wanted this relationship to end, it was more like… you just knew it would.

What you had with Minghao would not end well. It would only end.

“Hey,” He speaks for the first time since coming home. “How was your day?”

“Nothing much,” You reply, and the kitchen goes silent.

He knew your day was nothing much. He knew why it was nothing much too. You couldn’t even go out without being mobbed by shouting reporters and blinding cameras. How well could your day have went?

“Dinner?” You ask, and he shrugs. “Sure.”

It was sad, really, you note, how quickly a conversation could end. So pitiful that a couple of over two years, who always never had enough to say to each other, had nothing to say now.

You finish dinner in silence, only the clinking of cutlery to fill in the vacancy of your voices.

After dinner he walks to the living room and you to your phone. You open up the three messages that have appeared to view them, but let out a shriek and throw your phone on the couch next to Minghao.

He raises his eyebrows at you in confusion and picks your phone up when you look back at him, eyes wide in panic.

His eyes widen the same way when he sees the graphic content of the message, the threat of the malicious sender reverberating through his mind.

“This— you…” He trails off.

“Is-is that a knife?!” You yelp. “This person just sent me a photo of a knife and threatened to kill me!”

“Baby, wait—” Minghao gets up and reaches for you, but you shrink back. “D-don’t.”

His jaw tightens as he registers the fact that you’re afraid of him. That a devil hiding behind a screen was enough to scare you away from him, the person who loved you to the ends of the earth.

“Okay.” He steps back. “Please…don’t be scared of me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Not you,” was your only whisper.

He furrows his eyebrows. “What?”

“Not you,” You speak up, slightly louder than before. “Just… the fact that the rumour is out, the media at our door… we no longer have anything to say to each other… it hurts me beyond what you know.”

“I’m trying, love,” Minghao says, quietly.

“I know you are,” You reply. “Like I said, it’s not your fault.”

“But you’re hurt,” Minghao protests. “I’m hurt too, you know? I can’t even bring you out, let you live a normal life and be with you as I want. It’s not fair to me, either.”

“Nothing was fair from the moment the articles broke,” You reply softly, tears coming to your eyes. “That what we have is seen like…a mistake. A sin. That you, just loving someone, is the greatest wrongdoing. That reporters found the need to stay at our door just for pictures of us. That someone found the need to threaten to kill me.”

“That’s not fair,” Minghao protests again, tears welling up too. “You’re not the only one suffering here. I am too! My career, my relationship, all of that shoved into the limelight. Do you know what that feels like?”

“I don’t,” You answer. “I know I will never fully understand your situation. All I’m asking is…can’t we just—”

“Pretend nothing happened? Go on with this?” Minghao’s voice cracks. “You don’t want that. You do not. We can’t.”

“Why not?” You ask.

“Because nothing will ever be the same! Nothing we do can let us go back to before. You are hurt and stuck here, I am done for, we are now shackled here—”

“Shackled?” You ask quietly. “Is this what it is?”

“No, I—”

“I think I’ve known for a while,” You say. “That it’s not ‘if’ we will end, it’s when we will.”

“W-What?”

“There isn’t anything there anymore, Hao,” You throw your hands up. “Hell, we don’t even have anything to say to each other!”

“What can I say?! That my career is half ruined, my relationship dying away, my fans threatening to end us both?!”

You turn away, wiping the tears off your cheeks. “You should go, Minghao. I...I don’t want to keep you here if you don’t want to be. I'm so sorry...”

"Why won't you fight for us?" His voice is a deathly whisper.

"What?"

"Why... I know it's hard but... why-why are you giving up?"

"Giving up...?"

"You gave up on us." He breaks into a sob. "We don't talk because every time I look at you, I can't help but keep thinking about how much better your life could have been. You could go on sunset drives whenever you want. You could have spent night after night in blanket forts without a care in the damn world, without worrying that one day someone's going to break the door down and do something to you. You-"

"Thinking like that was always meaningless without you, Hao," You let out a humourless laugh. "All I wanted to do those things with was you."

"We can still do it all," He says, striding towards you. "I told you. I won't leave you."

"But you have to." You murmur back. "I've seen the reports. You're one of the highest-rising stars now. You're worlds away from where I am. And just being me, being bombarded with attention like this, attention I don't want, day in and day out, it... it suffocates me."

"So that's it?" He asks dejectedly. "You don't want me anymore?"

"I do want you, it's all I want," You try to gesture, try to tell him what you mean, but he shakes his head.

"You used to say that with so much life. Now... it's like a stranger telling me that." You look at him, eyes pleading, tears spilling over.

He takes a step back, eyes scanning you like it's the last time he'll see you. "I'm so, so sorry I put you through this. I-I'll go. I'll go now."

He comes forward and cups your face. He leans in, and kisses your forehead. The delicate action and gentleness of it all, combined with the salty tang of his tears, makes you tear up again.

“Say you remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe…”

You register the front door closing behind him. He’s gone, and God knows if he’ll ever return.

That night, you turn off the lights, make sure the windows are closed, but you leave the wooden door unlocked. You never locked it when he hadn’t come back.

You tuck yourself in, the way you like it, the way Minghao does it, and fall into a fitful sleep, the last words you uttered to each other ringing in your head.

When you wake up the next morning, Minghao hasn’t come back.

Something just tells you he won’t return this time.

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

“Red lips and rosy cheeks, say you’ll see me again…” The tinny sound from the aged record player plays, prompting you to hum along to the tune.

“XU MINGHAO, singer, makes record-breaking return to the stage, set to perform...”

“Three years on — where is XU MINGHAO’s mysterious ex-partner now?”

“Woman spotted outside his apartment — liar or lover?”

You close the papers.

You smile. He’s on top of the world, just like he dreamed.

And you… you were just here. Alone, but moderately content, and at peace.

The media had left you alone from the third week that Minghao didn’t return. They probably deemed you less newsworthy, you muse, as you pour yourself another cup of coffee.

You sip coffee as you sift through your mail. You pick up an envelope, and smile at your friend’s invitation to an awards ceremony. Knowing that you were a fan of one of the performing ballad singers, she, as part of the management team, had taken it upon herself to secure you a ticket.

You get up and stretch. It was time to go to the city.

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

"And now, winning the most prestigious award of the night, the Artist of the Year..." The announcer smiles, stage makeup bold and sparkling against the lights. She steals a look at the card in her hand, takes a deep breath.

"Xu Minghao!"

Your hand flies to your mouth as the big screen shows his face, smiling as he waves, bows, and walks to the stage. You don't look out of place, as just about every fangirl is doing the same. Tears come to your eyes and you blink them away.

He's just as dashing as ever. Decked in a smart suit and jacket to match, with small, sleek hoops in his ears, and lips curved in a charming smile, he accepts the award and addresses the crowd.

"I...I'm beyond honoured to stand here today," His eyes dart about, trying to capture every pair of eyes from his vision. "You know I owe just about everything to my fans, new and old, my family, and my friends who've been with me through everything."

He visibly swallows. "And there's one more person, one really, really special person I want to thank."

He stretches out his hand and smiles as if beckoning to someone, and a beautiful lady hesitantly steps up, dressed in a gorgeous champagne-coloured gown, soft curls in her hair, a bounce in her step.

"She saw me through the darkest period of my life," He says, clutching onto the lady's hand like a lifeline. "From strangers to friends, from friends to lovers, I want her to know she's my day one."

The cameras and fans go wild, everyone clamouring to get a better glimpse as the woman smiles at him, full of adoration like he once used to look at you, and they share an embrace on the stage, the host cutting in to sing praises of the newly hard-launched couple.

Meanwhile, you sit, rooted to your place, as you watch them. But it isn't overwhelming sadness that engulfs you. It isn't any form of bitterness or resentment. The sweet tang of pride, that he can now freely love, and gratitude, that his new love was doing what you failed to, rests on your tongue.

You rise to your feet. As you're in a row closer to the front, it isn't hard to get out. As you walk towards the exit, you glance back one last time, only to have shock rain down on you as he locks eyes with you from the stage.

The shock dies away swiftly, only to be replaced by soft joy. You smile slightly and nod at him once, with nothing but sincerity in your eyes, and watch the relief sag on his shoulders as he smiles and nods back. Even with no words shared, he knows you've both found your ending.

"Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah, huh..."

───✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰──────✱

writer's note:

first ever oneshot and this was...sad? but also i wrote this in one day and almost decided not to publish it because it was so rough lol

but please enjoy! any feedback and interactions are welcome :> thank you for reading!!

:((

Better Than Me | Part 24: Fractured

Summary: You and Seokmin have been dating for a few years, but now you're the star of a new drama with your co-star Rowoon, which makes Seokmin insecure. Seokmin tries his best to be supportive and understanding, but sometimes it's too much, and you're both unsure if your relationship can survive the jealousy and fights.

Main Masterlist ☜ previous chapter | current chapter | next chapter ☞ Taglist: @dkluvrsclub @wooahaeproductions @seokgyuu @stayinhellevator @aaniag @the-boy-meets-evil @hoeforhao @here4kpopfics @ressonancee @seungkwansphd @tomodachiii @shadowjellyfishfest @kyeomooniee @allmyl0ve17 @randomworker @gyuminusone @onlyseokmins @strawberryya @woozixo @meowmeowminnie @jeonghansshitester @gyuwoncheol @bitchlessdino @multi-kpop-fanfics @ohmygodwhyareallusernamestaken @imprettyweird @shuasunshine @carlesscat-thinklogic23 @gyuhanniescarat @miriamxsworld @sexygrass @joonsytip @k-drama-adict @noiceoofed @buffhoshi @huening-kawaii @wonwoobestboyy @miniseokminnies @wonwoos-wineparty @notjinghanthesecond @christinewithluv @persnyako @anthropologymajorkpopmultistan @morklee02 © wongyuseokie 2024. All rights reserved.

alternate ending where wildest dreams!minghao and oc don’t break up vibe today