<blockquote>"Gege," San Lang calls, his voice oddly strained. He isn't looking at Xie Lian's face, his eyes instead fixed pointedly over his shoulder. "You remember me?"
Xie Lian takes a few tentative steps closer. "Of course," he says cautiously. "How could I forget San Lang so easily?"
"But you said," he croaks, and then stops to clear his throat. He shakes his head, and then quickly walks over to meet Xie Lian halfway. "Gege," he whispers. "You said it wasn't happening to you."
"I said what wasn't happening?" he asks, matching San Lang's volume.
"Today," San Lang says, finally meeting his eyes. "Haven't you lived it before?"
Featuring: a thrice-sealed coffin, an extravagant parade, and too many osmanthus cakes.</blockquote>
