A week passed, a month. Things settled back into a pattern for Hongki. Taking HaeRim to school, picking her up, doing a little work at the office, spending time with Wonbin and Taemin and occasionally Jaejin and Seunghyun, therapy.

It was two months more before he finally brought himself to visit the grave. Minhwan’s grave. 

He went on a Tuesday, in the afternoon. Jaejin and Seunghyun took him. It was raining and he wore a long black raincoat over his ratty old clothes. He could bring himself to dress fancy to visit his old friend who had only known him in rags.

“Hongki..” Jaejin put his hand on Hongki’s shoulder as the man knelt in front of the grave. Hongki was in tears, but he didn't look up from the grave.

“He hated me.” Hongki said, his short hair clinging to his head. The others had umbrellas up, his was closed on the ground beside him. “And I hated him too...for a long time. But he was a good man. He was a friend...”

“Hongki..” Jaejin called his name again and he looked up. “It's time to go.”

Hongki nodded and stood up. He didn't bother with his umbrella, since he was already soaked. He used it like a cane as he followed the married couple back to the car, stopping to turn around and look once more at the grave.

Standing in front of it was Jonghun. Umbrella in hand, he stood in front of the grave, looking down at it. Hongki blinked a few times and looked again. Jonghun was still standing there, only this time he looked at Hongki, really looked at him, and smiled.

Hongki turned around, eyes wide. Jaejin called his name again, calling him to hurry up. He turned back around to look at the grave. Jonghun had disappeared.

“I'm seeing things now...” Hongki sighed, turning around and catching up to the other two. 

They all drove back to Hongki’s house and let him change into something dry and then went out to eat. Hongki didn't have much of an appetite, but he played around with his food while he talked with the other two.

“What happened?” He asked, almost too softly to be heard. “What happened to....to him?”

Seunghyun and Jaejin both shared a look. There was only one man whose name Hongki had trouble saying lately, and neither one of them could understand why Hongki would bring him up now. 

“He’s just gone..” Jaejin said and a silence fell over the three of them.

Hongki sighed and looked out the window where the rain had just let up. People walked passed the window and Hongki withdrew into his mind. He watched as a man walked in front of the window and stopped. He wore a black hoodie and pulled the hood down. 

Jonghun’s face appeared from under the hood and once more looked directly at Hongki. Again, he smiled, put his hood back up, and then continued walking away.

“I keep thinking I've seen him.” Hongki spoke up suddenly. 

Both of the other boys coughed, choking on their food or drinks. Seunghyun looked up at Hongki in disbelief. “Y..you've seen him?”

Hongki sighed and nodded, not noticing their shocked reaction. “Yeah. Twice now. He just...looks at me and smiles and disappears...I know, it's crazy..I guess I just miss him...”

Jaejin shot Seunghyun a look and the. Reached over to pat Hongki on the shoulder comfortingly. “It's alright. Things will get better.”