Two years after Sehun's death, on what would have been their fifth anniversary, Luhan returned to the diner, alone. He had sat down right where they had countless times before, and, after a few silent moments of staring at the empty seat across from him, broke down and wept.

There had been a hand on his back, rubbing soothing circles. He wasn't sure how long he had stayed with his face buried in the crook of his arm, sobbing, while the stranger stayed and comforted him. But when his shoulders had finally stopped shaking and the tears finally stopped, just barely, and he had looked up, he was rather surprised by what he saw.

Watching him carefully and concernedly was a young man, just about his age, with a rather plump, smooth face and bright round eyes. 

"Are you okay?" he had asked, not unkindly. He sat down on the table, giving Luhan a tentative smile. "I'm Minseok—Kim Minseok. You?"

"Lu... Luhan," he had managed to choke out, unable to look away from this stranger, this Minseok. "Why...?"

"Tell me about it," Minseok had said simply. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

So Luhan had told him. He wasn't very specific; he didn't want to, couldn't, go into the detail. 

"He's—was—perfect," he finished. "I love him, I really really do, I'm never going to forgive myself for letting this happen, I—I-"

"You said you love him. Present tense. I thought he, you know..." Minseok had interrupted, looking confused.

"Just because he's dead doesn't mean I don't love him anymore," Luhan had said firmly, wiping away the tears that once again threatened to fall. "I won't ever stop loving him."

Minseok had nodded. "Yeah, I..." He paused, swallowing. "I know what you mean. I used to... be with someone. Not long ago. He-... His name was Jongdae. Kim Jongdae."

Luhan had started. "Kim Jongdae? Wasn't he a singer? He won some contest, didn't he? And he died last year, a stage accident...?"

Minseok bit his lip and nodded again. "He was really sweet, you know. He used to take me to this one ice cream place, and we'd sit and talk for hours. When he had practice, which was most of the time, he'd call me as soon as he was finished and I'd pick him up to go for dinner. We..." He shook himself. "You don't want to hear all about my love life, do you? Sorry." He looked at Luhan again, more carefully this time. "What are you...?"

Luhan had been smiling softly. "You're a really nice guy, you know that? I have to go, but I hope I see you again." With that, he stood up and walked out the door, leaving Minseok sitting on the table with a surprised look on his face. Recovering his wits, he hurried out after him just in time to see him starting up his car.

"Wait, Luhan!" he called. Too late. He was already backing out into the street. "Luhan!" 

Luhan just gave him a sad smile, shook his head, and drove off.

Minseok had stared after the dirty little car, mouth slightly open. "Ok then," he said, blinking. "Ok."

"Morning."

Luhan woke up slowly. His eyes were crusty from tears he did not realize he had shed during the night. Beside him lay Minseok, watching him with half-closed, sleepy eyes.

"Did you sleep alright?" he murmured, brushing some hair behind his ear. 

Luhan sighed and sat up, pulling the sheets with him. Minseok yelped in protest and grabbed at the blankets, shivering. Luhan laughed softly. "Cold?"

"Well, yeah, it's winter, what do you expect?" Minseok said indignantly, pulling the covers up to his chin. "Aren't you?"

"Nah." Luhan stretched and carefully got out of the bed, wiggling his toes slightly as he placed his feet on the soft carpet. "I'm used to it." He bounded over to the closet and got dressed, knowing Minseok was still watching him closely.

"You were crying last night."

Luhan stiffened, his shirt half on. "What?"

"You were crying in your sleep. You kept saying the same name over and over. 'Sehun, Sehun.'" Minseok frowned. "Luhan, I hate to say this, but you have to put it in the past. He's not coming back, just like how Jongdae isn't." He inhaled deeply and clambered out of bed to stand by Luhan's side. "The past is in the past, Lu."

Luhan stepped away from him, looking hurt. "I can't help it, Min, you know that! He keeps coming back in my dreams, no matter what I do—don't give me that look!" He narrowed his eyes, a fierce light in them. "You should understand. Didn't you say you did, first time we met?"

Minseok hesitated for a moment, then his tense shoulders slumped. He turned and sat down heavily on the bed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just... I feel like you don't love me as much anymore."

"No, Minseok, I do, really-"

"No, it's fine, I know, I know." Minseok rubbed his eyes and stood up again. "Let's go get breakfast."

Author's Note: So this is still a thing. Chapters are still short-ish. Probably one more and then I'll have to write more [distressed clock noises] I actually have a lot of fics in progress—this isn't the only one
Help I can't get my priorities straight