Sehun rarely drinks, and it's not because he can't handle it (his incredible tolerance for alcohol acts as proof), but because he chooses to feel his pain, rather than numb it. He falls right under the category of those who consider alcohol to be nothing but a temporary escape – a short-lived, but easy way out of the prison most people refer to as unwanted emotions. These emotions range from unrelenting guilt to simple disappointment, from incessant grief to pure agony, from physical misery to shattering heartbreak. People turn to alcohol to desensitize, to unfeel, and even if this relief is painstakingly brief, people go out of their way to obtain it. Most of the time, Sehun is not one of those people. He forces himself to accept those dark emotions as they are, to face them head on, because only then can he truly move pass it. However, that will not be the case tonight.

Tonight, Sehun seeks false comfort. He wants to not feel the overwhelming pang in his chest – the gnawing ache that has made itself at home within the confines of his heart. Sehun wants release, no matter how fleeting the moment may be, so he picks up a round bottle of whiskey and pours himself a glass. He takes a long sip, ignoring the way the amber liquor burns the back of his throat, and he finally allows his eyes to wander to the metal clock on the wall. One minute to midnight. With a sigh, Sehun walks over to the glass door of his penthouse and slides it open. The night breeze gently brushes against his skin as he steps out into the balcony. Sehun indulges himself in the spectacular view. Seoul is a beautiful city during the daytime, but that beauty is nothing compared to the exquisite vision of Seoul at night.

Sehun takes another sip of his drink, his eyes looking far off into the distance, at a cluster of lights that seem to shimmer and dazzle just for him. He wonders if the wedding is over and done with, or perhaps it's getting there, soon to reach its merry end. He closes his eyes briefly and tries to imagine a happy Luhan bidding goodbye to his many guests. He pictures Luhan in his tailored suit with a smile that reaches his pretty, sparkly eyes. He then pictures Luhan hand in hand with Jo Sun, who has a megawatt smile on his face as they both receive well wishes from their friends and family. Unable to stop, he pictures Luhan leaning over to give his new husband a kiss after he tells him how much he loves him and how lucky he is to be with him. The familiar pang in his heart returns, and unfortunately, Sehun could only drink his antidote to try and block the pain from drowning him.

He knows Jo Sun will make Luhan happy, and he trusts his cousin to love Luhan unconditionally, but a part of Sehun, the part he's currently trying to suppress, knows Jo Sun will never love Luhan as much as Sehun does. Not only that, this ugly part of Sehun also selfishly yearns for a bright future with Luhan, one of never ending bliss. But the better part of Sehun, the noble side, knows that it's too late. In his head, he accepts that Luhan is no longer his and will never be again. His heart, on the other hand, is still having a difficult time grasping the loss. With a sad smile, Sehun brings the glass of liquid solace to his mouth and drinks. It's not really working because he still feels the heartache, but regardless, Sehun continues to gulp down the distilled liquor as if his wellbeing depended on it.

A few seconds later, Sehun could almost see the bottom of the glass, so he steps back inside for a quick refill. He's twisting the cap on the whiskey bottle when he suddenly hears a click – the unmistakable sound of a key slotting into the lock that it was specifically designed for.

Sehun holds his breath as he keeps his eyes on the door. It can't be...

The door opens and the last person Sehun expected to see (and the only one he wished to see) appears from the other side, just under the threshold.

Luhan.

Sehun