Dressed in black she stood at the front of the crowd. She listened to the words Sehun’s mother was speaking. Some story about how she had first met her husband. It was sweet and for the first time, Mina could see the glimmer of genuine emotion in the woman’s eyes. It was strange, to be able to relate and empathize so much for the woman to her right.

Her attention was drawn from her words by the fingertips that had gently grazed her knuckles. She glanced besides her and met Sehun’s eyes. She reached for his hand and he instantly held onto it. The more they did it, the more natural and familiar the action became. That night a few days ago, the first night after he passed, she held his hand all the way home. She had walked back into their home, holding his hand. Had fallen asleep on the couch, his hand still firmly wrapped around hers.

They hadn’t been speaking a lot, somehow not needing to do so, there was nothing she could say to make the pain go away, so she stayed with him and that seemed to be enough.

She seemed to be enough.

As if reading the mood, the weather had been gloomy all week. An appropriate response for the days before the funeral. Even now, she could hear the light shower of rain hitting the windows around them. Mina had woken up in a daze today. She had felt like nothing was real, like everything was just slightly off. She couldn’t put her finger on it, couldn’t quite figure it out.

But she was almost sure, it had nothing to do with the lifeless man in the room.

“Now, I’ll let my son say a few words” His mother said tearfully.

She passed the two of them, placing a comforting hand on Sehun’s shoulder. Mina loosened her grip on his hand, surprised when he instead held on tighter and brought her with him to the front of the room, in front of the podium with the microphone.

It was strange, not being left behind by him. She said nothing as Sehun spoke, this time she did listen to his words, to the stories about his father that he had to share and when his speech faltered, she placed her hand on his arm and met his eyes encouragingly. To her surprise, it worked and he continued to speak. She took the moment to look around the crowd, eyes pausing at the familiar figure in the middle.

Baekhyun wasn’t paying attention, his eyes were fixed on their hands, more specifically on the way she stood besides him, on the way she held his arm. She couldn't read him and shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Even more unfortunately, it made him draw his eyes up to hers. He held her gaze and she wondered what he was thinking, showing up here. She also wondered if he was at all sorry about what he had done? He seemed sorry, well, his eyes did anyways, but that could all be nonsense for all she knew. A figment of her imagination trying to make him into the good guy she really wanted him to be. He broke the stare first, looking down and away.

Mina would have liked to say she felt like she had won something, but it was just the opposite.

“…Most of all, I’m thankful for everyone who showed up tonight and for the woman standing besides me. The one who has given me so much strength” Sehun said as a closing statement.

Mina followed him down and continued to stand besides him as the afternoon continued to creep on. People came with the condolences. They offered their support and everything was going well, even as Mina continued to feel that nagging feeling that something was wrong.

“Mina” Baekhyun said quietly.

She looked up, startled. She hadn’t realized Sehun had led her momentarily, hadn’t realized that she was staring aimlessly at the ground.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

She shook her head, forgetting her anger and disappointment in him. For a moment falling back into their strange friendship, “Something’s wrong” she said quietly.

He frowned, looking worried, “What is it?”

She shook her head, “I don’t… I don’t know. I have an awful feeling” She whispered.

“You should sit down” He offered, leading her aside to the row of chairs waiting.

She followed without a word, allowing him to seat her.

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