it had been seven months since baekhyun last saw kyungsoo.

he had even kept count of the days.

he tried to find him at first, but the male never did return to the bungalow he once occupied or the bookstore he once worked at and there was no trace of him on social media.

baekhyun eventually had to move away from the busy town as well. his landlord was furious at the state of the apartment after baekhyun tore the entire place to pieces; he was soon kicked out.

he knew he'd be lying if he didn't admit that kyungsoo crossed his mind almost everyday.

he wondered where he was, what he was doing, if he was eating well, how he was feeling. if he missed him as much as baekhyun did.

he drew back on the cigarette wedged between his slender fingers, staring at one of the many photos of kyungsoo on his phone. he could never find it within himself to delete them.

he never could move on.

moving from obsessions was easy before he met kyungsoo, a simple click and the folder would be away but kyungsoo wasn't like that. he could never quite get rid of him.

he never could find someone just the same, someone just as exciting as the male who once worked in the bookstore, someone that seemed good enough to replace the folder that was still lingering on his laptop.

"i swear to god, you step out for a cigarette break every time it gets busy." a familiar voice hissed at him. he knew exactly who it was, his manager, luhan.

baekhyun quickly put away his phone as he turned his head at the sight of his colleague, he only rolled his eyes in response, flicking the growing ash off his finished cigarette before tossing it to the wet ground.

"i've covered four of your tables so hurry the up."

"god, i'm coming," baekhyun grumbled, "what's up your ?" he grumbled.

luhan didn't reply, he just rolled his eyes in response as he disappeared back into the kitchen, "table three still need their drinks so sort them out."

baekhyun took a deep sigh as he looked at the alleyway he usually stood in during his shifts, looking for some sort of distraction to bide him time before entering the restaurant.

the last thing he ever expected doing was waiting tables. he knew it was his fault for losing most of his grade after flunking his final exam; but he couldn't help that one of the students a few rows down had a striking resemblance to a certain male he used to see everyday. but when baekhyun stood up in the exam hall and made his way over it turned out it wasn't actually kyungsoo.

he made his way into the bustling kitchen, a bead of sweat already forming on his forehead as he made his way past the burning hot cookers. he looked at list of orders, finding the slip for table three.

two diet cokes. baekhyun let out a relieved sigh, it meant he didn't need to fiddle with drinks at the bar. he grabbed the two glasses and cans, placing them clumsily on a black tray. he could care less if they fizzed up when the customers opened them; it was sometimes enjoying to watch.

he made his way into the much calmer restaurant, the air conditioner cooling him down as he made his way past the different tables, the loud chatter and cutlery clanging from the customers around him. he was nearly at the designated table but his eyes caught the glimpse of someone. he slowly froze in his tracks. he took a sudden breath, his heart surely stopping in his chest.

it couldn't be him.

baekhyun blinked twice, thrice, so many times but he wouldn't go away. his eyes flickered to the other male at the table, who was he? how did he know kyungsoo?

baekhyun stopped himself. he had to be rational about this, he couldn't do this again. he couldn't risk everything for kyungsoo; he knew he couldn't kill another person for kyungsoo, especially if the male wasn't happy about him doing it before.

he knew deep down kyungsoo leaving was best; he never did want to be rational and admit it. he liked to bathe in his self-pity and the hope that kyungsoo would come back one day.

he slowly his heel, his breathing heavy in his chest, it was so difficult walking away