inspired by Jae's (day6) song, 50 proof. Go give it a listen!

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He picks out an empty bench at the far corner of the park. The long stretch of concrete which was usually dry and warm, now damp with the sudden downpour that went on the whole day. Fortunately, it started easing down as soon as he reached the place. There were a few people still walking around then, getting their dose of fresh air for the day while catching a glimpse of the sunset. 

A smile finds its way to his face just beneath the mask he had on, he’d arrived just in time. Hues of orange and pink bled through the sky as the sun dipped behind the towering skyscrapers, and dark clouds loomed on the sides—a tell-tale sign of the rain that’s about fall. The cool wind nips at his skin, he was sure that his nose, cheeks, and ears are all red by now. He settles down in his spot, as the last two people nearby walk further away until they disappear from his sight.

Sehun breathes in, taking in the weight of the day course through him then, he lets go. Ten minutes left.

He lets out another sigh as questions run through his mind. Contrary to what he had expected, all he could think of were the most mundane ones. ‘How have you been?’, ‘are things going well for you?’, ‘what did you eat today?’, ‘was your flight okay?’. As much as he wanted to ask more, his mind goes back to the fact that the clock was ticking and—like it always has been—they didn’t have much time left. 

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Sehun was staring out into nothingness when he found him in the middle of the empty park. The rain had long stopped yet the chill in the air stayed. Luhan sniffles and rubs his nose through his mask, he was sure that it was already a bright shade of red from the cold. 

“Is this seat taken?” he speaks up. Sehun turns to him, his eyes squinting from a hidden smile. Luhan remembers this so well. 

“Please, go ahead.” Sehun motions for him to sit next to him, and he does. 

For a while, they basked in the near silence. Only the sounds of crickets and distant noise from cars filled in the space between them. It is a quarter past eight in the evening, and they’ve both got work to attend to in the morning after. Time is running out, the thought repeats itself in Sehun’s head. 

Though things are a whole lot different now from how they were five years ago, there is still no way to tell in definite when they’re going to be able to see each other again—or if they would be able to, even. He tries to find the right words to say to make good of the little time they were graced with. He opens his mouth and yet, nothing comes out. 

“The flight really bad.” he hears Luhan’s voice again, it’s soft and muffled by the piece of cloth covering half his face. Sehun looks at him, wide eyes and awestruck because how the hell did he know the answer to a question I hadn't even asked him yet.

“I figured you would ask,” Luhan continues “even if you didn’t...that was a first.”

He could hear the pouting from the other man’s voice. Another scene so familiar that he feels his chest getting warm and his throat closing up. 

“Luhan hyung” he forces out. The words tasted foreign in his mouth even when he’s said it more than a thousand times. “...I’m glad you’re okay.”

This time, it is Luhan who turns to him; round eyes that always seemed to be wondering. 

“Thank you, Sehun-ah. I’m really happy to see you again.” he answers back and smiles through his mask. The small wrinkles on the sides of his eyes appeared; something that Sehun had missed looking at quite terribly. 

Silence befalls in between them once again. And it frustrates Sehun that he still doesn’t know what to say. Luhan’s obviously trying to make the atmosphere lighter and initiate the conversation, and yet...

“I-I saw the news, hyung.” Ah, . Of all the things he had listed down in his head, he blurts out this one. The smile that slightly falters in the older’s face doesn’t go unnoticed. 

Luhan takes a deep breath and locks eyes with him. “Don’t...don’t believe those, Sehun-ah. I know that you know, they just keep making those things up. It comes out almost every year since…” he trails off.

Sehun nods, and apologizes. “I know, it’s just...I can’t help but think, you know? ‘When is the day it becomes real?’ like that. But yeah, I know I’ll hear it from you first anyway.”

He knows it shouldn’t, but the last words stung Luhan way more than it should. He swallows the lump in his throat. “Sehun-ah, you know that’s not gonna happen.”

“But hyung—”

“I know I’m getting old, and it feels like we’re running out of time...” he cuts the younger off, before he could say any more.

“And I’m being very selfish,” he could feel his lids burn as he blinks the tears away. “But I need you to wait a little bit longer.”

Sehun sighs, heavily. “Luhan,” he takes the other man’s hand in his and holds it tight. “What if this is all there is to it? We’ve hit our deadends?” 

“Then I’ll smash a hole on the wall and make sure I find my way next to you again.” he answers right away, not even thinking twice. He squeezes Sehun’s hands in-between his and lets out a light chuckle he realizes he’s been holding in. 

Luhan lifts it up and showers it with kisses. “It’s been really hard, but i hope you keep hanging in there. I hope you’ll never stop loving me.” he says.

“Sometimes I just...I really want to disappear with you. Even if it's for just a bit.” Sehun finds himself sighing for the nth time. They’re sitting so closely that Luhan was practically on his lap. He takes the other man’s face in his hands, he feels the cold sip out from Luhan’s cheeks to his palms. Then, he leans in.

“Oops.” Luhan laughs, he tugs both their masks down and pulls him in again. 

Underneath the blanket of darkness in the sky with the moon and stars as their only witness, Luhan and Sehun shared their kisses that were long overdue. It was unhurried, careful, and assuring. 

“We’ve got a few more hours left,” Luhan says after they’ve managed to pull away. His lips swollen, and were the same tint as his cheeks. “You wanna disappear with me now?” 

Sehun sends him a smile and pulls the both of them up. 

In the near dead silence of the night, they find their escape. 

Oh it's killing me how

Fear is holding me down

But I wanna hold you

Oh I might burn to the ground

But see me burn with a smile

If I die it's with you