AGENT OH (EDITING)

CHAPTER 16 : LOSS

AUTHOR's POV,

His heart sank as he looked at the display screen of the funeral home. He couldn't believe it had happened. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life. Rooted to his spot, he gawked at the screen flashing his photo, his name, and the list of chief mourners, which included himself among others. His tears had dried up; he didn't feel like crying anymore. Crying could no longer ease the pain he was feeling.

"For how long are you going to stand here?" Luhan asked, lightly squeezing his shoulder. Baekhyun shifted his gaze from the screen to the man standing beside him. He shook his head, unable to find any words. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He wanted to hide somewhere, or if possible, become invisible so that no one could bother him, so that no one could remind him of this pain."We have to bid adieu to him, and you also have to say goodbye to him. Let's face it together. There's no point in running from it," Luhan's words had no impact on him. He sighed before leaving Baekhyun alone there. Everyone was having a hard time, and it was too much to handle.

Not just him, there was someone else in an equally vulnerable situation, someone who didn't even know how to cry in the first place. Luhan knew he was the only one who could convince him. Luhan entered the room, and a gloomy aura quickly embraced him. Everyone was coming and paying their respects to the deceased.

With a heavy heart, Luhan scanned every corner of the room, but the person he was looking for was nowhere to be seen. He knew he had a habit of retreating into a shell to ease the pain, but where that shell was, that was the million-dollar question. His eyes locked with Suho, and somehow, Suho answered his unspoken question, prompting Luhan to turn on his heels and find the other vulnerable man.

As expected, he found him in an empty corner of the funeral home, curled up in the darkest corner where no one could see him, where not a single ray of light could pass through."Sehun," Luhan called out softly.

But Sehun chose not to react. Luhan sat next to him, mirroring his act of staring into nothingness. A few minutes passed in silence. Finally, Luhan broke the ice.

"Sehun, he's gone, and we couldn't do much about it. You have to be strong, and I know you are. We have to find out who did this, but before that, we have to say goodbye to him on his final journey. And Baekhyun is not going inside; he's standing outside like a statue. He needs you. Only you can help him out."His words struck the right nerve because, in another moment, Sehun stood up and made his way to Baekhyun.Sehun kept walking, looking for him, and stopped abruptly in front of the display screen flashing the funeral information of the deceased. He found Baekhyun intently gazing at the picture, with an incredulous look, as if he didn't want to see and at the same time did, so that he could convince his heart to accept the truth."Hey," Sehun silently whispered, snapping Baekhyun out of his daze. Baekhyun turned to look at him, his expression screaming that he would not go. Sehun knew why Baekhyun was here; he tried to walk past him after standing for hours in front of the funeral hall.

Sehun stopped him. "It's time to send him off."

Baekhyun tried to yank his hand out of Sehun's grip, but Sehun was determined."Look at me," he sternly commanded the shorter man. "He's gone, Baekhyun. I know you're hurting like hell. We all are in pain. I know your pain is much more than ours, but you have to accept the fact that he's gone. Park Chanyeol is gone."