I’ve been trying to hang out with Mingi and the others more often, but the schedules didn’t always work out. But, finally a day came when we’re all able to meet up for lunch. That day also happened to be when I located Xiumin’s current address. This results in my being excited to tell San later.
“Wooyou… Wooyoung!” I hear Hongjoong shout
Coming back to reality I notice our food has arrived
"Sorry, I was thinking", I say sheepishly
"You're starting to worry us Woo" Seonghwa says
"Why?"
"You don't text us as much, and I hear that you've been asking about the Choi's a lot"
"Almost like you're obsessed" Mingi mutters
"We just don't want this to go on for so long and you end up disappointed if it doesn't go anywhere" Hongjoong says, elbowing Mingi
I nod in understanding
"I'll definitely text more and hang out more. I just feel like I'm so close to figuring this out, like I just need a little bit more information"
They nod
"Okay, just don't forget about us" Mingi says, pouting
I smile,"I could never"
After lunch I head home and grab my laptop, head to the kitchen, and look up Jung Dae-hyun, feeling like he's the missing piece. I find out he unfortunately passed away and is now buried in Ilsan. Closing my laptop I push it farther onto the counter
“San” I call, waiting for him to come to me
“Calling me like a dog once again” he says smirking as he leans against the counter in the kitchen
I smile as I remember the last time I had done that
“You really didn’t like me then”
“What makes you think I like you now?” he asks, winking
I try to hide my blush by turning towards the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge I turn back to him
“Do you remember Jung Dae-Hyun?” I ask
He frowns,” Yes, I had tea with him the day I died…. Why?”
“I found out he’s buried in Ilsan” I reply
He nods
“Sannie, you don’t think he would've wanted to hurt you, do you?” I ask, looking at him
“No, I don’t know what I could've done to push him to do something like that” San says rubbing his face
“Did he do anything suspicious while you were having tea?”
“He did seem a bit upset, but wouldn’t go into detail. Xiumin had gone to stay with him for a couple days. I figured Dae-Hyun just wanted to stop by and catch up since I had gotten home from Namhae a few days prior. We had some tea and sandwiches as we talked. A short while later he left saying he needed to pick up some groceries.”
He pauses
“A few hours after that I became ill, and had a horrible pain in my stomach. I went to the doctor and ended up falling asleep….. That’s all I remember, when I woke up again I was back here. I had gone to open the door to see where everyone was, but my hand went through the door handle. It had taken a while to get used to everything but I finally accepted it. I learned how to be able to touch things and I’ve just kind of been hanging around since. Can’t seem to move on.” he finishes
“San, I’m so sorry” I say, suddenly feeling sad. This is the most San has talked about himself
“Well, nothing we can do about it now” He says with a fake smile
He hides his feelings well, but I’ve come to be able to read him quite well.
I decide not to mention it to him, fearing it’ll make the feeling worse
As it is now late in the evening I head to my room, San following of course
At the door I pause and turn around to look at him, he frowns
“What will happen to you once we figure this out?” I ask, becoming emotional
“Are you asking if I'll remain a spirit?”
I nod at him
“I’m not sure”
A tightness forms in my chest. For the first time since finding out about his untimely death, solving it doesn’t feel like a relief. “Do you want to stop being a spirit?”
This is the first time I am unable to read his face. “I have often wished for it…. I have not enjoyed these past years”
The tightness spreads “I understand”
“Truthfully, staying in this house made it worse…” he says sighing
As he continues, it becomes increasingly hard to breathe
“Then what?” I whisper
“I recalled the original reason I was stuck here, that I wanted to be with my former love again, but realizing it was impossible I no longer wanted to be what I am.” He looks at me
“But, being here reminded me that there are things worth staying for… beautiful things. You reminded me of that beauty again Wooyoung. Not for one minute of my death had I wished for my life back, until I met you”
Before I can consider what I'm doing, I move forward until I’m only inches from his face. He gently brushes my hair behind my ear, looking slightly conflicted “Wooyoung, you are living and I-”
“I don’t care,” I whisper
He doesn’t argue with me. Instead, he leans forward and presses his lips to mine. Softly at first, then with pressure. The coolness of his mouth warms against my own. Everything about him in this moment feels alive. His hand moves to my neck pulling me toward him.
His tongue slips into my mouth, sending tingles from my lips to thighs
I want this, you, all of it
I don't care if it doesn’t make sense. I reach out, bunching his shirt in my fists, pulling him closer.
He holds me tightly, the tips of his fingers pressing into my back. Then, like flipping a switch, he stops kissing me
I look at him confused, before letting him go “What’s wrong?”
He shakes his head and moves back
“This can’t happen, Wooyoung. You are living” He says, disappearing
YOU ARE READING
Even in Death
FanfictionWooyoung moves to Seoul to start at a different university. The house he moves into is old, and maybe not everything is quite all that it seems. When things are moved around and sounds are sometimes heard late at night, Wooyoung begins to have quest...
