The Ghost Of You

3

" How long has it been? "
Minhyuk wondered out loud, seeing the crowd of people wearing black, and some other dark shades of color. He spotted his parents, his brother, Kihyun and Hyunwoo at the front. They're at the cemetery where his funeral is being held.

"Four days since your death"

Minhyuk glances at Chae in question. He just got out of the hospital a few hours ago, or at least, it felt like it had been just a few hours. How long had he spent wandering around?

"Sense of time..it gets a little tricky to navigate around here" Chae stated, moving his umbrella to the other hand. The rain had visibly lessened, but it was still there nonetheless. Briefly, he wondered when it will stop. Does it pour as long as people cry for him? or does it only stop if he reaches the other side? After he lies in his resting place, perhaps? it was hard to determine the answers.

Chae's gaze moves around feeling bored, he tilted his head to the side, catching a glimpse of something out of the ordinary yet familiar in his eyes. His attention momentarily out of Minhyuk.

Minhyuk on the other hand, brought his attention back into watching his own burial.
Seeing the coffin and the wide cemetery, Minhyuk knew they did not choose cremation like he expected. He vaguely remembered what he said years ago, about not wanting to be burnt to ashes once he died.  Jokingly saying he wanted to be comfortably laying on a soft and beautiful bed even in death. Looks like they granted his wishes, even though it was all a harmless joke, who would have known death will separate them sooner than they expected.

Minhyuk's eyes intently search for someone. He saw his mother crying heartbreakingly, Kihyun shedding his thousandth tears, his father and Hyunwoo looking solemn right beside them. His close friends were present too, and some if his old classmates he didn't expect to still remember him. Everyone important was there, except for Jooheon.

Minhyuk felt his chest tighten, wondering why Jooheon was not around. But even before he could have further thoughts, he spotted a man standing at the very back, sadly holding a bouquet of white roses. Minhyuk breath out, biting the side of his cheek looking at his beloved from afar.

He quickly made his way to Jooheon, forgetting about his company. His steps slowing down the nearer he gets. Minhyuk reach down another level of sadness seeing how silent tears falls from Jooheon's eyes, running down his cheeks. He looks so tired and in pain. It was pure agony to see him that way.

"Honey..." Minhyuk's hand tried to hold the other's  but was unable to. He tried several times, wanting to comfort his beloved. But all he was able to do was sent a silent shiver down Jooheon's spine, which was ignored as the latter's mind was elsewhere.

The burial ended and one by one people left, offering comforting words to his parents and Jooheon, the man still standing far from where Minhyuk's physical body is.

"Oh Jooheon dear..."

Minhyuk shivered when a person, his own mother walked right through him and towards Jooheon giving the man a hug.

"Eomma..." Minhyuk watched as the woman, tightly embrace Jooheon, muttering some sweet yet encouragingly solemn words that was meant for the both of them. The woman was no longer crying, but it was evident to her face that she did a lot of that. She looked exhausted and older, the mischief in her eyes that her eldest inherited no longer present.

His father, also gave Jooheon a short hug and a heavy pat on his shoulder before him and his wife finally walked away. Minhyuk followed them with his eyes, he wanted to go with them to make sure they'll be fine but his feet are nailed to the ground, loyally staying for Jooheon.

The grieving man stood there, tightly holding the bouquet of roses he bought from Minhyuk's favorite flower shop a few street lights away from the cemetery. Like Minhyuk's, his feet wouldn't move from where he stood, almost as if he's afraid to take a step closer.