𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓 | namjin

= 3 =

the unfamiliar spirit was shocked to see namjoon, a mortal, staring directly into him. he was dressed in expensive fabrics, with swirling patterns and a gentle frilled ascot. his hair was black and wavy, and his eyes were dark and spiteful.

"let him go!" jungkook yelled, racing at the rage spirit with no hesitation.
"jungkook-!" namjoon called, watching in horror as jungkook slammed into the ghost's blood-red film, who dropped taehyung.

"don't hurt him!" taehyung yelled, shooting out his arm. jungkook leaped into the air from the spirit, glaring him down.

namjoon was shocked at how calm the spirit was, as they usually attack on sight. however, this one just floated up and adjusted himself, face completely still.

"my, my, you're a brat, aren't you?" he shot at jungkook, who looked ready to rip him apart.
"he wasn't hurting me," taehyung said, shooting over to jungkook's side. "we've just been talking, is all. this is seokjin."

"jin." jin said, smoothing back his silky black hair. his focus then shifted to namjoon. "why the bloody hell can a mortal see me?"
"that's namjoon, remember?" taehyung said. "he's got a gift."

jin raised an eyebrow. "or a curse. that's not normal."
"i'm aware." namjoon said calmly, straightening himself up. "how are you here? i walk through these woods after a night's work and i've never seen you."

"i wasn't disturbed until yesterday." jin scoffed. "did you have a nice trip, namjoon?"
namjoon's eyes darted to a large rock that jin was hovering above. shit. the one he tripped on. the one he spat on."i'm sorry, i was watching the birds and-"

jin held up his hand. "i pay no mind. besides, you're a mortal, i could use your help."
this was the first time jin smiled. smugly, of course, as well as deeply sinister.

"jungkook and taehyung, how about you two go back to the cemetery. i'll be there in a bit." namjoon said.
the two young boys hesitantly stared at him for a moment, before turning around and flying away.
"what do you want from me?" namjoon asked jin when they were alone.

"easy." jin said, perching himself on the rock. "i need you to find someone for me."
"jin, there's a chance they could be-"
"i was only killed six years ago, damn it, i know for sure he is not dead." he flared.

"who do you want me to find?" namjoon sighed.
"well..." jin crossed his legs. "...i don't really know."

"you're a rage spirit and don't even know who you want to reap vengeance upon?" namjoon couldn't hide his chuckle.
jin frowned, huffing slightly. "it's called an ambush, you bugger. i couldn't see my attacker, i was waiting for my love."

namjoon raised an eyebrow, interest peaked. "in a forest?"
"our parents didn't approve." jin said dismissively. "i was waiting here, and then next thing i know, i'm dead."

"well," namjoon sighed. "that's not anything to go on."
"i'm aware." jin grumbled. then his eyes lit up. "but, he did leave his shovel." jin turned and floated to a large blanket of moss, uncovering an ivory-handled shovel with a sharp, silver blade, stained with dirt and years, though still beautiful.

namjoon's eyes widened, as he picked up the shovel, running his hands over it. it was beautifully crafted, had to be done by one of the best blacksmiths of the age.

"must've been someone wealthy who took you out." namjoon concluded.
"obviously." jin said, irritated. "i'm aware of that as well."

the two looked at each other in annoyance for a second, before jin finally spoke.

"i have a plan." he said. "i need you to dig up my body."
namjoon's face curdled as he set the shovel down. he never saw the bodies he put in graves, and to be frank, was always a bit squeamish about them. "why on earth would i do that?"

"if you carry a piece of me into town, we can go through the library archives of town residents, and find more information on my lover's family.
i'm bound to my body. i cannot leave the area."
jin explained.
"but..." namjoon sighed. "okay. i'll do that tomorrow, but for tonight, i need to finish my job."

"your job?" jin raised an eyebrow.
"i'm a gravedigger. i have bodies waiting for me behind the church to bury." namjoon responded.
jin sighed. "right. the church. well, off you go then." and with that, disappeared from view.

namjoon exhaled, walking down into the graveyard from the forest and repeating the situation in his head. why would his lover's family disapprove of jin? surely he was a little forward, and...rude...but he definitely was wealthy, by the looks of his clothes and his posh attitude.

what woman's family would dislike that?

as he came to the graveyard, a man was looking over the coffins to be buried, muttering to himself and brushing his hand down the side of them.

"hey!" the man yelled, seeing namjoon's approach. "why aren't these buried yet?"
namjoon groaned internally. this was min yoongi, another wealthy churchman. he was brooding and rude, though a rather handsome young man.

"i was just getting on it, sir."
"your duties say 6 in the evening sharp. it is after sunset. need i remind you your earnings at this church? i could smell the bodies from inside!"

namjoon also had pity for yoongi, as he had lost his wife and son to scarlet fever about three years ago. he had been bitter ever since.
"my apologies, sir, i overslept." namjoon grabbed the church's shovel and began digging furiously, feeling min yoongi's eyes still on him.

as he left, the ghosts then came out one after another. jungkook and taehyung danced with glee in seeing namjoon's safe arrival, demanding he tell them everything.

"wow...a regular romeo and juliet." jungkook said romantically. "i bet her family killed him."
"but they had no reason to," taehyung interjected. "he was rich! he told me himself. and powerful! no one should have had any problems with him."

namjoon huffed, as swung another shovel of dirt onto the coffin in the grave he was digging. "i'll find out tomorrow, won't i? go hang out with your friends, this'll be my job to get to the bottom of."
jungkook and taehyung nodded, letting him be.

"by the way..." taehyung said. "jin wasn't even friendly to you. why do you feel the need to help him?"

"because," namjoon stuck the shovel in the dirt, wiping his face. "i'm a gravedigger. it's what i do."

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