SHADOWLESS |seongjoong|

#10#

Hongjoong:

It was only the second day of our living together. I spend most of the day outside doing some work and research. I couldn't find anything about our case. Was Seonghwa the first case of a split soul? It was impossible. I understood the delicate nature of his case. But there had to be a similar case from the past. It frustrated me a lot. My efforts were fruitless, and I was angry. We had some more time, yet it irritated me. I wanted to help Seonghwa as soon as possible. I didn't want to watch him struggle.

I returned home feeling angry. But when I stepped inside my apartment, my frustration melted. Seonghwa waited for me with a warm smile and a homemade meal. I took a look around my apartment. Everything was spotless. I could also smell the tasty scent of home-cooked food. Seonghwa had cleaned up and cooked for me. And the warm smile that met me. It felt so good. It was different from what I was used to.

"Welcome home," Seonghwa smiled at me.

Hwa took my coat before leading me to the kitchen. We sat at the table, and then Hwa waited for me to take the first bite before he ate. My new roommate asked me about my day. His soft voice made me feel comfortable to share. He listened to me and made me feel better. Somehow, talking with Hwa felt therapeutic. The last time I felt like that was while living with Yunho. It felt nostalgic.

Once we finished eating, Seonghwa sent me to the bathroom while he was cleaning. The bathroom was also spotless and smelled like fresh flowers. It was something unusual for my home. Even if I or Woo cleaned it, it was never this clean. I could see my reflection in the bathroom tiles. I was starting to question if this was my home. It had a completely different feeling to it after a day of Seonghwa's presence.

...

I returned to Seonghwa after my shower. The moment he saw me, Hwa sat me down to dry my hair. I tried to refuse, but Hwa insisted. His behaviour was a little extra, yet I allowed it in the end. His soft touch and the warm air felt good. His hands were handling my hair gently. This softness made me slightly sleepy. Before I could fall asleep, Seonghwa stopped. He smiled again and asked me if I wanted to watch some drama with him. I agreed.

Soenghwa sat next to me before he played some K-drama on his laptop. It was about a fairytale writer and a health worker. Seonghwa told me a little before we began watching it, but I wasn't so interested in it. I agreed, only because I could spend some more time with Seonghwa. His presence was somehow relaxing. And I stayed with him until midnight.

Around midnight, I received a message. It was an emergency summoning. I had to collect three souls because there was no other available Grim Reaper. I excused myself before changing clothes. I turned towards Seonghwa, telling him not to wait for me. However, his response surprised me.

"I'll wait for you, even if you return tomorrow," Hwa said.

I smiled at him before leaving our apartment. It was my first time wanting to finish up faster and return home.

...

I arrived at the location minutes after the accident had occurred. Over there, I could see three spirits. Two of them were older women. They were in their late 40s or early 50s. The third soul was a young boy, no older than 25 at best. I watched the two women screaming at that poor boy. It wasn't my first time seeing such actions. I could smell the alcohol scent coming from both women. That was disgusting. On the other side was that sleepy boy, who was panicking. I decided to save him by doing my job. I walked towards them. For a split second, the three looked at me before the two women returned to yelling at him. They were screaming how that boy was the reason for their car crash. I knew he was innocent. I saw the footage of their crash and already saw the cars' placement.

"Quiet down already!" I raised my voice. "You caused this mess, and it's already too late. I'll lead you to the afterlife."

"Who are you to command me?! Go back to your mommy, little boy!" one of them yelled at me.

"Piss off, boy!" the other one joined.

Ah, rude old hags. I had no time for all of that. So, I raised my scythe, scaring them. They started backing away, but it was too late for that. They were in my range and on my nerves. So I swung once, reaping their souls. The ghosts turned into small spirit balls I could easily carry around. I placed them in my pocket. Then, I turned towards the boy. He was scared.

"That's better, isn't it?" I asked. "Please, follow me. We have to fill up before letting you go to the next life."

"What about them?" he asked me, pointing to my pocket.

"They? Those two are going straight to hell," I answered.

"Is it because they were rude to you?" the boy asked next.

"No, it's because they killed an innocent soul, you."

After our short conversation, the boy followed me quietly. He didn't dare to ask me anything else. I couldn't blame him. During my long career, I observed many mortals fearing me. Reapers were the sign they died. We were the light at the end of the tunnel. We were the dark, scary truth behind one's mortality.

...

I returned home a little before sunrise. It was late, and I tried to stay as quiet as possible. I didn't want to wake Seonghwa up. I walked into the living room on my way to my room. Midtrack, I noticed Seonghwa sleeping on the sofa. Hwa probably fell asleep while waiting for me. I felt guilty for making him wait up for me. So, I tried to carry him to his room. The moment I tried to lift him, Seonghwa pulled me closer. I fell on top of him, trapped in his tight hug. I got a flash of deja vu. This time I didn't try to set myself free. I was too tired to do so. And his warm embarrassment felt comforting. I quickly drift towards sleep.