October Writer Event '24

Incapable of Love Until...

Author: Dweakbinnie

Theme: Incapable of Love Until...

Where to find them: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dweakbinnie or https://www.wattpad.com/user/dweakbinnie

---

Trick or Treat

Halloween. The time of year when kids run from door to door with wide smiles as they collect sweets that'll last them a lifetime—or about ten minutes. All dressed up in various costumes their screams fill up the streets. Parents follow behind knowing the sugar rush they're going to have to deal with later. While also eyeing out the sweets they may secretly nab from their kid's bag. Adults are allowed to have a sweet-tooth too.

Walking up to the next house, Chan followed behind his two kids who had already rushed up the front garden and started knocking on the door. Jisung and Jeongin stood happily in their ghost costumes made from a cut up bed sheet with a black marker used to add some more detail.

It was a bit of a rush-job for costumes, but he wasn't expecting to have his kids for Halloween. Chan's ex-wife was suddenly sent on a business trip that caused her to hurry the boys over to his apartment the day before. She hadn't prepared any costumes herself.

Jisung, who was six, and Jeongin, who was four, had insisted that they went as ghosts. Apparently, they had recently watched Casper and were obsessed with the idea of being ghosts. However, they weren't the only ones who had to be ghosts. As Chan helped them into the costumes, Jisung asked where his costume was and thus led to Chan cutting up another bed sheet for himself to wear.

Standing at the front door, Chan was a ghost family with his kids as they giggled, holding out their pillowcases already half full. It didn't take long for the door to open and a fog flooded out of the house around the boy's feet. Their giggles fell silent as they stared with open mouths at the figure in front of them. Forgetting that they're meant to say, "trick or treat".

The man's dark hair was slick back, his skin paled and eyes darkened with makeup. Fangs popped out slightly from under his top lip as fake blood ran down from his lips to his chin. He wore a black three-piece velvet suit with a cloak flowing from his wide shoulders to the floor. His heeled boots met with his leather jeans just below the knee.

"You dare knock upon my door little ghosts?" The man who opened the door spoke, a slight lisp in his words from the fake fangs he wore. Leaning down to the boy's height, he eyed them up and down. "Well, I assume even ghosts are allowed to enjoy the food of the living." Bringing one hand out from behind him, he produced a bowl full to the brim of many sweets.

"Now, what to you say boys," Chan emphasised.

"Thank you, Mr. Vampire," the boys said in unison as they reached out to grab a packet of Haribo's.

"You're very much welcome," the man smiled, showing off his fangs. Standing back up he paused for a second as he made eye-contact with Chan. "A sweet for you?" He asked, offering out the bowl.

Chan's smile was hidden under the bed sheet. "Thank you, but I'm alright," he replied. In reality he did want a sweet, but part of him was confused as he felt like he wanted something else. The man's vampire costume was one of the best he'd seen so far, and he thought that was what made it hard for him to look away.

Instead of ignoring Chan's answer, the man decided to play along with it. "Can ghosts not taste the same as those alive?" The man tilted his head.

"Come on, daddy. Take one," Jisung sang, as he turned to look up at Chan.

The man lifted his brow as he reached out a little further. "Just because you're dead doesn't mean you're not allowed to feel alive."

Something about those words felt like they had a different meaning. As if the man could see inside of Chan's mind—inside of Chan's heart. The reason Chan and hie ex-wife divorced wasn't because they no longer loved each other. There were arguments but they never hated one another. In truth, it was because Chan realised that his love for her was not the same as her love for him. He loved her, he still loves her, but it wasn't the love she deserved.

"Thank you," Chan said, blushing under his bed sheet as he reached into the bowl.

Jeongin laughed, hugging Chan's leg. "Next house, next house," he squealed. His pillowcase dragging on the ground by his feet.

"Happy trick or treating little ghosts," the man waved as he stepped back into his home.

"Wait," Chan called out causing everyone to freeze. Shaking his head, Chan knelt down on one knee to his kids, "boys, I want you to wait for me at the end of garden. Don't go anywhere without me, okay? I'll be just a minute."

Jisung looked at Jeongin and took his hand. "Okay, daddy."

Chan smiled fondly as his oldest was already being protective of his younger brother. The two walked down to the end of the front garden and stood, comparing the sweets they'd each collected.

"Is everything okay?" The man asked as Chan still knelt, watching his children.

"Ah, yes sorry." Chan brushed his knees as he looked back at the man dressed as a vampire. "I wanting to ask what you meant when you said, 'just because I'm dead it doesn't mean I'm not allowed to feel alive'?"

The man looked confused as he replied, "I was referring to how you're dressed as a ghost. Is everything okay?" There was a flicker of concern in the man's eyes as Chan sheepishly looked away.

"Yeah, it's just something you probably don't want to hear."

The man grabbed Chan's arm, forcing him to make eye contact. "Tell me," he demanded, a softness in his tone.

Chan reluctantly sighed. "I've been feeling dead for a while, if you get what I mean, but your words made me feel like I'm allowed to live—live the love I want."

There was silence for a few moments as the man took in what Chan meant. The man's eyes glanced to the little ghosts at the end of his front garden then back at their father. Noticing the missing ring he released Chan's arm. "You love the little ghosts mother?"

"Yes," Chan mumbled, quietly.

"But you do not love their mother?"

Chan wanted to look away, but he was fixated by the man's gaze. "Yes," he whispered.

The man straightened, there was caution in the way he moved. Taking a notepad and pen out from the front door table, he wrote something down before tearing out and folding the page. "May I ask you something?"

Biting his bottom lip, Chan stayed silent. He was willing to hear what the man had to say, even if he wouldn't like it.

"Trick or Kiss?" The man spoke slowly, reducing as much of a lisp as he could.

Chan stared at the man, his eyes drifting to the man's mouth. "Kiss," he replied.

The man stepped closer and gently pressed his lips to Chan's bed sheet covered lips. Pulling away the man was shocked to see the glimmer in Chan's eyes. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Chan wasting no time in flinging the bed sheet over his head and leaning in again for another kiss. The truth inside him unravelling as everything started to make sense. He wasn't incapable of love; he hadn't met the right person to love.

-

Once further down the street with his kids, Chan pulled out the piece of paper the man had given him from his pocket. Unfolding it, he found a name and a phone number written down.

Seo Changbin

xxxx-xxxx-xxxxx