Ghostly Relationships

Part One: First Sightings

So, imma be pretty straight forward here - I'm a ghost. Eh. It's okay I guess. Just, let me explain how being a ghost works:

I have this bracelet that was put around my wrist when I died. Basically, the rules of the bracelet are pretty simple. When the green gem glows, it means I'm visible  - people can see me. I can touch anything, except, I can't make skin contact with people because it really, really hurts me. I don't know why. But then, when the red gem glows, I'm back to being the average invisible ghost that's unable to touch anything. So yeah, those are really all the rules.

Now, I'll tell you my story.

I was about five years old and playing in the school yard when the new boy came up to me and asked if he could play with the fire truck. I said yes and we began bonding. His name was Hanbin, and we grew very close. Then we were 13 years old and were still best of friends, but then we went to different schools and got interested in different stuff: I got makeup and started liking boys; he got looks and started liking girls. We made desperate attempts to keep our friendship strong, but we both got awkward in the 'love' department.

So yeah, I was sixteen years old and in the middle of Classical studies when BAM, I was gone. Body slumped over the desk, eyes rolled into the back of my head ... nobody knew what it was. They still don't. And it wasn't like I was taking drugs or doing anything that was extremely life-threatening, I just ... y'know, died.

But that was one year ago. I haven't done the classic, 'oh, better just go check up on my parents to make sure they're okay', because what if my green gem started glowing and I was just casually sitting in the living room watching them cook dinner? Then they turn around and their dead daughter was sitting in the living room - it would ruin them.

Yet, one thing happened and I couldn't figure out how.

I was walking along the pavement, kicking stones and tripping people up. The red gem was still glowing and it was really annoying - I just wanted to pat the local dairy mans' dog. I walked up to a pedestrian crossing and just miss it. I glanced down at my wrist and it's still red, so I began crossing the road. The weird shivering feeling of cars going right through me still freaks me out. I reached the other side and walked into a pole. "Ow ..." I mumbled and saw the green gem glowing. "Aish, right at the right moment, huh?" I straightened my clothes and continued walking forward, every so often walking into people, thinking that I'd pass right through them. 

That time I actually had to wait for the pedestrian light to turn on. So I was waiting - and then I saw him. He was waiting on the other side of the road with his earphones in. It was him, I could tell by the face that I had grew so accustomed to.

I stared intently at him and he shifted uncomfortably, then locked eyes with me. We made that awkward kind of eye contact where it's like, 'I know you from somewhere but I don't remember exactly', that kind. I've heard so much about him. He's in that new group iKON, the leader and rapper ... not to mention he's super good looking. Heh.

The pedestrian light turned on, and before the crowd of people blocked him from my view - he mouthed my name 'Seo Min Hyo' and disappeared. I disappeared too, y'know, because the red gem began to glow again.

So yeah, that was my first encounter with someone I knew since I died. The strange thing was, he didn't look shocked at seeing me. He actually had the look of ... longing. The kind where you see someone from a while ago and have been missing them. 

Actually, I've had one other encounter with someone since I died. That was with the teacher that was teaching me in Classical studies, and saw me die. Basically, I was in a floral shop, pretending to smell flowers - because I have no smelling senses when my red gem is glowing (ugh that must suck) - when my teacher came in. Mrs Joo Mi, I think it was. "Min Hyo?" She said from behind me. I had froze, not realising that my green gem was glowing. I had slowly turned around and saw her staring at me in shock. She screamed and I disappeared.