I turn my head outside the window.
Eun-Hyuk's been here for a few days now.
But, the only problem is.
Whenever I go outside, nobody else can see him.
"Eun-Hyuk," I say, he looks at me.
"Ah, nothing, nevermind," I say.
×
"Hey, Hwan-Jae?" Eun-Hyuk says, breaking the silence.
I hum in response.
"Did you know today's Valentines Day?"
I cough and spit out my coffee.
"I-Is it?" I say, loosening my collar.
He nods.
"Do you have a girlfriend? A lover? Maybe even a friend with benef-"
I lean over the table and desperately cover his mouth.
"No, no and no." I sigh.
"Can you get me some chocolates then?"
"Ha-ah?" I exhale in disbelief.
He blushes immediately after, "N-not for the reason you think, I swear."
"It's my birthday today," Eun-Hyuk explains.
×
"February fourteenth?" I confirm.
"Yes," he responds.
I cock my head to the side.
"Do you have a lover, Eun-Hyuk?" I ask, out of pure curiosity.
"I,"
Silence comes upon us before he murmurs; "I don't remember."
I softly touch his hands, "Don't force yourself if it hurts."
He smiles, "Okay."
I put on a coat and tell Eun-Hyuk to stay home.
"Why~?" He whines.
"I'm going shopping and then headed to work,"
But, that's a lie.
I'm lying.
Sort of.
I'm buying ingredients to make chocolates at Ki-Hoon's place.
It's his birthday, after all.
I can't give him nothing.
"Look after the house, okay?" I say, "Do not answer the door unless it's me." I say as I put on my shoes.
"Okay, okay~," He says playfully.
I close the door and breathe.
×
"So, you have a girl you like?" Ki-Hoon says, opening his front door.
"No, it's a friend's birthday. These are platonic chocolates." I say.
"Boring," Ki-Hoon groans as he lets me inside.
"I really appreciate you teaching me, Ki-Hoon-ssi," I say.
"I'm doing this for your friend, they won't forgive you if you give them shitty chocolates," he says, rubbing the base of his neck.
I narrow my eyebrows at him.
"I'm sure my friend thanks you," I say in a bland, monotone voice.
×
I open the apartment door.
It's late.
I see a sleeping Eun-Hyuk at the dinner table, with bandaged fingers.
And a plate of food with cling-wrap on it to keep it fresh.
I smile, softly and put the plate in the refrigerator.
I cover his torso with a blanket and leave the chocolates beside him.
I walk into my room and as I'm getting ready for bed, I spot the phone book on my side-table.
'Martinez is a pretty rare find in Korea. I'm sure if there's a 'Martinez' in here, it's probably his family.'
I scavenge the book until I find those words.
I fumble my phone from my pockets and dial the number.
×
"Hello?"
It's a soft, feminine voice.
"Hi, is this the Martinez residence?" I ask, somehow, I'm nervous.
"Yes, um, who - may I ask - is calling?"
They sound polite.
Soft-spoken, formal, lady.
"Um, my name's Choi Hwan-Jae, this is about your son; Eun-Hyuk?"
It goes silent.
'Did she hang up?'
As I'm about to end the call, I hear sniffling.
"What, what kind of sick joke?"
"Ma'am?" I ask.
'Oh no, she's crying.'
'Why is she crying?'
"Eun-Hyuk is dead." The woman says, gasping for air between cries.
"What...?"
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YOU ARE READING
ghost
Romance× Choi Hwan-Jae is your regular twenty-four-year-old guy, he's making a living off being a barista; which is... well, it's work. In this day and age, you need work to survive. After a shift, Hwan-Jae decides to go out drinking with a few co-workers...