dodging death | lee minhyuk

③ ー unfortunately...

You sighed wearily, tapping your foot upon the surface of the ground as you waited for the streetlight to indicate the crossing. Although it was scarcely past 5am, you were already running late for work.

Today was not your day, you concluded as the rain seemed to intensify. The jacket you wore didn't suffice as a suitable source of protection against the weather, and puddle water was beginning to seep through the lining of your shoes.

Wondering if it was even possible for your day to get any worse, you soon found an answer when someone startled you from behind.

"Excuse me!" a young man in his early twenties appeared by your side, and you nearly jolted onto the road.

Tuffs of his red hair were tucked into the hood of his Supreme hoodie, and he seemed to be using his phone with his earbuds plugged in.

"Gee Minhyuk, wasn't that smooth," I.M muttered into the mic.

"Thanks!" Minhyuk responded. Clearly he was not accustomed to the arts of sarcasm.

You raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering why the stranger was thanking you. "Did I do something?"

The redhead turned back to you, shaking his head rapidly. "Oh no! Sorry, I was just talking to someone I'm on a call with."

He proceeded to ask for your name, to which you were reluctant to give. The man had to give his name first, and even then you were still skeptical about this 'Minhyuk' person.

Much to your relief, the crossing light finally glowed green. "Listen, Minhyuk. I'm running late for work, so if you don't mind..."

Minhyuk would have continued in pursuit as you shifted away from him, but he was interrupted by a voice through his earbud.

"Time's up, Minnie. For them at least. They have sixty seconds to meet their end, so you better make sure you'll get their soul for the Eternal Zone," I.M declared.

"Right, right..." death's intern mumbled, racing after his target once more. You had already created quite a bit of distance between each other by crossing the road, and you did the best you could to ignore him calling out your name. You couldn't fathom why the boy was so keen on pursuing you, but you certainly didn't have time for it.

Minhyuk wasn't sure how you were going to die, but he knew it was going to happen within seconds. He wasn't exactly happy about the matter, you were his first target and a rather interesting one at that, but a job was a job and he needed to please the Grim Reaper.

From what his boss had told him long ago, explained once but never again, the soul of a person would separate from their physical body the moment they lost their life force. Souls tended to wander, and not every mortal was capable of seeing them. So Minhyuk had to grab onto the soul of the departed, swiping them before they could advance anywhere in a spiritual form and escort them to the Eternal Zone.

I.M cleared his throat briefly before providing another explanation. "Judging from your given environment, I have a feeling their death will be caused by a vehicle. Wait for the scene to unfold and get their soul right away,"

"Huh? Vehicle? They're moving on the other side of the road though, so..."

"There's not much time left! It'll happen unless you do something about it, so just get ready!"

Flustered by the assistant's increase in volume, Minhyuk rushed towards you and seized your wrist. Too early. The redhead didn't realize what he had done in panic until you jerked yourself away from his grasp, yelping in the process.

The action caused you to stumble rightwards, right in the path of the other road on its green light. Letting out another scream, one much louder than before, you squeezed your eyes shut as you tried to brace for any impact.

Minhyuk's eyes widened as he watched you fall, though his attention darted to the side as he saw an oncoming car driving in your very direction.

I.M was probably shouting something into the mic, but his voice was upstaged by the rapid honking of the car as the driver attempted to slam their breaks.

So this is how they die? Guilt blossomed within Minhyuk as he nibbled on his bottom lip. Although it was inevitable, he knew it was still partially his doing.

It was his job. People died everyday. So why couldn't he bring himself to watch any longer?

Maybe it was the same guilt that ate at him so suddenly, there was no other explanation as to what brought his legs forward to your direction.

"Minnie, wait- no! What are you doing?"

As I.M continued to tell him off through the mic, Minhyuk lunged for you. Seizing your wrist much like before, he yanked you off of the road just before the vehicle would've slammed into your figure.

It was hard for the intern to regain his footing after the sudden action, but he managed to drag you along with him to the other side of the crossing. Witnesses of the scene stepped back, allowing him to fall onto the pavement whilst cushioning your fall.

"Oh. God." I.M was rendered speechless for a moment, much like you and Minhyuk were. The only difference was that the assistant was able to keep talking.

"Lee Minhyuk, I can't believe you just did that. Oh my god, what are you gonna tell the boss?" death's intern swallowed thickly at the mention of the Grim Reaper. What was he going to say? In fact, what was he going to do?

He had just saved his target's life instead of taking it.

"Okay, wait. Don't tell the boss. I'll tell him, and you, uh, fix this? I don't know if you're going to be able to deal with your other targets if you couldn't handle your first, uhm..."

The redhead could practically visualize his assistant scratching the back of his head, face palming, any sort of action to express his attitude towards the current situation.

Even if he had yet to see what I.M looked like to begin with.

"Deal with the target, Minnie. I'll... I'll let the boss know." With that, I.M disappeared from the call. Only a prolonged beep followed prior to his statement.

With wide eyes, Minhyuk turned to face you. He didn't realize that the two of you were still on the sidewalk, getting drenched by rain water as other passerby either circled the two of you or fled the scene.

Doing the first thing your mind told you to, you smacked the redhead's arm. "What was that? I literally almost died!"

"Ack! I know, I know, but you didn't right?" Minhyuk responded as he jerked away from your reach. "Unfortunately..."

"Wha- unfortunately?! What do you mean unfortunately? Did you want me to die? Huh?!" at this point you were fuming. This Minhyuk person was truly the cherry on top to your terrible day, and just moments ago he had almost caused you to meet your end. And this was his attitude towards it?

Realizing what he had muttered, Minhyuk's jaw dropped. "Wait, no! Don't take that the wrong way! Er, it's a long story... I don't really know how to explain it to mortals,"

"You know what? I've got time for the 'long story'. Explain it to me so I can understand, or I'll... I'll report you!" standing up from your position, you yanked him off of the ground rather forcefully before forcing your way through the tiny crowd with Minhyuk still in tow.

"Don't report me! Whatever that is! I'll explain it to you somehow, I swear!" he exclaimed, fumbling at your grip as you stormed towards the direction of your work building.