junhong's tears flowed down freely. "hyung… don't. don't go back."

yongguk furrowed his brows. "what do you mean, junhong-ah?" he went towards the sniffling boy, heart wrenching as he had never seen junhong cry like that before. ever.

"i mean…" junhong searched for the right words to put it, hiccuping, "don't ggg..go back to your body…. ye..yet."

"what…do you mean?" yongguk was more confused than ever, "how did you know i was here? and why can't i go back? i have been trying to, but there seems to be something stopping me…" yongguk looked at the tears on junhong's face, and wanted more than ever to wipe those off his face with his thumb. "but most important, why are you crying?"

he raised a hand instinctively to junhong's shaking shoulders.

"be-because..i don't want you to forget me."he raised his eyes to meet yongguk's dark ones. "i-i found out that you were not dead, s-so i came here and th-then i met this ahjussi-ghost, he-he said in your case you will…forget about everything after you ha-ave gone back… i am so-sorry hyung…"

there was a stunned silence from yongguk.

"you..already knew i wasn't dead?"

junhong bit his lip. "i just found out a…a few hours ago."

this complicates things, yongguk thought as he tried to digest the information. he desperately wants to go back to his body, of course; he is quite ready to go back to the living world. but he is really quite fond of the cute ghost-seer, and the time they have spent together…were precious memories for him. 

they stood in silence for a few moments, and just when yongguk wanted to just say something to comfort the sniffling boy, the door opened.

both boys turned to see mrs bang walk in; but to her, she only saw a tall, pale teenage boy in front of her, tears still fresh on his cheeks.

"may i know who are you?" mrs bang asked politely. "are you a friend of yongguk?"

"i uh…"junhong said in a fluster, "y-yeah, i guess." he saw yongguk move in the corner of his eye, and as their eyes met, yongguk gave him a reassuring smile.

junhong felt his heart calm in the instant. 

and that was how yongguk has always made him feel: calm, protected, ready to take on the world.

the sudden thought struck him then, and he realised how much he didn't want to let the elder go, leave him to face the world, ghosts and all, alone.

"i see, i have never seen you before. what's your name?" mrs bang's kindly smile brought him back to his senses. she put a hand on his shoulder and let him to one of the two chairs next to the bed.

"i'm junhong. i-i didn't know yongguk hyung was here all this while," the boy pursed his lips and shot a quick glance at yongguk, who was now standing behind the two, with a calm expression.

"i am sure he will be happy that you came to visit, junhong." mrs bang took in junhong's red-rimmed eyes and patted him comfortingly. "did you know him well?

"yeah..i guess. yongguk hyung has been really great to me. he has always protected me from .. bad things, and he listens to whatever i want to say. he looks fierce and cool, but he is really a softie at heart. he has so many dreams he wants to achieve, things he wants to do, and he deserves a chance to do all that."

after saying that, he chanced a glance at the ghost again. his heart clenched as he saw yongguk's serene smile, and his shiny eyes that were gentle as they gazed into junhong's.

at that, he hears a sniffle from mrs bang. "aww sweetie." mrs bang dabbed at her eyes. "yes, yes. yongguk had many dreams, to do music, to compose his own songs. but we were against it and forced him to drop it all." 

she let out a bitter smile. "if i could turn back time, i won't stop him from doing what he wants. after all, life is so short and unpredictable. we have all got to do what we want to do, while we still can."

the words hit straight on junhong's heart, and he felt regret wash over him. how could he be so selfish to beg his hyung to stay, stopping him from the chance to return and live his life? even though that means he would lose the elder, but that was a sacrifice he is willing to take, for the happiness of so many others.

"i am sure he will come back, mrs bang. maybe he has just lost his way for awhile, but he will definitely come back because there are so many things waiting for him here, his family, his friends, his dreams," junhong murmured, looking up so he locked gazes with yongguk.

*******

did i just not update this for 3 whole months?!? work must have fried my brains >>_<<
short chapter while i continue to work on the ending... *sweats*

and thank you all old and new readers!!! <3