The alarm clock was annoying. That was really the correct description of it. At least that was what passed through Kyuhyun’s mind as he was woken once again at a time that was far too early in his opinion. Resisting the urge to chuck it against the wall, he slammed his hand down on the clock with all the strength his sleep-ridden self could muster.

Dragging his feet, Kyuhyun reluctantly got changed and placed all of his textbooks and papers in his backpack. As he walked sleepily down the hall, he heard a huge crash from the kitchen. Immediately, Kyuhyun raced there to see what had happened. As he caught himself in the doorway of kitchen, huffing from the sudden exertion, he found cereal strewn across the hardwood floor. Yesung was sprawled on the floor with a shattered bowl next to him.

“What the heck happened in here?” Kyuhyun asked, his voice monotone.

“Um, I was bored and I figured that you would be tired… seeing as I woke you up at like midnight. And I sometime last night I realized that I could touch objects normally if I concentrate really super hard even though I’m ghost so I decided to try to making breakfast for you- …but then as I was going to the table I tripped over my own foot and lost concentration and the bowl fell and broke and-”

“Okay, okay! I get it,” Kyuhyun interrupted Yesung’s rapid-fire explanation. “Look, I have to go to school now, so do you mind trying to clean this up? If you can’t I’ll just do it when I get home.”

“Wait, you’re still in college?” Yesung questioned, his eyes widening a tad.

“Duh, I’m only 20,” Kyuhyun responded sarcastically.

“Oh...”

“HEY! Are you saying I’m OLD?”

“NO! It’s just that you just act older than your age, a little more mature. Take it as a compliment Kyuhyun.” Yesung winced and slowly crept away as Kyuhyun’s glare bore into his head. “I’ll… go clean my mess now.” Yesung scurried away to escape.

“Okay then… but please stop failing. I don’t want my apartment to be in complete ruins when I get back!” Kyuhyun shouted.

Yesung pouted in discontent. “YAH!”

<>

Having frantically rushed to Yojeong University, Kyuhyun burst into the lecture hall only to find that the professor was late. Sighing in relief, Kyuhyun placed his backpack down and began to review the notes from the previous lecture.

“Hi Kyu.”

Kyuhyun startled, nearly falling from his seat at the sudden voice in his ear. Righting himself, he swiftly turned and saw the smirking face of his cousin, Zhou Mi. “WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM?” he exclaimed.

“The door. Where else would I get here from pabo?” Zhou Mi said, snickering. He immediately received a smack from the displeased Kyuhyun.

“OI! If I’m such an idiot, why I am getting a perfect score in trig and you’re getting… I don’t know, low 60’s?” Kyuhyun retorted.

 Zhou Mi glared. “You may not be an idiot at math, I admit. But you’re a real idiot at seeing the obvious… oh and fashion. Geez Kyuhyun, you need like a SERIOUS fashion overhaul. I’m surprised that you even had a girlfriend.” He gave Kyuhyun a critical once over. He was wearing a baggy shirt that hung over a very loose pair of jeans. Combined with inch thick glasses and hair that seriously didn’t look like it had gotten combed that morning, he was truly a fashion disaster.

“Oi, for your information, I’m perfectly fine with the way I dress. And about her… can we not talk about that,” Kyuhyun said, hanging his head low.

Quickly, Zhou Mi gave him a hug of encouragement. “Ne, sorry for bringing her up.”

“It’s fine… but really, I thought we were in love. I guess I was wrong…” Kyuhyun’s voice trailed off as the pain resurfaced.

“Everything in life has a risk Kyu, and maybe this time it didn’t work out, however that doesn’t mean you can just give up, the perfect one will be out there for you. You just need to be patient.”

“Are you my therapist or something?” Kyuhyun asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Psh, and I was trying to make you feel better.”

Kyuhyun  grinned faintly. “I was being sarcastic, but thanks though Mimi.”

Zhou Mi returned the smile but quickly changed the subject in order to not hurt Kyuhyun any further. “On a lighter note, how is it having an apartment of your own?”

Kyuhyun instantly recalled Yesung and couldn’t help but sigh as he responded. “It’s, um… how should I say this… very interesting.” He twiddled his fingers nervously, unsure of what else to say.

“How is it interesting to own a new home?” Ryeowook appeared like a ghost behind the two, his eyes glued to the open psychology book in his hand.

“WHOA! Wookie, when did you get here?” Zhou Mi shrieked, staggering back in surprise.

Kyuhyun, finally overwhelmed by the morning’s surprises simply fell from his char in shock. Rubbing his forehead that he had bumped on the way down, he muttered, “Why does everyone end up behind me and scare the crap out of me?” 

Ryeowook finally closed his book and directed his intense gaze at Kyuhyun. “You say that it’s interesting… so, do you have a very interesting somebody at your house?”

Spot on. Kyuhyun’s face turned a bright red.  “YAH! Stop turning all psychic on me!” Kyuhyun whined, hiding his blushing face as he picked himself up off the floor. Ryeowook stuck his tongue out in defiance. Ugh, the joys of having a psychic as your friend… Kyuhyun thought to himself.

“I can’t help it. You’ve been emitting very strange wavelengths since you came to school today. And besides, I’ve been friends with you since we were kids, of course I know when something’s up with you,” Ryeowook said straight-faced as Kyuhyun sunk deeper in his chair.

“Yeah, but you were clueless about your abilities back then. So, can you revert back to that adorable Ryeowook I know?”

Ryeowook pouted, his expression becoming childish. The serious air around him vanished. “Aw, KYU! I’m sorry! I just can’t help myself. You know when I turn all psychic I get colder and more serious,” he exclaimed as Kyuhyun face-palmed.

“You’re not only my psychic best friend, you’re also my bipolar best friend.”

Ryeowook smacked him on the shoulder. “Hey! It’s not like I can do anything about it!”

Kyuhyun only smirked and instantly received another whack, this time to the head.

The three continued to banter playfully until the professor arrived. However, even as Kyuhyun listened to the lecture, he remained on edge. Thoughts of a certain clumsy ghost kept coming to mind no matter how hard he tried to banish them. He prayed that Yesung wouldn’t do anything stupid back at his apartment. If only he had prayed harder.

<>

Left all alone again in Kyuhyun’s apartment, Yesung was about to die of boredom. Wandering nonchalantly through walls, he explored the different rooms of the apartment. As he passed through what appeared to be Kyuhyun’s study, he suddenly entered a small dark space. He backtracked. It was a closet. So apparently being a ghost doesn’t give me perfect night vision, he noted, a little disappointed. In most of the rooms, Yesung could see perfectly fine due the light streaming in from the many windows. The windowless closet, however, posed a problem for him. Ever curious, he resigned himself to opening the door manually. Concentrating hard on the doorknob, he grabbed it and twisted.

“WAHHH!” An avalanche of random stuff came crashing down and out of the closet, covering Yesung, who had tripped backwards and fallen. Drifting up from the pile, he groaned, “Really… Kyuhyun’s going to kill me… wait- I’m dead already.”

Yesung crouched to examine this second disaster, which he had created on the floor of Kyuhyun’s home. As he contemplated cleaning up, he spotted a small plushy turtle. Its eyes were big and round and it had a couple stains but appeared well loved and cared for. Dangling around turtle’s neck was a shiny piece of metal.

“Eh? What’s this?” Taking a closer look, Yesung realized that it was a silver clown fish pendant, with a message inscribed on it. Keeping my fishy close to my heart~. Without thinking, Yesung reached to take the pendant in hand, but as soon as his ghostly fingers wrapped around the cool metal, he began to quiver profusely. His hands shook like dead leaves about to fall from the tree and his vision became spotty. Fainting, he fell once more to the floor, still clutching the fish pendant in his hand.