There was a fire. It was rather large and started abruptly in the kitchen downstairs. The stove was left on from dinner. It was around one in the morning and everyone was obviously asleep. By everyone, that meant Jinki and his mother. Father was out late for work once again.

The fire traveled its way to the ceiling, burning a hole in the hall way upstairs. It traveled through the rest of the main floor, enveloping the couch and all the tables in his petrifying blaze. Though the Lee family had always loved fire, for there was one in their fireplace every night in the winter months, a house fire was surely not on the list of favorite blazes they’d experienced in the past.

 Smoke filled every room of the house, causing an intoxication of the tenant’s lungs. He got up out of bed and tried to open the door. It was stuck, completely jammed with no way of opening it. He heard the screams of his mother yelling his name. The smoke clouded his eyes as he began to cough heavily. He went to the window and tried to open it. Just like the door, the smoke and lack of oxygen had sealed it shut.

He decided that once more, he would try to open the door. He went back to it and attempted to kick it down. A hole appeared and oxygen was let into the room. Jinki gasped for breath as more smoke came in. He kicked it one more time. Another hole.

“UMMA!” He cried, kicking the door one more time. No one had answered his call. He clutched the space where his heart would be as he fell to his knees. Faintly, he could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance. He fell onto his side and coughed one more time before going under. Everything went black.

*

He woke up in the bedroom of a child’s. It was about the size of his own. My room… He thought. Better yet, where is it? Why am I here? He walked over to the window and attempted to open the curtains, but his hands went through them. He jumped back and screamed. Footsteps could be heard coming from the hall behind him. Jinki turned and saw a little boy of about five year’s old standing in the doorway. He gasped.

“Monster!”

“No! I’m not a monster! I don’t even know how I got here!” Jinki protested. At 17, he didn’t really know how to talk to children.

The little boy ran into his closet. “Don’t hurt me monster!” Jinki could hear the boy hyperventilating. He went over to a mirror the boy had on his closet door. Burns covered his face and arms. His clothes were holey and his hair was a mess. Jinki was paler than he remembered. The little boy was right. He did look like a monster. He went to turn away, but something caught his eye. The burns were slowly fading and the holes in his clothes were patching themselves.

What’s going on?

Jinki sat on the floor. “You don’t have to be afraid of me anymore… I look better now.”

The boy opened the door a bit. He poked half of his face around the corner. Two large brown eyes stared at Jinki. They were very much filled with fear but they soon softened. The little boy smiled and came out from hiding.

“Not a monster?” He asked.

Jinki shook his head. “Not a monster.” The boy ran over to Jinki and tried to hug him, but fell right through. The boy hit the ground with a confused expression.

I died… I’m a ghost now aren’t I?

“Are you alright?” Jinki asked. The boy didn’t know what to say.

Jinki decided to try something else. “What’s your name?”

The boy stood and rubbed his eyes. “Minho…” Jinki smiled.

“I’m Jinki. Wanna know something Minho?”

Minho smiled. “Yeah…”

“I’m a ghost. Not a monster.”

Gasping, Minho took a step back. “Gwosts are monsters…”

“I’m a friendly ghost though… There’s no need to be afraid of me.”

“You pinkie pwomise?” Minho cocked his head to the side.

“I pinkie promise.” Jinki nodded. Minho went to hug him again. This time he didn’t fall through. Jinki was astounded, but he hugged him back anyway. Why is it that this time I didn’t fall through? Jinki snapped out of his thoughts.

“Do you wanna be my fwend?” Minho asked, stepping away from Jinki.

“I’d love to.” Jinki smiled.

Minho’s eyes grew wide with excitement. “Does that mean you’ll play with me?”

“Of course I will!”

Minho giggled and ran to the corner of the room. He opened a box the held a smaller blue one. Jinki watched as he tried to pull it out. It must have been too heavy, for he fell backwards onto his . He got back up and pushed the larger box over, causing the blue one to fall out. Minho smiled and dragged it to where Jinki was.

“What’s in the box?” asked Jinki.

“My wacecars.” Minho replied.

“Are we gonna play with those?”

“Yeah!”

Minho opened the box and took out a race car. He set that one aside and pulled out a blue one and handed it to Jinki.

“You can play with this one.” Minho went back to sorting out the box.

They’d been playing for probably over an hour now and Jinki still couldn’t figure out the exact point of the game. So far, Minho had given him three black cars, two green ones, and four multicolored ones. Minho told him that each of them had to have a name. Jinki was able to give the cars names, but had trouble remembering them. Jinki stopped playing with him for a second and just watched. Minho was rolling a car on the carpet back and forth. It was like he was never not entertained.

“How old are you, buddy?” Jinki asked, setting his cars aside.

Minho looked up and held up five fingers. “I’m four!”

“Which is it? Four or five?” Jinki smiled at the mistake.

Minho glanced at his hand and gasped, putting his thumb down. “Four.” He nodded.

Ah, so he’s younger than I thought. He must be tall for his age.

Minho stared at him. “How old are you?”

Jinki thought about it. How long have I been dead? Did that impact my age? “I’m seventeen.” Jinki decided.

Minho giggled. “You’re old!”

“I guess you could say that.” He smiled.

*

Jinki learned that in the weekdays, Minho attended a preschool across town for three hours, eleven to two. It left Jinki lonely at the house but he didn’t mind. It gave him time to walk around the town. It was always a peculiar adventure though. When Jinki would walk down the sidewalk into town, people walking opposite of him would walk right through him. With Minho, it was as if he was alive again. His skin was warm and he could touch things, pick them up. It was almost as if Minho had some special effect on him.

It was when he was walking on a Monday when Minho just started second grade. A child and her mother were walking along the street and the child stopped to stare at Jinki. Her hand touched Jinki’s leg and she shivered.

“Momma that man is cold…” She said. Her mother looked up.

“What man? There’s no one there.”

That’s when Jinki discovered that only children could see, feel, and hear him. But how old can the children be? Jinki prayed there was something about Minho that could let him see Jinki forever. Jinki doubted that it was possible. Minho’s twelfth birthday is when Jinki’s prayer became his most needed wish.

They sat side by side on Minho’s bed, now much larger than the toddler’s bed he had so many years ago when they first met. Minho was playing with his new Nintendo DS he had gotten while Jinki watched.

“You’ve got some cake on your nose, buddy.” Jinki whispered.

Minho paused the game and looked over at him. “What?”

Jinki pointed to his own nose. Minho went cross eyed and laughed when he saw it. He wiped it away with his sleeve. “Thanks Jinki.” Jinki nodded.

Minho hadn’t un-paused the game yet. “Jinki, do you know what I wished for?”

“What did you wish for?” Jinki smiled.

“I wished that when I turned seventeen, I’ll stay that age that way I won’t age and you and I will be friends forever… I don’t ever want to leave you. You’re my best friend…” Minho kissed Jinki’s cheek and went back to playing the game. Jinki’s face was red, he felt the heat. But why? He’s dead… The deceased are cold. Jinki pulled Minho close to him, letting the boy rest his head on Jinki’s chest as he played. He wanted Minho to see him as not only his best friend, but a brother too.

“You’re so sweet…” Jinki said.

“To you… The other kids at school think I’m a jerk cause I kick their butts in gym class all the time.”

“Ignore them. They’re just jealous of you.”

“They have every reason to b—High score!” Minho was beaming. He set the game aside. “And it’s boring now.”

“You just got it.” Jinki laughed.

Minho stared up at him with the same eyes he had when he was four. “That proves nothing Jinki.”

“So it appears.” Jinki ruffled the younger’s hair.

The next day was a surprise.

“Come to school with me Jinki.” Minho smiled as Jinki helped him with the tie that went along with his uniform.

“Excuse me?” Jinki raised an eyebrow.

“Come to school with me! You can meet my friends!”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, buddy.”

“Why not? They’d think it’s cool that my best friend is dead.” Minho laughed.

Jinki decided to come up with a lie. This was the first time he’d ever do so, and he hoped it would be the last. “You’re the only one that can see me, buddy… I’m sorry…”

He could see the expression on Minho’s face turn to complete dismay. “Oh. Okay… Have a good day Jinx.” Minho grabbed his bag from his desk chair and slung it over his shoulder. Jinki watched him leave, then went to the window and watched him get into the car. From that day forth, he vowed to never hurt the boy again.

A few days after Minho turned fifteen, Jinki was supposed to be twenty eight. Minho knew this and decided to give him a present he believed ghosts could receive. He had gotten out early that day and was home two hours before Jinki usually was. He had thrown on baggier clothes for Minho decided that tonight, they would cuddle for the first time. He hoped. Minho was laying on his bed playing with his now outdated DS when Jinki came in.

“How is it that you’re here before me?” Jinki asked, sitting down next to him.

“Talent,” said Minho. He turned off the DS and sat up. “I rented a movie for us to watch since it’s your birthday. It’s on the paper view channels.” Minho sat up and the TV he now had in his bedroom. The stand it rested on had replaced the box of race cars that Jinki thought about every time he saw the stand or the TV for that matter. Minho pressed his back against the wall and scrolled through the channels.

“Jinx, have you ever tried to take off your ghost clothes? If you wanted to wear something else, I’d let you where mine…” Minho muttered, not tearing his eyes from the TV.

Jinki never even thought about it. Could he take off his clothes? He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled upwards a bit. The shirt came with his hand. He could take them off, but would mortal clothes work on him? Jinki got off of Minho’s bed and went to his dresser, pulling out a t shirt Minho had gotten in eighth grade from playing soccer. He took off his own shirt and put on Minho’s. Minho had been bigger than him since he was thirteen. It fit fine. The shirt turned paler, and the red one he had been wearing disappeared into thin air as Jinki let it hit the ground.

Minho watched with keen eye. “That was awesome. Wait. Now my shirt is gonna vanish… Dammit.”

“Not necessarily… My shirt probably went to heaven like I’m supposed to.” Jinki laughed.

Minho’s face turned green. “You’re leaving me? You can’t… Screw heaven! Jinki you haven’t left my side for eleven years I’m not gonna let you go that easily…” Jinki heard a sob develop in the back of Minho’s throat. He went over and took Minho in his arms.

“I’m not leaving you… Ever… Don’t think like that…” Jinki felt Minho’s arms wrap around him. Minho hid his face in Jinki’s chest. It reminded Minho of the times Jinki had held him in the past when he was scared or upset. Then again, at that time, he was five, not fifteen.

“You have to promise me that you won’t go away.” Minho sat back onto his knees and gazed at Jinki.

Jinki smiled. “I promise.” He crossed his heart with his index finger like Minho used to make him do. This caused the younger to smile. “Let’s forget the negatives for a while, buddy.”

“You don’t have to call me that, I’m not four anymore.” Minho scooted over, making room for Jinki.

“Then what would you like me to call you?” Jinki asked.

Minho smiled and wrapped his arms around Jinki’s waist. “Your boyfriend.” Minho leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jinki’s.

At first Jinki wanted to shake him off, but he soon fell into it, kissing Minho back.

“I will gladly call you my boyfriend…” whispered Jinki.

*

The day before Minho turned eighteen, Jinki dreaded the most. One question had been haunting his mind since he figured out the disadvantage. What will happen to us when Minho turns eighteen? Will he see me? Will he even remember me? What happens if he wakes up and cannot see me anymore? Will he cry? Be upset? I don’t want to harm him… I want what’s best for him.

They sat on Minho’s bed. Jinki was obviously displaying his gloominess but refused to tell Minho why. It bothered the both of them. Minho’s persistence bothered Jinki, Jinki’s stubbornness bothered Minho.

“Min, we need to sleep. Well, you need to. You have a big day tomorrow.” Jinki smiled.

“But I want to be awake and spend time with you.” Minho protested.

“Rest Minho…” Jinki kissed his boyfriend’s forehead.

“Fine…” Minho reached over and turned off his lamp. “Good night, Jinki…” He lay down onto his side, pulling Jinki close to him.

Minho, now being technically older than Jinki, was also taller and larger. Jinki no longer held him nor did he have Minho sit in his lap. It was reversed now. Jinki had watched Minho grow up into the man he would become tomorrow. It pained his heart but he had to pull through for he loved Minho with all of his heart and he never wanted that to change.

The next morning when he woke up, Minho wasn’t there and Jinki began to worry. What if he woke up and didn’t know I was here lying next to him? Jinki got up and noticed a piece of paper taped to the closet door.

Jinki:

I had to run to the store, Mother’s orders.

-Minho

“He knew I was here, he remembers me… All is well… Right?” Jinki had a habit of talking to himself.

A few hours had passed and he began to worry. The store is five minutes away… What’s keeping him? Jinki went downstairs and saw Minho’s father holding his mother as she wept.

“If I had gone myself he’d still be here!” She cried.

“It’s not your fault…” His father returned. “Everything happens for a reason…”

“Are you saying you’re glad he’s dead!?”

“That’s not what I meant at all!”

Jinki couldn’t hear anymore. Minho’s dead? WHAT? No! I refuse to believe it! If he’s gone, where’s his ghost? Minho? MINHO!

Jinki ran down the street until he was forced to stop at the wreck. Minho’s car was smashed against another. The collision was head on. Jinki knew that even the strongest person wouldn’t have survived the damage done…

Then he saw it.

A pale, white man was staring at the scene with his back to Jinki. He had Minho’s haircut and wore Minho’s pajamas. Jinki went up to him, hugging him from behind. The man turned and lifted Jinki off of his feet, hugging him tightly.

“Jinki, Jinki, Jinki… I’m so sorry… I didn’t know he was coming… I tried to swerve out of the way but it made things worse…” Minho muttered more apologies.

Jinki smiled. “Min it’s alright… Everything is okay… There’s a bright side to this…”

“How?”

“Now, we can be together forever…”

They both smiled, sharing a kiss among the wreckage…