SORRY IF IT'S CONFUSING IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE LATER

The bright lights and the hustle and bustle of the crowd is what excites Donghae, and always has.

He runs through the people, the chill he gets from literally running through objects and humans tickles him in such a way that almost gets him high on some sort of craze. Running through the crowd and onto the busy traffic, Donghae laughs gleefully. He stands at the T section where he waits for the speeding car he sees approaching, pure adrenaline filling him through.

And just as the car is coming closer, he hears it. A clear and loud, male voice, calling straight out to him in a chilling manner.

“Get off the road!”

Donghae turns in utter shock as he finds someone in the crowd, deadly pale skin and dark red hair, staring straight at him in horror with striking brown eyes. No one else seems to have noticed anything.

The car drives straight through Donghae and the sensation is dulled as he continues to stare at the male with the pale skin that could possibly rival his own.

And when the lights go green, the man darts, and Donghae chases after him.

When Donghae finally finds the redhead again, it’s in a park. It’s a large contrast to the streets, in which lights seems to bounce off every corner. Donghae just has the streetlamps to rely on now, and it feels rather barren. He pants slightly despite the short distance because honestly, he’s not very fit.

“Don’t!” he hears a sudden voice yell, and turns around to see the same redheaded male standing shakily, holding his arms out as if to appear threatening, protecting himself at the same time. He looks at Donghae, warm brown eyes faltering. “I don’t know who – what – you are, but please! Don’t come closer!”

“I’m not going to hurt you,” says Donghae, voice soft. He holds his arms up, surrendering, hurt by the fact that the other man still looks absolutely terrified. “I just want to talk. I know I look, well, dead – ‘cause I am – but I’m not going to hurt you. I swear.”

The man eyes him suspiciously before lowering his hands and walking closer, face still pale from shock. Donghae keeps his hands up and smiles nervously as the man looks sceptically around Donghae.

“Are you a ghost?”

“No, I’m Donghae,” Donghae says jokingly. The look on the redhead’s face (despite him smiling half-heartedly at the lame joke) makes him realise that maybe it’s not the time for joking around. “Okay, okay, maybe I am. Maybe I’m not. Actually, I have no idea. I just know that I’m dead and I’m stuck here for some reason. I suppose you could call me a ghost. Your preference.”

“Why?” the man asks. “Why are you stuck here?”

Donghae scoffs and smiles bitterly. “If I knew, I’d be in heaven. Or hell, whichever works. I would have passed on already.”

The man frowns, looking deep in concentration and almost hesitance. Donghae feels like he’s under interrogation, but if that’s what it takes to make this person comfortable, so be it.

“So how do you plan on ‘passing on’ or whatever then? And what does this have to do with me?”

“Well honestly, I have no idea. Right now I’ve just been going from medium to medium in search of answers. I was under Leeteuk – I assume you know him – but then I saw you. Or, you know, you saw me. I hope he’s fine with me running away to join you though.” Donghae lets out a small laugh because he knows Leeteuk will be furious when he finds out. He puts down his arms, assuming that he and the man are somewhat comfortable now. “So – sorry, ask any questions that pop into your head. Just interrupt me. This must be kind of confusing. I mean, you must know some things, but to just have it all put on you like this must be kind of overwhelming.”

“I-I… what do you mean? What are you talking about? What things do you assume I know? Because right now, I’m confused as and I have no idea what’s going on.”

Donghae pinches the bridge of his nose, looks up, and sighs. He looks back at the man and bites his lip slightly in thought.

“I guess this might be too much then. We could always go back to your place and I can explain there? It’s kind of awkward in public. I mean, for you. Not me,” Donghae laughs.

The redhead looks sceptical (Donghae doesn’t blame him), turning around to find a few people staring. He sighs, and adjusts the bag strap on his shoulder, trying to look somewhat normal after having talked to what others see as thin air, and starts to walk past Donghae, whispering a small “follow me” before a long “I can’t believe I’m doing this. Lee Hyukjae, what the is wrong with you? Letting some ghost into your house? You’ve gone crazy, bud, congratulations.”

Donghae holds back a smile of victory as he follows along quickly.

“So, what’s your name?”

The man keeps walking, silent for a second, wondering whether or not he should disclose his name to some random ghost man thing in a stark white dress shirt tucked into black trousers and black dress shoes (why is he so formal?). Then he wonders whether or not ghosts get their laundry done, or if they shower, because Donghae’s dark brown hair looks rather soft.

“Lee Hyukjae,” he says simply after a moment, jogging across the street on a red light. There are barely any cars, so it doesn’t really matter. “My name is Hyukjae.”

“Oh,” says Donghae happily. “I’ve never heard of you. Mine’s Donghae, Lee Donghae, nice to meet you!”

“Never heard of me?” Hyukjae asks as they walk along a small street, ignoring the fact that Donghae already introduced himself earlier and has just wasted his breath. Do ghosts even have breaths? He then wonders, and then chooses to let it go. “What do you mean?” He wants to tell Donghae to stand behind him so that they’re walking in single file, but then he remembers that cars go straight past Donghae, and chooses instead not to say anything. Hyukjae remains peeved, though, at the fact that Donghae is w