“You see… You’re really the only person that I can talk to…” ChangMin said calmly, the latter just nodded in response enthusiastically, listening and soaking every word that’s coming out of ChangMin’s lips, then the taller one continued. “And if you’re wondering why other people can’t see or hear me… I don’t know why too….” He said while rubbing his temples, eyes closed shut and lips pursed afterwards. “And why can’t you touch me…. Well I’m outside of my body, as other’s call it, I’m a wondering soul… I hope you understand and keep me company…” After finishing, ChangMin bowed with the last sentence, hoping that JaeJoong will keep him company.

 JaeJoong smiled after hearing the request, he was sure that the answer to that request is yes, but before that, “But… you look so familiar to me now… I bet I remember you from somewhere…”

ChangMin stood up, walking towards the window and gives a loud sigh as he stares at the outside world. He looked at Jae once more then said “I was….. no…. I am the boy in the stretcher”

JaeJoong’s eyes widen, a sudden flashback invading his mind.

A paramedic bumping into him.

A boy was lifted to the stretcher.

He ran and followed the paramedics.

And then he saw….. ChangMin.

“So that’s why you looked so familiar to me” he murmured, staring point blank at ChangMin’s handsome face, The latter nodded and looking at the window again afterwards.

For a few minutes it was pure silence, until ChangMin stood up, walked towards JaeJoong and tried to pull the other one up only to see his hands passing through JaeJoong’s body. ChangMin can’t hide the frustration in his face as he felt so helpless, the latter just kept on staring at his face,  ChangMin sat in front of JaeJoong, smiling at the smaller male and spoke afterwards.

“I….. I…. I just out” the taller of the two murmured “I felt my body froze and was experiencing so much pain for a few flash of seconds, I heard screams of students who were around me, and I could feel the touch of my friend shaking me, but then at that time I was beginning to feel numb. The paramedics came and pulled my body up the stretcher, but…” he paused, sighing a little before looking at JaeJoong who was now staring at him seriously, clearly the other male was listening to him attentively, and that made him smile a little, “After that…. I didn’t know what was happening really… they took my pulse and yelled out that I was still alive… but then I got separated from my body, because I saw myself lying on that stretcher while the medics were removing my pulse…. At that time I really didn’t know what to do, and then, I saw you…”

“Go on…..”

“I tried to talk to my friends but it seems that they can’t even see or hear me….. That’s why I got desperate and began to look for you, and the fact that it’s already dismissal time made me panic more because I was losing time to search for you, and then I came out of the main exit….. Then I saw you there staring at the tracks left behind the stretcher…… And when I saw you trace the tracks I somehow felt a sense of security, I tried to talk to you but you can’t even hear me….. So I pulled your bag pack and that’s when I realize I can get a hold of some objects if I really wanted to…. And when you looked behind I somehow felt encouraged….. When you ran towards the bus I followed you home….. In your room….. I bowed to your parents as well, though I know they can’t see me and I….” ChangMin smiled and paused, and somehow quite embarrassed about the things that he’s about to say.

“I…. even saw you in the shower, and I never figured that you’re the type to sing in the shower. I even watched your sleep….. And I slept beside you too…. so Kim JaeJoong…” He looked at JaeJoong and said “Until my soul returns to my body will you help me by keeping me company?”

JaeJoong smiled, somehow blushing after hearing ChangMin odd confession, sure the other male watched him showering, but it’s all good since they’re both men. He inhaled loudly and looked at the taller male in the eyes, smirking as he said, “Alright ChangMin, I’ll help you, in one condition.”

“What is it?” ChangMin replied cautiously.

“Be my best friend forever!” JaeJoong shrieked, trying to hug ChangMin afterwards, only to find himself passing through ChangMin again and landing face first on the floor once more, after he stood up and rearranged himself both of them laughed at each other’s foolishness, automatically claiming and saying that this will be a beautiful start of their wonderful friendship.

‘This may be a start of something beautiful after all…’ ChangMin said to himself while staring at JaeJoong then he laughed again.

+++++++++++

“Mr. Kim why are you sitting on the floor?” One of the nurse’s asked dumbfounded when she saw JaeJoong laughing, seated in an Indian seat position. JaeJoong looked up to her, smiling that innocent sneer, she smiled back and gently helps him up, knowing the condition of the lower of JaeJoong.

“Mr. Kim” the nurse said slowly, calling for JaeJoong’s attention.

“Yes?” He replied nervously, becoming a little nervous when the nurse flipped through several pages with her forehead creased, she looked at JaeJoong and just simply smiled at him as if nothing is wrong.

“Mr. Kim, your parents will pick you up later, and also, you’ll be excused from your classes for a few days, let’s say, 5 days or more, and don’t worry about your excuse letter dear, it has already been passed through all of your teachers, so just stay home and rest, and don’t move your legs too much.” The nurse explained to him slowly, pointing at his lower body at the last sentences.

“But I’m fine” He protested.

“No you’re not” She replied calmly, moving closer to JaeJoong and poking his thigh with the rounded tip of a pen, making JaeJoong yelp in pain.

“Why did you do that?” He asked with a pout, while his hand caressed the specific part that the nurse poked.

“To prove my point.” She said with a smile, she headed towards the door, but before that she gave JaeJoong another soft smile, “Next time when you plan on running so much, stretch first and don’t collapse okay?” She smiled once more and finally walked away.

JaeJoong huffed quietly; he looked behind him and saw ChangMin staring at him.

“This is all your fault ChangMin,” he whined and sighed before looking at the taller male again, “well at least I can get some rest” He leaned back against the comfortable pillow, looking at ChangMin afterwards before asking a curious, “I wonder, why am I the only who gets to see you?” He tried to reach for the blanket, but couldn’t so ChangMin reach it for him, the taller male spread the blanket on JaeJoong’s lower body,  meeting JaeJoong’s eyes quickly before darting his eyes away

.

“Why can you move these objects?” JaeJoong held the blanked up to make his point and continued a whiny, “But you can’t even help me up?”

“It seems I can’t touch something….. with life in it.” He murmured looking at his hands, looking back at JaeJoong’s big doe eyes after.

“I see, hey ChangMin-ah, how about we visit your house after my body get’s better?” The smaller of the two suggested excitingly, and the gesture of kindness made ChangMin’s heart flutter a little.

“Sure…” ChangMin did nothing else but smile widely, “But…. My house is pretty far from here, but compare to your house… it’s much closer.” he sneered once more, looking at JaeJoong who’s giggling nonstop, which is why he asked a curious, “Why are you giggling?”

“Because I can see myself running like a girl while screaming, ‘Please don’t eat me!” JaeJoong laughed and face palmed himself afterwards, “Man, oh man, I must’ve looked ridiculous!”

Both of them laughed wholeheartedly at that mental image, not noticing that the door was opening, JaeJoong heaved a sigh and almost fell out of bed when he saw TaeMin’s head peaking through the door.

“HYUNG!!” TaeMin shrieked worriedly, jumping to the elders lap, making JaeJoong cry out loud from the pain, the younger one jerked away from JaeJoong, feeling guilty when he saw JaeJoong’s extremely pained expression, “I’m so----sorry JaeJoong! I didn’t know that it still hurts!” TaeMin bowed his head in apology repeatedly, and the older male smiled at the view of TaeMin being a composed kid for once.

“It’s okay TaeMin, where’s Minho?” JaeJoong asked excitedly, looking at every direction to search for one of his closest friend,

“Oh, he’ll be here in a minute, he’s just taking notes for you, Mr. Jung also told me to tell you to get well soon.” TaeMin sneered mentioning Prof. Jung’s name, making the older male smile back after hearing the professor’s concern for him, it’s rather odd that Mr. Jung isn’t passing out a scolding marathon since it would be unethical.

“Thank you TaeMin-ah for visiting me, and I would like you to meet a friend of mine, his name is Cha------“ but he was cut off when ChangMin murmured, “don’t tell him, he’ll think you’re crazy”, he nodded and mouthed an understanding, ‘Oh yeah…’

“Huh, what were you going to say JaeJoong?” The younger one asked curiously, tilting his head to the right with that one raised eyebrow.

“No----no----nothing!” he laughed awkwardly, shaking his hands frantically and trying his best not to look weird, but after seeing TaeMin’s confused appearance, he knew that he failed, “B---by the way, my parents are going to pick me up soon!” he said out of the blue, trying to change the topic, and thankfully TaeMin gone with the flow and began to discuss a new topic to talk about too.

By the time that JaeJoong and TaeMin were both sink in the hot topic of Mr. Kim’s new boyfriend, they heard a faint knock at the door.

“Come in”, TaeMin and JaeJoong said in unison, Minho entered with a plastic bag filled with food, bringing JaeJoong’s smile up to his ears, he thanked his generous friend a few more times than usual before opening the lunch box that was specially bought for him, “My favorite!” he shrieked in happiness, hugging both TaeMin and Minho at the same time, he looked at ChangMin who was now pouting, whispering that he’s also hungry, JaeJoong laughed loudly, eating the food twice as slow to make sure that ChangMin was thoroughly tortured.

++++++++++++

“JaeJoong, you are feeling well right?” Minho’s question was full of concern, but when Minho walked forward and passed through ChangMin’s body, he can’t help but giggle while covering his lips with the back of his hands. “Why are you even giggling like that? You’re not even supposed to be here you know!” The latter said in a more worried tone than angry, but still JaeJoong can’t help but laugh when it was ChangMin who passed through Minho this time, as if mocking the other male on purpose.

The taller male stood up, moving closer until he was sitting beside JaeJoong, he leaned closer to the other male and whispered a sly, “I think he likes you…. I bet you like him too….Why don’t you go out with him, or should I haunt him for you?”

“NO!” JaeJoong shouted after the suggestion, Minho and TaeMin’s eyes widen and looking at him skeptically, when he realized that the other two can’t hear nor see ChangMin, he tried to laugh his mistake off, but instead of healing the situation, he sounded more awkward, “E---eh, NO! L----I’m not supposed to be here, right Minho?!” He asked with a foolish sneer, hoping that his friend would help recover his tainted composure.

“Of course you shouldn’t be here, why did you run so fast anyway JaeJoong-ah?! Look at you now, your body’s a mess!” Minho spat out the words, and instead of being thankful because of Minho’s concern, he thanked God that his friends paid no heave to his odd behavior because of a certain lost soul.

“Thank God they’re complete idiots.” ChangMin whispered to his ears, accompanied by the other’s raspy giggles.

“Yeah” he replied with a smirk, “Thank God for that.”

“Thank God for what Hyung?” The younger one smiled, who was now busying himself by fixing his notebooks and pen.

“No----No-----Nothing!” JaeJoong giggled again, and he laughed extra hard when ChangMin whispered something in his ear.