I am so embarrassed >.< Another split in the chapters again. Instead of this being the last I'll have 2 more chapters for the main story. Anyway, please forget about the filler chapter. Eric is no ghost here. hahaha.

Hyesung's eyes linger on a box at the shelves behind Minwoo's office desk. He recognises some of the things inside. They are Eric’s belongings. The police raided his place after the man's death. There were a few photos at the top of the pile, many of them containing four familiar faces and another face he thinks is Andy. The smiles on the five faces were so pure and genuine. He can feel soreness in his chest as he recalls Eric’s and Dongwan’s more recent smiles now. A painful past evidently remains in the two men.

There was another photo, a photo with only Dongwan and Eric. Dongwan was holding a birthday cake with Eric's name on it, and his lips pecking Eric’s cheek. Eric was holding the familiar silver pendulum watch with a huge smile on his handsome face. It was the watch he saw Eric stared at every night. A present from Dongwan.

Hyesung does not know what he should be feeling. There are so many things pricking at his heart since he saw Eric's lifeless body in Dongwan’s arms. Eric is gone. The man is really gone. And Dongwan hasn't been himself since that day. He is like a soul less being, needing Hyesung to feed him, wash him up and bring him to the toilet. All the while Dongwan’s hands refuse to let go of Eric, or what was left of the man in the form of ashes in an urn.

"Sorry I was caught in a meeting," Minwoo apologises as he enters his office. He sighs softly when he sees Hyesung's line of sight. Minwoo makes his way to his seat and place the lid on the box before turning to the journalist.

"I'm supposed to hand you the letter Eric wrote to you, but I think I owe you a lot more than that." Minwoo looks at Hyesung with sad eyes. Eric was Minwoo’s friend too, but among everyone, he has to stay the strongest.

"Eric's gun was not loaded -" Hyesung heart contracts at Minwoo’s words as he recalls the cold metal against his head. "- he only wanted to give the snipers a reason to shoot him."

"Why are there snipers around? Did Dongwan inform the police?" The journalist’s voice trembles.

Minwoo shakes his head. Dongwan was a victim too. His friend lost his edge when Eric walked out of their life. As one of the best man the police force ever had, he never even realised he was being followed. "We all know Eric was responsible for the killings, but he was too smooth to leave any evidence strong enough to get himself apprehended. Dongwan was just a sacrifice the ones at the top decide to use as bait. Their relationship wasn’t a secret to the police force. Since his demotion, there'd been special force police following him around, waiting for Eric to slip-up."

Junjin and Minwoo know their friend was being followed, but they never told Dongwan because they knew how the two separated. They thought nothing would come out of it, but who would have thought that Eric would hack into the police system and find out? Who would have thought Eric would use this to get himself killed.

Hyesung keeps quiet, letting his heart bleeds. He lifts his head when Minwoo pushes a neatly folded letter across the table to him. It was just like how Eric would fold his papers, every corner neatly aligns.

"I'm sorry we read it. Everything in his apartment and the warehouse was being scrutinised. He is suspected to be responsible for 27 lives in the past 5.5 years, out of which, 15 of the victims were tortured."

Hyesung has already shut his ears. He is no longer interested in Eric’s crimes. He unfolded the letter with shaking hands as Eric’s handwriting greets him.

Love,

Hyesungie,

I am sorry. By the time you read this, you must have hated me. You were right. Dongwan has every right and reason to hate me, so do you.

I am an ungrateful person. After all you have done for me, even after I’ve hurt you, all I did was to hurt you again. Even as I am writing this, I know I will do it another time. It will be unforgivable, but fortunately this will be the last time.

I was sitting at the other side of the door just now, listening to your voice. I am still listening to you now as I am writing this letter to you. I want to listen to your voice as much as I can. I want to memorise it and bring it with me. It is one of the few things that still give me reason to smile. When you first sang to me over the phone after we dated, that was the first time in 5 years I actually forgot about being lonely.

Still, I regret barging into your life. I regret not being able to give you the love you deserve.

Hyesungie, I am sorry.

I really love you, but I am not the one you should be with. I have done too much wrong to have a second chance. Thank you for carving out part of your heart for me. Thank you for loving me back. You are not a horrible person. Because you love the both of us, there is a way to heal the pain I caused everyone.

I am sorry. I know I keep repeating this, but no matter how many times, it will never be enough.

I remember when you finally befriended me, you keep asking about my past, what happened between me and Dongwan. As you are reading this, you should already know. I am sorry my Hyesungie. I was envious of you at that time. I was envious you could show your feelings for him so openly. Another part of me wanted you for myself because of all your similarities to him. I never expected you to accept me immediately with how infatuated you are about him, but I was overjoyed when you said “yes”.

Day by day, I tried to make you a replacement of him, but day by day you warm my heart in your own way, showing me that you are yourself, a man that is worth loving as Shin Hyesung, not as a substitute.

I was falling for Shin Hyesung every day, loving you more every second.

Do you remember the day I got angry you found out I was an ex-officer? It is not because I didn’t want you to know my past. It was because I still cannot get over my hatred of Junjin causing Andy’s death. I was upset to find out you befriended him too. But when you replied my sarcasm saying that you want to know about me because you love me, and you want to spend the rest of the life with me, I was sincerely touched. Finally my Hyesungie has me in his heart. Finally Dongwan is not the only person in his world. But my happiness is only a delusion. I can’t lead a happy life with you. I have gone too far into revenge to deserve you. I only awoke from this dream when you reminded me about Andy’s death. I should have woken up earlier so I don’t lead you this far.

You are silent now. Maybe you have fallen asleep. I am sorry I have to lock you in the storage room. You are not a horrible person Hyesungie. You healed me. You can heal Dongwan too. When you told me that Junjin is his brother earlier, I finally understand how much hurt he was living in all these years.

I was a fool, only caring about my own pain. Finally it is time to let go.

Please stay happy with Dongwan. I can tell he really loves you. If possible, please forget me.

Eric

P.S: Thank you for letting me know Andy and Jin was dating.

Eric ended the letter around the time he picked up Dongwan's call, which was why the content was changed to slightly Dongwan focused towards the end. P.S was added on the next day after Hyesung revealed Jindy's relationship. Just to match to the time of Chapter 14 xD

And the horrible person part was what Syungie said when he thought Eric was asleep after removing the bullet for the man.

I hope this chapter isn't too crappy since i didn't bother re-reading it >.<