Lee Minwoo sat on the flight of stairs at the second floor. Looking out of the full length window, he smiled at the scenery in front of him. The full length window was one of his favourite in the house when he was alive, and it remained the same even after he was dead. It was the first thing he got when he bought the house. The first thing he wanted in order to clear his mind, and the scenery that came to him on the platter seemed to be the best way.

He sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. How long has it been since Dongwan had moved in? Minwoo cocked his head to the side as he thought in concentration. It has been a good four months since then. Time really flies, Minwoo thought.

Dongwan was out again; he went out really early in the morning, saying that he had some matters to settle. Minwoo was alright with it. He didn’t have to inform him, yet he was grateful that Dongwan was now much more welcoming to him. He wasn’t sure what the sudden change was about though.

Stretching his arms out, he gave a contented sigh. The next moment, the side of his eye caught a figure hiding at the pillar near the end of the window. Seeing that someone had spotted him, the figure seemed to be surprised and quickly rushed to escape. However, Minwoo was faster than him.

It was a young teenage boy, with flawless porcelain features. Minwoo took in every expression of the boy with much amusement, from fear to restlessness to being embarrassed by being caught. The boy bit his lips as he struggled to find an explanation to why he was in other people’s premises.

“I’m sorry…”The boy spoke with tearful eyes, as he glanced up at the bemused Minwoo, “I didn’t mean to intrude…I just wanted to…”

Minwoo rose his eyebrows before laughing and placing an arm around the figure, in which he jumped in surprise at the sudden contact. Giving out another loud laugh, he said, “Well, I believe heaven still loves me so. For all the years I have been dead, I finally get to meet someone who is the same as me! Come, my friend, tell me your name.”

“It’s…Junjin.” The boy stared at his new companion with wonder, and he hesitated before revealing his name. Memories flooded back to him as he widened his eyes. Pointing at his new found companion, he stammered, “You…you are Lee Minwoo! The global star!”

“Well, yes. It’s nice that everyone still remembers me.” Minwoo beamed at him, proud that his name is still known in even the spirit world. The young boy looked at him in disbelief and said, “Well, yes. Everyone knows you, you were the favourite star well-liked by everyone in my school. But…why are you dead? I don’t remember you being dead…?”

“Who knows?” Minwoo shrugged, “It’s a long time. I’ve been dead for 15 years now.”

Patting the floor next to him, he gestured Junjin to sit beside him. The boy sat as he was told to, hands still trembling a little from the surprise he had gotten.

“You look young. Really young. I can’t remember how I was when I was young like you, probably trying to steal the hearts of all the girls in my school.” Minwoo mused before turning to the boy beside him, “How old are you? 18?”

“I’m 17.” Junjin replied softly, “17 when I was dead. I guess I would have already been 34 years if I was still alive. Time passes really fast.”

“How did you die? By an accident?” Minwoo asked curiously, a little upset that one would have lost his life at such a young age. And his family…how did they survive knowing this?

“It was suicide.” Junjin spoke the words softly yet painfully, as if it was for himself to hear, “I killed myself.”

“You-” Minwoo started, yet he couldn’t complete his sentence. This young teenage boy that was sitting beside him, he committed suicide? What was it that caused him to kill himself, or even more, how was he even brave enough to make that leap? He wonders how much pain this boy might have had.

“I killed myself.” Junjin completed the sentence for Minwoo, as he turned up to look at Minwoo with red rimmed eyes. Unable to look into Minwoo’s astonished eyes, he turned away to look afar at the beautiful scenery, the scenery that used to awe him but is all dust now in his eyes.

“Why? Why did you do it?” Minwoo asked, without any means of offence.

“I…I just couldn’t find the will to live anymore. It was just too much. I thought my brother will be happier with me gone. I thought I had freed him, but apparently it was not the case.” Junjin sobbed a little, spilling everything out, “I regret it. I regret it so much everyday, when I am stuck here and have only my memories to survive on. I regret it so much, but there is nothing I can do.”

Minwoo sighed inwardly, understanding how the boy felt. For many who thought that death would be the end, who would have thought that even in the afterlife, they will still be forced to stay and live in their own memories? Life is just a deep whirling pool, but who said death was not?

“Well, since you cannot do anything, the best is to overcome it. There is no use staying in this way everyday, you aren’t helping anyone.” Minwoo said, trying to comfort him but found no good words to convey his meaning. The boy gradually stopped sobbing and looked at Minwoo.

“What about you? How did you die?” Junjin asked curiously.

“I don’t know it might have been a suicide, or a murder. I can’t remember how I died.” Minwoo shrugged, as if his death didn’t matter to him anymore. Junjin stared at him and said, “I know I’m selfish, but I envy you. I wished I could’ve forgotten how I died. This way, I can still live happily.”

Minwoo was about to open his mouth, yet the next moment, the sound of the door unlocking was heard. Junjin stood up hurriedly and said nervously, “I’m sorry, I have to go. It was nice meeting you.”

“Hey, wait-” Minwoo shouted after him, but Junjin was nowhere to be seen, as if he had never been there before.