Inspired by the tumblr prompt: When you die you become a child’s imaginary friend. 

What many people never tell you about dying is how there’s no bright light, no tunnel, and no one waiting for you on the other side. It’s all very quick like waking up from a dream. Your eyes open and you’re back, but you’re not back. You can’t explain it, there are no words to explain it, but you can feel that the whole world has shifted. That nothing was the same as before. 

I was walking home when it happened, when I died. I had headphones in listening to that stupid song Jin had gotten stuck in my head. Shamefully humming along as I scurried down the street. That night the wind felt like it was blowing through me. “I should have worn a damn coat.”  That was the last thought that crossed my mind before the lights blinded me and I could see the man through his car windshield. Terrified. I wonder how I looked to him if I even had a second to process fear before it was over. 

There was no pain it was quick. It only took a second for my life to be over. For me to never taste another cup of coffee, to feel the cold wind blow throw my clothes, to hear my mother’s voice. It was all over. Or at least I thought. Coming back is the weird part you’re expecting the whole fiasco, the gates of heaven or hell. That’s not at all what happens. You open your eyes and it stings your eyes like you’ve never seen light before. It’s all blurry at first and your ears ring but slowly you can see again and you’re somewhere new. It's not heaven because there are no angels or harps, but it’s not hell either there is no pit of fire and angst you red man. Then it dawns on you, you’re in someone else’s home. 

I in my breath, yes you can function like you did before you’re not just alive. It all feels the same but it’s not. I told you, there are no words for this until you experience it yourself. I took in everything my eyes could see, the blue walls, the messily made bed, the toy soldiers scattered across  the floor, and the boy looking at me from across the room wide-eyed. For a second, I’m positive he’s going to scream, but he doesn’t he just smiles. He smiles so wide it hurts. “You’re here!” he beams like we know each other and he’s taking me by the arm. He can’t be older than seven he’s so young and full of life. Ha. “Full of life.” 
“I’m so glad you’re here! Emmy said you’d be here soon and here you are!” the kid rambles still pulling me across the room to the pile of legos on the floor, it looks like a car, maybe? “My name is Kim Taehyung. I’m in primary school! Who are you? And what grade are you in? You’re really skinny you know?” does this kid even breathe? 

I guess he wants an answer to these questions because he’s looking at me with those eyes again, smiling that rectangular smile. He’s missing some teeth and I can’t decide if he’s the cutest thing I’ve seen or if I’m just confused as hell. I swallow and decide to speak, can I speak? “Uh-m I’m Min Yoongi, I’m-I was in college.” I manage to choke out. I can’t use present tense when referring to myself anymore I remind myself. 

Taehyung is still smiling, “That’s great! Do you like legos?” he asks and I find myself nodding. He sits down on the floors and I squat down next to him. I was right he is building a boat. At first I am confused, the pride in me is burning as I think about how I went through years of anguish and college finals just to die and end up in a six year old’s room. “Here, you can put the people on the boat! That’s the best part.” Taehyung smiles warmly handing me two LEGO men. I take them feeling a little happy? “It’s okay to be sad, Emmy was sad too, but she’s all better now, I think.” Taehyung says as he hands me the boats. I stick one of the LEGO men on the boat. “Who’s Emmy?” I ask as I place the second man on the boat. “Oh. Emmy was here before you, she had to leave me but she told me not be said that you would be here soon! And we could play together… and now you’re here!” he says smiling wide as he looks up at me. “I don’t really have many friends, see we have to move a lot because daddy is in the army… you’ll stay right?” he asks and there’s a change in me a change I can’t describe. Maybe the kid has won me over or maybe I’m realizing that I’d rather build LEGO boats than be damned to hell but I give him a half smile. 

“Yeah kid, I’ll stay.” 

“I like your smile.”