Jacob Lee - Ghost

  My eyes constantly wandered to the sign on top of that boy's head as my professor lectured about cellular respiration. Why did he even decide to sit a few rows in front of me where I can clearly see his lifespan over his head? Is he trying to tease me? Of course not, but that's how it feels like. My fingers rub against the charm wrapped around my neck and I bite my bottom lip. Why does he have an infinity sign above his head anyways? Is he a vampire? My eyes grow wide at the thought. No. That can't be. I don't want my life to become this crazy story where I discover that he's a vampire and I end up protecting his secret. Well, I can just ignore him. That'll definitely be the better option.

  As I gaze at the boy in front, I hear the squeak of the chair next to me and Himchan whispering, "You've been staring at that guy for thirty minutes now. Are you possibly interested in him?"

  I blush. "Wha- No!" I snap, only loud enough for him to hear. "Why would I be interested in him? I don't even know him."

  Himchan purses his lips and shrugs. "I mean, it could be love at first sight. Can't blame you because he is handsome."

  Just what did I get myself into? It was my fault for staring at him, but I didn't think for a second that people around me would get the wrong idea because of it. I mentally slap myself. Yoo Youngjae, you're smarter than this, so you should know better. Plus, remember, you're trying to avoid having close relationships with anyone, including the guy sitting next to you and the guy who apparently will be living forever. There must be a glitch in my own powers, I think to myself. But is that even possible?

  Probably.

  "Just shut up," I mutter. "It has nothing to do with you."

  Himchan looks a bit hurt, but I ignore it. No one will understand if I said that this guy is apparently going to live forever. That just wouldn't make sense. Plus, how will I explain why I know about that? Everyone will think I'm crazy if I said I can see people's lifespan over their head.

  As the lecture goes on, I do my best to write whatever notes I can while ignoring the infinity symbol staring right at me in the face. It works until the end of the lecture, but it doesn't stop there.

  I wait a while for the guy to leave before making my way out of the classroom. Himchan is next to me, but we don't say much as I just want to be left alone. He says his goodbye and I say mine gruffly before we part ways. The moment I step outside of the classroom, I see the guy standing by the doorway with his phone out as if waiting for someone. Not thinking much about it, I walk by him. My next class is in fifteen minutes, but is on the other side of campus. Luckily, this campus isn't that big, but I prefer getting there early to claim my spot.

  "Hey," I hear a deep voice from behind me. Goosebumps make their way to my skin. That voice... That voice sounds so familiar, yet I can't pinpoint where I heard it.

  I keep walking.

  A hand lands on my shoulder.

  Immediately, I jerk my shoulder and spin around. I'm taken aback when I find the guy with the infinity sign standing in front of me. His chocolate brown eyes bore into mine and they seem to sparkle in an odd way as if he was really happy to see me. His thick, rosy lips curve into a smile. I avoid his eyes and stare at his mole just below his eye. "What do you want?" I utter. Just who is this guy? Why is he giving me strange vibes?

  I can tell his gaze drops down. He reaches out and presses his finger on the airplane. "I really like your necklace. Where did you get it?" He asks, almost softly.

  Where have I heard his voice?

  I take a step back. My cheeks flush. "It's none of your business," I counter, but in fact, I just don't fully remember where I received the necklace. I'd like to believe that my dream was just a make-believe scenario to fill in a gap in my memories. After all, the man in my dreams didn't have a face, and I know my parents or sibling did not give this to me on any special occasion.

  The strange guy's gaze never leaves mine. It makes me so uncomfortable, but also a warm, fuzzy feeling courses through me. Just who is this guy? I don't believe I've seen him. His face is unfamiliar, but his voice... I feel like I've heard it before. My eyes look up at the infinity symbol above his head. Certainly, if I did meet him in the past, this symbol would stand out more than anything else. I need to get away from here.

  "I have to go," I start while taking a few more steps back, "I have class on the other side of campus." Hopefully, he'll leave me alone because of that. I don't even wait for his reply before turning on my heels and striding to get out of this building and away from him.

  To my relief, he doesn't seem to pursue me. I slow my pace and heave a deep sigh. Numbers float around me as I make my way through campus again. All I see is numbers. They haunt me more than the faces of strangers. They're always the first thing I see before noticing their appearance and hearing their voices. Sometimes I wish I didn't have this ability as I'm too afraid to approach anyone, knowing that they will probably die before me. It's a scary thought to know a person's time of death. It feels like you can lose them any second.

  This is why I want to appear as a ghost to the people around me.

  I manage to get to my next class with a minute to spare. Since it is a literature class, it's much smaller than my previous classroom, fitting about 30 students. There's still empty desks. I make my way to the back corner where I can stare out the window if needed and be away from people I don't want to talk to. As I settle, placing my notebook and pencil on the desk, in the corner of my eye I see another student walking in. I don't think much about it until I feel this person's presence next to me. Looking up, I mentally groan to myself.

  It's him.

  His smile is still bright. "So, looks like we're in the same class again."

  I glare at him. Why is he so interested in me? I haven't even spoken to him before this and I gave him a cold shoulder moments earlier. "Yeah, looks like it," I state blandly and sit down. I turn my head to the side.

  "My name is Jung Daehyun. What's yours?"

  Damn. This guy is also persistent. "Yoo Youngjae," I huff.

  "Youngjae, huh?"

  My dream flashes before me and a shiver runs down my spine. Certainly, his voice is too familiar. I rub the charm. "Yeah, it's Youngjae, and don't forget it," I spat. Maybe if I keep acting this way, he'll stop persuing me.

  "I'll make sure I won't." He chuckles. I'm not sure if he understands my message or is just ignoring my tone of voice, but all I can think of now is why everything about his voice is so familiar. Even his laugh is familiar.

  I turn my head to the front as our professor passes the syllabus and a short story to read and discuss for today. This will be a good way to end our conversation. At least, that's what I hope, but as the paper gets passed down to me, I grab my own and pass it to Daehyun. He gives me a bright, soft smile before taking it. Our hands brush against each other and a strange spark tingles my skin. I can't help but flinch from the contact and nearly drop the papers.

  He doesn't seem to notice and grabs his own before passing it to the next person.

  Just who is this guy? My eyes shift to the symbol again. I blink a few times, hoping that it'll change after doing it constantly, but that doesn't seem to work. It's still there. I rub my eyes. Nope. That doesn't work either.

  Daehyun must've felt my gaze because he shifts his eyes and grins.

  I fight the urge to sneer, and look away instead. Maybe it's best if I ignore him. If I keep staring at him like this, everyone will get the wrong idea about me. And I don't want that. I really don't want that especially since this guy seems to be interested in me. I mean, the way he's talking and smiling at me gives me strange vibes as if he's flirting with me!

  Ah, I really just want to blend in with this chair right now.

  By the end of the class period, I try my best to escape him as quickly as I could to avoid talking to him. Once again, he doesn't follow me. In the back of my head, I really hope he doesn't have another class with me, but that can't be guaranteed because apparently, this campus is small enough for us to be in the same class two times in a row.

  As I enter my next classroom, I'm expecting to see the infinity sign floating around, but surprisingly, I don't see it. Instead, I find numbers scattering the place. Ah, finally, I can find a way to just be by myself without worrying about other people talking to me. I sit at a corner seat in the back of the classroom and pull out my other notebook and wait for the rest of the day to pass.

  Only one break and one more class until I'll be done for the day. I'm hoping that this Daehyun guy doesn't have another class with me.

  Returning home, I feel so drained for the day. I didn't see Himchan nor Daehyun for the rest of the day, but since there are more people on campus than a high school classroom, the numbers are overwhelming. It hurts my eyes as the numbers appear to blend the more I see them. All I want to do now is lay on my bed and take a short nap.

  I try to do so by going to my room, throwing my bag on the ground, and plopping myself, face-first on my bed. Finding this as an uncomfortable position, I roll on my back. My hand reaches at the charm and I rub the smoothe surface. There's just something comforting about it as my hand glides against the metal. It's so difficult to recall where I received this as all I can remember is from my dream. It just seems so surreal. But there's no way a stranger gave this to me because it just feels like it has a sentimental meaning behind it.

  My mind then wanders to the strange guy: Jung Daehyun. His chocolate brown eyes flashes before me and his thick lips that are curved into a smile makes me scowl. Why is someone like him talking to me? What if he's just messing around with me? With good looks like that, he must be a player. Yeah, that must be it.

  I close my eyes and let my mind go blank. Since it's only the first day, I don't have much to do. Sure, I can get ahead with studying, but I don't feel like it when my first exam is in two weeks. It doesn't take me long before I drift into my own small dreamland.

  This dream is different from the others. I'm lying in bed with someone's back towards me. Based on the short hair and broad shoulders, I can tell the figure sleeping next to me is a man. The sheets covering him rise and fall to match his rythmic breathing. My body seems to move on its own as if I'm someone completely different and wrap my arms around him, burying my head into his back. He wakes up from this and rolls around to face me. I don't look up. Instead, I bury my head into his chest and take a deep breath, smelling a vanilla scent. It comforts me and his arms holding me close sends a warm feeling thoughout my body.

  I have never felt this way in so long.

  I have never felt this secured in someone's arms.

  I have never felt this close to another human being after that incident years ago. 

  Yes, this dream was so different. For the first time in so long, I am at peace and I can't find myself ever letting go.