“So, tell me about this key thing,” Baekhyun walks in front of Chanyeol who is currently lying on the soft couch that he actually has no idea about. He was contented watching the young guy march back and forth in front of him; his cheeks still red as the apple, and obviously still not over the awkwardness they did earlier.

Baekhyun noticed how Chanyeol is just looking at him innocently and undoubtedly has no idea of what he actually wants him to talk about. He slams himself on the bed in front of Chanyeol’s comfortable seat and meets his deep set of brown eyes.

“Why only I can touch you?” Baekhyun says, trying his best not to make the room awkward for them—or for him once again. “H-how can…we…kiss…when—aish!” He groans, frustrated. “Just why in the hell did you even kiss me? There are a lot of ways to find out but you really had to do that!”

Chanyeol doesn’t have any idea why he’s laughing but one thing’s for sure, Baekhyun is really cute, especially in this kind of state. Astonishingly, he already feels really good and happy when he’s with the teenager considering the fact that they only met tonight. It’s been a long time since he was able to hang out with someone, especially a living boy.

“I already told you that I’m sorry,” Chanyeol says as his laugh died down. Wiping the tear he got from so much chuckling, he sits up. “I just tried if it would work.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes on the spirit. He’s actually confused if he can consider it as his first kiss, considering the fact that Chanyeol isn’t actually a full time human being anymore. “And it did,” he says. “I didn’t even know you’re gay.”

Chanyeol shrugs. “I’m a spirit. Does it matter?”

Baekhyun just rolled his eyes and diverted his attention on the bright green light he sees beneath Chanyeol’s shirt. “Does every spirit’s heart really looks like that?”

Chanyeol looks at the curious male and then takes a preview of his glowing torso. He smiled at the teen. “It’s actually much better without my shirt.”

What the six foot tall spirit said visibly flustered Baekhyun. The roundness of his dark eyes enlarged in bewilderment as his pale cheeks flashed in different shades of red, his thoughts completely eliminating the coldness brought by the winter night. Chanyeol wheezes in surprise upon realizing how Baekhyun understood what he said.

Cheeks and nape burning out of embarrassment, Chanyeol waves his hands continuously as he shakes his head vigorously. “I-it’s not what you think it is!” he defended. “I mean it literally! What I’m trying to say is that—“

“Okay I get it,” Baekhyun shuts him up. He’s already embarrassed enough of himself by the way he thought of Chanyeol’s word. Chanyeol defending his statement is the last thing Baekhyun wants to hear. “Now tell me about the key.”

Unlike the carefree and jolly Chanyeol the young lad has seen, the spirit he sees right now turned serious upon hearing the word ‘key’. Baekhyun concludes that this must be something very important for the spirit.

“Well, when you die in a way that I did, specifically, suicide, you are given another chance to live again by searching for your key,” he explains. A set of crease appeared on Baekhyun’s forehead, misperception apparent on his face. Chanyeol can see the doubt on the smaller male’s eyes but chooses to not say anything unless He asks a question.

“And that key is me,” he points out. “How am I your key?”

Chanyeol shrugs. “I don’t make the rules. It just happens.”

The lines on Baekhyun’s unblemished forehead deepen as additional set of questions starting appearing inside his mind. “And how did you know I am your key?”

Chanyeol gives his a smile and points on the silver jewellery clinging on his bare neck. “With that thing,” he says. “Plus! We kissed.”

Baekhyun groans. “And how does that prove your point?”

“You can see me, and you can touch me,” he nonchalantly blurts, unaware of the uncomfortable feeling he raised around the dark tiny room. “When I held your pendant, I saw flashbacks but I don’t know whose memory was that from,” he explains. “Also, a spirit like me can only be seen by people with third eyes, but I can see you don’t have any.”

“Third,” he held up his three fingers. “People with third eye can see me but never touch me. Only you, my key, can do that.”

Baekhyun’s heart fluttered upon hearing the words ‘my key’. He can’t believe it actually came from a ghost’s mouth.

“Alright,” He says. “Then how am I your key then? What’s my role? How am I going to bring you back to life?”

“I don’t know,” he answered.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Why don’t you know?” Baekhyun asked once more. He looks at the spirit and was surprised how his emotions changed from ‘don’t-give-a-’ emotion to sad.

“Because I never bother,” he admits. “I don’t want to live again.”

Baekhyun, despite of his confusion suddenly feels empathy for the spirit. The loneliness on Chanyeol’s dark brown eyes touched by the illuminate beauty of the moon crushed Baekhyun’s heart in to pieces. He looked fine but who would’ve thought he’s this lonely.

No one.

Not even his.

“You don’t?” Baekhyun tries to speak. “But why did you come for me?”

Baekhyun gulped the moment Chanyeol’s alluring eyes focused on his. The beauty and sadness blended perfectly on his pair of lenses as his gaze pierced through Baekhyun’s soul. He smiled, trying to hide his feelings yet he fails. The tinier lass can clearly see everything.

“I did not,” he confessed. “I never did.”

“So I really summoned you here, huh,” Baekhyun answers, finally realizing that it his responsibility all along. He scratches his lips as he thinks of many things, but mainly about Chanyeol.

“Yes, and I haven’t even gotten your name,” the spirits says. Baekhyun turns to look at him in confusion, and then realizes afterwards what Chanyeol is talking about. His smile is already genuine and the dullness of his eyes finally disappeared. “I can’t believe I knew where you live even before I learn about your name.”

“It’s Baekhyun,” He says as he held out his hand for a handshake. A bucket full of embarrassment fell on top of his head when he saw Chanyeol just gawking on his palm. He awkwardly brings it down. “Anyways now that you’ve mentioned it, you are not planning to live again, am I right? Does that mean you’ll stop bothering me now?”

Chanyeol shrugs, earning a glare from the teenager. “What else would you want from me? If you don’t like to live, why do you still have to bother me?”

“I’ve been like saying my reason for a hundred times now,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “I need to know how you were able to summon me.”

“But I already told you a hundred times that I don’t know!” Baekhyun feels annoyed now. What he doesn’t like the most is when people insist something that’s already been settled. He already closed Chanyeol’s intention of knowing how he ‘summoned’ him by admitting that he doesn’t know how yet the spirit must be really eager to know that up until now he hasn’t given up yet.

“Then we’ll find out!” he exclaims, Baekhyun staring at him in disbelief. “Together!”

“No way,” Baekhyun blurts out. “I can’t hang out with a ghost!”

“Hey, that hurts!” the giant frowns. “Besides, who else can see me? No one will find out unless you make it super obvious.”

“I hardly believe any of these so why do you expect I’d agree that fast?” He combs out his hair out of frustration.   “At least let me have time to think?”

Baekhyun watches the taller silently. The creases on his forehead appeared once again. His dark brown eyes was examining the lady, thinking if he should consider what Baekhyun said. Chanyeol doubts Baekhyun. The way he asked for some time is doesn’t really get the spirit’s trust.

“How long?” Chanyeol inquired as his ghost hands clutched the softness of the couch.

Baekhyun was flustered by his question. It didn’t actually come across his mind that the spirit would ask that. For the male, it sounded like Chanyeol doesn’t trust him, in which Chanyeol didn’t try to cover.

“I-I don’t know….” Baekhyun answered, unsure. “I mean this would be tough for me, I need a longer time to you know, think,” he added. Chanyeol didn’t like the uneasiness he spotted on Baekhyun’s eyes. He stood up from his seat and links his hands together on his back, supressed his lips, and squinted. Baekhyun got what he’s trying to tell him. Chanyeol is not convinced.

Chanyeol is just worried. There are so many ways the lady can avoid him. Once he goes to a priest and asks for help, he’s done. He’s never going to find out how he managed to summon him. It’s a pretty big deal for Chanyeol. There are so many unanswered questions he has in mind that this particular incident made him hope that he’s close to dismissing the things that bother him the most. He thinks that this exceptional gift Baekhyun has makes them somewhat associated to each other which can possibly be a way of reconnecting to his past.

Baekhyun is pretty uncomfortable by how Chanyeol looks at him so he avoids their eye contact. He internally gulps. He actually started being worried for his life again, which only means he still doesn’t trust the spirit in front of him.

“Tomorrow,” Chanyeol speaks with his deep monotone voice. “I will come back tomorrow,” he announces. “I beg of you, please give me a chance.”

After his last words, he disappeared like a smoke blown away by the wind. Baekhyun’s heart clutched when their eyes met for the last time. Chanyeol’s eyes were sad. They both are.

Baekhyun pulls his hair after the tension Chanyeol brought finally come to an end. He didn’t even realize he was that uncomfortable with the idea of a ghost being by his side. Baekhyun sat where Chanyeol left him for almost an hour, convincing himself that whatever happened tonight must only be a product of his illusions due to loneliness. Although a huge part of his is convinced that everything was real, there’s a very small percentage of his system that wants to avoid it.

Baekhyun slams himself on the bed. He lies down; facing his ceiling for a long time yet his mind is not completely focused on his view. His mind has been playing with him ever since he went to bed. Sleepiness had it hard to come by and visit him. The thoughts of Chanyeol can’t leave his attention. As his eyes got heavier and wanted to close, he slowly prays that nothing of what happened tonight is real.

Especially Chanyeol.