- different answers -

"Why didn't you ask me to help?"
Junmyeon had asked that question only once in a moment of arrogance. Back when he had still been in the middle of training Yixing, he had believed that he could do anything. After all, he had been chosen to pass on his knowledge. He who had spent the four years before that trying to learn everything there was to know, he who he thought was the new leader of their team after Shin Jaewoo had retired.
But then Minseok had chosen to bring Yixing along for the summoning of a ghost possessing a young heir. The ghost had nearly beaten a man to death and had only been able to still roam free because of its host's family. And Junmyeon had believed, no, he had known that he was the best suited to deal with the ghost so he had confronted Minseok.
But Minseok had only looked at him expressionlessly. "You're too empathetic," he had said as if there really hadn't been all that much to it.
And Junmyeon had shook his head in disbelief because he had been twenty-four and had thought of himself as invincible.
Shortly after that he had nearly died at the hands of a ghost who had killed many in many different bodies. Junmyeon had been too arrogant to ask for help until it had almost been too late.
Minseok had killed the ghost to save him.
"You can't reason with every one of them," Minseok had explained urgently, as if he had finally sensed that he needed to explain himself. "They're different, just like how we're different. Some of them don't want to listen."

After that Junmyeon had never really openly questioned his decision again. Their boundaries had been much clearer to him and he had finally understood something he had successfully ignored before. He could not save everyone. He could not solve everything. He was not all-knowing, no matter how hard he tried. So while he continued to pass on his knowledge and help the ghosts who wanted help, Minseok dealt with everything that was uncomfortable.
Junmyeon was fine with those arrangements because he felt comfortable with his duties.
But then the curious case of Park Chanyeol happened and he ended up questioning Minseok for the first time in years.

"Why did you tell Jongdae to go?" he asked with his arms folded in front of his chest and immediately regretted how confrontational he probably sounded. Minseok looked up from his computer and still looked terrible. His hands had been shaking for the past two days now and his gaze constantly shifted nervously. They had all told him to go home and rest but Minseok never listened.
So for all Junmyeon knew, Minseok had made a rash decision because his mind wasn't quite there. It did not make much sense to tell Jongdae, who had only been with them for a year, to bring Park Chanyeol to a summoning.
Minseok angled his head with wide eyes and seemed to consider the questions for a while. For a moment Junmyeon was afraid to receive the same answer again.
But then Minseok said, "I found out what happened to Park Chanyeol and I think it's símilar to what happened to Jongdae. I think he should talk to someone who suffered the way he suffers."
Junmyeon frowned at that, partly because he hadn't expected an actual explanation and because he had a feeling that he did comprehend the problem. They all knew about the reasons why those who had come after them could see ghosts. Minseok and Junmyeon both knew about Jongdae's brother and Yixing's parents, just like how Minseok knew about the plane crash Junmyeon had been pulled out of. Junmyeon was the rare case of someone who didn't feel guilt after losing a loved one but because he had survived when dozens of strangers had died. That was why it probably was easier for him than for the others to be empathetic. He had rarely met the people ghosts had once been.
"So why not Yixing?" Junmyeon then asked because it seemed like the logical conclusion. Yixing's experience also was similar to Jongdae's and he had been with them for three years. He also swore less.
Again, Minseok seemed to think of his answer but seemed less sure this time. "I don't know," he then shrugged and rubbed his face. "I thought they'd get along. They're the same age."
"I see," Junmyeon nodded and felt somewhat content with the answer although there still was one thing it didn't completely explain. Minseok clearly didn't feel well but that had not stopped him from doing his rounds and typing up reports.
"Is that also the reason why you didn't go?" Junmyeon asked carefully. "Because your story is too different?"
The truth was that Junmyeon barely knew anything about Minseok athough they had worked together for seven years. Minseok never talked about his life and the few things Junmyeon had found out were things he had read about in the archives. The oldest report mentioning Minseok was dated back 15 years, so he would have been a child when the first ghost had appeared in front of him. Obviously, that didn't necessarily have to mean that his experience was worse than everyone else's. Oh Sehun had seen ghosts since young and he was fine. But  Sehun had also freely talked about what had happened to him.
"We're all different," Minseok said vaguely and looked down at his feet. Something about his expression made shivers run down Junmyeon's spine. "If I'd gone tonight, I probably would have destroyed the ghost. But then I wouldn't know what to do with the one who's still alive."

- on teaching  -

When Jongdae had tagged along for a summoning for the first time, it had been incredibly unspectacular. It had mostly consisted of Junmyeon talking to the ghost of a confused elderly lady possessing her neighbor, a similarly confused but slightly less old lady. For exactly 95 minutes Junmyeon had talked to her about her children and her cat and her favorite stew recipe while Jongdae had repeatedly yawned. Then, for exactly five minutes Junmyeon had told her about the wonder that was reincarnation despite knowing that there was no proof that reincarnation really was a thing. After that she had happily ascended to heaven and they had tended for the neighbor who apparently had been too senile to be genuinely traumatized. The only lesson Jongdae had learned that day was that it was okay to lie to ghosts. Afterwards he had thought about quitting until Yixing had told him to ask Minseok if he could come with him once.
Of course he understood that the stuff Junmyeon taught him was more practical. Most ghosts could be talked to, but Minseok wasn't sent to most ghosts. When Jongdae had practically begged him to come along, Minseok had not even bothered trying to explain to him what he did. Instead he had almost seemed exasperated as he had put his hand on the chest of a possessed police officer and had pulled the ghost out of it like a wet sheet out of a washing machine.
"Holy , how did you do that?" Jongdae had gasped excitedly when Minseok had shooed at the ghost until it had disappeared. Minseok had only shrugged because things like that clearly were not a big deal to him. In the end Jongdae had learned nothing that day, except that summonings could be exciting. What he had also decided for himself was that, once he got his first own trainee, he would first show them something grand and then teach them all the tedious stuff.

"Wait, you're not Chinese though, are you?" Chanyeol asked curiously. "Because you told me that your name was-."
"No, well, it's not my real name," Jongdae quickly interrupted him before he could spout even more. "We're not telling clients our real names."
"How am I your client?" asked the middle-aged man in his dead wife's silk robes.  "You just barged into my house and tell me that I'm, what? Possessed by a demon? Wouldn't I know if I was possessed by a demon?  And now you make up names, too?"
Jongdae groaned as he rubbed his temples. He just had spent the last fifteen minutes trying to explain to the ghost of a woman inside a man's body that she was not actually a woman. He had tried to be gentle and understanding and had tried to imagine what Junmyeon would have said, but it did not help to have Chanyeol ask stupid questions. The whole thing already stressed him out.
"It's our organisation's policy not to tell others our real names," Jongdae explained in as much of a calm voice as he could muster.
Chanyeol nodded knowingly and then said, "Oh . So you mean I shouldn't have told that man my name?"
"Who are you calling a man?" the man asked and Jongdae covered his eyes for a moment, as if it could make the whole situation disappear. All he wanted was for the ground to open and swallow both the ghost with her husband and Chanyeol.
"Well, it's too late now anyway and I don't think it matters in this case," he then slowly said. "But I thought Min-... Xiumin-hyung would have explained that to you."
"Who?" Chanyeol asked innocently and Jongdae honestly wondered whether he was completely dense.
"That hyung who was supposed to meet you today and who then told me to hang out with you instead."
He honestly didn't mean to sound as frustrated as he was. It was not Chanyeol's fault that Minseok had ditched him or that Jongdae had no clue how to teach anything to anyone because he himself still was a novice.
Chanyeol only frowned at him with what seemed to be disappointment and the man-woman cleared his throat. "Well, this has all been very interesting but I would really like you to leave now."
Jongdae took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he then turned to the possessed man, he still sounded angrier than intended. "Okay, m'am, look, we can't leave, because you're not who you think you are. You're a ghost possessing your husband and if you don't believe me, would you please look down at yourself? Because I'm sure that, last time you checked, you didn't ing have a ."

"So..." Chanyeol began when they sat on a plastic bench next to an eerily dark park and drank canned coffee. Jongdae dreaded another question but looked at him anyway to show that he was ready for further explanations. He had inititally been excited to see Minseok's new recruit after all.
"Is it always like that?" Chanyeol then asked and Jongdae knew what he meant but still felt a little offended. His duties in the office were even more tedious than Junmyeon's. He knew that better than anyone.
"I mean, it's really mostly like any other job," he then shrugged. "Often you meet ghosts that are just stupid. You make house calls, convince them that they're stupid and then write a report on how stupid the whole endeavor was in as neutral a tone as possible."
Next to him Chanyeol laughed at that and Jongdae unwillingly smiled too.
"I also used to work in retail," he then continued and Chanyeol made an apprehensive sound. "And I think it's similar. Like, right now I'm the guy who works in the store and deals with all the regular customers who think that they need a smaller size than actually fits their bodies or who think that they need the most expensive golf club although they're still beginners."
"Or who want a racing bike although they look like they will put it in their basement and never ride it? Yeah, I know customers like that," Chanyeol said with a grin and Jongdae snapped his finger in approval.
"Exactly! What a waste of good sporting material."
It was odd to think about it that way sometimes. Two years ago, when ghosts had started to appear everywhere, he had not really believed that life could ever be normal again. But if he thought about it now, his current everyday life was usually just as boring as everyone else's.
"But anyway, I'm still new, too, so I normally don't get the really tough customers. You know, the ones who are nasty and don't want to leave until they get to speak to the manager. And sometimes you have to call your in-house security to get rid of them."
"Minseok-sshi?" Chanyeol asked in a strange tone and leaned back with his coffee.
"Yeah," Jongdae nodded and wondered what Minseok had done to the companion that even Chanyeol had noticed the difference between him and Jongdae. The companion had even agreed to give Chanyeol every Tuesday night and Sunday afternoon off and, judging by the fact that he looked oddly stable for a ten-year-old ghost, he probably couldn't easily be convinced of anything.
"Minseok-hyung can do some crazy stuff," he said and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't think he ever argues with any ghost. I mean, he doesn't have to. He can just force them to leave."
As he said those words, Chanyeol suddenly dropped his coffee and swore under his breath as it clattered along the pavement in front of them. Chanyeol awkwardly cleared his throat and Jongdae frowned at him. He didn't think he had said anything particularly strange.
But then he wondered whether Chanyeol maybe feared for his companion. Minseok probably wouldn't have mentioned that he had the power to force the companion away without having to make up deals like a divorced parent in a custody battle.
Jongdae was about to comment on it. There were rules after all and minor hauntings and companionships were not technically against them. Only possessions were.
But then Chanyeol already quickly changed the topic.
"So why do you all have Chinese aliases?" he asked with a forced smile.
At first Jongdae did not mean to take the bait. He wanted to properly explain that Chanyeol's companion was not in any danger unless he broke that one rule. But then he didn't really feel like doing any more of the teaching Minseok was supposed do, so he shook his head in mock exasperation and said, "I didn't say that we all have Chinese aliases. I have one because my Chinese co-worker made it up."
"Is his family name Chen?" Chanyeol asked and sounded genuinely curious.
"It's Zhang," Jongdae shrugged. "He said I look like a guy he knew called Chen."
Chanyeol laughed and Jongdae sighed. He definitely did not feel ready to deal with recruits yet.

They stood in front of the crossroads where they were going to split up. Chanyeol would head off to the bus stop and be reunited with his companion, and Jongdae would go back to the office to type up his report. He was honestly just going to say his goodbyes without another word, when Chanyeol looked at him in a way lost way that immediately made Jongdae feel pity. Chanyeol had expected to meet Minseok after all and instead Jongdae had appeared out of the blue. There were no explanations on how to proceed.  And Jongdae couldn't even bring him back to the office to figure things out together with Junmyeon, because Minseok had told him not to.
"So your next appointment is on Sunday, right?" Jongdae asked helplessly and Chanyeol nodded. "Minseok-hyung hasn't told me what he has planned yet to be honest, but I suppose..." For a moment he paused because he wasn't really sure what to say. He didn't want to lie. "I suppose someone will be there to meet you."
Chanyeol furrowed his brows at that and Jongdae felt like the worst. He knew how difficult it was in the beginning and how much he himself had clung to Junmyeon at first.
"Minseok-sshi, is he...?" Chanyeol began but didn't seem sure how to continue for a second. "Is he well?"
Jongdae knew for a fact that Minseok was not well at all. Something had happened and he wasn't sure whether it was connected to Chanyeol and the decision not to meet him that day. Whatever it was, it had caused Minseok to collapse in the office and to spend the last two days wandering around like a zombie. But he wasn't sure whether he was allowed to talk about that, so he vaguely said, "I think he's a bit under the weather."
Chanyeol grimaced at that and Jongdae sensed that there was a connection after all.
"Do you have his number?" Jongdae asked and when Chanyeol put on a troubled expression, he immediately remembered the last time he had tried to contact Minseok. "Oh, right, he rarely picks up, does he? Don't worry, he does that to everyone. It's like he never even thinks of his phone's existence unless there's an emergency. He's like a living antique from the 20th century."
Chanyeol gave him a half-hearted grin, so he thoughtlessly said, "I suppose I could tell you where he lives."
It probably was a mistake.
It definitely was a mistake.
Minseok was the most secretive person he had ever met and he only even knew his address was because they lived close to each other and often met on their way to work.
"Oh, you live in that new apartment block next to the hospital, don't you?" Jongdae had asked excitedly one day and Minseok had thrown him the kind of look he expected a stalking victim to throw their stalker.
But Chanyeol was Minseok's recruit. Minseok himself had made that clear before, when Junmyeon had tried to step in. So it technically shouldn't have been wrong to make sure that a recruit found a way to reach his teacher.

- the visitors -

When Park Chanyeol stood in front of Minseok's door late at night, his first instinct was to slam the door shut. It wasn't so much Park Chanyeol himself however, as if was the looming presence of the ghost behind him.
Part of Minseok felt the kind of primeval fear he thought he had shaken forever. Being possessed had been even worse than expected. It had felt like being suffocated and it had taken him a few hours until he had slowly gained back his control. He knew that the ghost would not have returned his body if he had not forced him out. Even though the experience had taught him a lot, it had also wounded something in him and he still picked at the scabs.
But apart from the fear there also was another feeling.
He had seen the complete life of the ghost lined out. He had seen him fall off the roof of his school and his dead body surrounded by hundreds of nosy students in their uniforms. He had felt the confusion at the realisation that he had stopped living.
And he had felt pity to some extent. Death was not easy.
But death was not an excuse to stalk a living person for selfish reasons.
So when he saw the ghost of Byun Baekhyun look at him with a detached  expression, he felt a strange mix of emotion. He felt disgust and loathing and fear and pity. And he felt sadness for the one who had almost been driven mad by the boy who had jumped.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I..." Park Chanyeol muttered and Minseok blinked as he shifted his gaze from the ghost to him. "Jongdae told me where you live and I don't want to intrude or anything, but I just wanted to make sure that... I mean..."  He trailed off and noisily crumpled a paper bag he held in both his hands. "I mean, are you okay? Because, , I told Baekhyun not to eat like a pig but then he did and I hope you didn't get food poisoning or anything?"
Behind him the ghost let out a disapproving noise but didn't say anything.
"I'm fine," Minseok said shortly and tried to ignore the ghost athough some of the coldness wafted over his doorstep.
"Right," Park Chanyeol said awkwardly and half turned away and then back, as if not sure what to do. "I mean, that's good then. Because I, uh, I brought herbal tea which I guess is good for your stomach, but if you're fine, then..."
Minseok sighed. He didn't often get visitors and was not at all prepared. In his apartment, there only was one piece of everything with the exception of the tea set Junmyeon had once given him as a present. So he asked, "Do you want to come in?", and wasn't sure whether he would regret it.
At least it would spare him the presence of the ghost because only the living could cross his doorstep.