Chapter 6

-A Possible Confession-

Siyeon stood there in Bora’s apartment as she tried to think of a plan. But the issue was that the ghosts looked just like normal people to her. How could Siyeon differentiate them from being real or not? The only thing that she could think of is bringing someone else with her. If one of them didn’t see anything, then she knew it was time to make contact.

Siyeon was feeling invincible from helping that boy, but Dami quickly reminded her that the ghost that was her main goal shoved her down the stairs and almost killed not only her but Minji as well.

After Siyeon was done raging at the memory, Bora made breakfast for everyone as they planned out the day. Their first goal was to scout out the hospital and try to find any ghosts they could. But that was after they visited Minji. Siyeon wouldn’t cave on the Minji first plan.

Once breakfast was over, Bora and the others got ready to go to the hospital. It was a quick drive from Bora’s place, and once they got there, Siyeon noticed something.

There was a little old woman. Her back was bent with age, and she looked lost and distraught. Siyeon couldn’t help but walk over to the little old woman as Dami, and the others looked at her with a strange expression.

“do you need any help? Are you lost?” Siyeon asked the little old lady. She looked startled as she looked up and made eye contact with Siyeon.

‘you can see me?’ the little woman asked weakly. Siyeon froze at the comment and looked over to Dami and the others. Bora had fled as soon as Siyeon started talking, and the others were staring with different expressions.

Yoohyeon looked extremely excited while both Gahyeon and Handong looked concerned. Dami, on the other hand, looked like her will to live had floated away. She just knew that she would be dragged into this somehow, and she was right.

“Dami? Do you see her?” Siyeon asked as Dami groaned but shook her head no. Siyeon looked back to the woman who gently held her hands pleadingly.

‘can you please help me?’ the old woman asked as Siyeon automatically nodded. There was just something about the little old lady that Siyeon just couldn’t say no to.

Siyeon guessed her plan to see Minji first just went out the window as she looked at the frail old woman who looked completely distraught.

After Siyeon agreed to help, the woman took her to the ICU. Siyeon was confused. She didn’t understand why they were there, and neither did the others until they walked over to a room. The walls were made of glass. It made the ICU nurses' jobs easier. They could see if their patients took a turn for the worst.

But the room that the old woman brought her to held a frail old man who looked like he was struggling for his life. Siyeon could see that it was a losing battle. Even with being intubated, his oxygen was low, but he struggled to hold on at all costs.

“who is this?” Siyeon asked as she watched tears streak down the ghost's cheeks.

‘my husband. I died a week ago. I think he is holding on for me… but no one has the heart to tell him that I'm gone. He is suffering so much…’ the woman said as her voice broke. Her hands were shaking as she looked at her husband struggling.

‘my son decided to make him a DNR just today, but he can't make the decision to remove the life support. He feels like he would be killing his father. He just lost me so recently so I can understand…’ the old woman said as Siyeon looked down at her.

“what can I do to help?” Siyeon asked as the old woman looked up with tears in her eyes. It was a difficult thing to ask Siyeon, but she was her only hope.

‘Please tell him that I love him and that I am waiting for him on the other side. There is no need to struggle anymore…’ the old woman said as Siyeon nodded.

It was heartbreaking, but Siyeon could see he was struggling like he was waiting for someone. Waiting for someone to speak to him or hold his hand, but she would never come. Well, not how he would imagine it.

Siyeon turned around to see Dami and Yoohyeon. Handong had left with Gahyeon to get some information about the patient and just now came back. Handong looked pissed while Gahyeon looked extremely sad.

“did you get me permission to enter the room?” Siyeon asked as Handong nodded. Whatever the nurse of the patient told her had pissed off the orange-haired doctor.

“she said you could go in but warned you that at any second, he could pass…” Handong said as Siyeon nodded.

Siyeon donned the gown and mask that were required in the ICU room and slowly walked over to the bed. His wife had already walked over to him and rested her hand upon his as she watched him worriedly.

Siyeon leaned down and whispered the words that the little old woman had told her. She didn’t know if he was listening when she started, but he had to be.

Once Siyeon was finished, he seemed to relax. His struggling seemed to stop as his face looked peaceful as the monitor started to beep an alarm. His vitals were crashing, but he looked relieved.

The nurse ran in, looking at Siyeon apologetically. Siyeon knew that she wanted her to leave the room and quickly stood up as she looked over to the old woman who smiled a sad but grateful smile at her and gave a weak smile back.

Once Siyeon was on the outside of the glass again, she explained it to everyone. Everyone looked into the room in silence. It was a lot to take in. They just watched the man take his last breaths. Siyeon and Handong were used to it. They saw this for a living, but Gahyeon and Dami couldn’t help but feel sad.

“he is gone…” Handong said as she looked over to the nurse. She had just officially called his time of death.

“he looks so peaceful now…” Gahyeon said as Dami put an arm around her comfortingly. They knew that the old woman was right. He had been waiting for his wife that would never come.

“oh!” Siyeon said as she looked into the room in surprise. The old woman was smiling as she looked up at an old man. He was looking at her happily as he held out his hand to her.

“what?” Gahyeon asked as Siyeon explained what she saw.

“so, he found her?” Gahyeon asked as Siyeon smiled and nodded.

“they are together again…” Siyeon said as the woman looked towards Siyeon with a grateful expression, and soon, the couple started walking away.

They looked like they were walking with a purpose, and Siyeon was curious where they would go as she followed them only to see them get onto the elevator that held the ghost that she had met last time.

The elevator doors closed before she arrived there, but it came back down for Siyeon and her friends shortly after. When the elevator doors opened again, only the elevator operator was inside, smiling happily.

Siyeon and the others filed into the elevator as the ghost silently pointed at the floor that Minji was staying at as Siyeon nodded with a smile.

“where did they go?” Siyeon finally asked as he pressed the button. The man could only smile. He was waiting for her to ask.

‘they moved on. That is why I am here. I help them move on from this place.’ The man said as Siyeon looked at him in confusion.

“so, you are not just some normal ghost?” Siyeon asked as he laughed and shook his head.

‘no. I guide lost spirits that have lost their way to the next life. After they have completed their unfinished business, that is.’ He said as Siyeon nodded. It sounded so unbelievable, but she couldn’t help but believe him.

“so, they are together right now?” Siyeon asked as he nodded with another smile. He was happy that they were able to receive the help they needed. So few do.

‘many ghosts are trapped here with unfinished business. Sometimes they become twisted with all the death surrounding them and need the help to move on. I can’t help with that. I can only help them leave for their next life once they are ready.’ The man said as the doors opened onto Minji’s floor as everyone slowly filed out and thanked him softly.

He smiled as he watched them leave as the elevator doors closed slowly. Maybe she was what the ghosts here needed? Either way, he liked the kind nurse, Unlike the loudmouthed short woman that always trashed his precious elevator. He still enjoyed closing the doors on her.

When Siyeon walked into Minji’s room, she couldn’t help but snort. This must have been where Bora fled to. She had managed to find some spare blankets and was curled up in a chair with the blankets over her head.

“she has been like that since she got here…” Minji said with a pout as Siyeon smiled and laughed.

Minji felt her cheeks flush at Siyeon’s smile and laugh. It was for once a natural laugh. Her shyness was forgotten for the moment as she looked over to her friend and shook her head.

But when her eyes met Minji’s, the shyness flooded back as her eyes flicked to the floor shyly.

‘well, her shyness is back…’ Minji thought as she blushed, remembering the video that Yoohyeon sent her the night before.

When Minji looked at the taller girl, she just winked as Minji smiled. It was great to know that Siyeon liked her too, but now she didn’t know what to do or say to win the girl over without spilling about the video. But she was snapped out of her thoughts when the lump of blankets finally spoke.

“is it gone?” Bora asked as Siyeon rolled her eyes and laughed again.

“yes, Bora, the ghost is gone…” Siyeon said as Bora peaked out of the blankets. It didn’t look like Siyeon was lying, so she slowly let the blankets fall around her. She truly looked tiny, all curled up, and everyone couldn’t help but smile at their scaredy-cat boss.

“ghost?” Minji asked as everyone nodded.

“it seems Siyeon can see ghosts after the accident and just helped a little old couple reunite,” Yoohyeon said as Minji looked to Handong to see if it was true. The doctor just nodded, but something was still bothering her.

“Handong, what's wrong?” Minji asked as Handong let out a sigh.

“that old couple shouldn’t have even been here! They wouldn’t have gotten sick if it wasn’t for their landlord. The nurse filled me in on their backstory…” Handong said as Siyeon and the others looked at Handong in confusion. What did their landlord have to do with their deaths?

“the couple barely scraped by enough to pay the rent every month and when they did the landlord decided it wasn’t enough and raised it anyway. He knew that they couldn’t pay it. So, they didn’t run their heater to try to save for it…” Handong said as everyone in the room frowned. They could feel where this was going.

“their son found them unconscious and their apartment freezing cold. They had a fever, and It developed into pneumonia, and that’s how the old woman died. Their son is trying to sue the landlord, but it's useless. He says it's not his fault they didn’t run the heat and that they agreed to the rent increase… they didn’t have a choice, or he was going to kick them out…” Handong said as her hands clenched.

“that’s horrible…” Minji said as Handong nodded. They knew that the son must feel helpless, and now he just lost both of his parents in such a short time.

“I'm surprised that they didn’t want revenge on the landlord…” Yoohyeon said as everyone nodded.

“I would have!” Bora said as Dami nodded in agreement.

“They were so focused on each other. I doubt they even thought of revenge like that. She just wanted her husband's suffering to end.” Siyeon said as everyone nodded.

“well, I'm not going to let this happen again…” Handong said as everyone except Yoohyeon and Minji looked at her with a confused look.

“what are you going to do?” Gahyeon asked, but Yoohyeon was the one that answered.

“she is going to buy the building. She is going to buy it and have it inspected and sue the old landlord for anything that is wrong with the building…” Yoohyeon said flatly. Obviously, this had happened before.

“she bought the apartment building that my parents lived in when the landlord tried to deny that they paid their rent and asked for another payment,” Yoohyeon said as Minji nodded.

“I remember that. The idiot forgot his ledger, and Handong was able to submit it to the police. He got arrested for it.” Minji said as Handong nodded.

“but this isn’t about the rent money. There are probably more elderly couples in that building. That means he may be doing the same thing to them that he did to this couple.” Handong said as she pulled out her cell and made a call.

“so how are you feeling?” Siyeon asked softly. During the conversation, Minji hadn’t noticed that the nurse had slowly crept closer and closer to her.

“I'm feeling ok. How about you? any pain anywhere?” Minji asked as she rested a hand on Siyeon’s wrist. The nurse turned a vivid shade of red as she stammered.

Minji smiled as she watched Siyeon struggle with her words. It was just so cute, and all she could think of was Siyeon’s video from the night before.

Without noticing it, Minji had slid her hand into Siyeon’s in an attempt to comfort her as she listened to Handong on the phone. It was sending Siyeon into a mini panic attack, but she loved the way their hands fit together so perfectly. Like it was meant to be.

Siyeon was focused on her hand as she watched Minji gently rubbing her thumb against the back of her hand when Minji’s voice startled her out of her thoughts.

“are you alright? It can’t be easy to wake up and suddenly see things that no one else can…” Minji asked with a worried expression, but as soon as Siyeon met her eyes, her mind went blank. Minji was looking at her with such a tender expression that Siyeon’s heart skipped a beat.

Everyone went silent in the room as they watched the two. They were forgotten at the moment as the two were in their own little world and watched the two holding hands excitedly. Was this going to be the moment one of them confessed?

“I, um, it's alright…” Siyeon said as she shyly looked back at their intertwined hands. She couldn’t think when Minji stared at her like that.

“I feel like I'm able to help people even while I'm stuck at the desk. Though if others hear me talking to nothing, they will probably think I'm crazy…” Siyeon said worriedly when she felt Minji squeeze her hand gently.

Siyeon looked up into Minji’s eyes as she let loose the most beautiful smile Siyeon had ever seen.

“you are not crazy. We all know it. I will never think you are crazy.” Minji said as Siyeon frowned and looked down. The sadness on her face was evident.

“But who would want to be with someone that sees ghosts?” Siyeon asked softly as her shoulders slumped. She felt like her chances with Minji were slipping away when she heard Minji speak again.

“Siyeon…” Minji said as Siyeon looked up with the cutest pout Minji had ever seen. She felt like she was going to die inside but controlled herself as she looked the younger girl directly in the eyes.

Everyone was subconsciously leaning closer as they watched the two have a moment. It felt like they were watching a drama live and couldn’t get enough of it. Even Handong had forgotten that she was on a call as she hung on the girls' every word.

“I would. Siyeon, you are perfect. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” Minji said as Siyeon’s pulse quickened. Was that Minji’s way of saying that she liked her? Or was she just using it as an example?

Dami groaned. She could tell that Siyeon was overthinking and that Minji’s confession probably went right over the nurse's head and swore under her breath as Gahyeon shook her head at her friend. Everyone in the room deflated, knowing that Minji’s attempt failed.

Minji didn’t mind it, though. She would wait for Siyeon. She was worth it. Siyeon was such an amazing person and could make Minji’s heart do backflips with just a look. There was no way she would be discouraged this easily. Especially now that she knew Siyeon felt the same.

Minji just smiled as she squeezed Siyeon’s hand once more as she smiled. Siyeon couldn’t help but think that maybe Minji really meant it when she said she would. Could it be possible? The look on Minji’s face said yes, and Siyeon couldn’t help but gulp nervously.