Hey guys !!! So, this fic is HEAVILY inspired by my favorite k-drama, Goblin! There are no spoilers in this fic and its quite different than the drama like completely so pls pls pls don't let this fic deter you from watching Goblin bc it's amazing! Anyways, enjoy ! 

They say that humans have four lives, and that afterwards, the soul finally gets to go to a higher place. They say that those who’ve killed themselves become grim reapers, and that those who commit heinous acts will be cursed as immortal until they find their brides. They say all of that, but who really believes it? 

--

Wonwoo didn’t mean to slaughter a whole village. He didn’t know what he was doing, he just knew that whatever the king wants, the king gets. It didn’t hit him that he and the group of soldiers that he led single handedly took the lives of countless individuals until he found himself kneeling in front of the king with his hands bound to his back and an executioner fastening a blindfold to his eyes, preparing him for what’s to come. His whole body shuddered as beads of sweat dripped down his face. He wasn't sure if it was out of fear or out of heat. Maybe both. His execution was scheduled for the night, so there were rings of fire circling him, illuminating what was to come. 

He realized in what was supposed to be his final moments that he didn’t do what the king wanted. He and his soldiers were only supposed to kidnap the king, but the selfish desire deep within him that he didn’t know existed caused him to kill a village. 

He uttered one final apology, finding that there were no tears left in him as he prepared himself for his death.

The sword piercing his body felt like nothing to him. Even when he felt himself choke up blood and his body begin to burn in pain, he felt nothing but guilt. He was a monster and deserved this. He deserved to die the death of a public execution. He deserved to die due to the war that was to ensue due to his actions. He didn’t deserve to open his eyes ever again.

So when they did open, he was confused. 

He scanned the barren fields around him, and was greeted with an old man who appeared beside him in an instant. 

“How am I here? How...Why am I here?” He asked quietly, afraid that somebody from the town might somehow hear him in the vacant fields. He looked down at his stomach and saw the sword that stabbed him days prior. But it was different now. It was transparent and glowed, but if he chose not to focus on it, he wouldn’t see it. He tried to touch it, but his hand went right through it. He gave the man a questioning look. 

The old man sighed deeply as he scanned the young man before him. 

“Have you ever heard of a Goblin?”

--

The first time he met Mingyu was in a small town in England. He decided to leave Korea as a whole and move somewhere he’d never be found, and decided that England would be a good start. 

Besides, he had an eternity to learn English. 

Mingyu, who’s name at the time was Mark, worked at a local bakery in their rural town away from the Royal Palace. Royalty didn’t seem to matter to their quaint way of living. Wonwoo was the only foreigner in the town, and was often questioned about his whereabouts and how he traveled from the orient to here. He couldn’t lie and say that he teleported, because they’d just try to burn him for witchcraft, so he lied and said that he travelled from China to import tea. 

They didn’t need to know that he was Korean, anyways, because to them it was all the same.

Mark was one of the only people who didn’t question him for not being European, and their friendship soon grew. 

Wonwoo found it easy to suppress certain feelings throughout his life, from being in training, to being in battle, to then having to go into hiding. 

It was easy to suppress these feelings when he couldn’t relax and bask in them, but sitting here with Mark made his heart beat just a little faster than he would have liked. 

Mark grew up strictly catholic and made no advances towards Wonwoo, but the lingering stares and the jolts of electricity that ran through their bodies as they brushed their fingertips over tea was enough to suffice. 

As Mark grew older, he began to question Wonwoo’s age. They’d been friends for ten years, and Mark was now balding and developing wrinkles, yet Wonwoo kept his pristine complexion and didn’t seem to age at all.

Wonwoo always brushed him off with a comment along the lines of “Asians don’t age”, but Mark wasn’t stupid.

Mark knew deep down that there was something supernatural about his friend, but he didn’t push on it. Even when he laid on his deathbed in their shared apartment, fifty years later and completely bald, wrinkled, weak and brittle, he didn’t question Wonwoo’s youth. 

Wonwoo pressed a kiss to his forehead as he said goodbye to his friend, and prayed that it wasn’t Marks last life.

That was the first time he felt the pain of a Goblin. He had initially felt grateful to whomever the old man had been before, but now all he felt was sorrows and regret. He thought that his execution was enough, but he knew that he deserved this.

--
 

The second time he met Mingyu was 100 years later in New York, United States.

Shortly after Mark's death, Wonwoo decided to leave Europe to forget about him, hence finding himself in the busy streets of New York. He initially didn’t like the big city, but he felt like the growing city was a good way to forget about his past “lover”. 

He even got an education. He was immune to diseases and wanted to help people, so he became an ER doctor to save lives. 

This was his way of making up for his past. For every person he killed, he would save ten people. 

With his new task and busy work days, he soon was able to forget about Mark.

That was until a fateful day in the hospital, where Michael, a respiratory therapist from the other hospital along with his assistant, Siyeon, came in to treat an ill patient. 

Wonwoo wasn’t assigned to the patient, but checked in during his break to see if he could be of any assistance. He didn’t look at Michael when first entering the room, not out of rudeness but out of simple concern for the patient. However after doing a quick rundown of whatever procedure needed to be done, he turned to Michael to ask if he needed help. 

But Wonwoo didn’t hear a word Michael said, because all he could feel is a rush of electricity pulsing through his veins and tingling in his feet as he looked into Michael's eyes.

Siyeon politely nudged Wonwoo after a short period of time, asking if he was okay. She explained that he’d been staring at Michael for a few seconds without saying anything. 

Wonwoo nodded his head, clarifying to the duo that he had a long shift and that he just needed some fresh air.

He spent his lunch break outside, barely touching his sandwich as his mind raced with the previous events. 

He’s alive

But his thoughts were cut short quickly as Siyeon, the assistant, called out to him as she jogged over, her lunch bag clutched in her fists.

“I’m going to be blunt with you, Dr. Jeon.” She started, staring deep into his eyes. “Are you a Goblin?”

Wonwoo’s eyes widened as his mouth hung open. 

He blinked a few times at her, mumbling a few times about why she’d ask that, before she interrupted again. 

“I’m a grim reaper.” She stated, sitting down on the bench next to him. “And I think you’re a goblin because I can’t get a read on you. I don’t know when you’ll die, so I’m assuming that you’re a Goblin, right?"

Wonwoo scanned his surroundings, deciding that they were secluded enough to talk in public. 

“If I wasn’t a Goblin, then what would I be?” He questioned. 

He didn’t understand why she was confused about what he was. If she couldn’t get a read on him, wouldn’t that make it perfectly clear?

“You could also be a lost soul. You know, somebody who is supposed to die, but doesn’t?” She explained, leaning back in her seat comfortably, eyeing Wonwoo as he processed his new information.

“Oh…” He trailed off. “Well, you were correct, I’m a goblin. I didn’t know lost souls existed.” He said. 

“Really?” She asked, taken aback. “But a lost soul is gonna be the person to save you.” She grinned at his confusion, explaining further. “You’ll save a person one day, whether that be

through your job here at the hospital or through your powers as a goblin. But they’ll then develop supernatural abilities that will allow them to see your sword.” She pointed to the protruding sword from his torso, cocking her head to the side. 

Wonwoo’s eyes went directly to his torso, where the transparent sword glowed. 

“They’ll be able to pull out your sword and then you’ll be able to die. So, save as many lives as you can.” Siyeon patted Wonwoo’s shoulder as she got up, getting ready to go back to her shift. 

“But you have plenty of time. I know you remember Michael from his past life. He will be the one to pull your sword out, but not in this lifetime.”

He never tried to see Michael again after that, but he had faith that he’d meet Michael’s soul again.

--

The third time he met Mingyu was 100 years later in Quebec City, Canada.

After “getting another job offer” in Canada, Wonwoo studied up on French and moved to Quebec. He decided to take a break from being a doctor and focused on music. He decided that saving lives isn’t just medical, and that music can help and heal people just as much as medicine. The pay was significantly lower than he was used to, but his savings kept him afloat as he performed gigs at local pubs and coffee shops. 

Technology was growing, so he was able to record a CD with his songs. He was amazed at what humans were able to do, and was almost thankful to have been able to live to see the change in the world. 

Wonwoo finished up his last song for the night at the coffee house he’d been performing at, and graciously accepted the applause. He spent the rest of the night in a local pub with a few friends, one being Siyeon, as they drank the night away.

Siyeon quit her job as a medical assistant due to her deaths rising up and getting in the way of her work. 

Her grim reaper priorities were far more important than her other jobs.

She found an interest in French music and bought a vinyl with a familiar name to the title, and eventually she made her way up to Quebec to annoy Wonwoo.

But he wasn’t annoyed by her at all.

She kept him company, and it was nice to know that when their friend group dies, she’ll still be there to mourn with him.

The group drank until they could barely walk, stumbling up to Wonwoo’s fancy apartment.

His friends often asked how he managed to afford the place, but he brushed them off and claimed that it was inheritance.

However Wonwoo’s apartment was a few floors up, and living in Old Quebec, there were no elevators available, so the group had to force themselves up the stairs. 

What was normally an easy, but tiring, walk soon became a marathon for Wonwoo.

He wasn’t usually this clumsy, but after missing a step, he found himself falling flat onto his face. 

“Are you alright?” A worried voice asked.

Wonwoo brushed it off as one of his friends, holding his hand out for one to take.

But the jolt of electricity that was brought to his fingertips sobered Wonwoo up completely.

He stood up, wiping away at any dust that might’ve been left on him, before looking up at the man before him.

“Hi..” The man started “Are you alright? I noticed you fall, and…” He trailed off.

“I’m great.” Wonwoo said, feeling heat rise to his cheeks as he stared deeper into the eyes of the man before him. 

“Oh!” The man exclaimed awkwardly, pointing to the door adjacent Wonwoo’s.” I’m Mattheu, your new neighbor.”

Wonwoo grinned, reaching out to shake Mattheus' hand again, feeling himself melt into his touch. 

Siyeon eyed the two of them, raising an eyebrow as the duo made heart eyes for each other. 

She ushered the rest of their friend group out of the apartment building, promising a place to sleep in her apartment a few stories down.

It was clear as day to Siyeon that Wonwoo’s relationship to Mattheu was going to be a lot different than the ones he’d had with Mattheu’s soul before. In the past, they could never be together in public, however in the 20th century city of Quebec, the duo can live the way they want.

Wonwoo had never experienced happiness like what he experienced with Mattheu. Their good morning kisses, their homemade dinners, and the love they had for each other made Wonwoo’s heart swarm with warmth and joy. 

Until Mattheu began to get sick. 

It was little things at first, but Wonwoo knew after a few weeks what was happening. 

Mattheu had told Wonwoo about his past lovers, and how there were many nights that went unprotected, but he truly thought that he wouldn’t be one of them.

One to get AIDs, that is. 

Wonwoo knew he was safe from it, but that just made him feel worse. His lover would have to die, and he couldn’t even die with him.

Mattheu hung in there for a little while, trying his best to keep his routine but becoming weaker and weaker as time went on, until one day, Mattheu didn’t hum in contentment as Wonwoo smothered him in his good morning kisses, didn’t sigh deeply as he felt the duvet being pulled from him, and didn’t open his eyes to see the love and adoration that Wonwoo held in his own.

Siyeon tried to help him, holding him as he cried and tucking him into bed every night, but he couldn’t stay anymore. He couldn’t stay in this apartment, in this city, in this country anymore. It was time for a change. 

--

The fourth time he met Mingyu was 80 years later in Seoul, South Korea. 

He needed to go home after Mattheu passed.

He put off going to the country that hated him in fear that he’d be ridiculed and exempt from ever stepping foot on Korean soil, except...it didn’t hate him.

Because what he did centuries ago didn’t even make it to the textbooks, and as it turns out, his actions never caused a war. The other villages grew defensive once they heard about the attacked village, however after hearing about Wonwoo’s death, they decided to accept it and move on. 

So he felt comfortable again in South Korea. 

He went back to being a doctor after moving back, and prayed to whomever may be listening that French music never makes its way over to South Korea, because he grew a bit of a following and didn’t want to be known as the “Hot, singing doctor who knows French”. 

Siyeon also followed Wonwoo, deciding that she, too, would like to go home. 

Siyeon never really knew what she did to make her commit suicide, so she wanted to see if being in Korea would trigger something in her. 

Wonwoo ran a hand through his hair as he looked down at his clipboard of things to do, scribbling down a few notes here and there as he enjoyed the calm morning environment. 

But that was quickly replaced by chaos as a new nurses rushed in a patient who’d seemingly been hit by a car. 

He quickly rushed over to her bed and examined her current state. 

Her arm was nearly dislocated, her chest seemed to have taken a big blow with the blood ushering through a wound, and her face was completely scratched at. 

He told the nurses to grab some anesthetics as he began to prep her for emergency surgery, however she began to plead weakly as he vocalized his plans.

“I'm pregnant” she repeated to him through labored breaths. “Be careful and save my baby”

Wonwoo’s mind raced as he thought of what to do. 

He knew that if he played it safe, she’d be able to make it, but a fetus so small that it was barely visible to the outside world wouldn’t. 

And he couldn’t let his patient down.

He scanned the room again to ensure that nobody had their eyes on him before he told his patient to close her eyes. 

He put his hand over her stomach and used his powers to heal her. Not completely, but just enough to ensure that whatever may be growing inside of her does so with no problems. 

He rarely used his powers to heal others, opting to stick to his medial knowledge. But he swore to himself that if he could save somebody, he'd do it no matter what.

The nurses rushed in with needles and other equipment seconds after he finished, and he thanked whomever may be up there that they didn’t see what he had done. 

He let another doctor take control of the patient's surgery, and visited her only after she was fully healed and was able to sit upright. 

He hoped that she would have been too out of it to have noticed what he’d done to her stomach, but once the nurses that took care of her left for their other patients, she tapped on her stomach and smiled. 

“My eyes were closed, but the glowing that came from your hand was too bright to not notice.” She smiled softly. “I won’t tell anyone, but I just wanted to say...thank you.”

Wonwoo smiled back at her, wishing her the best of luck on her pregnancy and journey throughout motherhood. 

He turned to leave the room before glancing back at her, a question popping into his head. 

“Do you have names picked out?”

His patient pondered for a moment, rubbing her stomach as she thought.

“If it's a girl, I’d name her Eunwoo.” 

Wonwoo grinned. He liked the name a lot and complimented her on it.

The patient took another moment to think, cocking her head to the side as she decided. 

“And if it’s a boy, I think I’ll name him Mingyu.”

--

The fifth and time he met Mingyu was 20 years later in Seoul, South Korea.

Wonwoo made his way to the library, enjoying his first few days of his break from working. 

He again made the decision to take a break from being a doctor, deciding that he wanted to learn how to write instead. 

He thought about his life and how big of a hit it would be to write a book on it. 

So that’s what he decided to do. 

He sat down in his usual spot as he began his writing process: make a bullet point list of the progression of events, then write for an hour, and then scroll on his phone.

The new iPhone came out, and he was over the moon with what he could do with it. 

Siyeon called him out for still having a flip phone in 2020, so he finally upgraded to an iPhone.

He loved all of the social media apps, but he found himself drawn to twitter the most. 

He could tweet out anything he wanted and it would be there forever. Amazing. 

He leaned back in his chair as he scrolled, giggling to himself as he read the tweets from a few of his favorite artists. He felt like a little kid, but it made him happy.

It almost made him miss the way the person across from him stared at him. 

Or rather, his torso. 

Wonwoo glanced up from his phone and raised an eyebrow to the person across from him.

And then he felt a familiar tingle again.

But this time, the tingle came from his torso as he saw the sword appear before him again, glowing brighter than ever before.

The man across from him got up and made his way over, giving Wontoo a toothy grin as he pointed to the sword. 

“So...I see you have a sword in you.” 

Wonwoo’s mouth went dry and his hands began to clam.

Is this it? He thought to himself. Am I gonna finally die today?

“Uh…” The man continued “I’m Mingyu, your "Bride", by the way. I’m assuming you’re the Goblin I was destined to save?” 

Wonwoo nodded his head weakly, his arms trembling as he reached out to shake Mingyu's hand. 

 “We don’t have to do this now, you know.” Mingyu reassured, patting Wonwoo’s back in an attempt to calm him down.

But they did. Once you meet your bride, you need to perform the execution within the next few hours. Otherwise, the Goblins bride could be in danger.

Wonwoo melted in Mingyu's touch as a deep sigh left his lips. 

He looked up at Mingyu after some time to introduce himself as well as to tell him his story.

He told Mingyu about what he did to become a goblin, about all of the places he’d lived, and about the times that he met Mingyu’s soul. He told Mingyu about his plans to write a book about his experiences, about the long, long life he lived. He told Mingyu that he almost wishes that he could live forever at this point. Almost. But he's ready to leave this world, now. 

Mingyu smiled at him, rubbing hands reassuringly. 

“Humans have four lives, right?” Mingyu asked, earning a nod from Wonwoo. “So after this life, I’ll go to...wherever souls go, right?” Wonwoo nodded again.

“So we will be together then, Wonwoo. Mark, Michael, Mattheu, and I. We will be there with you when I’m done living this life.”

The thought of being reunited with Mingyu’s soul for eternity brought tears to Wonwoo’s eyes as he began to sob quietly.

Mingyu stayed with him until Wonwoo calmed down, picking up his phone to call Siyeon, who quickly rushed over to meet the duo. 

They said their tearful goodbyes, and Siyeon promised that she only had a few lives left to take before her duty as a Grim Reaper was over. Afterwards, she’d join him up there and keep him company as he waited for Mingyu’s soul to finish living it’s last life.

Wonwoo and Mingyu held hands as they made their way to a barren field on the outskirts of Seoul.

Wonwoo thought it would be best to do it here, as there would be nobody around to watch him disintegrate into thin air. 

Memories of waking up in a similar field, complete confusion and the start of his new life washed over Wonwoo has he took in his final moments.

Mingyu, despite only meeting Wonwoo for the first time today, felt a deep sense of sorrow as Wonwoo stopped in his tracks, turning to face Mingyu with a soft smile.

Wonwoo felt content with his surroundings, he felt content with Mingyu beside him, and he felt relieved to finally be done with living. 

Wonwoo took Mingyu’s reluctant hands and placed it onto the sword, squeezing it slightly as a signal that he was ready. 

“Wonwoo…” Mingyu started, tears forming in his eyes. 

“Hmm?” Wonwoo asked, looking up at him. 

“I’ll see you again before you know it, alright?” 

Wonwoo nodded, smiling softly as he felt the sword finally leave his body.

Then he felt himself float.

Then he felt nothing. 

Jeon Wonwoo was gone from this Earth, but he was watching from above.

--

The last time he met Mingyu was in his heaven.

Wonwoo felt someone pepper his face with kisses as he stirred awake. 

He opened his eyes slightly to adjust to the light that cascaded through the blinds by the window.

He knew that window. 

He rubbed his eyes before opening them again, reevaluating the room.

This was his apartment in Quebec.

The kisses plastered to his face stopped momentarily as a pair of hands grasped at his cheeks, turning his face to the side.

There he saw Mingyu, grinning at him as he pulled Wonwoo into a kiss. 

Wonwoo melted in his touch, feeling slightly delirious as he held onto Mingyu’s hand. 

“M-Mingyu...You’re here?”

Mingyu nodded, pushing a few strands of hair from Wonwoo’s forehead before pressing a kiss to it. 

“I’m here. Do you know why we are here?” Mingyu asked. 

Wonwoo shook his head, scanning the room again.

“It’s our heaven, Woo.” Mingyu said. 

“I..I thought I was in heaven…” Wonwoo trailed off. 

Prior to here, he’d been with Siyeon as they wandered around with their friends. 

He was happy there.

But being here with Mingyu, that was indescribable. 

“You were in your heaven, but now you’re in our heaven. This is where we live now. Together.” 

Together

Hey guys! If you liked that fic, then check out some of my other ones ! I have another one called Apples which is a Jicheol one and a few others ! Enjoy !!