Sehun wasn’t kidding when he said that it was a long ride. I found myself leaning against the window, my eyes closed as Sehun drove. He had sobered up halfway and was now humming to the soft music in the background, Matthew and Minseok engaging in a deep conversation about different types of ghosts. Minseok always seemed very interested and I guessed it was because it was a new world. I watched him scribble in his little notebook of his, Minseok asking Matthew a question.

“And is there a chance for ghosts from other places to appear? In another country or so?” His question made Matthew frown, our friendly ghost giving out a hum while he tried to think of any cases he heard.

“Only if you’re really powerful. I mean, normal ghosts… if you aren’t linked to anyone, you can follow someone around to go wherever they go but if you haven’t been to a place before and suddenly pop up, it doesn’t make sense.”

“Unless someone calls you over,” I told Minseok and he frowned, still not understanding how it works. “Sometimes, just saying the name of a spirit allows them to become stronger.”

“Mhm…” Minseok murmured to himself, nodding when we seemed to move into the territory where it was Kyungsoo’s town.

I had spoken to Kyungsoo a few times before about his town and he would tell me, over and over again that the people in his town were different. That was proven to me when I saw crosses hammered against the trees. A few papers flew in the air and I wondered what that was when I saw a church at the center, Sehun driving towards it with Kai’s car behind us when the car slowed down.

“Is it this place?” Harin asked and Sehun nodded, turning the car around to park it. “This is a church—”

“Yeah,” Sehun replied, frowning. “I’m sure it’s this place. I asked Suho hyung for his address. Minseok hyung, you wrote it down, didn’t you? Can you check the house number?”

Minseok thumbed through his notebook, looking out to see the numbers on the mailbox at the front of the church, nodding.

“Yup. This one.” He told us and when we got off the car; Kai, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun seemed very confused as to why we were standing in front of a church. “Wait, look!”

And like that, he pointed to the mailbox and when I looked closer, there were words engraved on it.

“The Do Church.” It read and I don’t ever recall Kyungsoo telling me that he lived in a church. I just expected him to come from a very religious family. Kai took the lead, the male pushing through the small white fence that was too small to be even considered a fence in my opinion at how we could practically climb over it, Kai stopping at the front door.

We all crowded behind him, Kai lifting a hand to grab the door knocker when there were heavy footsteps from inside. They continued until there was a pause of silence, the door opening, Do Kyungsoo staring at us with his big owl eyes when he slammed the door shut.

“Oi, Kyungsoo!” Kai’s voice rang out when there was a shuffle and an older female’s voice could be heard from the other side of the door.

“Kyungsoo… That is no way to treat your friends—”

“Ma, they are not my friends. They are my minions,” Kyungsoo reasoned out before he added. “Except maybe Bora. She’s a medium. The others are crackheads.”

“Kyungsoo, I did not raise you to be this way!”

“Ma, don’t open the door!”

And the door was pulled open and we were greeted by a very friendly-looking woman. She had an apron on and she beamed at us. She was on the meaty side; rather stout-like Kyungsoo, and she was definitely his mother. She widened her arms and before we knew it, we were engulfed in hugs from Kyungsoo’s mother, telling us that Kyungsoo told her so much about us and that he even had a picture on his phone... that was why she recognized us.

“You have a picture of us on your phone?” Matthew asked Kyungsoo and I saw Kyungsoo glare at him. “I mean, I know not me, but the others? Aw, Kyungsoo—”

“Shut up,” he said and Matthew pressed his lips together. “Come in.”

“That’s right, dears. Come in and say hi to Kyungsoo’s father. Kyungmin! Your son’s friends have arrived. The ones that he has told us about. Oh, darling! Aren’t you glad he finally has friends other than Rocky?”

And with that, she moved down the long narrow hallway, Kyungsoo grumbling to himself.

“Your mother knows Rocky?” Minseok asked, Kyungsoo shrugging.

“She’s a Buffer. That’s why my father loves her so much.” His words were simple, the male leading us down the hallway when we were brought into a studio-like room. The walls were made out of dark brown wood and I caught sight of a photo of Kyungsoo and a little girl plastered on one of the walls.

“Kyungha,” I whispered to myself, remembering the name of his sister. I smiled to myself when I thought of the names. Kyungmin, Kyungsoo, Kyungha—Adorable. “Kyungsoo, your father is a priest, isn’t he?”

My question was answered, a deep voice speaking from behind us.

“The only in this town.”

If Kyungsoo got his features from his mother, he definitely got his deep baritone voice from his father.

We all turned to see Do Kyungmin wearing long black clothes, but it was different. Less formal from the other priests I have crossed paths with.

“A pastor,” he told us. “Priests cannot marry. I see you are the members of the Bracelet Club. To be very honest, I expected more.”

And maybe, also Kyungsoo’s blunt way of saying things came from his father.

“Kyungmin, don’t patronize the kids. They all look so fresh and young! Sit, darlings. Drink some tea.” Kyungsoo’s mother hurried in to place a tray of tea on the table and we all awkwardly looked at each other when Kyungmin squinted at Kai’s wrist before his eyes went to Matthew, standing behind me.

“Ah, you must be Bora. The medium,” he said to me and for the first time, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Kyungsoo told me all about you. I see you are very blessed. And you must be the companion ghost.”

“Yes, sir,” Matthew whispered, Kyungmin giving him a curt nod. “He’s not going to obliviate me, is he?”

When Kyungsoo first said that he was training to become a handler, it was obvious that he was being trained by his father. Kyungmin took a step closer, his hand going out to grab Kai’s wrist and lifting it to stare at the bracelets.

“Aventurine. You guys are cheating,” he said to them. “Why would any of you ever want to see, feel or hear ghosts?”

“I do.” Harin’s small voice piped up, Kyungmin’s attention going to her. He gave out a hum. “They all hear something, but I don’t.”

“A buffer, I see,” he said, smiling fully this time. “A gift, they say. Those who are counters might as well be cursed with the responsibility that comes with their abilities. May you be paired with a counter, my child. Only then, will you fulfill your destiny.”

His words made no sense to us but because it was Do Kyungsoo’s father, all of us remained quiet when there was a clang and an item fell onto the ground. We all looked to the side to see that Sehun had accidentally slammed against what seemed like a long umbrella.

He was about to reach down to grab it but Do Kyungmin was faster, the older man grabbing Sehun’s hand to stop from touching it. Sehun looked stricken by the sudden action, Do Kyungmin pulling him away gently before reaching out to take a handkerchief from his pocket, wrapping it around the end of the umbrella and placing it gently on the desk.

“Unless you want your soul to be taken away, it is best to not touch this, son.” He left the handkerchief on the umbrella, straightening his back. He was just as tall as Chanyeol. “A Grim Reaper had paid me a visit and left his main item.”

“Grim Reapers?” Sehun asked, edging away from the desk.

Kyungsoo never really told them about Grim Reapers and the only time I heard of them was when Kyungsoo was explaining to me what handlers and mediums were. Kyungmin snuck a look at his son, Kyungsoo grunting.

“I only talked to Bora about it. The rest are irrelevant.” He moved away, sitting down on the couch. “What are all of you standing there for? Sit down.”

And with that, we clamored to sit on the faded couch, Kyungmin’s eyes on me.

“And what do you know about Grim Reapers?” He asked me right when I began to rack my brains to remember what Kyungsoo told me. “As my son’s medium, you must know the basics. He was very proud when he said he finally found a medium that may be a good match.”

Now, what was Do Kyungsoo doing, speaking to his father as if being a medium was going to be my lifelong career? But I knew I shouldn’t say anything and being a very non-assertive person, I just smiled at him.

“Kyungsoo just told me that handlers are the first line of connection to Grim Reapers. That mediums, the first line of communication to ghosts. And if they are bad… they are sent to handlers so they are obliviated.” I paused at the word, finding it weird that I was saying it when it was always Kyungsoo. “And if a handler can not handle it, they then call a Grim Reaper.”

“Ah, he really did tell you about it.” Kyungmin seemed satisfied. “Yes—”

“And what do Grim Reapers do?” Matthew suddenly asked, all of them looking towards the source of the sound. “I mean, I have seen a couple of them around but what do they do?”

“They are given tasks and they do those tasks,” Kyungmin said simply. “To become a Grim Reaper is a curse, child. I have befriended some and they want nothing more than to finish their contract with the afterlife. Freedom to them is so near yet so far. Now, why haven’t you ascended yet? You feel very different from a normal spirit.”

Kyungmin motioned him over and I watched Matthew tilt his head at Kyungmin, the pastor telling him to come towards him.

“Come here.” His order was enough for Matthew to step forward, quivering at the presence of a handler, to who I guessed was well established. “Ah….”

He moved his hand towards Matthew, closing his eyes and taking a breath when he began to mutter to himself.

“Different, definitely different. How long have you been dead?”

“Twenty years, give or take,” Matthew replied, Kyungmin nodding and stepping away.

“Mhm. Interesting. Can’t pinpoint it.” He looked over at his son, Kyungsoo staring at Matthew when a cheery voice cut through the air and Kyungsoo’s mother walked back in with cookies, making Kyungsoo rapidly stand up.

“Alright, we got to go! Where are we going?” He asked hastily. Sehun followed suit, all of us standing up when Sehun bowed to his father. “I will be out with my friends—”

“Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo froze at his father’s voice. “If you go far, do not come back tonight. It will be passed 6 pm and you know how dangerous it is at night.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“And you know there is an investigation for exorcism going on. Someone has been killing the chickens.” Kyungmin frowned to himself. “I’m sure it’s just someone killing them but we must humor our townspeople.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Alright, go.”

“I love you, Ma. But we must leave… Time is of the essence,” Kyungsoo said to his mother, pecking her on the cheek when we all began to leave, confused at Kyungsoo’s sudden need to leave the church.

Once we left, Kyungsoo let out a ragged breath when all of us turned to look at him, our handler scowling.

“Her cookies are horrible,” he told us, walking over to Sehun’s car. “I don’t like hurting her feelings.”

Very out of character of Kyungsoo with his usually blunt remarks but then again, a mother is different from a friend. Kyungsoo then proceeded to tell Sehun that he didn’t bring his stuff so he’d just borrow a shirt or two from Sehun, the male telling him that it wasn’t a problem.

“Guess it’s time to go?” Sehun asked, all of us nodding. “But first, we go buy groceries!”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We had exited the town, both cars heading to a small supermarket right by a campsite. We weren’t going to stay at the campsite, Sehun kept reminding us. He kept reminding us that the resort was on a valley near a mountain and after a good thirty minutes of trying to shop and keeping Baekhyun’s grabby hands away from the sweets—we let Kyungsoo handle it.

“I know how to cook.” His words were simple and with that, we had put all our trust in Kyungsoo, the remaining members of the bracelet club, and I standing by Sehun and Kai’s car. While Harin and Sehun began to bicker again because she kept standing too close to the road, I heard a very loud yell from the opposite road where the campsite was at.

We all looked up and Sehun cursed, all of us wondering what was the matter when I spotted three kids across the street—Matthew letting out a happy yell when he saw Mark Lee holding a watermelon, very confused.

“SUNBAE! SUNBAE! OVER HERE! Jeno, Mark… Look! It’s our sunbae’s from EXO High!” A yell came from Haechan, the kid Sehun called a devil when he began to make his way towards us.

“No, no, no, no. Get in the car, get in the car, get in the car!” Sehun said to us, Kai rushing towards his own car when we all filed in, Haechan frowning at our sudden action.

“Drive, drive, drive!” Minseok told Sehun, Sehun pressing his foot down on the gas when I saw that Matthew simply stood by the sidewalk, staring at Mark when Haechan bellowed out.

“STOPPPP!” He hopped in front of Sehun’s car, arms wide open when Sehun braked the car, Haechan breaking into a smile. “Sunbae, it’s me! Lee Haechan! We are going to go to the same school.”

“ my life,” Sehun cursed under his breath when Harin patted his arm, saying that Haechan was actually pretty cute. “Cute? You call that kid cute?”

“Sunbae!” Haechan was yelling out over and over again when he finally knew he got our attention. “I came camping with Jeno and Mark Lee. We’re the Lee’s! Oh, nice camper.”

And with that, he patted the hood of Sehun’s car, Sehun fuming and reaching to unbuckle his seatbelt.

“Did he… just call… my Porsche a camper?” Sehun seethed, about to open the door when Harin grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly and telling him to calm down. “I will kill him. I swear I will—”

“But how do you guys sleep?” Haechan could be heard asking, moving to Harin’s side of the car and tapping on the window when Harin reached over to roll down the glass, much to Sehun’s dismay. “Hi!”

“Hi!” Harin greeted and Sehun glared at him, Haechan oblivious to the older male’s distaste of his presence. “You guys going camping?”

“Yeah… Oh, Mark and Jeno there—”

“Watermelon!” Mark’s voice echoed out and we all looked across the street when we saw the watermelon he was holding roll down the concrete. Mark’s eyes followed it and we all saw him toddle forward, his arms reaching out to follow the round fruit when there was an incoming sound.

A truck was barreling towards Mark, a very big one at that. Looking closely, we could see that it was one of those trucks that brought timber into the city and I felt a scream build-up, Mark freezing in the middle of the street when there was a gust of wind and I heard Matthew’s voice yell out Mark’s name.

And just like that, I saw Matthew push forward, his body glowing when Mark was knocked back to the side of the street. Mark missed the truck by a few inches and I saw Matthew fall back, his ghostly body losing its sudden shine, all of us gaping at what happened.

Mark was still confused and Jeno, who if I remember correctly would be Haechan’s servant boy, grabbed him and brushed him off.

“Wow!” Haechan exclaimed, all of us feeling shocked when I saw Kyungsoo get out of the car, slowly stepping forward. “What was that? Did you guys see that? Mark flew!”

“He flew,” I whispered, seeing Matthew sit up. He looked drained, even for a ghost. I saw him hover over Mark, trying to see if he was hurt. “Matthew—How did he do that?”

Kyungsoo reached out to tap on the window, calling me to step down from Sehun’s car, and five minutes after that, all of us were huddled in front of the grocery store. Matthew seemed irked at what he did, all of us looking towards Kyungsoo for answers.

“My suspicions have been confirmed,” Kyungsoo said and we waited in suspense. “Have any of you heard of a term, ‘guardian angel’?”

A Guardian Angel—I have heard of them before, though it was a term widely used in Christianity than in other religions. Harin nodded and she said exactly what was in my mind.

“Being Catholic, I have heard of it before,” she said, softly. “Guardian Angels are spirits that look over a being and stop you from getting into any harm. They are spirits that are assigned to protect a particular person.”

“Yes, yes.” Kyungsoo nodded, Matthew frowning.

“Where are my wings, then?” Matthew demanded and Kyungsoo asked him how he felt when he knocked Mark back. “Dude, I don’t know. I was scared! Literally felt like he would die and took a chance. Now, I’m drained.”

“Huh… Guardian Angels are usually just spirits who have gained enough spiritual energy and have the ability to use them to protect a person. Not assigned as religions say, just… souls that are powerful enough to help the living from time to time. They can be assigned in the afterlife but—”

“Maybe those fifteen years of helping that shaman and ghosts ascend isn’t wasted.” Matthew butted in, Kyungsoo’s eyes flittering over to the ghost. “What?”

“Just.” Kyungsoo’s words made us wonder what was on his mind when Matthew broke into a smile.