One
Only Time
[November 24, Sunday]
Another day. Ordinary day for the pale boy to go to the Hospital, Seoul National University, for his duty. Do Kyungsoo, who had lived all by himself for five years alone, set out his feet off the apartment complex. The birds were singing and the sky was blue. Everyone greeted him and he greeted back with a smile. Everything was pretty ordinary except for the guy who is following him in all black clothes that looks expensive. Black loafers, black pants, black shirt under a black coat. Making the guy’s fair skin look lighter. Kyungsoo stopped walking and turns around to the younger boy.
“You! Just ‘til when will you follow me?” Kyungsoo told the fair-skinned guy to sort of back off.
“Hey, it’s okay! No one can see me.” He said with palms up. “And I have a name. not just ‘You’ okay?”
Kyungsoo sigh. “Okay, okay. Then what’s your name Mr. Death God?”
“The name’s Kai and I’m not a Death God. For the Nth time, stop calling me a Death God. I’m not going to kill you, I’m just guiding you. I think a Death Guide is a more suitable term.”
“Okay Mr. ‘Guide’, I need to go to the hospital. Do you still have to follow me until there?” Kyungsoo bobbed his head to the side.
“Yes. I have to go everywhere with you.”
“Everywhere?” Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. “Ahhhh!!!! Just what is happening to my life?!”
Two old ladies who were walking at their way started staring at Kyungsoo, who in their vision was talking to himself. They started whispering thoughts about the boy being crazy. Kyungsoo’s face started to get red and his eyes started to get watery because of the embarrassment.
“I hate this…” he grumbled as he turned his heels and started to continue his walk.
___________
The subway was busy, full of people who are also on their way to work, to school or some who have all the time in the world and spend it the way they want to.
Kyungsoo settled in front of the automatic door of the train, holding on the metal tube that helps him balance himself. Kyungsoo’s face reflected on the train’s window as it passes through the tunnel and when he looked at the window in front of Kai, there’s nothing. Only the cemented tunnel of the subway. He shook his head to let the creepy thought off and now changed to something important, like his schedule for today. He’s assigned to the Pediatric ward with his friend and fellow intern, Kim Joonmyun.
“It says here that you still have a month…” Kai was peering at his tablet.
“I didn’t know that you guys are up to date,” Kyungsoo commented on the tablet Kai is holding.
Kai grinned and said, “I guess they also do upgrades.”
“Guess?”
“Yeah, haven’t been long since I joined them.”
“Like how long?” Kyungsoo asked.
“I don’t know… I…”
[SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY STATION. SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY STATION.]
That was their stop. Kyungsoo didn’t let Kai finish as the younger boy looks confused himself. Kyungsoo walks to the exit, knowing Kai would follow him or just search him through his gadget.
Kyungsoo strides through the crowds towards the exit, walking through the stairs leading him to the busy streets of Bongcheon-dong. The hospital was a few blocks away from the station, no need to ride a taxi.
“Hey! Do Kyungsoo! Wait!” Kai yelled making Kyungsoo stop and turn his head to him.
Kai stopped in front of Kyungsoo and huff a bit because of the running. Kyungsoo’s thought was now in disarray but again shaking them off. Kyungsoo walks a bit slower now compared before so that Kai wouldn’t get tired or lost. They’ve reached the hospital and his friend, Kim Joonmyun was at the nurse’s station scanning through the files on the computer.
“Good morning hyung.”
“Good morning Kyungsoo-sshi,” Joonmyun greeted with eyes still on the computer’s monitor. “ICU today right? Baekhyun will be on duty with you.”
“Huh? I thought I’d be paired up with you? And it’s on the pediatric ward.” Kyungsoo was a bit puzzeled.
“Eh? Wait let me check on that. Why don’t you and your friend sit down?”
Friend? Who? Kai?
“Huh?” Kai was surprised. “He can see me? Wait that can’t be...” Kai took out his tablet and started pressing on in. Kyungsoo pushed Kai towards the chair on the waiting area. The younger boy was still pressing and touching the tablet over and over trying to look whether there was something wrong but there was just a sign blinking in the middle: [ERROR].
“Do Kyungsoo…what am I gonna do now?” Kai was now a bit worried because of his position. Everyone can see him now and even he is surprised that Kyungsoo now can touch him. His face looks like a child almost ready to cry that Kyungsoo thought was really cute and started grinning.
“Yah! This isn’t a laughing manner!” Kai scolded him.
“pfft! I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo replied, still grinning at Kai. “Just wait here okay? Or can you go back to my apartment by yourself?”
Kai looks at his feet and then create some mini stomping movement like a child, “ahhh! Kyungsoo! I can’t!” then Kai pouted like a little child, making Kyungsoo giggle.
“Okay, okay. Then wait for me at the cafeteria at 12 noon?”
Kai replied with a nod and smile.
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