c h a p t e r t w o

[Chorong]

“You were supposed to be asleep.”

“But I wasn’t – and I really did saw her!”

“Chorong...” Woohyun sighed exasperatedly, looking up at me and stared directly into my eyes. “It was just a dream, okay? Or you could’ve just imagined that you saw her in between your sleep, because you miss her too much. We all do, Rong. I understand that.”

I resisted the urge to stamp my foot, but Woohyun was being unreasonable here. Even though logically, yes – he was supposed to be right and I wanted to believe him. But he wasn’t – I know what I saw and I just need him to believe me when I said that I actually really did see Joohee with my very own two eyes.

He must’ve sensed that I had an essay-worth of retaliation more to say, so he quickly got up from the little stool by the door and grabbed his gun and badge off the console table. I stood there by the side; with my arms crossed as I watched him locked his holster and strapped the badge against his waistband.

“Is Minhyuk really coping well at work?” I couldn’t help asking.

Woohyun paused for a moment, before carefully saying, “That’s Minhyuk for you – he deals with grievances head-on. For now, he’s just really set on finding her killer.”

I could hear the distinctive choke in his voice when he uttered the last word.

“I’ll call you later okay.” He pressed his lips tenderly against my forehead and touched my cheek lightly. “Stay safe if you’re going out or just stay indoors if possible.”

He gave me one last smile, the one that usually hides emotions and thoughts – one that needs deciphering but unfortunately for him, I could tell right away what he was thinking.

“Woohyun...” I called out just before he was about to open the door, hand already on the knob. “...when I ‘thought’ I saw Joohee yesterday, she told me one thing.”

I could see his body stiffening up, yet he made no move to turn around or even glance back at me.

“That I am in danger.”

His grip on the doorknob hardened.

“She came to warn us, didn’t she?” I continued on when he didn’t say anything else. “You think so too. You know that they’re coming for me next. You know...who is it, Woohyun?”

He whirled around so quickly and pulled me into a tight embrace, leaving me no space to even react. I froze in his arms as he held me tightly and whispered, “I will not let anything happen to you. They will not get to you, I promise.”

I wanted to believe him, I really do – just like how I wanted to believe that Joohee had really come by the night before.

<< >>

“It’s them, isn’t it? Woohyun eyed his partner from the passenger’s seat. He noticed the black circles underneath his tired eyes, his unkempt hair which he doesn’t bother taking care of anymore, and the crumpled creases on his checkered dress-shirt – all the points which show Minhyuk is a living wreck ever since Joohee left him.

Minhyuk didn’t say a word of reply, or even nod his head in agreement. He just tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he slammed on the brakes at the sudden red-light.

Woohyun was thankful for the seatbelt he had on.

“This is personal,” Minhyuk finally said after a few passing minutes. The lights turned green again and he started to drive forward – this time at a slower speed and saner than before. “They’re avenging their leader’s fate – because we were the ones who put him behind bars for death sentence.”

“I know,” Woohyun quietly agreed. “But why them?”

Minhyuk understood who he was directing at. He shrugged.

“Tit-for-tat. It’s apparently more fun to watch us suffer the loss of our loved ones – just like they had.”

<< >>

[Chorong]

“He doesn’t believe you.”

My head whipped back around, startled by the new voice which had joined me in the empty living room. My hand flew up to my chest as I came face to face with Joohee, who was wearing a sheepish expression. I shot her a look, feeling less afraid now than I had been previously.

“Why should he? I feel like I’m going crazy myself,” I replied as I paced across the room and made a beeline for the leathered couch. “How is this even possible?”

Joohee just remained standing (or floating – I had no idea) in her spot as her gaze followed me closely. I waited for her to say something; an explanation, a reason, a purpose – anything that would make sense.

But instead, I found myself asking, “How are you?”

To my surprise, she chuckled her usual feathery-light laughter and I could actually see her eyes twinkling as she answered, “Are you seriously asking a ghost that question?”

My lips curved upwardly, despite the sadness I was feeling of seeing my best friend’s spirit talking to me like as if everything’s fine – like Joohee had just came over for a cup of tea on a normal rainy morning.

“I guess that was inappropriate,” I joked lightly as I tried to fight back my tears. “I miss you, Joohee. I’ve missed you a lot. We all do.”

“I know,” she grinned as she came closer toward me. I tried to ignore staring at her, so that I wouldn’t really notice if she was walking or flying. “You guys don’t really have anyone else to pick on, do you?”

“Hah,” I snorted, and cracked a smile to hide my tears. “You look just about fine right now, don’t you?”

Joohee smiled, but her expression turned a serious one. “I need a favour from you.”

I peered at her curiously. “You’re asking for a favour? From me?”

“Yes,” she nodded grimly. “I need to talk to Minhyuk – please Chorong, you have to convince him that I am actually still here.”

I jumped off my seat immediately.

“Whoa, Joohee. You just saw how Woohyun practically had the word ‘insane’ written all over his face when I told him about you. And now you’re actually asking me to convince Minhyuk – your straight, nonsensical boyfriend? I’m not sure if he’ll able to tolerate my humour this time...”

“Please, Chorong...I’ve tried to reach out to him and I know that he can hear me. It’s just that he’s shutting me out because he thinks that he’s going crazy – “

“I don’t blame him,” I muttered under my breath, but seeing Joohee’s desperate face, I truly felt sorry for her. But how was I supposed to make Minhyuk believe me when I couldn’t even convince my own boyfriend?

“My time in your world is limited,” Joohee continued gravely. “There’s something I need to tell him before I run out of time. Please, Rong...this concerns you too.”

I studied her face closely. Sure, she looks a little paler than her usual, lively self and her cheeks had lost their rosy effect (duh) but other than that, she is still the same Song Joohee I knew – strong, determined and very much stubborn.

“Can I hug you?”

She looked taken aback by my sudden request, yet still she smiled as she spread out her arms uncertainly.

“I’m not sure how it’ll feel like but of course you can – “

I didn’t wait a second longer and just threw my arms around her body. I expected to make contact with some sort of wind – empty, breezy, hollow but even though it felt like so, I could still feel her. I felt as though I was really hugging her, just like those other times we hugged when she was still alive.

Subconsciously, the tears I had been fighting back, started rolling my cheeks incessantly.

Joohee do not deserve this.

Minhyuk do not deserve to lose a soul as compassionate as hers in his world.