Three
Beautiful Chokehold
beautiful chokehold
11.40 a.m.
November 3, 2012
'Yah! You're annoying the hell out of me!'
Hyukjae smiles sheepishly and fall into step with his adorable human. Following him to his next class.
'I can be of some help you know. Don't you have a history test next?'
Donghae darts his glance all around before leaning over to hiss vehemently, 'Help me by leaving me alone please!'
'Oh Hae!' A voice suddenly calls out from the front.
Donghae snaps upright and waves to his classmate, Sungmin, who quickly jogs to Donghae.
'Donghae please! Let me sit beside you. I haven't touched my book last night at all.' Sungmin loops his arm around Donghae.
'See. I can totally help Donghae!' The ghost whispers into the younger's ear. Causing an unwanted shiver to course through the boy.
He glares sharply at Hyukjae and curses inwardly.
'Hae you okay?' Sungmin asks, sensing the tension in his friend.
Not hearing him, Donghae continues glaring at Hyukjae, earning another frown from Sungmin, 'Hae?' He shakes Donghae a little.
He jolts and return his attention back to him, 'Oh yes. Just some annoying pest kept sticking to me.'
---
When it was time for the history test, Sungmin sits beside Donghae, trying to peep discreetly at his almost perfectly correct answers.
Thanks to Lee Hyukjae. Who kept going around everyone's table to 'steal' their answers and then shouting out loud to Donghae what seems to be the correct answer.
And Donghae can't possibly tell him to shut up because it's really really really stupid to argue to a ghost in the presence of all humans.
Hyukjae is not annoying him. Really.
Although truly, Donghae has lost sleep the first few days when he kind of threw Hyukjae out. Especially during the nights when he looks out his room's widow and see Hyukjae squatting outside his apartment, sitting near the roadside, even waving at Donghae enthusiastically with a gummy smile when he spots him peeking out his window.
He then feels bad. Especially when it's winter now.
He feels so bad he almost grab a jacket and wanted to head out to give it to Hyukjae.
Until he remembers.
Hyukjae is a ing ghost that doesn't get tired, doesn't need sleep, and of course, doesn't feel any cold.
So with that slightly comforting thought, he finally allows himself to sleep through the night.
He knows if Hyukjae wishes to, he could simply drifts through his front door again. But he didn't. And Donghae has a new found respect for the ghost because of that.
Until every morning when he steps out of his lift lobby and is greeted by a brightly smiling Hyukjae. With all gums and teeth chirping, 'Good morning Donghae!'
He always frowns at him, showing him his displeasure even though that act always makes him feel happy deep inside. Making him forget that he can't let anyone get too close to him.
But yet he doesn't really have it in his heart to totally push Hyukjae away.
Maybe that is why when Hyukjae begins following him to school and classes, he lets him, thinking that, as long as he doesn't interact with Hyukjae, the latter will get sick of it soon and leave him alone.
Hyukjae never disturbs him, when Donghae is having lesson, he will quietly sit at the back of the class while waiting for the lesson to be over before trotting happily beside Donghae again.
Sometime when Donghae is eating together with his friends in the school canteen, Hyukjae will rest his head on his shoulder, and cirlces his arm over Donghae's shoulders.
He says it's because he has been without human touch for so long he needs to do this. To feel some affection somehow.
Donghae ignores him but doesn't push him away or scolds him.
He tells himself it's because his friend will find him crazy if he really starts doing weird things to air or speaking to air. After all, in his entire school, none could see Hyukjae at all.
---
2.53 a.m.
November 17, 2012
Hyukjae really likes Donghae.
He truly adores the human.
Even though for the past month Donghae has acted cold and y even, Hyukjae thinks he know better.
After all he is the one who has been around much longer. He is the one who has seen so many different people from all walks of life.
Maybe that is why, he easily sees the kind heart of Donghae which he tries to hide with indifference and aggression.
One reason why Donghae is so obvious?
He allows Hyukjae back into the house again.
Donghae's house! He has to contain his urges to squeak because once he starts he know he is going to fling himself at Donghae and crush him tight again.
He loves skinship with this guy. Really really loves it. Donghae is always so squisky and feels so warm. And it seems like Donghae himself longs for such affection as well. It is as if the more he longs for affection, the more he will distant himself. Hyukjae can see that in the interaction he has with everyone else, always charming and full of smiles, but once anyone gets too close for comfort, Donghae will, change. Becoming cold and indifferent.
He doesn't even care with Donghae being all cold to him. That really doesn't matter. If Donghae doesn't initate any interaction, then he will.
Hyukjae has always been someone who acts faster than he thinks. He will just do what he wants to, to hell with the consequences.
So every now and then he will just loop his arm around Donghae's or wrapping his arm around his shoulders as they walk to school.
Back at home he will sleep beside the boy, hugging him close while the boy curses and swears but still doesn't kick him away.
When they are watching television shows together he will rest his head on Donghae shoulders, or getting Donghae to lie on his lap - he almost succeeded once when Donghae dozed off. Almost.
Deep inside his dead heart. He knows it's dangerous.
He has been having feelings and strong emotions that he never had since forever.
He knows he like Donghae more than just a friend.
He knows what it means.
And he doesn't fight it
He doesn't want to.
He's happy with this. Just secretly liking Donghae without ever letting him know. He will be Donghae's guard for a lifetime if possible. What little he can do for him, he will do it.
Just to see Donghae's toothy smiles. Just to hear his somewhat weird sounding laughters. And just so he can get lost in those deep soulful eyes of Donghae.
Damn, he even likes it when Donghae scolds him or turn violent on him.
Yes.
Hyukjae is very much in love.
With a human.
---
12.11 a.m.
December 6, 2012
'Hyukjae, what exactly can you do?' Donghae asks from the kitchen.
'Me?'
'! You scared me!'
Hyukjae has appeared almost immediately when he heard his name. Always forgetting that by doing so he always gives his human a fright.
'Sorry.'
'I guess this must be one of your powers...' Donghae pats his chest dramatically.
'What is?' Hyukjae follows him as he takes a seat on the couch, seeing Donghae flipping on his DVD player.
'This, appearing from thin air.' Donghae shoves a huge mouthful of last night's kimchi fried rice into his mouth.
'Oh. Is it? I don't know. I really don't think I can do anything. I can't even touch anything, hold anything.' Hyukjae's smile disappears.
How can he protect Donghae when he can't even do anything. How can he be of use to him?
'Have you tried?'
'Try what?'
Donghae sighs heavily and rolls his eyes.
'Whether you have any other powers.'
'I have no power Donghae. I'm just a ghost. Hanging where I'm not supposed to be.'
Hyukjae settles beside Donghae and hug his knees.
'Donghae? '
'Hmm?' Donghae clicks on the play button and moves to sit beside Hyukjae.
'You're turning eighteen next year aren't you?'
Donghae shrugs. He tries to tell himself it isn't anything to care about. Much less to talk about.
Hyukjae then rests his head over Donghae's lap, as he stares up at the boy's face.
'Have you thought about who your mate could be?' Hyukjae heart aches just a little. But this is his life. If it means to see Donghae being together with his mate, he will still do it with a bright smile and with his best wishes as long he can still be by Donghae's side. Even if it can possibly kill him again. On the inside this time.
'Shh Hyukjae, I'm watching a movie.'
Hyukjae covers his mouth but his eyes are still staring at Donghae soft features.
So beautiful. But too fierce.
'Speaking of which, when's your birthday?' Hyukjae can't help himself. He starts talking again.
'October 15.' Donghae gives up asking the boy to shut up. He's wasting his breath.
'October 15?!!!' Hyukjae jerks upright.
'Yes! And don't freaking shout all of a sudden!'
'That's the date I died!'
They both stared at each other, evidently shocked by the eerie coincidence.
'Well...' Donghae begins, 'It's not as if I was born the same year and same day you died. It's not that uncommon. I had a high school friend who had the same birth date as me too.'
'Y...yeah... Right.'
Hyukjae knocks his own head. What is there to get so uptight and alarm about?
But then he recalls something again.
'We first met on that day isn't it? That rainy day?'
'Yes, I was on my way home after my birthday celebration.'
The birthday that Donghae always dreads, knowing he is one step closer to meeting his mate.
Another year and this is it. The deal is sealed.
His mate's name will then appear somewhere on his body.
And so in that moment, he made a birthday wish on his seventeen birthday. Which was also the day he first met Hyukjae.
I wish... I will never have a mate.
---
A/N:
Okay seriously, I'm getting worried whether I can finish this within the deadline and more importantly, within five chapters.
Aww..... Cries a little in a corner...
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