Heaven's Gate

Featuring Kai and Ella

Introduction: You think your life's over once you've experience death? Then, you're wrong. There's a toll gate once you get up there in heaven. They have a freaking list of everything that you did when you were still alive, good and bad. To get inside, you either get a green, yellow or a red light. Trust me, you do not want the red one. Luckily, I had a yellow one. You'll see how that turned out.

"Are you ready to fall under a love spell?"

"I'M WHERE?!"

 

"Heaven's Gate, Kim Jong In. You're already dead."

 

"Dead?! How?! I'm not dead. You're insane."

 

"You can call me anything. You're still dead though."

 

"Who are you anyways? Heaven's Prosecutor?"

 

"I'm actually a Heaven's toll gate officer, but prosecutor works as well."

 

My name is Kim Jong In. And apparently, I'm dead.

 

I seriously had no idea how I left the world. I don't even remember dying. I was young. I was healthy! I didn't have a fatal disease or anything that had the potential to end my life. I was sure of one thing though. I'm in front of Heaven's Gate talking to some ancient toll gate officer/prosecutor, whatever you want to call him.

 

"Kim Jong In. That name sounds so familiar and famous!" The toll gate officer said like he knew me. He grabbed a big book under his desk and brought it out for me to see.

 

"What the hell is that?" I asked him.

 

"We do not use the 'H' word up here. Watch your mouth." He told me.

 

"What in the heavens is that?" I asked in a very sarcastic manner. Jeez! I guess heaven is also like high school. You can also get shushed for cursing.

 

He just looked at me and shook his head. He opened the book and I saw a lot of names on there. There were different kinds of names from many different countries. The toll gate officer looked for my country first, which was South Korea. When he found it, he looked for the page for the people who had the last name 'Kim'. When he finally got to that page he was looking for, I saw that there were a lot of people who had the same name as me in South Korea, and I bet it would take us a long time just to sort this out.

 

"Oh, look. There you are!" The toll gate officer said, while pointing his index finger on the book in a split second.

 

"How come you're so sure? There's a lot of Kim Jong In on that page." I told him.

 

"Ah! That's because you're really famous!"

 

"Famous? How?"

 

"You're a red light candidate, Kim Jong In." He informed me.

 

"A red light candidate? What does that mean?" I asked him. I was in the state of confusion. Heaven's Gate? Toll gate officer? Dead? Famous? Red light? What the hell is going on?! This is some weird dream. "I really think I'm just dreaming. Someone needs to wake me up." I honestly told the old man.

 

"Oops. Pardon me. I'm 501 years old this year, so I don't really know what I'm doing sometimes."

 

"501?!" I seriously need to wake up before I actually believe all this.

 

He cleared his throat. "My name is Fred. Since English is a universal language, I used that name since I meet a lot of dead people all over the world over here at Heaven's Gate. This book-" He closed the big, old book and tapped it. "-and I determine whether all the dead people who stops by here should go to heaven or hell."

 

"Great job you got there." I made a sarcastic comment.

 

"Why, thank you! You're not as bad as you sound like, Kim Jong In." The gullible, old man told me.

 

I never thought he'll believe me, but that works. I get good boy points.

 

Fred continued on with what he was saying. "Okay, the stoplight colors. If you get a green light, you can pass by the gate and go to heaven." He said. He snapped his fingers and the both of us were in a very serene place. I saw butterflies, trees, flowers and small little animals. It looked so peaceful.

 

"Woah!" I exclaimed. I was dumbfounded from what I'm experiencing. I guess after life is true.

 

"I know, right? This is where I'm staying once I retire at age 1000." Fred told me.

 

My eyes enlarged. I guess age for them is really just a number.

 

He snapped his fingers once again and a really nasty place appeared. There were flames everywhere and a lot of volcanoes were erupting. I guessed that we were in hell.

 

I looked around more. Now that I think about it, Fred and I were only standing on a tall lava rock in the middle of a lava river. "What the ?!" I asked as I panic from what I saw.

 

"Oooh! The F word! That's their favorite word down here." Fred exclaimed happily. "And don't worry. You're already dead. Nothing's gonna happen." He laughed at his corny joke.

 

"Wow! Thanks!" I told the old guy.

 

"This is hell. This is where the dead people who receive a red light end up. Ugh! I hate this place. It's disgusting. We're leaving! My pores are burning up!" Fred said and snapped his fingers. We were now back at Heaven's Gate. "Shall we determine where to send you, Kim Jong In-sshi?" He asked. He snapped his fingers again and a tube appeared in front of my eyes. "Go inside, Kim Jong In."

 

I followed what he said and went inside the confined space. A blue light appeared on top of the tube and slowly scanned my whole body. After a good 4 or 5 minutes, it stopped and disappeared. Fred opened the door of the tube for me and I came out of it.

 

"Wow! That took longer than expected! It usually just takes a minute to be scanned, but yours took 5! Woah! I'll tell you this. It's definitely not the machine! We just upgraded it last week." He commented.

 

"Meaning?"

 

"You did a lot of bad stuff during your lifetime, Kim Jong In. This machine is called the Sin Detector."

 

"I seriously want to wake up now." I told Fred.

 

A printed list of my sins came out from a printer that was installed on the side of the tube. It was a long list, I'll tell you that.

 

Fred skims through my list of sins. Then I guess he saw one that caught his attention. "What the?! You put a cat in a trash bag?!"

 

"Oh yeah. That was when I was 9. It scratched me, so I threw it away." I honestly admitted to my deed. I felt like it was the right thing to do at the moment.

 

Fred got to the end of the list. "Well. I guess you weren't really the nicest kid down there."

 

I just nodded.

 

Suddenly, a light appeared from the stoplight that was on the top of the tube.

 

Yellow.

 

"A yellow light?" Both Fred and I said at the same time.

 

"What does that mean?" I asked him.

 

"Woah! Yellow?! After reading your list of sins, I was certain that you were gonna get a red light." Fred was a little too honest with what he said.

 

"How positive!" I commented.

 

"A yellow light is when you're given another chance to go back on Earth to ask for forgiveness to everyone that you've caused trouble to. Wait, how come?! The yellow light is only given to the people who did a really good deed that balances all of those sins." Fred was a mischievous man. I hated it.

 

"What are you trying to say?!" This ancient grandpa is offending me.

 

"Nothing." He tried to get away from his offensive statement. He changed the subject by looking at the results again. "Apparently, you helped a girl named Jung Ella when she was being bullied by a bunch of teenagers." He read. "Oh, wait. There's more." He continued. "Really?! Just to tell them that you're the only one who can bully people since you're the best. What is this?!" Fred made a face because of my great deed. "That deed balanced all of your sins?! There's something wrong with the machine! It's judging people too nicely." Fred said and was about to kick the machine, but remembered that it was new. "It appears that Jung Ella is praying for your soul to go to heaven. I guess 1 is better than 0."

 

"Now, what?"

 

"You'll be given 5 days on Earth. Don't misunderstand. You're not being brought back to life. Jung Ella, your savior, is the only one who will be able to see you. You need to convince her to help you apologize to every single person that you offended. They all need to sign their name on this list for you to be able to pass the gate." Fred said and handed me a list that contained names of the people I've hurt and what I did to them.

 

I took the list from Fred and asked, "5 days?! How am I supposed to apologize to all those people in 5 freaking days?! And what if Ella doesn't agree? What if she doesn't believe me? I don't even believe this is happening myself." I admitted.

 

"Then, you have no choice, but to go to hell. Make it work." Fred said. "You have 5 days. Use your time wisely." Fred snapped his fingers and a watch appeared on wrist. The number 120 was on it. "You have exactly 120 hours to change your after life, starting now." Fred said and once again, he snapped his fingers.

 

 

DAY 1

 

I woke up from a really deep sleep. Surprisingly, I was myself. I was in my room. I was wearing my clothes. I can see all my stuff. I heaved a sigh of relief and closed my eyes. "It was all just a dream, Kim Jong In. It was all just a dream." I said as I scratched my morning hair. I opened my eyes and realized that it was not just a dream.

 

The watch was on my wrist. Then, I looked at bedside table and saw that the list that Fred gave me. I was really dead.

 

I stood up from my bed and went out of my room. There was no one in the apartment since I lived by myself. I had parents, but I do not know where the hell they are. Who knows if they're also dead like me? I didn't care.

 

"Owwww!!!" I exclaimed when the watch shocked me.

 

"I forgot to tell you. The watch is also there to remind you that you can't do bad things anymore or you lose this last chance." Fred's voice came out of nowhere.

 

"Wow! Thanks for even reminding me!" I sarcastically said.

 

"Sorry. I told you I'm starting to age."

 

"You started aging hundreds of years ago, Fred!" I informed him the obvious. "OUCH!!!" The watch shocked me again.

 

"Good luck, Kim Jong In. See you in 5 days."

 

I just sighed.

 

I went to my bathroom to shower and got dressed, which was completely unnecessary since no one besides Jung Ella can see me.

 

I remember that day when I helped Jung Ella from those wannabe bullies at school. The kids at school had nothing to do so they targeted Ella. Lucky for her, I came in the classroom during that time. Her hair was already being pulled by one of the girls, so I stopped them and told them I was the best and all that.

 

Ella had a small-frame and she definitely didn't fit in. She was a bully target since she was an outcast in our school. She's not in the honor roll, she doesn't do any sports and she's very quiet. I heard her mother left her and her father because he was very abusive, proving the rumor that her dad is a drug addict.

 

I walked to go to my high school. I really am invisible! No one can see me! This was awesome! I tried bumping into people when I was walking. I was invisible, but they would budge whenever I bump them. It was hilarious. Of course, I got shocked by the watch for doing this.

 

I finally got to school. I was right on time since I saw Jung Ella walking inside the school as well too. I just followed her and she led me to the girls' bathroom.

 

Wait! The girls' bathroom?!

 

I was shocked by the watch multiple times, so I just walked out of the room. Ella still didn't see me. I didn't want to appear in front of her when we're in public. People are going to think she's crazy, if they see her talking to nobody, though she is.

 

She came out of the bathroom and I grabbed her arm and dragged her to the nearest private room, which ended up being the janitor's closet.

 

Ella saw my face and her eyes enlarged. "Jo... Jongin?"

 

I just nodded.

 

"You're... how come you're... alive?" Ella managed to say before she fainted.

 

"Ya, Jung Ella. Wake up!" I tried to wake her up, but she really did faint because of shock. Who wouldn't? A person that you thought who's dead suddenly appears right in front of you.

 

I just stayed with her inside the janitor's closet and waited for her to be conscious again. It would be weird if I carried her. She would look like she was floating around the whole school while she's sleeping.

 

After half an hour of waiting, Ella finally woke up. When she saw my face, she got surprised again.

 

"Ella-ya, it's okay. I'm really confused as well. Don't be scared." I tried to calm her down.

 

"Jongin... is that really you? But you... you died." She said.

 

"I know, but Jung Ella I really need you to listen to me right now, okay? I'll answer your questions later." I told her as fast as I can.

 

"Are you a ghost? Did you come to take me because-"

 

"I guess I am." I interrupted her. "I don't even remember how I died. Listen Jung Ella. I know this is really weird right now, but I really need your help. I was given 5 days to ask everyone that I hurt for forgiveness, but the thing is, you're the only one who can see me, so I really need your help." I told Ella every single thing that happened at Heaven's Gate. "I really need your help-"

 

"I'll help you." Ella interjected. "I owe you anyways."

 

"That was nothing. Don't worry about it." I told her.

 

"No, it wasn't. You saved me."

 

I gave her a smile. "I wouldn't really call it 'saved'."

 

Ella just stayed silent.

 

Suddenly, the school bell rang indicating that it was the beginning of first period.

 

"You should go to class. At least you got to sleep in here for 30 minutes." I told Ella.

 

"30 minutes?! In here?! With you?!"

 

I just nodded.

 

Ella blushed. I can see that she was embarrassed that I watched her sleep for 30 minutes. That is kind of creepy, but I had nowhere else to go. I desperately needed her help.

 

She stood up and grabbed her backpack from the ground and wore it. "I'm gonna go to Biology now." Ella opened the door and walked out.

 

"Ella-ya, meet me outside after school."

 

She just nodded and left.

 

That was fast! How did I even convince her? I really thought she would freak out. Was I that believable?

 

I was really bored, so I roam around the whole school. I passed by every single classroom and saw many familiar faces. I also heard the lessons that were being taught by the teachers. During everyone's lunch break, I went inside of the cafeteria and looked for Ella since she's the only one I could talk to. I didn't see her anywhere, but I heard some students talking about me.

 

"The school is so peaceful without that bastard Kim Jong In." A male student said, one of the kids I used to bully.

 

Another student hit him. "Stop it. You're basically saying it was good that Kim Jong In died."

 

"I never said that! You did!"

 

They all just laughed at that table.

 

I could so punch these s right now, but then I saw the watch on my wrist. I had to calm down. I came back here to apologize, nothing else. Come to think of it, they have the right to say that since I know I made their lives miserable at some point.

 

A few more hours passed and it was almost the end of the day. I felt bad since I haven't apologized to anyone since my extended time here on Earth started.

 

The bell indicating that school was over rang. I was already in front of the school building, waiting to see Ella's face. I was patiently waiting, but she wasn't coming. I had no idea what happened to her. We agreed to meet in front of school when school was dismissed, but she was nowhere to be seen. I stayed there until everyone had already left, but Ella still didn't appear.

 

I decided to finally leave since I didn't see her. This is how the first day of my after life ended.

 

 

DAY 2

 

I never thought this day would happen, but it did. I was the earliest one who came to school. I'm usually the tardiest student in this school, so I guess this was an accomplishment. I needed to see Ella, so I came early in the morning. She just ditched me the night before, so I needed to see her today.

 

I finally saw Ella walking inside the school. "Jung Ella!!!" I called her. She didn't hear me, so I chased her inside and grabbed her arm.

 

"Ahh!" She hissed and grabbed her arm.

 

"Jung Ella. What's wrong? What happened to you after school? I didn't see you."

 

"I... Ahh." Ella gasped. She took her hand off her arm and there was blood on her white button up uniform.

 

I gently took her arm. I folded up her sleeves and saw that she had a serious burn on her arm. "Where did you get this from?!"

 

"It's nothing, Jongin." She said, pulling her sleeves down.

 

I stopped her from doing so. "Nothing?! You call this nothing?! It looks like a second degree burn to me, Jung Ella."

 

"Don't get mad, Jongin."

 

"I can't help it! How did you even get this?"

 

"Just drop it." She simply said and started to walk away from me.

 

I didn't leave her alone, instead I took her hand and dragged her to the nurse's office.

 

"Jongin, no. It's nothing big. I just burned myself when I was ironing our clothes." Ella lied. It was obviously a lie.

 

"You think I'm dumb, Jung Ella? If you were ironing your clothes, how could you burn your arm?" I asked her, almost interrogating her.

 

She was speechless.

 

"Is it true? Is your dad really a drug addict?" I asked her. It was a sensitive question, but I needed to know. "Does he abuse you?"

 

"Jongin, I'm sorry, but can I go to class now?" Ella asked me, tears slowly forming in her eyes. "I don't think I can help you either. I'm very, very sorry." Ella told me and walked away.

 

"Ella-ya!" I called, but she's already up the stairs. I bit my bottom lip feeling uneasy about her situation.

 

Ella avoided me for the rest of the day. I didn't see her anywhere, no matter how hard I tried to look for her. The fact that she had a serious problem that she's keeping to herself made me worry so much. Domestic abuse was serious and she chose not to rat on her father instead of seeking for help.

 

I went to our homeroom and looked through our teacher's desk. I was trying to look for the class information sheet to find out where Jung Ella lives. I found what I was looking for and saw Ella's address.

 

While she was still in school, I went to her house. I saw a person go out of the house and assumed that that was Ella's father. Once he was gone, I went near their house. The scent of weed was so strong, there's no mistake about that. How could Ella stand living in this house? It was awful! This is not the right environment for a high school student like her.

 

I waited for Ella in front of her house. When I finally saw her, I stood up from where I was sitting and ran up to her.

 

"Jongin? How did you know where I live?"

 

"Pack your stuff. You're gonna be living with me." I told her. That was the only plan I could think of for the few hours I was just sitting here. "I'm gone after 3 more days, so you can have my apartment. The ahjumma still didn't find any tenants so it's currently empty. The rent there is really cheap too. You can definitely afford it, Ella."

 

"What are you talking about? I can't just leave my dad." Ella told me.

 

"Ella-ya, I know he abuses you. This is not the right environment for high school student like you. Please just listen to me." I begged her.

 

"You don't understand. I'm the only family he has."

 

"Jung Ella. It's too dangerous. Your father is not in the right mind. You do not burn your daughter's arm with an iron!" I almost screamed.

 

She put her head down and I saw a tear drop. "He's the only family I have left, Jongin. I can't leave him."

 

"Ella, report him. If you do, he'll go to rehab and he'll get better. Don't you want that? You can live peacefully as well if that happened." I tried to convince her.

 

Ella was silent for a few seconds, trying to process what I just said. She finally nodded. "Okay. I'll report him."

 

"Good." Was all I can say.

 

Ella was crying her eyes out in front of me and I didn't know what to do. I just let my body do the work and not my mind. I wrapped my arms around Ella. She cried on my chest and I'm glad she did. I bet she's been holding it in for a very long time now.

 

We went inside of her house to get her stuff. I just knew it. The strong scent of weed was lingering around the house, which is not normal and safe. The place was a mess. I really could not believe that Ella lives here.

 

Once Ella finished unpacking, I helped her with her bags and left the house before her father comes back and force her to stay.

 

Ella and I finally reached my place. When the both of us went inside, I just realized how small it was. I only had one room, a small bathroom, a small kitchen counter and a living room.

 

"I'm sorry. I know my place is small. Just a few more days though. You can have this to yourself." I told her.

 

"Jongin-ah, will you stop counting down? Just treasure every single minute of your time." Ella told me. She was right. I should even be glad that I was given a second chance to come back. Well, if it wasn't for Ella, this chance would've never been given to me and I would probably be burning in hell right now.

 

"You can sleep in my room. I'll sleep in the living room."

 

Ella just nodded.

 

 

I didn't realize that I fell asleep while watching TV. I went to the kitchen and got some water from the fridge. I suddenly felt the urge to go to the bathroom, so I did. Gosh! I'm already dead, but I still need to do those human stuff?! What's the point?

 

I was half-asleep when I opened the bathroom door. I realized that someone was inside the bathroom.

 

Ella.

 

Damn it! I forgot! I was so used to living alone and totally forgot that she was here!

 

She didn't see me open the door, but did I see her. Without any clothes on.

 

"Oww!" I exclaimed as soft as I can when the watch shocked me. I guess I was doing a bad deed right now for being a ert. I still didn't close the bathroom door though. For doing that, I received 3 continuous and painful shocks from the watch. I closed the bathroom door then. I sat down on the sofa and rubbed my wrist to ease the pain. I hate this watch.

 

A few seconds later, Ella went out of the bathroom. She was only wearing a towel around her body. Her milky white skin was so flawless. I could not help, but to get . I guess I'm a dead guy who still has his needs.

 

She probably thought I was still sleeping because she was so surprised when she saw me watching TV. My eyes were once glued on the TV, but now it was glued on Ella and her body.