Key sits in the grass next to the lake, legs flat in front of him and his arms outstretched to support his weight. He looks to the sky that's glossed over in deep hues of blue and orange, sparkling between the clouds. He exhales loudly, content and ready for the night ahead of him. 

He looks down as bubbles form in the lake before him. It's an odd sound, one he doesn't hear often when this sort of thing happens, almost like a gurgling – like someone was drowning. Key leans forward and the water darkens as it ripples, and before he has time to study the mass underneath it, a bunch of wet, brown hair emerges from the surface. Key stays calm as the person before him gasps for air, griping his chest tightly. He coughs and gasps again, this time showing signs that it just hurts to do that. Key's fingers curl into the wet ground, and he leans forward still, trying hard to look into the face of the victim before him. 

“Does it hurt?” Key asks and he watches the brown haired boy dip back down into the water. Key stands up now and backs away.

“Breathe,” Key says soothingly when his gasping charge resurfaces.

“Wh-where am I?” The brown haired boy asks with trembling lips, obviously struggling to find the words – and his breath.

“Breathe,” Key repeats. “Jonghyun, just breathe.” 

Brown eyes now snap to Key's. “You know my name?”

Key nods. Something like comfort sparks in Jonghyun's eyes. 

“Where am I?” Jonghyun asks again while he relaxes in the water.

“Take my hand, you need to get out of there first,” Key says and reaches out his hand. Jonghyun takes it without much thought and Key pulls him out of the water; Jonghyun sits on his knees and stares up at Key.

“I'm Key, and you, Jonghyun, are dead.” 

The comfort that was in Jonghyun's eyes vanishes and something like panic replaces it.

“D-dead?” 

Key doesn't say anything, from his experience, most newcomers reacted that way. Surprised and confused, but that was what he was there for.

“Does that mean that this is heaven?” 

“No, but you're almost there,” Key says and points to a rather large gate that floats above them. “It's always moving, that gate.”

“Almost there?” Jonghyun stands up and watches as his dry almost instantly.

“You're in-between. All people who are meant to go to heaven must stop here first.” 

“For what? How long?” Jonghyun asks, looking confused and like Key was speaking another language.

“It all depends on how much time you need. You were surprised that you're dead, right? I bet if you try to think about your life, you wouldn't remember. Your memory is repressed. This stop is like a test.”

“A test for what? To see how good my memory is?” Jonghyun doesn't sound convinced and slightly annoyed.

Key shakes his head. “No. All people, before they die, miss out of one of life's greatest lessons. This is your chance to recall your memories and figure out what it is before you move into heaven.”

Jonghyun's eyebrows crinkle, and he looks upset – like maybe Key had just told him the most stupid thing ever. 

“What are you?” Key hears Jonghyun asks.

Key smiles. “I'm your guide, here to help you through this phase,” he says and lifts his right arm. A thick, gleaming gold bracelet adorns his wrist. It fits loosely and Key watches it slide down his arm before he speaks again. “All guides wear this bracelet. It's nothing fancy, it just distinguishes guides from charges.” 

“Charges?”

“That's what you're called, a charge,” Key explains. 

Jonghyun frowns and runs his hand through his hair. 

“You should sleep for now. Time passes just like it does on earth, so it'll be dark soon. You'll find out more tomorrow,” Key says before pointing to a large mansion in the distance.

“That's the dorm for male charges, follow me,” Key tries to sound hopeful before turning around walking toward the building. He hopes Jonghyun will follow.



Jonghyun's not sure what time he's awoken, but he knows well past midnight. He looks outside to see nothing but darkness and hears voices outside his window. 

He stands in the empty room (because he doesn't have a roommate yet) and walks to the window sill. A light shines from under his window (he thinks a few stories down), and he can see two people talking. One is a male and Jonghyun can't tell much from his dark hair and his side profile, but something tugs at his insides – like he just knows who that is. Jonghyun listens to the dark haired man speak and something keeps building up in his memory, higher and higher until the name Heechul bursts into his head. Jonghyun's eyes widen and the knowing feeling snakes around his body and he feels himself shiver. 

Standing next to Heechul is a woman, and Jonghyun can see the gold bracelet on her arm. She's shorter, with dark hair and a mature face, but Jonghyun finds her pretty. Tears pool in her eyes, but Jonghyun can sees that she's smiling. Heechul hugs the woman before turning around.

Something like happiness hangs in the air while Heechul walks away, and shatters completely when his figure evaporates into the night.



“And behind the dormitories is a small building where lots of people gather to pray while on their journey here,” Key explains to Jonghyun while a map sits atop the picnic table. 

Jonghyun stares at the parchment but doesn't really pay any attention to what Key says. The layout of the land isn't really important to him, he figures he has all the time in the world to wander.

“Is it possible for me to know anyone here?” Jonghyun interrupts.

Key leans back and his lips. “It's very possible, in fact, if you feel like you know someone you should talk to them. It could help you.”

“So, will I just know who they are?”

Key smiles. “You'll just know.”

It's silent for a moment and Jonghyun contemplates whether he should tell Key about what he saw last night. Deciding that it would bother him if he didn't, he goes on.

“Last night I saw someone and it felt like I knew him. He was with his guide, I think. She was kind of emotional. And he just kind of – disappeared. Like he just walked away and became nothing.”

“BoA lost her charge last night. Well, he moved on; learned what he needed to. Heechul was a difficult charge, and BoA was just a little overwhelmed.” 

Jonghyun feels somewhat relieved when he hears Heechul's name.

“Is that how it ends? Do we just – walk away?” 

“That's all it is. You walk away and find the gate. Nothing tricky or elaborate.”

Jonghyun looks at Key for a second, realizing just how young he actually looked. “Did I really die this young?” Jonghyun asks quietly.

“Not necessarily. People arrive here at all different ages. Mostly the age that they were happiest, or their prime. You could have lived a very long, happy life.”

Jonghyun opens his mouth to ask more questions, but is interrupted by someone else wearing a gold bracelet. 

“Kibum!” The guide says happily and plops down on the bench next to Key. 

“Jonghyun, meet Junsu*. He's another guide. He's getting a new charge today.”

Junsu smiles, his white teeth showing. “His name is Seungri.”
“You seem excited,” Jonghyun comments.

“He's a difficult case,” Junsu responds.

It's quiet for a second before something strikes Jonghyun. “Do you – do guides know about their charges before they come?”

“Yep, we sure do. We know all about your lives and what it is you need to figure out,” Junsu says with the same smile he showed just seconds before.

“But we're not allowed to tell you any of it,” Key adds.

Jonghyun feels conflicted, but he's not sure why.

“You know, Junsu was actually supposed to be an angel.”

“Yah! Don't go around spreading that,” Junsu says, embarrassed.

“But it's true.”

The two talk for a minute and Jonghyun zones out again, trying to make any connections with this world and the one he lived before. The only real connection he felt was the one with Heechul, but that was gone – no longer accessible. 

“Could I watch? Seungri arrive? I want to see what it looks like.”

“Every person is a little different,” Key says before Junsu can answer.

Junsu looks from Key to Jonghyun before smiling again. “Sure, why not.”

They leave the table and walk to the lake.

The sun shines brightly above them and Jonghyun can see the gates brightly illuminated, something like longing fills him. He watches the gates float away and when they're nearly out of sight, the water before them ripples and Jonghyun can hear a plop. 

Jonghyun backs away with Key and observes as dark head of hair enters their view. The knowing feeling Jonghyun felt with Heechul creeps up on him as he watches Seungri battle for air, much like he had. Junsu beams, like this is one of the most important moments in history and grabs for Seungri's hands. Jonghyun watches as Seungri continues to panic even as Junsu comfortingly holds onto him. 

It takes Seungri much longer to understand and come to terms, and to even get out the water. But when he does, Junsu just continues to smile as they walk away towards the mansion.

“Should have been an angel,” Key says while shaking his head.

Jonghyun watches until they're out of sight before stepping forward to look into the lake. What he seems surprises him. A child, who he immediately recognizes as himself, runs through what looks like a play ground. Jonghyun immediately feels the happiness of that child.

“What is this?” He asks.

Key stands next to him. “They're your memories, nothing else. Just memories.”

“Just memories,” Jonghyun repeats. 


A/N *so no one is confused, I'm referring to JYJ's Junsu. 

This oneshot turned into a twoshot threeshot, haha. Um. I know everyone is totally out of character, I'm sorry. ;__; Just, in my head, this is how'd they be? Idek. But yeah, I know. =/ I also haven't written anything in a month and a half. So it's probably really rusty and all that stuff.

I know this chapter is kind of “lolwut”, but everything important is explained in the next part. I just wanted to get the layout out since my muse was cooperating with me. I hope it doesn't seem too rushed and well...weird.

Completely unbeta'd so expect stupid typos and all that. 

Regardless, I hope you enjoyed! :D Part two coming soon~ (I hope, haha.)