Title - 107.9 MHz

Author - Izzymon

Pairing - Ricsyung

Genre - Romance, mild angst

Disclaimers - Alternate Universe and Spiritual world

Summary - An old radio, a man who just moved into an apartment and a lonely soul who was still lingering around old memories … When three of them clashed at a point …107.9 MHz …

Artwork - Manunulat

A/N: Hello! :D First of all, shall we shout "Happy 16th Anniversary!" for oppadeul and for all orange sisters out there??? ^_^ really honored to be able to participate in this project and hope there will be projects like that for coming anniversaries! Thanks to all authors paritcipating in this project as a maknae moderator! :P Thanks to all readers for all of your interest and support for this project! Please enjoy my story and many other awesome stories in this project on this wonderful Anniversary day! <3

***

He glanced around the room that would be his new bedroom from now on. Everything had already been in place. Actually, there were not that many things that can be called his personal items. Just a case of clothes, his laptop and toiletries were all that belonged to him now.

Well, what more could he grab before being kicked out of his so-called home by his freshly-widowed stepmother just a few days after his father’s funeral?

He had expected this day a long time ago and started putting a certain amount of his company staff salary aside for his breather. Now, they became into use in renting this tiny apartment to lay his back at night. He was quite lucky to get this apartment just in a few days and this even had its own furniture, old yet still useful.

All evening, he had been occupied with cleaning and putting things in place and now almost all had been done, at least for him to sleep and give a rest to his exhausted body.

He went towards the switch to turn it off and then, he noticed a single card box still lying on the floor, unopened.

Ah. He almost forgot it.

It was another thing that he owned and actually, it was the thing that he valued most among all of his belongings.

He tore the tape with a pencil knife and as soon as the box was opened, he smiled softly seeing his beloved treasure.

A radio. An old and nearly falling apart radio.

He took it out with a great care and brought it over to the bed side table before placing it on the table gently.

Sitting on the bed, he traced the frame of the old radio and memories started to pop out one after another. How his grandpa had tuned in to listen to channels after channels while 5-year-old he was sitting on his grandpa’s lap, how his late mother and he had played with tuning random channels when he was in primary school and how he had been spending his lonely teenage nights listening to unclear love songs coming from this radio.

This radio had so many sentimental values in his life and that was why he was still enjoying switching it on and tuning patiently for some random channels almost every night. Its unclear sounds and annoying noises were nothing much in his ears since they were too used to him.

After plugging it, he just tested his luck if there were some channels still broadcasting and he turned the frequency tuner wheel slowly and steadily. Then, he suddenly stopped due to a faint speaking voice appearing.

“… still listening to that  old radio?”

He got frozen. Why was not that speaking voice talking about a song but an old radio?

He concentrated and listened carefully once again but there was no voice coming from the radio except some usual noises. He glanced at the arrow showing the frequency and it was showing 107.9 MHz.

107.9 MHz.                               

He just decided not to think more, assuming that it was his ears playing tricks. He switched the radio off and threw himself on the not-so-comfy bed.

His eyelids started to droop while his mind was thinking about another long working day ahead of him.

He seriously needed to sleep now.      

He let out a growl after lying on his bed wearing only boxers. It was kind of thankful that the hot shower system in this old apartment was still working because if not, he would have a dying time with a really tired and sore body after a long day at office, sitting nearly 8 hours straight starting after the lunch break. Now, with the help of warm shower, his tight muscles had relaxed a bit and at least he could get a decent sleep after that.

He glanced at the table clock which was showing it was 10 p.m and although it was an energy-draining day, strangely he still did not feel like to go to bed. Then, his eyes caught the sight of his beloved radio and suddenly he smiled.

Ok. Killing time while listening some bedtime music did not sound bad.

He changed his position into a sitting one and the radio which started to produce strange sounds like usual. He turned the frequency tuner slowly to find a channel and then he remembered the last night incident.

The channel talking about old radio.

The urge of finding that channel again popped up and as he recalled clearly the frequency, he carefully turned the knob until it reached 107.9MHz.

Yes. It was 107.9MHz.

But there was no sound at all and only some faint noises were coming out of it. He raised his eyebrows and tried to concentrate again but still there was no music or sound.

Maybe it was just his ears playing tricks last night or maybe the channel was already over for today.

He gave up and started to turn the knob again and that time, he froze.

“Can … you hear me?”

There was a voice coming out from the radio and not like the usual tone from radio DJs and announcers, it was a kind of nervous and shaky tone and although it was faint, the voice was surely belonged to a guy.

He stayed still without any sound and then a few seconds later, the voice appeared again.

“You… hear me, right?”

 Then, he felt goose bumps appearing all over his body.

What the hell? The voice from the radio was speaking to him?

“Hello…”

He just tested answering back and waited for any reply. But, there was no sound coming from the radio for the next whole minute.

Finally, he laughed out loud at himself for being a fool who was talking to a radio. For God’s sake, he was in his thirties and he still believed that kind of nonsense.

At that moment, he turned into a statue because of the voice from the radio.

“Oh … So, you really can hear me … How can this be?... Anyway, hello …”

He gulped down and started to feel dizzy. What was happening to him? When had he become delusional, hearing imaginary voices? There was no way he could hear a person talking only to him through the radio.

“Who… who are you?”

He cursed himself for stuttering like a child who saw a stranger. Anyway, it was just a voice and there was no way it could do something harm to him.

There was a silence for a while and finally, a sigh came out first.

“Do you believe ghosts?”

His jaw dropped and he could not help but felt a shiver running along his spine. Being asked that question by an anonymous voice meant nothing good by his instinct.

“Why… why are you asking? …”

Suddenly, there was a faint chuckle coming out and to his surprise, it was not like some creepy laughing voice in horror movies and it was a nice, cheerful normal chuckle that he usually heard from people.

“With that body … you don’t seem like you’re afraid of ghosts … But why are you stuttering? Don’t worry … I’m not dangerous …”

Being irritated by the voice’s words, he blurted out without much thinking.

“Who are you?! Why am I hearing you through my radio?”

“I’m not a real ghost … although I’m invisible … I’m just a soul who’s away from my body … and I’m not still a ghost because I’m not dead yet … and I don’t know why you’re hearing my voice … Maybe your radio can accept my voice frequency …”

He could not believe what he was hearing. So, he was really talking with a ghost? No. As the voice said, he was not still a ghost, just a soul who was not dead yet. Was he dreaming? He slapped himself and then he heard another chuckle.

“You think you’re dreaming? You still can’t believe it? But, this is not a dream … You’re really talking with me … in your room … I’ll tell you something as a proof … You’re now sitting on the bed wearing only boxers … How about that?”

His goose bumps appeared again and he suddenly stood up, turning his body around to find something or someone in his room.

“You’re in this room?! Where are you? Where are you looking at me from?”

Another more heartily laughing voice came out and naturally he became to feel irritated since he was the only one who could not see the other.

“Hahahahaha …. You’re really funny … It’s been a really long time I’ve not laughed like that …”

Then, the voice suddenly went quiet and he started to feel uncomfortable.

“What’s your name?”

He tried to break the ice and thankfully, the voice replied him back after a few seconds.

“Hyesung. Shin Hyesung.”

The voice of that Hyesung was tainted with sadness, different from the cheerful vibe at the beginning. He suddenly got curious and he found himself being no more afraid or irritated at the sudden appearance of a ghost in his bedroom.

“Ok. Hyesung. I’m Junghyuk. Mun Junghyuk. Nice to meet … Ah … Should I say “Nice to hear you”?...”

A short chuckle came out and automatically, he found himself smiling at that chuckling sound. At last, Hyesung laughed again.

“You’re so funny, indeed … but since I can see you, I’ll say “Nice to meet you” … Nice to meet you, Junghyuk …”

Instinctively, he turned his head to look around the room but there was no movement at all in his eyes.

“Seriously … Where are you standing and watching me? It’s quite uncomfortable to know someone’s watching me all this time … Wait! So, you’re watching me when I’m changing? !”

This time, Hyesung let out louder laughing sound and he even could not speak for a few minutes.

“Hey! I’m also a guy … and with that body, I can’t see anything you should feel ashamed … and don’t worry … I’m here only at night before dawn … I can’t live here during daytime …”

While listening to Hyesung, he let out a yawn unconsciously since the tiredness started to show up.

“Oh? I forgot you’re quite tired … Go sleep already … Let’s stop talking for today … Good night, Junghyuk …”

“Wait … So, you’re staying in this room while I’m sleeping?”

He asked out of curiosity and there was a sad streak in Hyesung’s reply.

“It’s what I do for the last two years … but if you don’t like it, I’ll go to another place …”

He shook his head automatically since he knew Hyesung could see him.

“No. No. It’s ok … Although it’s kinda creepy … why I’m feeling like I’m the one who intruded your place?”

Although he could not see Hyesung, strangely, he felt like he was sensing Hyesung smiling from somewhere.

“Ok … Thank you … Good night …”

“Good night. We’re talking tomorrow, right?”

Even he was surprised with his own words and it was like Hyesung also got surprised since he went quiet for a while.

“Well … If you say so … Not bad to be able to talk with someone … after all this time … ”

He smiled at the hesitant and shy tone of Hyesung and laid his body on the bed finally.

“Ok … See you tomorrow, Hyesung … Good night …”

He turned off the radio and pulled the comforter over his body.

Well. He was already expecting for tomorrow.

“What have you been doing all this time? Wandering around this apartment … There’s nothing interesting here …”

He was sitting on the bed, dangling his legs comfortably and facing the furthest corner of his room since Hyesung told he was sitting on the floor there. After the miraculous meeting of a soul called Hyesung last night, he had been too eager in waiting the night to come and as soon as he had come home and taken a shower, he his antique radio to tune in the 107.9 MHz. Hyesung had not been there when he had turned it on so he even thought it was his delusion after all, hearing the non-existent voice via the old radio. But when the hesitant soft voice that he had heard last night appeared among all the noises and unwanted disturbances of his beloved radio, he somehow felt relieved.

After starting the conversation with the awkwardness in the air, they began to feel comfortable with each other and that was why he dared to ask the previously mentioned question to Hyesung. In fact, he had been thinking about that all day. He sincerely did not have a single clue on the question “What’s in his apartment that attracts a soul to come every night?”.

“It’s been the place where I had a lot of good memories … with…”

“With …?”

Although he felt like he was invading the other’s personal space, he could not hide his curiosity. And somehow, he got the lingering vibe from Hyesung’s vibe from Hyesung’s faint voice and it boosted his somewhat itching feeling inside.

“With the one I loved … My boyfriend …”

The silence fell in at once after Hyesung’s answer in hesitant tone. It was not that he was shocked or disgusted. He had to admit that he had been a little surprised with straightforward answer from the other but in his head, there was no judgmental thoughts passing over. Well, it would be more unfair to judge a soul who even could not be seen.

“Are you surprised? Or did I make you feel uneasy? If so, I’m sorry …”

A bit shaking voice of Hyesung made him come back to the earth from his thoughts and he shook his head strongly as soon as the question had ended.

“Nah … I’ve got no problem with that … So … this apartment was yours or … his?”

“Ours …”

The simple reply filled with sadness overwhelmed the whole room and another awkward silence crept in again. He shifted his sitting position a bit; actually not knowing what to do or reply at the moment to the other’s answer because Hyesung’s voice got so faint that it seemed like it was a mere whisper that could be missed with less attention.

“That’s what I thought though …”

After this, the atmosphere turned into more uncomfortable and he could feel the sad aura emitted from the radio.

“Well … I’m …”

“Good night … Jung Hyuk … Go to sleep … You have go to work tomorrow … right? I shouldn’t be giving all those depressing crap to you …”

Then, without even waiting his reply, the radio went silent suddenly and he somehow sensed that Hyesung had left the bedroom. Apart from sighing and lying on his bed, he could do nothing since he understood they had just met and Hyesung must be still reluctant to tell him all of his past. And from the trace he had left, it surely must not be the happy stuff related with his boyfriend. But from the other’s voice, he could still sense the longing feeling for that boyfriend. Even when he was just a wandering soul.

Like that, he felt himself being dragged towards closer to that poor soul called Hyesung bit by bit after that night. He noticed himself becoming restless in these days, especially when the worktime was over. He rejected all the drinking parties invited by colleagues and when he had to work overtime, he was so restless that he could finish all work in the speed of light, making his supervisor surprised. Wanting to go home as soon as possible, he even started to enjoy being home alone.

Because there was his radio … and Hyesung.

They were only things that possessed his mind all day lately. Starting from a few weeks ago, the conversation between Hyesung and him went on every night through his old radio. While Hyesung was seeing him doing all things, he was just talking to the air or if sometimes Hyesung had the kindness and he would tell him like he was sitting at the top of the wardrobe or standing beside the door, he had something to fix his stare at while talking.

It was even strange for him to realize how much he had been attached to that invisible soul in the last few weeks. His nights never became lonely again since he had Hyesung to talk with. Among many other casual and fun topics, they had talked a lot about their childhood, first love and many past events, finding many similarities and differences in each other and sharing the nostalgias together. But Hyesung never started the topic of his boyfriend again and he also did not want to push the other too much, hoping someday, Hyesung would talk about it naturally when he felt comfortable enough. In the meantime, he also had dug many pieces of Hyesung’s past and finally, he got a sketch of the poor soul’s life, putting the pieces together.    

“I am the only son …”

“Since my Mom passed away …”

“Dad is always busy … you know …”

“My house is quite big …”

“I only have a few close friends …”

They were some pieces and after all, the general conclusion was that a quiet and timid guy called Hyesung came from a kind of rich family but did not get enough love from his parents; the mother who had passed away and the father who was always busy. And nothing related with his love-life had popped up.

Until that day …

“Say … Jung Hyuk … Wanna hear something tragedy?”

The timid voice of Hyesung entered his ears with all the faint noises made by the nearly-broken-down radio. Then, he got at once what the other was intending to say.

“Of course … I’m all ears … Just … you know … let all out from your heart ...”

Even himself got stunned by his own words and maybe that was the same to Hyesung since he got silent for moments.

“I … I never had a chance to talk about this to someone …You know … No one can hear me … until you can … I … I think it’s time to talk to someone about it … cause … I am so … tired … having all of this alone …”

Hyesung’s voice was starting to be shaky here and there. From that, he could imagine how much Hyesung had stuffed all those feelings in his chest all this time. Just flashing a warm encouraging smile to the air while hoping Hyesung could grab his smile, he stayed silent not trying to interrupt the other.

“We met in university … had the same Maths class … In short, we became close and … well … we became an item … a secret item, should we say? Of course, we couldn’t go public … It wouldn’t bring anything good for both of us …”

Hyesung stopped and it was like he was not sure if he should go on or not. Yet, he did not try to force to continue. Just keeping his serious face to show his sincerity and willingness to listen was all he did.

“We really had fun a lot … here … Actually, it’s his apartment … His family was not that financially strong … He did part-time jobs here and there while going to university … We spent time here a lot … doing all stuff together … You know … I was so happy to be loved by someone properly … taking care of me … Let’s say I was so blind in love at that time … until …”

Another pause came and this time it was obviously longer than the previous one. In the back of his head, he knew what was coming ahead but this time, too, he chose to keep quiet.

“Until … I found out he had never taken our relationship serious …”

He caught a hitch at the end of the sentence and although he tried to ignore it, there was an unknown feeling in his chest.

“We fought quite bad in my car while driving back to the apartment from the night out … It started from his discouraging words on our relationship … actually I noticed the changes in him already and the atmosphere was really tense at that time between us … as far as I recall … he was on the verge of giving up and saying the break-up words … I was so frustrated … at that time … I felt like I had been a fool all this time … believing in all these delusions … and at the end … it was nothing …”

After long monologue, Hyesung stopped again to catch his breath. It looked like the feelings from that time returned back to Hyesung. His voice became shakier and his voice was totally in despair. Although he was just hearing his voice, he could imagine the desperate look would be on the other’s face that was still unseen to him.

“We yelled at each other … I cried a lot … He tried to give lame reasons … until the car ran into a truck …”

The radio went silent after that and then, a faint choking sounds and sobs were heard among all the other noises made by the radio. There, he almost got frozen.

Hyesung was crying …

“Don’t cry … Please …”

But those words never came out from his throat. Instead, only a lamp formed in his chest and at last, he called out his name.

“Hyesung?”

Getting no reply for another minute, he tried again.

“Hyesung? Still there?”

“Sorry …”

A mumble reached to his ears and to that unclear voice, he shook his head at once.

“Nah … Don’t be … I just wanted to say you can go on … if you still want to go on …”

By his words, Hyesung got silent again to calm himself before another monologue started.

“He was the one driving … He died on spot … For me … I wandered for a long time … here and there … after knowing his death and well … my dad’s death …”

He was sure the dumbfounded look on his face was quite obvious when he heard the continuation.

“Yep … My Dad passed away by heart failure … after knowing my accident … Then … I’ve been wandering and lingering here … although I know he never loved me for real … I’m pathetic … right? Still being trapped in fake good memories …”

“Why? Why are you not going back to your body?”

His sudden question earned no reply from Hyesung for another long minute. Then, a sigh came into his hearing sense.

“Because nobody cares … There’s nobody who wants me back … as a human … Everyone left me … alone ….”

After that night, they never brought that topic again to their conversation. For him, it was because he had no words to say to the other for encouragement. Surprisingly, his brain got blank in this case and he was originally not a person who is good at encouraging. But that broken voice of Hyesung was still echoing in his mind, haunting him all these days.

“What should I do with you … Hyesung?”

“Jung Hyuk-shi …”

By the cold and full with too much professionalism voice, he woke up from his daydreaming and found one of his female colleagues standing in front of his cubicle.

“Mr. Lee wants to see you in his office …”

Hearing the name of Mr. Lee, his supervisor, he sighed in his mind, thinking that there would be another overtime session again this evening. Mumbling “Thanks” to the messenger, he fixed his suit before heading to the supervisor office.

Well. That would be a long day again …

Entering his bedroom reluctantly, he threw his jacket to the bed before throwing himself to the bed also. Unlike other evenings, he was afraid to turn on the radio to talk with Hyesung although he knew the other was already in his room, watching him being unusual.

Hesitating for a few minutes, finally, he decided to face the situation since it was the best for both of them. Tuning the 107.9 MHz, he waited to hear the familiar voice among usual noises.

“Hey … What’s up? You don’t look good …”

He only could let out a deep sigh without replying the question from Hyesung. How should he say that kind of news to him?

“I have to move to Jejudo Branch …”

Silence came in immediately and he knew it was quite a shock to Hyesung although they had met for a few weeks. He was not an idiot to ignore the equal fondness on him by Hyesung.

“Ah … So … I’ll be left again … here …”

His sharp ears could catch the tint of sadness in the other’s voice, even though Hyesung tried to cover it up with a fake chuckle. Immediately, he shook his head furiously to show his disapproval of the other’s words.

“No … You won’t be left again … here … How long do you plan to linger here … as an aimless soul?”

His kind of frustrated voice and sharp words caught Hyesung off guard. For the next few minutes, no voice came from Hyesung and he patiently waited the reply, fixing his stare at the air in front of him.

“Forever … I guess … until they take off those pipes from my body …”

Only those words in faint voice of Hyesung entered his ears after a long waiting. Without knowing himself why, he felt frustrated more, hearing those hopeless words from the other.

“Go back to your body … please … I don’t want you to be like now anymore … Be alive and stay as a normal human … like you did in the past …”

Another silence fell again and this time he even thought Hyesung was not there anymore.

“Hyesung … You hear me?”

“For who …?”

The whisper-like voice emerged among the disturbing noises and suddenly he lost words to reply. His brain just went blank for the other’s sudden question since he knew there was really no one left in Hyesung’s life.

“You mean what? Of course … You have to live for yourself at least … even thought there’s no one else …”

That was the best answer he came up with and it did not seem like he could convince Hyesung with his answer.

“If so … I’ve already lost the will to live again … I think it’s better to wander around as a soul alone than to live as a lonely man again …”

“Then … Live for me …”

Even he got shocked by his own words and it seemed like Hyesung also did the same. Without himself realizing, he blurted out those words as a result of feeling sorry and frustrated at the same time hearing the depressed-like-hell Hyesung.

After many minutes of total muteness, finally, Hyesung cut the thick awkwardness first.

“But … I’m not sure … that I can remember the meeting with you … that I can remember you … when I wake up …”

He even had a delusion that there was a longing vibe in Hyesung’s voice but he could not tell for sure if it was from Hyesung’s heart.

He tried to smile his best to assure the other and give him peace to his worried mind before he let out his voice.

“I believe you’ll remember me … We talked so much in these days … huh? There’s no way you can forget me that easily … and even if you can’t remember me … I’ll find you and chase you down … well … although I’ve never seen you … Too bad …”

His dramatic voice succeeded to make Hyesung chuckle and he sincerely wished, at that time, to hear it again, seeing Hyesung’s face in future.

“They say I’m quite good-looking … So, find the good-looking one …”

 After joking back, Hyesung went silent again, making him a bit uneasy.

“Hyesung … Will you go back?”

Even holding his breath, he waited the answer from Hyesung. Not knowing why, he felt really tense on the coming decision of the other although he kept reminding himself he was not still that important in Hyesung’s life.

“I will … and … Just know that … I really want to remember you … and meet you again … even if I forgot all these things … I really want to … Jung Hyuk …”

The sudden calling of his name from Hyesung made him blank and also the sincere words hit him hard. But slowly, a smile crept onto his face and he knew Hyesung was seeing his smile from one corner of the room.

“I’ve taken note of that … Let’s meet again … for sure … Hyesung … I’ll wait and … I’ll search you …”

After his words, the radio went silent immediately and at the next second, he felt some warm feeling overwhelming his body. Smiling again, he stayed still and silent until the feeling disappeared gradually.

“Good bye for now … See you very soon … Hyesung …”

Dragging his small baggage, he entered the airport building which was full with people since the holiday started. There was a month he had got here, Jejudo, and now he was returning Seoul for a few days as he had to attend the wedding of one of the colleagues left there.

As he had to wait a few more minutes after check-in, he sat on one of the benches, watching people walking to and fro, bidding goodbye and giving welcome hugs. Seeing them, his mind wandered back to the one he had said goodbye a month ago.

“Where are you, Hyesung? Have you already forgotten me?”

Those questions only could be asked in his mind. He was looking at every 20-something guy that was good-looking in streets, wondering if that was Hyesung. Call him romantic or idiot. He still believed that if it was Hyesung in front of his eyes, he could surely get a familiar feeling that he always got when he had heard his voice via his old radio and he could recognize him right away.

But, he also knew the possibility was too thin for his logical mind. To find someone that he even had not seen among millions of people living in Korea.

Then, he heard the announcement of the boarding of his flight and reluctantly stood up before walking slowly with his bagged being dragged along.

There, he found a strange sensation behind his back, like someone was staring at him.

Turning his head at once, he found many people walking here and there again and just before turning his head back, he caught the sight of a guy.

Yes. The guy in his twenties who could also be called good-looking.

That guy was in blue cardigan and black jeans, holding his luggage tightly. He was staring at him like he was hypnotized and the trace of the combination of shock and relief was visible on his face.

An unknown electrifying feeling overwhelmed his whole body and unconsciously, he started to walk in the direction of that standing guy. It was like the whole world stopped and there were only two of them in this world, blocking every other sounds, voices and images around them.

“Hyesung?”

He could manage to let out only that name from his lips since he was being too nervous to hear the negative answer from the other. The guy in front of him suddenly smiled so wide before hugging him out of nowhere.

“I’m sorry for taking a month … Needed to stay there to get my shape again …”

Then, Hyesung pulled away and chuckled at his seemingly idiot-like blank face.

Oh. How much he had missed to hear that chuckle again.

“Yes … That’s me … Hyesung … Nice to see you again … Mun Jung Hyuk …”