soul ties | l.jn
lee jeno x reader | ghost!jeno x psychic!reader
ft. Chenle, Renjun, Yangyang, & Ten as supporting cast
summary:
Born with the ability to see ghosts, youāve spent your days guiding lost souls to the afterlife. This time around, however, everything taught to you is flipped on its head when a ghost finds you first. Polite, kind, and mysteriously tied to your side, Jeno remembers little more than his nameāand the fact that heās not dead. At least, not yet.
word count: 16.9k (help)
genre: fluff, angst, ghost!AU/supernatural!AU, mystery vibes, gn!reader
warnings: mentions of death (no graphic descriptions; mostly existentialism & grief), ghost fighting/hunting, minor horror elements
playlist: supernatural (ariana grande) | body & soul (emotional oranges) | juna (clairo) | 4me4me (malcolm todd) | echo (the marias) | out of time (the weeknd)
a/n: Happy Halloween everyone! this kind of AU is super different and new for me heh - hope you guys enjoy! ( ā āæā )ā”
On your days off from being a guide for the dead, you prefer to stay in and disconnect from the outside world entirely. No after-hours working, no late nights writing, and no ghosts to worry about.Ā
Thatās what youād like to focus on, anyway, if your boss wasnāt blowing up your phone with emails essentially all saying the same thing: File your paperwork.
āBureaucracy,ā you mutter as you type away on your laptop. A movie rolls in the background as you detail the previous dayās events. While you understand the need to document the time, place, and method in which you shuttled spirits to their next stop in the afterlife, you hate writing reports. Referring to each spirit with a case number feels less like objective evidence and more like impersonal erasure of their history and personality from when they were alive.
Youāve gotten through three quarters of the way when your phone vibrates with a message from your coworker, Chenle.
Hey, wanna see a movie with me and Renjun later? Itās a new indie film thatās out. Ton of drama around it, apparently, but itās getting great reviews. Breakout rookie, too.
You frown at your phone. You feel bad, since you end up turning down at least half of his requests to hang out, but you really do need this time to be alone. The surge in cases lately leaves you with little social capacity in your free time.
Sorry canāt make it, need to finish a report. You know I usually just go for re-runs, anyway.Ā
The response comes immediately: Rude, but I get it. Whatās on for tonight?Ā
You hesitate. You could easily lie, but you opt to tell the truth.Ā
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindĀ
Wow, depressing, he responds, but somehow so you
You snort. Iām going to take that as a compliment. Have fun!
Another immediate response. You too. Sucks that youāre writing reports, but at least it will get Ten off your ass.
Your boss, Ten, continuously refers to you as one of his top performers, but you have a hard time believing it. Youāre surprised that he still says it in the first place, considering you never finish reports on time and disagree with most of his suggested approaches. At this point, youāre surprised that the Spirit Hunters allow you to practice under their discretion.
You sigh for the millionth time as you add the final touches on your document. Shutting your laptop closed, you lean back against your couch and release a deep exhale. On days like these, you question if life will always be this cyclical and mundane. Work, evade, decompress, then always work again.
Then, your lamp on the end table crashes to the floor. You open your eyes to complete darkness in your apartment.Ā
A chill runs down your spineāthe long, creeping kind that sends your instincts into high alert. You know this sensation well; youāre sure that youāre within the presence of a ghost.Ā
You fish in your pocket to get a hand on Renjunās newest technologyāsupposedly the contraption could capture and contain ghosts, but you still havenāt put it to use. Such methods are usually too violent for your liking, even when theyāre conveniently portable.
Still, you donāt know what youāre dealing with, and it canāt hurt to have something violent on hand. You fumble around in the dark until your hands find the lightswitch to the kitchen lights.
You brace yourself as your eyes adjust to the light, and you swing the hand holding Renjunās invention back behind your head. There, hunched over the pieces of your broken lamp, is the wispy apparition of a man around your age.Ā
āOh!ā He says while looking over his shoulder. āI thought I could pick up the pieces while you looked for the lightswitch, butā¦ā He looks down at the muted hues of his form. āIām not very effective like this.ā
You let out a deep breath of relief. Your shoulder lowers, and you place Renjunās invention on the kitchen counter. ā...Donāt worry about the lamp,ā you say. āItās just thrifted, anyway.ā
The ghostās shoulders relax. āWell, thatās a relief, then.ā
Your brain takes in all of the facts in front of you. He holds his posture high and has a very clean cut appearanceāstyled hair, expensive watchāand he remains near your broken lamp with his hands tucked in his pockets. Paired with the strong structure of his face, he would give the impression of an intimidating man with influenceāif it werenāt for his sheepish demeanor. His facial expression wide and head tilted, he reminds you of a dog waiting for his next command.Ā
ā...Whatās your name?ā You ask.
āJeno.ā
āNice to meet you, Jeno.ā Your words come out clipped and light, like youāre talking to a child. āHow did you find your way into my apartment?ā
He squints at you. āI donāt know.ā
āYouā¦donāt know.ā You wrinkle your nose. In almost every instance, you sought out the spirits of the dead yourself; the entire purpose for joining Tenās agency was so that people called you in for help. Otherwise, itās much too hard to find any organically. There had been one coincidence when a neighbor passed away a few doors downāyouād run straight into the ghost instead of the physical person in the hallwayābut that was it. Never in all these years had a ghost sought you out first. Let alone spawn in the comfort of your own home.Ā
Jeno raises his palms in the air. āI only remember regaining consciousness in your kitchen just now. Nothing else.āĀ
You frown, although itās more to yourself than at him. Amnesia? Itās not uncommon immediately following death, but you hadnāt encountered a case like this in a long time.Ā
Most souls are able to find their way off the mortal plane of their own volition. The stragglers left behind typically suffer from some form of unfulfillment; vengeful ghosts immediately seek out their target, and remorseful ghosts attach themselves to the closest connection of their regrets or unrealized dreams. On very rare occasions, you encounter true lost souls with no connection at all to their mortal selves.Ā
You can work with memory loss. However, that doesnāt answer your central question.
āHave we met somewhere before?āĀ
He shrugs. āIf we have, I donāt remember.ā
āRight,ā you swallow. Youāre sure that youāve never seen or met this man in your entire life. Of all your loved ones that have already crossed over, youāve never once been the target of oneās post-mortem attachment. Why now, with a complete stranger?
You cross your arms. āI understand that youāve lost your memories, but is there really nothing else calling to you? No urge to find someone or something specific? Even if you donāt know exactly what that would be?ā
āI was curious about where I ended up,ā he hesitates. āI, uh, canāt make it too far away from you, though. I tried.ā
Your blood runs cold. āWhat do you mean?āĀ
āStand by the front door and Iāll show you.āĀ
You shuffle to the door and linger at the entrance, arms crossed. Jeno floats through your living room and in the direction of the hallway leading to your bedroom, but he stops in place right before he makes it to the turn.
āI canāt go any farther,ā he announces.
You donāt respond. Instead, you march back to your couch and open your laptop. You log into the Spirit Huntersā internal portal and start parsing through archived case files.Ā
ā...Tethered spiritsā¦ā you hum to yourself. āHauntings, maybe?ā
Jeno edges closer to you, although he maintains a respectful distance away. He eventually opts to float just above the seat of your armchair.Ā
āYouāre actually very relaxed about myā¦state," he observes. āEverything, really.ā
āAh, my manners have left me.ā You state your name. āYou can consider me your guide, of sorts. I find and assist lost souls to find closure before moving onto the afterlife.ā Your eyes squint at him. āYou found me, thoughāfor whatever reason.āĀ
Jeno blinks at you. āNot sure if this is just a gap in my memory, but are people who...help spirits...common knowledge?ā
āDefinitely not. Most people canāt see ghosts without some sort of assistive device,ā you explain. āMy sight is a family traitāIāve been able to see the spirits of the deceased since birth.ā
āThatās cool, I think. Wellāhaving that sort of family tradition is definitely unique. Thereās, um, just one thingā¦ā Jeno bites his lip. āIām not dead.āĀ
Goosebumps prickle on the surface of your skin. Denial is common, but something about his firmness unsettles you. You chalk it up to your least favorite part of the jobāmany newly deceased spirits are confused and unaware that they have partially transcended the mortal plane.
āIf Iām seeing your spirit like this, then you must be dead,ā you assert. Your heart sinks for him; youāve broken the news to other metaphysical beings many times, but it doesnāt get any easier. āI know it might be hard to think about, but we can work together and figure out what you need.ā
āWhat I need is for you to help me figure out whoās trying to kill me,ā he says back. āLike I said, Iām not dead.ā
āHow are you sure that youāre not?ā You ask calmly. āIf youāre going to make bold claims, I need to know on what basis.ā
āIāā He hesitates. āI just know.āĀ
You shoot him a half-smile. āThatās not evidence.ā
Jeno doesnāt respond, crossing his arms and glaring at one of the far walls.Ā
Guilt flashes through you at the silent treatment, but you know the enforcement of cold, hard facts is a harsh reality that both of you need to face. Acknowledgement is the first step to acceptance for Jeno, and it does you no good to let yourself be swayed by the ghostās emotional state.Ā
You close your laptop and rise to your feet. āThatās a wrap for me tonight. Iāll start on your case tomorrow.āĀ Ā
You consider explicitly telling Jeno to stay out of your room while you sleep, but the stoic look on his face tells you that heāll likely spend the entire night ruminating here. Itās clear, even from this brief interaction, that Jeno is not any form of vengeful or malicious ghost. Heās gentle, lost, and, for an inexplicable reason, now tied to you.
He doesnāt say a word as you make your way to your bedroom. Even as you get ready for bed and settle under the covers, you canāt shake the feeling that this case is different. Amnesia, a physical tether, and the persisting notion that heās aliveāsomething about Jenoās case is rather supernatural, indeed.
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
The next day, things donāt go much better. Jeno sitsāwell, floats across from you as you cycle him through your typical procedural questions with the same result: no answers and no memories.
Strangely, he does recall current events with none of the emotional attachment. Sure, he remembers specific politicians and controversies, but he doesnāt have an opinion on the state of politics as a whole. Yes, he can objectively identify the biggest artists of this year, but the name of his favorite band remains just on the tip of his tongue. A normal member of society missing any personal history or attachments.Ā
āThis time around, letās just try associating certain concepts together. It might give us a hint about your personality,ā you explain. āOr jog your memory. So, when I say a word, just say whatever comes to mind.ā
Jeno nods. He looks miserable, and youāre sure that youāre not looking your best either. Hours of this have worn you both down, and youāre one failure away from jumping straight to the big guns.
Still, you have to try. āLove?ā
āNothing,ā Jeno says.
āDeath?āĀ
His eyes skip to you in open disapproval. āYouāre kidding.ā
āDeath,ā you repeat.Ā
He enunciates every word without breaking eye contact. āNothing. Not dead.ā
You click your tongue. āFamily.ā
āAnnoying.āĀ
āThereās something.ā You type a few notes into your laptop before shutting it closed. You shoot a quick text on your phone before packing up your things to go.Ā Ā
āWhat, youāre not going to ask me about any other words?ā Jeno snorts. He floats higher and higher as he gets more riled up. āMurder? Afterlife? Girlfriend?āĀ
āA guy that looks like you would enjoy bragging about the success in your love life, huh?ā You reply without looking up from your phone, your voice dripping with sarcasm. āYouāre clearly not receptive, which makes the exercise useless. Your mindās blocked.āĀ
āOf course itās blockedāI donāt remember anything!ā Jeno argues while waving his arms for emphasis. At this point, heās risen so high that his back is parallel with the ceiling. āBesides, Iām pretty sure I donāt have a girlfriend.āĀ
āHmm.ā Now thatās something you could work with. āSo no urge to find someone important?ā
āUh,ā Jeno looks away, and a faint gray-pink color fills his cheeks. āNo, I donāt think so.āĀ
You smile in spite of your frustration. āI wouldnāt have pegged you for the shy type. You look like a total womanizer.ā
He wrinkles his nose. āAs if.āĀ
āWell, you can test the shy act on my friend.ā You put on a coat at the door and grab your bag.Ā
He descends from the ceiling to follow you. āIs there someone else who can see me?āĀ
āYup. You just gotta know someone with the right lineage. Or tools,ā you add. āLucky for you, I have a large network of special abilities in both.āĀ
No thanks to the Spirit Hunters, you think to yourself.Ā
While the Spirit Hunters connected you with new talent like Chenle and Renjun to work with, most of your contacts were from your childhood. Families with abilities tend to stick together, and your family has been close to the Liu family for generations.
Yangyangās current place sits in the center of the city via a fifteen minute walk from your apartment. You walk up the stairs and place your hand on the doorknob without hesitation.
āShouldnāt you knock?ā Jenoās voice is laced with confusion.Ā
āI texted him,ā you say, as if that explains everything.
āYangyang!ā You call out while walking through the front door. āI brought the ghost I was talking about!āĀ
āIn here!ā He calls back from the kitchen around the corner. Thereās a faint burning smell permeating the air. You take a deep breath; lavender and cinnamon, possibly. The aroma is comforting, at first, but it quickly transitions to too much as you feel pressure building in your nose.
āGood god, get some ventilation in here!ā You cover your nose and side eye Jeno. ā...Think you can open some windows?ā
Jeno rolls his eyes, but all nearby windows slide open.Ā
āThanks.ā You walk into Yangyangās kitchen. Heās hovering over a large kitchen pot on the stove. The contents are so green that your eyes squint from the bright light emitting from the liquid. He stirs at the concoction with a wooden spoon.
āI thought you would be, you know, actually cooking something,ā you say as you lean against his fridge. āUntil I smelled the lavender. Iām still confused on how such a talented witch can be so good at potions but so bad at cooking.ā
āWitches are real?ā Jeno asks, his mouth agape.Ā
āYou know I donāt consider myself a witch.ā Yangyang points the wooden spoon at your face. āDo you want me to help you or not?ā
āSorry.ā You bow so low that your head passes the plane of the countertop. āPlease assist me, grand sorcerer.ā
Yangyang shakes his head and turns off the stove. He transfers the pot away from the still-hot burner. āThis is why Iām your only friend. Go sit down in the living room.ā
āChenle and Renjun are my friends,ā you spit back as you settle into a space on the floor in front of his couch. āKind of.āĀ
āDoesnāt count since theyāre technically your coworkers, and you barely see them outside of work,ā he says as he drifts into the room. Yangyang finds a spot in the space across from you. His gaze locks onto Jeno, whoās still hovering near the kitchen. āPlease, sit down.ā
āI canāt sit,ā Jeno replies.
Yangyang points to the space next to you. āHover in front of me, then.ā
Jeno does as heās told.Ā
āThis only works if my intentions are properly set,ā Yangyang explains to Jeno. āMy name is Yangyang, and Iām going to sense and tap into your energy.ā
āWhatā¦does that mean?ā Jeno asks. He looks at you, brow furrowed and puzzlement burning in his eyes, but you merely smile back in amusement.
Yangyang doesnāt answer. Your friend takes out a green bundle and lights the end of it. The tips of the plant burn a small flame, which Yangyang immediately blows out to leave smoldering ends. Yangyang traces the plant around the space with his eyes closed.
Jeno turns to you now. āWhat on earth is he doing?ā
āItās rosemary and sage,ā you say without taking your eyes off the building smoke. āHeās purifying the space and ensuring thereās no outside negative energy that can interfere with his reading. Just stay put when he focuses.ā
To Jenoās credit, he doesnāt say anything else as Yangyang focuses in silence. You close your eyes, tooāyour family had always hoped for a secondary gift outside of clairvoyance for you, but sight ended up being your singular ability. Yangyang was considered gifted within his family lineage; he came from two prominent sorcerer families and manifested abilities from both. You enjoy basking in other peopleās talents, even if only for a moment.
You open your eyes and peek to your right, only to find Jeno already staring at you. Youāre taken off guard by how beautiful his features are up close. Given that his current state leaves him partially translucent, you can only imagine how good looking he must be in person with full saturation.
You raise an eyebrow. Yes? You mouth.
He looks away.
āAlright,ā Yangyang says before you can tease Jeno further. āReady?ā
āBeen ready,ā you grin.Ā
Yangyang glares at youāhe always insists on being professional during readings, even though youāve been friends for so longābut he continues. āYour energy is very faint, but genuine and steady. From what Iām able to ascertain, youāre a reliable person thatās sensitive to those around you.āĀ
You lean forward. āWhat do you mean by faint?āĀ
āUsually those with a low sense of self have an aura fainter than others. For example, yours is so strong that itās distracting and kind of annoying.ā He eyes you, and you stick out your tongue at him. āJenoās energy is abnormal, considering that everything else about it seems very consistent and strong. I think itās safe to say that he doesnāt have most of his memoriesāif any.āĀ
You roll your head back and groan. āSense of truth?ā
āSteadfast.ā
āGeneral aura essence?ā
āFluffy, somehow,ā Yangyang says with a straight face.Ā
Your impression of Jeno as a curious puppy from last night pops back in your head. You burst into laughter.Ā
Jenoās head whips between the two of you. āYou thought I was lying about losing my memories?!ā
āNot lying, necessarily. Confused, maybe. Nothing personalājust something I like to confirm. Ghosts arenāt exactly the best primary sources, even if you think youāre telling the truth.ā You wave your hand over his shoulder as you make a patting motion. āYangyang, are there any other energies present that you can detect?āĀ
āNothing on you,ā Yangyang squints at Jeno next. āHimā¦I donāt immediately see anything else present, but Iām feeling something. Itās subtle, but somewhere else. Maybe he was cursed when he was still alive, and now thereās a trace of it left with his spirit.āĀ
You squint at Jeno. āAny curses you know about?ā
He shakes his head.
āThought so.ā You start to rise onto your knees. āThanks, Yangyangāā
āWait,ā Jeno interrupts. āAre you able to tell if Iām still alive?ā
Yangyangās eyes widen. āYou think youāre alive?ā
You wish that Jeno had a physical mouth for you to cover. Sure, you trust Yangyang with your life, which is why heās always one of your go-to consultants, but itās bad practice. Other resources arenāt so trustworthy. It could take only a few whispers of this through your line of work for this case to escalate out of your grasp.Ā
āI have no evidence,ā Jeno says. Deep lines accompany his frown; he mustāve taken your words from the other night to heart. āI just have a feeling that itās not over.ā
āI see.ā Yangyang focuses on Jenoās form again, but then deflates. āSorry. As I am, my abilities canāt differentiate between the living and the dead since I focus on energies. Your energy is essentially the same foundation during and after life, so I canāt tell the difference.ā
Jenoās shoulders slump forward. āI shouldāve figured. Thank you anyway.ā
As you rise to stand, Yangyang squares his shoulders to the two of you. The expression on his face is resolute and firm. āBe careful.ā
āBe careful?ā You frown. āI thought Jeno was safe. Fluffy, even.āĀ
āHe is. Itās the trace of that otherā¦thing that makes me nervous.ā Yangyang shakes his head. āJustā¦be careful while you do your usual due diligence. Iām probably just paranoid.ā
āI appreciate it. Iāll be careful,ā You respond with a small smile. You continue your path toward Yangyangās door, calling over your shoulder. āAgain, thanks for the help. Invoice Ten for me, would you?ā
āHow you hold down this job is beyond me,ā Yangyang rolls his eyes. āI got it.āĀ
You continue your path down the sidewalk directly outside of Yangyangās house. Youād been able to respond with an easy confidence to his face, but now dread swirls around in your gut. A potential trace of a curse still present after death and Yangyangās cleansing? What exactly are you dealing with?
Jeno catches your attention again. Heās floating next to you at an equal pace to your stride. He stares across all the details of your face. āAre you feeling anxious after what Yangyang said?ā
āObvious, huh?ā You huff, but you look away. You donāt know how you feel about Jenoās propensity for reading your emotions less than twenty-four hours after meeting. āThereās a lot of weird details surrounding your case that Iāve barely seen in my career. Let alone wrapped up in one ghost.ā
Jeno puffs out his chest. āMaybe because Iām not dead.ā
You shoot him a pointed look. āOr maybe your living self messed up a ton of things before passing on, and neither of us realize that weāve been set up to clean up the mess.āĀ
āHarsh,ā he mutters.Ā
āAnyway, look,ā you say to him. āNotice anything weird?ā
He tilts his head. āWeāreā¦in a garden?ā
Youāre standing in the middle of the community garden closest to Yangyangās house. The area is so lush that it appears more tropical-like with bright pops of flowers juxtaposing against deep green. You can see rows of vegetables in planters budding from a stoneās toss away, and the surrounding area is completely devoid of people. A wooden gazebo sits in the center of the garden with brown doors closing off the opening.
āAs your guide, I know youāre not ready yet,ā you state. āHowever, I do feel as though itās my duty to acquaint you with the door to the next life.ā
Jeno stays quiet, although his outline drifts a few feet away from the wooden structure.
āFor those in the mortal plane without sight or the tools to see, this gazebo appears as a fountain,ā you explain. āWhen souls are stuck on earth, this is the one-way door that allows them to pass forward.āĀ
āIf itās one-way, then does anyone know what happens if you were to pass through?ā
āI can see it and open the gate, but I canāt go through it.ā You swipe your hand at his arm, but the limb passes through his forearm easily. āLike this, kind of. I tried. I just pass in and out.āĀ
Jeno stares at your hand protruding through his, as if heās just registered his state as a ghost.Ā
āIām not ready,ā he says. He glances at the gazebo sidelong, his form hovering a couple of inches higher.
āI know.āĀ
āIf youāre able to open it,ā he hesitates. āWhatās stopping you from using one of those machines and forcing me to the other side?ā
Heās smart. Other spirits were usually more blindly trusting in you, but you can respect his need to ensure your honesty. āMy practice forbids it. Our entire mission is built on acting as true guides and allowing the spirits to retain their free will.āĀ
Jeno tilts his head. āOur? So thereās a lot of you, then.ā
You flinch. You hadnāt meant to let it slip at all, but old habits were hard to break. āThere used to be, a few generations ago. Iām the only one left practicing, and most of my coworkers say Iām doing it the hard way.ā
Jeno thinks before speaking. āItās the hardest, maybe, but itās the most humane.āĀ
You eye the gazeboās structure. All of your coworkers treat it as the endgame for their missions. For you, however, itās your past, present, and future. You visited first as a child, face it constantly in your direct line of work, and, when itās your time, will eventually walk through it yourself. Itās something unexplainable, to have this door between lives interlinked with your own various life stages. āDoing this is the most humane way, yes, but also the most painful.āĀ
Jeno must catch on to the bittersweet tone in your voice, since he hangs on your last words.
Instead, you clear your throat. āI just wanted to show you the door. Tomorrowās another day, and we can use it to try and find who you are.āĀ
You finally tear your gaze from the gazebo, only to find Jenoās brown eyes roaming over you. āThank you,ā he says.
You smirk, reaching desperately for your usual humor. āFor literally taking you to deathās door?ā
āFor taking the painful way. It makes all the difference for me, at least.āĀ
Heat rises and spreads across your chest so fast that your eyes widen. Jenoās smile is small, yet the warmth and gratefulness is so genuine that any witty response dies in your throat. For the first time in years, you fight back the urge to cry. You donāt let yourself.Ā
āThanks, Jeno.ā You swallow the lump building in your throat. āI hope it pays off for both of us.ā
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
The sunās barely risen over the horizon when you crack open your laptop to work. Youāre sifting through tens of cases for some sort of leadārecently concluded hauntings, curses, or even reports of possessions in the area. All that turns up, unfortunately, are mild cases; nothing as ominous as Yangyang suggested.Ā
āStill in your pajamas?ā Jeno asks when you enter the living room in a daze.
āHuh,ā you glance at the bright sunlight glaring through your windows, then at the plaid print of your pajama pants. āThatās a first.āĀ
He frowns. āSo this isnāt normal?āĀ
The undercurrent of his question is obvious: Whatās wrong with my case? Do I even have a chance?Ā
āThe pants are comfy,ā you answer quickly, then change the subject. āDid leaving the TV on last night work?ā
To help alleviate Jenoās restlessness at ghosthood amidst being trapped in a small apartment, youād experimented with multiple stimuli. Last nightās solution was to simply leave the TV running overnight, as to allow Jeno to at least focus on anything else.Ā
āActually, yesāwait,ā he interrupts himself. āDonāt try to distract me. Itās not going well, is it?ā
You sigh. āAll cases take time, Jeno.āĀ
āBut Iām guessing that most cases donāt keep you up at night like this,ā he shoots back. āOr take this long.āĀ
Itās true; itās been weeks since Jeno first appeared in your apartment, and you still donāt have a lead. Along with analyzing real-time reports, youād tried to dig into his identity. You figured Jenoās name would fare better than no name at all, considering his nameās uniqueness, but it hadnāt changed things in the slightest. You couldnāt find any records of a Jeno living in this city, and typing Jeno into search engines only popped up unrelated results and suggestions of Did You Mean: Juno?
You cross your arms. āNot knowing your identity does set me back. It just means I need to be creative.ā
He crosses his arms back. āYouāre not looking very creative.ā
Your feet shuffle as you shift your weight back and forth. The time spent together has done nothing to acclimate you to Jenoās earnest nature nor his intuition. He never once buys into the laidback and composed persona that youāve crafted to keep your vulnerabilities shielded from others. At times, you feel as though itās some sort of otherworldly trade-off; you see through his physical form, and in turn heās able to see through you. All of you, it seems.Ā
Even now, staring at each other in tense silence, you donāt know what to make of it. For someone in an amnesiac ghost state, heās awfully more concerned with you over himself. Itās annoying, especially when the amnesiac ghost in question becomes more emboldened to sass you with each passing day.
Youāre grateful when your phone vibrates on the table, allowing you to break the moment.
āRenjun,ā you say, scratching at the back of your neck. āWhatās up?ā
āHey.ā Renjunās somber voice over the phone immediately evokes your alertness. āI know youāre busy investigating that one ghost, but somethingās come up.ā
āWhat happened?ā You walk to your room and start laying out work clothes for the day. Even Jeno, who prefers to stay away from your room, lingers in the doorway.Ā
Renjun takes a long, shaky breath over the phone. āThereās been a call, and I think you should be the one to take it.ā
A cold shock shoots up your arms. āPersonal?ā
ā...Yes.āĀ
Your throat constricts, and you forget to breathe before rasping out: āWho?ā
āYour cousin,ā Renjun says. āSana. She was recently spotted in the cafe on Main and 3rd. Sheās showing signs of being vengeful, but I was hoping that maybeā¦ā
Deathās door flashes in your mindās eye. āI understand. I'll check it out.ā
Your body moves on its own to change and gather all of the necessary equipment. Itās you driving and going through the motions, but you barely register that itās happening until you pull in front of the cafe. The entire block has been closed down, and Renjun waits for you outside.
āHi.ā He manages a grim smile. āSheās driven out all of the level one hunters. I wanted to give you the chance to handle this in the way you want to, considering youāre her next of kin.ā
Jenoās followed your silence since ending the phone call with respect, but now you feel his eyes linger on you.
You ignore it. āI appreciate it,ā you say to Renjun. āIām going to try to de-escalate, but Iāll call you in ifā¦itās unavoidable.āĀ
Your friend nods, but the discomfort on his face is clear as day.
You slowly turn the handle and press the weight of your arm into the door. It creaks open to a dim room lit only by the outside sunlight leaking through half-open blinds. Your cousin, Sana, perches on top of the counter next to an espresso machine. You take cautious steps towards her until youāre standing in the center of the room.
āTook you long enough,ā she smiles. āBrought a friend too?āĀ
You think she means Renjun, but you follow her gaze to Jeno lingering by the entrance. His body is bisected by the door itself so that youāre only looking at his right side. Immediately, you understand whatās happening.
āYou can just come in,ā you assert. āThereās no avoiding it.ā
Sana raises her eyebrows. āA tether?ā
āYup,ā you say, popping the āpā sound. āEnough about him, though. Donāt you think terrorizing a bunch of new hunters is a little cruel? Theyāre basically kids.āĀ
āHow else was I supposed to get your attention?ā She rolls her eyes. āI was hoping to create a tether with you, but I guess that spot was already taken. I got stuck here, instead.āĀ
āSorry,ā Jeno pipes up from his corner.Ā
You grit your teeth. āWhy didnāt you tell me it was time? You promised.āĀ
Youād known that your cousin only had so much time leftāsheād already surpassed the initial prognosis, but the extra time had lulled you into complacency.Ā
She shrugs. āI didnāt want you to see me like that. I could barely swallow, let alone speak. This is a much easier avenue.ā
āItās not easy for me,ā you choke out.Ā
āIām going to the door right after this. Alone, as I promised you.ā Sana's eyes soften. āThis is just to say goodbye, really.ā
Panic rises to your chest.Ā
Months ago, youād rehearsed the things you would say to her. At the time, you had a million drafts of a million speeches: some reminiscing on your shared memories, others promising to live on for her, and the angriest picking at old fights. Anything to stall the inevitable. Now that Sanaās ghost smiles at you, wispy outline and all, you donāt know what to say.
āI donāt know how to do this alone,ā you blurt into the silence.Ā
āWhen you think about it, we really didnāt work together much.ā Sana reasons with you. āYour sight was always sharper than mine, anyway.ā
āYou know what I mean.ā Flashes of your memories cause your emotions to heighten. āWhen I lost my parents, then yours, then everyone else one-by-one, you were right there by my side. We were supposed to make it together.ā
Her voice comes out soft. āI know.ā
The room is so quiet that you can hear your own breath, but you press forward. āI know you fought hard, but I needed you here more. Who am I to maintain this practice alone? I might as well just go too.ā
That makes Sana leave the countertop and float to your side. Before you know it, a cool sensation washes over the back of your neck. Sana makes a stroking motion against your hair, although her hand freezes your skin with each pass through.
āYou know, you never said any of this to me when I was alive,ā she says softly. āNot when I was sick, and not when I was improving.ā
āIt wasnāt about me.ā
āTo me, everything was about you. You always carried yourself well, even after losing your parents, and you picked up the family business like it was the easiest thing in the world. Leading the souls and breaking the tie, or whatever the old geezers used to say.āĀ
āLead the soul, break the tie,ā you sniffle. āI never did that properly. Itās too hard for me. Not that anything else came easy, either.ā
āIt is hard,ā she agrees. āAnd this wonāt be easy, either. You have to promise me that youāll find someone to bear this burden with you. Donāt try to do things alone this time.ā
āItās going to be impossible to find someone crazy enough to want anything to do with my real life,ā you scoff.
For a flash of a moment, Sanaās eyes dart at something over your shoulder. āIām sure that person is closer than you think. The most important thing is that you let them in.ā
āFine.ā You wipe away your tears with an angry glare. āI hate you for not staying with me, and I hate you for using your last moments to boss me around. Andā¦ā
ā...And?ā
āI love you too much to ignore what you say,ā you finish. āIāll try.ā
āThere you go,ā she coos.Ā
You both stay like that for a while. You sniffle while Sana strokes your head to comfort you. Despite the ice-cold feeling following her every touch, itās comforting nonetheless.
āIām going now,ā Sana announces softly when your tears have finally dried up.
Your head snaps up. āYou really donāt want me to go with you to the door?ā
She shakes her head. āYouāve done enough for others. I can handle it.āĀ
Just like that, Sana nods in acknowledgment to Jeno in the corner before floating to the entrance, as if to actually open the door.Ā
āI love you!ā She calls out with a wide grin. Her outline seems to glimmer with gold hues, but youāre sure itās a trick of the light. āTell your friend not to chase me down with that weird contraption, okay?ā
You and Jeno both report your witness statements to Renjun, who graciously offers to write the report and file the paperwork. The numbness in your body follows you home and through your whole post-work routine. The tears come back only when you curl in bed, comforted by the soft sheets and distant white noise of the TV you donāt remember turning on.
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
You stumble through your front door after another wasted day of investigation. Youād followed what you thought was a lead on Jenoās family, but, like always, it had led to a dead end.Ā
āItās okay,ā Jeno floats around you. āI thought that would work too.āĀ
Lately, Jeno had stopped moping about his current state. In fact, he maintains a steady sense of cheerfulness that bewilders you. You suspect that the sudden spike of optimism after Sanaās passing is more than coincidental, but you see no worth in asking directly. Who are you to stop something that puts you both at ease?Ā
Plopping on the couch and kicking your feet up on the coffee table, you browse through movie options endlessly until you hover on a classic.
āEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,ā Jeno reads out loud. āThat title seems too long.āĀ
Your jaw drops. āYouāre joking.āĀ
He shrugs. āI havenāt seen it.āĀ
āWell now weāre watching it,ā you state while starting the movie. āItās a bit of a weird one, but itās good.āĀ Ā
You manage to stay quiet throughout the entire movie, opting to watch Jenoās reactions to all of your favorite parts. Itās like watching it with fresh eyes, in a way, to see his nose scrunch up at some moments and his jaw hang open during the twists.
When the credits roll, you lean forward and finally let yourself speak. āWhat did you think?āĀ
āGood.ā Jeno crosses his arms without taking his eyes off the screen. āMore philosophical than I realized it would be.ā
āSince you have a unique perspective on this, whatās your take?ā If it were anyone else, youād never ask this question, but youāre well acquainted with Jenoās openness. āIf you found out that your amnesia was due to intentionally blocking painful memories, what would you do?āĀ
āI would ask for them back,ā he answers without hesitation.Ā
You raise an eyebrow. āEvery time?ā
āEvery time.ā
āWhy?ā
āWell,ā he pauses. āEven though I donāt remember most things, I do know that the sum of all my memories made me who I am. Good and bad. Itās worth remembering both.ā
āInteresting,ā you murmur.
In all honesty, youāre jealous of how resolute and instant his answers are. For all of the poking and prodding at Jeno that youāve done since meeting him, heās never once wavered in giving you an answer. Beneath the sweet and shy exterior is always a stubborn, decisive guy.Ā
āThis is the movie you were watching on the day we met, right?ā He asks suddenly.
āYes.ā Youāre not sure why your mouth wonāt stop moving, but you add, āItās my go-to movie for tough cases that are family or romance heavy.āĀ
āGo-to movie?ā
āItās just a tradition. Sometimes movies are the only thing that can get me to wind down and sleep, so I watch a movie that reminds me of the ghost I just worked with.ā You donāt mention that this tradition in particular was started by Sana in your teen years. It feels good to talk about her, even if itās indirect.Ā
āHuh,ā he thinks for a moment. āWhat would my movie be?ā
āCasper,ā you respond.Ā
āThe friendly ghost?āĀ
You nod. āExcept youāre Jeno, the even-friendlier ghost.āĀ
His face puckers, but he doesnāt let your teasing derail his seriousness. āYou never watched one after Sana,ā he points out.
You click through the list of movies, as if to pick something else. āThis works, doing it now.āĀ
He watches you for a second. āWould you choose to keep your memories?āĀ
āItās different circumstances for me,ā you say. āI would choose my family every time, no matter how painful it is for me. Iām not supposed to, technicallyāa main pillar of our work is covered by one mantra: Lead the soul, break the tie. So I shouldnāt, but I carry them with me every day. I could never forget them.āĀ
Jeno nods without responding, which makes hot embarrassment climb up your neck. Were you too honest? When did you become comfortable being so vulnerable and sentimental in front of him?Ā
You cough and continue. āI donāt care about romantic partners, though. They can erase that any day.āĀ
āWhat?ā Jeno blinks. āIsnāt that the whole point of the movie we just watched?ā
āI just havenāt cared enough about any of them,ā you shrug.
Jeno stares at you, bewildered. āOkay, so you dated, but have you never been in love?ā
You let it slip before you realize what youāre saying. āMaybe not, but I was close. Once.ā
Thereās something about Jenoās presence that feels as though all of your inhibitions have eroded away. All thatās left is you, pouring the stories so long held close to your chest.
āHe was normal. No sight, but his mom was a Spirit Hunter so he kind of knew the deal. He liked me because I was different. Thenā¦ā
Jeno waits for you to continue. āThen?ā
The rest of your words burst out. āThen I lost family members one-by-one, whether in the line of work or by natural causes, and suddenly I was too different. Too freakish to love.ā You let out a slow exhale. āTold me as much and said I was cursed.ā
Jeno says nothing, but his hands ball into fists until theyāre shaking. His arm muscles cord with the increased tension.
āItās okay,ā you anticipate his defensiveness over you with a grin. āI punched him in the face.āĀ
āThank god.ā
āBut Iāve rambled too much about my loser ex,ā you sigh. Your hand fiddles with the edge of your shirt. āCanāt say itās that intriguing; more so sad.ā
āWell, I donāt know. Punching your loser ex is intriguing enough to me,ā Jeno smiles. āBesides, youāre an interesting person overall. You command everyoneās attention pretty much immediately.ā
Itās his innocent moments that feel like the low hanging fruit for you to mess with him. āSounds like itās more that youāre the one paying attention,ā you grin. āYou interested?ā
Youāre expecting him to roll his eyes at you or change the subject away, as always. Instead, Jeno leans forward, an equally mischievous smile widening across his face. āAnd what if I am?ā
You recoil at the proximity, yanking your head back as if he could actually steal a kiss. Your heartbeat roars in your ears as butterflies frenzy in your stomach.
For one thing, youāre not used to this level of engagement. Most of your friends laugh and roll their eyes at your antics, but they never flirt back. For another thing, itās the distinct seriousness in his eyes that tells you heās not joking. Any trace of puppy-like innocence found before has settled into a cool confidence.
āI would tell youā¦that sucks because youāre a ghost,ā you say lamely. The words come out much too fast to pass as an organic joke. Youāve totally lost.
Jeno laughs regardless. āSomething tells me that our dynamic wouldnāt change much.ā
āIf you werenāt a ghost?ā You scoff, finding your footing. āYou think that our dynamic wouldnāt change if you werenāt a ghost forced to be within a 20-foot radius of me?ā
āYou might not know what to do,ā he shoots back. āIām just saying that my feelāattitude toward you wouldnāt change. Iād act the same. In person, with memoriesāanything.āĀ
You donāt know that for sure, you think bitterly, but heat rises up your body.
āYou pick the next one,ā you say as you throw the remote at him.Ā
Jeno moves on easily from your back and forth, unfazed as he uses his abilities to flip through the streaming options. āI kind of want to watch something new,ā Jeno says with raised eyebrows. āWill that mess up your re-run routine?ā
Itās the small details that make you feel seen. You tuck your legs up and hug your knees into your chest. āSince you watched one of my movies, Iāll allow a new viewing. Just for tonight,ā you say with a sniff. āIām feeling adventurous.ā
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
Once your grief shifts from a sharp sting to a faint thrum, you decide to take a break from the safety of your apartment.Ā
āYouāre going spirit hunting while Iām still tied to you?ā Jeno asks.
āJust because youāre in denial doesnāt mean that I need to halt the rest of my work,ā you huff while preparing your equipment. āAnd donāt phrase it like Iām hunting to kill. Iām responding to a call, thank you.āĀ
Jeno rolls his eyes. āWhatever you say, Ghostbuster.āĀ
Itās not uncommon for you to work on multiple cases at once, but Jenoās tether had kept you rather preoccupied. Youāre really not working one of your normal jobs, anywaysāfor the first time in years, Chenle has asked for backup on a call he received the night before.
āThanks for making it,ā Chenle grins at you when you step out of your car. āI figured it wouldnāt hurt to have the immediate support of my favorite Psychic Psychologist in case this goes left.ā
āFunny.ā You toss him a pair of goggles. āYouāre lucky that I still carry a pair even though I donāt need it.āĀ
āThatās why I like working with you, despite your creepy spirit connections. Youāre always prepared.ā Chenle fumbles with the goggles, adjusting the straps as heās putting them on. When he finally gets himself situated, he does a double take at the apparition over your shoulder. āDid you pick up a hitchhiker on the way here or something?ā
āJeno.ā He says. āNice to meet you.ā
ā...Chenle.ā Your coworker looks at you with wide eyes. āAre you sure you want him here?āĀ
Right. You donāt know what you were expecting; for the first time, the gossip train has failed Chenle. Renjun must have withheld the information due to Sana, and thereās no other way Chenle could have found out. He never consulted sorcerers, ruling out YangYang, and youād been decisively behind on your paperwork.
āI canāt leave him anywhere else, even if I wanted to,ā you supply. āHeāll deal with it.āĀ
Chenle blinks once. Twice. āIāve heard about tethers, but I never thought Iād actually see one. Considering, you knowā¦āĀ
āConsidering you kill on sight?ā
āHey,ā Chenle raises his hands in surrender. āTheyāre already dead.āĀ
A familiar twinge of annoyance pulls at your gut. While Chenleās a good guy overall, his philosophy reflects that of most Spirit Hunters; concise yet total subjugation of the spirit. In other words, the complete opposite of you.Ā
Youāre about to fire back, but Jeno beats you to it. āI prefer not being killed on sight, personally.āĀ
His interruption just stokes your anger further. āI would prefer if everyone would just focus on the issue at hand without wasting my time.ā
āWow,ā Chenle snorts and glances over at Jeno. āGood luck, man. Seems like sheās a lot meaner to you than her usual clients.āĀ
āStill pleasant enough overall,ā Jeno shrugs as he brushes it off.Ā
You ignore their comments and turn your attention to the empty department store in front of you. āWhatās the deal here? I didnāt have time to look at the case file.āĀ
āReports of some haunted rooms.ā Chenle says, his face turning serious. āFemale ghost, apparently, and itās bad enough that itās impacted their business. According to some talks I had with the neighbors, the girl had a secret relationship with the ownerās son.ā
āSo, a jilted lover.ā You frown. āYou canāt handle that by yourself?ā
Chenle hesitates before talking at a slow cadence. āItās really just one aspectā¦ā
You raise your eyebrows. āOut with it, or Iām leaving.ā
āShe attacks anyone on sight,ā your coworker admits. āFull steam ahead with complete tunnel vision. It makes it impossible for someone to take her aloneā¦ā
ā...which is why youāve asked for backup,ā you finish. āLovely. If you knew you just needed bait, you shouldāve asked one of the juniors.ā
āIt was an open invitation to all. I just happened to call you first, and you opted to volunteer despite being on another job.ā Chenleās eyes flit back over to Jeno as he frowns. He doesnāt seem quite sure what to make of the ghost. While Renjun had a lot of direct interactions with benign ghosts due to his research for his inventions, Chenle had no interest in anything except catching the worst of the worst.
You sigh. āHeās coming regardless, so you might as well get used to it.ā You do one last check of your equipment before talking over your shoulder to Jeno directly. āThis is going to be a massive change in pace, so donāt freak out. Iām going to be the diversion, and Chenleās going to use that opportunity to capture the spirit from behind.ā
āIsnāt this game plan for me to dictate?ā Chenle whines.
You ignore him. āJust donāt put yourself in the direct path, okay? I havenāt seen Renjunās device in action, so just be careful enough that you donāt get sucked in.āĀ
āGot it, butā¦ā Jeno purses his lips. āWhat about you?ā
āOnce again, this is my job.ā You put your hands on your hips, but you canāt help the small smile that rises to your face. āI have Yangyangās ward and some of my own techniques. Trust the process.āĀ
Jeno hums, but you can tell that heās actively doubting the process.
Youāre about to ask what else is on his mindāafter all, heās really been so different, latelyābut Chenle interrupts you by loudly clearing his throat.
āThe sensors are showing sheās on the second floor in one of the dressing rooms,ā Chenle informs you. āHead up first; Iāll be close behind.āĀ
āHow brave,ā you joke before taking off into a jog. āSee you inside, then!ā
While youād expected the usual ambiance of a haunted buildingādark and eerieāthe store lights overhead burn your eyes upon entering. The business in question must be a department store, as you pass clothing racks and shoe displays on your way up. The only thing that reveals the inoperability is the lack of customers along with the stationary escalator. Even a faint hum of elevator music bounces off the white walls and vinyl floors.
As your feet tap tap tap against the metallic escalator steps, you feel a cool sensation intermittently brushing against your arm. You pause at the very top to peer behind yourself, only to see the muted color of Jenoās hand grasping for your wrist.
āYou realize doing that only distracts me, right?ā You whisper. āIām not stopping.ā
āI think you took this job too soon,ā Jeno says in a low voice. Heās so close that his hand passes through your arm, and he leans toward you so that the left side of his chest slightly overlaps your right.Ā
The coolness bites at your skin, and your breath catches. āIām fine. Itās not your decision to make, regardless.ā
āRegardless, I know you, and I know youāre not okay.ā
Itās a standoff as you glare at each other. His eyes drift over your face with an intensity that makes your heart rate spike. For a moment, even within this strange liminal space, Jeno commands all your focus. From the deep shade of brown eyes up close, the turn of his cupidās bow, and the defined contours of his face, your thoughts are scattering. You wish, with a sudden and jarring impulse, that his physical body was hereāwhether for the purpose of pushing him away or pulling him close, youāre unsure.Ā
The moment breaks as a loud crash echoes from across the second floor. You curse and crouch behind the nearest rack filled with floor length dresses.
You inch a hanger along to peek through the mound of dresses. Across the way is the outline of a young woman emerging from one of the dressing rooms. Sheās rather petite for a malignant ghost, but you have the sneaking suspicion that something is off.
Chenle sneaks behind a display on the other side of the escalator. He turns off the safety on Renjunās device and glances over at you, nodding when you lock eyes.Ā
Here goes nothing, you think.
āHey!ā You call out as you jump out of your hiding space.
The spirit raises her head to gaze at you, but she doesnāt move.Ā
Youāre waving your arms out back and forth now. āOver here!ā
Her head merely tilts as she stares at you wordlessly. Youāre halfway through forming words to yell at Chenle that youāve got it all wrong, dumbass when the spirit begins rapidly growing in size.Ā
āWhat the fuck?ā Jeno gasps.Ā
Itās more than growing; her entire shape is shifting and morphing while darkening by the moment. Itās more than a ghost, you realize as its form oozes into an amorphous shape with a large, single eyeball in the center.Ā
Itās a wraith.Ā
After its transformation the wraith rests for a second. Then, it lunges.
Simultaneously, your nervous system kicks into high gear as your body moves on its own accord. You sprint in the opposite direction in a straight line; itās the only place you can go, considering that Chenleās whole plan hinges on attacking from the back.
Speaking of Chenle, you have no idea where he is. After erratic movements to evade the wraith and running for your life, thereās still no sign of your coworker. Heās late.Ā
You burn out. Youāre fast, but the wraith gains on you as it screeches and bounds behind your every move. Your blood rushes in your ears and your lungs burn from the effort. You donāt have much left in you.
Then, finally, you hear a shout.
āHang in there!ā Chenle yells while pointing the capture technology from the distance. āGet in here, freak!ā
Youāre relieved, but the surprise of his presence causes you to misstep; you slip on the tile and stumble on the floor.Ā
The wraith nearly pulses in delight as it reaches for you. In this moment, you realize that thereās no way itās in the range of Chenleās weapon. The wraith is going to reach you before Chenle can get it.Ā
The dark mass swirls closer and closer towards you, until a flash of dull color partially obscures your vision.Ā
āHey,ā Jeno grins, moving back and forth laterally before floating up towards the ceiling. āThis is a better target, right? More dynamic?ā
Get out of the way, idiot, you want to scream, but the words donāt escape your dry throat.Ā
The wraith stops and follows his motions like a cat. Your fight-or-flight instincts are sure that itās going to go back to you, the living target, but you gasp as it bounds after Jenoās retreating figure.Ā
āDonāt fuck this up, Chenle!ā You hear him call out as he flashes toward your friend.
āNo, donāt!ā You scream at the same time. At this point, your pleas are directed at both of them. For Jeno to stay uninvolved, and for Chenle to not deploy the capture technology with Jeno in its direct path.
Chenle unleashes the machine. The wraith shrieks as it swirls towards the device. A flash of bright light nearly blinds you as it deploys, and youāre forced to cover your face with your hands to protect your vision.Ā
Itās minutes before youāre able to open your eyes again. Dread weighs down your stomach, and youāre scared to see the results. You look up while holding your breath.Ā
The first thing you see is Chenle leaning against the railing next to the escalator.Ā
Chenle pants while shaking the cylindrical device around. āGot it,ā he rasps.
The second thing you see is Jenoās silhouette floating directly above Chenleās head. His smile is victorious, albeit a little sheepish.Ā
āGot it,ā he echoes.
You exhale hard as the rest of your body collapses to the floor. Jenoās over in an instant, his face hovering over yours.
āDid it get to you at all?ā He asks, worry lines wrinkling his forehead.Ā
You sit up, his question pulling you out of the energy drain. āDid it get to me?ā You shriek. āYou shouldāve been worrying about it getting to you! Or Chenle getting you accidentally! Are you stupid? I told you to stay out of the direct path!āĀ
āRight,ā he runs a hand through his hair, ābut, well, I turned at the last minute. So, technically, floating above Chenleās head was no longer within the direct path.āĀ
If looks could kill, you couldāve created three new spirits of the dead.Ā
Chenle crawls over to you. āDonāt be mad at him,ā he says through heavy breaths. āHe saved both of us.ā
Shouts echo from the bottom floor, followed by the sounds of footsteps racing up the escalator.
You turn to Chenle, eyes wide, but he shakes his head.Ā
āI called more backup on the way up,ā he explains. āThe sensorās readings were off the charts after we entered. Be mad at me if anything, but not Jeno.ā
āI can be mad at all of you,ā a familiar voice says. A blanket drops around your shoulders.
āRenjun!ā You gasp as he wraps Chenle in a matching shock blanket.
āLetās get you both out of here,ā he mutters while bringing you both to your feet. You lean on his left shoulder while Chenle takes the right. āIāll take all three of you idiots home.āĀ
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
After a few days of recovery and a full spiritual cleansing from Yangyang, Chenle and Renjun visit your apartment to iron out the details of the report.
āThis sucks,ā Chenle complains. āThis case has so much paperwork now.āĀ
āThatās what happens when you involve so many other people without getting the proper protocols and approvals first,ā Renjun chides. āIncluding another ghost. Another ghost adds like three pages minimum, I swear.āĀ
āIād help write if I could. Maybe I could try to use a keyboard with my influence?ā Jeno offers.
Renjun shakes his head. āNot your job.āĀ
You stay quiet. You hadnāt said much, over the past few days. Youād slept pretty much the whole time, save for eating. Your coworkers forcing their way into your apartment was the most youāve seen of anyone except for Jeno.Ā
Renjun eyes you. āYou sure youāre good to meet right now?āĀ
You shake yourself mentally and force a smile to your face. āPeachy.āĀ
Your friendās eyes squint at you, but he says nothing.Ā
In reality, everything is far from peachy. Youāre mad at everyoneāRenjun for forcing you to do paperwork after the experience, Jeno for putting himself at risk, and Chenle for making Jeno put himself at risk. Above everything, youāre the most frustrated with yourself. What kind of guide were you to be rescued by the spirit youāre meant to be guiding?
āAlright, no more long faces,ā Chenle says while raising his hand in the air. āWe finished it and lived to tell the tale. Thatās an accomplishment!āĀ
You meet his high five with reluctant contact.
āHell yeah,ā Chenle cheers. He then stares at Jeno before also slowly raising his hand.
āUm,ā Jeno stares at Chenleās palm. āYou sure?ā
He nods. āTry it, dude.ā
Jenoās hand passes through Chenle, who shudders at the contact.
āThey never mentioned how cold it is," he mutters.Ā
Jeno turns to you with a smile. āWe make a pretty good team, huh? Who wouldāve thought a ghost and spirit hunter combination would work?ā
āSaying it worked is pretty generous,ā you say. āWe got lucky.ā
āWell, in reality, youāre lucky that I was there,ā Jeno points out.
The claim quickly devolves into an argument stretching between the two of you.
āI have a question!ā Chenle interjects.
You pinch the bridge of your nose. āWhat is it, Chenle?ā
āYou donāt know Jenoās full identity yet, right?āĀ
ā...Not yet,ā you confess.Ā
āSince youāve been putting in all this research into his identity, is it safe to assume youāve already checked his resemblance to that one actor? The one from the indie movie I was trying to get you to see?ā
Your stomach drops. āYou recognize him?ā
āKinda. Well, not for sure,ā Chenle frowns. āHe looks a lot like this breakout actor fans have been talking about.ā
You type Jeno into the search bar. Nothing of substance. Next, your fingers type in Jeno followed by the movie name while your mind races. Sure enough, Jenoās face finally pops up on the search results. Thereās various pictures of him pulled from the movie or pap pictures taken on set, but thereās no images of him at any carpeted events.
You look at your supernatural companion. āYouāre an actor?ā
Jeno runs a hand through his hair by habit. While youād seen him frustrated before, his expression is downright distraught. āI donāt know. Arenāt you the movie buff?ā
āI gravitate towards my classics!ā You defend yourself. āI see a new movie twice a year!ā
āUsually because I suggest it,ā Chenle chimes in. āYouāre welcome.ā
āNot now,ā you hiss at him. You continue clicking around gossip forums and article titles until you find what youāre looking for.Ā
Debut Actor In Accident Prior to Film Festival, reads the article. His name isnāt mentioned at all, but a scroll down into the comments tell you the uncensored detailsāeverything from Jeno's accident to the sudden death of his co-star on set weeks earlier.. Your heart spikes as you read through the details of whatās been reported, and you read everything in shock.
āYouāve been in a coma for months. You donāt live here, which is why I couldnāt find you, but youāve been filming here. The day you got hit lines up with the day you showed up in my apartment,ā you say even though Jenoās been reading everything over your shoulder. Your entire face feels numb. āYouāre hospitalized, but youāre alive.ā
Silence weighs on the atmosphere. After all his stubbornness since appearing in your space, the Jeno from months ago wouldāve pointed in your face and said I told you so. You wouldāve expected and even accepted it. Now, he freezes in place. Itās only by the faint pulse of light emitted by his form that tells you heās present.Ā
Jenoās brow furrows. āIāmā¦alive?ā
āYouāre very much alive,ā you nod.Ā
Any moment now, you think. A cheer or a glimmer of hope to brighten his face.Ā
Jeno doesnāt speak at first. His gaze goes somewhere you canāt followāa flash of relief followed by panic.
His frown deepens. āWhat about you?ā
Your heart jumps while your stomach plummets. Everything, every feeling, comes together in contradictory pairs. Tempered fondness tinged by dread. Hope amidst an ache you canāt pin down.
āWhat about me?ā You repeat with bated breath.Ā
āI feel like weāve been doing great,ā he explains before pausing. āWorking together, I mean. I was even able to help you and Chenle with the most recent case.ā
Chenle clears his throat, and Renjun feigns interest in something on his computer screen.
āYou shouldnāt be concerned with that,ā you say. āI did all of this before you, and I will continue to do this after you.āĀ
āAfter me,ā he holds the words in his mouth like heās eating rotten fruit.Ā
āYouāre alive,ā you emphasize. āIsnāt that what youāve been insisting this whole time?āĀ
āWell yes, butāāĀ
āThereās no but, Jeno,ā you cut him off sharply. You donāt let him finish; you canāt let him finish. If he says what you think heās going to say, then it will shatter the delicate control that youāve struggled to maintain since he showed up in your apartment. āYou are alive, which means that we must try to reunite your soul with your body.ā
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
Off the heels of finding out Jenoās alive, Chenle and Renjun join the effort in trying to find any possible connection from his past. They never explain why, but your messages are now constantly flooded with new leads by the hour.
You donāt complain. You struggle to focus on anything, and Jenoās not much better. Youāve barely talked since your initial argument following the news.Ā
Even now, about to meet up with Jenoās sister, talking with your ghost companion is like pulling teeth.Ā
āAre there any topics you donāt want me to talk about?ā You ask him on the car ride over.
āNot particularly,ā he says back. āIf weāre really going to try reuniting with my body at the hospital today, all of these questions might not even be necessary.ā
Thanks to Chenleās effort, Jenoās older sister had agreed to meet you at a nearby cafe to his current hospital. Youāre not quite sure what to expect, but if things went well Jeno might have the real possibility of reuniting with his body.
Youāve dressed in your most professional outfit, as if you work a normal office job. Youāve rehearsed what you should open withāsomething formal without coming off as suspicious.Ā
Instead, when she sees your face, Jenoās sister says your name first as she shakes your hand. āI think your colleague said you were some sort of reporter, but youāre a spirit hunter, right?ā
You gape at her. āErmā¦yes in name, but how did youā¦?ā
āJeno was looking into contacting you,ā she explains. āBefore his accident, that is.ā
It takes every fiber of your self-control to not turn to look at Jeno himself. You clear your throat before responding. āHe was?āĀ
She nods. āHe was convinced something was haunting him on set. He seemed hell bent on reaching out to you after they wrapped, but then he got hit right after.āĀ
āI see,ā you say with a calmness you donāt really feel. āIs there anyone in his life that passed away before his accident?ā
She shakes her head. āNot that I can really think of. We had an uncle pass away a few months before, and his co-star had that unexpected death mid-filming. Other than that, I canāt think of anyone. Jeno wasnāt superstitious at all, so I was confused why he was so insistent about finding a psychic.ā
āDo you remember any conversations with Jeno about your uncle or his co-star? Did he have a good relationship with both?ā
āReally great relationship with both,ā she says with a nod. āBoth were great mentors to him.āĀ
Your conversation with his sister wraps up incredibly quickly after that. She adds you to the visitation before parting ways with you in the hospital lobby.Ā
āThanks for your time,ā you say with a smile.Ā
Jenoās sister adjusts the strap of her purse over her shoulder. āDo you think my brother was cursed?ā She asks. Unbeknownst to her, Jeno hovers right over her shoulder.Ā
āIām not sure,ā you lie, ābut thatās what Iām here to find out. Iāll be in contact.ā
You receive a visitor's badge and take the next elevator up alone.Ā
āYou were going to contact me,ā you say out loud. Itās the first words youāve said to Jeno since the car. āTalk about bizarre. I canāt believe that was strong enough to create a tether.āĀ
āWhen you asked if there was an urge to find someone, I didnāt know how to answer,ā Jeno finally responds. āWhen I came to, all I felt was a sense of relief. Like Iād finally found you, even though I had no idea of who you were and why I needed to find you.āĀ
Jenoās face is so red that you can see it clear as day. Your own face feels hot to the touch.Ā
āWell, it checks out with how stubborn you are,ā you laugh off the bashful atmosphere. āIt got us to where we are now, at least.āĀ
Jenoās room is at the end of the hallway on the third floor. Your steps slow down as you approach the door.Ā
āWell, weāll see how this works.ā You glance at Jeno. āReady?āĀ
He nods.
You turn the handle and push against the door, but it doesnāt budge.Ā
āWhat on earthā¦?ā You knock on the door. āHello?ā
No response. You turn the door handle again and shove your full weight against the door, but it doesnāt budge. Itās as if thereās an anvil propped against the door.Ā
āI canāt get in. Can you try and pass through?ā You ask Jeno.Ā
He frowns and tries to phase through the door. However, his form literally bounces off the boundary of the door. He tries again through the wall instead, only for the same thing to happen. It doesnāt matter which door, wall, or even window he tries to enter through. You and Jeno cannot get in.Ā
On your last attempt at knocking the door over, you feel a cold presence seeping from the inner room. The hairs on your neck stand on end, and you feel a second entity trying to push against your psyche.Ā
āShit,ā you gasp. You look at Jeno, eyes wide. āWe need to go.ā
You rush out of the hospital until the sense of doom fully fades.Ā
āI donāt understand,ā Jeno says, his face pale. āWhy canāt we get in?ā
āIt feels like a ward, but we already know that no sorcerer or spirit hunter has been to your room.ā You grimace. āWeāve confirmed it. Your body is officially cursed, and whateverās cursing you doesnāt want us to come in.ā
In the following days, you throw yourself deep into your research like never before. Youāre digging into any person that couldāve interacted with Jeno in the last few months, sure, but youāre also brushing up on curses in general.Ā
Ā In your desperation, you even resort to watching Jenoās movie to get a sense of how many scenes he did with each co-star. Itās surreal, watching a solid Jeno acting with a personality completely opposing his real-life demeanor. This character is a troubled and rough soulāall darkness and angst.Ā
āChenle is right,ā you say under your breath. āYou are a great breakout actor.āĀ
Jeno shrugs. āI guess Iām glad that my only performance was a memorable one.ā
Itās an innocent comment with no malice or resentment lining it whatsoever, but you feel like youāve been slapped. You rise from your seat and grab a glass of water from your kitchen.
āWhoa,ā Jeno says as he follows you. āWhatās with the sudden jerkiness?āĀ
You grip the countertop tightly as you release a shaky breath. To your horror, tears begin to drip down your cheeks one-by-one.Ā
āWhatās wrong?ā Jeno asks, his eyes wide. āWhat did I say?āĀ
āWhat if thereās no way to get you back into your body?ā Your voice wavers. āAm I supposed to make sure you pass through the door, then? Even though youāre still alive?ā
Jeno had insisted that he was alive since day one, but now the reality of the situation slaps you in the face. You didnāt know such a thing was possible, let alone how youāre supposed to deal with it. The mental image of Jeno passing through the door while his physical body exhales its last breath makes you sick to your stomach. He deserves betterāyou want to do better by him.
You try to collect yourself and raise your glass for a drink, but the water sloshes toward the edge with each shake of your hands.
Jenoās hand comes up around the cup. It stops the glass, but it passes through your hand easily. āItās okay. Donāt push yourself.ā
Stubbornly, you manage to take a gulp of water. āItās not okay, Jeno.ā
āMaybe weāre thinking of it in a way thatās too black-and-white,ā he says.
You have no idea what heās suggesting, but any words die before they can be released. You stare at him in silence.
āI could stay with you instead,ā Jenoās voice comes out soft. āI donāt have to pick one or the other.ā
Itās like a plug has been pulled. All of your pent up conflict swirls into angry tears that drip down your cheeks. āDonāt be an idiot. I canāt let you just haunt the world aimlessly while your real body lives.ā
āWhat are you going to do about it? Capture me and send me barreling through death's door into the afterlife?ā He frowns.Ā
āItās justā¦wrong. Both ways,ā you say. āIf you stay in this limbo, it feels like youāre asking me to choose between expelling your soul or letting your physical self waste away.āĀ
āTo me, itās an easy choice,ā Jeno responds, resolute. āI only get to be with you in one of them.ā
āBut that way requires sacrifice.ā A frustrated grunt catches in the back of your throat. āYouāll remain alive on a technicality, but youāll never regain your original memories. Youāll be tied to me at all times, but youāll never be able to touch me.ā
A pause. āDo you want me to touch you?ā
Your skin tingles at the mere thought.
āIt doesnāt matter what I want,ā you hiss. You wipe at the corners of your eyes before any tears can even escape. āI cannot, in good conscience nor duty, allow you to put your soul in that position.āĀ
Jenoās eyes soften even as his mouth stiffens into a flat line. āThereās just so many things I want to do with you. I feel like Iāve seen a different side of you every day, yet itās never enough.ā
You canāt help the sniffles now. Your shoulders twitch with each exhale.Ā
āI want nothing more than to feel your skin on mine,ā he says. Jeno raises his hand up to cup the side of your face. You lean into it, but your head contacts nothing even as your skin freezes. āEven if Iām not able to return to my body, I still canāt leave you. I feel like itās my duty to stay with you and protect you in whatever way I can.ā
It feels like hundreds of needles are stabbing through your heart. You long for the physical contact; just imagining the comfort of his embrace isnāt enough. Itās a sick yearning for something youāve never had.Ā
Itās this deep ache that makes you whisper: āWhat do you want from me?ā
āI want you to feel comfortable sharing your innermost thoughts with me. I want you to feel comfortable leaning and relying on me.ā His smile is bittersweet. āMore than anything, I want you to be happy. I want to be the one making you happy.ā
You want that too. More than anything.
Itās because you want it so badly that you refuse to say it out loud. You care about him too much to relegate him as your permanent companion. You have someone ready to give up his world for yours, yet all of your principles forbid it.
āLife and fate are delicate scales,ā you mutter. āIf your soul wanders while your body decays, something will break.ā
He frowns. āScales?ā
"Life and death can't be cheated," you explain. "If we disrupt the natural order of things, there will be consequences. Eventually."
He knows that you have him beat with your expertise. However, he still murmurs. āI donāt want to leave you alone.āĀ
You choke back another sob along with the words: I donāt want you to leave.
Instead, you turn your back and walk towards your room. āIām going to consult some old contacts,ā you say. āSomeone has to know how to get your body back.ā
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
You pace in front of Tenās office door. The clock on the far wall reads 7:59AM. One minute to go. Really, thereās nothing stopping you from opening the door and strolling in, but you want to maintain a calm front to your boss. Youād even told Jeno to stay at the furthest point of your boundary with him for privacy.
Seconds before the clock turns 8:00AM, the door swings open with a loud creak.Ā
Ten stands on the other side with his hand on his hip. āAre you going to come in yet?ā
āSorry,ā you mutter as you shuffle into the space. āDidnāt want to bother you too early.āĀ
āYouāre bothering me more by pacing back and forth outside of my door,ā he snorts, then double takes when his eyes scan over your wrinkled shirt and tired eyes. āYou look terrible.āĀ
āGee, thanks.ā You roll your eyes. Leave it to Ten to be honest. āI need help with my case, which is obviously why I called this meeting.ā
āSpeaking of,ā Ten leans forward in his chair and rests his chin against his hands. āHow's your ghost boyfriend?ā
āOh no, heās not my boyfriend. Heāsāā
Ten cuts you off before you can finish your defense. His eyes are bored yet sharp. āI donāt want to know what weird supernatural label youāve put on it. Iām assuming youāre having trouble finding his body?ā
Renjun and Chenle must have told him. While Ten allows you the freedom to investigate and handle things your own way, youāve long suspected that he had his methods to monitor you.
Regardless, you donāt mind in this case. Easier to explain. āYes. Aside from the real-life difficulty of entering a celebrityās hospital room without relation, I can feel something repelling me. Iām not sure if itās something related to Jeno.ā
āSomething related to Jeno,ā Ten repeats. āYou mean, in the sense that he doesnāt want to go back to his body?ā
ā...Yes.ā Heat climbs up your neck and pools in your cheeks and ears. This is not something that youād want to talk to your boss about in a million years. Sure, youāre not getting granular into the details, but itās not hard to figure out.Ā
Ten doesnāt seem to bask in your embarrassment. Instead, he hums while resting back in his chair. āHe doesnāt seem to have a lot of spiritual power, correct?ā
You shake your head. āHeās harmless. Yangyang cleansed both of us as well. He said he could detect something like a curse from when Jeno was alive, but since heās been alive this entire timeā¦ā
āYou think that thereās a curse on his body.ā
āYes. That, or Jeno himself is preventing me.ā
āYou donāt work often with malicious spirits or wraiths, correct?ā Ten asks.
āNo.ā Any signs of spirits with ill will had you calling Renjun or Chenle to handle it. You could handle one yourself, in theory, but it would require a sorcerer like Yangyang for protection. Wraiths, like the one encountered in the department store, were completely out of the question to handle alone.
āWell, there are some cases with benign spirits also,ā Ten mutters to himself before raising his head back to address you. āDo you recall your case last year with the twins?ā
āOf course.ā Last yearās case was a textbook instance of conjoined spiritual attachment, where the spirits of two sisters had been linked following a tragic accident.Ā
Tenās eyes bore into you. āWhat was the root case of their attachment?ā
You think for a moment. āBoth sisters died with overwhelming guilt on behalf of the other. The first sister hated herself for causing the accident, while the other regretted her inaction toward preventing it.ā
āExactly!ā
You stare at his wild burst of enthusiasm. āI donāt understand how that helps.ā
He sighs. āCome on, remove your mindset from the traditional perspective. While the twins were benign spirits, it can happen with any spirit. We never talk about conjoined malicious spirits or wraiths because not only are they incredibly rare, but because we donāt care to find the root case as carefully.ā Ten pauses before speaking carefully. āI donāt think itās a curse. Was anyone else involved in Jenoās accident?ā
āHe was alone, and it was truly an accident. Drunk driver,ā you say, but your head is spinning at Tenās information. āJeno came to me alone, and heās good. How could he be conjoined? Wouldnāt I have noticed another tethered spirit?ā
Ten holds up a slender finger. āFirst thing: Both donāt need to be malicious. One is enough. Second thing: I think heās in the process of being conjoined, but his body being alive is the only thing preventing that.ā
Your blood runs cold with the realization. āThe other spirit is blocking Jenoās spirit until his body dies.ā
Ten nods. āMost likely.ā
Shit, you think. Shit shit shit.
How could you, however brief, entertain the notion of Jeno staying as a ghost by your side? Not only have you put his physical body on the line, but he would be tethered to another ghost upon death. If unable to separate them, youād have to shove them through deathās door together against Jenoās will. If his will could withstand the will of something more vengeful and malicious.Ā
Your stomach churns. Your chair scrapes against the floor as you rise to your feet. āThank you, Ten. I canāt believe Iāve never heard of this before.ā
āItās whatever. I just want my best worker back,ā Ten waves away the praise. āI know we do things differently than how you were raised, but I truly believe that different perspectives strengthen us for situations like this.ā
Itās rather philosophical for Ten, but youāre inclined to agree. āThank you again. I will report back on my findings, hopefully when itās all over.ā
āYouād better make it to his body sooner rather than later,ā Ten calls after you as you exit. āDonāt be afraid to use the others for backup either!"
You call back in assent, ignoring the anxiety growing within your chest. You fear failing, but you also fear what you'll lose if you succeed.
⦠. ćāŗ ć . ⦠. ćāŗ ć . ā¦
āSensorsā¦first aid kitā¦wardsā¦ā You say out loud as you parse through the contents of your equipment bag. āI think thatās everything. Hopefully Renjun and Chenle bring everything else that they wanted to work on.ā
Jeno grunts in acknowledgment.Ā
The engine rumbles as you turn the ignition. You glance at Jeno over your shoulder.Ā
āHow are you feeling?ā You ask.
He hums again.Ā
āJeno.ā You drop your voice. āYou should be happy. Youāre getting your body back. You wonāt be a ghost anymore.ā
The car shakes slightly as you pass over a speed bump. The only sound in the car is the light music flowing through your speakers.
āYou havenāt seemed particularly happy either. Especially after your talk with Ten.ā Jeno crosses his arms.
You gape at him through the rearview mirror. āAre you pouting?ā
He looks away. āNo.ā
āI told you everything that I learned from that conversation,ā you say with an exasperated sigh. āThis will be a happy occasion, once we overcome the spirit guarding you.ā
āEven so,ā he says. āYou look like you want nothing to do with me. Youāve avoided me at every turn, and thatās with me being bound to you.ā
Heās not completely incorrect. You have been avoiding him, but all of the reasons lie with yourself first.
You turn into the hospital parking lot and park into the first spot you see. The carās barely off when you whip around to face Jeno with a glare.
āFirst and foremost, Iām doing my job,ā you assert. āRight now, my focus is reuniting your spirit with your body so you can get your memories back and return to your normal life.ā
āTell me one thing.ā His voice lowers. āAre you included within my normal life?ā
āNot now, Jeno. Please.ā This is exactly what you wanted to avoid.Ā
āIf not now, then when?ā He argues. āYou say nothing is wrong, but youāre acting like this is the end.āĀ
You choose each word carefully. āWe donāt know how youāll react after reuniting with your memories.āĀ
āThis again,ā he snorts. āYou donāt know how Iāll react, but I do. I may not have my memories, but I know I will still want to be with you. That wonāt change.āĀ Ā
You give him a sad smile. āOur memories are us. You might change your mind once you see everything in context.āĀ
āI wonāt,ā he insists.Ā
āItās possible,ā you push back.
āThink about it,ā he says. His eyes shine with determination. āMy soul isnāt even tied to my physical body. Itās tied to you. It wants to be with you.ā
āIt wanted me to solve the mystery of your curse,ā you respond. āThereās no other reason for it.āĀ
A cool sensation washes over your hand as Jenoās passes through yours. āI know you wonāt admit it, but I know you care about me too. You donāt want me to go.āĀ
Your eyes flick to his angrily. āYou must go, or I failed as your guide. End of discussion.ā
You yank your car door open and stumble out without hearing his response. Luckily, he gives you the space. Your heart aches. Jenoās right, of courseāyou donāt want him to go. He insists that his memories wonāt change his feelings, but his openness to abandoning his body reveals his true belief: Jenoās memories are a wild card, and neither of you truly know how it will change things. You fear giving yourself to Jeno only to immediately lose him again.
Youāre thankful to see Renjun and Chenle pull up minutes later. You take a deep breath and relax your body.
Renjunās all business immediately. āDo you have Yangyangās wards?āĀ
You ruffle through the bag and hand them over.
āIām heading up first,ā he says. āThey should dismantle whatever repelled you within ten minutes. Get everything ready with Chenle first, then head up when youāre ready.āĀ
Heās gone in a flash.
āHello to you too,ā you say to his retreating back.Ā
āHe stayed up late modifying some of his tools.ā Chenle says as he climbs out of the car. āNot sure he slept at all, actually.ā
āWhatever gives him more confidence that we can actually catch this thing.ā You lean against the car and watch as Chenle puts on his goggles. āAny specific strategy for today?ā
āWeāre pretty limited by the room itself,ā he thinks aloud. āFirst, Renjun deploys the wards and we hope that Yangyangās magic is able to rip a hole in that spiritual block. From there, we might have toā¦open the door and hope for the best.ā
You shudder. āI hope itās nothing like the one from the department store.ā
āYou and me both.ā Chenle nods to a spot over your shoulder; peeking over confirms that Jenoās finally emerged from the inside of the car. āYou both ready for this?ā
āAs ready as Iāll ever be,ā you mutter. āLetās do this.āĀ Ā
Getting into the hospital is much easier than you expected. Youāre not sure what Renjun did when he entered, but thereās no staff around when you enter. Itās too easy to slink upstairs to Jenoās floor without bumping into a soul.
Creepy, you think. It reminds you too much of the atmosphere in the department store.Ā
Chenle must think the same thing, as he pulls out his sensor. The device starts with a faint beep that escalates and amplifies into a constant ring as the elevator rises.Ā
When the doors open with a ding, you slink out into the hallway easily. You turn down the aisle towards Jenoās room, heart racing as you see a familiar body splayed onto the ground.
āShit, Renjun!ā You gasp as your party rushes over to your coworker.Ā
You lift his torso so that heās propped up against the wall outside of the room. His face is pale, and his breaths shallow.Ā
āIām okay,ā he coughs. āYangyangās stupid magic just had some recoil. Knocked the wind out of me. It worked, though. I think.ā
You glance at the door. Sure enough, thereās a big hole blown through the center of the door itself. The room behind the hole is completely dark from the lack of light inside, save for the faint beams of light leaking in from the hallway. Glass from the door window scatters on the floor, and the scent in the air is a little smoky.Ā
āUm,ā Chenleās own face pales in a mirror of Renjunās. āShit, did anything come out? Should I just open it?āĀ
āItās still there. No need to worry about me, either.ā A weak hand waves a familiar capsule in the air. āI can protect myself with this, if the thing decides to come out.āĀ Ā
You both stare at him, then each other. Itās absolutely insane, but what else can you do? Thereās no way heāll be able to outrun a wraith if need be.Ā
āDo you want to do the honors?ā Chenle asks.Ā
Your gaze connects with Jenoās. His eyes are wide with a silent plea: Donāt.
It motivates you to step forward. āI will. Stay behind unless it gets violent.ā
You take a deep breath. You still grip onto the door handle despite the hole blasted through the center. āOneā¦twoā¦three!ā
You push through the door. The lights flicker on with the motion of the door. You gasp at the sight in front of you.
There, standing between you and Jenoās body laid across the hospital bed, is the spirit of his co-star. The same balding, middle aged man that Jenoās sister thought was a mentor figure to her brother.Ā
āGood evening!ā The spirit smiles at you. Heās still wearing his costume from set; a fact that sends a shiver down your spine. āYour friend had a mighty big entrance there, blowing through the door like that. It nearly blew my head off.ā
āForgive him, he was just trying to get in.ā You step forward cautiously. āMay I ask why youāre in front of this manās body?āĀ
āOh, quite.ā His smile turns empty. His beady eyes bore into you. āIām waiting until he dies. People were expecting him to adopt my legacy, since I took him under my wing, but I never quite liked his attitude. They let anyone act these days, it seems.ā
āI see.ā The ghost is reciting his reasoning, but all of his emotions and words are empty. If there's a soul there, it remains in fragments only.
You reach into your pocket to grasp Renjunās device. The ghostās eyes snap to the movement before inspecting your face with narrowed eyes.Ā
āI donāt think I know you,ā he says. āA friend of his?āĀ
āOf sorts,ā you say. You release the safety. āMore of a fan waiting to meet him in the flesh, really.āĀ
āWell that wonāt do,ā the ghost says. His outline pulses and expands in front of your eyes. āWeāre not open to meet and greets.ā
Jenoās voice yells your name. āGet out of his way, now!ā
Both you and the wraithās head snap towards Jeno, whoās appeared in the doorway.Ā
āDamn it Jeno, I said stay behindā!āĀ
The wraith rumbles in what sounds like a laugh. āPerfect,ā it drawls. āI can finally deal with you myself!āĀ
You sprint out of the door before it has a chance to lunge. The lights in the hallway flicker as you hear the screeching behind you. Youāre not so much running for yourself as much as you are for Jenoās sake; if you donāt get ahead, then he doesnāt have a chance due to the invisible leash between you.
The hallway blurs. The wraith screechesātoo close. You donāt look back. You turn one corner sharply, and then another, and then you quickly lose track of your position. You pray that either Chenleās able to keep up or that youāre somehow headed in the correct direction.
āStop running!ā It bellows.
āI donāt even remember you!ā Jeno calls back. āBut from what I saw, you were a shit actor anyway!āĀ
Finally, like a light at the end of the tunnel, your eyes focus on Renjun posted at the end of the hallway. You could pivot to another turn, but another idea takes hold as you barrel straight forward.Ā
āChenle, your ass better be close by!ā You shriek as you sprint towards Renjun. āJenoā!ā
āI know!ā He shouts back.Ā
The two of you sprint straight toward Renjun, who has his device pointed at the ready for your cue. You continue full steam ahead, ignoring the crashes and high pitched screams behind you.
Then, instead of blazing past the entrance to Jenoās hospital door, you change your trajectory. āNow!ā You scream as you veer suddenly to the left, sliding into the room and away from Renjun. Jenoās spirit flies right in front of you, completely safe from the line of fire.
The light from Renjunās device makes your eyes water from its searing brightness. The wraith swirls closer to it slowly, but itās able to resist more than the one youād seen at the store. As it gets pulled past the doorway, its head suddenly twists to leer at you.Ā
Your heart gets caught in your throat. You make a move for your own device, but then you hear a yell accompanied by another flash of light closing in from the other direction.
It must be Chenle, you realize. Sure enough, the counteracting beam of light closes in from the other side. The spirit tries to resist, but eventually itās forced into Renjunās capture device with a final scream into the unknown. Renjun seals the device tightly with the lock mechanism.Ā
You blink as both lights disappear. The wraith is gone nowāall thatās left is you, Jeno, and your two coworkers panting with hands shaking around their equipment.
āHeās gone,ā you gasp, shaking yourself. You look up at Jeno. āYouāre finally free.āĀ
Chenle and Renjun both look worse for wear, but they still rise to wobbling feet and shuffle towards the exit.Ā
āYou donāt have to leave immediately,ā you insist, alarmed at their sluggish moments.Ā
Renjun shakes his head. āWeāll just wait outside. You guys should close it out together alone, just like how you started.ā
Just like that, theyāre hobbling down the hallway for the exit. The door swings closed, despite the gaping hole through the center. You turn your attention to the rest of the room.Ā
Jenoārather, Jenoās bodyālays on the hospital bed. His chest rises and falls, and the monitor at his side measures a steady, normal heart rate. Thereās no frown lines or signs of anything wrong on his face; the real Jeno seems completely at peace.
āLike what you see?ā Ghost Jeno asks behind your ear. His eyes crinkle into half moons as you jump from his proximity.
āIāve just never seen one of my ghosts in person before,ā you breathe. āYou know, considering everyone else is actually dead.āĀ
āAnd here I thought you would say I look better than in the movie,ā he pouts.Ā
In all honesty, he does look better in real life. Youād go as far to say that neither the movie or his pictures do him justice. From his sculpted facial features to the smoothness of his skin, he looks more like a piece of artwork than a human. If ghost Jeno was enough to make your heart cartwheel, being in the same room as his physical self makes it tumble in your chest.Ā
Ghost Jeno floats over his body so that he hovers in a direct mirror. āSoā¦how does this work?ā
Your brow furrows. āWhat do you mean?āĀ
āHow do Iā¦ā He claps his hands together. āMerge back? Are you supposed to do something?ā
āWhy would I have to do something?ā You ask. āShouldnāt you try climbing back into it first?ā
He raises his hands up. āYouāre the spirit expert. Since Iām tied to you I thought maybe there would be some other requirements. You could always try kissing my body in my sleep? Disney style?ā
In spite of yourself, a smile tugs at your lips. āIf I have to start kissing people as part of the job, I think Iāll have to go out of business.āĀ
Jeno raises his eyebrows. āBut youād try it this once, right? For me?ā
āStop stalling.ā Heat floods your face, and you pinch the bridge of your nose. āJust try. The easiest method first, thank you.ā
āOkay.ā His expression softens. āIām going to try and go back now.ā
You stare at each other, suspended in the moment. Youāre sure, then, that youāre both thinking the same thing.Ā
āIāll probably stay long enough to confirm it works,ā you say slowly. āI should probably leave before the real you wakes up, just in caseā¦ā
āNo,ā Jeno says. āIām definitely going to remember you.āĀ
Your smile flattens. āYou canāt guarantee that.ā
āI just have a feeling,ā he says. āSo please stay.āĀ
Every cell of your body urges you to leave. If you were attuned to the voices already passed over into the afterlife, youāre sure that you would hear every Spirit Hunter before you screaming to respect tradition. Lead the soul, break the tie.
But thatās the thing: youāre alone in this world, and youāre severed from those who have crossed over. Itās the sincerity in Jenoās eyes that reminds you of whoās been here with you during these last few months. Even if all of these memories together become solely yours to carry, you can at least honor this last moment together.Ā
Against all logic and dogma, your gut trust in Jeno leads you to say: āOkay.āĀ
His silhouette relaxes. āAlright,ā he says. āSee you later.āĀ
You watch, breath held, as his soul finally connects with his body. His physical body twitches as he makes contact, but nothing else happens as Jenoās ghost submerges into himself. His body catches its breathāyour heart dropsābut after a brief moment, he continues the same, deep breathing in and out.Ā
You walk to the side of his bed. Examining the area around him, thereās no trace of Jenoās ghost; he must have been accepted, you determine.Ā
As Jeno shows no signs of waking up, you linger at his bedside, unsure of what to do. Sure, youād promised that youād stay, but what did that mean? Sit at his side until he woke up? What if he didnāt remember you, and he woke up to a complete stranger staring at him?Ā
You take another look at the smooth lines in his face and soften. Jeno has a whole bank of memories to parse through. Sure, your time together had meant a lot to both of you, but you wonder how much of that devotion belonged solely to the ghost. A part of you still fears seeing the look on his faceāconfusion, yes, but more so indifference.Ā
I stayed, you think. I stayed and made sure the transfer was successful. I can leave, for now, and come back to visit when heās awake.Ā
Itās a weak promise to yourself; you know that if you leave now, it will be infinitely difficult to find the courage to come back and face him later. You stop to brush one of his stray hairs back into place before leaving.Ā
āBye for now,ā you whisper.
As you turn away, a hand snaps over your wrist and yanks you back around.
āYou said you would stay,ā Jeno croaks. One of his eyes squints at you. āLiar.āĀ
The words barely stammer out. āI-I was going to come backāāĀ
Jeno pulls you into his chest, both arms cradling around you gently. Youāre so used to the transience and lightness of his ghost form that this physicality feels the oppositeāfirm and solid. Here.Ā
āJenoā¦?āĀ
āIām just happy that I can finally hold you,ā his voice muffles into the crook of your shoulder. āI wouldāve stayed by your side forever as a ghost, regardless, but this is way better.āĀ
āYeah,ā you sniffle. A few tears fall down your cheeks and drip onto his hospital gown. āI wasnāt sure if youād remember me.āĀ
āI told you I had a gut feeling,ā Jeno says as he pulls away. He cradles your face in his hands and wipes the tears away with the pads of his fingers. āHave some faith.āĀ
āIām sorry,ā you breathe through the hiccups.Ā
His hands pull your face to his, and your lips brush together in a soft touch. Everything about kissing him is warm and comforting and right. You feel his heart beating underneath your hand on his chest, its quickening confirmed by the increased faint beeping of the monitor next to him.Ā
āDonāt be sorry.ā Jeno rests his forehead against yours. āIāve already forgiven you.ā
Your eyes wander over his pale and tired face. You realize, in this moment and through his words, the discrepancy in faith between Jeno and yourself. While you had forced the distance between you every step of the way, heād pushed back with conviction. Jenoās given you no room to doubt his commitmentāif anything, youāre the evasive one.Ā
You cup his face with one hand, and your thumb strokes his cheek slowly. āHey?ā
Jeno raises an eyebrow. āYes?ā
āI love you,ā you whisper. Itās your leap of faith; overcoming the fear that comes with letting yourself be loved.
The startled look on his face is priceless. āWhoa,ā Jeno says, eyes wide. āIāwowāā
Your entire body feels as though itāll burst into flames. āToo soon?āĀ
āNo, never,ā Jeno pulls you into his chest. The beeping on his heart monitor rapid-fires. āI just thought it would be too soon for you.āĀ
āIt would be, normally,ā you admit, ābut nothing about our circumstances is quite normal. It deserves an exception.ā
āTrue,ā he grins ear to ear. āI love you too. Iām all yoursāclearly. Body and soul.ā
Your heart sings. You have no idea what comes nextāyouāre not sure how youāre going to explain this to Jenoās family, and youāre also not sure if being with a previous ghost client somehow violates some sort of HR ruleābut you canāt bring yourself to care.
For so long, youāve ached to be seen. Now you can say with the utmost certainty that youāve found someone who understands you and accepts you fully, body and soul.Ā














