#junior got7

Jinyoung checked the time on the card he received. It held today's date, a timestamp and a name.

Checking his watch, he saw that the time was only 11:04. Only 42 minutes left. He waited at the bus stop like any regular commuter only Jinyoung was anything but ordinary.

Jinyoung was a reaper.

Jinyoung didn't remember when or how he became a reaper. He just remembered that he was one. He didn't remember any past life or any details surrounding his death. He just existed. It was his job to guide the recently deceased.

The bus pulled up and Jinyoung stood, with the other commuters, all entirely unaware of his presence. Reapers lived like regular people to an extent. They have homes, they eat, they engage in conversation, only not everyone can see one. It was an odd existence indeed.

It was rare to find someone who could see him, so when he did, he was pleasantly surprised. Like when he sat next to you and you smiled warmly at him. Jinyoung didn't notice at first but when you leaned over and said “chilly morning, huh?” it took him by surprise to say the least.

He glanced over at you, eyes wide as he registered the fact that you had even acknowledged him at all. ‘Can she see me?’ He looked around and then nodded. Your smile widened. “I'm hoping it doesn't get too cold or icy tonight,” you added.

Jinyoung forced a polite smile before turning back straight. He rarely engaged in conversation with anyone other than other reapers, so he was out of practice when it came to talking to humans. “I think it will be fine,” he said not making eye contact. You said nothing after that.

The ride was silent except for the occasional cough from one of the other commuters until you spoke up, catching Jinyoung off guard. “I’ve seen you a couple of times,” you noted and he turned to look at you, surprised by the smile on your face. “Oh,” Jinyoung replied, unsure of how to respond.

“You’re pretty cute,” you added and this time, Jinyoung nearly choked on the air he was breathing. So not only could she see him, she found him attractive, too? He would be lying if he said he wasn’t flattered. He was.”Th-thank you,” Jinyoung said, stumbling over his words.

You took this a sign of his shyness and giggled. “So cute,” you said and looked up at the marquee overhead that read the next stop. “Oh, shoot. Looks like this is my exit,” you said sadly. Jinyoung looked up at the marquee, reading the words and burning them into his brain so he wouldn’t forget.

Jinyoung watched as you stood and headed for the front of the bus to exit. You turned to look at him, offering a radiant smile and a wave before you left the bus. His eyes followed you as the bus pulled away from the stop, watching as you entered a tall office building. Jinyoung sat back as you disappeared inside and presumably from Jinyoung’s life all together.

Or so he thought.

It was a couple of weeks before he encountered you again. The same bus, the same seats. When he boarded the bus and saw you, he made a beeline for the seat next to you. He didn’t know what drove him to do so, but he felt himself being drawn towards you.

You looked up as he sat next to you and smiled that beautiful smile like the first time. He felt his own lips spread into a smile before he looked away. “Hello again,” you said softly, leaning into him. Jinyoung nodded, acknowledging your greeting. “Hello,” he replied. They two of you sat in silence before you spoke up. “I haven’t seen you in a few weeks,” you said.

Jinyoung nodded. “I’ve been out of town,” he said, finding it fairly easy to lie. You smiled as the bus continued. Jinyoung knew he didn’t have more than just a few minutes before you got off at your stop. He had to act quickly. “Do you have a cellphone?” he asked quickly, turning to look at you. You let out another one of your cute giggles. “It’s 2018, I think most young professionals have a cellphone at this point,” you said with a wink that sent butterflies into the bottom of Jinyoung’s stomach.

‘What are you doing to me??’

He pulled out his own cellphone from his coat pocket and unlocked the screen, pulling up the app for contacts and pressing the little plus sign at the bottom. He handed his phone to you. “Would you mind?” he asked. You stared wide eyed at him before taking the device and entering your information. You handed his phone back to him and stood up again.

“Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow morning again?” you asked as you slung your bag over your shoulder. Jinyoung looked up at you, nodding and you smiled, flashing your dazzling teeth. “Perfect,” you said before following the other commuters off at the stop. Once on the pavement, you turned to find Jinyoung and waved as the bus pulled away.

Jinyoung got off the stop sometime later to arrive at his destination. He checked his watch. 11:38 am. He had received another card.

He approached the destination and watched the passing cars, waiting patiently for the time. He checked his watch again. It now read 11:40 am. One minute. He looked up in time to see a young man dressed in joggers and a jacket running up to the crosswalk. He stopped, pressing the cross button and began to stretch his legs.

The sign changed, allowing him to cross, he started to run but he didn’t look. They never look. A small box truck had been speeding, no doubt trying to reach his delivery on time. The driver was going much too fast and it was too late. The truck collided with the runner, fresh blood splattering across the pavement. Silence filled the air before a shriek was heard.

Then the commotion started.

Onlookers ran over to check the runner and the driver. Jinyoung heard it all. “Is he alright?” “He’s not breathing!” “That’s way too much blood.” “What about the driver?” “I’ve got the police on the phone!” Jinyoung turned away from the scene to find the runner standing on the sidewalk were he had been moments before watching the scene unfold. Jinyoung crossed the street, approaching him quietly.

The man looked at Jinyoung. “What’s going on?” he asked. Jinyoung looked at the accident, the man following his gaze. “Well,” Jinyoung said softly. He looked back at the man. “There’s no easy way to say this,” he said. The man looked back at Jinyoung. “You’re dead,” Jinyoung told the man.

The runner’s eyes widened and he looked back at the scene. “I’m dead?” he asked and Jinyoung put a hand on his shoulder. “Come with me, let’s have a cup of tea.”

After Jinyoung helped the runner crossover, he pulled out his phone to find it was still on the new contact he had made for you. (Y/N), he read. He pressed the little message icon and began typing.

Jinyoung [12:04]: good afternoon

He waited for your response, hoping it would be soon. It was.

You [12:05]: Good afternoon (:

He smiled at his phone and typed a response.

Jinyoung [12:05]: have you had lunch? You [12:06]: I am right now. What about you? Have you eaten? Jinyoung [12:06]: I have. How is your day going? You [12:07]: it’s going well. Work is easy. Slow even. Nothing eventful happening in the office. Although we just found out one of our coworker’s husbands was hit by a truck earlier. She’s devastated. He was out for his late morning run. It’s so awful, I couldn’t even imagine ):

Jinyoung felt his heart leap up into his throat upon reading your text. He knew only too well what she was talking about. He hesitated, not sure how to proceed.

Jinyoung [12:09]: that is awful. I’m sorry to hear that. You [12:09]: he was a great guy. Their poor children. Losing their father like that. What a horrible way to go. Jinyoung [12:10]: I don’t mean to change the subject so suddenly, but I was wondering if you’d like to go get coffee sometime.

He didn’t know why he typed it. He’d never asked anyone out. Never. He didn’t know what came over him. He just impulsively asked a human woman out. And not just any human. Quite possibly the most alluring woman he had ever set eyes on. What the hell was he thinking. He dreaded your response, sure you were about to turn him down so when his phone vibrated, he prepared himself for the big let down. Only, it didn’t happen.

You [12:11]: I would love to (:

Jinyoung sat inside the small cozy cafe. A place you had texted him the address to. He checked his watch. It was 12:50 pm. You had agreed to meet at 13:00. He sighed and looked up as the door opened, the bell ringing to announce the arrival of the very person he was waiting on.

You smiled as you entered the cafe, waving to the barista as if you knew her. Of course you knew her. You were polite and kind. Everyone liked you. Jinyoung watched as you scanned the cafe, your eyes landing on him and your smile spread. You made your way over and Jinyoung stood to greet you.

“You haven’t been waiting long, have you?” you asked. Jinyoung shook his head before moving to help you remove your coat. You took it from him, muttering a breathless thanks before draping it over the back of your seat. You sat down across from Jinyoung as he resumed his seat.

“No, I’ve only been here about five minutes,” he said as the server made her way over. “What can I get for you?” she asked pulling a pad of paper and pen out of her apron. You browsed the menu while Jinyoung looked up. “Coffee, black but lots of sugar, please,” he said and you looked up. “A caramel macchiato,” you said smiling up at the server. “Anything else?” she asked politely. “Do you have any lemon poppyseed muffins?” you asked and the server nodded. “Two of those please,” you said.

The server scribbled on her pad and walked away to put your order in. Jinyoung sat still waiting for something to happen. He’d never been on a date before so he was unsure of what to do. You turned to face him, another one of your brilliant smiles etched on your face. “So, what do you do for a living?” you asked and Jinyoung froze in his seat. Of all the questions he’d been asked he wasn’t prepared for this one at all. His brain scrambled to think of a lie.

“I work in a funeral home,” he blurted out. Your eyes widened and he sat up straighter. “Like a funeral director?” you asked softly and Jinyoung nodded. “Yes, precisely,” he said, relaxing now that he had a fake job. You looked down at the table, eyes full of sadness. “It’s a sad job, yes?” you asked.

Jinyoung blinked a couple of times. “At first, but I’ve come to see it as a comfort. I help the recently deceased pass on in the easiest way possible. It’s therapeutic for me,” he said as the server returned with the coffees and muffins.

“What about you? I saw you walk into that tall building outside your bus stop. What is that?” he asked. You perked up. “It’s a medical complex. I work in the laboratories. I specialize in blood test.” Jinyoung took a sip of his coffee. “That’s… impressive actually,” he said and you smiled, your cheeks flushed.

The two of you continued to talk over coffee and muffins, getting to know one another. You asked the right amount of questions and when it came to Jinyoung’s past, you didn’t try to pry too much. He was thankful of that. When Jinyoung finally checked the time, over two hours had passed. He looked up at you, that dazzling smile still prevalent. “It’s been over 2 hours. Do you want to do something else?” he asked softly. Your eyes lit up and you nodded reaching behind you for your coat.

Jinyoung stood and helped you put your coat on before handing your purse to you. He paid the bill and the two of you left the cafe, stepping out into the crisp February air. It was almost March and spring was well on its way. Jinyoung stood on the outside of the sidewalk as you walked, talking about any and everything. Jinyoung listened to you as you told stories, enthralled by the way your lips quirked right before you laughed, and the little dimples that appeared in your cheeks when you smiled widely.

He was entranced by your beauty and he was done fighting it at this point. He was so enraptured by you he almost didn’t notice the envelope that appeared in his pocket. He reached into his pocket and felt it. His smile dropped instantly and his feet stopped, bringing him to a halt. You stopped a few paces ahead and looked back at him.

He pulled his phone out, pretending to check a text. “I have to go,” he said looking up at you, pocketing his phone. Your smile faded and you turned to face him. “Is it work?” you asked and he nodded. You crossed the distance between you and smiled again.

“Thank you for taking me out,” you said taking his hand in yours. “I had a great time with you today.” Jinyoung couldn’t help but smile back. “I enjoyed this too,” he agreed. “Let’s do it again,” he added. You nodded before wrapping your arms around his waist and hugging him. Jinyoung froze.

He’d never been hugged before. Instead of questioning it, he too wrapped his arms around you and hugged you back. You were so… warm. And soft. He’d never felt such peace before. When you parted, you smiled up at him. “Text me when you get to work so I know you made it safely!” you said stepping back. Jinyoung nodded. “Of course. Be safe heading home,” he said and you nodded. “I will!”

Jinyoung watched as you walked away, disappearing behind the corner. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little black envelope. Inside was another card. This one read:

He put the card back in his pocket and set off. His mind was full of you. Your face, your smile, your sweet voice, your cute laugh, everything about you. Jinyoung liked all of it. He liked the way he felt around you. He arrived to the scene in no time. It was a tall apartment building. He sighed and made his way in, taking the elevator up to the 14th floor.

Once there, he let himself into the apartment where he saw a young woman standing by the open sliding glass door. She turned to look at him, a sadness in her eyes. She must have known. She opened her mouth to speak, confirming Jinyoung’s suspicions. “I’m dead, aren’t I?” she asked. Jinyoung nodded silently. She turned to look out the doors. “And you? Are you an angel? Sent to guide me to heaven?” she asked in a broken voice.

“No,” Jinyoung said. The woman, Mi Rae, turned to look at him, confusion painted on her face. “That’s not my department,” Jinyoung said. “I’m a reaper. My job is to guide you to the door to the afterlife. Whatever happens after that isn’t my responsibility.”

Mi Rae sniffled and turned back to look out the door. “What happens now, then?” she asked. Jinyoung crossed the messy apartment, avoiding broken glass and torn pillows. He placed a gentle hand on Mi Rae’s shoulder. “Come,” he said turning her gently. “Let’s have a cup of tea.”

Jinyoung knew it would be hard to continue to see you but he wanted to nonetheless. The two of you started seeing more and more of each other, going on dates around the city. He took you to dinner, to museums and art galleries, enjoying the time he spent with you before his duties arose.

The relationship began to blossom into something he’d never experienced or thought possible. One night, you invited him over to your place, set on making him dinner. Jinyoung agreed on the condition he get to help you cook. You agreed and he arrived the following Saturday night at five o’clock sharp.

He knocked on the door softly and a moment later, you answered it. Allowing him into your home for the first time, Jinyoung took in the sight and smell of your home. It was a cozy little studio with a clear separation between where the living area and the bedroom were. When he first walked in, he was greeted by two closets to his left. One the coat closet, the other he assumed was the laundry.

To the right was a spacious bathroom. Further past the bathroom was an opening that led into the bedroom area, a short wall housed the closet adjacent to a wall that separated the bedroom area to the living area. Along the left wall was the kitchen with copious amounts of cabinet space. The room then opened up to the living area with huge floor to ceiling windows that would let in lots of light during the day.

The curtains were open, allowing Jinyoung a spectacular view of the city. He turned to you, handing over a bottle of wine he brought. You thanked him and set the wine on the counter. “So, what are we making?” he asked as he followed you to the kitchen. You had the ingredients laid out on the counter. “Just a simple ramen dish,” you said as you walked over to the sink and washed your hands. Jinyoung followed suit, washing his hands as well.

Then you got to work. Jinyoung watched as you cut up the vegetables easily. Your hair tucked behind your ear allowing him to see your face as you worked. He smiled at the cute apron you wore. “What can I do to help?” he asked and you looked up at him with bright eyes. “See that cabinet?” you asked nodding at one behind him. He turned and pointed at it. “This one?” he asked.

“Open it,” you said and he did so. Inside were about a dozen glasses for all types of occasions. “Get two wine glasses out and pour us a couple of glasses, would you?” you asked with a smile. Jinyoung chuckled and pulled down two glasses, setting them delicately on the counter before retrieving the bottle of wine. He looked around. “Corkscrew?” he asked. You nodded at one of the counters. “Second drawer down,” you said. Jinyoung pulled the drawer open and found the corkscrew.

He twisted it into the cork and pulled it out with a loud pop. He poured the dark liquor into the glasses before finding a stopper and putting it into the bottle. He set the corkscrew on the counter and picked up both glasses, crossing the kitchen to you and handing you a glass. You took it from him, offering a thanks before taking a sip. You set the glass down and went back to work.

Once all the veggies were cut up, you turned to the stove, heating up some oil in the pan. You unwrapped a cut of steak and sprinkled it with salt on both sides while another skillet heated up. In the skillet with the pan, you added all the veggies you cut up, sprinkling some salt and pepper over them and giving them a couple of turns. In the other skillet, you added the steak.

Jinyoung watched you work. You added a pot to the stove, turning on the burner to boil some water. After a few minutes, you flipped over the steak and stirred the veggies. As the water came to a boil, you added in the noodles. A few minutes later, you removed the steak and set it aside to let it rest.

In the same skillet, you added some liquids. Jinyoung didn’t ask but he was sure it was some kind of stock for the broth. He watched you, taking a few sips of wine. “Where did you learn to cook?” he asked. You looked up from the pan, your concentrated expression fading away.

“My grandmother taught me before she passed away. Then I learned from my father. He owns a restaurant a few blocks over,” you said as you continued to stir the veggies and the broth. Once the veggies were done, you removed them from the burner and turned your attention on the noodles. They were ready so you turned the burner off and set the pot aside.

It wasn’t long before everything was ready. You put the steak on a cutting board and sliced it into thin pieces. Jinyoung watched as you prepared two bowls of ramen, adding the noodles, then the broth. You put pieces of steak in the bowls, added the veggies, some sesame oil and seeds and topped it off with fried eggs. You set the bowls on the table and turned to grab the utensils. Jinyoung beat you to it.

“You sit,” he said as he carried them over to the table. The two of you sat down and dug in. Jinyoung hadn’t had something so delicious in a long time. He looked up to find you watching him. “How is it?” you asked. Jinyoung smiled. “It’s delicious,” he said. Satisfied with his answer, you dug into your own.

The two of you made small talk as you ate, commenting on work and the weather. Once you both had your fill of food, you stood to get the dishes but Jinyoung told you to sit. “You cooked, I’ll clean this up,” he said as he took your bowl. “Pour us some more wine,” he added as he approached the sink and started rinsing the dishes and cookware. He set everything in the dishwasher and shut the door.

He turned to find you had retreated to the sofa. He crossed the room to join you. Jinyoung took a seat next to you, grabbing his glass of wine. The two of you sat in silence before he spoke. “I should probably head out soon,” he said softly. You set your glass down and turned to him, taking his own glass and setting it down next to yours. “What are you-?” Jinyoung began but stopped when you moved across the couch to straddle his lap. He fell silent, looking up at you as you watched his face.

He didn’t dare move for fear of doing the wrong thing. “You don’t have to leave,” you said softly. Yes I do. You leaned in closer, your lips dangerously close to his. “You could stay the night here.” Your voice was almost inaudible. No I can’t. Jinyoung felt tension rise in his body as his mind and heart raced.

He cleared his throat and you sat up straight, looking at him. “I uh…” he said nervously. Your face turned a dark shade of red and you immediately got off him. “Oh my gosh,” you said. “I am so sorry,” you added. Jinyoung looked at you.

“I don’t know what came over me,” you whispered. Jinyoung reached out and gentle rubbed your back. “It’s okay. I’m just not ready for that level of… intimacy,” he said softly. You nodded, not looking at him. Jinyoung scooted closer and turned your face to look at him. “Look at me,” he said gently.

“I’m not mad. Don’t misunderstand me. I really like you. I’m just… out of practice,” he said slowly. You nodded, a small smile gracing your lips. “Me too,” you admitted. Jinyoung smiled and leaned forward, pressing a sweet kiss to your cheek. “One step at a time,” he said and you nodded. Jinyoung sat back, leaning against the couch and pulled you will him, you nestled against his side.

“I do have to go soon,” he repeated softly. You sat up and leaned in, kissing his cheek in return. “I’ll walk you out,” you said softly. The two of you stood and Jinyoung led the way to your front door. He stopped to put his shoes and coat back on. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall, turning to face you. “Goodnight,” he said pulling you into a hug, resting his head on top of yours.

It was a warm goodbye. He always felt at peace in your arms. He hoped you felt the same way about him. When you parted, you leaned in to kiss his cheek again but he decided to be brave and caught your lips with his. The kiss startled you and you pulled back quickly, eyes wide. Jinyoung smiled, taking your cheeks in his hands and leaned in, pressing his lips to yours again.

You softened, relaxing into the kiss. Your lips against his felt like paradise. He felt like he was soaring. He’d never experienced such exhilaration before. When you parted, he smiled down at you. “I’ll let you know when I get home,” he promised and backed away before waving and heading for the elevator.

He took the lift down to the lobby, ecstasy coursing through his veins. His first kiss with you was more than he had hoped for and he was excited to kiss you again.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Spring had come and gone, making way for summer. In the summer, Jinyoung took you to the park during the day, sometimes the beach. The two of you would walk along, hand in hand, just taking in the scenery. Summer passed by much too quickly but he didn’t care, he preferred the cool autumn air over the hot summer sun.

Jinyoung had grown quite fond of you. He spent most of his free time with you, usually at your apartment. The two of you under a mountain of blankets, curled up in each other’s arms. Jinyoung preferred days like these. He had started to spend the night at your place. You respected his boundaries, too. You never attempted to force anything from him and for that he was grateful.

Tonight was just like many nights before, you cooked dinner with his assistance, the two of you ate, then cleaned up together and took to the couch to watch a movie before bed. It was a Friday night and you didn’t have work in the morning, for which Jinyoung was glad.

He didn’t remember what movie was playing, he was barely paying attention to it. His attention was focused on you and the way your hand moved, thumbs tracing light patterns into the exposed skin of his hip. It was innocent enough, except for the fact that it was driving him crazy. He grabbed your hand and you looked away from the television. “Was I bothering you?” you asked softly.

Jinyoung shook his head. “No, it’s just…” he said trailing off. You waited, watching his eyes. He sat up and took your face in his hands, pulling you into a deep kiss. Not like the ones he stole before. This was raw and full of a passion he’d never felt. You melted into the kiss, as always.

Jinyoung pulled away only to take a few deep breaths before he pulled you on top of his lap and kissed you again with renewed vigor. His hands slid down to your shoulders before continuing down to your waist. You pulled back and looked at him, eyeing him suspiciously. “What are you doing?” you asked softly.

Jinyoung looked up at you, searching your eyes as if they held the answers to every question he wanted to ask. Instead, he kissed you again, this time his lips parted yours and his tongue slipped into your mouth. His hand slid around back, pressing your body against his. A soft gasp escaped you when you resurfaced for air. Jinyoung kissed along your jawline, stopping to gently nibble at your neck.

His lips trailed down to your exposed collar before stopping. He reached for the hem of your shirt, fingers toying with the material. He eyed you cautiously before lifting the material up over your head and off, discarding it somewhere in the dark room, lit only by the long forgotten television.

Jinyoung’s eyes traveled down your body, newly exposed skin now revealed to him. Your cheeks flushed a soft pink he could see even in the dim light. He reached up, cupping your cheek and caressing your face with the pad of his thumb. “God you’re beautiful,” he whispered.

His lips were back on yours in a matter of seconds, tongues once again dancing to a tune only they knew. Jinyoung’s hands smoothed over the expanse of your back, sliding down to knead the soft flesh of your butt through your leggings. He pulled your hips against his, a soft moan lifting from the back of his throat as your heat rubbed against the growing bulge in his pants.

Your arms wrapped around his neck as you buried your face in his neck. Jinyoung slipped one of his hands into your pants, squeezing your ass over your panties. You let out a whimper when he brought the other hand back and landed a sharp blow to your rear end. He rubbed his hand over the spot, whispering an apology in your ear.

“I want you,” you said in a breathy moan, your lips brushing against his cheek as you lifted your head. Jinyoung scooted to the edge of the couch and stood up, supporting you as he carried you from the living area to the bedroom, gently depositing you on the bed before climbing on himself.

He hovered over you, eyes burning with intensity before he dipped down to kiss your collar. He settled himself between your legs, kissing along your chest before moving further down. His lips danced across your skin, leaving a scorching trail in their wake.

Your hands tangled in his hair as his head moved lower and lower until he reached the waistband of your leggings. He pressed long kisses against your abdomen before sinking his teeth in, leaving little love bites littered across your skin. He sat up straight and pulled his sweater up over his head, leaving him in a white tee shirt. He played with the hem of your leggings, eyeing you.

You answered his silent question in the form of a nod. Jinyoung tucked his fingers into your waistband and pulled slowly. Deliberately. He pulled your leggings down past your hips, slowly down your thighs and then further past your knees until he pulled them off complete and threw them to the side.

He’d never done anything like this before but he had an idea in mind. He kissed his way up your body stopping at your chest. He planted short kisses all over your chest, also leaving little bites all over. When he was satisfied he was thorough in marking you, he sat up, pulling his tee shirt up over his head. Your eyes trailed down from his face to his body.

You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth and continued down his chest to his abdomen and stopping at the bulge in his jeans. You sat up, reaching out to take Jinyoung’s hands. You guided him to where you had been sitting just moments prior and once he was seated, you pushed him back into your pillows before reaching down and slowly unzipping his pants.

Jinyoung watched you through wide eyes as you cautiously pulled his pants down his thighs as he had done with you. Moving deliberately so he felt every torturous second you had felt as he undressed you. Once his pants had been dealt with you leaned in, pressing a short but sweet kiss to his lips before making a path down his neck to his chest.

You stopped, glancing up at him to find he was watching your every move. You slid your hand up his thigh, grazing it up his hip and across his stomach, stopping at the waistband of his boxers. You smiled mischievously before dipping your hand into his underwear, taking hold of him. Jinyoung gasped at the feeling of your hand wrapped around his hard member.

You took your time, exploring, taking in his reactions, and gauging every expression. You moved slowly at first, pumping up and down his length inside his boxers before you pulled him free of the confines of his underwear. You leaned over, giving the tip a small lick. A hiss escaped Jinyoung’s lungs when your tongue made contact with the head of his cock.

You smiled before parting your lips and taking the head in your mouth. Jinyoung gripped the sheets below him with one hand, the other stroked your head, brushing your hair out of the way. He watched the way he disappeared in your mouth and it was almost enough to make him come right there. His eyes fluttered shut as you bobbed your head, taking him deeper and deeper in your mouth.

“Where did you learn how to do that?” he breathed, his head falling back against the pillows. You pulled off him, pumping his shaft with your hand, using your own saliva as lubricant. “Practice makes perfect,” you said coyly as you moved faster. Jinyoung bucked his hips up into your hand and you slowed your pace, much to his protest. “I can’t have you coming undone like this,” you said amused as you pulled his boxers the rest of the way off before reaching around to undo your bra.

Jinyoung grabbed your hands. “Don’t. Let me,” he said and reached around, hands finding the clasps easily and undoing your bra, before pulling it off and again flinging it somewhere in the room. Jinyoung pushed you onto your back tugging your panties down and nestling himself between your legs. “You don’t have to,” you started to say but dropped your head with a moan when he licked a wide strip up your sex.

You weren’t able to get a word in once he started. Your fingers tangled in his hair as he lapped at your core, tongue prodding until it found what he was looking for; your clit. Once he had it in his sights, he wasn’t sure to lose it. He teased you, flicking his tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves before wrapping his lips around it and sucking. Your chest heaved with labored breaths as Jinyoung treated you like his last meal. He pushed your thighs further apart, giving him better access.

You covered your face with your arm, loud moans bouncing off the walls. Jinyoung pulled back, tracing your entrance with a single finger before he slowly pushed it inside you. A short breathy moan left your lips along with two syllables, dripped in honey; his name.

To hear you moan his name sent blood rushing straight to his cock, a throbbing set in. The aching need to bury himself in you like this was the last night on earth. He was patient though, instead opting to pleasure you with his hand, pumping now two fingers in and out of you. You threw your head to the side, gasping as he picked up the pace.

You whimpered, muttering something he couldn’t quite understand. “What was that?” he asked, slowing his hand. You uncovered your face and said into the dark room the words he wanted to hear most in the moment. “I need you, Jinyoung, please. I need you inside me.” Your voice cracked at the end and Jinyoung wasted no time. He pulled away, getting to his knees and kissed a trail up your chest as he hovered over you.

“Where do you keep your condoms?” he asked and you pointed at the top drawer of your night stand. Jinyoung opened it, finding the foil packets easily. He tore one open quickly, rolling it on his length before he settled between your thighs again. He pulled your body closer to his, positioning the tip of his cock against your slit, aligning himself. He looked up at your flushed face, your pupils dilated in the moonlight streaming through your windows. He pushed slowly, entering you with remarkable ease.

You let out a deep moan, one that reverberated through your body and vibrated in his. He pushed deeper still, groaning at the feeling of your walls hugging him so tightly. He paused only for a moment before pushing further until he was buried deep inside you. He took his time, allowing your body to adjust to his intrusion. He moved only when you told him to.

He pulled out slowly, looking down where his length appeared before pushing back into you, watching himself disappear inside you. The sight was incredible and the feeling was indescribable. He’d never experienced such pleasure before. He sped up, gripping your hips tightly as he thrust into you, his fingers digging into your soft flesh. Your hands reached for his, looking for a way to ground yourself against his pace as it quickened.

Your moans turned into whines as he pounded into you, chants of his name rolling of your tongue with ease. He slowed a bit, reaching around your back to lift you into a sitting position. He thrusted up into you, guiding your hips, moving you up and down on his length to meet his thrusts. You buried your face in the crook of his neck, helpless whines leaving your swollen lips.

“Are you okay?” Jinyoung asked, slowing to hear your voice. “Yes,” you said in a breathless voice. “Don’t stop, please,” you begged. Jinyoung resumed, slamming you down on him as he thrust up into you, the sound of skin slapping filled the apartment as he took control, allowing pleasure to consume his mind and cloud his thoughts with the sweet sounds you made under his spell.

His lips found yours and he kissed you deeply, muffling the sounds of your cries of bliss. He couldn’t last much longer, his thighs would surely give out before the finish line. He slowed to a deep roll of his hips instead of the thrusting, proving to be a smart move because the moment he rolled, you threw your head back and let out a deep moan.

Your walls hugged tighter around his throbbing member and before his brain caught up, Jinyoung lifted you off him, pulling out of you and pushed you over on your hands and knees, lining himself up behind you. He pushed into you, taking your waist in his hands and pulled you back into his hips. He was in awe of how deep he hit in this position. Your head fell to the sheets and muffled your moans as he slammed into you, resuming his relentless speed.

He felt the build up inside him like a rubber band being stretch. The tension was nearly unbearable until you cried out, your walls convulsing as your climax hit you in short intense waves, Jinyoung followed soon after, releasing into the condom with a deep moan as he rode out both your highs.

He stilled inside you, allowing himself time to regain his composure and breath. After a few moments, he pulled out of you and removed the condom, tying it off and tossing it into the waste bin nearby. He returned to you, still on your hands and knees. He leaned over your back, pressing two long kisses to your shoulder. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. You nodded weakly. “My legs don’t want to work,” you whispered. Jinyoung chuckled and helped you move, rolling you onto your back. “Stay right there,” he said getting up, stooping to grab his boxers. He went to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and wetting it with warm water, he returned to you, grabbing his shirt from the floor as he passed it.

Jinyoung used the damp cloth to wipe your arousal and cum off your skin, cleaning you up before tossing the cloth in the hamper. He pulled you up into a sitting position and put his shirt on your, pulling it down over your chest. He pulled back the covers, helping you into the bed before getting in beside you. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you against him and smiling into your hair as you fell asleep quickly. “I love you,” he whispered in your ear but was met with your soft snores.

You had fallen asleep. Jinyoung smiled to himself and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take him easily.

The next morning when he awoke, Jinyoung found the bed empty. He sat up quickly, covers falling off him as he searched the room. He heard noise coming from the other side of the wall separating him from the kitchen. Getting up quickly and stopping to grab his pants, he put them on before he peered out into the kitchen where he saw you standing at the stove, still wearing his shirt and having donned a pair of your shorts.

The sight of you in his clothes sent his heart into a frenzy as butterflies erupted in his stomach. He knew for sure he was in love with you, despite never having felt the emotion before. Jinyoung stepped out into the kitchen where you turned and greeted him with your radiant smile. He returned the smile as he walked behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing kisses to your neck and shoulder. “Good morning,” he said in a low voice, deep from sleep.

“Morning,” you giggled as he nuzzled your neck with his nose. “How do you want your eggs this morning?” you asked turning to look at him over your shoulder. He pressed a short kiss to your lips before grinning broadly. “Surprise me,” he said, tightening his hold on your waist. He went in for another kiss, this time his hand wandered, sliding down your stomach and into the waistband of your shorts. A soft sigh escaped your lips before you said to him, “Jinyoung, the bacon will burn if you continue.” Jinyoung chuckled and moved his hand back up and tickled your side.

“Fine,” he said, kissing your neck before resting his chin on your shoulder and watching as you flipped the bacon over and made room for the eggs. You cracked them open one by one, using the bacon grease to fry them. Jinyoung listened to your steady breaths as you continued to cook, occasionally looking at him with a smile. “Did you sleep well?” you asked after a few moments silence.

Jinyoung nodded. “I did. What about you?” he asked and you smiled, a small chuckle sounded at the back of your throat. “I slept amazingly well,” you said and Jinyoung couldn’t help but smirk. “Why? Did something wear you out last night?” he murmured. You laughed and nodded. “It definitely did,” you agreed. You flipped the eggs to make sure they were done and turned your head to look at Jinyoung. “Could you grab those two plates on the table, please?” you asked and Jinyoung reluctantly let got of you before turning and grabbing the plates.

He returned to you, holding one out as you scooped up two eggs and put them on the plate, adding a few slices of bacon to the plate. You repeated the same for the second plate before setting the skillet aside to cool. “Do you want any juice or anything?” you asked over your shoulder as Jinyoung set the plates on the table. “Just water,” he said looking over as you opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice. You opened the cabinet next to the fridge and pulled out three glasses.

Once filled, you brought over the drinks and sat down, Jinyoung across from you. The two of you ate in silence, enjoying the time together. Jinyoung looked up, watching you before he spoke. “About last night,” he started and your head snapped up to catch his gaze. “...what about it?” you asked softly. Jinyoung noticed your tone and shook his head. “I just wanted to say that last night was the best night of my life,” he said, giving you a smile.

Your cheeks flushed and you looked down at your plate. “Mine too,” you admitted in a small voice. Upon hearing that, Jinyoung felt his heart swell. He knew he needed to say what was on his mind before he lost the opportunity to. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Why? Why was he hesitating? You didn’t look up as you continued to eat and the moment passed.

Jinyoung closed his mouth and continued to eat, finishing his food just before you. He got up, grabbing your empty plate. “I’ll clean up,” he said and took the dishes to the sink to rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher. He felt your arms slide around his waist as you rested your cheek against his bare back. He felt your shoulders move as a sigh escaped you.

“You okay?” he asked and he felt you nod. “I’m just really happy,” you said softly. Jinyoung turned the water off and dried his hands before turning around to face you. He looked down at you, eyes scanning your face. He leaned down, pressing his lips against yours sweetly.

He pulled back momentarily before kissing you again, taking your face gently between his hands and deepening the kiss. Your hands moved, sliding up to rest against his chest. Jinyoung pulled back, his eyes still closed but a smile on his face. That’s when he heard it. Your voice, small and soft.

“I love you.”

Jinyoung’s eyes snapped open as he looked down to find you looking up at him. He studied your face, lips parted as he found it harder to breathe when you looked at him like that. Like he was your entire world. Like he was the only thing in the world that you wanted. Like he was the most important thing.

His mind raced nearly as fast as his heart as he scrambled to put the words together. He took too long. He noticed how your expression shifted and you looked away nervously. “Sorry,” you muttered as you pulled away, taking his heart with you. His hand grabbed your wrist and you turned to look up at him.  He blinked several times, trying to will his body to do the right thing. To pull you flush against him in an iron tight embrace and tell you he loved you. The longer he fought his body, the more you looked away, avoiding his gaze before finally he did it. He pulled you against him, burying his face in your neck as he wrapped his arms around you. “What’re you--” you began.

“I love you, too,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. You froze before accepting his embrace, and hugging him back. The two of you stood there, in the kitchen, for who knows how long before Jinyoung pulled back, standing straight. When you locked eyes, a huge grin spread across your face and Jinyoung couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his.

The two of you decided to take a shower together, to “conserve water,” as you put it. Conserve water you did, among other things. After finishing the shower, you dressed and as Jinyoung was checking his pockets for a card, he found one. With his back to you, he pulled it out and looked at it.

A sadness fell over him as he tucked the card away. He cleared his expression as you wrapped your arms around his waist, giggling. He turned in your arms and kissed you deeply. “I have to go,” he said softly and you pouted. Jinyoung laughed before booping your nose with his finger.

“I’m sorry, my love. I’ll be back later tonight,” he said before kissing you again. “Okay,” you said in between kisses. “Come back to me,” you added. Jinyoung winked before pulling on his coat and putting on his shoes. He stopped at the door, turning to look at you as you began to tidy up the apartment. He smiled as he let his mind wander. He could see himself with you for a while.

He would gladly give up being a reaper if it meant he could have a life with you. Another wave of sadness overtook him. He wanted so much to be with you. To marry you. To start a family. He wanted all of that with you but he knew he couldn’t. Just another thing he wasn’t allowed to do as a reaper. Jinyoung opened the door and stepped out into the hallway as he started to make his way across town to tend to Lee Hyunwoo.

The month of December was unusually cold this year. The temperatures dropped quickly and snow came fast. The city was covered in a blanket of snow the first week in. Jinyoung dropped by your apartment the second week in to visit. You opened the door and let him in. He noticed the decor as you let the festive spirit take over. He entered your living area to find a beautiful and tall, spruce tree standing proud but bare in the corner of the room.

He turned to you, raising an eyebrow and you smiled sheepishly at him. “I thought we could decorate it together,” you said with a shrug. Jinyoung crossed over to you, pulling you into a kiss. He could never get enough of your kisses. “Let’s do that then,” he said and the two of you began, opening the tubs of decorations and pulling out lights.

You worked together, wrapping the strings of lights around the tree before plugging them in, lighting the tree in a soft warm white light. You opened another tub, unwrapping the ornaments and putting the hooks on them before handing them to Jinyoung for him to hang. Once all the ornaments were hanging, you got to your feet and looked up at the tree. “Now the last thing,” you said opening another smaller tub and unwrapping a beautiful crystal star with a large cone-like base. Jinyoung took it from you and looked over it as you opened the hall closet and pulled out a small stepladder.

You opened it and climbed up, steadying yourself using Jinyoung’s shoulder. He handed you the star which you then placed precariously on top of the tree before he helped you get back down. “There,” you said smiling up at him. “All done.” Jinyoung kissed your forehead before he moved to fold the stepladder and put it away. The two of you put the empty tubs in the storage closet and sat on the couch to admire your handiwork. “I’ve never really celebrated Christmas before,” Jinyoung admitted and you looked up at him. “Really?” you asked. “Why?”

Jinyoung shrugged. “I’m not a believer, so that would be the main reason I suppose.” You nodded knowingly. That would make sense,” you replied looking from Jinyoung’s face up to the tree. “What about you?” he asked resting his arm across the back of the couch behind you. You breathed in and let out a sigh. “I’ve always celebrated it for as long as I can remember.” You hesitated, Jinyoung looking down at you as he waited for you to continue. “Don’t know why. I’m not particularly religious either,” you added with a smile.

The rest of the day passed in relaxation. Jinyoung surprisingly didn’t receive a card that day and he was thankful for the extra time he got to spend with you. You made a nice dinner and the pair of you talked, well, you mostly told stories while Jinyoung listened. The night ended with a mug of hot cocoa before the two of you retired for the night, slipping easily into slumber.

Jinyoung had never celebrated Christmas, but with you, he wanted to. So he went out with the intention of buying you a gift. Something small that still held a lot of meaning to you. Maybe a necklace or a bracelet. Something you would be proud to show off so he went to the mall, a place he typically avoided. He made his way into the first jewelry shop he set eyes on and began browsing.

It didn’t take long before a sales associate approached him and asked if he needed help. Jinyoung nodded. “I’m looking for a necklace, or maybe a bracelet for my girlfriend. Something simple but still beautiful. Something classy,” he said peering into one of the many glass cases in the shop. The sales associate asked what kind of metal he was looking for. “Something that will last,” Jinyoung replied as he stood back straight and moved to another glass case housing pendants. “What gemstone?” the sales associate asked and Jinyoung thought for a moment before settling. “Diamond.”

He continued browsing while the stop keeper started looking himself before he grabbed a few selections and brought them over on a small black velvet tray. Jinyoung looked over the selection, scrutinizing each individual pendant until one caught his eye. He reached out before looking up at the sale associate. “May I?” he asked and the sales associate nodded. Jinyoung picked up the pendant and began inspecting it closer.

“That’s one of our best sellers,” the sales associate said proudly and Jinyoung set it back down. “What about something on the opposite side of the spectrum? Something not a lot of people buy?” he asked and initially the sales associate was confused before he understood what Jinyoung was hinting at. “Smart man. Want her necklace to stand out,” he said and Jinyoung couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll be right back,” the sale associate said with a wink and disappeared behind a door in the corner of the one room shop.

Not even five minutes passed when he returned carrying a small box. He brought it over to Jinyoung and opened it. “This is a beautiful piece, truly. It’s a shame no one wants to buy it. It doesn’t go with our current line, so we keep it in the back. This is the only one we have,” he said as Jinyoung inspected the pendant. It was stunning. A vertical infinity loop with a heart in the bottom arm, a small diamond set in the center of the heart. Flanking the heart were two rows of tiny diamonds. It came on a sterling silver chain. It was perfect. Jinyoung didn’t even need to think about it. “It’ll take it,” he said.

He left the store with a small bag clenched tightly in his fist. He was pleased with his purchase, a small grin present on his face as he made his way toward the exit of the mall. He was just excited to get to your place on Christmas eve and give you your gift. He had never been so excited or hopeful in his life. Jinyoung, a reaper, was going to celebrate Christmas with you, a human he had fallen so hard for.

How did his life come to be so… domestic?

The day he had been waiting for came quickly and he was excited. He woke up early, making sure to double check that the gift was wrapped securely and that you had no idea what it was. He removed it from its original bag that had the name of the jewelry store on it so you would be suspicious. About halfway into his morning, you texted him, wishing him a good morning. Jinyoung replied quickly, surprising himself with how… happy, he felt. Was that the right emotion? Is that what this was? Happiness? It had to be.

Later that night after a nice dinner at the table Jinyoung had set for you complete with candles and some flowers he had purchased on his way over, the two of you moved to the living area. Jinyoung sat on the couch while you started up some festive movie, something he couldn’t remember the name of, he was more focused on you as you joined him on the sofa, snuggling up against his side and reaching for your glass of wine.

About halfway into the movie, Jinyoung set his glass down on the coffee table and you looked up, you empty glass still in your hand, held close to your chest. Jinyoung took the glass from you and set it on the table as you sat up, watching him. He took your face between his hands gently and pressed his lips to yours. He really couldn’t get enough of your kisses. He was in trouble.

You accepted the kiss gladly and even more so, accepted his advances. The night ended up in the bed, the sheets twisted around your naked bodies, your clothes forgotten on the floor. With your head resting on his chest and his hand running fingers through your hair softly, the two of you lay in silence, basking in the afterglow of you nightly escapade. “I love you so much,” you whispered in the darkness and Jinyoung smiled, placing a sweet kiss to your forehead. “I love you, too,” he responded, his whisper barely filling the room.

It didn’t take long for the two of you to fall asleep and before you knew it, you were waking up to the smell of pancakes wafting through your studio. You got up, grabbing a silk kimono that hung on the wall. You tied the sash and headed toward the kitchen where Jinyoung stood in a pair of flannel pajama pants, shirtless as always. You smiled, biting your bottom lip before walking up behind him and wrapping your arms around his waist. He smiled as you kissed his bare shoulder and peered over it at the pancakes he was making. “Morning,” you sighed, content with the night before.

“Morning, love,” he said softly as he flipped the pancakes. “Breakfast first and then gifts, okay?” he said and you nodded, squeezing his waist tighter. “You didn’t have to get me anything,” you say softly and Jinyoung chuckles. “I know you got me something so what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t reciprocate?” he asked as he pulled the skillet off the stove and turned, with you still clinging around his waist to slide the pancakes onto the two plates waiting on the counter.

After loading your pancakes with as much butter and syrup you wanted, you dug in, moaning when the taste of the confection hit your tongue. “Looks like I’ve got competition,” Jinyoung joked and you blushed deeply at his words and that you had moaned when you took a bite of your food. After eating, you helped clean up before moving to sit on the couch and looked at the presents under the tree. Jinyoung walked over and knelt down, grabbing the packages and moving them to the coffee table before sitting down next to you to sort them.

Once finished, you each had three gifts sitting in front of you. Jinyoung gestured at you to go first. You grabbed the largest parcel and held it up to your ear, shaking it lightly. Jinyoung laughed as you gave him a cheeky smile before you set the present in your lap and began tearing the paper off. It was a flat white box. You opened it carefully and stared in awe at what was inside. A brand new robe. You set the box on the coffee table and pulled the robe out, standing up as you did. It was beautiful.

A floor length white silk robe with light pink cherry blossoms on it. You looked at Jinyoung and smiled widely. “I love it,” you gush as you carefully fold it up and set it in the box. You looked at Jinyoung, giving him the go ahead to open one of his own gifts. He grabbed a smaller package and you smiled, knowing exactly what he was about to open. He ripped off the paper and opened the small box.

His expression was unreadable as he pulled out the watch you had spent hours picking out. It was a simple stainless steel watch with Roman numerals around the dial instead of numbers. The edge of the dial was set in black diamonds. The shop keeper had told you that the diamonds were called carbonado and were very real diamonds. They weren’t opaque but rather much smokier and darker than their cousin.

A smile spread across Jinyoung’s face as he looked up. “Thank you,” he said leaning over and giving your cheek a tender kiss. The two of you took turns opening your gifts. In addition to the robe, Jinyoung had bought you a new set of wine glasses, as well as a new pair of house slippers since yours were currently falling apart. Jinyoung had been gifted the watch, a set of pajamas as you knew the hems on his current ones were coming unraveled no matter how many times you mended them. You had also bought him a new pair of sunglasses after hearing him mention his lost ones.

The two of you sat on the couch thanking each other when Jinyoung got up quickly, staring at the tree. “Looks like we forgot one,” he said and walked over. You watched as he pulled a small gift bag out of the tree and you looked at him puzzled. How had you not noticed? He handed it to you. “It’s yours,” he said and you took it cautiously.

Jinyoung watched as you opened it, taking the tissue paper out carefully. You looked inside and saw a small velvet box. You looked up at Jinyoung before reaching into the bag and pulling the rectangular box out. You hesitated, looking up at Jinyoung who nodded, giving you an encouraging smile. You took a deep breath and opened the box, amazed at what you saw inside. A necklace. A beautiful infinity loop with a heart all made out of sterling silver, with diamonds set in the center and around the heart.

“It’s gorgeous,” you breathed running a finger over the smooth metalwork. Jinyoung’s hands appeared, taking the necklace and scooting closer to put it on you. The cool metal laid against your skin and you looked down at it where it sat proudly against your chest. You looked back up at Jinyoung wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss. “Thank you.”

Christmas came and went, taking New Year’s with it. You were now coming up on a year since you and Jinyoung had met. Jinyoung couldn’t believe how long it had been and how fast time was flying. He was so thankful to have met you on the bus all that time ago. Thankful that he got to ride that bus that day. He was thankful for you speaking to him although no one else had.

On a particularly cold Saturday morning, Jinyoung received a call from you. “Let’s meet for coffee,” you said in a bright cheerful voice, one that never failed to make him smile. “Okay,” he agreed. “Where?” he asked as he got up from his desk and walked over to the closet to change. “That coffee shop at the bus stop you always got on at,” your sweet voice replied and Jinyoung chuckled. “Of course, darling. I’ll meet you there in an hour?” he asked and you agreed. “Okay, it’s a date!” you said and said goodbye before you hung up.

Jinyoung set his phone down and pulled out an outfit. Something black. Always something black. He lazily combed through his freshly washed hair and put on his favorite hat. The wide brimmed one you always made fun of. His reaper hat. He headed out into the front room of his apartment and smiled around, noticing little bits of you left behind. Your scarf, your socks, a shirt or pair of sunglasses.

He pulled on his shoes, lacing them up and double knotting them before standing and grabbing his coat, surprisingly not black but dark cobalt. He left his apartment and made his way down to the stop near his building, catching it just in time. He watched out the window as the bus crossed town. His thoughts wandering to where he would be right now had he never met you.

He would still be going about his normal reaper existence. He knew he had changed in a way. He felt truly happy with his existence for once. Before you, he had shouldered all the guilt and burden of his duties but with you around, you eased that negativity with your warm embrace, blanketing him in security and love. He’d never felt unsafe before but with you he knew what it felt like to be safe.

The bus pulled up to a stop a few blocks down from the one he needed. ‘Almost there,’ he told himself as the bus pulled away with new riders onboard. Finally, they reached his stop and he got up, getting off the bus alone. He pulled out his phone to check the time. He was about 10 minutes early. He decided to send you a text, letting you know he had arrived early. He entered the cafe and took a seat by the window so he could watch for you.

The sun was beginning to rise over the buildings as the day grew and Jinyoung sighed reaching into his pocket for his phone to check for a text when his fingers brushed against something smooth that wasn’t his phone. A card? Now? He mentally groaned and pulled it out. Sure enough, he held a name card in his hand. He turned it over to read the red ink and his heart nearly stopped. ‘No,’ he thought. ‘This can’t be.’ He lurched from his seat and ran out the door, pulling out his phone to call you.

You answered on the third ring with a cheerful, “hello!” Jinyoung wasted no time. “Where are you?” he asked quickly. “My bus got delayed. It’s a stupid story. I’ll tell you when I get there,” you said and Jinyoung panicked. “Where are you, (Y/N)?” he asked again. “Look up you dummy,” you said giggling and Jinyoung looked up across the street where he saw you standing at the crosswalk, your phone held up to your ear, a smile plastered on your face. “Do you see me?” you asked and Jinyoung smiled in relief. “Yeah. I do. Stay right there, I’ll come to you,” he said heading for the crosswalk opposite you.

You snorted through the phone. “Don’t be silly. The cafe is on that side!” you reasoned and Jinyoung smiled, thankful you couldn’t see the tears forming in his eyes. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” he said, trying to stay lighthearted. He looked down the street both ways waiting for the crosswalk to turn. The light changed, signaling the the cross traffic could go. Jinyoung watched you through the passing cars before he heard it. A loud squealing of tires. He turned his attention to the box truck swerving out of control as it hit a large patch of ice. The driver tried to regain control of the vehicle but it was too late.

Jinyoung reacted without thinking, darting into the street as he watched in what seemed like slow motion. You looked up, noticing the truck but it was too late. Jinyoung called out your name as everything went black. You waited for the impact but it never came. You opened your eyes slowly and saw that you weren’t standing where you had been a moment before. You were a little further down the road. ‘What the?’ you wondered. Screams erupted and you looked around at bystanders as they rushed past you. You turned to see a box truck. ‘Wait a second…’

You cautiously made your way over when you heard something that made you stop in your tracks. A heart wrenching cry. ‘That voice,’ you thought. ‘I know that voice.’ Walking around the side of the truck to the front your eyes were met with a gruesome scene. No more than 5 bodies lay on the pavement, bloodied and battered. You covered your mouth at the scene. ‘Oh no.’

Another sob caught your attention and you looked past the scene to see a familiar figure kneeling on the ground holding one of the lifeless bodies. Moving closer, the realization hit you. ‘Jinyoung?’ you looked down at the figure. It was your boyfriend, hugging a body close to him and sobbing. Your lifeless body. Suddenly you knew what had happened.

You were dead.

Jinyoung had never in his existence cried but he cried now. He held your body close, sobbing into your sweater almost uncontrollably. ‘Give her back to me. I promise I’ll let her go. Let her have a normal life, just bring her back.’ His body shook violently as he cried. He just wanted you back. He wanted this pain to stop. He couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want to exist in a world you didn’t live in.

He was rocking slowly, still holding you when he heard a soft voice behind him. “Jinyoung?” his breathing stopped and he looked up slowly turning to look behind him where you stood, staring eyes wide at him holding your body. Jinyoung turned back, setting your body gently down on the ground. He had a job to do.

Jinyoung stood slowly and walked away from the scene as paramedics and police arrived on the scene. Jinyoung walked over to your ghost and led you away from the scene. “You can see me?” you asked and Jinyoung nodded, not saying a word as tears streamed down his face. “Come with me,” he said in a hoarse voice. He took your hand and you were surprised to feel his grip on you.

The world spun and you were no longer standing on the street. Instead you were inside a small room with large windows that let in a lot of light. On the wall was a collection of tea cups and you turned to look at Jinyoung who was preparing a pot of tea. “What is this place?” you asked curiously walking over to a large bookshelf. “It’s a gate,” Jinyoung said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“A gate?” you asked walking over to him. “A gate,” he repeated, not looking up at you as he prepared the tea. You watched him carefully. “Who are you?” you finally whispered and he gave a small smile. “I’m a reaper,” he said as he grabbed two cups off the wall. He returned to the table and poured the tea before setting the cups in front of the two seats. He took a seat and waited for you to do the same.

You reached for the cup and he grabbed your wrist suddenly. “Before you drink that, let me explain,” he said and you nodded, setting the cup back down. You folded your hands together in your lap and listened as he began talking. “You are dead, this much I’m sure you know. Now you also know that I am a reaper and it is my job to escort you through the door so that you can pass on peacefully,” he said, his voice straining as he struggled to keep his composure.

“By drinking this tea, you can erase your memories and pass on before you are reincarnated,” he continued and you reached across the table, placing a hand on his. He grabbed your hand and bowed his head as he tried to keep it together for you. “It’s okay to cry, Jinyoung,” you said softly. He looked up at you, tears already staining his cheeks.

“I don’t want you to go,” he replied softly, tears filling his eyes and blocking his vision. You smiled at him. “We all die at some point, right?” you asked and Jinyoung shook his head. “Not me. I can’t die,” he responded and you smiled. “Well, that’s something to look forward to,” you whispered and he looked up at you. “If I am reincarnated, maybe I can find you again.”

“What happens if I don’t drink the tea?” you asked, clearing your throat. “You will remember everything when you enter a new life,” Jinyoung replied looking down at the steaming cup. You were silent for a moment before you nodded and pulled your hands from his and stood up. “Then it’s settled. I won’t drink the tea.” Jinyoung leapt to his feet.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked and you nodded. “I’m positive,” you said with a smile. Jinyoung pulled you into a tight hug. “I love you,” he said, his voice muffled by your sweater. “I love you, too,” you chirp hugging him back tightly. “I don’t want you to leave me,” you hear him say. “Please don’t leave me.” You pulled back, taking Jinyoung’s hands in your own. “I love you so much, Jinyoung, but I need you to be strong for me. I need you to have my back. I can’t do this on my own,” you said, tears forming in your own eyes. Jinyoung took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay,” he said, nodding.

He took your hand in his, lacing your fingers together as he walked you to the door. “This is it,” he said looking at the wooden door before his eyes landed on you again. “I guess, this is where we say goodbye,” he added quietly. You smiled, leaning in and kissing him. “Goodbye for now,” you corrected him. A small smile graced his lips as you walked forward toward the door. “Hey, (Y/N),” Jinyoung called out and you turned back to look at him, your hand on the doorknob. “Yes?” you replied.

“Come back to me soon, okay?” Jinyoung asked and you smiled brightly. “Of course I will,” you said before turning the knob and giving him one last smile. “I love you, Jinyoung,” you called out before stepping through the door and into the bright light on the other side, the door clicking shut behind you and leaving Jinyoung alone in the tea room. He reached into his pocket and felt the card. He pulled it out and crumpled it in his hand before throwing it on the ground as he headed for the door.

‘I love you, too, (Y/N). I’ll be waiting.’