Taekook au

Some people believed that the ghosts we see are the people who lived in another universe. Taehyung sees his ex bestfriend Jeon Jeongguk who recognizes him for someone entirely different. Because back when his Jeongguk was alive, they were never a couple.

There's goes another dream, causing him to jerk awake, hands shaking as he reached for the lamp. He flicks the switch as he turns to the side. Taehyung pulls the duvet closer to his chin.

He closes his eyes contemplating before he sighs, resigned. He kicks off the blanket.

Heading to the kitchen of his apartment, he doesn't bother turning the lights on. Taehyung is not easily scared, even when he lives in a such a big space all alone.

It wasn't always like that though.

He pulls the refrigerator door open, the lights making him blink.

He grabs the carton of milk, pours himself a glass and drinks. He doesn't finish it in one go, he learned that the best way to sleep again was to calm his beating heart.

For whatever the dream was, Taehyung felt uneasy about it now.

Which was a new feeling compared to other eventful nights before. He always curses at himself for forgetting because even when he tries to cling on to the memory — it fades.

But the uneasiness is new. Taehyung finishes his glass of milk and puts it at the sink.

He gets back to his bed, checking the ipad on the other bedside table, leaning against the wall with the numbers displayed on them.

2:45 AM, it was always around that time.

Taehyung quietly goes back to his bed, head touching the pillow before he's off to a memory he'll forget

☾︎

"You forgot? How can you /forget?/" Jimin screeches into the phone, as Taehyung stumbles into his living room trying to pull his jeans above his ass.

His voice panicky as he responds, "I forgot to wake up on /time/, but I will never–" He almost chokes up.

"You know me Jimin, I'll never forget him." He manages to say, and also /manages/ to put on a sock, after putting on pants.

He slips on his shoes, adjusting the phone by his ear.

"I know Tae," Jimin's voice softens considerably, he's thankful for it.

He grabs his wallet and car keys, gives the apartment a look before dashing out the door.

"I'm on my way Jimin, hang tight."

Jimin jokes, "Nothing better to do than talk with a stone Tae." But it falls flat to both of their ears.

Beep.

☾︎

His ex best friend. Taehyung still could feel the grief. He stares at the stone blankly, barely registering the hand that squeezes his arm.

"Taehyung, you okay?" Jimin's voice pulls him out of the waters.

Taehyung turns to him and smiles. "Yeah, fine."

He stares back at the stone again, "Just missing Jeonggukie." He takes Jimin's hand into his and intertwines them so that he could feel comfort.

Feel grounded, feel alive.

(Because ever since Jeongguk d*ed from some dumb accident, Taehyung forgets how to.)

"You hear that Jeonggukie? We love you so much that even years after, we'll talk to you like lunatics on your grave." Jimin talks to the stone with a ridiculous voice, it makes him laugh.

Grief is a funny thing. You'd never notice it's there until it comes barging in.

Especially when you're trying to move on, to live the the life you lived before you met that person.

Taehyung laughs and he allows himself to laugh because Jimin is funny and they're allowed to be happy. Jeongguk would want that.

He's sure of that now.

"We'll always be the best friends, the three of us." Taehyung speaks, voice raspy. When he says these words, Jimin looks at him sharply.

But if he wanted to say something, he doesn't and keeps his mouth shut. Probably in respect for the boy. Taehyung doesn't want to find out.

"Yeah, best friends." Jimin echoes slowly as if he's testing out the syllables on his tongue. Taehyung makes a subtle move to pull away from Jimin's hold but his hand only tightens.

Taehyung feels his throat constrict.

He chokes up a final, "I miss you, I love you, always. Wherever you are Jeonggukie, I hope you find your rest." Taehyung thumbs the fading letters on the ribbon that was attached to the flowers he brought.

(May the stars bring us together again, it says.)

Taehyung fully frees himself from Jimin's hold, easier than he expected but harder to walk away than he thought he could.

"Taehyung, hey, I'm sorry for what I said."

He ignores it.

"But really? Bestfriends? You still didn't say it didn't you?" Jimin's voice rises.

Does it matter? He thinks and keeps walking to his car.

"Taehyung look at me!" Jimin finally screams, making him skid to a stop.

His eyes are as wide as saucers because he never would have expected that from Jimin. Kind, meek, and gentle Jimin.

It seems like d*eath changes everyone. Taehyung turns around hesitantly. Jimin's chest is heaving, there's tears at the corner of his eye threatening to fall.

Taehyung's good with threats, he's not scared of them anymore.

"It's been a year."

"We've established that."

"I'm speaking." Jimin snaps and glares. Taehyung purses his lips. "Why are you so afraid to tell him you loved him?"

Loved. It hits him harder than the fact Jeongguk is de*ad.

"Love." Taehyujg utters but monotonously.

It frustrates Jimin.

The boy lets out a yell, and a soft jab to his shoulder blades. It doesn't hurt one bit.

"Why couldn't you tell him? Why were you so afraid? Why didn't you seize that fucking mo—

"We get it Jimin." Taehyung talks over him. Calmly he says, "You blame me."

"What?" Jimin's voice wobbles, "No? I would never—

"It sounds like you're blaming me right now for something that happened a year ago. We missed each other okay? Wrong timing, I wasn't ready, I was a coward – what more do you want to hear?"

Taehyung's crying and he doesn't even know it yet. Whether it's from anger or sadness, he doesn't care.

"And what if I scream right now," To prove a point he bellows, "Jeongguk I love you!" He steps forward, closer to Jimin and asks, "Will that bring him back?"

Jimin looks at him with eyes that could only offer pity and though he tells himself Jimin blames him, there's no resentment in his eyes only regret that wasn't even aimed toward him.

"So no," Taehyung steps back, breathing harshly through his nostrils. "It doesn't matter."

Not anymore.

☾︎

He gets a call at roughly 3 AM the next day, he doesn't bother checking the ipad for the time. He groggily answers it, unable to read the contact name coherently.

"Taehyung?" Jimin's voice is panicky, high-pitched.

"Hm?" He grunts.

They didn't speak the day after the d*ath anniversary. Usually, when they fought about something (namely Jeongguk and their regrets, they'd go even days without talking, weeks tops. And Jimin never apologizes or yields first. Never.

So imagine his surprise.

"It's Jeongguk."

On second thought—

"Wait no don't end the call, it's about his grave!" Jimin says it a little rushed.

Taehyung's finger centimeters above the red button freezes in mid-air. That's...random.

"His grave? At 3AM?" He puts the phone on top of his shoulders.

He then lets his ear sandwich the phone in between the two. "Couldn't this wait until morning?" He sighs.

"Taehyung, fuck I'm literally on my way to the police, please be serious." Jimin's begging. Taehyung sobers up.

"The police? What for?" Taehyung tries not to sound as panicked Jimin is.

Jimin hels his breath on the other side of the line. He grits his teeth,

"What for, Jimin?" He says a little bit firmer.

"The grave, his coffin" Jimin pauses, and whispers daunted. "It's been stolen.

held* ok thats it for tonight goodbye drop a hello or sumn

☾︎

Clad in sleepwear, a silk top and a random pajama he pulled from the closet, Taehyung trudges in the police station where he sees a pacing Jimin nibbling his nail in anxiety.

He grabs ahold of him by the shoulders. "What the fuck happened?"

Jimin looks at him, relieved.

"Tae," His voice sounds as if he had been crying all night. Taehyung pulls Jimin closer by wrapping an arm around his smaller frame.

"I just wanted to say sorry to him," Jimin sniffles.

(At 3?) Taehyung doesn't interrupt him though.

"I can't /sleep/ knowing I did something+

wrong." Jimin pressed his palms against his cheeks and leaned towards Taehyung's chest. Inhaling sharply he says,

"And when I got there, someone's hauling the coffin, I didn't /know/ what to do, I froze on the spot."

He opens his mouth but,

"Gentlemen, please if you will."

Some man interrupts from the desk, gesturing for them to sit down. Taehyung rubs Jimin's shoulder blades one last time before they take their respective seats.

The man tilts his head as he scrolls down in his computer, eyes fixed on the screen.

"Grave robbery, not a common case here or even in Korea in general."

He exchanges glances with Jimin who shakes his head.

"Now we asked Mr. Park here what the suspect looked like." The man looks at them and adds quickly, "The body frame and approximate height."

Taehyung swallows the saliva that gets caught in his throat. That made sense since Jimin couldn't see in the dark and he was sleepy. It wasn't his fault.

"And Mr. Park told us it was presumably a man, taller than him and had lanky frame, which," The officer looks at the screen.

He frowns, "Doesn't give us any leads but thankfully there were trails of mud left – not by shoes but by the coffin itself." The officer leans back, types a few more things into the computer before his gaze lands on Taehyung.

"Now," Taehyung shifts uncomfortably under his stare. "The person that lived in there...did he involve himself with people that might harbour ill intentions towards him even after life?"

"What?" Taehyung spits out flabbergasted. "He's a damn orphan!"

The officer is unfazed even by the way Taehyung raises his tone of voice.

"We were," He gestures to Jimin and himself by a finger. "His bestfriends since he was five, how could," Taehyung scoffs, pinches the bridge of his nose as he waves his hand.

"I'm sorry that was out of line but to answer your question, I am /completely/ sure Jeon Jeongguk would never cross paths with someone heartless enough to harbour anger when he's trying to rest in damn peace." Taehyung grits out the last part and sighs.

"Will you find the suspect?" Jimin intervenes in a much calmer state than he is, having the time to recollect himself.

The officer nods his head. "The investigation will begin tomorrow."

"Can you?"

'Can you find the suspect?' is what he really wanted to say.

"We'll try."

☾︎

Taehyung's wakes up at 12 pm the next day, missing work due to the incident. He sends a quick text to the manager handling the department he belongs in before going to the kitchen to grab a bowl, a box of cereal and milk.

Now don't get him wrong.

If he wanted to eat breakfast the way he usually did, he would. He can cook eggs and rice all by himself like he taught himself when Jeongguk passed.

Somehow remembering that makes him falter in his steps, almost tripping.

"Aigoo."

Taehyung whips his head.

Did he hear something? Or were his ears failing him? Taehyung shakes his head, opens the carton of milk. He pauses as his eyelids become heavy with every action. His chest, it hurts.

Taehyung laughs to himself, picking up the milk again.

(He doesn't notice but the hairs on his arm stand up.)

He pours it and hears a gasp. He hears /something/ behind him.

He drops the milk.

"Taehyung, baby, couldn't you be more careful?" Something or rather, someone /huffs/ behind him.

Turning around so quickly makes the bowl on the countertop crash on the floor. The white porcelain shattering on the floor was nothing compared to the sound his mouth made when he shrieked at the sight that beholds him.

It was Jeongguk. Except somehow it's not.

It was Jeongguk and Jeongguk was d*ead. Taehyung screams louder until he makes the thing stop talking.

"Oh geez, there goes that bowl, hey babe, can you stop screaming? What are you even screaming ab—" He meets (not) Jeongguk's eyes.

And he screams again.

Not-Jeongguk decides it was a good idea too, because he follows Taehyung's lead, eyes wide and his irises the same color of the day Taehyung last saw them. It gives him literal chills.

But whereas Taehyung seems more scared, Not-Jeongguk is more elated and shocked.

"What the fuck are you?" Taehyung yelps, slicing through thin...fucking air.

"You can see me?!" Not-Jeongguk shouts back, eyes gleaming.

"I wouldn't freak out like this if I couldn't!" He exclaims, pushing himself to sit on the countertop.

"Baby I missed you!"

Taehyung furrows his eyebrows, before shaking his head and shutting his eyes. He continues to slap the air, not feeling anything hit his palm. He chants,

"You're a figment of my imagination, you're a figment of my imagination—

"Well damn, and here I thought my boyfriend would love it if he could see his dead lover for at least a day. I don't really know if this has an expiration date." And while Not-Jeongguk rambles, pure terror shoots straight into Taehyung's spine.

It's confirmed. It's either he's gone crazy or this is not Jeongguk. It's the latter, he prays.

"Boyfriend?" He had his eyes wide open now.

Jeongguk looks at him from below, wearing the clothes he didn't wear when he was on that damned plane, and he sports a confused look.

"Uh yes? Taehyung, are you okay?" And the way Jeongguk says this is the way /his/ Jeongguk would.

Taehyung inhales, settling on sitting down on top of the granite counter instead, hands on each side of his face. He shakes his head slowly until it becomes more vigorous.

"Nononono, no no," Taehyung looks at Jeongguk who only looks back at him, concerned. "You're not my Jeonggukie."

The ghost laughs nervously as if he was the one to cry next, "Tae, what do you mean?"

He bluntly says, "Jeongguk and I were never together."

☾︎

"Hold up," Jeongguk brings up a palm to his face.

Taehyung blinks at the semi-transparent hand. He tries to poke it but his finger goes through. Jeongguk doesn't seem to notice, too lost in thought.

"You're telling me," He points to himself.

"As in the guy who spent more than a /year/ pursuing you—

"Not me." Taehyung reminds, still on top of the granite counter but his feet now dangles as his butt nears the edge.

Jeongguk gives him a look from where he stands. Apparently, ghosts do not float. Taehyung is yet to find out if they can if they just put their mind into it.

"—right." Jeongguk drags the syllable, rolling his eyes.

"Anyway, you're telling me that we never even looked at each other in the other way? And /your/ 'Jeongguk' is de*ad without even proclaiming his love?" Jeongguk exclaims with matching air quotes and pacing.

Taehyung goes silent, wondering if he should tell the ghost the truth.

The story.

But he decides against it.

"No." He says flatly, crossing his arms. "You're not from here, Jeongguk. If parallel universes do exist." Taehyung looks at his ceiling and blinks rapidly before gazing back at Jeongguk again.

He's still there.

Fuck this is crazy.

"Well it does. Obviously." Jeongguk deflates, gestures a hand to himself looking sullen all of a sudden. "But I am hoping you are the Kim Taehyung I knew."

He raises an eyebrow, "I doubt that."

Jeongguk pauses. "Well, you're not in love with the Jeongguk here so yeah kinda but I'm sure you're just as kind as the Taehyung I knew." Jeongguk smiles.

'I just said we were never together, I never said that I didn't love him.' But he keeps his mouth shut.

"I'm not as kind as you think I am, Jeongguk." Taehyung shakes his head.

"No maybe not," Jeongguk laughs, his eyes crinkling as he does. He beams. "But in every world, I am sure that I'll be able love you in each one."

And suddenly he can't breathe.

Jeongguk's smile turns soft, a little more fond. "And though your Jeongguk never said it, I'm sure he does – love you I mean. Because," He twirls a finger and points to himself again. "That's the only thing I know would never change."

☾︎

Jeongguk sat on the sofa, humming as Taehyung sat beside him, holding the remote. They had a fair amount of distance between them and he side-eyes the ghost from time to time checking if he's still sane. It's not like he's a wild fanatic of paranormal shit.

He watched Buzzfeed Unsolved one or two times. He never actually went crazy for them but he believed in ghosts but never the one to believe he'd be alive to see one. This ghost wasn't even scary, yeah, it's /Jeongguk/ for god's sake but it's not his.

That's what makes it scary.

And the timing.

He shivers from the cold aura the ghost brings. It catches Jeongguk's attention.

"Hey you ok?"

Taehyung switches the channel. "Fine." He says curtly.

The last thing he wants to have is an attachment for another Jeongguk that'll eventually leave.

Taehyung knows that the reason why ghosts still linger on earth is because of some unfinished business. Ghosts are the souls of those restless, unable to keep their peace.

This is the reason why he asks,

"Why are you still here Jeongguk?"

The ghost finally takes his eyes off the idols singing on the screen and looks at him. Taehyung prepares himself for another heartfelt speech but to his surprise the other shrugs.

"I don't know." Jeongguk admits, biting his lower lip.

"I was getting scolded by a shaman," Jeongguk brings his legs up to the sofa.

Taehyung furrows his eyebrows. "Jeongguk is a catholic."

"Your Jeongguk." The ghost corrects but then raises an eyebrow. "Wow really? I'm a buddhist but like not really religious."

Jeongguk was beginning to babble.

"I'm an atheist, now what were you saying?" Taehyung shares, gently speaking.

"Wow that's something you and my Taehyung have in common!"

And who's to say his heart doesn't get caught in his mouth?

"Jeongguk." He's able to say at least.

"Oh right the shaman thing." Jeongguk huffs. "She's been wanting me to go up since a week after I died but I couldn't."

"You could go up when you want to?" Taehyung tries to keep the alarm off his voice because why didn't Jeongguk go up when evidently he could?

Also, this was a whole other ballgame. Different rules, he decides.

"Yeah but I wasn't ready yet." Jeongguk looks away, a conflicted look on his face. "I don't think I could tell you why though."

Taehyung doesn't hold it against him.

☾︎

Jeongguk finds out about the grave robbery and it happens like this:

He went home, exhausted from work, having a desk job even if it brought money meant also breaking his back just to keep it. His landline rings as he goes to the table to answer it.

Taehyung noticed Jeongguk was gone, the ghost did like appearing at random times so it didn't worry him. He puts the telephone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Yes Hello, is this Kim Taehyung? We would like to request your presence in the police station, the suspect has been caught."

"The suspect?" Taehyung who just removed his work shoes, began to get them again from the rack, crouching as he does so. "And the grave?"

"Further details should be discussed in person, Mr. Kim."

The worry knawed him and it doesn't stop his hands from shaking again.

He puts the telephone back, turns to find his car keys only to find Jeongguk standing in front of him, a look of confusion painted on his face.

"Grave?" He asks.

Taehyung sighs, "Not now Jeongguk."

"Taehyung...did something happen?" Jeongguk sounds so scared that once he has his keys, a hand on the doorknob he mentally chants for him to keep going.

Ignore the ghost. He's not Jeongguk.

"Taehyung, please don't ignore me."

And that strikes a memory.

He's frozen in his steps, head stuck in time, swimming in thoughts that rush back. His fault, his fault, it's his fault, his brain kept saying.

His fault.

"I'll tell you when I get back." Taehyung's voice is hollow.

His fault.

"Promise?"

"You're a little too old for promises." Taehyung slams the door behind him.

And it scares him now too, that besides the little differences, Jeongguk still had the essence of the being Taehyung knew. It scares him that if he lets himself hold on, he won't let go.

☾︎

The suspect's behind the bars, Taehyung is torn on whether or not he should give him a piece of his mind. The mere sight of this robber – the robber of his best friend's grave – makes his blood boil and his skin prickle as he thinks of a reason why.

Yet all he could think of is a word.

Pathetic.

He grips the bars a little to tight until his knuckles turn white. He can't bring himself to let go because it's also what keeps him from lashing out.

He hears footsteps from behind him and a shadow looms.

"Taehyung," It was Jimin. He places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it tight. "We couldn't get him to talk."

His gaze snaps to meet Jimin's eyes who were elsewhere.

"You were called earlier than I was?" And it sounds accusatory than he intended.

Jimin's lifts his hand off and raises them to wave the question off, denying, "No, no it was completely coincidental. I was on my way to the station and I was going to an ask for an update. But then he appeared."

Taehyung follows his line of sighs, the same hunched figure.

The face of whom he hasn't seen yet.

"I called the station and surprisingly," Jimin's eyes were clouded with confusion. "He didn't put up much of a fight." He shakes his head. "Jeongguk's coffin is being examined as we speak."

Taehyung sputters, "Examined? For what?"

"For where it might possibly been." Jimin gently explains.

Taehyung lets go of the bars, using them instead to push him off the side, standing properly this time as he scoffs.

"Even in death, he couldn't catch a break."

Jimin was about to say something, but a low chuckle interrupts them.

It was from the suspect.

"Why are you laughing?" Jimin's vocie had a sharp edge to it, but it sounded more defensive to his ears rather than intimidating.

Taehyung doesn't speak.

Because the man's slowly looking up to them with a grin on his face, sending shivers down his spine.

"Do you think it's a coincidence, Park Jimin?" His voice is husky, rough as if it hadn't been used for days.

"How do you know my name?" Jimin's more afraid than he is angry.

Taehyung is too.

It's not everyday you encounter someone wanting to grave rob.

"Because I know you." The man says simply as Jimin shook his head, hands gripping on the bars again.

"You don't." He grits his teeth. "You're insane!" He screams.

The man laughs again.

Taehyung would think it was the innocent kind if not for the glint in his eyes.

"Oh am I?"

"You give us some stupid information on where you live—

"But it /is/where I live—

"Where /does/ he live?"

Jimin sharply inhales, seemingly forgetting Taehyung was out of the loop.

"Some place called Ingsan. But it doesn't exist." He gives the man a sweeping gaze of a glare before looking at Taehyung again. "He's crazy."

"I assure you I'm not." The man cocks a head. "Although, you would think yourself as crazy when you find me gone tomorrow."

He sports a dimpled smile.

"That's not possible, Korea's one of the most safest country. There's no way out of this." This time, its Taehyung who speaks.

The man is unfazed. He hums, "Hm, we'll see."

And then he smiles again like it was nothing.

Jimin drags him out, taking him by the hand, "It's no use. All that comes out of his mouth is bull. I bet he didn't even give his real name. The police couldn't find /anything/."

Taehyung glances at the dark hallway. "What's his name?"

Jimin shakes his head,

"Kim Namjoon."

☾︎

Taehyung can't stop pacing even when he gets home. He knows he should sleep. Jeongguk isn't at his apartment when he gets home, in fact, he isn't anywhere. He's a little worried that he went too far and offended the other when that wasn't his intention /at all/.

He just couldn't bare seeing the ghost and can't help remembering the ghosts of his own. He can't help remembering Jeongguk.

But he can't even afford to worry when somehow, the words of the suspect plagued itself into his mind. It leeches off his anxiety.

He shouldn't believe the suspect, he knows he shouldn't. Kim Namjoon wasn't even a korean citizen. No matter how many tests they've made on the guy, who surprisingly went with all tests without complaint, he just didn't exist.

It's almost as if...he's only a figment of his imagination. He shakes his head, no, there was Jimin, there were the police. The cell is heavily guarded and a possible trial to be held was going underway.

He collapses on the couch, curls up to a ball.

What was so important with Jeongguk that he had his own coffin /stolen/?

Jimin theorized that the man was hallucinating or was suffering from a mental illness but Taehyung knew Jeongguk almost all his life, he doesn't know a /Namjoon/.

And he's not a psychologist but that man was way too calm. As if he wasn't guilty of anything.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Taehyung almost jumps a feet into the air. He puts a palm over his chest when he realizes who it is,

"Oh, Jeongguk," He breathes out. "It's just you."

"You know you did tell me you were going to tell me what was happening." Jeongguk's "body" seemed to disappear under the living room light by the way it hits his stomach at an angle.

Jeongguk wasn't really "transparent" so to speak, Taehyung did blink many times to confirm it.

Sometimes he really forgot Jeongguk's a ghost.

"I didn't promise." Taehyung locks his arms around his legs, pulling them closer to his chest.

He hooks a chin over his knees.

"But you always keep promises." Jeongguk says knowingly.

And it's the thing that annoys him so much. The way Jeongguk spoke to him with such certainty, as if he knew Taehyung, or well at least – the Taehyung from this universe.

And he doesn't. It's what irks him the most.

"Your Taehyung. Not me."

As the days drag on, and Jeongguk doesn't show any sign of leaving soon, it seems as if corrections were becoming more and more of a habit and a need.

Jeongguk always needs a reminder.

He shakes his head.

Okay so there was /one/ thing the Jeongguks have in common.

But it doesn't mean anything.

"Your grave is stolen." Taehyung says simply. "Or rather, it was stolen." He corrects himself and chuckles at the irony.

"My what?!" Jeongguk almost screeches.

Taehyung shivers at the cold aura.

"Sorry," The boy says quickly.

He then adds, "But why?!"

Taehyung leans back, sighs heavily. "That's what I would like to ask to." He settles a curious gaze on the ghost who's now nibbling his inner cheek. "Do you know anything?"

Jeongguk smiles ruefully, "Like you said," he continues softly,

"I'm not your Jeongguk."

Taehyung's gaze drops to his kneecaps. He lets go of his legs and lets his feet touch the floor.

"I'm sorry." Jeongguk suddenly says.

It confuses him. But before he could ask, the ghost already answers.

"I couldn't imagine the fury and worry

I would've felt if it were my Taehyung." Jeongguk smile was impossibly sadder now. "I would've tore through Seoul."

Taehyung's eyes suddenly felt watery at the sudden urge and need for his best friend. For the person he was – he is – in love with.

It seems that no matter how many times he tries to move on, grief will always be there. Or maybe it just takes the form of another thing we call nostalgia. Or longing.

It's weird for him to think bitterly of another Taehyung. But,

"He's so lucky to have you."

Jeongguk looks at him with compassion, looks at him as if he sees right through, but maybe all there is is kindness. "And I'm sure your Jeongguk is lucky enough to have you."

"Was,"

"Is." And there it was, the all-knowing tone. "I'm dead and yet there's not a day I don't thank

whoever it is up there that made me meet Taehyung." Okay, this time it wasn't that annoying.

He swallows a huge lump of guilt down his throat.

"Go to sleep, Tae."

He doesn't correct the ghost. He trudges to his room, feet heavy and lazily dragging his body to move.

Before he closes the door, he sees the smile of Jeongguk.

It reminded him of sunny days and train rides when they're just about to go to the underground station and the light hits Jeongguk perfectly as he laughs.

His smile freezing in the moment, Taehyung capturing it.

Except this time, it's under the living room light.

Except this time it wasn't Jeongguk.

Except this time, he doesn't stick around long enough to capture it.

He closes the door.

Shamelessly plugs because now that I kinda got the plot down, and I'm trying to learn how to write again, this thread fic's gonna be my exercise and i need your feedback

Also i need help with the plot, shoot me a dm if you're willing https://curiouscat.qa/pmjkv