Junhee, Dae Hyuk and Sayuri can only watch the whole fiasco go down with wide eyes and gaping mouths. “Taesuk,” Yeonhwa says, her voice hard like she’s channeling years of experience as a girl group leader, “what are you talking about?”
Taesuk gulps for breath. Junhee remembers him now. They were never that close, but Taesuk was pretty nice, from what he remembers. Junhee’s glad to see he’s doing well as the leader of ACE. Well, as good as possible, at the moment. “We were just dating for the publicity,” he confesses. “PR knows we hang out all the time, and since we’re both having comebacks, they…” He shudders. “You have nothing to worry about, Yeonhwa-ssi. Sayuri’s my best friend, nothing more. The one she always liked was you, anyway.”
Yeonhwa gasps. “So, do you mean, this whole time, we-” She gestures wildly, unable to say the words.
Taesuk nods.
“Holy shit, we’ve been so stupid,” Yeonhwa and Sayuri say at the same time. Sayuri laughs a little. Even after death, they’re still synchronized as they were in life. “So this whole time, she thought I just wanted to be friends?” She walks up to Yeonhwa, who doesn’t show any signs of seeing. She flicks Yeonhwa’s forehead lightly. “Unnie, you’re such a pabo! Baka! Dummy!”
Taesuk raises an eyebrow when Yeonhwa jumps slightly. The woman laughs, a little teary-eyed. “Nothing, it’s just… For a second, I thought I could hear Sayu-chan calling me stupid.”
“You’re stupid, but I still love you,” Sayuri says frankly. “Maybe we’re both stupid, but I’ll still always love you.”
“Sayu,” Yeonhwa shouts to the air, fearless despite the tear tracks still staining her cheeks, “if you’re still here somehow, and even if you’re not, I hope you’re listening!”
“I’m here,” Sayuri shouts back, even though Yeonhwa can neither see her nor hear her. Even though Sayuri is worlds away from Yeonhwa, it feels like this moment is theirs and theirs alone. Dae Hyuk laughs quietly when he and Junhee take a synchronized step back, both feeling out of place. “I’m here, and I’m listening!”
“Hayakawa Sayuri-san,” Yeonhwa shouts, “aishiteru wa!”
Sayuri beams, brighter than the stage lights. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes glistening. Just for this moment, she looks alive. “Park Yeonhwa-ssi!” She shouts back. “Saranghaeyo!”
Number 13 is smiling faintly, but when she sees Junhee looking over curiously, it instantly flips into a scowl. “I just think it’s sweet,” she mutters. “Even if romance is overrated.”
Junhee thinks there’s a story behind that, but this isn’t the moment to ask. It’s not like he’d be daring enough to ask anyways.
Yeonhwa’s chest is heaving after her loud confession. Even Minji is looking over with wide eyes, clearly not prepared for the revelation that her former ‘prime suspect’ is actually in love with the victim. “Sorry,” she mutters when she sees the cafe staff staring at her.
“Don’t be,” says the waiter with the different apron. Probably from higher management. He looks at her sympathetically, and the other staff look at her with varying expressions of sympathy, pride and pity. “We’re all happy for you for finally realizing, even if it’s a little too late.”
“Thanks,” Yeonhwa says. She laughs a little, her smile bittersweet. “Maybe it’s too late for us, but I’ll live for what we had. I’ll live for her.”
Sayuri’s high seems to have faded now, her smile dimmer, but her eyes still bright. She turns to Number 13, who is trying to make herself look as cool and professional as possible, even though Dae Hyuk and Junhee are both visibly emotional. “Thank you for letting me have this,” she murmurs. “Maybe it’s not real. Maybe it’s not permanent, but still. Thank you.”
Number 13 clears her throat. “Now, Hayakawa Sayuri, are you ready to go?”
Sayuri nods. “Yes.” She looks back at Yeonhwa one last time. “I’ll miss you, unnie.”
It’s like she’s purposely avoiding having to say goodbye.
The jeoseung saja turns to the pink-haired idol. “Son Dae Hyuk? Have you decided on a wish yet?”
“I want to stay with Junhee-sunbaenim,” he decides. “My wish is to stay with Junhee-sunbaenim until he gets tired of me following him. Unless sunbaenim wants me to leave, then I'll leave."
Number 13’s face twists into something almost constipated. “Did you put him up to this?” She asks Junhee.
"I haven't said a word to him!" Junhee splutters. "I don't want you to leave, by the way." Dae Hyuk grins, clinging to the older singer. I want to be a good hyung to the little brother I've always wished for but never had.
The jeoseung saja looks inches away from killing them both on the spot. "Clearly, he's been spending too much time with you," she decides. "I shouldn't have accepted that deal," she mutters, "the two of you, with your inane demands." She brandishes her black book of names, and Junhee takes a step back, pulling Dae Hyuk behind him. "I should take you both to the afterlife right now," she threatens, "physical body or not."
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"I have insurance," Junhee protests. "Really!" In his head, he desperately calls out to Crow-ssi! Back me up here, he thinks, you're the one who should be talking to your mom, not me!
The cafe door swings open again with a violent jingle, and once again, Chung-jae's protests go ignored. "Taesuk-ah, you can't just go running off like that!" A familiar voice shouts. "At least wait for me next time instead of just ditching me in the middle of the road!"
Junhee and Number 13 both whip around, and Junhee gasps a little at the sight of Hyunjun with windswept, messy bangs and a sleek biker's jacket. He's not entirely sure why his heart is beating just a little bit faster at the sight of his best friend, but it's not like Hyunjun in a leather jacket is an unwelcome sight, right?
Hyunjun looks around and spots Junhee, who can only offer a wave that's shyer than he would like. Sayuri grins from where she's hanging around him, nudging him in the ribs. "He looks cute in leather, don't you think?" Junhee gives her a noncommittal grumble, too busy watching Hyunjun introduce himself and Taesuk to Minji to think about superficial things. Subconsciously, he pushes Dae Hyuk further behind him. "Oh, come on," Sayuri complains, "at least one of us should have a successful relationship, right? We're the Idol Ghost Club! You're the only one who can make it work!"
"Noona, I didn't know you're also a 2Jun shipper," Dae Hyuk confesses. Neither of them are willing to explain what 2Jun is when Junhee asks, but by the way Minji is looking from her notebook to Hyunjun's face with knowing eyes, he thinks he might be able to guess.
"I'm gonna-"
Sayuri and Dae Hyuk nod eagerly. "Go sunbae!" Dae Hyuk cheers.
"Hey, Hyunjun-hyung, what a surprise!" Junhee tries to smile casually like he hadn't been teased moments ago for being caught staring. "What are you doing here?"
Hyunjun's expression softens at the sight of him. "Tae and I were grabbing groceries together when we heard the news. And you're here with Miss Detective - Ahn Minji, was it?"
Minji nods cordially. "It's nice to finally meet you, Polaroid Boy."
Hyunjun steps next to Junhee, not quite looking at Minji but somewhere behind her. It's almost like he's looking at Sayuri and Dae Hyuk. And Number 13, maybe. "Thanks for taking care of Junhee." Faintly, Junhee can feel an arm snaking around his waist, but surely it's because Hyunjun has always been rather affectionate, and Sayuri's squealing and giggling means nothing? "I'll have to leave him in your care for a while longer, though. Things are…" His grip on Junhee tightens like he's making a statement, but Junhee himself isn't quite sure who to. "Not quite safe for him at the moment."
Minji throws a few pretend punches, grinning weirdly. Junhee knows that face - it's the one she makes when she knows something he doesn't, and she intends to hold it over his head just to watch him protest. "Don't worry, Hyunjun-ssi. I know my martial arts, I can protect Junhee just fine."
Somehow, Junhee thinks Hyunjun's words weren't quite directed at Minji. Minji moves on to question Taesuk if he's seen any stalkers lately, or better yet, Sayuri's stalker. Hyunjun keeps looking over in Dae Hyuk and Sayuri's direction with narrowed eyes. "Hey," Junhee murmurs just to check, "whatcha looking at?"
"N- Nothing in particular."
"Your ears always twitch when you lie," Junhee points out. He gives Hyunjun’s ear a gentle flick, watching it twitch again at the touch and turn pink at the tip. "It's a bit of a dead giveaway."
“Really, jagiya, I’m not looking at anything.” Hyunjun pinches his cheek in retaliation, mercilessly ignoring Junhee’s whining protests. “What, were you jealous?”
“What the- Aigoo, of course not! What do I have to be jealous of anyway?” Junhee really isn’t usually this easy to fluster! It’s all Hyunjun’s fault!
“Jagiya, jagiya, deny it all you want but I’ll always call you my jagiya.” He makes kissy noises at Junhee, who tries to evade the other man but remains pinned in place by the arm around his waist.
Junhee clamps a hand over Hyunjun’s mouth, squawking in surprise and pulling away instantly when the other man kisses his palm with a smirk. His cheeks are burning red and way too warm. “Hyung, what the hell! That- That’s-!”
Hyunjun just laughs, stealing the two-second opportunity to plant a brief kiss on Junhee’s forehead, the latter immediately clutching his forehead with wide eyes. Distantly, he can hear Sayuri catcalling him, and Yeonhwa seems to be watching the two of them like they’re characters in a K-Drama. From across the room, Number 13 facepalms, gesturing in Junhee’s direction. But for a second, he could’ve sworn she was looking at Hyunjun… Come over, she mouths.
Junhee points at himself. Are you talking to me?
She shakes her head subtly. Not just you. That unfilial child next to you, too.
Unfilial child? She must mean Crow-ssi, but Crow-ssi isn’t hear, so does that mean-
Junhee looks at Hyunjun, looks at Number 13, thinks of the crow who’d been almost more desperate for Junhee to live than Junhee himself. He looks at Hyunjun again, noting the curve of his eyebrows, the sharpness of his jaw, his black-and-silver eyes. It couldn’t be… Or could it?
Hyunjun makes this nearly animalistic growl of a sound, glaring daggers in Number 13’s direction. “Can- Can you see her too?” Junhee whispers.
Hyunjun’s voice is so quiet Junhee almost misses it when the other man says “Yes.” The silver-haired man sighs. “I guess it’s around time I told you the whole truth, anyway. You deserve to know.”
He smiles at Junhee, not the crooked, playful one Junhee is used to, the one with a little bit of a fang peeking out that Junhee can’t help but find endearing. This one isn’t quite bashful, isn’t quite shy, but it’s something almost cautious. Like he’s scared of how Junhee will react. “Come with me?”
Junhee takes his hand. Hyunjun’s skin is soft against his calloused palms, and before he knows it, their fingers are intertwined like they belonged there. It’s almost funny how his mind acknowledges Hyunjun as someone from his past, someone he’s still gradually getting to know, but his body and his brain acts like he’s known Hyunjun his whole life. “Yeah.”