Chapter Text
Jung Hoseok never believed in ghosts and spirits. Or more specifically, he never chose to believe in the paranormal since he was too afraid to think such things were lurking out there to get him, so when someone asked him about the topic, he always laughed it off as a joke while hiding his fear.
One Sunday evening, Hoseok was walking back to his apartment alone. He went to drinking with his best friend Namjoon earlier the day, and they were drunk and having fun until Namjoon realized that he actually invited his boyfriend Seokjin to join them but Namjoon forgot to pick him up at the bus station, leaving him waiting there alone for more than an hour. Namjoon left quickly to the bus station after paying for the meal and seeing that, Hoseok felt awkward to continue sticking around, and he felt a little tipsy after all the alcohol he chugged down his stomach, so he offered to leave early, leaving the lovebirds alone.
Before reaching the apartment he lived, he had to pass this one alley that he tried to go through as quickly as possible since it was narrow and dim, more so at night time, and that made him scared about the surroundings placed in the alley, even though it was usually filled with just used cardboard boxes. He turned on the flashlight on his phone and tried to walk through the alley in a straight line (since he was drunk), but then he accidentally stepped on something that made him almost lose his balance.
Looking down, he saw his left foot stepping on something peculiar--a red envelope like thing. Curious, Hoseok bent down and picked it up and examined it up close. It was a red packet, with golden patterns imprinted on it and the opening was not sealed properly. Hoseok opened the thing and emptied out the packet.
“A paper…? Hol’up I can’t read this, it's too small…”
Hoseok squinted and hold the paper closer to his eyes while trying to figure out whatever mystery was revealed on the paper when suddenly someone grabbed his arm.
“AH!! WHAT TH-”
“Sir!! We found the destinated one!!!”
“Good! Bring them over.”
“Finally!!! Now our boss will be satisfied!!!!”
Hoseok was terrified. He tried his best to struggle against the maniacs that just got him yet what he got in return was more people holding him down and pinning him to the ground. He started to yell as loud as he could to get attention and maybe someone nearby to get him the hell out of there.
“LET ME GO!!! LET ME-”
He felt someone use a finger and pressed against his lips firmly.
“Please be quiet...we are not here to hurt you.”
Hoseok was going to bite that god damn finger when the person spoke again.
“You are the only one, mister. Please listen to us...”
Hoseok grunted. He could have gotten away from this if he was not drunk and not being mobbed by such a huge crowd, but he failed to escape, and now the only thing he could do was to submit to this one person’s orders in order to not get killed.
“Fine! Just make it quick--wait, wait!!! Where are you bringing me!!!”
Right after the moment Hoseok said yes, the group immediately lifted him up, rushed to a grey limousine parked right outside the corner of the alley, and shoved him inside the limousine so quickly and closed the door.
Hoseok was panicking so hard that he tried to open the car door in every way possible, but as the limousine started to move he knew his efforts were futile. He turned and saw a person sitting on the opposite side. He was going to charge towards the person and knock him out when suddenly the person stood up and bowed. 90 degrees.
“I’m sorry mister...I should have told them to be gentler when bringing you in. ”
Hoseok recognized the voice---it was the person that told him “You are the only one” like 2 minutes ago. Hearing an apology with such a sincere bow, Hoseok suddenly felt like he could not get mad. Giving up his attempt to escape from the moving vehicle, he sat down on one of the seats and glared at the person angrily.
“What the fuck is going on anyway. I demand explanations!”
(...)
Hoseok could not believe that he had been brought to a mansion located in the most infamously expensive area of the province he was living in. First a limousine, now an 18th-century style mansion, what’s next? A pool filled with hundred stacks of banknotes? Hoseok rolled his eyes.
Besides that, Hoseok recalled the conversation he just had with Yoongi (apparently that was his name) and was totally convinced that he was into some deep shit that he was unable to escape.
Apparently the harmless looking red packet that Hoseok picked up for fun was a thing that this crazy rich family set down after talking and asking advice from several necromancers. An omen that determined whoever was the one who picked the red packet up was going to marry their son. Their dead son, so he could be less lonely in the other realm. And now since Hoseok was the lucky(?) person that picked it up, he would marry their son. Right on the day after this.
“He’s fucking dead!”
“I know.”
“Wait I’m a man, and I’m marrying their son!?! This doesn't even add up!!!!”
“I’m sorry, but you picked the thing up and I’m sure my boss won’t let you go that easily.”
“I’M A DUDE WITH A FUCKING DICK!!!”
“I know.”
The limousine finally stopped, and Yoongi took a sip of the champagne he was holding before standing up and opening the door for Hoseok.
“I’m pretty sure that young master would totally be fine with it. Anyway, we are here.”
(...)
Hoseok had started to doubt whether he was stuck in a dream or not. The moment he entered through the enormous doors, there were already quite an amount of maids and workers bowing at him, and he got to meet the couple that started all of this.
He was going to reject them when suddenly the lady knelt down in front of him which shocked the entire room.
“Finally...finally someone…now our tae tae will be happy...thank the lords...”
The lady was sobbing so hard that the man beside him had to help her to stand back up and wipe her tears while also wiping his own. Seeing such a miserable scene, Hoseok once again took back his anger and decided to hear what they had to say.
“Our baby was 18...too young...he always wanted someone to be his partner…” The lady started wailing again. “He even talked about it...how he should get a date before the day he left...oh tae tae…”
Hoseok suddenly felt bad towards the young, deceased son of them. He was supposed to be in an age when one could truly be free and go achieve every dream possible (and Hoseok understands that since he just went through the thrill last year), yet the grim reaper just had to visit early, leaving grief and sorrow behind on the poor couple.
Well, it’s a harmless request if it could soothe the couple’s heart and help them to get over the sorrow, Hoseok thought to himself.
“Alright, I will do it…”
Ghosts and spirits don’t exist anyways.
Hoseok shrugged and signed on the confirmation paper.
(...)
“AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Hoseok-ssi, screaming isn’t a good treatment towards your throat.”
“SHUT UP!! WHAT WAS I THINKING YESTERDAY?!?? MARRYING A DEAD MAN?!”
Hoseok threw the ball of tissue he was holding towards the wall harshly. It bounced back towards where Yoongi was sitting and hit him right at the back of his head before falling on the ground.
“Calm down, Hoseok-ssi. As the butler, I had to make sure this goes in the right direction my boss wanted it to be.”
Yoongi pressed him back to the couch he was sitting on while serving him a glass of water.
The wedding was going to start at any moment and Hoseok was seriously regretting his life choices. Especially the ones he made when he was drunk. This one in particular was the worst compared to the other decisions he made in the past 20th years. He was marrying a guy. A dead guy. There was no love, no emotions, no skinship, no whatsoever involved before this and now they are getting fucking married.
Heck, Hoseok could not even remember the name of the guy.
The parents of this guy paid a visit to his family, and Hoseok could not believe his parents agreed to the deal after seeing a single glance of a briefcase of money, and that he was quickly brought into this place so he would get married at the instant. Now he could not even escape since Yoongi was watching him, and if he were to burst out of the lounge and flee everyone would be out there giving him nasty looks which he would not want to receive at all.
“Who am I marrying again?”
“Young master Kim Taehyung.”
“Kim what?-”
Hoseok heard the dreadful tune of Wedding march and the next second he was already being dragged out of the waiting lounge and to the centre of the hall by Yoongi.
(...)
“Namjoon ahh hhhhnggggggggggghhhh what should I do…”
Hoseok cried out loud while holding a bowl of salad and chomped it down aggressively like there was no tomorrow, and everyone at the bar looked at them in surprise till Namjoon hissed towards Hoseok.
“Hoseok, did you bump your head against the wall yesterday? Are you sure you aren't making up nonsense?”
“I do not! And no…” Hoseok took the tissue Namjoon offered and blew his nose hard. “I was just curious yesterday night and today morning I got myself married to a guy that's freaking dead!”
Namjoon narrowed his eyes when he heard such a bizarre statement, but still chose to believe him since Hoseok looked dead serious right now. Not to mention he was really, really bad at lying.
“Once I get home...it's over...it will be set…”
Hoseok tugged Namjoon’s sleeve while looking at him with puppy eyes.
“Namjoon, can I live at your place instead?”
“No. Seokjin moved in a few days ago.”
“You guys can like, share a fucking bed or sumn?!”
“WHAT?! Dude, we ain't ready for such intimacy!!” Namjoon released himself as quickly as possible from Hoseok’s grip by smacking his hand.
“Whatever you say, cherry boy.”
Hoseok scowled and resorted to eating his bowl of salad.
What should he do now? He was the one that picked up this cursed invitation and now he had to pay the price. By marrying someone he never knew. Someone dead.
Weren't marriages supposed to be grand? Something that only happens once a life that could bring him immense joy and happiness, something that he devoted his love and life to the one he loved?
He ducked his head.
“Hey Hoseok, I don't really want to say this but...the responsibility is yours to take now,” Namjoon patted Hoseok’s shoulder and said, trying not to sound awkward. “And let it be alive or dead, you should at least try to solve the problem rather than running away. I can't lend out my place, but I will always offer you my support. In other ways, of course.”
“...thanks, Joon.”
Hoseok finished the last gulp of his salad and decided to head home. Namjoon was right, he should at least see what would go on now. Maybe it was all just a prank. Or maybe nothing happens. What could a dead man do anyway?
(…)
Hoseok went back to his apartment just to see Yoongi standing right in front of his apartment door with two other men. Yoongi was holding something covered in black satin with both hands, which Hoseok assumed was a portrait by the way he was carrying it. The two other men standing beside them were both dressed in black robes and holding a wooden box, with some other boxes beside them.
“Oh, you again,” Hoseok mumbled as Yoongi gave him a slight nod as a gesture to say hello. “What do you want?”
“To bring our young master in.”
“And?”
“...please open the door and wait here for a while.”
Hoseok sighed and unlocked the door, allowing the three in and waiting outside the doorstep, dare not to peek at whatever went on in his room. After some time, the three finally walked out with a slightly more relieved expression on their faces.
“Was it...done?”
“Yes,” Yoongi bowed deeply. “Please take care of our young master from now on.”
(...)
It is till now that Hoseok realized he had never seen the face of his supposed-to-be-dead husband that he already forgot whatever his name was. Throughout the wedding, Hoseok never attempted to lift up the veil nor does he think to do so since he could not even think straightly with all those people around him watching, their stares fixated on him. And now that portrait was placed there again, solemnly, with the exact same veil it had on this morning, the face still obscure and hidden under the veil.
Yoongi had nicely arranged the portrait in the middle of a small white wooden table covered with black satin while using white roses as a side decoration. There was also a sketchbook with different colours and sizes of heart stickers, and a plushie of a heart-looking alien lying there.
Hoseok noticed that the boxes Yoongi brought over were still there so he carefully opened one of them and saw that it was filled with manga volumes of Nodame Cantabile.
“What the...this thing is heavy as fuck. Does he even need these?”
Hoseok carefully moved the boxes to the corner and stacked them up so that he could save some space, then went to the bathroom for a really, really long shower. Since he lived alone, he was glad that the house was all quiet except for the sound of the running water, and he exhaled deeply after thinking about whatever happened in these mere two days. He stayed in there until he felt like his skin might dry and peel off eventually so he scooted out from the shower, get changed in his purple pyjamas and went back to his room.
Nothing had changed, not a trace of anything being moved. The flameless candle still remained its flare while the veil still sits perfectly on the portrait.
Hoseok felt like he should not do this, but he really wanted to take off that stupid veil now and take a peek at how the guy looked.
Just a look won’t hurt, Hobi. No biggie.
He carefully lifted the veil and saw a face that he totally did not expect. Since the photo was in black and white, Hoseok could not tell what exact hair colour he was in, but it was definitely not the natural color he should have. He looked rowdy, as from his face he seemed like he did not want to be in the photo at all; yet his face and the features still seemed perfect and it reminded Hoseok of those statues of Greek gods. And the fierce glare from his eyes only made him seem more charismatic. God does pick favorites, huh. Hoseok wondered how many people would queue up just to have a photo with this guy.
He put the veil on top of the boxes and decided that he should grab the unfinished book and read it before going to sleep, as he was starting to feel bad for the handsome guy--he totally did not deserve to die that early. But, what can you do? Fate is unpredictable after all.
Switching the lights to a warm white shade, Hoseok curled himself in the blankets while started to read the second half of “A tale of two cities” and soon, under the silence and the warm lights of the room, he felt like his eyelids were so heavy that he could not stay awake anymore so he closed the book, put it beside the lamp and ready to truly fall asleep.
(...)
He felt something was being thrown to his head. Something soft.
“..wh…-” Before he could turn his head, a book came flying in his direction and slammed right against his back.
He rubbed his eyes and turned his head, just to see something levitating in the air with some other books floating in thin air beside it. It was a man. A ghost that looked like a man, to be exact.
“Awake? So you’re that guy, right?”
It. Talked.
“W..wh..wh…are you...the...”
Hoseok then let out a loud scream that made the ghost wince, then he quickly hid under the blanket while not facing the direction of where the levitating thing was.
He could not believe what he had just seen in that one glance. It was no doubt-- he was clearly the person in the portrait. The handsome guy with an aggressive look. The one that was supposed to be dead.
His dead husband.
Turns out ghosts and spirits do exist at all.
Hoseok slowly peeked from the blanket, and he could see the spirit still levitating beside him. The books that were floating before were now messily scattered on the floor, and even the whole room was now in a mess that made Hoseok suddenly feel angry over nothing.
“Get out.”
The ghost seemed a little bit dejected after hearing that, as he bit his lip while looking away from Hoseok’s glare, and that somehow made Hoseok more pissed.
“I said get out…I don’t want such demons like you to be stalking me for the rest of my life!! GET OUT!!”
He had absolutely no idea why he was screaming towards thin air, but even by doing so, it did not make him feel any better. He threw the blanket in the ghost’s direction, rushed out of the apartment and slammed the door, breathing hard while trying to calm himself down from such an outburst.
He let out a yell of frustration. Luckily it was already late morning and most people had gone out of their homes, so there were no people who come running towards his direction while telling him to shut up. This is bad. He could see ghosts now, meaning that this marriage thing was totally legit for him and he could not simply ignore its presence as the ghost would be around at all times. Obviously resorting to physical means would not work at all on the ghost, as he was fucking dead, but maybe he could talk it out with him? Hoseok took some deep breaths and re-entered the apartment, this time closing the door gently.
As he was brushing up himself in the washroom, Hoseok thought that screaming into one’s face, let alone be dead or alive, was not a very proper thing to do. So, he decided to apologize first to him, then they could talk it out.
He even knocked on the bedroom door before peeping through the door and seeing how was he doing. What surprised him was that the room was all tidy now, much different from when he got awakened by that flying book, with the ghost now in front of his own portrait and staring at it.
Hoseok sneaked in the room quietly.
“Urrh..I’m-”
“I never asked for any of this. Never!” The ghost turned and faced Hoseok while rubbing his eyes with his sleeves. “You could have just rejected the offer, but I don’t even get to choose!”
Hoseok saw small drops of water on the floor in front of the portrait and realized the ghost had been crying, and his heart quickly became soft. The ghost was right, he really did not have a chance to choose anything since he was dead. All of these were arranged by his parents. If death for him was a way to be free, his parents just confined him once again without leaving him a way to escape.
“I’m...sorry. I really am. Can we...do this again?”
He felt guilty about how he just acted towards him.
The ghost ran his hands through his orange hair, his eyes still red; but he quickly shifted towards a wide grin instead and sneered.
“Yeah, whatever. You probably don’t even remember my name anyway.”