Chapter Text
Chapter 1
The sharp buzz of the alarm cut through the cold morning air. A hand stuck out of the blankets nearby, picked up the alarm clock and threw it against the wall. The clock bounced off the wall harmlessly and continued ringing on the floor, like some sort of screeching zombie from hell.
Hyungwon groaned and forced himself out of bed. He padded over to the alarm clock and turned it off. He hated the damn thing and how it refused to break, but it was the only thing that could get him out of bed.
Well, he was out of bed. Hyungwon checked the time on the hell clock. It was 8 am. He groaned again. Whoever had thought up morning classes was either soulless or a robot.
He dragged himself to the bathroom and made a mental check of the day's schedule while he washed up. A class at nine, another at eleven thirty, and he was done with university for the day. He'd meet up with Changkyun for lunch, and then start the afternoon shift at the store.
Hyungwon got dressed, and then took a look at himself in the mirror. Small, pretty face with large eyes, beautiful lips, and short dark hair. Handsome matched with everything, he was told, but that didn't mean he should dress like a hobo. He had on a pair of black skinny jeans that made his long legs look even longer, and a light soft knit sweater in snow white. He wore a long dark blue coat to keep off the February chill, shoved some gloves in his pocket and some bread in his mouth, and he was ready to face the outside.
The outside in this case was the thin alley that led to the block of two-room apartments, one of which Hyungwon lived in. His apartment wasn't much, but it was warm. It was freezing outside. Hyungwon blew out his breath through his lips and watched as it misted in the winter air. As he walked down the street he put on his gloves, and then took out his phone and earphones.
Taeyang accompanied Hyungwon in his ears as he reached the main street. He crossed, and then Crush started up as he waited for the light to change at the next crossing. And as he listened to lines about love and fate, someone tapped on Hyungwon’s shoulder, and he turned around.
Hyungwon knew he was good-looking. He'd been told so all his life, he'd be an idiot to think everyone was lying to him. He was a good-looking guy, and he knew another good-looking guy when he saw one.
The guy who'd tapped him on the shoulder was more than just regular handsome. He looked about Hyungwon’s age, in his mid-twenties or younger. His skin was so white and flawless it almost shone in the morning light. His hair was a dark, rich brown, cut short on the sides and roughly pushed back. His lips were the sort of pink so many cosmetics ads strove for, and his dark eyes radiated warmth.
Hyungwon took one earphone out. “Yes?” He was much nicer than he usually was to someone who interrupted his music.
“You shouldn't do that,” the handsome stranger said. “Walk around with headphones on. It can be dangerous.”
Hyungwon was oddly touched, but kind of offended as well. He could take care of himself without help from strangers, no matter how attractive they were. “Thanks,” he said, keeping his tone polite, “but I think I'll be okay.”
“I’m serious, though,” the other man said, and he looked like he meant it. “You should be careful.”
There were a million snipes in Hyungwon’s head in reply to that, but the guy sounded so sincere that instead he nodded and pulled his earphones off. The stranger smiled at that, and Hyungwon did not regret his decision.
The light turned red, and the two of them crossed together. On the other side, the stranger turned left while Hyungwon turned right, and he felt a little twinge in his chest to see him go. There goes a storybook meeting that ended up in nothing. Regretful, but typical. Hyungwon wasn’t really a pro at romance, anyway.
He’d walked a little way down the sidewalk when he realized his earphones were tangled up in one of his coat buttons. He stopped where he was and started untangling them. He stood still by the side of the road, head down, hands busy.
Hyungwon didn't hear the people yelling, or the screech of the bus tyres until it was too late. He didn't even feel the impact, which was a blessing.
White. Everything was white. Why was everything white?
Hyungwon blinked once, twice, and then brought his hands up and rubbed at his eyes. His hands felt curiously light. Every part of him felt light, like he was floating.
“Chae Hyungwon?”
The voice was soft, pretty, but still definitely male. It was the voice someone took when they talked to a sick or emotional person.
Slowly a figure distinguished itself from the pure white. It was a man, a young, pretty one. He had soft features, and soft blonde hair that fell across his forehead. His eyes were large and expressive, and he was dressed in all white– loose, white trousers, and a figure-hugging white top. His flawless, pale skin reminded Hyungwon of a morning memory that seemed so long ago.
“That’s me,” Hyungwon said. His lips felt numb. “Where am I? What's going on?”
But even as he said it the answer came to him. Hyungwon stared wide-eyed at the blonde stranger, and his expression confirmed it.
“Yes,” the man in white said. “You were hit by a swerving bus. I'm sorry.”
Hyungwon continued staring as thoughts rushed through his head. “But I told Changkyun I'd meet him for lunch,” he said finally.
“I’m afraid you'll have to miss it,” the blonde stranger said with an apologetic smile. “You’ll be missing all your appointments.”
“Are you trying to be funny, you wannabe-angel?” Hyungwon snapped. “I’m not in the mood for jokes. In case you can't tell, I'm dead. That kind of dampens a person's sense of humor, so forgive me if I don't break a rib laughing.”
The assumed angel glanced around, panicked. “That’s not supposed to happen,” he said awkwardly.
“What, most dead people like jokes about being dead?” Hyungwon asked sarcastically.
“No, you shouldn't be so emotional,” the angel said, still awkward.
“I shouldn't be emotional? I died!”
“Exactly, you should've left most of your emotions behind with your body,” the angel. A scroll which definitely wasn't there before was in his hands. He opened it up and read through it. “You’re definitely Chae Hyungwon? You sure?”
“You’re asking me?” Hyungwon was in disbelief. “Yeah, I'm me. I'm pretty sure.”
As the man in white peered at his scroll, the reality started washing over Hyungwon. “I can't believe I'm dead,” he said aloud. “So much stuff I never got to do. And now I never will. I'm only 22, damnit.” He stopped and corrected himself. “I was 22.”
“Hold up,” the angel said suddenly. “You’re 22? You should be 38.”
“I’m 22,” Hyungwon said. “I’m pretty sure about that too.”
“That’s not what the list says,” the blonde said, shaking the scroll. “Chae Hyungwon, born 1978, due to die today.”
“I was born in ’94,” Hyungwon said slowly, “not ’78.”
“Oh,” the angel said, and then, “Oh.” And then once more, “Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Well I have some news.”
“Let me guess,” Hyungwon said acidly. “Some idiot made a mistake. I'm not really dead.”
“I’m not an idiot,” the angel said indignantly, and then cleared his throat again, gathered himself and said calmly, “Congratulations 22-year-old Chae Hyungwon. You're alive.”
Hyungwon tried not to let it show, but relief rushed into him when he heard those words. He was alive. He was alive. It was like the reality of death only reached him after he’d realized he was alive.
“If you'll wait a moment,” the angel was saying, “you’ll be back in your body in a moment.” He smiled again, looking sincerely sorry. “I hope we don't see each other again for a long time.”
Hyungwon wanted to get one last word in, but he suddenly couldn't speak. A numbness had set in all over, and he felt impossibly light. He was floating. He was floating back to his body…
The sharp buzz of the alarm cut through the cold morning air. A hand stuck out of the blankets nearby, picked up the alarm clock and threw it against the wall. The clock hit the wall and broke into pieces, and there was silence.
Even in his half-sleeping mind, Hyungwon celebrated. He'd finally defeated the demon clock.
He pulled his body out of bed and walked into the bathroom with his eyes still closed. But when he reached for the sink he found nothing but empty air. Confused, Hyungwon rubbed his eyes and opened them.
He was not in his bathroom. He was not in any room in his apartment. He looked around, confused. He was in someone's apartment, but not his own. Hyungwon started walking around.
The apartment was bigger than his own, and neater too. The kitchen was well organized and pristine. The bathroom looked like a horde of strict cleaning ladies had been through it.
Where the hell am I? How did I get here? Hyungwon thought of the last thing he could remember. He was walking to university, there was a cute stranger, and then… and then…
Hyungwon passed by a mirror on the wall, and then stopped dead in his tracks. Had he just seen his reflection…?
He turned back to the mirror, looked into it, and almost fainted.
The face looking back at Hyungwon was not his face.