𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 • ᵐⁱⁿˢᵘⁿᵍ

Forgetting You 12.11

"Wake up." Someone shouts as they grip tightly and shake Minho's shoulders. "Wake up, now." They bark and Minho's eyes open wide. Throwing his body up and gasping for air, he finds himself standing once again in the hallway outside his apartment.

"W-wha-what was..." Minho's voice drifts off as it all comes back. "What was that? That isn't what happened then." He looks up confused at the hooded reaper. "I was never drugged, that drink never affected me, I never threw up on him, I—" His words get stuck in his throat as he remembers.

"I know some things had to be changed." The reaper interrupts, rubbing his face as if he's worried about something.

"How the fuck was that a memory then? If it was a memory, like almost all of that wouldn't have happened." Minho doesn't understand. Hyunjin told him to live it, but what happened is something different than what was the reality.

"Because you saw me?" Hyunjin says, throwing his hood back. "If you didn't see me during the drinking game then everything would've been as it was. Yet you did, so I had to change things slightly by 'drugging you'." He air quotes as he didn't really drug Minho, it was more of an enchantment. "Along with a few other factors that I have no control over."

"What? So was it a memory or not? Either way, Chan was a fake Chan. How am I meant to remember him when it's all wrong." Minho is desperate for answers. His world feels like it's falling apart with his heart ripped out and smashed in front of him.

Hyunjin's lips tighten before he exhales deeply. "It's... fate, it has a funny way of working."

"Fate? In a memory." Minho scoffs thinking he's going hysteric.

"Yes, fate. Things can only be changed so much but they'll eventually go back to how things are meant to be. You almost didn't meet him because you were distracted by me, so fate made it that you still ended up outside to meet him. Plus, he was there." Hyunjin adds the last bit in a small voice.

"He was there? He as in Chan?" Minho repeats the reaper's words thinking he misheard.

"Yes." Hyunjin says with a sigh.

Minho stares blankly as he runs a hand through his hair, stopping when he reaches his neck to tug down. "The..." He lets out a low chuckle, thinking he's going crazy. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"We need to keep moving." Hyunjin doesn't answer the human's question. Instead, he reaches for their hand.

"No!" Minho steps back. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Chan was there wasn't he? The same Chan that's currently laying dead in the fucking bathtub, right?" Minho screams as he points at the door to his apartment. A single tear slowly rolls down his cheek, choking up as he speaks. "The Chan in the so-called-memory w-was actually my mhm... m-my Channie?" He doesn't know if he's crying because he's happy or in pain. Sometimes it does hurt to be happy, like when you smile so much your cheeks begin to ache.

Minho sniffles. All the times he's talked with Chan about the paranormal he'd laugh it off. Never did he think it smack him across the face. Literally.

"I need you to listen," Panicking, Hyunjin grabs Minho's shoulders so the two can look at each other. He feels bad for the slap, yet he needs the other to focus "That wasn't completely him." Minho opens his mouth to say something, but Hyunjin shushes him. "We need to keep moving, keep remembering. Yes, something might change slightly, but it won't affect the next memory, and the ending is going to be that same. I need you to believe and trust in me right now. It's the only way for you to break free and forget, okay?"

Minho nods his head, rubbing his sore, red cheek.

"Good. Then let's go." Hyunjin opens the door to the apartment. However, inside it's not the apartment, it's a cafe.