The Ghost of You - A YokAyan Story

Chapter 1: Is he a Ghost?

AYAN's POV

"I wish you were still here, Akk," I thought to myself. It has been six years since Akk passed away, but his memory still lingers with me every day.

Today marks the beginning of my adult life as I start my job as an art studio assistant, after graduating from Suppalo High School and a year after graduating college. I can't help but imagine how wonderful it would have been to share this experience with Akk. The thought brings a smile to my face as I imagine us preparing for work together.

Thoughts of what could have been and all the possibilities interrupt my mind, but thankfully, my phone rings, breaking the chain of thoughts.

"Are you about to leave for your first day of work, Aye?" Thua asks on the other end. I reply affirmatively, and he continues to chat, telling me that Khan has also left for his first day as a high school physical education teacher.

If someone had told me five years ago that Khanlong would become a teacher, I would have laughed at the sheer impossibility. But people change, and so do our friends. The passage of time and the shared grief over losing Akk have shaped us, making our friendship stronger. We have become a tight-knit group, always looking out for one another. We often spend Thursday nights together, catching up and having dinner, despite pursuing different paths in life. Wat is in the film industry, Thua is a writer, and Namo works at a bank. Interestingly, it was Khan and I who took our time deciding what to do after college. Eventually, Khan pursued his passion for sports, utilizing his varsity experience, while I followed my interest in art and my management degree to pursue a career as an art assistant hoping to eventually be a manager. Our friends were thrilled with our choices. It hasn't been an easy journey for any of us, and most of us still see a therapist to help us manage the grief we feel over what happened to Akk.

I arrive at the art studio where I will be working, fifteen minutes before my scheduled time. Thankfully, the traffic wasn't too bad. I met the manager, Film, who will be overseeing my work. She is responsible for managing six artists, and I will be working as one of the assistants under her. The other assistants are already working with her other artists, and she informs me that she will assign me to a recently signed artist in the studio. Film gives me a brief overview of my tasks and hands me an iPad, stating that it will be my holy grail, containing the artist's schedule, my duties, and everything else I need to know. She spends the morning introducing me to the administrative staff and showing me around the studio, but she has to leave unexpectedly due to an emergency. Before leaving, she instructs me to introduce myself to my assigned artist, Yok, in Studio 6.

As a newcomer to this environment, I feel a bit hesitant and uncertain whether I should knock on the door of the studio or risk disturbing the artist. However, courtesy and politeness prevail, so I knock before opening the door. As I navigate through the scattered cans of open paint and various art supplies on the floor, the artist, Yok, turns around to see who has entered. In that instant, it feels as if a bolt of lightning strikes me, and I stumble into a can of red paint. Unaware of the mishap, my eyes are fixed on one person, and I softly whisper, "Akk."

YOK's POV

I was engrossed in putting the finishing touches on my latest painting when I heard a hesitant knock on the door. Gradually, the sound of footsteps drew nearer, prompting me to turn around and see who it was. To my amazement, I was greeted by the most breathtaking person I had ever encountered. As an artist, I am accustomed to witnessing beauty, but this individual surpassed anyone I had ever seen, even surpassing my good-looking ex-boyfriend Dan. His eyes showed surprise and a range of indescribable emotions as they met mine. However, he stumbled and fell into an uncovered can of red paint. Reacting quickly, I rushed to his aid, relieved to see that he only got a small splash on his pants and some paint on his hands as he tried to break his fall. As I helped him up, he whispered in a strained voice, "Akk."

Akk? Whose Akk? I wondered, feeling puzzled.

Concerned, I asked, "Are you alright?" I still held onto his arm as he seemed a bit unsteady. Strangely enough, I felt an unusual comfort in holding the hand of someone I hardly knew. It felt as though we were meant to connect. He continued to gaze at me with eyes filled with emotions, though I couldn't be certain if those feelings were truly directed at me, given our recent meeting. Clearing my throat, I interrupted his daze. Once I was confident he could stand on his own, I released his arm and repeated my question, "Are you alright?" This handsome man stood slightly shorter than me, but his radiant presence was undeniable. He timidly nodded and apologized, "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." I couldn't help but smirk at his words, as they sounded like an overused pickup line.

He then spoke with more composure, asking, "Are you Yok?" Confirming with a nod, He introduced himself as Ayan, saying he prefers Aye and that he is the new assistant sent by Film. "Oh, yes. Film mentioned something about that, but it slipped my mind," I replied. He nodded again and inquired about my lunch preferences so he could fetch it for me. It struck me as odd how deeply affected he seemed by my presence, and I had a strong intuition that he felt a connection too. I requested a simple burger and fries, along with a large root beer since I usually didn't eat much while working. He appeared surprised particularly with my drink choice but remained silent. As he headed towards the door to retrieve the food, I couldn't resist asking, "Aye? Who was he?" He turned back, his eyes filled with confusion, seeking clarification. "The person you mistook me for?" I added. After a hesitant pause, he shook his head and replied, "Someone I loved, but he is no longer here," before leaving the room.