When Shadows Fall | BTS Kim Namjoon

Chapter 18: Ghost that Doesn't Sleep

I looked up as Park Doyun stopped in front of me. I quit scrolling through my emails and gave him my attention.

"Try to hurry up with that article," he said brusquely.

I bowed my head. "Yes, sir."

He looked at me sharply. "Who is Seong Hajun?"

My chest squeezed, unable to handle the suddenness of the question. "Why?"

"Someone mentioned his name in connection with you."

I breathed in very deliberately, trying to ease the tension in my chest. "He was my boyfriend."

"Was?"

"Why are you so determined to know?"

"I..." he stopped, thinking something over, before shaking his head. "Did you split up? Maybe he became possessive, stalked you?"

My brows wrinkled. "What are you talking about? He was killed." My matter-of-fact tone grated on my own nerves.

His face went pale. "What do you mean?"

"He was shot in the head, okay? Who talked to you about him?"

He walked off, not answering. I stood up, intending to follow him and find out what he was on about, but before I could catch him the two boys called to me. "Really? Killed? By who? Why?" they clamored.

The lump that had been threatening to form in my throat tightened. I felt like I was going to choke.

"We don't know."

Even after all this time...

I extricated myself from the boys' inquisitiveness and strode to the bathroom. After I verified that there was no one else in the bathroom, I took a deep breath.

It was easier, now that I was alone in silence, to keep myself calm.

Two months was enough time to give me some reconciliation to Hajun's death, but not enough that I could be completely calm about it. And I still wanted to know – who had killed him?

I couldn't let go and have peace when the question still nagged at me.

I looked at my face in the mirror and gave a small smile. Maybe I couldn't have peace, but I would be fine.

Everyone has ghosts, right? Mine was a lively, lovely boy named Seong Hajun.

*

Walking along the path, I looked around the park. Spotting green hair, I headed to the tall man sitting on a bench.

"Hello," I called.

He turned and his eyes crinkled, a sign that he was smiling even though I couldn't see it through his mask. "Hi, Chunhwa!" He rose to his feet, then stood there awkwardly as if he wasn't sure why he'd stood up.

"How are you?" I said, taking a seat on the bench. He sat down next to me.

"Good. Busy, but that's normal. How about you?"

"I'm fine."

"So, if you don't mind my asking... what happened with your boyfriend? How did he get killed?"

I glared at him, than was distracted by his green hair. In my opinion, it was just a bit too much. "You know, the pink hair was better."