Unsolved Case

THAT MORNING

28th April 2018, London, UK

*Beep* *Beep*

The alarm clock's shrill sound pierced through the room. Myra grunted, burrowing deeper under the covers. She hated mornings. The thought of getting late for work, however, was enough to propel her out of bed. "I hate Mondays," she muttered, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. She stomped towards the bathroom, unwillingly, to wash up.By the time she was dressed, it was already 8:00 AM. There was still time for breakfast. Enjoying breakfast in peace was a rare bliss, far better than rushing to catch the bus and metro while munching on a hot dog or a cheeseburger from Jack's stall. She started brewing her coffee, taking out eggs and bacon from the fridge."Yah!!"She flinched but continued preparing her breakfast, pretending not to hear anything."Yah!!"She grated cheese into her beaten eggs. Cheese was a staple in all her dishes, whether it fit or not."Yah, Kang Myra!!"She slammed the spatula on the counter, spinning around to face the voice. "What the hell do you want, Ashley!?"Ashley grinned, finally catching her attention. "Why do you keep avoiding me? It's not good to ignore your best friend," she pouted.Myra glared at her, wishing she could kill her with a look. "Hey, don't give me that I'll-kill-you look. You can't kill someone who's already dead," Ashley said, examining her nails. Myra's shoulders slumped, and she returned to making her breakfast."I cried rivers at your funeral, and here you are, making my life a living hell," Myra muttered.Ashley shrugged. Myra took a small portion of her breakfast and placed it in front of Ashley's picture. Ashley had told her that was the only way to feed her. Myra then asked, "Ashley, can you turn on the TV? I want to see the morning news."Ashley snapped her fingers, and the flat screen came to life.---**Breaking News**South Korean heartthrob, EXO's maknae Oh Sehun, is no more.*Thud*The coffee mug and breakfast plate slipped from Myra's hands, crashing to the floor. She stood motionless before collapsing to her knees. Ashley ran to her side, but her hands passed through Myra's body. She hissed, frustrated at the limitations of being a spirit.Oh Sehun had been missing for two days. Under pressure from SM Entertainment, a special investigative team was created to find him. His body was found in his car on the outskirts of Seoul. Police stated the cause of death was excessive bleeding. According to current reports, he had slit his wrists.The world mourns the loss of the highly talented actor and singer.Sehun's body will be delivered to his family and EXO members after the postmortem, despite his family's request not to conduct one.The screen showed the ambulance carrying Sehun's body into the hospital. Although his face was blurred, it was unmistakably Sehun.SM Entertainment released a statement that the funeral will be conducted in the presence of family and EXO members. Fans can offer their condolences at a separate funeral hall.Tears streamed down Myra's face. Ashley sat quietly, watching her best friend cry her heart out. Myra's face turned red, her voice choked from hours of sobbing. Ashley snapped her fingers to switch off the television as the news kept repeating.Myra curled into a ball, her phone ringing incessantly. But all she could hear was, "Oh Sehun is no more," playing on a loop in her mind.If not for Ashley, others might have thought Myra was a psycho for crying over a celebrity crush. But Ashley knew better. Myra's feelings for Sehun were deep, almost divine.Myra had left her life, friends, and country to live in South Korea, to breathe the same air as Sehun. She had dreamed of becoming a K-pop trainee under SM Entertainment, hoping to be close to him. She practiced singing and dancing tirelessly, determined to make her dream a reality. She auditioned for SM's global auditions in 2015 and was shortlisted for the second round in Seoul. The judges praised her, saying she was too good to be rejected.But everything changed when she saw Sehun making out with Irene in a dance room. Her heart shattered. She realized how foolish she had been to think Sehun would be single, waiting for her. She abandoned her dreams and returned to London, cutting off all ties with Sehun and EXO.After shutting herself off from the K-pop world, she faced another devastating blow: the sudden death of her best friend, Ashley. Ashley's spirit stayed with her, becoming her only companion. Myra had the ability to see and hear spirits, though she never explained why.And now, Sehun was dead.---Ashley watched Myra's phone ring again, going to voicemail. "She's going to lose this job," she sighed. Myra had taken the job to distract herself from thoughts of Sehun. Her parents had left her enough money to live decently, if not lavishly.Ashley switched on the TV again, curious about Sehun's case.EXO members are prohibited from speaking to the media. None of them have shown up at the hospital yet. Sources believe they are already inside, but nothing is confirmed. EXO-Ls are in mourning...Myra grabbed the remote, turning off the TV abruptly. She fetched water, ignoring Ashley's questioning gaze."The earliest flight to Seoul is at 4:00 AM. His funeral is the day after tomorrow, so you can be there in time," Ashley suggested.Myra looked at Ashley with dead eyes before turning back to her room."See him off, Myra. I know you want to. Bid him goodbye," Ashley urged, snapping the TV back on.Sehun's sudden death has shocked the Korean showbiz. In respect, K-pop idols have halted their activities. Sehun's movie, Catman, has been delayed once again...Myra couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed her jacket and phone, leaving a confused Ashley behind. Ashley sighed and dissolved into thin air, reappearing next to Myra."I thought you loved him."Myra froze. Ashley teleported in front of her, making eye contact."What do you mean!?""Of all people, you should be there to see him off. They closed his case without a proper investigation. Don't you want to know what happened? Do you really believe he committed suicide? What drove him to such an act?"Myra remained silent. Ashley was about to pull her hair out in frustration when she decided to drop the bomb."He's not at peace, Myra."Myra's eyes widened. "Ashley, if this is a joke...""It's not. I saw him among the crowd of fans when you were sleeping. He stood there, blankly watching his body being taken into the hospital."Myra knew Ashley was telling the truth. Being a spirit, Ashley could see other wandering souls."But...""You should listen to her, young lady."The voice startled them. They turned to see a middle-aged woman dressed elegantly in black. Myra knew her. She often appeared abruptly but never explained why. The woman could see Ashley, yet she was different from Myra."How have you been, Myra? It's been a long time," the woman said, stopping in front of her.Myra scoffed. The woman turned to Ashley, who waved in greeting."Why are you here, Seraphina?" Myra asked coldly.Seraphina clutched her heart dramatically. "I'm touched you remember my name."Ignoring their looks, she cleared her throat. "I'm here to knock some sense into you, something this spirit hasn't managed." She pointed at Ashley.Myra looked incredulous. Seraphina continued, "Everything Ashley said is true. But even if you don't want to meddle in his death, you can still pay your respects."Myra and Ashley exchanged glances. When they looked back, Seraphina was gone, leaving a black business card with her name engraved in gold."Fine, let's book two tickets to Seoul.""Why two!?""You're coming with me.""I'm a ghost, Myra. I don't need a ticket."---Myra bowed before Sehun's picture, placing a red rose beneath it. Ashley didn't come inside, preferring to interact with Korean ghosts and search for Sehun's soul if it was still wandering.She whispered, "When I left Korea, I never thought I'd return for your funeral. If only I knew then what I know now, I would have signed the contract and confessed to you."She wiped her tears and stood up. As she exited, the aura of her presence attracted wandering souls. She pretended not to hear their questions.Ashley suddenly appeared, startling her. "Ashley, you'll be the death of me."Ashley pouted, but Myra was unmoved."She can see us.""Who?""Hey, girl! Can you help me?""What's your name?"Myra started sweating as the voices grew louder. She was about to faint when Ashley snapped them away. "Hey, get out of the way! Do you even know who she is? She can make your afterlife worse than hell."Myra gave Ashley a what-the-fuck look. Ashley shrugged it off, and the souls scurried away.As they walked out, Ashley noticed something. "Oh dear...""What?""Fans won't leave him, even in the afterlife.""Are you drunk?"Ashley pointed. "He has ghost saesang fans."Myra saw them, girls her age chasing after Sehun's spirit. Her jaw dropped."Girls, please. Leave me alone."The moment Sehun spoke, Myra's breath hitched. That voice... she'd never forget that voice."Oh Sehun!" she whispered.Sehun's spirit looked up.