🌾

#gyushuaskeleton

 

Unlike popular belief, life after death did continue indeed. It didn't stop once you had closed your Book of Life. Instead, you just...magically started another book entitled Book of Afterlife. Sadly, the living didn't know of such fact as they were too blind and too deaf to even acknowledge the existence of the dead amongst them.

 

(Mingyu fondly called them idiots.)

 

If the dead had shown themselves just for a bit, the living would hurriedly douse them with salt and holy water, and chanting weird language that they believed would make them disappear.

 

(Like those would ever work, heh.)

 

So, the dead chose to live their own way, minding their own (unfinished) business, not mingling with the living if not really, really necessary. Article III from The Underworld Constitution explicitly stated that whoever got themselves trapped with the living in whatever circumstance and reason should deal with that themselves aka you were on your own, period. Granted, some of the dead were too naughty to be tamed while some of the living were too curious to be saved. A perfect holy matrimony for never ending disaster.

 

Kim Mingyu was different as he had a good skull above his occipital bone. He was a respected resident of the old cemetery located on 17 Darling Street, near a quite little town. He had lived serenely with the others in their small, harmonious final resting place. As a prestigious gentleman, Kim Mingyu always tipped his high hat as greetings. He was polite and well spoken. His smile was always the widest (because he was a skeleton) and the most joyous (again, because he was a skeleton), it brightened everyone's day just by meeting him.

 

He was also an abiding citizen. Never encountered with the living. Never had the intention to even let himself be known to the living. He was satisfied for being an insignificant bony structure who enjoyed existing day by day around his mausoleum. Here in the Afterlife, he paid no tax, needed no job to buy his meal (because the dead did not eat like the living) (also, Mingyu did not even have the required organs to begin with), and never had to worry about materials. He had his grand grave that his family had built for him. He had his favorite black suit, made by the finest tailor from the finest silk, complete with his silk high hat and engraved walking stick. And, more importantly, his friends—right here in the cemetery where everyone was a part of their big family.

 

Mingyu was not that crazy to throw away this fulfilling life he finally had after he had kicked the bucket more than a century ago, but somehow he could not ignore a crying voice echoing in the silence of the graveyard. It came so suddenly, he had not prepared himself. Mingyu was only sitting on the grass near his mausoleum, staring absentmindedly at the night sky, when the crying sound appeared.

 

He remembered there was a fresh grave dug up three days ago. The whole cemetery was excited, wanting to know about their possible new neighbor. The town was small enough that the dead could somehow predict who would join their world next. Imagine their shock when their new neighbor was not only an unfamiliar face, but also a handsome, young one too.

 

“Saw his headstone. He's only 29!” Mrs. Park, the dramatic ghost, wailed. “A poor young soul has lost forever!”

 

“What are you talking about, Seohyun? He's joining us now. Why are you crying as if you're attending his funeral!”

 

“Oh shut up, Seungho, you boring old man!”

 

“Is that how you talk to your husband?!”

 

(Please never got fooled—Mingyu nodded—Mr. and Mrs. Park were a very loving couple, they chose to end their lives together anyway.)

 

Now, not as lucky as Mr. and Mrs. Park, it seemed that the widow of their new guy had interrupted the serenity of the dead. Not only Mingyu, some of them also roused from their peaceful slumber (or whatever the dead were doing during their active time, really, in this side of world, we never judged), murmuring and searching for the source of disruption.

 

“Him again,” Seungcheol rolled his eye. Yeah, the zombie still had his eye to roll even if it's only one.

 

“It's not his first time here?” slightly startled by the sudden appearance of his friend, Mingyu turned his bony head to stare at him.

 

“Nope. Three days our new guy being here, three days he wails like a screaming banshee.”

 

“Hey!” Jeonghan protested.

 

“No offense, Hannie.”

 

“Offense very well taken, Cheollie,” said banshee clicked his tongue. Even after death, Yoon Jeonghan was a mesmerizing creature. “And have a little pity. His husband just recently died. Surely, someone wailed at your loss like this when it was your turn.”

 

“Hardly,” Seungcheol scoffed. His rotten flesh emitting unpleasant sound every time he moved even just slightly. “When I died, my damn children couldn't wait to bury me six feet under to hear their inheritance. It's a satisfaction 'til this day to see their faces when my lawyer told them I left none!”

 

“Hmph! Best Dad Award, I guess.”

 

“Thanks, Hannie, I'm trying,” Seungcheol grinned, showing whatever tooth he had left. The floating banshee clicked his tongue.

 

Kim Mingyu ignored all the commotion around him. His focus was to the man who was still crying in the distance. They had walked silently for a bit, shortening said distance so that they could see him clearly. Hiding behind a huge trunk of a dead tree, the trio watched a figure sitting at the spot of the new grave.

 

“That's him,” Seungcheol whispered.

 

The figure had his upper body on the grave as if he was trying to hug his deceased husband. He was still wailing, did not even care about all the dirt his once fine shirt was accumulating. Their new guy—had introduced himself as Jeon Wonwoo three days ago—stood in silence next to his crying husband, face contorted into regret and sadness because he could not even hold him anymore.

 

“Why...,” he whispered. “Why am I a ghost...? Can't even wipe your tears away, can't even hug you...” His grip tightened. “And I once promised to never make you sad, Shua...”

 

“Oh, how sad...,” Jeonghan sighed. As a hopeless romantic, he hated this kind of tragic love. “If only Wonu-yah woke up as one of you two instead...”

 

“He is beside you!”

 

Jeonghan gasped, while Seungcheol had his one eye widened like a saucer. His friend the skeleton had spoken to Wonwoo's widow—a living being! Of course the living startled, then lifted his body to look around, searching for the mysterious voice. When the living focused on one particular spot, that's when Mingyu saw the face of the man.

 

Oh.

 

He's really beautiful...

 

“Who is there...?” unsure, the man asked. Voice thin and so soft to small cavities that used to be Mingyu's ears. A bit frightened, perhaps, as it was already night time and he was—as far as he knew—all alone.

 

Yet, Mingyu found himself answering the beautiful man.

 

“Your husband is right next to you, so please do not worry,” his voice was warm and gentle, like he was soothing a child. “He is sad seeing you like this, but even sadder because he cannot comfort you.”

 

Mingyu paused.

 

“He must love you so dearly, Child.”

 

Silence. Wonwoo looked at him with apparent surprise, while Seungcheol and Jeonghan with mouth agape and disbelief. They didn't want to be here when their friend somehow lost his mind and mingled with the living, actively breaking rule after rule from the Constitution. In a hurry, Seungcheol fled as quiet as possible, while Jeonghan flew away, disappearing without second thought. They left Mingyu alone with the couple.

 

After a while, the living spoke again.

 

“Who are you...? Please show yourself...,” he breathed out. “I....I mean, you can...see my husband? Is that true? Is W-Wonu with me here? Right now?”

 

So much questions. So desperate, our beautiful child. Mid 20s? Early 30s? Still, so young.

 

So young and already heartbroken to the core.

 

“P-please...please show yourself...I—I want to talk to Wonu, please...”

 

So pitiful and tragic...

 

“Promise that you won't scream?”

 

”...What?”

 

“Because,” from behind the bushes, Kim Mingyu jumped out. Appearing in his finest suit, silk high hat and engraved walking stick. He tipped the edge of his hat towards the living as he bowed slightly. When he stood back up, he offered his kindest, joyous smile he could muster up. “I am a skeleton.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“GGYYAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”