"We live; we feel; we hurt. The world makes no exceptions."

                                                                                      -Balthazar Getty

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Hoseok's voice broke the fragile silence that had surrounded the annoyed spirit only moments before, his blue eyes rolling in annoyance as his eyebrows jumped up.

"So, you've finally decided to stop pretending like you can't see me?" Jin asked in a snarky tone, gaze hardening as he watch the former warrior clench his jaw in anger.

Ah, yes.

Hoseok.

When Jin had first become a spirit, he was terrified, lonely. No one could see him, no one could hear him or touch him...or at least that's what he thought....Until one day he caught the young gardener's wide eyes lingering on his ghostly figure for a second too long.

He could remember how relieved he felt that someone could see him, that someone would finally be able to speak with him...He was wrong...or at least that's what Hoseok wanted him to believe. As soon as the ghost approached him, he turned a blind eyes, ignored him, never once spoke to him or even glanced in his direction....Jin thought he was crazy at first, that he had imagined it....But then he learned the truth.

You see, mortals cannot see ghosts or spirits.....well, most mortals...

But there are exceptions.

Being a ghost meant the Seokjin had a lot of free time on his hands, which he mostly spent in the library, reading anything that he could get his hands on....it would take every once of his strength just to pick up a scroll and read it..

He was alone. Which meant that he had no one to explain to him what was going on...so he began to search for himself, reading everything he could about spirits of the past and how they can move on from this terrible limbo of loneliness. That was the day that he stumbled upon something very interesting...

Mortals can't see ghosts....However there are exceptions...

Only two people can see spirits...The Oracle...and the person who was responsible for his death....A.K.A. Jung Hoseok.

"Now, you listen and you listen good, spirit." Hoseok spat out. "I know exactly what you're planning and I will not allow you to fulfill your sick wish!"

Jin frowned, rolling his eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Hoseok."

The former warrior sent him a hard glare, taking a step forward.

"I know about the ritual." He stated.

Seokjin froze under his intense gaze, his mind soaking up the words that had just been spoken to him.

"Did you honestly think I wouldn't figure it out?!" He continued.

The handsome ghost hardened his expression.

"You should mind your own business and stay away from me." He smirked. "After all, you've been doing it so well for all these years."

Hoseok took another step closer, his chest beginning to heave in anger.

"This is madness and you know it!" He exclaimed. "She will never go through with it!"

"She won't have a choice!"

The young gardener pulled on his hair angrily, his frustration growing.

"I'm tired of being like this!" Jin reasoned, extending his arms out. "I can't touch. I can't live. I can't feel. I'm trapped in a box, forced to watch as the world moves on without me. I'm stuck here. Alone. Captive to my own thoughts.. I can feel my last bit of sanity slowly beginning to fade away...It's Hell and I can't take it anymore!"

Jin's voice came out in an almost pleading tone, his blue eyes watering as he stared at his outstretched hands.

Hoseok frowned...He could not imagine what kind of pain that Jin must have had to endure...and all because of him...All the pain and suffering...was because of him.

"I know." He sighed heavily. "But, if you decide to go through with this, you will be forcing her, an innocent soul who has done nothing wrong, to the same fate that you now face....Could you really do that to her?"

Jin's expression instantly changed, his eyes darkening in an unidentified emotion as he tightened his jaw.

"Yes." He spat. "Yes, I could...Without hesitation...and it is all because of you that she will become like me."

Hoseok swallowed hard, already knowing where this was headed.

"None of this would have to happen if you had just allowed me to live peaceably!" Jin continued. "But, you killed me, didn't you? And because of that I am now forced to lure an innocent into my arms and subject her to this hell!"

The young warrior shook his head, pointing an accusing finger at the spirit.

"Do not blame this on me." He growled. "You do not know anything! You can't even begin to know the truth about what happened to you!"

"Then tell me!" Jin roared. "I know you know! Why do you insist on hiding it from me!? It is my life! I have a right to know!"

The young gardener shook his head once again.

"I cannot tell you and you know that." His tone deepened. "But, if you even think about laying one finger on Y/n, I swear I will-"

"Y/n?" Jin scoffed out. "Now you're on a first name basis with her?"

The black-haired man rolled his eyes.

"Seokjin," He started, ignoring his question. "You stay away from her....You're able to see the world around you, able to watch from afar as the world goes on, you have a chance that most spirits do not have-"

"It's not enough!" Jin fumed. "It's never enough! I can't- I can't experience the things that living people can! I can't fall in love or start a family! I can't even leave the palace grounds! A simple brush against the living isn't enough anymore....I can't continue being just a cold spot in the courtyard or a whisper of breath that is never heard! I need more! I need- I need to live again!"

Hoseok watched as Jin's chest heaved, his golden-brown eyes never leaving his upset figure as the ghost wiped off stray tears that had fallen away.

"And that girl-" Jin continued. "The Oracle.....She is going to help me do just that."

The black-haired man crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'l just tell her. I'll warn her about your plan and-"

"And what?" The spirit snapped. "We both know that you won't say one word...because if you do...You'll have to explain to her exactly how you know of my reasoning...You'll have to tell her that the only reason you can see me is because you are the one who killed me....Could you do that? Could you admit to her that you are a murderer?!"

Hoseok swallowed hard, his gaze falling onto the floor as he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides.

Jin smiled smugly to himself at the gardener's state.

"I didn't think so.." He hummed. "Don't worry, Hoseok....It won't hurt her too much...In fact, it will be over in an instant....all she has to do is say five words: Kim Seokjin, I release you."

The former warrior stayed silent as his head hung low in defeat, chewing on his lip in frustration.

He felt sick-disgusted. He was a failure....He wanted nothing more than to save you from the dark scheme that Jin was luring you into...But he couldn't bring himself to tell you the truth...not only about his past, but also about....greater, more important things.....Things that could change everything that he had come to know....Secrets that he had managed to keep locked away in the deepest, darkest parts of his hardened heart.

"How could you do this to her?" He whispered out, raising his gaze to meet Jin's. "How could you betray the only friend you have ever had?"

"I have to do this." Jin replied. "I can't go back to being by myself."

"She can see you! She can touch you! You aren't alone anymore-"

Jin cut him off.

"You know as well as I do, that as soon as she marries the Emperor, her powers will begin to fade...She won't be able to see me...or feel me...I'll be back exactly where I started...Alone and helpless....I can't go back! This is my only chance- She is my only chance!"

Hoseok frowned at his words.

"She won't marry him. Not after what he did to her."

Jin laughed sarcastically.

"Don't be so dense." He scolded. "She is a stranger in this land. She had nowhere to go...and nowhere to run...All Jungkook has to do is snap his fingers and she would be dragged down the aisle, forced into his waiting arms. He is the Emperor and she is nothing but a woman...and the sad reality is that women mean nothing in the eyes of men."

Hoseok tightened his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut at the thought.

"He doesn't deserve her." He spat.

"And you do?" Jin questioned with an amused smile. "Please. You're a murderer and a liar...The only thing you deserve is a blade through your heart..." (A/n: TFK war flashbacks.)

Hoseok's eyes hardened into a glare.

"She won't fall for it...even if I say nothing...Even if I don't warn her...she isn't stupid enough to fall for your little, foolish game...She's smarter than that."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong." Jin chuckled darkly. "You see, in the end,

everyone falls for Mr. World-Wide Handsome."

A/N,

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

YOU GUYS THOUGHT JIN WAS NICE?! HA! PLEASE! YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW ME ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT I DON'T DO "NICE" MALE LEADS!!!!!!

As you can all see, I have, once again, managed to defeat writer's block! I have missed you babies!!! UwU💜💜💜💜

ALSO

I have entered TFK into the Wattys for 2019....I am extremely nervous and excited to see what comes out of it...please continue to support me and my work.

Alright, enough chit-chat.

I love you.

I adore you.

I purple you.

I'm out!

-Max