Pairing: Wong Kunhang (Hendery) x Kang Gaeun
Word count: 1.29K
Songs: Au/Ra, Alan Walker - Ghost, Kailee Morgue - Ghost of Mine, Jacob Tillberg - Ghosts

Gaeun picked the lock with ease and walked into the apartment. She unconsciously smiled a the familiar sight and how nice it felt to be there.

She took her time walking around, her hands tracing the edges of furniture and lingering on walls. Eventually she made her way to what was once her and Hendery's shared bedroom. All of her stuffs were clearly missing, there was no trace that it was her bedroom once anymore. It kinda stung, but she chose to ignore that feeling and walk around the room. The lack of her belongings made her reluctant of touching anything.

Still, she didn't hesitate to dive headfirst into the soft pillows, thankfully remembering to take off her glasses beforehand.

"I still remember the smell of your perfume," she commented aloud, breathing in the sweet fragrance. She found it ironic, she wasn't able to forget that smell for months, it hadn't left her since the last day she saw him, but it was so much more real now and she realized just how much she missed it. Finding comfort in it she somehow succumbed to her tiredness and fell asleep.

Gaeun woke up after two hours. It was already dark by then but the apartment was still eerily empty. She slowly made her way to the kitchen while checking her phone. She opened her messages but there was really no point. She only had a few contacts saved and only one that actually called her. And the last time that happened was in October.

She put her phone back in the safety of her pocket and stopped to consider what she should do next. Her stomach growled and she begrudgingly grabbed a bowl and took a bottle of milk from the fridge. 

Hendery found it difficult to even walk up one set of stairs much less four that evening. But the elevator was currently out of use and he had no other option. Thankfully he would be able to rest for a few days because the mission he just completed was really successful.

However, all the plans of much-needed rest went out the window once he stepped inside his apartment.

Suddenly all feelings of exhaustion and fatigue were gone and his whole body was on edge.

"G-Gaeun..." the word escaped his mouth before he even processed what he was seeing and his grip on his bag loosened, causing it to fall to the floor with a loud thud.

Gaeun was just eating her dinner -  both of their's favorite cereals. She was a bit shocked as well but she quickly recovered and swallowed another spoonful before discarding the meal.

"Hey, Hendery. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I might as well have..." he mumbled to himself, just inaudible enough for Gaeun not to hear.

"What?" Gaeun asked, tilting her head innocently and pushing her glasses upwards.

"I must be dreaming, because I don't believe in ghosts," Hendery answered her, the shock finally subsiding a bit. He tiredly rubbed his face and sat on the couch.

"What are you doing here, Gaeun? I thought you left. For good this time," he heavily sighed.

"Well, I'm back," she shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

"Well, why?" he retorted.

"You know I'm like that."

"Like a ghost?" he challenged. "Yes, I know. You keep fading away, but why do you come back every time?"

"I missed you," she confessed, finally meeting his eyes.

He chuckled ironically. "Why did you leave in the first place then?"

"Look, it haunts me to be this way as well!" she defended. "I- I get scared. Of your job, of ending up alone. But every time I try to move on and live normally it just doesn't work. And I end up being scared of never finding someone like you and being alone again," she took off her glasses and wiped the tears forming with the back of her sleeve. Seeing her tears and puffy eyes, Hendery couldn't help but get up and get closer to her, try to comfort her somehow.

Still, aside from offering comforting touches he couldn't do much else. It would be wrong to whisper sweet nothings to her now if they really were that -  just nothings. Hendery was always more than honest with her.
And maybe it was partly his fault they were like that. Their relationship was shaky from the start because he was the one that brought in fear of what came with it right in the beginning. "Don't you think it's gone cold?" he carefully asked. "This whole thing. We're not what we used to be, Gaeun. And I'm clearly no good for you."

"No..." Gaeun desperately shook her head. "I'll do better this time. Really. I can't be without you, I'm sure of it now. Are you really going to say you're completely over me?" she looked up at him with her big teary eyes.

He let out another sigh, rethinking her words. "No, of course not. You're always taking up a fracture of my mind, you ghost of mine."

She smiled and snuggled her head into his palm that was already resting on her cheek.

"Good. Because I know I should leave you alone but... It's just not likely. I love you, Hendery."

She stood on her tippy toes and claimed his lips with hers. It took him only a second to respond to the kiss and take control of it. Intertwined, they fell together on the couch and continued their make-out session.

It was already pitch dark outside by the time they stopped and finally started talking again.

"Will you promise not to disappear again? No matter what happens. Because you do know I can get the guys to track you but... I don't want to force you, I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me and stay trough everything that includes," Hendery whispered to her while they lied on the couch, cuddling.

"I'm not running away anymore. You're too deep inside my skin. I see your face everywhere, I keep finding myself walking down your street... I swear I barely even sleep without you. And... It's not obsession, it's regret. I keep regretting leaving you and hurting you and I end up hurting even more. So no more of ghosting you, no more of that. I'm here to stay. Trough everything from now on."

"Oh Gaeun..." He pressed his forehead against hers.
"I love you so much. I promise you got nothing to be scared of. You should finally meeting the gang though. You're a part of the family now and we protect each other."

"Are you sure... That they'll accept me? I mean with me disappearing a lot, they'll probably-"

"Geaun," Hendery cut her off. "I know. I know what you're thinking. But you'll be okay. We will be okay. You're not alone, you never will be, even if you don't want to be with me anymore? Do you understand? You can't ever be alone, I'll always be here for you, even if it's just as a friend."

He desperately looked at her, searching her eyes while she was avoiding his gaze, desperately trying to blink away he tears.

"But what if something happens to you? I'm scared of that too," she confessed in a meek tone.

He laughed hearing that. "Seriously, Gaeun? Don't you know what organization I'm a part of? NCT. We're not rookies anymore. Don't talk nonsense. Even if something goes wrong, I have twenty others backing me up - nothing will happen to me. Or to you, if you choose to stay right now."

She nodded her head eagerly, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.

"I'm a ghost who keeps hunting only you anyway. So I'm not disappearing anymore."

"Perfect," he said before leaning in for a kiss.