Reaped // Minhee Fic

5

"I never even thought..." Lotte looks out onto the harbour. The light off the water makes her sigh, "he joked about it once but I never thought he would actually die you know?"

Minhee stands next to her. Sand digging into his feet, his shoes and socks being held by his hands. They watch the sun move across the horizon of buildings. The orange has been stained blue. The waves creep onto the white sand. In front of the towering skyscrapers is Circular Quay, its boats waving in and out of the bay. He enjoys the smell of the flora guarding the beach; Minhee doesn't know much about Australian flowers but he recognises wattle when he smells it.

"I know I'm not gonna be invited to the funeral. Even if I am, I don't wanna go." Lotte squats down, shoes next to her. She holds sand in her right hand, feeling each grain she has picked up. So dry, so scattered, so light; She loves it. "Just seeing him would be torture. Not that he meant that much to me, but he meant much to me for such a short period of time. A few months." Lotte dusts off her hands, the smell of sea salt wafting through the beach, "it's weird to think that last week we were watching a movie together and I asked him out and now he's dead. I should've been more there for him." The wind hits. Her oak hair flutters. Sand scatters through the land, hitting her thin body. Her skin grows goosebumps.

Minhee places his shoes on the beach. He sits down, legs out, watching the ferries cross the water, listening to her fleeting words. "I bet asking him out would've made his day," he replies, his voice as warm as a cup of hot chocolate, "or just going to the movies with him you know? I think you did your best to make a great impact on his life."

Lotte giggles and looks at the man. This is the first time, she thinks, that he looks not just good-looking, but handsome. His blonde hair, his sharp square lawline, his eyes that capture andromeda and his thin lips. And the turtleneck he's in makes him look stunning, especially the cream-coloured wool. Lotte likes to think he's the moon personified, if that isn't too cheesy to say: Serene and calming. "Yeah, I know I hope I did but I- I don't know, something's telling me that maybe I should've called him up or...It sucks that I don't know much about his death as a close friend." Minhee hears birds hum as the woman takes out her phone. She sits cross-legged, back upright. Her cropped shirt tugs at her waist as she reads out the words on the screen, her voice small. "'Man found dead in apartment with multiple stab wounds. Death ruled as suicide,' he must've really hated himself if there's multiple," she giggles, then in a flash she cheeks drop, "what the fuck am I doing; This isn't even funny. He told me about some of his problems but I did not think they were that bad to stab himself so many times. If he was alive then I would just...barge into his room and just go off at him. I told him to see someone, god." Tears line her eyes. The wind blows sand into her hair and face. She doesn't care, "but I'll never get any opportunity to talk to him again." They continue watching the ferries, "sorry that I'm like... dumping all this info on you I know we only met like-"

"Oh no it's okay!" Minhee smiles, head turning to Lotte, "this is the least I can do to help someone mourn." He takes in the salty air, "he sounded like a great person to you and you sounded like a great person to him. I bet he's peacefully resting in the afterlife."

"You think there's an afterlife?" Lotte hands her head low, a tear falls onto her baggy jeans.

"I know there's an afterlife," he answers before rambling, "and even if I'm mistaken, I like to think so since...you know it's a bit depressing thinking nothing will happen after death."

"Yeah you're right. He is resting well, maybe playing Pokemon or Persona on a switch or something," her eyes are puffy, a tear falls, "god, I wanna dry my eyes but the sand."

Minhee chuckles at her words. They stare onto the harbour. Even though it's far, he spots people climbing the harbour bridge. They look like ants, championing such adrenaline. The wind runs. Lotte puts on her black hoodie. She notices the wharf near them, the ferry that's docked is dropping people off. Next to them is a zoo, on the hill. She smiles. She remembers visiting that zoo all her childhood. The Reaper spots her round face. Her cheeks are as round as apples, as red as apples too (Minhee doesn't know if the tint is natural, blush, or sunburn). He likes them, they remind him of Hyeongjun's own. He likes her eyes too: They're not a bright, light green but a dark green. A forest hue. He has never seen oculars as dark as hers before. And her round lips, wow they're pretty. She's pretty, Minhee thinks.

She breathes in the view before noticing Minhee looking at her. Her eyes grow large.

"Oh sorry I-" he stammers then smacks his lips, "I just like the hoodie. The bunny ears are nice."

"Ah thanks!" Lotte's apple cheeks rise, "it was on sale and it was comfy. One of my friends calls me Bunny now cause I wear it so much."

"Cute nickname."

"God I know right he has the best names," she laughs.

Her eyes then sharpen, as if a lightbulb switched on. Her eyes scan the ground, lips firm and together.

"It's weird how Wonjin didn't leave a suicide note though."

And just like that, Minhee becomes as stiff as a statue. If the wind howls even a tiny bit in his direction, then he will be knocked over. "Wonjin? Is that his name?" Oh fuck.

Minhee's heart tightens as if there's a metal cage shrinking onto it. His breath hitches. His eyebrows rise whilst his eyes dilate.

"Yeah, Wonjin Ham. It's so pretty," Lotte smiles, meeting his eyes, "I just feel like he was one of those guys who would write a note you know- Like he really enjoyed writing."

"Ohhh I see, what did he do at uni?" Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

"English, though he enjoyed movies and books he never really liked his major but I can't blame him. He said to me it was to get at his parents so... Sorry I'll stop talking about him now. I said all I had to say and I know I'll be talking about Wonjin to other friends and family," she rambles then laughs, "you look uncomfortable."

The man does, actually. His eyes are large, his ears red. Mouth open, blood pumping. His breaths are short. Minhee stares at her, then chuckles in between coughs, "oh I'm- I'm just caught off guard you know. I don't think the police should've ruled it as suicide then."

"Yeah same here," Lotte pulls up her phone again, "shit it's already 8am. Wanna get a coffee again? We could hangout at the zoo if you have the money? I love the seal exhibit."

"You got nothing on?"

She stands up, Minhee follows, "Have to be somewhere at 6; You?"

"Nada, let's go." I hope the caffeine calms me down.