Being dead isn't exactly like Hyuka thought it would be.
For one, he thought he would stay dead.
Waking up on an autopsy table was certainly a shock. Being blinded by the white ceiling lights was even more of a shock. The biggest surprise of all, was not being able to feel the last stitch get sewn into his body. He didn't move as the medical examiner continued to work on him. His eyes blinked a few times as he struggled to process everything.
When the doctor turned around, Hyuka lifted his head. He looked down to see his torso covered in a line of stitches. He then tried to see if he could wiggle his fingers and toes. He could. His skin looked ghost white. He was definitely dead.
The doctor started coming back so he decided to play dead again. A white sheet was being pulled over his body. Hyuka heard his table being wheeled to somewhere. It clicked that he was about to go into a shelf. He quickly sat up then ripped the sheet off of his face. "Please don't put me in there!" The doctor screamed. Hyuka begged "no! No! No! It's okay! I'll stay here! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't lock me in that box!"
"ZOMBIE!" The doctor reached for his phone in his pocket. It slid across the floor when he accidentally dropped it.
Hyuka got off of the table. He picked it up then offered it to him. "Here you go! See?! I'm friendly! Lock me in this room. I don't care! Just please don't stuff me in a box!" The doctor didn't move. Hyuka read the plate on the door. "Doctor Soobin Choi. Soobin! Can I call you Soobin?"
"THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE! ARE YOU GOING TO EAT ME?!"
"NO!" Hyuka hopped onto his table. It dawned on him that he was still naked when he saw his reflection on the surface. Embarassed, he grabbed the white cloth to cover himself up.
Soobin involuntarily laughed. This zombie was being modest even though he's seen literally every part of him. He hesitantly snatched the phone away from Hyuka's hands. He was still worried this guy was about to eat him. The zombie had the cutest grin on his face as he looked at his body. His feet kicked excitedly off of the edge. Soobin took a picture.
Hyuka looked up when the flash of light hit his eyes. "Can I see it?" Soobin flipped the phone around. Hyuka leaned over then grinned. "Still handsome! Even in death. Wait! How did I die?"
"Uh..." Soobin grabbed his chart then sat down on a stool. He wheeled the stool next to Hyuka so they could look at it together. While the zombie was looking at it, he kept an eye on him out of paranoia. "Alcohol poisoning I think? You had a concerning amount in your system."
"Really? I thought I only had one beer."
"What do you remember?"
Hyuka gave him the chart back. "I was at a club with my friends. I was the designated driver so I only had one beer because of it. I remember someone hitting on me. I can't remember his face though. Everything else is blurry. Do you think he killed me? Where was I found?"
"You were found in the lounge of the club." Soobin grabbed his laptop then sat back down. He pulled up the photo of Hyuka's back and showed it to him. "You did have a lot of bruises. The guy who you were seen with just said you like it rough." The zombie whispered something he couldn't quite hear. Hyuka looked really sad. Soobin placed his hand on top of his to comfort him. He felt very cold. "What is it?"
"I was a virgin... or at least I thought I was... I can't remember anything after that guy kissed me." Hyuka slumped back to lie on the table. He started to wish he remained dead. If he had, he wouldn't have to live with the fact that his murderer assaulted him. Soobin pulled up a photo then flipped the laptop around. Hyuka glanced over then went back to staring at the ceiling. "I don't know who that is. Probably the guy who killed me if you're showing me him."
"And you're sure you only had one beer?"
"Yeah. And I'm sure I was a virgin. And I'm sure none of this matters because it's his word against mine. You can lock me in a box now." Hyuka pulled the white sheet over his face. "I'm ready when you are."
Soobin called his best friend. Yeonjun Choi was an excellent cop and the only one he could trust with Hyuka right now.
The zombie grumbled "wheel me in."
Soobin liked it better when the zombie was cute. Depressed didn't look good on him. He dragged the sheet off of his face then sat beside him on the table. "What was your life like before that night? I want to know."
"No you don't."
Hyuka pouting made Soobin smile. "Try me."
The zombie sat up. "My life was pretty great. I traveled the world with my family when I wasn't in college. I had good friends. I was really happy..."
"What did you go to college for?"
"Psychology. I wanted to see if I could fix myself. Before I went to college, I was suicidal. I didn't try to kill myself but I didn't try to protect myself either. I just didn't care if anything dangerous happened to me."
"You didn't value your life."
"Pretty much. I was happier when college started. My roommate became my best friend. We did everything together. He was the first person I felt comfortable telling this to. I guess you're the second..."
Soobin squeezed his hand. "Thank you."
"It's pretty fitting that I die when I was finally okay. I don't know, maybe me coming back was the world's way of letting life kick my ass again. Some people weren't meant to be happy."
"I don't think that's true."
Hyuka scoffed. "Really? Why's that?"
"Because that isn't how people remembered you."
"What do you mean?"
"Your family came to confirm you were you. They told me how happy you always seemed to be. Your smile lit up a room. Something I've heard a million times. I never believed that was true until I saw yours. Happiness looks really good on you Hyuka."
Hyuka's smile came back. It faltered when the door opened. He asked "is that Yeonjun? The guy you were talking to on the phone?"
"Yeah it is." Soobin stood up to face his best friend. "Thanks for coming. Sorry, I didn't know you were sleeping before. This is Hyuka..." Soobin stood in the corner to await his reaction.
Yeonjun turned around. He looked at Soobin with a raised eyebrow. "I know? I was there on the crime scene."
Hyuka and Soobin looked at each other. Yeonjun's eyes remained on his best friend. Soobin asked "and...? You don't think seeing him like this is a little weird...?
"I've seen plenty of dead bodies before Soobin. It's only my job. Can I go home now? I have a really early shift."
Now Soobin was mad. He pointed at Hyuka and asked "HOW IS THIS NOT FREAKING YOU OUT?! HE'S ALIVE ON THE TABLE! HE'S NOT DEAD YEONJUN!"
The cop looked at Hyuka again. All he saw was a dead body on the metal table. Hyuka tried to wave. He snapped his fingers in his face. Even tried to kick him but the cop didn't react. Yeonjun turned back towards Soobin. "You've officially gone insane. I won't tell anyone about this but you clearly need more sleep than I do. Go home Soobin."
Hyuka asked "why can't he see me?" Yeonjun started to walk away so he yelled his name. The cop kept walking. Hyuka stood up. "YEONJUN WAIT!"
Soobin grabbed his arm before he ran out the door. He held it tighter to confirm Hyuka was really alive in front of him. "Why can't he see you?!"
"I don't know!" Hyuka saw Yeonjun's head disappear up the stairs. "YEONJUN WAIT!"
Soobin closed the door then sat them back down on the table. "Look. I don't know what's going on as much as you do but you were murdered right?"
"Yeah but what does that-"
"And you can't remember anything after your beer right?"
"Yes but-"
Soobin quickly ran another drug test. It confirmed Hyuka was drugged. The smallest amount was left in his body but the results were there. "I can reopen your case! We can figure this part out later. Help me solve this. Maybe you'll-"
"Finally die?" Hyuka crossed his arms. His depression sunk in again. "Yeah, I get it. I'm sorry I'm alive too. Sorry you're stuck with me."
"I was going to say, maybe you'll actually get to live." Happiness warmed Soobin's heart when that smile returned to Hyuka's face. He looked adorable. "Come on. Let's get to work."