BETELGEUSE

CHAPTER 18

Sky entered and stood in front of him.

Sky: "Sir, I want to do my job again."

Boss: "Show me your face first."

(Sky looked up)

Boss: "Ohh! So you are finally back. Of course." His boss stood up and came towards him.

Sky: "What condition?"

Boss: "You first have to give me some quality time. Did you understand what am I saying?" He hugged Sky from back. Sky nodded for yes. From the very next day, he started to do his job again. One day, when he came back, he saw Sujin there.

Kimshine: "He has been waiting for you for 2 hours."

Sky: "Did he ask for my job? Don't say you had already told him."

Kim: "He asked, but I did not tell. Now go and talk to him."

(Sky nodded for yes and went towards Sujin)Sky: "Why are you here now?"

Sujin: "Can I get some personal time with you?" (Sky looked at Kim Shine.)

Sky: "Is there any empty room here?"

Kim: "Yes, that corner one."

Sky: "Sujin, come with me." (Sujin followed him wherever he was taking him. In the room, Sujin and Sky sat on the bed.)

Sky: "Now tell me, why are you here?"

Sujin: "I am here because of these papers, Sky."

Sky: "Which papers?" (Sujin gave him the papers.)

Sky: "What are these?"

Sujin: "Divorce papers."

Sky: "So this is your last decision?"

Sujin: "Yeah! It feels like."

Sky: "Let me bring the pen for signing."

Sujin: "Wait. Before signing, can I ask for something?"Sky: "Yes, you can. Go ahead."

Sujin: "I want to kiss you. Can I?"

Sky: "No, that is not possible." (After saying this, Sky left and came back with a pen in his hands.)

Sky: "You will sign first, or should I?"

Sujin: "You do it first." (Sky signed the papers and gave Sujin the pen. Sujin first looked at the papers, then the pen, then Sky, and signed the papers. Handed the papers to Sky and left the room while crying. Then they both started to lead a normal life, but after 1 week, when he came back, Kim Shine told him that...)

Sky: "Where were you?"

Kimshine: "I am going to tell you something."

Sky: "What? Tell me. Hurry."

Kim: "The boy who came to meet you 1 week ago died because of suicide."

Sky: "What? When?"

Kim: "Maybe in the morning." (Without saying anything)Sky stood in front of his boss's desk. His hands were shaking as he held a letter.

"Sir, please," Sky said softly. "Someone very close to me just died. Can I please leave work to go there?"

The boss looked up with a cold face. "Oh? Do you mean Sujin, your ex-husband?"

Sky looked down at the floor. Tears came to his eyes. "Yes," he whispered.

The boss sighed and waved his hand. "Fine, you can go. But do not use this as an excuse to be lazy. You must come back and finish your work before it gets dark."

"Thank you, sir," Sky said.

He ran out of the building. He asked Kim Shine to drive him to Sujin’s big house. When they arrived, the house looked completely normal. The green grass and the big doors looked just like before. It did not look like anything bad had happened inside. Sky walked up the steps with a fast-beating heart and rang the bell.

The security guard opened the door. He looked surprised. "Oh, Mr. Sky..."

"It's me," Sky said quickly. "Let me in."

Sky pushed past him and ran up the stairs. He went straight to the main bedroom. But at the top of the stairs, he stopped. Two police detectives were walking out of Sujin's room. They were holding papers and plastic bags with evidence. They looked at a photo of Sky in their hands, and then they walked over to him.

"Are you Sky?" the main detective asked. "What is your relationship to the man inside?"

Sky could numbers breathe. "We signed our divorce papers just one week ago. Please, tell me what happened to him."

The detective looked at his papers. His voice was serious but kind. "A maid found him dead on the bed this morning. It looks like he took too many sleeping pills on purpose. We found empty medicine bottles on the table. He was also holding your photographs tightly in his hands. It seems he was very sad and heartbroken."

Sky felt dizzy, like the whole world was spinning. "Where... where is his body?"

"The body is still on the bed. The police truck is coming to take him soon," the detective explained. "Because he died suddenly at home, the law says a doctor must examine the body carefully. We have to do a full investigation to make sure no one hurt him. After that, we can give the body back to the family for the funeral."

Sky walked into the quiet room. He smelled a strange, cold scent. Sujin was lying still on the bed. His body was completely covered by a white sheet. Sky walked over with shaking legs and pulled the sheet away from Sujin's face.

Sujin's eyes were slightly open. His face looked like he was in a lot of pain when he died. Sky broke down and started to cry loudly.

"You idiot..." Sky sobbed, falling to his knees next to the bed. "Why didn't you just tell me you needed me? Why didn't you talk to me?!"

Sky felt so much sadness and love for his past husband. He leaned over and gave Sujin’s cold lips one last kiss. "I am so sorry, Sujin... please forgive me."

Sky stayed alone in the quiet room for an hour. When he finally walked out, his face was pale. Sabrina was standing in the hallway waiting for him.