Forced?

The flowers he was arranging dropped on the floor.

Ray froze, as he watched the footage and aftermath of the plane crash.

Wasn't Elliot supposed to be on a plane today?

That shouldn't have been his flight... Was it?

But the timing of the crash seemed too… Coincidental? The flight details seemed... like it rang a bell...

Ray took out his phone and started checking all the emails and texts that Elliot sent him.

Flight FA730.

He looked at his phone, then the tv, and back at his phone again, unable to comprehend the series of letters and numbers on both screens.

The letters and numbers looked similar. It was just the font... Right?

God, let it just be the font. Or just let his mind be playing tricks...

He didn't want to lose a loved one again... He barely survived the last one...

His phone rang.

"Is this the family of Elliot Lim?"

"I'm calling from FA Airlines. There has been an incident on the flight your husband is on..."

Ray's heart sank and a pit formed in his stomach. He couldn't understand anything that the other party on the phone was saying. It all sounded like gibberish...

"Please be assured that we will do our best to look after the family members of the passengers. You can reach out to us at this number..."

###

Somehow, Ray found himself walking into a large hall filled with the grieving families of the passengers, accompanied by his friend, Caitlyn.

She had come by the shop, intending to gossip about the plane crash. Then spotted a frozen Ray sitting on the ground. Knowing the only person who could shock Ray to such an extent was Elliot, she tried to inquire why he was like that, only to find out what had happened via a phone call that Ray was too dazed to answer.

Surrounded by the grieving families demanding answers from the Airline Management, Ray burst into new tears.

He still couldn't believe Elliot was gone.

That infuriating, arrogant, basket case, who had accompanied him through some of his hardest times (and also forced him into marriage) was now gone due to a plane crash...

That wasn't fine at all.

Didn't Elliot promise him never to leave him alone after his parents died?

Didn't Elliot promise that he would be here with him forever?

What was he to do now that Elliot was gone?

Elliot had been looking after him the entire time. All he had to do was look after his flower shop and bask in his company.

Ray knew he was broken that he counted too much on his friends and Elliot. But he couldn't help it. He was somewhat broken emotionally after everything that had happened in the past.

Finding a corner, Ray sat in the dark and collapsed, crying.

He just wanted his best friend back.

###

Elliot squatted next to Ray, trying, and failing, to give him hugs of comfort.

He wasn't sure if Ray could make it out of this in one piece.

Ray was always the emotional one, from when they were kids, and he was bullied. From the time when his father committed suicide, and his mother died from cancer. Ray was always the one that needed support, and Elliot was the one that provided it.

He may have 'forced' Ray into marriage, but that was due to the wishes of Mommy Ray. When Ray was dozing off next to her deathbed, Mommy Ray had made Elliot promise to look after Ray for life.

Mommy Ray knew that Ray had many issues. She was worried that Ray would not survive her death and had made plans for Elliot to look after him.

Of course, knowing that Ray was stubborn, she made him (Ray) swear, that he would marry Elliot.

Ray, who was always the obedient son, had agreed and then registered for marriage with Elliot.

Regardless of how the marriage had come to be, Elliot had always looked after Ray, financially or emotionally, Elliot always put him first. But now, he was gone, how was he to look after Ray now?

Watching the person he promised to look after break down in front of him, Elliot didn't know what to do.

He wanted to reach out and hug him. But his arms went through Ray's body. Ghosts couldn't touch humans after all.

At least not just after they died.

Maybe if he was powerful enough?

Could he look after Ray from the afterlife? Make sure he finds happiness and someone else to look after him? Maybe after that, he could leave and let himself get reborn?

He had a promise to keep, after all.