With Death gone, Minjae glanced at Fei and saw her look disheartened by the news.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfr6UPlfEg
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQxfFrN1hn
"Well, I'll go take a look around from above and tell you if I see her." He mumbled quickly getting his jacket too.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgahZAcqICb
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdB1X0xT73
"I'll look around her jurisdiction then. If she met this man, it must have been somewhere she worked."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZbZtky6WY
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX3NUIWKk8
They nodded at each other and left the library with the message that they will be back shortly.
"Why did they ask me to do this, what if she puts up a fight...?” Fei moaned to herself as she wandered the city. "I can't fight, I'm old..." she added feeling like protesting in the middle of the street.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB20wUQlwBW
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6eQYZQBDc
What was supposed to be a maximum two hours mission, ended up taking the whole day. With Hikaru, their only worker, in his messed up state they couldn't even do business right. And Death just left, taking no responsibility for the library. Minjae returned with his feet on the ground and they split to cover more ground.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAL9INdEkM
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KoswOgB1w
It was already dinner time when Minjae called Fei.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd6CprbGaC
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fvfNkxUmx
"I asked around and it seems she was last seen at a hospital in Dongdaemun. Let's meet there and check it out." He said and immediately hung up.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJSCknIItW
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsIHNT1lpl
Flying there and changing into his human form in a shadowy corner took just a few minutes. Minjae entered and went straight to the information desk. The nurses didn't expect someone so charismatic to appear in front of them, smiling cutely above everything else.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwswd3Qeikh
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijg0qNIFM7
"Can you help me with a name? I'd like to know if my...friend was brought here in the last 24 hours." He asked with a boyish attitude.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcmIjDqbK6
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGuBoYLcDZ
The nurse was flustered for a moment but nodded anyway.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbNbKmpTA2
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O5x1gXqhy
"Was he brought in a bad shape?"586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nBQJ0RW6w
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpS7nK6O8b
"...he was in the worst shape." Minjae replied not being a very good liar. "He must have been sent to the ICU as soon as he arrived."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaMACJjZD7
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9QWKF0QgB
"I'm sorry but I need to know his name in order to search for him in the database." The nurse informed him with a sorry smile.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxRIZ9PoXn
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6rgEdYw1k
"Ah, ok." Minjae bowed his head and had to walk away. He bit his lower lip and looked around the entry hall, reapers moving among humans. They were really easy to spot since they were black dots in a sea of colour. One of them must have seen the rogue recently.
"I'm hungry," Fei complained once more wanting to take a seat and not care for the reaper.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMfQz0nkBz
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxS0u30Zhq
After all, what was the worst that could happen if she didn't do the mission? No, no, she shook her head. She became too lazy to fight the authority and the last time she did, she was punished to live in seclusion.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsEnRNsKa7
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZoWndAEB2
"Where are you Number 898, formerly known as Jiah?" She sighed and stopped feeling tired and annoyed. "I hate this!" She complained loudly swinging her hands in the air.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhvstDTnlV
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9qfHLWgV7
People glanced at her as if she had grown another head.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo95KKB4xZu
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzgVcL3e4S
"You are being too loud."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp60plTxjT
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0twRGcIJke
Fei stopped and glanced over her shoulder at the subject. The reaper was dressed in her usual black clothes and she seemed very sad.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1zk7JtBRN
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCeZrCg2Ce
"It drew your attention." Fei stated as a matter of fact.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8iKJ06ONP
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbHdUEEcxI
"It didn't. I saw the raven and figured it's better to come willingly."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA6BX5A95q
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zvCFcJ9oZ
"Why? Do you really want to die?" Fei asked turning to face the reaper. "Ah, Jiah, I really didn't want to find you. Do you think that after working for so, so long in war logistics, I can't capture a reaper in this digitalized world?" Fei asked with a tinge of disappointment.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3JEw6mU3H
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Sa9eiTsFc
Jiah stared with her eyes wide and mouth agape, not knowing what to do next.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYdDHkXY2e
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMuNZZ6asL
"But Death-"586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7ze6PI97f
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40wEGdFA7B
"Death wouldn't be able to say anything if I couldn't find you...he'd give me a long lecture but not punish me. I'm already a slave anyway." She mumbled feeling like cursing the afterlife.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQZsLIpZly
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45e96Uipnw
"Then, what now?"586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarRfhKpjrB
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54vGnFWqKh
"You run, I follow you. We fight a bit and then you manage to get away. I'm not sure for how long because Death is everywhere and will eventually catch you." She was very blunt but it comforted the reaper. "Do you want a drink?"
It wasn't necessarily odd to see a woman standing on a bench on the park with two bottles of soju and two plastic cups. But it was weird seeing her drink and talk to an empty spot next to her.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxN6SYBQabH
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKmQr0Q52v
"Why do you want to help me?" Jiah asked sitting with her legs together and hands on her knees like she was being scolded.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zxKIzD2lr
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DUCxNzEtV
"This is not help, it's just buying you some time. I don't want to get immersed into your sad love story. I already learned my lesson." Fei replied taking a shot of soju. It felt refreshing.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QhsxTsBmO
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShGT47j1nm
"I heard. Your story is like a fairy-tale among reapers. You weren't even born on this land and yet you are forbidden to leave."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqFjYH4BZ2
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCnt03zKwo
"Yeah well, Greece is not what it used to be anyway so it doesn't affect me. The people that believed in me are all dead too so I am fine living here."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGhTgcjQx9
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvq5xtyrL0
"You have the raven, which must mean something." Jiah said and sighed sadly. "I died right before the change in dynasties. I and my whole family were so poor and we all died painfully, one after another. I witnessed people giving their last breath even before I became a reaper."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HNbeMYTey
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwqMHEk41c
Fei sighed and they clinked their plastic cups before they gulped down every drop of soju.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwFmaIytFQ
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlv4xIaTR4
"Why did you save this man? You know reapers can't take such decisions on their own." Fei asked what she wanted to know.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7N46xBxlGO
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmIm2zNtZB
"He's not the most handsome or the smartest or the most touching human I was appointed to, but he was so ready to die. I told him I can wait for him to finish all his earthly problems for a day but he refused. He just stood there by his bed and looked at his body. He didn't cry, he didn't cling onto me asking for a second chance like others do."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2bVKN3JhX
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmynBY3ZZht
"And yet you saved him. Death thinks you are in love with him."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOYkofHzrY
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvLuitshJE
"He is only 16 years old, how can I love him." Jiah said and laughed at the idea. "That's the age when my brother passed. He was the last one in my family to go before me. He was such a lively kid, always there for his noona and I couldn't do anything for him. I watched him struggle to take care of me. He was murdered by a lord because he stole some wood and garments for me. I felt so helpless watching him get beaten up until he died. He looked at me and smiled and that is my last and more poignant memory of him." She explained more and more tears dropping down her cheeks.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEPHz1EKIJ
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7o0UmfGLm
Fei didn’t say a word, she just listened which seemed to be what Jiah really needed.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ783gEtNE5h
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARuAkj9Age
"When I saw him on the list I couldn't believe it. It was like my brother was reborn only to have the same bad fate. Seeing him not regret and not feel sorry for himself, I just..." she looked down at her lap and closed her eyes as she cried. "If that means I have to be erased, then it's fine." She said through sobs.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6mwR610fq
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn34OWuJj5J
Fei leaned back and breathed out slowly. She was an empath and she couldn't help but be touched by the story. On the other hand, helping a rogue reaper was going to add years of slavery on her card and she already had many to come.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJw5AiIg3u
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoEVQWzKBf
Her phone rung and she questioned if she should answer or not. In the end, she didn't. She was sure Minjae was annoyed with it but that was irrelevant now.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rEhqRSGqb
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6BhMH0ErH
"Come on, get up. You should run before they find out I'm with you. Then they will come and arrest you for sure."586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZ91wWj7xZ
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6bdHY7BJ3
"But where can I go?" Jiah asked with worry.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFRIlkz7ZA
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrzxzW1Zr5
"The human you saved. He can keep you hidden for a while. Being around a person who is alive will work as a wall against you and Death. And you'll be able to protect him if Death comes after him again." Fei replied and both women got up.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRheIzYiQOX
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdGNSPGOAP
They looked at each other and smiled until a long scepter went straight through Jiah's chest. She became dust and vanished in the void.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8BCxnpkZ5
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHvWLtOhHn
Fei remained there frozen. The reaper was erased so quickly and out of nowhere. She blinked, still not quite sure of what she witnessed. And then something even more shocking happened. Death walked to her and slapped her really harshly. It was like a scene in a drama where the slapped character couldn't move or talk afterwards. His hand was a man's hand, maybe even stronger. It didn't cause Fei to fall but she did stumble and her head turned really fast from the slap. Her short blonde hair couldn’t hide the expression on her face and she didn't have the emotional state to look into Death's eyes.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23kFpZSOXX
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqimCj4BxkC
"Do not cross me, Fei. Just because your life was prolonged by a God, that doesn't mean you will not die in the future. That God isn't around anymore to save you so be careful what hand you bite." He scolded her in a voice that could scare even the biggest monsters.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BXECA7zuH
586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqShU11dMI
He faded away but she stood there, not moving a muscle in her whole body. She was angry and she wanted nothing more than to just disappear.
