Seoul, December.

The city is as bustling as ever. Perhaps a little livelier with eager smiles of people, mostly heading toward where their loved one is with presents in those paper bags of theirs. On the contrary, a man in his black trench coat releases a sigh at the sight, making his way through the crowds. Albeit not denying that it’s a pleasant mood the city is having, he doesn’t really know how it feels. Or at least, he doesn’t remember. Actually, he’s not sure which. He just can’t relate despite wanting to.

Putting the thought aside, he checks on the note paper he has in hand. A name of a woman on it, and a time that shows today. 25^th December 2013, 20:17. Not stopping in his tracks, he checks on his silver wristwatch. 20:09. Shoot, he’s going to be late for the job.

The male picks up his pace, running, almost, taking up the ladder of a quiet apartment’s outdoor emergency stairs and stopping at the 5^th floor. He knows that it’s where he should be. A window is half-open, familiar stench is wafting through the escaping air. Wasting no more time, he makes his way in through the opening.

“Good evening,” he voices out, trying to find a figure in the dark. A body is on the floor with slit wrists, blood oozing out and making a small pool on the floor. It’s no surprise that this particular shade of color is the one that always welcomes his presence. He steps closer, crouching to take a look. She’s still alive. His watch displays 20:14, she has three minutes left.

“Such beauty,” he murmurs, gazing at the pale visage. Is it that because death is so close to her, or is it because of the faint moonlight adorning her face through the window?

“It is a shame…” the man says again, voice almost hushed as his palm caress the cold cheek as warmth leaves the surface. Much to his surprise, probably with the last ounce of energy the girl has, she opens her eyes to look at him in the eye, lips trembling. Somehow the word that escapes her lips makes him momentarily freeze.

“Take me now…”

It surprises him as much as the fact that a human being is looking straight at him right now. It may be possible for she’s between life and death at the moment, but he’s never experienced this before. “You are here to take me… right? Do it… now.”

What makes one so eager to die while the dead longs to live? He’s always sick of doing this, taking people’s lives away. It always breaks his heart, if he has any. It hasn’t been long since he started doing this. For the longest time he didn’t remember existing at all. Perhaps he wasn’t reincarnated yet, that’s what he thought. The seniors always laughs at him for feeling bad about the work; for being a reaper. And on top of it all, for missing the feeling of being a human with numbered days. Being a reaper is much better, they said.

For the past months he’s been slacking off that he’s given a lot of warnings from wandering too long in the mortal realm. He doesn’t really care what the heavens have for him as the punishment. He receives his list of names, but none he took. Tonight felt different for reasons he can’t tell so he went, and look what he’s facing now.

The reaper cradles the weak body into his arms, he couldn’t care less about the bright crimson staining his dark clothing. A faint light emits from the woman’s figure, all wounds slowly disappearing from her wrists. Reapers’ job is to take lives when the time comes, but that’s not the only ability they are gifted with.

“Jung Soojung,” he pronounces her name as he always does when he picks up souls. But this time, it’s a little different. “You are not dying tonight.”