“Fourth stage cancer actually,” Tiffany elaborated. “There’s nothing much the doctors can do at this point.”

“How long have you known?” I asked cautiously.

“It’s okay.” Tiffany noticed my apprehension. “A few months now.”

“How long…” I trailed away, not sure how to phrase the question.

“6 months, 1 year tops.” Tiffany understood.

"Anyone else knows about this?"

"No, good thing they haven't notice my disappearance once in a while. Had been in and out of the hospital," Tiffany tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“Is there anything I can do?”

Tiffany took a deep breath and smiled. That was when I realized she had been smiling since I entered the apartment. There’s nothing gloomy about her. She must have come to terms about her situation.

“Well, nothing much but perhaps let that idiot know I will take care of myself and when the time comes, be ready to get hit for not showing herself to me.”

“Duly noted.” I smirked at Taeyeon who was giving me a shocked look.

“Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.”

“Sure,” I nodded. Just as Tiffany walked away, I smoothly grabbed her hand phone on the coffee table and searched for a number. Thankfully, Tiffany hadn’t locked her phone.

The number I dialed went to voicemail but I guess that would do just fine.

“Hey, I am terminally sick. I have fourth stage cancer and I think you should come talk to me.”

With that, I ended the call and placed it back onto the table. Taeyeon simply watched with a questioning look.

“What?” I said defensively. “She needs someone to look out for her. And Jessica is the best choice.”

“You know, Fany is so gonna kill you.”

“It sounded weird when you said that,” I laughed. “Besides, I will be long gone when she realized what I did.”

Taeyeon laughed along with me before mouthing, “Thank you.”

-

The moment I left Tiffany house and went to the stairwell for some privacy, I couldn’t stop myself from yelling at Taeyeon, something I wanted to do earlier but didn’t get a chance to.

“So… how could you have not known?!”

“I don’t know, okay?” Taeyeon replied defensively. “Guess the part about people only see what they want to see, doesn’t just apply to mortals.”

“But you are dead! Aren’t you supposed to be omnipotent or something? Like an angel?” I paused to take a good look at Taeyeon. “What are you exactly?”

“No? Well, ghost, angels, soul, does It matter? It’s just a name.”

I sighed, knowing that there’s nothing we could do at this point.

“So what now?” I asked dejectedly as I sat down on the stairs. “And you haven’t quite answered any of my questions about the whole dimension travelling. Who are you and do you have a pocket watch also?”

"No, I am pretty much dead remember? That's like a free pass for me to go anywhere. But you, my dear, is a different situation altogether which explains the need for the watch."

"What situation?"

Taeyeon then took a seat next to me.

“Well, you may want to take out your pocket watch and take a look first.”

I was bewildered but obliged anyway. I took it out of my pocket and the first thing I noticed was the hour hand on the number 9. My eyes widen in realization.

“But… but… I am from 9! Then she... who?” I pointed towards the apartment that I just came out from.

“Guess I will have to explain from the start. Well, as you know, I died. And soon after, I found my Tiffany getting skinnier and weaker but I couldn’t do anything since she can’t see me.”

Taeyeon let out a long sigh.

“That was when I found you, wandering between dimensions, looking all lost and consumed by regrets.”

“What?! What are you talking about?”

“Before you start questioning me, think about it, have you had any actual memories of what happened or what you did between the period when I died till the day I sold you the watch?”

“Of cour…” I stopped myself when I thought hard about it. She was right. I hate it when she is right.

“When I realized you can actually interact with people, talk to them as Tiffany, I wanted you to help me speak to my Tiffany. But you weren’t ready then, being lost and consumed by regrets, and I have seen the other dimensions in a mess so I… kinda bugged the higher ups to let you travel dimensions.”

“It’s win-win,” Taeyeon continued. “We get to help the other dimensions and you in the meantime. Of course, help my Tiffany eventually.”

“But if I am not from here, then where did I come from?”

Taeyeon took my pocket watch and started tuning it to 8.

“Well, you have one more dimension to go to, once you complete your quest, things will clear up.”

I frowned, realizing that her words didn’t explain anything, really.

She placed the tuned watch into my palm and whispered to me, “Sorry, I promised not to do this but this will be the last time.”

“What?”

Before I could protest further, I felt a squeeze in my palm and the last thing I heard was, “Save Taeyeon and you will save yourself.”

Like that made any sense.

-

A/N:

Double update for the day. ^^ Woohoo, double updates every day!

2 more chapters to go. Will release the rest tomorrow.