As a grim ripper of course Minjun has fates in the palms of his hands quite often. He would even consider himself as one of the most powerful beings walking between the realms. However his powers were of very limited use. Yes he could kill almost everyone with a single touch and wouldn’t need longer than a blink of an eye, but there were rules he has to obey and follow.

Working in the third division naturally means the setting his work takes place at mostly aren’t considerable to be safe or nice meeting spots. Mostly he is called to isolated buildings far away from any possible eye witnesses. Of course Minjun isn’t very fond of the idea having Chansung close by. Just his bubbly naïve human seems to have quite a liking in putting himself in danger and even if Minjun tries to visit him as often as possible it doesn’t quite prevents Chansung from searching for him. He would never admit it but the death god felt proud about it, of the fearless boy he particularly raised himself. Yes Chansung still has a human father, but Minjun knew he hasn’t been around often. After Chansung’s mother passed away, he blindly follows the urge of revenge. Not even knowing what has killed his wife, or what he needs to find. He has been eaten by the agony and the anger of the loss. Very different from his fostering which rarely held a grudge, his ability to see what humans couldn’t give him an almost worrisome deep trust towards life purpose.

Minjun isn’t a fan of rushed decisions, especially if the choices will have an impact afterwards. He has been trying to teach Chansung this very important lesson about judgment for ages now. Obviously without the wished success, however this time Chansung spontaneous character actually plays him a favor. It pains him that he has to hurry, because it also would short the amount of time he is able to spend with his protégé. But he has to start the chanting before Wooyoung gets the chance to think this through since else he might change his mind again. The first spell puts the fox into a deep unconscious like slumber, the torture he would have to face if he would have been awake was simply not bearable for any living creature. Chansung reflex in catching the falling boy were indeed impressive, the boy certainly became a lot more powerful since their last meeting. Jeonggam seems to train him well, or is it the fox which leads to his improving? The human boy has made himself comfortable at the ground, carefully holding the lifeless body close to his. Chansung supervisions warily every move Minjun does and his disquiet glances doesn’t make this task any easier for the grim ripper. He know his human to well, he feels the discomfort and the uncertainty of Chansung. Seeing his friend knocked out seems to have deeply shaken him and Minjun is as pleased about that as it hurt him. Maybe this time Chansung would learn to not blindly follow his impulses anymore. There is no weakness in taking some time to consider given options, since his conclusions do not only affect his own life but may have consequences far beyond his imagination. But the fact that Chansung is questioning Minjun’s suggestion and doesn’t fully entrust his doing is indeed painful even for someone deemed to be dead. Tearing the connection between the tails and the person carrying them is complicated and requires deliberate and precise movements for a delicate work. He doesn’t wants to damage the strings between the tails and the fox, he just temporarily removes their magic from them.
Once Minjun finishes his chores the tails have vanished and Wooyoung looks like any other ordinary human boy. Maybe a litter paler and definitely more fragile and even if he would be awake he wouldn’t have been able to walk on his own just yet. It would need some time to adjust to his weaker self and get used to his limited powers.

Life is something precious unforeseen and mysterious. Though it seems ridiculous to Minjun that a person like him, a harbinger and companion of death thinks about life. With exception of his self-proclaimed mentee there was nothing in his existence which indeed is alive. It doesn’t bother him not to be a living creature, but he always has been quite attracted to the strange world where people were afraid of dying. It is quite unnatural for him to fear something as biological as wit and fade. Even he does, it’s an infinite cycle no one could or should change. However it doesn’t mean he couldn’t understand, he has traveled along the earth for too long and he has started to learn and understand humans and their ridiculous feelings. Where some were truly beautiful, and he admits he is quite drown and fascinated by the meaning of life. He has learned a lot from a human, it was quite a challenge for him, knowing anything but nothing about living, letting something as stupid as a human be his teacher. It would never have conjured to him until he met one which wasn’t on his list. It has been easier than he would have imagined to realize he indeed does have feelings as well. Among the first he discovers the loneliness. Though he would have preferred to never feel such an aching sting. With the isolation his work always keeps him, came the boredom and only a short time later he experiences sadness, another emotion he could gladly pass.
His next ‘life lesson’ how human would call it, was given him by the very same human, and it was also the very first time he broke the codex. He, his human got ill, terribly ill, in a still young age. Minjun knew what was yet to come next… of course he knew.
He learns that day that feelings were just in the same balance as living, because if it wasn’t for dying what charm would living have. Happiness would feel empty if no one knew how the dreaded sorrow drains a heart. And for the first time since his being he feels dumbfounded for knowing anything but still not knowing enough to understand living itself. It has been the birth of this whole awful mess he has managed to create.

 “A kingdom for your thoughts Mr. Minjun?”
He hears the so familiar snicker of another shadow-seeker, he has grown so attached too over the years.

The two boys were long gone, he has watched them disappear, Chansung gently carrying Wooyoung, while Jeonggam exceptionally walks after them. He chuckles a little as he turns around to face his visitor.
 

“Taecyeon, you are late as always. I fear you even will be late to your own funeral.”
He smirks knowing to well how true his words were.
“Only because you allowed me.”
He gives him a short peak, allowing the much older and wiser creature to swoon a little. Unlike the hugs he receives from Chansung which always were warm and loving, Taecyeon’s lips were as cold as his hands and heart. Which doesn’t make them less loving but less comforting, maybe more alluring?
As a vampire Taecyeon surely isn’t counted as a human living being, but he couldn’t be counted as dead either. It were some sort of human logic Minjun never quite understood, what draws the difference between living and dying, it clearly couldn’t be as simple as the church preaches. Granted vampires do not always act as if they were in possession of a heart or a soul but they do. Well they do have beating hearts in their chests, just cold blood runs through their veins. Immortality doesn’t mean they are like dead it means they have a longer live span and are certainly harder to kill. But they are bond to the same circle so aren’t their living as well? Since they eat, feel and speak just like human do? And Taecyeon never fails to make him, a death ward, feel alive. He almost believes he has a nervous hammering heart as well, but of course that’s impossible. Still he always leaves him with a craving desires of a life he was never meant to cherish. He might not own a soul like humans describe what makes them living but he too has longings, wishes, dreams and even hopes. In Taecyeon’s case this might due because he once was a human and he always has been a good teacher for Minjun; who wasn’t as fortunate.
“You have done it again right? You have changed someone’s fate”
“Yes, and no. I haven’t changed anything I just … made sure to give them a little jump start, they will need it.”
Taecyeons back hug distracted him and his heavy head leaning onto his shoulder didn’t make it any easier but he does manage too search for the slightly glowing jar. Four bluish silver sparkling orbs where softly levitate in it.
“Did you really took all four of him?”
“Of course I did, that was the plan and my plans are always great and absolutely flawless. Though I admit it wouldn’t went as smooth without your help. Thank you for scaring that poor little foxling into my trap.”
Sometimes Taecyeon isn’t completely sure who influences who for the worst in their relationship but he most certain that Minjun is the encourager, and he has just been his Muse. But who has time to consider and worry anyway? If he knows anything than how vulnerable time is, and how to enjoy every single second given to him.
“That’s too cruel!”
Taecyeon whines just because he likes to act cute but his face does show some honest concern.
He might not be a fox but as a vampire he knows about their connection and magic to well. After all those tails were the reason vampires were hunting foxes.
“Well dear Taecyeon, I had no other choice, beside he has still five tails, he just needs to find them.”
“But you know a tail only appears in a hundred years. I don’t think he will be any help to Chansung without his tails.”
“Oh I think they will be fine. In fact I even think Wooyoung might one day thank me for what I have done.”
Taecyeon looks at his long time best friend and he could see the glint of flagrant in his eyes. Minjun always has had a weird joy in breaking the rules and cheating for some reason. Sometimes it scares him how effortless Minjun missuses the book of wither for his own curiosity.
“Don’t look at me like that of course I had to sneak peek if it can help Chansung. You know he is too innocent for the burden he has to carry.”
But Taecyeon isn’t as easily persuaded since he does know Minjun charms.
“Just tell me if the whole action we did was worth it.”
He asks a little exhausted from the many sleepless night he has to spend stalking the poor boys because of this little faith twister ideas.
“Of course it has been a good idea, I needed a little bad influence for him.”
Taecyeon took the jar Minjun hands to him. There is no need to voice the question out loud by now, the two have been friends for too long and Taecyeon know Minjun as well as he knows him.
He would take care for him of it, and if the two boys got in truly need of it he might bring them back.
“Don’t be too soft on them, after all you know about the legends, Wooyoung might be able to regenerate his tails on his own, and with the four still in the jar he might become the legendary thirteen tailed fox.”
 

Minjun knows a lot, and what he doesn’t know could be found in his book of whither and wisdom. However, even a powerful book like the book of all answers itself had pages unwritten and unknown by anyone. After all the history continues to rewrite itself thanks to tricksters like Minjun who does not like to follow the path destiny has chosen for him blindly. There is always a second road to choose, an easier simple part might not always lead to the set goals. He doesn’t know what his knew wild card would bring the boy in his future, but he does know that he has done right to connect their fates which each other. And if he had to face the punishment for it, he would gladly do so, after all he doesn’t have to go the way of withering all by himself anymore. And knowing Chansung will have a friend to trust and relay on, like he has in Taecyeon, helpes a little to let him go into the unwritten empty pages.