DAY 6

Aerri sat on the couch in Mrs. Kwon's hospital room, not far from the lady who was on her bed while reading her book. It had been 6 days since the fire and Mrs. Kwon was still staying at the hospital. Aerri spent most of her time at the hospital now, as she got some day off from Dae. She should've been staying at the dorm, because she wasn't allowed to stay at the world of the living for too long. But she was grateful that her friends helped to keep her visits to the living world a secret. She just hoped her friends won't be getting in trouble for overlooking what she was doing.

A little after 8, Aerri looked up to see Jiyong entering the room with bags of food. He and his dad had been taking turn to accompany his mom in the hospital at night, and that night was his turn. He went straight to the hospital from YG building, stopping by only to get something to eat.

"Hi, Mom." he greeted his mom. "Feeling better today?"

"Hi, dear. Yes, I feel much better today. But the doctor still won't let me go back home." Mrs. Kwon said.

"It's only been 6 days, mom. You might already feel better but the doctors still need to observe your health. Just wait until they're sure you're fine, ok. I don't want you to get sick again."

"I'm just bored being stuck here." the lady sighed. "It's a good thing I have Haru, so I can spend time with her during the day."

Haru was the girl whose thoughts have alerted Aerri and Ri about the location of Mrs. Kwon during the fire. If it wasn't for Haru's hazy thought that mumbled about Mrs. Kwon being in the music store, Aerri probably wouldn't know that her mom was really in the building during the fire. Apparently, according to what Aerri learnt from the conversation between Mrs. Kwon and Haru at the hospital, Haru was a teacher at the music school. She was with Mrs. Kwon before the blast happened. Everybody else already left the music school that evening, and Haru was getting ready to go back home too when Mrs. Kwon arrived at the music school. When she heard that Mrs. Kwon's daughter used to work there before she passed away and that Mrs. Kwon just wanted to look around the music school and music store, Haru stayed behind with Mrs. Kwon. She didn't know Aerri personally, because she actually applied for the piano teacher vacancy not long after Aerri died. But Haru heard about Aerri from the other teachers in the music school, so she knew about Aerri.

That night during the fire, both Haru and Mrs. Kwon was in the music store when the blast happened. Fire quickly spread on the 4th floor of the building, and they couldn't get out of the music store. They tried screaming for help, but the firemen couldn't hear them. The firemen also didn't notice the seamless door of the music store. So Haru and Mrs. Kwon was stuck in the music store.

Not long after, Mrs. Kwon fainted cause of the smoke and Haru's small body couldn't carry her. So, she left to try and get help. She tried her best to get out of the music store that she burnt her hands cause she forced herself to touch the hot metal handle of the seamless door. After she got out of the music store, she had to take the emergency stairs down to the lobby because a part of the 4th floor has collapsed. She fought her way through the thick smoke in the emergency stairs before she got found by the fireman.

Everyone thought that the fireman rushed back into the building because Haru told the fireman that Mrs. Kwon was still in the building. But that was just part of the whispering that Ri had done. Ri put a memory to the fireman that Haru had told him about Mrs. Kwon. The truth was Haru fainted due her injuries that she didn't get the chance to alert anyone about Mrs. Kwon. But Aerri was still grateful that she heard Haru's thoughts. Without Haru, Aerri probably wouldn't be able to safe Mrs. Kwon.

"How is she? What did the doctor say about her hand?" Jiyong asked. He visited Haru in her room a few days ago to thank her for the help that she gave his mom. Aerri was there too, so she saw the look of shock in Haru's face when she saw Jiyong, aka G Dragon the famous rapper visiting her in her hospital room. Aerri couldn't help but chuckle at Haru's gasps and squee of delight that erupted in Haru's mind.

"The doctor said her hands will be fine. But they will take time to fully heal. She might be able to use her hands for eating or writing or other daily chores soon. But it would take some more time for her to play and teach piano again. She's really worried cause she really needs to do her job to get paid."

"She wouldn't be able to get a paid leave from her job?" Jiyong asked.

"She didn't think so. The music school wouldn't have any problem giving her a short leave of absent while she's recovering. She'll still have her piano teaching job once her hands are fully healed. But she wouldn't get paid when she's not working." Mrs. Kwon explained.

"Poor girl.." Jiyong mumbled. "Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"I told her that i have no problem lending her some money. But she refused strongly."

"Probably the music school can give her a job as an admin or something so she just need to use her hands for regular chores?" Jiyong asked.

"You're probably right. I'd suggest that to her tomorrow. But I have a feeling that she's mostly sad cause she can't play piano for a while."

The room went silent for a while, as the mother and son were busy with their own thoughts. Then, Jiyong's voice can be heard again as he asked a question to his mother.

"Have you been sleeping well, mom?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"The other day.. you look restless in your sleep. And I thought i heard you mumble Aerri's and Seunghyun's name while you were sleeping. Are you always like that?"

Aerri looked at Jiyong in surprise, cause Jiyong's words was also news to Aerri. She stayed at the hospital for a couple of nights before, and Mrs. Kwon seem to be sleeping just fine while she was there. But a few days ago Aerri stayed at the dorm cause she was so tired. That was probably when Jiyong said that Mrs. Kwon was sleeping restlessly.

"I did?" Mrs. Seunghyun mumbled, looking as if she was thinking about something.

"What's going on, Mom?" Jiyong asked again.

"Nothing. I just had a weird dream."

"About Seunghyun and Aerri?"

"Yes. And about me dying." Jiyong's eyes widened when he heard Mrs. Kwon's words. "It's nothing much, Jiyong. Don't worry." Mrs. Kwon said again to calm her son down.

"What was the dream like?"

"The doctor told me that I flatlined a few times during the surgery, right? Well, the dream I had was about that moment. I dreamt that I woke up and got up, but I can still see the doctors trying to save me. Then when I look around the room, I saw Aerri and Seunghyun. They were watching me. She was crying, and he looked upset. There was also another person there with them. A young man. Probably around you and Seunghyun's age. The young man approached me and said something about taking me with him, but Seunghyun shoved him away. Then he touched me for a short moment. And then the dream stopped."

Jiyong stared blankly at his mother, not sure of how to react to her weird story. His blank stare made his mom softly chuckle.

"I know it's weird. But the dream felt so real. I even got to tell them how much I miss them. And then, when he touched me for a moment, Seunghyun told me that they missed me too."

After a few seconds of struggling to say anything, Jiyong finally said, "It's probably just because you really do miss them, Mom. And what happened to you reminded you of them even more."

"I don't know. It felt so real. The dream stopped when Seunghyun touched me, but it felt so real." Mrs. Kwon went silent for a moment before she continued talking. "Then there was that thing with Aerri."

"What thing with Aerri?"

"I have glimpses of her talking to me. As if I can hear her voice, telling stories that I can't remember. Those glimpses appeared not long after I woke up, after the surgery. I remember her voice, but I can't remember what she told me."

"It's.. possibly just your memory of what happened when she was alive, Mom."

"Probably... I really do miss them." the woman whispered.

Aerri listened to the mother and son conversation, slightly amazed that Mrs. Kwon somehow remembered the events that happened when she almost died. Is it wrong if she felt happy that Mrs. Kwon remembered those moments? The fact that Mrs. Kwon remembered those moments showed her once more how much the lady care for her and Seunghyun. Somehow it made her feel that what Seunghyun did was worth it.

Was it really worth it though?

Aerri stood up from her seat, saying a silent 'good night' to Mrs. Kwon and Jiyong. She hadn't been back to the dorm for a while now, so she was really tired and hungry. Sara said she was punishing herself for what happened to Seunghyun. Was she? All Aerri knew was she wanted to stay with her family for as long as she can, cause she felt so comfortable with them. And she spent some of her time down on Earth trying to search for Seunghyun.

But she was too tired and hungry tonight. She still needed to go back to the dorm, whether she liked it or not. So, she left the room and out of the hospital, walking slowly to the nearest intersection. Her fingers mindlessly played with the bracelet that was on her wrist.

The bracelet on her wrist was not the real one, of course. The real bracelet was still at Mrs. Kwon's room in the hospital. Aerri obviously couldn't take the real bracelet, cause it would be weird if the real bracelet suddenly disappeared when she took it. So she made an exact copy of the bracelet with the closet in her room at the dorm. It was the only thing left of Seunghyun that she could hold on to.

The other day, she mindlessly went to Seunghyun's room at the dorm. She didn't know why. Probably she just wanted to see anything left of him that she could. But once she got to the room, someone else was already there. Another soul just moved in to the room, so of course, the contents of the room has changed too, just like the owner of the room. It was almost as if Seunghyun was never there.

Almost all traces of Seunghyun were gone. But what frustrated Aerri the most was the fact that she didn't know where Seunghyun was and she couldn't do anything to find him or to help him.

It's been 6 days, and Seunghyun was still missing.

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DAY 15

"Ai, dinner time." Aerri said to Ai once she finished putting out the food to the plates. But the lost soul still sat on the couch, staring at the coffee table in front of her as if she didn't hear Aerri calling for her. So Aerri approached her and grabbed Ai's hand softly, trying to get her attention.

"Time to eat, Ai." Aerri said, smiling as she softly pulled the girl up. Ai looked at her with that blank stare that she always had. But she followed her to the dining table. Ai took a seat on one of the chairs, then slowly eat the food from the plate that Aerri put in front of her.

Aerri took a seat at the chair across the table, silently watching the girl eat. Then, as it usually does, her thought drifted to another person who was probably also craving for food.

It's been more than 2 weeks since Seunghyun disappeared. Aerri hasn't stopped looking for him. Mrs. Kwon was already discharged from the hospital, so Aerri only visited her occasionally at their house. Aerri used most of her free time to search for Seunghyun anywhere she can, anywhere she can think of. But her efforts were still useless. He was still nowhere to be found.

"Ai... when you broke the rule.. when you saved your brother's life, what happened to you after that?" Aerri asked. She had been asking that question to Ai everyday, each time still hoping that the lost soul will answer her and give her a clue or any explanation about Seunghyun's whereabout. After all, she once went through what Seunghyun is going through at the moment. So, she should know what happened to him. But each time her question was unanswered, as Ai was still mute.

"Ai, if you can, please answer me. I need to find Seunghyun and help him." Aerri said again. But Ai stayed silent, although she stopped eating for a moment and looked at Aerri while slowly chewing her food. Her gaze was still blank, but at least she acknowledged Aerri. She rarely done that.

"Can you tell me what happened after you saved your brother? Where were you taken to? Do you know anything that can help me find Seunghyun?" Aerri asked again. But Ai said nothing and looked away once more. Aerri sighed, once again feeling helpless. There's only 2 person she could think of that could probably help her figure out what to do to find Seunghyun: Ai and Seungri. But Seungri wasn't seen anywhere since the night he helped Aerri, so Ai was the only hope Aerri got, even if she couldn't communicate well.

Aerri sighed softly, not knowing what else to do. But then she heard Ai's soft voice.

"Wait." Ai said.

Aerri looked up quickly to the other girl. Ai was looking at her, still with a blank stare. Aerri wondered if she had only imagine Ai telling her to wait. But then Ai whispered again with a faint smile on her lips.

"Just wait. When it's time, he knows where to find you."

"What do you mean? When it's time for what? If he knows where to find me, how come he's not here yet?" Aerri asked in a hurry, trying to ask as many questions as possible before Ai went mute again. But Ai went back in her own world, not giving any answer or response to Aerri's question. She continued eating as if she didn't hear Aerri's questions.

Aerri watched Ai eat, thinking about the vague answer she just got. So she just have to wait? Seunghyun does know that he'll always have a place there, at that apartment. But it has been 2 weeks now. How come he still hasn't show up?

Aerri groans softly as a question popped in her mind.

What if Seunghyun hasn't show up cause he doesn't want her to help him? What if he doesn't want to be found?

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DAY 24

Aerri shivered when the wind blew, the chill somehow can still be felt through her thick coat and sweater. The end of the year is nearing, so the cold of the winter was an everyday treat now.

She was pulling her coat tighter when she saw something floating down from the sky.

"Ah, it's starting to snow." she smiled to herself. "No wonder it was so cold lately."

Her smile faded when she thought about Seunghyun who was still missing. If he was out there somewhere, wouldn't he be cold too?

Aerri picked up the pace of her steps, eager to get back to the dorm to get something to eat. She also needed to get some food forAi. But not far from the intersection, a figure caught her eye. The boy was sitting at a bench in a park nearby. She wasn't sure if the person was really him, but she approached him quickly.

"Ri?" she said, partly to herself. But as she got closer, it was clear that the boy was really Seungri. So she called out for him, slightly louder.

"Ri!" she shouted, causing the boy to looked up at her, a small smile slowly forming on his lips.

"Hey.. if it isn't my favorite Cupid." he said, grinning at Aerri. There was something off about him. But Aerri shrugged the thought away, cause there was something else more important in her mind.

"I've been looking for you." she said, hugging him once she reached him.

"Whoa.. that's an unusually warm welcome from you." Ri chuckled, hugging her back. "What happened? Why did you want to see me? Did you just realize that you miss me and that you loved me since I helped you find your mother?" he said, joking around like he always do.

Aerri just laughed and took a seat beside him. "Thanks for helping me that night, Ri." she said while lightly hitting him on his shoulder for his jokes.

"No problem." he said softly, once again smiling. But this time Aerri notice how his smile seemed sad. When she wanted to ask him about it, his question distracted her.

"How's your mother?"

"She's.. fine. She's back home now." At first, Aerri didn't know how to answer his question. How can she brought up what happened to Seunghyun?

"That's good. You and Seunghyun must be so relieved. You need to tell me how you found out that you and Seunghyun were siblings though. How did you feel when you realized that you were attracted to a Reaper who happened to be your brother?" Ri laughed.

"He's not my brother. I mean.. we're not related by blood."

"Oh.. so you still got a chance with the Reaper then, huh?" he teased, softly elbowing her.

"Seungri, Seunghyun is banished." Aerri finally decided to drop the bomb, since they were on the Seunghyun topic.

The teasing grin on Seungri's face slowly turned into a look of shock when he heard Aerri's words.

"What? Because of your mother?"

"Yes. That's why I was looking for you. Do you know anything that would help me find him?"

"What do you mean 'find him'? H