At the library (29 May 2017)...

"Oh you're back! Your friend came by earlier~" Strolling into the library, I was greeted by the traveller who was back at her job of sorting the shelves. In this case, the second shelf which she exchanged for the power to appear under the sun.

"Friend?" I asked, unsure of who she was referring to.

Unless she's talking about...

1918?

"Your death angel friend looks as scary as you! I mean, even more frightening than you do... " Without looking up from the shelf that she was busy placing books onto, she replied. The next moment, she was pressing her index finger onto her temples as she tried to recall the previous conversation she had with that visitor. "She says you identify her by... Some numbers... Wait, give me awhile I'll try to remember it... Erm... 1...9..."

"1918." I completed her sentence in a matter-of-fact tone.

Who was I even thinking of?

I only have that one friend in this realm.

I mean...

That's the only friend whom I can still remember.

"Yeah yeah! That's the numbers!" Wheein exclamation was accompanied with her tiny claps. Standing up from the front of the filled shelves, she started to walk back towards the pile of books before me. "Weird though, if you guys are friends why do you guys call each other by some employee IDs and not by names?"

"Those are not employee IDs. They are our names." With that, I crouched down and started helping her to stack the books up so that she can move them easily later.

"What? Are you serious?" She asked, at the same time her hands were brought to a halt. Simply from her silence, I could feel the surprise coming from her. "Your names are just... Numbers?"

"Numbers marks the start and end of a death angel. Just like how human names do to a human being." I shrugged my shoulders, trying to act normal about it.

If only I had a name...

Maybe then I wouldn't be this confused...

Wait...

Am I curious about my past?!

Stop! 

You cannot be curious.

You should not be curious. 

Punishments are the worst thing in this realm.

Right at that moment, Wheein's voice brought me back to reality. "Do the numbers have a meaning? Like related to your past or something..."

"I don't know. No one has an idea actually... Just like how you don't know why your name is Wheein." Placing a stack of books before her, I proceed to work on the next pile.

"Well, I know though! My parents hope that I'll be a shining person so they named me Wheein." Proud of her own name, her usual dimpled smile seemed to shine even brighter today. "So if your friend is 1918, what's yours?"

"1779." Unknowingly, I replied. I don't even know since when I have started to be so obedient towards her, answering to every little thought of hers.

"Eh... I've seen that number somewhere... It's really familiar..." Wheein started mumbling to herself, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

"Get back to work, Wheein~!" I delivered two knocks on her head for attention as I tried to get her back on task. "So you were saying my friend came looking for me?"

Wheein immediately brought her hands onto her head as her lips formed a pout in protest to the 'violence'. After making sure that there are no longer any surprise attacks, she replied. "She didn't come looking for you. She came to take a book and left. Which makes me wonder why... For the almost 2 months that I'm here, I've never seen any death angels came by before, except for you who comes re-gu-lar-ly to check on me."

"Took a book and left?" Unbothered by her attempt to tease my frequent visits, I am more curious about the book that 1918 took with her. "Without saying a reason why?"

"Yeah... Is she supposed to give a reason?" Covering with both her hands, she shook in horror. "I thought all death angels can access the books freely so I just allowed her to... I didn't break a rule did I..?"

"No you didn't." I almost burst out in laughter looking at her exaggerated actions. Sometimes I feel that she is a cartoon character of some sort. Hey, being a death angel doesn't mean that we know nothing about human life okay! We do hear about anime and cartoons from the souls we bring. With a smile, I gave a pat on Wheein's shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. "It's just that no death angels would bother to read all these books here. Unless there seems to be a mistake in the death record's information... Or that..."

We're interested in knowing about someone's life...

In particularly...

Our own life.

"Hey, if we find out about our names... That means we'll be able to find out about our past right?" 1918  asked as her footsteps paused.

"You don't mean... You're gonna defy him?" Looking at her, I know that my surprise was written all over my face.

"I'm just left with two months of service anyways!" Her victory smirk spread across her face as she resumed her steps forward. "At most I'll spend that two months in the library..."

"You're really going to find out?" At that time, I remembered myself quickening my pace to catch up with her. However it was to no avail.

The next moment, she was already metres away and her voice was the only thing left echoing in the dark tunnel. "Once the fire has ignited within me, even an old angel can't stop me! I'm leaving!"

Oh no...

Don't tell me she really...

At that thought, I started heading towards the shelves "Where did she take the book from?"

"Oh I remember, I just organised it in the morning! The third rack on the right, fourth level!" Wheein pointed towards the closest shelf from where we were seated.

Using a death angel's power, I was before the said bookshelf within seconds. My finger trailed the ledge as I tried to find the missing book. Finally, I found the empty space within the rows of books. Right at that empty space, the title of that missing book has been engraved on the maplewood.

K. H. A.

Is this her?

Her past...

All written in a single book...

What about mine..?

"1004-1779." A familiar yet emotionless voice came from the back of my head, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Come with me."

I turned and looked towards the direction of the voice only to find the old angel standing at the entrance of the library. The old angel, who spent his time bathing in the sunlight at the rose field. The old angel, who only brushed me off when I asked about a magical human who can see me. 

"When did you appear?" The alarm could be heard from her voice as she started running to my side. Holding onto my hand tightly, I know that Wheein is afraid of the old angel standing at the door. "And who are you? We have many scary-looking visitors today..."

"Follow me." His words were directed at me, as though Wheein was never present in the room.

"What about me?" Still grabbing onto my hand, Wheein asked as she knows that her questions were being ignored by the old man.

"Stay here traveller, you will have a meeting time with me soon." After settling Wheein down with his words, he turned back to look at me. "For now, I only asked for 1004-1779. Come with me."

Old angel's home?

"You must be curious why I called you over." He asked as we p