Chaeyoung’s POV

Humans said that before heaven, there’s a purgatory first. Well, I can say that it’s not clearly wrong. There really is a purgatory for souls, though heaven? Sad to say but there’s no such thing as Heaven or even Hell. What we have instead is a place called Soul Society. It’s the place where souls come and go, and the only place you’ll end up to when you die.

The Purgatory? It’s an another dimension where unrequited souls stays and gets help to satisfy them, granting their unfinished business or death wish, or retire them from their guilt and grief, so they can finally find eternal peace.

How do I know? It’s because I’m a ‘Soulier’. Souliers are the only souls acknowledges and knew everything about Soul Society. We work for the purpose of others and the Almighty One. We’re like a group of guardians helping our kind. There are three types of soulier.

First are the Grim Reapers, they’re the senders of souls or like a tour guide. Reapers deliver all the souls of the dead to be observed and clarify by any means about its life as a human.

Second are the Healers. Healers are the one who helps the unrequited souls, and I’m one of them. The third and last one were the Recollectors. They’re the observers who checks a soul’s file if he/she was once a good or bad person to justify their whole being. They also count the population in our society, and the ones who obligated to set us to our wondering souls.

We souliers have no memories of our past which is ironic since we don’t know the reason why we pledged to become what we are right now. For all I know as of these days, I have done something that didn’t reach the hopes of the people that are important to me and caused them their death, and it was about six whole centuries ago.

By the way, I’m sorry for not introducing myself. I am Son Chaeyoung, a 623 years old soulier in the role as a Healer. I may not be able to tell the story of my past but if the Almighty One let me be, I hope I can form my future … a meaningful and unforgettable future.

Author’s POV

Like any typical day in Soul Society, plenty of souls will come and go. Either become a new resident or leave for a new life as another human being or even animals, insects and plants, a form of reincarnation and reanimation in short. It was really just simple afternoon in the Purgatory, nothing special at all.

Chaeyoung was currently empty-handed so the girl decided to roam around to relax. Seeing new faces is very common for her. She just let her legs and feet drag her anywhere which ended for her to be on the gates to the human world.

Having a blank mind made the girl to unconsciously let herself near the gates, getting ready to walk through the blinding lights when someone suddenly held her arm.

“Chaeng, what in the name of TWICE are you doing?!” Another girl, but a lot more boyish and much taller, appeared before her. Her eyes showed worry, confusion, panic and anger. This snapped Chaeyoung from her mindless trance. “H-huh?” Being the older one, Jeongyeon sighed and held the younger’s shoulders.

“Are you alright? You’ve been like this for a while now. Is there something bothering my No Jam Junior?” The older girl questioned. “I … I don’t really know, Jeong. But I think I’m pretty fine. Thanks for worrying ‘bout me, bro.” Chaeyoung gave out a reassuring smile. Jeongyeon sighed and smiled too.

“Ok then. So how about going to Nayeon’s? I’m having a feeling that the longtime unrequited soul was bothering her again.” Jeongyeon said but Chaeyoung snorted after. “Really, Jeong? Or you just want to see your longtime CRUSH at the ‘Souliria Council’ coz you’re missing her for a while now?” The latter smirked and the other’s right eye twitched in annoyance.

“Say what you want to say, Chaeng. I am leaving you here.” The former grumpily said while the short girl laughed loudly at her and followed suit.

Nayeon’s POV

“You’re free to roam in Soul Society from now on, Ms. Jeon. Please, have happiness in your stay here until next life finds its way to your doors.” I said to my current soul, who’s about to leave the Purgatory since she’d finally obtained the peace she’s looking for.

“Thank you for all your help, Nayeon-unnie. I’ll be going now.” She bowed down and turned to the exit. “Take care, Somi-ah.” I waved away as she finally disappeared. After that, I sighed heavily and lay my tired body at the couch near my cubicle.

I’m a Recollector, and every Recollectors’ working places are all inside the Purgatory, at the Souliria Council to be exact. It’s like an actual office, but every Recollector have their own room to stay and work at. I just finished my latest job so I thought of taking a rest when I felt a cold hand held my thigh.

“Peek-a-boo!”

“Dahyun, not now please. I want to have some rest.” I said to the soul above me. Kim Dahyun, a girl who died for almost half a century already. She’s the only unrequited soul I ever handled that never found her peace. I tried everything for her. I even studied every piece of her past life’s information, but nothing helped the two of us to resolve her problem.

She, herself, doesn’t know the answer too, hence why I never got a fulltime silence in my office. She was really nice to be honest, it’s just that … I kind’a worry for her too. Will she ever find peace? What if her soul gets corrupted one day? All these years I spent with her whining and me getting stressed all over sure was hectic, but it also made me get so close to her, like she’s a little sister for me now.

“But I’m bored, Unnie~! Play with me.” I massaged my forehead as I sat up with pouting lips. “What is it this time? ‘Hello, Cleopatra’? Clearly, Jeong and Chaeng are not here so your own version of ‘Mafia Time’ is unplayable.” I pointed out while patting her head.

She just smiled and hugged me. Her skin … it’s so white as if her being a ghost is not enough. ‘I swear I’ll give you peace soon. You deserve it, Dubu-ah.’

“Ok, I think I’ll pass on games. Just let me sleep for now.” She snuggled deeper over my stomach with her arms still hugging my waist. She looks like a kid in my view. “It’s so funny. I was getting myself some sleep a while ago, but look who’s getting herself into dreamland now?” I smiled once I heard her light snores.

While observing her features, I felt a bad aura passed by all of a sudden. My body hairs straighten up as I got chills all over from my skin to the fibers of my being. ‘What’s the meaning of this? I … I never experienced this for so long.’

Cold sweat ran through my forehead when I heard a set of heavy footsteps nearing my place. I held Dahyun tighter as I ready myself. The door then got abruptly opened and Chaeyoung’s worried face is what I quickly saw. “Chaeng-ah, what’s the matter? Why are you running all the way here?” I said a little too loud that Dahyun stirred up from her sleep.

“What’s the matter, guys? Any problem or something going on?” She asked as she rose up.

“I don’t clearly know, but there is! Hyung sent me here after she felt a bad omen.” Chaeyoung answered. I began to panic. “Then where’s Jeongyeon?!” I stood up and took my white coat. If Reapers wears a black coat and Healers are gray ones, we Recollectors uses white coats as a sign that we’re sharing the power of deity with us.

“She told me to call you up. She said that she’ll check it first for herself since she can’t fully identify what it is.” I greeted my teeth at what my friend said. ‘That mindless girl! What if something bad might happen to her?! What the hell was she thinking?’

“Let’s go, Chaeyoung. I don’t know what’s happening but I sense that it’s really dangerous. Dahyun, stay here, arasso? Come on.” Without waiting for their response, I quickly made my way out. Trusting my instinct, I followed the devious aura I was sensing and got myself on the top of the Council’s building. With panting noises as I catch my breath, I pushed the down and was furious on what I saw.

“Get the hell away from her!” I raised my hand and a ball of blinding light appeared. Jeongyeon was getting pinned down by an unknown girl, her neck was held tightly by the other’s hands. The unknown’s entire body was embraced by dark light.

‘This is a corrupted soul. What is she doing here?! This place is too blessed for any bad entities to get pass through!’

“Oh, another guest~? Is she your friend or girlfriend, Reaper-san?” The girl’s voice was sickeningly sweet that you won’t think that she’s actually a threat at first. Jeongyeon was starting to struggle more as the girl tightens her hold over my friend. “It’s none of your hellish business. Now, let her go!” I growled but was only struck when she gave me a ridicule laugh.

The laugh was dark and sinister. “You know~? For a person who serves the light of the highest deities, you run your mouth a little too dirty. It’s pretty ironic, right?” She continues laughing at me, making me more pissed than I am already. “N-no, don’t do it, Nayeonnie.” Jeong weakly said that I suddenly felt scared and hurt as I look at her state.

Agitated to save my longtime companion, I raised my hand higher was about to blast my ball of light when someone showed up behind me. “S-Sana?”

We all stopped, including the corrupted soul. Our eyes turn directly to the owner of the voice and saw Dahyun, standing frozen on her spot while staring directly to the other soul. “Dahyunnie.” I turned back to the wicked soul and saw her letting go of Jeongyeon, who came into a violent coughing feat, as she stood up and slowly make her way to where Dahyun and I are.

Chaeyoung showed up but was confused of what she’s witnessing. “Stay back!” I threatened but Dahyun looked at me and smiled. “It’s alright, Unnie. Don’t interfere anymore.” With that, she walked over to the corrupted soul she called Sana. “Dahyun…” My voice trailed off as I noticed something.

‘Dahyun and that girl Sana … they’re both showing love in their eyes. Are they, by any chance, knew each other?’