Entry No.1

November 20, 2019

    Changkyun has suggested I start keeping a journal of my daily life, or lack thereof. He says it's "therapeutic" and a "great way to get in touch with my softer side" or some bull. I don't know. I don't buy this whole talking-about-emotions thing. It's weird. 

    Regardless, though, here I am writing the first ever entry. I guess I'll get sentimental, or philosophical. Whatever, who cares. No one will ever read this.

    There's a question that's been gnawing my brain for awhile now. Thoughts that have stitched my mental seams into a tightly sewn fabrication of torment. The four worded question that all human beings ask: What makes life meaningful?

    Is it romance? The soft touches and fluttery-lashed gazes. How lips feel when they meet another pair of fleshy pillows, or the tight embrace of a loved one after absence. Sultry stares that lure lip biting and flesh tasting. Gentle touches and heavier ones - the kind that curls toes and induces hymns of both praise and honey-coated curses to fall from quivering lips. 

    Perhaps it's friendships - bonds shared between souls who are mates in the most platonic of ways. Personal life coaches and dating gurus. The humans other humans beings binge watch television shows with as they stuff their faces with tubs of ice cream.

    At least that's what I've seen depicted in American sitcoms. I can't say I've ever actually seen such a sight in person which is shocking considering I've met at least a million human beings during my existence. 

    Hey, existence.

   Maybe mere existence makes life meaningful.

    If so, though, what makes existence true existence? Surely there's a difference between an existence and existing, right? Does that make sense? 

    I don't know, probably not. I'm tired of journaling. Maybe I'll come back.

    - LJ, 20.11.19

_

    "What are you doing?"

    Peering up from the pages he had just finished inking, the author sighed upon seeing who stood in the doorway. With a twist of a small key, he quickly secured the journal's lock before sliding his leather bound words into the desk sat against an average sized picture window. Chair swiveling, he peered upon the newcomer.

    "I'm not doing anything." 

    Brows furrowed, the guest tilted his head, "You were obviously doing something." 

    Suddenly, as if the realization had just hit him over the head with a metal pipe, the younger male entered the room with quick steps before standing adjacent to the desk. Furrowed brows raising into arches, his arms folded over his torso; haughty smirk twisting natural pink lips.

    "Jooheon, were you journaling?"

    "No."

    A shaky laugh ripped into the atmosphere as the younger male grasped onto Jooheon's bicep. Swinging back and forth, the guest's brows wiggled.

    "You're finally writing about your feelings. How do you feel? Isn't it freeing? It makes you feel a lot better, doesn't i-"

    "Changkyun!"

    Yanking his arm from the wide eyed male's grasp, Jooheon heaved a sigh as he rose to his feet. Changkyun merely watched in silence as the older walked to the door before halting. Placing a hand on his hip, he utilized the other to gesture towards the exit.

    "Please leave."

    Changkyun pouted, "Why?"

    "Because," Jooheon began with another sigh, "you're too much to handle right now, and I have a lot of work to finish."

    Brow raised, Changkyun settled into the chair with crossed arms. Leaning back, a smirk tugged at the right side of his mouth, "That's why I'm here, actually."

    Nose scrunching, Jooheon's brows knitted as his conveyed pure confusion, "What are you talking about?"

    A smile replaced Changkyun's smirk, hand digging into his pocket before swiftly pulling out a large red bead. In one motion, he threw it across the room where Jooheon easily caught it with his right hand. Peering down, his bewildered expression evolved into a tight one as he read the message that appeared inside.

    "You're joking."

    A smile curved Changkyun's lips as he rose to his feet to saunter over to where Jooheon stood with tensed muscles. Swinging his arm around the older male's shoulders, Changkyun beamed.

    "There's no joking here," grin deepening, so did his grip. "Partner."

    Heavy and long was the sigh that exhaled from Jooheon's lungs as he blankly stared into the distance. Changkyun playfully poked the older male's cheek before exiting the room, Jooheon reluctantly following ensue.

    He knew this day would arrive, but hadn't really expected it be so soon. Working solo for so long had forced him to grow accustomed to being alone, and truthfully, he preferred it that way. He was able to finish his work quickly without having to worry about interference, but now? Now he'd not only have to watch out for himself, but another being as well.

    A particularly chatty one, at that.

    "Isn't it cool that you and I are partners? All of the newbies are going to be so envious. Er, well, maybe they shouldn't. After all, part of our job is overcoming our faults. You know what I mean, though. What do you think our first task will be? Who would have thought that I would be paired with the coolest Type A in the -"

    "Changkyun."

    Rant immediately halting, the excited male blinked as Jooheon remained stoic, dark eyes sharp and cold.

    "Listen, I understand how this may be exciting for you, but please, stop the rants. This is the first time I've worked with someone since I arrived here and was a newcomer like yourself, so allow me to adapt to the change, okay?"

    Plump lips remained shut as Changkyun merely nodded. The pair entered the monstrously large Romanesque church in silence as they joined one of the twenty-plus lines where fellow bodies stood in anticipation. A certain sort of discomfort polluted the air between the two young men as they stood together, eyes shifted elsewhere as they surveyed the architecture.

    Lustrous marble colored the goldstone-edged interior walls a marvelous shade of cream. Vivid multi-colored glass windows arched tall and thin, the colors complimenting the vast, beautifully painted ceiling mural depicting religious scenes and symbols. Marble pillars filled the room - grapevines illuminated with a surge of melted, actively flowing gold chiseled into the metamorphic rock. 

    Jooheon had gazed upon the architecture and art perhaps a billion times, yet awe continued to strike his senses each time he entered the breath taking building. Peeking to the left, Changkyun's face revealed seemingly identical feelings as his mouth hung agape, eyes wide and gleaming. A small smile curved blossom lips as Jooheon chuckled to himself before taking a step forward.

    "Identifications, please."

    Tall was the woman who stood before the pair - obsidian bobbed cut tied back into a tiny knot to showcase her light pink eyes that pierced into the two males like freshly sharpened double blades. Pulling the horizontal bar-shaped necklaces through shirt collars, they held the solid pieces of metal for her to inspect. Leaning down, her eyes darkened a shade as a ring of white light spun around the iris.

    "Lee Jooheon and Im Changkyun, correct?"

    The two men nodded and the woman merely pursed her lips together before straightening up, eyes returning to their original paled azalea. Producing two steel vials from the air, the woman blew them towards the pair who each clutched one between their forefingers and thumbs. Changkyun's brows immediately furrowed, mouth opening to question what he was holding, but Jooheon's hand that grasped his shoulder and pulled him forward past the woman muted his unspoken query.

    "Before you ask her, let me explain instead," Jooheon's voice was raspy as they stood before a golden, arched door.

    Balancing the small vial upon his fingertip, he raised his hand into the air to level it between his and Changkyun's eyes. Utilizing his opposite hand, he pulled the bar necklace over his head and extended it into the air as well, adjacent to the capsule.

    "The vial you were just given is extremely important, Changkyun. Though tiny, it holds all of the names and dates of the souls you're going to reap and back here to Purgatory. It is absolutely vital that you do not lose the vial or allow anyone besides yourself or me to view it."

    Changkyun's brows furrowed, "Why?"

    "There's going to be danger out there, and lots of it. Fallen angels and demons will be preying on not only the souls you're supposed to retrieve, but you, yourself, as well. If you lose the vial, the risk of not reaping someone's soul in time greatly increases. If you allow anyone else besides me to view it, you run a risk of altering fate."

    The younger male listened intently before posing another query, "What do I do with it then? Does it go inside of the necklace?"

    Jooheon nodded as he demonstrated clasping his own vial and necklace together - a bright light flashing as the two items fused together before the capsule seemingly melted into the horizontal bar. Holding the finished product into the air, Jooheon showcased the accessory. It looked the same as it had prior to the melding except an italicized LJ engraved itself into the lower right-hand corner of the necklace's charm. 

    "When I put this back on," Jooheon began, "a mental list of each soul's name and death date will pop into my mind like a sort of  digitized pull-up screen. Kind of similar to the ones of a self-serve machine or gaming menu." 

    Slipping the necklace over his head, he nodded towards Changkyun as he hid the necklace under the fabric of his shirt, "Go ahead, try it."

    The newbie did as he was told, eyes immediately mimicking saucers upon viewing the list that popped into his mind just as his partner had described. Mouth falling agape, he shook his head, "I have to retrieve all of these people?"

    Jooheon nodded, "Yes, and within a certain time period as well."

    "Which is?"

    "12 hours post-death," the veteran casually popped his knuckles. "Any longer and you run the risk of the soul transforming into a ghost."

    Changkyun gnawed the inside of his cheek anxiously, "Can ghosts be saved?"

   Jooheon's jaw tensed as the question spilled into the atmosphere like a glass of milk - loud and thick. Pondering the young man's question, a sigh escaped corpulent lips as the tired being merely shrugged.

    "They can, but it's complicated," his words were slow as he watched Changkyun's arms fold over his chest.

    "How so?"

    Feeling himself grow annoyed, Jooheon merely shrugged, "You'll understand if you ever come across one."

    With those words and before Changkyun could question any further, Jooheon pressed his hand against the door that immediately swung open to reveal a misty nature scene. Grabbing Changkyun by the wrist, sharp eyes closed as Jooheon cleared his throat.

    "This portal leads into the Earth realm," he explained. "When we enter, you will still be able to contact me via telepathy - all you have to do is think of me and talk verbally or mentally and I will hear it. Do you understand?"

    Changkyun nodded as he felt the grip around his wrist tightened. Slowly, Jooheon ly his head to reveal an alluring side profile as he peeked at the younger male through his peripheral vision.

    "Don't allow anyone to know that you're a reaper and never interfere with a human's death. They are to die for a reason, so let that reasoning take its natural course." 

    Suddenly, Jooheon turned to fully face the male behind him, fingernails absentmindedly digging into the flesh of his wrist as his eyes seemingly darkened.

    "And never, and I mean never, fall in love with any of the humans or other supernatural beings you may encounter along the way," his words were spoken slowly, yet solidly. "Do you understand?"

    As Changkyun nodded, Jooheon sighed, "Let's go then."

    With those words, they both stepped into the portal - a loud whistling echoing through the air like a distant locomotive as the door swung shut with a bang. If eyes had been peering upon the beautiful golden surface upon closing, they would have seen the words that briefly engraved themselves before disappearing like a thief in the night. Five simple words with a meaning meant to be read not between, but beyond the lines.

    On the opposite end, as the pair emerged into the isolated forest, a whisper greeted them as if lips were pressed against the outer shells of their ears.

    "Every bridge has its toll."