Minho heaved a sigh as he blinked several times and was finally able to open his eyes. His heart leapt when he saw Taemin leaning over him.

"Hey." he said softly with a gentle smile.

"T...Taemin? What am I doing here?"

Minho realized he was lying on the sofa. Taemin was dabbing a wet and chilled cloth over Minho's face. Minho wanted this to be all a dream. Taemin took care of him as he had taken care of him before. Though he was the elder and did not want his boyfriend to worry, he enjoyed the gentle touches and loving glances so much. But he could not enjoy it for too long. His mind got flooded with all the events.

The shadow. Key. Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper who had burned the book with all the answers to save Taemin.

His heart contracted at the thought that all this was temporary, that this was not real. As much as he wanted it to be, and even if Taemin didn't know it, he was dangerous. Minho had only a few days left to save Taemin. Because as soon as his time would be up, Minho no longer had to question that, Death would let him turn into a lost soul. Whether he understood the value of life or not, Death would not allow Minho to face him again.  But if he could not save Taemin, was a life worth living, whether as a human or an angel of death? What is a life worth if you spend it without the people you love and who love you back? 

"This little one called me. You collapsed in the bathroom." Said Taemin, his cat's back. Kkoong purred softly.

Minho jumped up, wincing slightly and clutching his head, but he managed to sit down. He took Jonghyun in his arms and pulled him tightly against his chest.

"You've become good friends very quickly." Taemin said and had to laugh. "You should get some more rest." Taemin was about to get up to make room for Minho on the sofa again, but he felt a hand gently close around his wrist. He looked down at Minho and sat down beside him again.

Taemin's gaze slid between Minho's eyes and his hand touching him. It felt nice, familiar even. But how could that be? They had only known each other since yesterday. At that moment, Taemin wanted nothing more than for Minho never to let go of him. The man's fingers nestled softly and warmly around his. From the point of their touch, an old familiar heat slid through Taemin's entire body. But how could that be? Taemin had never been in love or had a crush in his life. So why did all these feelings seem familiar rather than new?

"Tell me...do you believe in soul mates?" Minho asked him.

Taemin couldn't place it, but goose bumps spread all over his skin, shooting into his cheeks as a pink veil. He didn't understand why Minho was asking him that. He didn't know any men his age who had ever asked him that or ever talked about such things.

"I don't know if I believe in it, but..." began Taemin. He put his hand around Minho's. He had to swallow slightly and ran his tongue over his lips. "...If they exist, then I know that when you have your partner with you, nothing is impossible."

Deeply, the two looked into each other's eyes. Fear spread through Taemin. What was this? What could he see in Minho? It was as if he had found something in him that he didn't even know he was looking for.

In Minho's chest, his heart beat faster. They could not tear their gaze away from the other. Slowly, their bodies drew closer. The feeling was new and exciting, and at the same time, peace returned to their souls because it was also familiar. They could feel each other's breath on their skin. Their lips magically attracted each other and-

"MEOW!!!" with a screech Jonghyun jumped down from Minho's lap.

Minho chastised his friend with a nasty look while Taemin laughed behind his hands.

"If you're feeling better, maybe we should have breakfast first." He said with a smile.

Only now did Minho notice that he was hungry. He had certainly not missed this feeling. But before Minho entered the kitchen, he turned to the meowing ball of fur with a sigh.

"What, is it not enough for you that you interrupted our second first kiss? I only waited like 200 years for this!"

Minho took Jonghyun in his arms and walked towards the storeroom. "I don't want to hear a sound from you!" he said as he sat him down there.

"Minho!" nagged Jonghyun. "You must find out what is going on!"

"And I will, but after breakfast." Minho was about to pull the door shut and lock Jonghyun in, when the cat spoke the words Minho didn't dare think.

"What if he's just pretending?"

Minho stopped in the doorway. His fingers clenched around the handle.

Jonghyun tried to adopt a calmer tone.

"I know you don't want to believe it. But we don't know what we are dealing with. We don't know how he does it."

Minho in a shaky breath. He knew, he knew so painfully that Jonghyun was right. Of course, this could be a trick by the Shadow. That was how he was able to nestle inside Shim Changmin, after all. By giving him what he craved most - a son. And what did Minho long for? He longed to have Taemin in his arms again, to be able to look into his eyes again and see the same love he felt.

Without saying anything and leaving the door ajar, Minho went into the kitchen. His appetite was gone. He tried to put on a smile as he sat down opposite Taemin. It had been so long since their last breakfast together. For Taemin it was 100 years, for Minho 200, only Taemin didn't know that. At least Minho hoped that. He wished for nothing more than that the man in front of him could still be saved and that all the terrible things had not been planned by him.

It was only at that moment that Minho managed to realize all this. How could he have been without him all this time? How had he managed to survive? Although, he thought, had it really been a life? At first, Minho had tried hard as an angel of death. He had taken in the souls, explained to them that they had nothing to fear and guided them to the Never Realm.

And every time he brought two souls together that belonged to each other, he couldn't help but feel deep warmth. But each time this warmth became more and more intense until it became an unbearable conflagration. A blazing fire of longing, despair and envy. Why was everyone he helped allowed to return with the person they loved most and he remained alone? Why had his second half never come?

He tried to swallow the anger that was welling up inside him. That he could be with Taemin now was not a given, so why could he only think about being without him? Here he was, Taemin was sitting in front of him in the flesh. Why had Death chosen him to play his perfidious game?

Death...Minho's anger turned to thought. Why had Death destroyed the book? Why did Death get angry? Shouldn't he care when a lost soul walked the earth? Why woul