“Ma’am, are you going to order something?”

I admit that I had been holding the menu in a vertical position for almost half an hour. And every time the waitress came by to ask what I would like to have, I shushed her then sent her away. I also think I read the whole menu one hundred times. They had some pretty delicious stuff accompanied by a wide selection of coffee and teas, so for a small café like that, I’m pleasantly surprised. I might make it my new morning coffee exclusive place to be. Then again, I’m not a big coffee lover. I’ll just come for those cupcakes. But what made me hide behind said menu and test the waitress’ patience was the brunette that savored her moment of peace. She never took her eyes away from the book. I couldn’t read the title because the covers were a layer of burgundy in contrast with her milky fingers. I couldn’t stress enough how beautiful she was – and how much she resembled Mistress Yuri. Even the way the corners of were forcefully controlled when a smile threatened to ruin her concentrated expression resembled Mistress Yuri. My heart didn’t accelerate – instead, it slowed down and I was near fainting from the mere thought that it might be her. Her modern attire didn't fully complete the image – I could only picture Mistress Yuri with her gorgeous long dresses that framed her body and waved dramatically in the air when we would horse ride through green valleys.

“Erm,” I spoke, unsure of what to do. If I didn’t order something, I would be kicked out as I took an entire table for myself.”Give me a minute!”

“You had thirty of them,” I heard the waitress mumble as she left to attend other customers. I decided to finally get something off the menu and stop my childish act if I were to have my permanent morning residence inside the café. That’s when the brunette got up from her table and elegantly headed outside.

The waitress came back to me.

“You know what? I don’t even have money, so maybe later~” I got up, bowed at the waitress, then slowly followed the brunette. I could swear I heard the waitress exhale the bad air she had been keeping in her lungs and I escaped an avalanche of insults.

Even the way she walked was like Mistress Yuri’s – medium, calculated steps. They were not small and rushed, nor long and lazy. They were perfect to maintain a certain speed and to keep that graceful appearance around her. The wind playfully messed her hair as she looked ahead proud and maintained a straight posture.

I can’t believe that I remembered all those details. I always thought that I forgot most of the things that happened – most of the happy stuff – and let only darkness shroud me. A certain nostalgia cloaked that darkness and brought to the surface a sparkle of reprimanded memories. I maintained enough distance between us as not to seem extremely strange - like that would ever happen.

Of course I wanted to run to her and ask who she is and if she knows who I am. But that would be ridiculous. And with those reapers keeping a close eye on my every move – accidentally or not – I couldn’t do anything rash.

The brunette first went to a house that I instantly recognized – it was where that old lady’s niece welcomed me to her funeral. I was with Jae-something and saw how he departed with his beloved. I couldn’t get inside and didn’t want to have another chat with the niece, so I waited by the gate and hoped I could see something.

I think I was there for ten minutes, ripping leaves off a bush and twisting them in a cigarette form. When the brunette got out, I spat the leaf out of my mouth and slowly followed her again. The book she had at the café was no longer there. As she passed by the gate, I could feel a sweet scent attached to her. It was the same perfume Mistress Yuri had always used – spirits would easily find her that way, she said.

Her next location was the pâtisserie me and Daesung enjoyed. She didn’t stay long – fewer than five minutes anyway. She got out with a paper bag and continued her journey. To where, I had no idea. She went inside the clothes’ shop from where I bought Daesung’s new stuff. Again, it didn’t last long and she came out with a plastic bag that had the shop’s label plastered over. With both bags, she headed across the street to the park. I used the tress to shield myself from her view. My mood dropped to annoyance when I saw the same doll ghost jumping around the same tree I left her. The blonde doll seemed thrilled to see the brunette as she handed her the paper bag. The ghost looked inside and approved. To my amazement, the brunette took a lighter out, burned the paper bag along with whatever was inside and then slowly left. When I followed her again and got near the tree, the ghost doll was eating like crazy on some pastries.

I shook my head and ignored it.

The brunette stopped on a bench not far from the park’s exit and as I squeezed my eyes, I could clearly see she was reading a pamphlet on Halcyon Hotel. I can’t believe it! Don’t tell me that those things weren’t taken off the shelves. Do I have to do the reapers' work as well? They can very well sweep every corner of the world in a matter of seconds and clean any evidence that there was ever a Halcyon Hotel. I swear that if I ever see that rogue reaper ever again, I’ll personally lecture him on how to stop doing good marketing and try a more personal approach - for my pleasure, not his.

My trail of thoughts was cut short when the brunette got up, threw the pamphlet in a garbage bin and exited the park. Well, at least she wasn’t interested and I was relieved. Just as I was about to follow her and see where she’d stop next, a sudden burning pain crossed my back. My fingertips reached the symbol on my back.

It burnt harded.

Ugh, Jung Min, your timing's horrible.

I had to choose between following her or returning home and see what in the world did Jung Min want. With his broken wing and weakened spirit, it was difficult for him to use the same tricks. But it hurt too much to believe he was only calling me. That sensation that erupted over my skin announced me that Jung Min was not feeling well at all and that something else was going on.

I hate that reaper so freaking much!

I abandoned Mistress Yuri’s lookalike and dashed back home.

---

“For ’s sake Jung Min, you better have a ing good reason to call me here!”

I stormed inside the apartment, enraged that I had to abandon the chase. I couldn’t focus on something else now. All I had in mind was Mistress Yuri.

“Grandma...” Daesung’s voice met me as he rushed from the living room and gave me a worried look “Stink man... stink man is acting weird.”

“What do you mean weird?”

I learned what Daesung considered weird when I followed him inside the living room. Jung Min was in the middle of the room with his wings exposed. He kept his hands glued to his head and shook it a couple of times. Then he moved along his whole body and those wings were pretty handy at breaking my vases.

I frowned.

“Jung Min,” but I couldn’t be sarcastic, I couldn’t scream at him and I couldn’t stop adrenaline from taking over me. “Hey...” I stepped closer with both of my hands up front so I wouldn’t get hit by his wings. “I’m here, calm down.”

“Stop it!” he yelled then his knees hit the floor. “Stop it!”

“Stop what?” I kneeled before him and placed my hands over his shoulders. “Jung Min, are you hurt anywhere?” The symbol kept burning with the same intensity. I felt like I was sick with a fever or something, not tending to a wounded reaper.

“Flashes,” he cried “Memories... flashes of memories... I’m remembering things I never knew about. Make it stop!”

“What do you mean?”

Jung Min looked up at me. He had red eyes and was shaking terribly.

“Memories... my human memories. Stop them! Please, stop them! I don’t want to remember!”

I retracted my hands and stared at him.