It’s funny when you have an obvious tummy. People are more carrying towards you. Every time we’d get into a house to see what their ghost-related problem was, they welcomed us with warm smiles.

Then they asked if Jung Min was the father.

I didn’t know if I should say yes, because he is my father, or not, because he’s not the father. Anyway, after they found out it was Daesung, they exchanged looks and the conversation became awkward. I told Jung Min to stay behind because ghosts might get scared when they see him. He argued they are already terrified from my white energy. Guess we’re stuck in a loophole and had to put Daesung do all the work. At least I got to talk to some spirits and they all told me I'm weird and that spirit in me was... something powerful which made them feel safe.

Things went smooth after such a nice comment.

Except that one lady which ticked me off.

Jung Min left us to deal with her alone because he had to fly back to Yuri. He’d come back in a couple of days, but we pretty much had to enter a luxurious house without him. She was an old hag with big pearls around her neck and wrinkled skin. She told Daesung to stay out, the miserable homeless that he was... and I couldn’t say a thing because she had already dragged me inside and muttered about those hungry dogs.

She pushed me in a plush armchair and offered me cookies and tea. I passed the cookies and accepted the tea, even if I didn’t know if I was supposed to drink it or not. Maybe she was a maniac in disguise who poisoned my drink. Nevertheless, I was thirsty.

The lady patted my knee like any other old grandma and gave me a crooked smile. I tried hard not to look freaked as I smiled back.

“Are you alright dear? You don’t have to lie to people that you see ghosts to get money. I know it’s hard, dear” she patted my knee. Ugh, I hate it. Really do. “I’ll give you some money if that’s what you want. Is the father a bad man? Or did he die?”

I tried hard not to grab the cup because I’d break it.

“I don’t need money, ma’am, I do see ghosts,” then again, my thirst had to be satiated somehow “and the father is outside. That guy you called a hobo.”

Her eye twitched.

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah, you see,” I picked a cookie and took a big bite “he’s so brave, he even kicked Death off a cliff, can you believe that?”

Her eye twitched again.

“Death?”

“Ah, sorry. That’s not bravery, that’s pure stupidity, ugh...” I waved the cookie before eating the rest of it. As I my fingers and cleaned the bits of chocolate stuck to my skin, the lady got up from her chair and mumbled something about scams as she was about to head back to the kitchen. “You know, that meat suit doesn’t fit you.”

She stopped and slowly turned around.

“What is it, dear?”

I grabbed one more cookie and threw it at her.

“You silly demon, why don’t you let that poor woman alone?”

Her eye twitched again before they became empty. A sinister grey creature appeared from her back with pure black oval-shapped eyes and a grim expression. It showed me his claws and fangs as they deeper clawed at the old lady’s body.

“How did you knoooow?” it hissed back at me. I casually got up, smiled and patted its bald head.

“Awww, aren’t you guys cute?” it almost bit my fingers off if I hadn’t punched him. I grabbed its neck and slowly plucked each hand and leg off the lady. She collapsed as I left the house while holding the demon like a bouquet. I presented it to Daesung and proudly grinned. “Marry me?”

“EW EW EW EW EW EW GRANDMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I love teasing him.

“Help...” the demon pleaded still in my hand.

---

“Why would you do that?!” Daesung told Jung Min about the demon incident and I couldn’t help scoff at it.

“It wasn’t even a strong demon! It was attached to an old hag, for crying out loud!”

“You are pregnant! You can’t go around mocking demons, for ’s sake!” he looked at Daesung and grabbed him by the collar. “Haven’t you learned a ing thing?! That got us killed in the first place!”

“Look,” I pulled Jung Min’s hands off Daesung “I might not know what happened between you two, but one thing’s clear: I’m stronger than any of you right now, so at least let me have some fun!”

“Fun?” Jung Min wasn’t far from creating a volcano out of his red eyes “FUN!? DO YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE?! YOU’RE ING PREGNANT, BEHAVE LIKE A PREGNANT WOMAN!”

Okay, I had it. I took care of myself, I don’t smoke and I don’t drink. I also try to eat as much healthy stuff for both of us as possible. On top of all, I even let the spirit take an extra doze of energy whenever I felt like I could spare some. Jung Min was exaggerating and it ruined my once good temper.

“Okay then,” I opened the medallion, took the wing out and dropped it. “Goodbye.”

I turned round on my heels and went ahead. Daesung looked at Jung Min, bowed his head and then followed me. I could see everything through Daesung’s eyes. The once reading minds thing came back for awhile, but I didn’t tell a soul.

I could also read into Jung Min’s head and knew that he was only worried for me... and I understood that. But he also had to bear in mind that I am not Yuri, that Daesung wouldn’t commit the same mistake and that I was perfectly fine on my own.

The reaper didn’t follow us. Instead, he picked the feather, twirled it around and disappeared.

We went to catch the last train heading to the Black Ocean. It was so near, I could already hear its song. We had to change so many trains until then, but I was happy about it.

In two months, I’d see its waves again.

---

Yeaaaaaaaaah, so apparently the only bridge that could get us across and closer to the Ocean had broken down ten years ago. And since people rarely went there, they didn’t bother to fix it.

I mumbled all day long at the hotel we were staying.

“Why can’t I fly?”

“Have you tried?” Daesung asked as he massaged my feet. I wiggled my toes and almost smacked him for daring to tickle me.

“Yes...” well... “...not really...”

“You had to shove Jung Min away, didn’t you?”

I mumbled some more and gave him the other foot.

“Maybe I should try it now...”

“No,” Daesung firmly said as he pressed his thumb with the same force in my sole. It felt soo good! Then again, I was sure again I wasn’t supposed to get such treatment. Ugh, going against every pregnancy rule in the world to my morals. “Let’s just go back home...”

“Home?” I watched the ceiling and its many dark spots. “I have no home.”

“Yes you do!” he let go of my feet and rushed to my side. He kneeled and grabbed onto the bed’s edge. “You have me, you have Yuri and you have Jung Min. We are your home wherever you go. So let’s just stop this time and go back...”

“That sounds kind of childish.”

“Childish or not...” he lowered his tone before he’d scream at me “that’s how I lived... twice. Places don’t matter, people do. That Ocean will still be there one hundred years from now, so let’s just go back to the mountains, tend to your and the baby’s health and have a good life.”

“But I don’t even know...” I slowly caressed my belly “...what’s going to come out.”

“I don’t care. It’s our kid and that’s all I wanted... a second chance and you gave it to me. Now please also let me give you a second chance. Let’s stop being foolish and accept that some things are too hard to change.”

“Are you a fatalist?”

“No, I’m just someone that went through a lot and wants just a little in return. Some destinies are set, some aren’t, but I know karma’s a ing ...” he shook his head and somehow excused his language through that. It was cute and made me giggle. “I mean... you make your own choice in life. And the one you are doing now has been breaking my heart.”

“You know...” I ruffled his messy hair “you finally spoke. I was waiting for you to do that.”

“Eh?”

“You always don’t say what's bothering you... thanks.”

“So... we’re going back?” he pouted.

“Yeah...” I sighed. “Back...” he smiled “home?”

“Yup!” Daesung kissed my forehead and then touched the belly. “Oh... IT KICKED!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Like it hadn’t before...”

That kid, no matter the gender, will be as hyperactive as Daesung.