Alright, so there are a couple of things that irk me to the very core. But there’s absolutely nothing worse – okay, there is, but you get my point – than running like a lunatic on a very cold day with snow everywhere, chilly winds and ice that’s eager to break my bones. My lungs were ready to burst from how darn frozen they felt and I was like a racing horse from how heavy I was breathing. But there is also nothing, absolutely nothing, more annoying than when an idiot of a thief thinks he can get away from me without wounds the size of a freaking watermelon. That’s right, I was going to beat his sorry to a pulp and make sure this whole damn city knows that Sooyoung is back and she means business!

And for some reason, I was doing much better than before. All of the fatigue I had disappeared in an instant. I was ready to kick some and despite the bleak environment, I never felt so alive in a long time. My whole spirit trembled with such emotion that I thought I had gone crazy for good. Or adrenaline finally kicked it in my body, enough to make it function the way it should when that happens.

I WAS READY TO BRING THAT THIEF TO JUSTICE!

And I was also lucky enough to corner him. Block of flats surrounded us as I slowed down and slowly approached the blonde. He seemed to be looking ahead. I did not know what he had in mind. He didn’t move from his spot and I was tempted to jump on his back and tackle him to the ground, but wouldn’t that be childish?

Okay, it’s not.

I hopped and was ready to get my payback when he turned around, grabbed me to his chest and smirked. I was ready to kick him between the legs because I wouldn't let that idiot get his way with me.

Yeah, that failed too, mostly because he was stronger than me. And I mean a lot stronger.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a woman that exercised a lot because of all the missions I had taken and despite my body not aging, I did build it nicely. So I’m not that easy to be overpowered. That or my abilities had been those that made me look like Wonder Woman on a regular basis and I was royally screwed.

Yeah, I was screwed.

The guy grabbed my arms and swayed me around with a smile.

“Let me go!”

“Why should I do that?”

“What kind of question is that?!”

“Just answer me.”

“For ’s sake, let me go or I’ll swear I’ll send you straight to the hospital!”

“But dear,” he chuckled “How could you do that since I am dead?”

I stared. “You’re a reaper...” I whispered and tried hard not to show him I was weak.

“Maybe,” he cooed and chuckled again.

“You’re the one we’re looking for!”

“Maybe,” he was really having a blast with the guessing game.

That’s when I saw them.

Reapers... reapers were around me like an audience waiting for something marvelous to happen. They all had smoky eyes and they were all in their human forms. I thought that only Seungri had jurisdiction there, so why were they so many? Also, Daesung said that he scarcely saw any reapers around, thus ghosts roamed freely and became careless. I was growing suspicious of the whole ordeal. Had they been hiding in that area all along?

Actually, after a better look, I realized I was in the old neighborhood. My old apartment wasn’t far from where I was standing. Only then had I seen the broken windows, broken walls and the piles of household items here and there. At least the earthquake lie was believable. I pulled my gaze away from the hoard of reapers and stared back into the stranger’s fascinating orbs. They flashed white for a second, enough for me to struggle more in his arms.

No reaper's eyes flashed white!

Also, I really wasn’t in the mood to dance in the snow. Do I look like some kind of Ice Princess?

“Give me a name!” he joyfully demanded from me and I had no idea who was crazier between us.

“Do I look like your mother?!” he appeared amused by my statement.

“Aren’t you the mother of all?”

“What?”

“Oh, yes,” he stopped and brushed his lips against mine “You aren’t yet.”

I wanted to smack him with my forehead, but he anticipated my move and brutally threw me over the snow. By the time I tried to get up, he was gone along with the other reapers. I wiped my cheek with the back of my palm after feeling something wet. I thought at first that it was snow. After closer inspection, it turned out to be blood. Great, my cheek got cut in the snow. How ridiculous is that?

I tried to feel any energy signature around, one that could resemble a reaper’s. There was nothing.

! Why do I have to be so weak?! Was that my punishment for being ungrateful? Well, they were five hundred years late!

Bastards, bastards, so many bastards! Ugh!

Alright.

I feel better.

I had to tell Yuri, Daesung and Jung Min about it. That was my top priority. I headed back home through the center. At one point, I stopped to pull myself together and fix my hair a little. When my hands sank inside my coat’s pocket, I was surprised to find my wallet. I pulled it out, opened it and saw there was nothing missing. And that I also had no note or something that could give me more information related to the reaper.

I should really get one of those chain wallets or something.

The sky was clearing. That was a good sign because there was a chance a strong sun might replace the clouds and melt the snow in a couple of days. Of course, nothing is for sure with the current weather. I was still surprised to see it snowed so early. Maybe I was just being a grumpy old woman that didn’t catch up with how the weather changed in the past couple of decades.

The sunrays were shadowed by a large bird. It spread its wings and landed on a building’s rooftop not far from me.

It was a golden eagle.

There was only one reaper out there that could morph into a golden eagle. It was a bird reserved only for the one that wished to fly in his next life.

“Jung Min...” I breathed out and dashed as soon as the red light turned green. I walked by the same yellow bricked buildings. The golden eagle took flight and I wished I could also follow it in air.

I didn’t know for sure what its destination was.

And I somehow ended up back in the old neighborhood, back near my old apartment and back near the location I left a couple of minutes ago.

Had Jung Min sensed those reapers’ presence and came to investigate? Had he felt there was something really wrong with me, despite the fact that I no longer carried his feather by my neck? All those questions denied the obvious – of course he had!

The eagle landed in an alley. Great, probably he wanted to subtly morph back in his human form.

As I rushed there to greet him, a voice at the back of my head screamed that Jung Min only had one wing. Thus, it was impossible, even in his bird form, to fly.

“Jung Min!” but I didn’t care anymore. Jung Min didn’t directly say that to me. For all I know, he probably had his wing intact as an eagle.

Eyes that flashed blue were the last thing I saw before somebody pushed me into the wall. The alley was darker than I presumed.

It stank of flowers... I thought I was once again close to my death.

Just then I found some force left inside me, enough to push the one that pinned me to the wall away. My fingers flickered red for a second before it extinguished like a candle’s flame. Great, does that mean that my abilities are back or that touching the stranger was a big no-no?

I changed my position to a defensive one and dodged some of the kicks directed at me. My hands sprung forward in time to grab a hold of a shining demon blade that threatened to shed blood... again.

That was really not the best day for my skin.

That’s when I also got a better look at his face.

Yes, his.

That was not Jung Min.

“Who sent you?” he asked and I couldn’t help but notice his frail tone.

“Nobody!” I yelled and hoped that spark of red really meant some of my abilities were back because I needed them rightaway. The demon blade didn’t affect me, but it was the second time I was near one, so I still didn’t know that much about their properties.

“Don’t lie!” he yelled back “I know Jaejoong sent you after me!”

“For ’s sake, can’t you feel me?! I’m dried of power!”

He loosened the push and I took my chance to elbow him in the chin. He took a few steps back, enough for me to concentrate.

Coooome red sparkle! I need you!

Nothing.

Cool.

I had a pissed rogue reaper in front of me and no powers.

Very cool.