"Ugh," I groaned, stretching from an awkward position. The morning light danced over my face. Yesterday's event still fresh in my memory or rather–in our memories. Turning my head slightly to look at the orange-haired girl.
Han Ye-rin, that was her name. The little conversations we had after the contract lingered deep in my heart. I wondered why I started tearing up at all. Was there something I was missing, I ruffled my hair, still in my veilborn form.
"N..no, mister duck, it's not yet to go out," Ye-rin mumbled out some words, before rolling to the other side of the double-decked bed. Apparently she was still sleeping and saying random words. I slept on the chair she was sitting on before, not wanting to make this more complicated than it already was.
I wondered if she would eventually sell me out, forming a contract was one thing but keeping through to it was another matter. Not wanting to dwell on the topic, I picked up a book from her shelf. It was a book written by Maya Angelou, even back in Nekronis I had read several of her books from the community library.
"Mister ducky..." "Ahem." I coughed loudly, not wanting to hear more of that. Apparently it had worked as she jolted up into a sitting position. "Hi ducky," I teased. " "Hmp," she squirmed, "sorry, I haven't gotten used to all of this," she said waving her hands in an anti-clockwise pattern. "Bu....," she stopped, as if just realizing she shot a stern glare. "What's with the name."
"Just ignore me," I said evasively, returning to read the book in hand. "I shot a glance at her and spoke out, "mister ducky," she flushed. "Howw did..." She asked. Dawning on the realization she picked up a pillow to cover her face which was turning bright red.
"Ughh, my life is literally overrr," she wailed. She was about to say something else when a loud sound cut through the room. I froze, confused. Ye-rin however, wasn't shocked, but simply dropped the pillow and grabbed whatever was making such sounds with a groggy hand.
As she lifted it up, I noticed it was a phone, was that a call I wondered to myself. She tapped the screen and was talking to someone, "morning mom," she said somewhat sheepishly. "I know, I didn't forget you and dad's anniversary," she said, but from her tone it was clear she wasn't happy about all this. "Yes I know, I won't cause trouble for them, " she said with a loud sigh. The call went on for a while. I couldn't hear the voice from the phone, but I could make sense of what they spoke about from her response.
"I have a boyfriend, so don't worry about me" she said turning towards me with a wide grin, I groaned. I had barely dodged the whole interrogation the other day now this. There was nothing I could do either way.
After few pleasantries she hung up. She sat up groaning as she processed her mother's words. She winced at the thought of attending. If I was wasn't mistaken, I was sure it was something related to her ex.
She shot me a glance with what followed up with a grin, "You are going to be my boyfriend tomorrow," she said smiling even more. "I see," I said nonchalantly. "What do you mean, I see," she shot up back. "Well, I can't possibly refuse right?" "Well...." She trailed off
"You seem to be interested in reading that book," she asked eyeing me up. "Do you even know what it is?" "We are not a primitive race interested in only Killing" I replied. "Besides, your kind is viewed as lessers in my world," I replied.
"Fine, you don't have to be pushy about it," she said waving her hand. "Well I do love reading, and I have read a lot of her books," I answered. "Wow.." she said suddenly close to my face. Her eyes staring intently at mine.
"No offense, but how are we going to hide all this?" She asked.
"I'll think of something," I said not wanting to raise up her hopes too high, and I wasn't sure what her response would be.
"Well I would like a handsome guy, with six packs abs, curly brown hair, and yes, over six feet tall," she said almost drooling. "I'm a reaper, not a genie," I said leaning back against the chair I was sitting on. "Besides, I don't even look like that in my humanoid form," I added.
She raised a brow, "what do you mean humanoid?" She asked. "To put it plainly, I can switch my appearance between two forms," I said gesturing with my hands across my face. "And a human-like appearance," "ohh I see," she said her voice filled with worry.
Noticing this, I spoke out immediately. "I have a human like appearance or rather a human appearance. Unlike my kinds, I look excatly like a human so you have nothing fear," I said suddenly filled with regret and old memories. I wasn't sure if she could understand how I felt but she didn't say anything further.
"Well, I'm going to take a bath," she said. As she started walking towards the bathroom at the opposite end. Several thoughts flooded into my mind. I looked the ceiling placing the book at my chest. Despite everything, why do I feel at home here. Not this hotel, but this realm.
If I had to guess I would say because I looked excatly like them, but no that would be wrong. "Not wanting to ruin this beautiful mood, I leaned back even further. A faint smile tugged across my lips. I couldn't explain but I was happy, I was grateful.
Han Ye-rin
I stepped out of the bathroom, towel hooked over my shoulder, still rubbing my hair when I noticed someone standing in my room I stopped. Almost lost my breathe for a second. He was near my desk. Just standing there. Tall and wearing a suit.
A suit.
Dark, clean, fitted perfectly like it had been tailored just for him. The sleeves hugged his arms, the fabric smooth and expensive-looking. Not something you casually own. My eyes drifted up before I could stop them. White hair, Bright under the morning light.
It was messy, almost like he had been playing with it for a while. And when he turned his blue eyes met mine. Clear, Almost unreal. "J..Ji-ho?" My voice came out quieter than I meant it to. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, like he was already tired of being looked at. "Well this is me," he said as he picked up the book he was reading before.
I couldn't help myself but stare. He looked at me again not saying anything, then I realized I was getting too close to him. "…Oh," I said stupidly. Taking several feet back. My throat suddenly felt dry. I cleared it. Once. Twice. "Okay," I said quickly, waving my hand a little too hard.
"Okay." First of all, we are not doing whatever this could turn into. I'm getting you clothes. Proper ones." I said, He raised an eyebrow. Just slightly. "Is this not enough?" He asked. "That doesn't count," I shot back. "Why are you even wearing a suit? Do Grim Reapers have luxurious meetings I don't know about? Are you secretly rich?"
His lips twitched. Barely. "I got mixed up in a side quest earlier," he said. I blinked, "side quest?" I asked. "Well I got mixed up with something before I came here," he said. "Besides, it ended up with me getting a ¥100,000 won," he said flaunting the bundled money all over my face.
That made me pause.I looked at him again, really looking deeper this time. He was like someone craved by a god himself, that thought made my chest tighten. I turned away fast. "Anyway," I said, louder than necessary. "We don't have time to stand around. We have places to be."
"Places?" He asked. "Yes, places we need to get you some clothes. We can't afford to stand out too much," I said then it hit me, my dad.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "I forgot. I should probably explain some things." He didn't say anything. Just waited.
I sat on the edge of the bed, towel still clutched in my hands. "My dad," I began, "is a retired chief director in the EDC."
His eyes sharpened. "EDC."
"Yeah. Ethereal Defense Corps. Big deal here." I glanced at him. "He's ranked E-3." "E-Rank huh, is that your country Ranking system?" he asked. "Yes it is," I said.
"Based on mana capacity and control. To determine the strength of an individual we invented a device called the fortitude percentage. From 99% to1%," I said. Ji-ho leaned in closely, " the lower the percentage the stronger the individual right?" He asked. I smiled a bit and nodded. "Excatly, Anyone with a 40% and lower is considered something special in our country," I said.
Adjusting my position, I continued. "That's where the E-rank system comes in," I said raising six fingers. "An E-6 to E-1. An E-6 is slightly stronger than a regular human, the strongest, E-1 falls between 4% to 1%," I said crossing my arms. "Please try not to say too much atleast, smile and wave if you must," I added.
He nodded slowly, like he was piecing something together.
"The point is," I continued, "He is bound to ask questions, A lot of them. And I mean a lot." "I see," Ji-ho said quietly.
I swallowed. "So we need to be careful."
Silence settled between us again, but this time it felt different. Not awkward. Just heavy. He glanced toward the bathroom. "I guess I should wash up before we start shopping." "Oh yeah," I said quickly, standing. "Go ahead."
He walked past me, close enough that I caught a strange scent clean, unfamiliar, not like soap or perfume. Something colder. Sometimes pleasing. He paused at the door. "…Thank you," he said. I blushed, startled by his compliment. "For what?" I asked. "For not reacting badly." I scoffed. "I reacted fine."
Looking at his back, I was sure he smiled but then again I couldn't be sure.
The door closed, and moments later, I heard the sound of running water. I sank back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.
A grim reaper. In my room. A handsome one at that, not like I knew another. He was using my shower. "Life huh," But even as I said it, my lips curved into a rile smile . I didn't understand any of this. I wasn't scared of him even though I should have, I wasn't angry with the contract even if I should have, I was... Just happy.