Unlucky

Death was out all day trying to find that monster that threw him off the roof months ago. Ever since that day, it has been so difficult to reach it and there have been more victims over the past weeks. It was alarming.

While heading back home after another unsuccessful day of finding the monster, he decided to check on his human as promised yesterday. He stood in front of her home and wondered what was taking her long to come out. He texted and even called her, but he wasn't able to reach out to her.

The gate opened and In-hae stepped taking out the trash, freezing in place once she saw him.

Now I could finally understand why he is beauty seem out of this world. In-hae nodded as she moved closer to him after placing the bag of trash down. Death stopped calling her when she refused to pick her phone to attend to her friend grinning at him.

"Hello, once again. You remember me?" In-hae cringed inwardly at how stupid that sounded. Of course, he would.

"Yes." Death answered checking his phone to see if she has replied to his texts and began to feel worried. "Isn't she at home by this time?"

The smile dropped from In-hae's face before nodding.

Death couldn't help but feel a bit angry. It is freezing cold for goodness' sake. Where could she have gone to by this hour of the day?

He sighed and asked, "Can you tell me where she went?"

In-hae shook her head. "I have no idea either. A fancy car just pulled up a bit after seven o click and a tall guy wearing a tuxedo was the driver."

Death frowned confused. Where could she have gone too?

"By the way, I am so sorry for the way I treated you the last time we met. I was only ignorant and insensitive. Foolish even. I hope you haven't disliked me for talking down on her for believing in you?"

Death blinked, looked around before releasing another breath and shaking his head. "No, I don't. But I can if you ever think she's crazy again." Death held her gaze for a brief seconds before In-hae breaking eye contact to chuckle nervously.

"Of course, I won't. I even take religious lessons and watch videos about astrology and the way the universe works. I am very proud to be a believer now. Recently, I watched a video on palmistry..." Death looked elsewhere uninterested. "...they said a lot about the lines on our hands and how it affects us as a person. The YouTuber lectured on the lifeline and it came as a surprise to see I have a very long lifeline. Which means I am going to live a very long and fulfilled life."

Death nodded, thinking of leaving. "Good for you."

In-hae's eyes darkened at Death as her eyes glitched briefly to a different color and smiled,"But I am yet to watch videos that explain why some people are born with a short lifeline on their palms. People like Ha-Yun for instance. Does it mean they are going to have a very short life?"

But I am yet to watch videos that explain why some people are born with a short lifeline on their palms. People like Ha-Yun for instance…

Death eyes fell on In-hae as quick as possible. "Hold on a second. Did you just say she has a…"

"Oh, Ha-Yun!!! You're back!!!!" In-hae waved at her friend dragging her feet from afar and Death immediately turned his head to see that she is back from wherever she went.

"Sorry, did you just say she has a short lifeline on her palms?" Death pressed on again causing In-hae to blink confused.

"I said that?"

That creeped Death so much, causing a chill of disbelief to travel down his neck and spine. How could she just forget what she just said a second ago?

Or was I the one that misheard her?

"What I said was that I have been watching cool videos on Palmistry and I came across a video about the lifeline. Surprisingly, I have a very long lifeline. I never mentioned Ha-Yun having a short lifeline. How did you know about it? Did you also check?"

Death stepped back finding this absurd. "You just said…"

They both stared at each other neither of them making sense of what just happened.

What's going on?

Ha-Yun stopped in front of them and Death noticed how she avoided his eyes. Like she was guilty about something.

"You're here. So, how was where you went?" In-hae greeted with a big smile.

"It was fine," She answered still avoiding maintaining eye contact with him.

Something doesn't feel right.

"Where did you go?" Death didn't try to sound friendly at all. He was not only pissed about her frequent late night outings in this unforgiving weather. But for the fact that she is hiding something from him.

"Uhm…I went to…"

"Look me in the eye and tell me where you've been." She stepped back when he sounded a bit dangerous and placed a finger under her chin and raised it to meet his suspecting eyes. "Don't you dare lie to me." He warned causing her heart to beat faster and for a minute, she was afraid of him. Even In-hae was surprised.

She tried not to cry as she looked at him and forced her trembling lips apart to lie to his face. "I went to see a movie with a friend of mine…a bit far from here."

Death could smell that it was a lie. She's hiding something from him, and he wondered what it could be.

In-hae quickly came in-between them when she saw how Ha-Yun was trying to hold back her tears and keep it together. "If she says she went to the movies you have to believe her. What? She can't enjoy her life anymore now that she's with you?"

Death's eyes reached out for her but was hurt when she hid behind her friend. Scared and lying to his face.

He had this uncontrollably urge forcing the truth out of her lips…but at the same time…he just wanted to leave. Why did he bother coming here to check up on her everyday? She's free to do whatever she wants and however she likes.

"Fine," He brushed shoulders with them as they watched him leave. Ha-Yun regretted ever hiding from him. That must have been so hurtful to him. Was she stupid or what?

In-hae held her back when she wanted to go after him. "Where do you think you're going? Don't tell me you're going after him?"

Tears streamed down her face and she herself couldn't understand why she has been so emotional lately.

"I'm sorry." She freed her hands and ran after him.

*

She was unable to keep up. He walked so fast, no matter how fast she ran calling out to him. The roads were slippery and covered with snow.

"Please wait!"

He kept going.

"Don't go, I'm so sorry!" She screamed so loud on top of her lungs as she watched him slip out of the hands, running as fast as she could.

"I'm--oomph!" She slipped and fell face flat in the heap of snow. It took her a while to raise her head from it and spat out snow and dust some out of her face. The temperature rose a bit and the snow fell harder making seeing her surrounding clearly a challenge.

She sat on the snow wondering where she was. She gazed around and saw no sight of him anymore. He must have left quickly when she fell. And foolishly ran all the way from her home to this quiet place.

There was no one in sight, and she wrapped her hands around her small body in an attempt to warm herself.

"Where am I?" It all felt so strange to her and the neighborhood was eerily quiet and calm. She tried getting up and gasped when a sharp pain tightened around her left ankle.

Good. I can't walk anymore now.

She felt something well up in her, and it rose all the way to her throat. She brought a hand to her face and covered her face in shame.

"Why is everything just so hard on me?" Her hands quivered as the feeling got stronger forcing a tear down her freezing cheeks. "Why is pain and suffering the only feeling that comes so easy to me? Just why?" Her tears grew to a sob as the feeling became overwhelming.

"I am just so unlucky with luck and getting the life I want." She whispered.

Silence.

"Ha-Yun!!!"

She stiffened at the cry of her name.

"Ha-Yun!!!!"

There it is again. She looked around trying to see who was calling out to her so desperately.

"Ha-Yun! Where are you? Where did you run off too?"

Her heart jumped with joy as a smile appeared on her face. In-hae. She wiped the tears quickly from her eyes. I can't believe she ran after me.

Death gazed down at the human calling desperately at the name of his beloved not to far from where she was. He saw how happy and relieved she was.

She even called out to her for help.

"In-hae! Over here!"

He balled his hands into tight fists. Jealousy got the best of him. He ordered the snow to fall even harder and should be more forgiving. He didn't like that the human was pushing through and getting closer to his human in need of help.

Death blinked, and large ice walls emerged from the ground out of nowhere pushing In-hae several feet away forming a big circular fence around Ha-Yun.

"In-hae!" Ha-Yun called surprised by the solid ice walls. "In-hae!" She called out again, but there was no reply.

She tried getting up again, but it was no use. Her frustrating to get out of this mess got to her so much that she cried so hard calling out to her friend to come and save her.

"In-hae, please, answer me. I'm getting scared."

Death safely landed on the other side of the ice wall and gazed at the unconscious form of her friend various feet away being buried by the snow gradually. He turned to the ice wall and walked through it like it was nothing.

Ha-Yun moved backwards with her lips apart in shock at his doing. The way he gazed down at her was dangerous. It frightened her the more. And she wondered what got to him. They stared at each other waiting for the other to say something until…" Why did you stop?" He began, taking numerous steps towards her. He bends on one knee before her and placed one of his hands gently on her left cheek. "Keep calling out to her and let's see if she's capable of saving you or hiding you from me when you tell lies."

More tears stream down her face, not liking this side of him one bit.

"It was irritating to see she was the one who came to your mind when you needed help. Why?" He demanded lowly with a frown. "I was watching to see who you'll call out for help."

"You were looking so angry. I was hurt and scared. She called out to me first. I needed help." She stated.

Death lowered his eyes to his knees, and they softened at them.

"I don't have to call out your name for you to know just how close I am to you. I am always with you. Keeping an eye on you because of who you are to me. I am close by when you're in pain, distress, sorrow, when you're angry, sad, frustrated, happy and calm. All you just need to do is call out to me and see for yourself."

She sniffled crying harder than ever at his words.

"I want to be the first person you think of just as how you are the only one I think of. I am more than ready to give up… everything for you."

She closed her eyes and nodding that she knows.

"And I am ready to give up more just for you. I am so in love with you already. So, please don't lie to my face again. It doesn't feel like the girl I am so crazy about. I wouldn't harm a single hair on your head if you tell me the truth." He leaned close placing a hand at the back of her neck and wrapping the other around her waist bringing her close to him, inches away from her lips.

"Please, always make me feel like you are mine alone. Promise you won't hide anything from me again."

He stared at her for an answer. Ha-Yun closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheeks. She placed her hands around his shoulders nodding with a deceiving smile.

Death was pleased and went ahead to claim her sweet lips.

I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to promise you that. No, when it could cost you your chance of starting over and living…like you should.