The only thing that could be heard was the constant scratching against the wooden door all done by the kitten that seemed restless, or quite demanding of attention. Cooing, Jimin held the kitten and played with it for a few minutes, until Mochi was too tired or perhaps, too bored with her to play with. Watching as the kitten walked away,perhaps settling under the couch just like it usually does.

Turning back her attention to the loud whistle of the kettle, she pushed herself up and patiently prepared herself some tea.

The clock ticks, slowly - agonizingly loud.

It's been two weeks and three days since she last saw Winter - not that she's counting.

But it's quite difficult not to notice when the latter has been too present in Jimin's life for the past months.

Winter was still a mystery to Jimin, and a warmth that she never expected to encounter - perhaps a breath of fresh air. But the mystery lingers within the girl, and never once Jimin sees it wavered off. There was a certain thread that Jimin could feel whenever Winter talks about herself, short - barely a glimpse of the girl's life. As if she has been too tired of it that she never bothered to share. Winter's energy felt too strong, quiet, like a subtle buzzing sound that a person would hear and look at.

Her presence was quiet enough but it could still be felt, one that demands attention.

And yet strong enough as if to show that Winter doesn't let anyone near her - not close enough to know her.

Jimin understood that wall, knew that wall too much as she has her own - and she accepted. That Winter's wall was much higher than her own, sturdier, thicker - not until that small incident.

It was the first slip that Jimin saw - Winter's usual blank and indifferent face showed and morphed into something else. The slight contorting of her eyebrows, her eyes widening and shining for a moment, and the quickness and elegance that she managed to do as she helped Jimin with her burn.

Jimin almost forgot her burn that moment - her sole focus on Winter's face, and how it managed to emanate warmth inside Jimin.

Maybe, Jimin has managed to go through a bit of Winter's wall.

And then when she thought she could get to know Winter, suddenly the latter's friend, Ryujin - much like Winter in terms of presence but quite more approachable, arrived and that was the last time Jimin saw Winter.

As if the girl vanished into thin air.

Jimin thought that Winter would be there in her store the next day to help like usual, but the girl did not come.

And the next day.

And the next.

And next.

Until it's been two weeks with no signs of Winter - not even the barest shadow of the girl.

A scratching sound was heard once again, waking Jimin up from her daze. Noticing the time, Jimin sighed and poured the remaining tea in the sink. Grabbing a small bottle, twisting its cap open and grabbing pills - drinking it as the impending headache throbbed slightly.

A few gulps of water and she was off to bed, with Mochi following behind her.

Hoping that Winter would be waiting for her in her store the next day.

/

You're faltering.

You're faltering.

Minjeong clenched her jaw as the words echoed inside her, it was not the words that she expected from Ryujin. The latter does not say much but when she does, it obviously leaves a mark - a whisper. Walking out of the shadows, she stared at the mortal standing up - looking around as if it was his first time in the world.

"What happened?" He asked the moment he saw Minjeong.

Questions.

Mortals have a knack for curiosity and yet, when the truth is presented to them, they refuse to accept it if it's not in their favor.

Minjeong did not answer.

"Answer me!" The guy demanded, drawing out the gun as he pointed it at Minjeong, his eyes full of rage. No sign of remorse or anything that could translate to hesitation, "Who are you?!"

You're faltering.

Minjeong did not wait, grabbing the mortal from the back, and so she whispered her usual question. "What's the lie that you've regretted the most?"

Secret spilled.

Eyes glazed.

Soul limped.

"Die." Minjeong mumbled and walked away.

Not sparing any glance the corpse laying on the ground.

You're faltering.

She remained in darkness, standing and staring at the mortals moving around - all minding their business. Minjeong repeated the words inside her head, then stared and looked for something inside her. A sign that she is indeed faltering, that maybe Minjeong has become soft without her knowing.

But there's nothing.

She stared and there's nothing she could feel.

The darkness consumed her as she stared at the moving mortals. Looking for a string inside her, a small hint of care. No matter how miniscule it is, she looks for it inside her - but nothing. There was such a gap between her and mortals - an immortal to a mortal, a god to no one. There's nothing she could do, even if she wanted to - she doesn't feel anything.

You're faltering.

"How irrelevant." Minjeong mumbled and turned around, vanishing into thin air.

Opening her eyes as she sees the next soul in her list, and out of habit looking at her watch.

Two weeks and four days.

You're faltering.

//

"You've been keeping an eye on that door for sometime now, Ji."

Giselle points out, hearing the way Jimin shuffled and feeling the latter's eyes on her now. Giselle has known Jimin since she could remember, and she knows that something has been troubling the girl - or rather someone. And Giselle doesn't have to ask to know who that someone is.

"Winter's just busy," Giselle said and looked at Jimin, "you don't have to worry so much."

If Giselle saw the way Jimin was surprised with the sudden mention of the girl, she paid it no mind.

"How could you say so?" Jimin asked, her voice small and vulnerable - as if she's hiding in a shell.

Then Giselle was reminded of the first time she saw Jimin - it was a curious thing to happen. One moment she was playing with her toy ball, and in a blink, the ball went out of bounce. Rolling into their front yard where Giselle saw the black car pulling up. Seeing a child, almost the same age as she was - cowering as if she's scared at everything.

Giselle watched from a distance out of curiosity, the child not looking up from the ground as if she's inside a shell.

The next day, she was introduced and that's when she discovered that the child's name is Jimin. Day after day, Giselle saw the way Jimin changed. Gone was the child who looked lifeless and was transformed to someone who saw everything in a different light. As if a switch was , and Jimin suddenly brought sunshine everywhere she went.

Of course there was still a story behind the girl that looked lifeless, and Giselle understood it when Jimin shared that part of her life - her life before everything that has happened. Losing her parents at such a young age, and entering a life where your relatives do not even welcome you, except for your grandmother.

Giselle saw it as fear of abandonment - of being left behind by the people that you cherish the most. And for Jimin to experience all of it when she was young, barely even understanding it herself - it was too much. But the girl still managed to see beauty in life even after everything, a feat that no one can easily do but then here's Jimin, smiling at everything and seeing good in everyone.

So, when she saw that same expression and heard that meek voice coming from Jimin, Giselle knew that the girl was worried about their new friend - Winter.

The first time she heard about the girl, Giselle could not help but be skeptical about it. Perhaps it's the protective side of her when it comes to Jimin, and the fact that Winter's appearance was too convenient - too timely for Jimin's life. And then she saw her for the first time, and Giselle observed the girl.

But there was just this certain presence surrounding Winter, something that felt too complex - mysterious. She could feel it as well, and she knows that Jimin could too. But what she sees whenever Winter is with Jimin, is that sometimes it slips off. The mask or perhaps, even a wall, crumbling or being put down slowly.

The sideway glances.

The controlled expressions.

The twitch on her fingers.

Her eyes.

Soulless.

And yet whenever it's directed to Jimin, there was a certain gleam in it that Giselle doubts the two even noticed - even Winter herself.

And of course it wasn't one-sided.

How could you say so?

Giselle doesn't have an answer for that, not the right one anyway - after all, she doesn't know much about Winter, but she doubts that something bad would happen to the latter. Winter's mere presence and stare would scare anyone away. As if the girl knows her worth and can fling off anyone that crosses her way.

"She doesn't really give me the vibes to be that weak," Giselle said, shrugging her shoulders as she thinks about it. "Winter might be busy with work, that's what you said to me right? Sometimes she would be out for quite some time due to her busy schedule?"

"But it's been two weeks and five days."

Giselle lets out a smirk, "Keeping track, hm?"

"I'm just quite aware of time," Jimin said and rolled her eyes. "You know I am."

"Have you been sleeping? You look tired, Ji."

"Yeah, just having a hard time but I'm taking enough rest." Jimin answered with a small reassuring smile, but Giselle could not help but to notice the dark circles under the girl's eyes.

"Take more time to rest then," Giselle answered and squeezed Jimin's shoulder, "Winter will be back soon, if not later."

Silence.

Giselle watched as Jimin continued reading as they did not have any customers coming in - it was a slow day after all, only the subtle classical music can be heard. The sleeping figure of the small kitten in the corner, while the two of them are just simply spending time.

"What do you think of her?" Giselle asked suddenly, catching the way Jimin froze. "Of Winter." She clarifies.

"What do you mean?" Jimin lets out a soft chuckle. But Giselle has known the girl to see through her deflection. 

"You like her?"

It was posed as a question, but the two of them know otherwise - that Giselle was stating it to Jimin. And the way the latter let the question hang in the air, as the silence between them loomed with no specific answer or acknowledgement - after all, there are no words needed.

It has been awfully obvious from the way Jimin acts whenever Winter is present, or even her lack of presence. The way Jimin lights up everytime she would see the girl, or even utters her name - it was just there.

"You know I can't." Jimin whispers.

Giselle sighed, "You can," she answered and stared at Jimin knowingly, "but you won't."

The words are heavy for the both of them, meanings upon meanings that they refused to address - or better yet, Jimin refused to address.

"I know."

And that was it. The sound of the bell rang through the store, signaling a new customer to enter. The subject dropped as if it was nothing, but the deep sigh that Giselle released said otherwise.

/

Minjeong stares at the empty glass in front of her, the faint chatterings of other customers being a white noise to her. She could feel the familiar presence of the red-haired god, the light step on her feet, and the way she sat down beside Minjeong. But she paid her no mind, signaling for another glass to Ryujin which the latter complied.

"You've been here for quite a number of times, Min," Ning said with a lilt on her tone, was it a question of curiosity or an observation.

Minjeong nods her head, "Don't have anywhere to go." She answered, raising the new glass to her lips as she takes a sip from it.

Ning was staring at her, as if trying to look for an opening - that's always how the god of love is. Minjeong is used to it since she could remember but that specific moment was not something she would like to be scrutinized at.

"There's something different about you," Ning voiced out, pausing for a moment before shrugging. "You look lonely."

Minjeong ignores the way Ryujin glanced at her, letting Ning's words flow past her as if it was nothing - and yet it felt it hit something inside Minjeong. "That's been us for millennias."

"There's just this certain aura around you Min," Ning gestures with her fingers, her tone light and friendly, "are you okay?"

"Yes." Minjeong said it with a glare, her tone biting and cold - everything surrounding her felt the rush of cold as she spits out her answer.

Everyone in the room felt it, the moment that the god of death was not playing with anyone - that Minjeong in fact was serious. Glances from other customers were casted towards Minjeong then to Ning - who, surprisingly, found everything entertaining. If not for the glint in her eyes as she lets out a smile despite the glare that she was receiving from Minjeong.

Ryujin has known the two gods for so long, that she feels like Ningning is obviously pushing Minjeong's buttons. The former has always a knack for annoying Minjeong, and the latter has been patient for all she knows, but obviously, this was not the time for Ning to do it. "Ning, I think you should stop." She warns.

"I'm just saying," Ning shrugs and looks at Minjeong, "something has obviously changed in you."

Minjeong clenched her jaw, "What do you want, Ning?" she asked rather annoyingly, turning to look at the girl. The latter let out a smile that looked too broad and irritating.

It was obvious that Ning just wanted Minjeong's attention.

"Tell me, have you found any mortal yet that caught your attention?"

Minjeong froze.

You're faltering.

She felt Ryujin's piercing stare.

"Nonsense." Minjeong composed herself, "what do you really want?"

Ning sighed and looked quite stressed, "I'm just having a hard time with a mortal and their thread."

"What?"

"I can't seem..." Ning trails off and shakes her head, "there seems to be blocking it, quite unusual right?"

And it was unusual, as this is the first time that Minjeong heard such a problem from Ning. "Well, goodluck with that, I guess."

"I should start memorizing faces for this certain mortal, it may be one of them." Ning shrugs and glances at Minjeong, "how about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have you started going down from your high chair and thinking of befriending a mortal?"

"No," Minjeong answered as if the idea disgusts her, pausing as an image of Jimin pops in her mind. "Not really, I don't care."

"I see," Ning nods her head, "Winter..." she mumbles, making Minjeong freeze on the spot.

"What?"

"I said winter is not really our season." Ning answers with a sigh.

"Ah," Minjeong clears and nods her head, "maybe so."

Standing up which signals the end of their conversation, she nods her head to Ryujin and then to Ning before turning around. Opening the door and vanishing into thin air.

"What are you playing at?" Ryujin asked quietly.

"Nothing," Ning shrugs and looks at the vacant chair beside her, "Minjeong just looked lonely, that's all."

Ryujin opens as if to say something but decides against it, turning around as she lets Ning enjoy her drink quietly.

/

Minjeong watched in the corner as everything unfolds in front of her - an accident, 14 people fell with the bus. She silently watched and observed everything, not doing anything as she looked at her list - five names, five souls to be collected. The rush of the hospital would have made her invisible to everyone nonetheless, but she sat in the shadows as she waited for their last breath.

The smell of sterile and medicine floods her, wondering the innovations that mortals managed to do just to stop her, death, in their lives. She watched as doctors and nurses rushed into the scene, running around and shouting orders, vitals, stopping the blood - blood, everywhere.

Cries could be heard.

And suddenly, loved ones are instantly in the hospital, making MInjeong look up. Watching them as well, begging for the doctors and nurses to save their family. She looked at a woman, grasping tightly on the hand of one man, bloodied shoulder and unconscious.

"Jinho,