A thousand years have passed, and yet I find myself faced with a new emotion, one I have never before encountered. It coils within me, a foreign presence, unfamiliar and unsettling.

I feel like I was standing at the crossroads, torn between the safety of the known and the allure of the unknown. The thought of embracing this new feeling fills me with a sense of dread, for I know not where it will lead.

It shouldn't be this way. My vessel may be a mortal, but my soul is not. It is impossible for me to render such emotions and be vulnerable to them.

"Do you want to go out today? There's a new park nearby. I was planning to go there later since we're both free this Saturday," Raphael inquired, bringing me back to reality.

I took a bite of the chicken sandwich he had prepared for me this breakfast before responding, "What do you propose we do?"

He placed the envelope down and took a sip from the glass of water before him. "Nothing much. I just want to get some fresh air."

I was struck with hesitation at his words. Is he attempting to alleviate my feelings, as he believes I am still not myself since yesterday...

I closed my eyes firmly, banishing such thoughts from my mind. I chose to ignore his comment and said, "Raphael, you are in the Philippines," before taking a drink.

His brow furrowed in confusion as he looked upon me.

"And?" he asked.

I raised my hand and faced him, signaling for him to wait there while I tidied up. "Pollution," I replied with an obvious tone.

I could feel his gaze upon me, so I lifted my eyes once more. My brows furrowed in confusion. "Do you have something to say?"

He hesitated, glancing at his meal before returning his gaze to me. He stared blankly for a few moments before speaking. "We have a client, Rory. She called earlier on the cellphone we use for transactions."

"What did she say?"

"She wishes to meet at the park," Raphael replied. My brows rose in surprise at his words. It is possible for us to make arrangements, even without physically seeing each other. What could be the reason for such a request?

"Do you truly wish to go to the park?" I questioned.

Raphael immediately shook his head. "N-not like that. I just want to hang out with you—"

"Okay, let's go," I cut him off. "Keep an eye out later, okay? If you see anything weird, let me know."

"But Rory, are you truly alright?" Raphael asked with concern. I simply stared at him and continued eating in silence, ignoring the sadness that appeared on Raphael's face as a result of my cold demeanor until we finished our meal.

I promptly retired to my room to dress. Leaning against the door after closing it, I closed my eyes tightly as Petinah's reaction flooded my mind - the woman I saw singing on the swing yesterday.

This is wrong. These feelings are wrong.

I don't understand what's going on with me. Am I getting too involved with the mortals I come across? With my victims? Are their memories blending with my own?

Why did I cry?

And of all the people who saw me in such a vulnerable state, it had to be my familiar - Raphael. Perhaps he believes I am becoming too soft. This can cause a conflict between our master-servant relationship.

I drew my tongue over my teeth and tucked my hair behind my ear, trying to push away the thoughts that kept creeping into my mind. It was better to forget about what had happened, at least for now. The longer I lingered on those memories, the harder it became to surface again.

I headed to the wardrobe and opened it, searching for something to wear. The weather outside was overcast and cool, so I grabbed a red sweatshirt and grey pants. I would put on my black shoes before we left.

After getting dressed, I stood in front of the mirror and ran a brush through my hair. My purple eyes stared back at me, framed by thin lips and long, coffee-colored hair. I straightened my bangs and, satisfied with my appearance, left the room.

Raphael was already putting on his shoes when I emerged. He was dressed in a comfortable outfit and a dark blue sweatshirt that faded towards the bottom. He looked up as I walked past him, but I averted my gaze and went to retrieve my shoes from the rack.

He finished first and stood up, a smile on his face. "Ready to go?"

"Hold on," I said, tying my right shoe. My left one was already done, so this wouldn't take long. Raphael stood and drew the curtains, revealing the gloomy sky outside. Dark clouds were gathering, promising rain.

"Looks like it's going to rain," he said, staring out the window. I put my foot down and wiped my hands on my pants. I stood up and went to the door, grabbing the two umbrellas leaning against it.

"We have protection for weather like this," I said, holding up my umbrella. I glanced at him over my shoulder before heading out the door.

The park was just a short walk away. There weren't many people around, probably because the park was new and the threat of rain kept some away. I took a seat on a bench and looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the place.

Raphael sat down next to me. "It's refreshing, don't you think?" he commented. I didn't respond, but I supposed he was right. The weather was cool and not muggy, making it pleasant to be outside.

I couldn't help but wonder why Raphael was making small talk with me.

Instead of engaging with my companion, I chose to observe the people around us in the park. In the distance, I saw an elderly man with a cane and a small boy chatting while holding ice cream cones. It seemed that they were just passing through and the child had begged to stop for a while. The place was quite strange, especially for children, with food stalls that could ruin your teeth, vendors selling toys, playgrounds, and a large fountain with a statue of a mountain. It looked a bit weird, but the symbol fit the city's name, Sierraville.

I also noticed some couples wandering around, and Raphael seemed to have guessed what was running through my mind. "Are you feeling envious, Rory?" he asked.

I huffed. Here we go again with his teasing. "Not now, Raphael."

I heard him sigh and felt his arm pressing against mine. "It's cold."

"I blame you," I snapped, turning to look at him. "Keep your distance."

"But your warmth..."

"I don't care. Stay away from me. One meter apart!"

"Fine."

I couldn't help but smirk as Raphael finally gave in. He slunk away and followed my requested distance. He looked like the heavens were not in favor of him and brought him unfortunate luck. Well, he did fall from it, so it makes sense.

I leaned back and shifted the conversation. "Get me a coffee," I said, pointing to the convenience store nearby. "Brewed coffee. 12 ounces. Green."

Raphael tilted his head, causing his long black hair to fall over his hips. I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say something. After a few seconds of staring at each other, he looked away and stood up. "Got it," he grumbled before heading into the store. I just smiled and watched him go, finding his antics amusing.

As I waited for Raphael to return, I chose to stand and explore my surroundings. Who was this client we were meeting today? I had forgotten to take Raphael's cellphone to find out what issue they would be seeking my help with today. I hadn't expected Raphael to offer me a job like this, especially when he insisted that must avoid finding victims just for this month. He really can be so confusing.

I decided to observe the people here at the park instead and attempted to find out who among them was carrying a heavy burden. Most mortals are skilled at wearing masks, smiling even when they're going through something difficult, and acting like everything is okay even when they're about to lose hope.

I sighed. That's why it can be difficult for me to determine who to take advantage of. I don't feel anything, even though I did feel somewhat affected before from Nikki and Petinah's situations. I have to admit that I still don't fully understand what goes on in the minds of mortals even though I have existed for so long, only to fail like this miserably.

It's a good thing that there is technology now and even the clients themselves approach me, anonymous or not. And Raphael is always by my side to help me manage my daily life.

As I lost myself in thought, I didn't notice a figure approaching me. I stepped back when we collided. I looked up and saw a woman with long black hair and somewhat tanned skin. She was wearing a shirt with a red and black checkered long-sleeved top wrapped around her waist and blue jeans. She also had a red and black beanie and black shoes.

She panicked. "Oh, no.." she apologized while looking at my chest. I looked down and realized that my sweatshirt was slightly damp. The woman had accidentally splattered me with the ice cream she was holding.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Great. This was my favorite sweatshirt.

"Come over here and let me fix it. Please, don't be angry," she asked, pulling me towards a bench. We both sat down and she leaned closer to me. She fiddled with a handkerchief in her left hand and was about to wipe me off when I quickly stopped her with my palm. She quickly pulled back, realizing that some people just don't want to be touched.

I smiled thinly and took the handkerchief from her. "I'll do it," I said, wiping my sweatshirt.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated endlessly, watching me as I cleaned myself up. When I finished, I folded the handkerchief and placed it on my lap. I tucked the stained part inside and returned it to her.

She accepted it immediately. "I'm really sorry, miss. Hmm..." she said, and seemed to be thinking. She looked like a child who had just had an idea and a light bulb went off in her head as she grinned and her eyes widened slightly.

"I know!" she exclaimed. "Let's eat some street foods! My treat!"

I was just about to decline her offer when she grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. I didn't know what was going through her mind, but as they say, you can't decline a gift, so I just went along with it.

***

"Will you be eating this?" my companion, a woman, inquired as she gestured towards the food on display at a street food stall. I simply nodded in response. She promptly procured a cup and stick, offering them to me.

"Just choose what you'd like. I'll take care of the payment," she said. I nodded once more and accepted the cup and stick. I surveyed my options: kikiam, fishballs, tokneneng, quail eggs, and squid balls, as well as French fries. I skewered five small quail eggs and ten fishballs. The container was large enough, so it was all good. I opened the sauces and mixed the sweet and spicy ones in my hand, licking my lips in anticipation. It was all fine for now; I had been filled with ice cream, which was free in exchange for the food. My mortal body also required sustenance.

After paying, I realized I didn't know her name yet. I had expected her to depart, but she didn't. Instead, she followed me to the bench where I had been sitting earlier and sat down beside me.

I took a bite of a fishball before I began to speak. "Thank you again for this..."

"Coreen. Coreen Jeanne Eclipse is my name. And you are?" she continued.

Eclipse? In my time in the mortal realm, I had only heard such a surname now. It was quite uncommon.

"Aurora," I replied briefly.

Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she heard my name. "So many Rs!"

I simply shrugged and resumed eating. I didn't speak to her any further after that. I had nothing to say and we were strangers.

"They say it's better to open up with strangers because their opinions are unbiased and honest," she suddenly said, gazing off into the distance.

I turned to look at her as she spoke and saw that she was staring at me from afar. Was she speaking to me? Why had her demeanor changed so suddenly after simply eating street food? Was it poisoned?

"I mean, their statements are free from judgment because they don't know who you are," she added, turning her gaze back to me. A smile graced her lips. "What do you think?"

I swallowed before responding, "You're not wrong."

If she was asking if she could open up to me, I was fine with that. In the back of my mind, I could also use her presence to eat today, in addition to the free food she had given me earlier.

She finished her fries before talking to me again, "Do you see that woman over there in the restaurant with her friends?" she inquired, gesturing towards the restaurant situated across from the convenience store. I spared a glance at Raphael, who was stuck in a long line. It seemed that many people had also stopped by when I purchased coffee for him.

I followed Coreen's gaze when I noticed that I was getting distracted and looked for the woman she indicated. "The one in the pink off-shoulder top?"

"What about her?" I asked. It took her a moment to respond, but she eventually did.

"I slept with her."

"And?" I pressed, turning my gaze back to her. Her eyes widened in surprise and her eyebrows shot up, as if she couldn't believe what she just heard from me.

I cocked my head in confusion. "Why?"

"D-don't you find it disgusting?" she asked, hesitancy creeping into her voice.

I shrugged and resumed eating my food. "Why? Because you're both women?"

"Y-yeah," she stuttered, avoiding eye contact. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I hope everyone's like you. You don't even look at me with disgust."

It's because I'm devoid of emotions. I just don't care.

"We're best friends with benefits," she began to tell her story. "It started when I confessed my affection towards her, but my feelings were not reciprocated."

She kept her gaze fixed on her shoes, as if trying to keep the pain out of her voice. "Instead, I was taken for granted."

She chuckled, but it held no mirth. "It sounds stupid, right? But yeah, even so, I was content with just being that way. At least, I get to be with her and make her happy," she said, swallowing hard. "E-even if it's just for a moment."

She lifted her head and looked upwards, trying to hold back her tears. "You know, sometimes I think I shouldn't have confessed to her. Things might be better this way. It's like I'd rather we just stayed good friends, nothing more, nothing less."

I put down the food I was eating and faced her. "There are things better left unsaid," I said, allowing her a moment to compose herself. She bit her lower lip as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. I waited patiently as she gathered her thoughts before continuing. "But as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat..." She looked at me expectantly, waiting for my next words. "...but satisfaction brought it back to life."

She offered a small smile, sniffling slightly. "That was deep, Aurora."

I shrugged and picked up my cup of food. "Just saying."

"Do you know..."

"Not yet," I quickly replied. I heard her laugh, so I inhaled sharply. Look at this. She was crying just a moment ago and now she's laughing.

Mortals really are moody.

"I called the Pain Reaper today," she said, halting my thoughts. "After talking to you today, all of my regrets about my past decisions have disappeared. But... I'm tired of hearing his promises, Aurora. I just want to forget everything so I can start over. I'm willing to risk my memories for it."

I put down my food again and took her hand. I squeezed it gently. "Your wish will be granted."

She furrowed her brow at my words, but her expression quickly turned to shock as a bright light emanated from our clasped hands, forming into a flower. I let go of her and allowed her to hold the object.

"Rainbow," she marveled, gazing at it in awe. "I've never seen a rainbow-colored flower before!"

"Pluck the petal and the pain will go away, and in return, your precious memories will be mine."

She looked at the flower with a mix of wonder and fear. "This is crazy. Of all the people I could have bumped into today, it had to be you, the Pain Reaper."

"What is your decision--"

I was interrupted by a cold hand resting on my waist. The surroundings turned red as if blood had filled my eyes. The birds stopped flying in the sky and the rain froze in place. But unlike my previous experiences, my body was paralyzed and my tongue turned numb.

"Stop this," a voice commanded.

I was suddenly engulfed in a bright light and felt a force separating me from her. When I turned to face her, there was no one there.

"Show yourself!" I shouted, anger and frustration coursing through me. There was no shadow, no sound, no trace of her presence.

I took a deep breath and continued my incantation, determined to find the person who had summoned me here and return home safely. "I will do whatever it takes to stay in this realm of mortals until I find the one who called me here. Even if Cupid himself stands in my way and was responsible for stopping time today, I will do everything to return to my origin safely."

To my surprise, the peculiar event suddenly came to a halt, and when I gazed upon Coreen once more, she had already plucked the petal from the flower, freeing me from the clutches of the enemy. I then made sure there were no further disturbances before continuing my task at hand. I retrieved my grimoire and allowed its pages to flip through. The ground beneath Coreen's feet also effortlessly softened.

"Roses are red," I spoke as I approached Coreen.

"Violets are blue." I took the flower from her hand. Time ceased once more, but this time it was due to my magic.

"Memories are dead." As expected, the flower vanished like a bubble.

"The soul is anew." As I spoke these words, the flower fell and was swallowed by the ground. Everything returned to normal, and while the Coreen was not yet awake, I quickly left the scene.

As I walked away, I noticed a woman with a pink off-shoulder top gazing at me from behind, as if she were headed in my direction. We passed each other, and I couldn't help but take a look at her. She gently shook Coreen, and that's when I realized she was the woman that Coreen had pointed out earlier in the restaurant.

"Babe? Babe, wake up," she said. I leaned casually against the wall near them and watched. Relationships like theirs are not accepted in society. Some people say it's because the Bible states that only men and women were created by God. Others say it's disgusting. I thought that in the mortal world, love was the center of life. But why do they prevent it from flourishing? If love is the foundation of happiness and affection, why don't they allow it to thrive?

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt something warm pressing against my cheek. I looked to find Raphael who just got back from the convenience store I reached for the coffee he offered and took a sip, only to find that my tongue had been slightly burnt.

"Take it easy," Raphael advised, looking down at my chest where ice cream had been earlier. He was about to ask a question when I quickly placed a finger to my lips, indicating that I had no time to listen to him.

Turning my attention back to what had caught my eye before, I saw that Coreen and the woman were now sitting side by side. The woman held Coreen's hand in hers.

"I'm sorry for everything, Babe. I've already broken up with Ralph. I kept my promise," the woman said, her grip on Coreen's hand growing tighter. But instead of being happy, Coreen simply stared blankly at her. The woman, noticing Coreen's lack of response, wore a look of confusion on her face.

"Coreen? Babe?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Janna, but... I don't feel the same anymore. Let's just be friends again," Coreen replied, pulling her hand away from the woman's grasp.

Janna looked at Coreen in confusion, but made no further attempt to pursue her.

From bestfriends to bestfriends with benefits, and finally to only "friends".

Coreen's precious memory appeared before me.

"Bes, Ralph and I locked eyes in the hallway! Kyaa!" exclaimed the woman with Coreen, both of them dressed in uniforms unfamiliar to me. They wore blue pencil skirts, a blue vest, and a necktie with a badge from their school.

"Janna, there's still hope for you, bes!" Coreen exclaimed excitedly, the two of them high-fiving and holding hands. Janna, overwhelmed with joy, hugged Coreen tightly. Coreen's eyes widened and a strange smile graced her lips.

"I love you, Bes."

I turned away from them and took another sip of the coffee Raphael had bought for me. My familiar followed me as we walked towards the Ferris Wheel. Now that we were here, we decided to ride this giant attraction.

"15 please," said the man guarding the entrance of the Ferris Wheel. Raphael promptly gave him 30 and we entered one of the cabins. There were two seats facing each other. The cabin was long enough for two people to sit side by side, but we sat opposite each other instead.

I leaned back against my seat, feeling the gentle swaying as the Ferris Wheel began to move. The feeling of being at the top was indescribable. It stopped briefly, allowing me to take in the breathtaking view of Sierraville. The various houses seemed to shrink in size from this height. The name Sierra, meaning mountain, was fitting as I could see a distant beach separating the town from another city, its crystal clear blue waters glistening beneath it. It was a true work of art. I wanted to capture the image etched in my mind and bring it to life through my sketches when we returned home.

As I looked down again, I saw that Janna and Coreen were together once more, but they weren't speaking or even looking at each other. The distance between them was enough for them to appear as strangers.

"Unrequited love, huh?" Raphael commented, also looking down. "One-sided love is like a Ferris Wheel without a man controlling its lever."

I turned to Raphael, surprised by his sudden words. His red eyes were serious as he gazed at me intensely. "It's unpredictable and lacks control. It can be scary, exciting, or even difficult to navigate feelings but at its core, it deeply yearns for someone to love it back, to guide it. And I will always choose that to be you, Aurora."

I couldn't immediately respond to his words. My chest felt tight and I placed my hand on it, feeling the rapid beating of my heart. It wasn't normal. It was beating too fast and too heavily.

Raphael's concern became apparent when he noticed what was happening to me. I tried to open my mouth, but I couldn't.

My heartbeat became louder and louder until it was all I could hear. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't speak. It felt like something was sucking the strength out of me.

"Rory!"

That was the last thing I heard before darkness consumed me.