Warning: This chapter contains content that may not be suitable for some readers

Ray was chilling over tea at Auntie Soh’s stall while scrolling on the daily report from Ophal’s side. He had noticed Ryu had resolved the marketing issue and their sales were gradually picking back up. Auntie Soh noticed how intensely Ray was working as she went over to top up tea for him. Along the way, she also gave him a plate of mung bean cake as a snack.

“Oh, oh thank you, Auntie Soh. There’s no need to trouble yourself.” Ray said as Auntie Soh smiled. “No trouble at all. Give it a try. Ai Lee loves this too.” Auntie Soh said as Ray took a bite as his eyes brightened up. It was indeed sumptuous as Ray finished up one piece.

“Auntie, have you thought of training some staff to help out in the stall?” Ray asked randomly.

“You and your sister are really of the same family. She asked before but I always said it’s your grandmother’s secret recipe. How can I simply teach it to other people?”

“Then, can you teach me? I mean it is easy. Just blend the chilies and add sugar, pepper, and some soy sauce and sesame oil though.” Ray said as he took another piece of mung bean cake.

Auntie Soh laughed. “If it’s so easy then our stall would have closed down long ago, Ai Yeh!” Ray chuckled as he dusted his hands from the cake crumbs. “But really, I want to learn. What’s the difference?”

“You would need to look at the ingredients closely. Chilies, there are so many different types of them out there. We even added some shallots and there are so many types of them. Soy sauce, sugar sesame oil, what’s the ration will also affect all of it.” Auntie Soh explained as Ray has gotten even more interested.

“Alright, Alright. I will go find out about the ingredients tomorrow morning in the market. Wake me up when you go to the market. I will come with you.” Ray said as Auntie Soh laughed and nodded.

Meanwhile, news spread fast on Ophal real estate’s side as the marketing strategy of Ryu reached Jeremy’s ears.

“Looks like you have a very popular nephew…” Jeremy said to Charles sarcastically as Charles said in front of Jeremy chuckling.

“Young boy. What can you do? All those fan girls are momentarily fans only. Days passed, and soon they will change their taste. Besides, it’s free money and inflow to the company. Why need to bother?” Charles pointed out as Jeremy pondered and agreed that at least the company wasn’t spending to make more sales and he could use the funds to enlarge his illicit business.

“Speaking of which, my niece seems to be improving lately. Her seizures are getting lesser. What’s your plan when she is awake?” Charles asked as he placed both hands in front of his face while looking at Jeremy meaningfully.

“I have my plans… Don’t you worry?” Jeremy shrugged it off as Charles chuckled knowing Jeremy has not known the real power of Ivy. After several times watching Ivy dealing with matters, Charles looks highly at Ivy who has potential. As for Jeremy, if he wasn’t careful, Charles would be enjoying watching his demise. By then, Charles would only save himself.

After all of Ryu’s fans had left after Ryu’s training that weekend, Ryu spotted Melody sitting by the corner looking at the pictures she took. As he walked over, Melody sneezed as Ryu quickly jogged over and covered her with his jacket.

“Oh, is alright…” Melody wanted to reject it but Ryu insisted the jacket stay on.

“You’re a lady. How could you let yourself catch a cold? If you catch a cold, who would be my tutor for history lessons?” Melody giggled as she sniffed and let him cover her with his jacket.

Ryu patted her head. “Exam’s near. Focus on studying next week. Tell the fans to do the same. Just one week won't matter. After everyone finished their exams, we will have another fans' event alright?” Ryu suggested as Melody smiled and nodded.

“Alright, I will update the fans,” Melody said obediently as Ryu wanted to walk off, she called out to him.

“Ryu…” Ryu turned back and tilted his head to the side questioningly.

“How’s Ivy?” She boldly asked as Ryu knowing she was worried decided maybe it was good to bring her to visit Ivy once. He walked over to her and held onto her shoulder.

“Would you like to visit her once?” He asked as Melody smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes!” She squealed excitedly.

“Alright, I will make arrangements for you to visit her but you cannot post anything or let the fans know about it alright?” Ryu set out his condition as Melody nodded and hugged him nonchalantly as a gesture to thank him. It caught him by surprise.

“Thank you, Ryu! I will make a move first else I will miss the bus back to Landsfield!” Melody bid her farewell in haste. “Your jacket, here…” She said as Ryu put it back on her. “Just remember to return to me in school. See you!” He said as Melody smiled with a blush. “Alright, goodnight, Ryu!”

“Goodnight!” Ryu said to himself as he continued to wave at her who had run far off. Ray walked over to tease his brother as he watched the entire scene unfold in front of him,

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

“Not letting my future sister-in-law spend a night with us?” Ray chuckled as Ryu snarled at Ray and playfully hit him.

“Don’t simply stir rumors! It’s going to be bad to handle them later!” Ryu scolded as both brothers ended up laughing while walking to the car to drive home.

Back in Ivy’s paracosm, Ivy stood hugging Jason who was trying hard to not break down as she listened to every thought in his mind.

“Oh, Ivy, how I wish you could remain this innocent. Only then would you stay happy.”

“Never will I ever let you sacrifice yourself again for me. Never…”

Ivy who was once clueless began to understand his agony as she gently patted his back before he stared at her face. As though he too could read her mind, he was waiting for her question.

“Could you tell me …” Before Ivy could finish her sentence to keep her new ability in disguise, Jason pulled her in for a kiss.

“I love you, Ivy. Instead of knowing the bygones, let’s enter the next room and finish off what’s left?” Jason suggested as he knew what was coming. Ivy knew it must be painful for him to tell her all that had happened and she nodded in agreement.

In room number 16, Ivy held onto Jason’s hand to comfort him by not letting go. They saw a young pretty Ivy with an older man and she wasn't happy. As they moved closer to have a better view of the man, they saw that he was an old uncle while she was a young pretty girl.

Jason knew she was sold for money again to an old uncle. Ivy was a little shocked when she read his mind about that but she tried to hide it. On another crossroad end, she saw a young Jason hugging a young girl whom she assumed was his back then girlfriend who resembled Lentil.

They were at crossroads to see whose story first. “It’s obvious on your side of your story. We should look at my side of the story this time.”

Jason suggested as he just didn’t want to get Ivy hurt any further. As he went to his side of the story, Ivy didn’t believe it would hurt her as she went in the opposite direction to her side of the story.

Instead of getting to see their own story unfold, they found themselves entering a blank white room instead. A voice in a trance was heard telling them to stay together while reflecting else they would end up in a time-out.

Ivy was bored of waiting in the white room so she imagined a huge tree by the cliff as she sat on a swing with her puppies surrounding her.

Jason could see her imaginary world and knew she remembered her dog’s kingdom. “How did you remember?” Jason asked in surprise. “You could see?” Ivy raised an eyebrow as she pointed to the blank white wall which has her imagination on it as Jason nodded.

“I… I just imagine them. It’s been on my mind but I couldn’t remember where it was…” Ivy explained.

Jason was a little disappointed that she couldn’t remember where it was but smiled knowing it was still part of her memory. He imagined himself pushing her swing for her to fly up higher. Ivy giggled at the sight of his add-on as they both sat side by side feeling contented with the view.

As he gave her one final push, they got back to a dark alley.

They saw themselves again. Her younger self was crying as Jason’s younger self comforted her. From their gibberish conversation, they could make out that she didn't want to marry that old man but it was for their family fortune. Younger Jason told her that his girlfriend was cheating on him and she should be grateful that someone was willing to marry her and be with her.

“It wasn't love but it was for money and lust… I would rather die than suffer that.” Ivy pouted as she squatted down, on the verge of crying. Jason’s younger self felt bad for her as he squatted next to her and patted her head.

“Could you run away with me?” She begged but after pondering for a moment, he shook his head. She felt his reply made it useless for her to live so she went to one of the guards patrolling the city and drew his sword to kill herself in front of younger Jason.

Her speed of light action made younger Jason couldn’t stop her on time. Instead, he could only run over and catch her in his arms as he knelt crying devastatingly watching younger Ivy pass on with a smile. The misery was too harsh on him as he blamed himself for being selfish and had caused the death of his sister. He then thought about his miserable life and took the sword to slaughter himself too.

It was a small town where news travel fast. Their parents instantly came to their dead children’s bodies, wailing miserably while regretting their greediness.

Jason was frustrated as he vented in his mind. “Are we going to keep looking at only our deaths in every past life seriously? This is so upsetting really!”

Ivy decided to go over to younger Jason’s spirit who was still lingering. “Thank you for accompanying me and encouraging me. I hope both of you would have a greater life in the next one and pick a better family.” Ivy said to her younger self’s and younger Jason’s spirits.

“I promise to come back to you, not as your twin but as your lover, and love you to the fullest instead.” Younger Jason said in tears as he addressed it to both Ivy and her younger self before the younger ones’ spirits departed.

The scene warped both Ivy and Jason to their younger self’s funerals thereafter. They find it odd to attend their own funerals at first but they had to stay on till they were ported out to the lobby.

“When will the next door appear? Shouldn't this life be over? We died and the next door should come?” Jason was thinking to himself.

“Not till our parents died? It's related to them too isn’t it?” Ivy said nonchalantly which shocked Jason.

“Ivy… you… “ Jason stuttered sending Ivy covering her mouth right when she realise she had accidentally revealed her new ability.

True enough, due to his guilt, their father back then went amok during their funeral and man-slaughtered the whole congregation of attendees including their mother before killing himself again.

At the rate of both of them being too shocked, they could only stare into the air blankly as they both were thrown out to the reflection lobby. Ivy’s memory and feelings continued to be absorbed into the pouch Jason carried as she held on to her pounding head and aching heart trying to endure the pain.

“What just happened?” Jason thought to himself. Ivy look over at him when the pain was less intense as he stared back at her.

“Ivy, are you hearing me?” Jason tried to speak in his mind as Ivy nodded while grimacing. He went over to pull her in for a hug while she looked up at him with a questioning face.

“What happened? Who are you?” Ivy asked after a while confusingly.

It was getting overwhelming for Jason as he continued to hug her silently.

“I am running out of time. If I could savor some precious time with Ivy, please, just please let it be a little while more.” Jason pleaded in his mind as Ivy heard it and blinked back her tears.

She continued to hold on to him for a moment although she was clueless about what was going on. It seemed the comfort from hugging him was the only soothing thing she could do to keep his mind at peace and also the agony in her heart.