“You’re quite the skewed one, Shikata,” claimed Seodra as she opened the door leading into her place of residence. With the lights off, nothing but the dark night sky was illuminating the room, leaving the visibility in the room dim and hard to perceive.

Following from behind, Kokoro grunted at being berated again like he was the bad guy, asking, “What did I do this time?”

“What you told Mary.”

“I agreed to hear her out didn’t I, isn’t that enough?”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

“What did she expect, it’s late.”

“It was the way you phrased it, it seemed like a bait with that pause mid-sentence. Poor woman, her hopes soared high enough to reach the clouds so she could run down sunlight with her smile until you came, crashing it to the ground.”

“She’s an angel, being disappointed by humanity shouldn’t be anything new. And for all the years she has been alive or existed, she can wait till we meet in the morning… the late morning.”

“Aha, see,” exclaimed Seodra, pointing back at her ever-tired-looking guest, “Right there, that pause, it can be misleading. It’s like you’re waiting for someone to misinterpret what your intention is before pulling the rug out from under them; so cruel. What did you use to work as again?”

There was no response at first. Kokoro took a moment to scratch the irritation at his neck before grumbling, “Getting a little sick of being made out to be the bad guy for having basic requests.”

“Then don’t make it be when you’re the most interesting,” joked the redhead, flipping the switch near the door to light up the room.

The first thing Kokoro noticed in the now brightened room was the interior design choice, the walls were an array of stacked stones being held together by what seemed like clay in an old-fashioned style yet the floor had more modern tiles with fancy designs. With the modern accommodations, Seodra’s place resembles more like an apartment suite mimicking the cottage aesthetic.

“What do you think?” the ruby-haired woman asked, seeking his thoughts.

Still glaring at the room, Kokoro noticed how decorated the room was with a certain color of fabric, commenting, “I see that you like green.”

“You sound like you have some contempt for the color.”

“Not this one. Green, it’s a good color.”

“Then I take it you won’t feel uncomfortable sleeping here?”

“ Yes, why wouldn’t I?”

Seodra simply shrugged, “People can be so fickle about where they sleep, even when it’s at the generosity of others. I just wanted to make sure you get some well-needed rest.”

“I appreciate the–” abruptly Kokoro halted his sentence, carefully mauling over the ruby girl’s words. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a twisted tang underneath the surface. Snapping his head toward Seodra, the rightful-suspicious man caught her poor attempt to hide the smile forming on her face and the hidden puzzle all snapped into place. Kokoro wasted no time immediately calling her out, “Leave my face alone, I can’t control how I look; I literally woke up this way!”

Since the gag was up, the ruby-woman allowed herself to let out a joyish giggle, “I’m sorry, it’s too easy! People’s tendencies when they were alive often manifested themself in one’s appearance here. I wanted to make sure you didn’t lose sleep because the bedsheets weren’t ironed or something.”

“Do I look like a–... never mind, I’ve heard enough from you to know your impressions,'' exhaled Kokoro who was growing tired not physically but mentally, wondering why he let this chaffing woman drag him around for so long. Until he realized the answer was the relatable appeal of not being lost in the afterlife. Now forced to live with his decision, he grumbled at his quippy host, “I can sleep just fine anywhere. Hell, I don’t mind the cold hard floor.”

“At least let me get you some pillows and a blanket,” chuckled Seodra, heading over to her bedroom to retrieve the comfort-inducing items for her grouchy guest. 

“That’ll allow me time to think to myself in peace,” Kokoro exhaled as the thought came to mind. 

With his seclusion reobtained, Kokoro spent his time aimlessly wandering around the living room, occupying his mind by feigning interest in observing the old-style architecture of the building. There were various options he could start with, from the multiple bookshelves stuffed full of books both new and worn, to the fashionable dashes of white and orange furniture to accompany the green fabric throughout the room. A nest of questions and answers was waiting to be poked open to find out how she acquired photographed pictures in the afterlife and what it was of. 

But, while it would’ve been interesting to investigate the room properly to decipher as much about the witty Irish woman who had kindly showed him around and let him stay the night, despite chipping away at his patience, his mind still lingered on his decision earlier. A sigh escaped him once again as he grieved, “This must be the piece of hell that comes with staying in Purgatory. Just when I thought I was out, I’m getting pulled back into the dreadful swamp I was finally ejected from.”

…

“I may be overinflating this,” Kokoro sighed, taking a seat on one of the couches, “I don’t even know what she wants me to do. An angel wouldn’t ask me to do something horrible, would they? Maybe it’ll be less soul-draining than being alive.”

Suddenly, Kokoro halted his train of thoughts, snapping his head to the window to look out of it. While he spotted nothing under the night sky except the stone fence, he couldn’t shake the only other feeling that hung on his consciousness for the past few hours. It started small at first, a lingering ember that was inoffensive in existence and could very well be the result of being in an unfamiliar area. But since leaving the restaurant, Kokoro had a chancy sense that a presence was stationed nearby.

The silver-soul couldn’t put his finger on it, even describing what he was sensing was difficult to convey and the entire thing felt like hysteria. Yet, the feel of some ghost presence, hovering around while staying out of even his peripheral vision still haunted him.

“You ok?” a voice asked him from behind, sparking Kokoro to look behind to see it was Seodra who was questioning him, “You tryna get a great window view of the plains at night or what? If so, I suggest waiting for a night with more light.”

Just as she said, the ruby-haired woman had a folded-up blanket and a pillow ready for use. As Seodra walked over to hand him his beddings, she continued, “The outside can be absolutely majestic under a good night sky.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Kokoro told him, keeping his concerns to himself, “It’s likely nothing.”

Accepting what Seodra brought for him, he noticed her change of outfit. Switching from the green waistcoat that had become some dust because of the demon attack at the market to a clean orange nightgown.

“That explains why it took her so long, knew something felt off since this place isn’t that big,” was one of the first thoughts that crossed Kokoro’s mind. Trying to move his mind past what was bothering him, he made a request to his host, “Mind if I ask a few questions?”

“Wouldn’t say no,” Seodra replied, with her hands now free she took the freedom to tie back her hair with an emerald headband, “I’ve already been fairly kind, easing you into this crazy plane of existence we’re all stuck in; ask away.”

“Do you often have strangers over?”

“Not exactly, no. Outside of friends and such, I usually don’t let many people come to where I live. Especially strangers I just met, that’s just asking for trouble if ya asking me.”

“Then why are you letting me sleep here?”

“I definitely wasn’t planning on it when I first met ya, that’s for sure!” she cackled, “Depending on how I felt about you would’ve been the difference between me being a generous guiding hand in helping find where you could stay till you discover your footing and leaving ya to the wind if you were a complete bollix.”

“The hell is a bollix?” thought Kokoro, putting that question on the backburner to ask, “So what made me the exception?”

“Mary’s interest in you, you can call it a referral,” she answered, taking a book from one of the shelves and settling herself down on a sofa.

Raising an eyebrow, Kokoro questioned such logic, “And that was enough for you? Do you have that much faith in her?”

“Told ya before, Mary is pretty awesome and has done a few favors for me before; I could do one back for her. I thought if she was so invested in talking with you that she ran around town in heels, then you can’t be that bad, right?” Seodra told him, sporting a smile, “Unless you’re secretly planning something tonight?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kokoro immediately told her, giving her a deadpan stare.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” she claimed, investing her attention into the book she took as she joked, “Besides, if my Scottish friend finds out anything happened to me, then you’ll have something worse than a demon chasing after you.”

“I get it.”

“Oh don’t misunderstand, it’s not a threat but a warning for your wellbeing. She can be hard to control and is prone to jumping the shark.”

“She sounds fun.”

“You have no idea.”

Her comment grew an inkling feeling in Kokoro that he was being kept under watch rather than a kind offer. Questioning if he had walked into a house arrest trap planned in case he didn’t accept Mary’s offer.

“Speaking of arrest,” Kokoro thought, looking over to his arm. He drew Seodra’s attention, holding up the arm that was wrapped by a chain as he says, “Oh, almost forgot. You never did answer about how you got your chain.”

The entire body of Seodra jolted at the question, like before her face suddenly flared up red and she practically jumped to her feet.

“Oh, you know. Living,” stated Seodra, her voice becoming a lot more jittery like she was pushed on stage to give a speech she didn’t prepare for. With haste, she began backpedaling toward her room, failing at any attempt at discreteness. With a horrible fake yawn, she babbled, “You know what, I'm feeling tired. I got something to do in the morning anyway so Imma head to bed. You don’t need anything right?”

Before Kokoro could say anything, not that he was going to anyway since he had his usual unmoving expression, Seodra self-answered her rhetorical question, “Right. Alright, sleep well. Good night.”

With that, the ruby woman zoomed out of the room.

…

“Shit, forgot to ask how she keeps making those gems out of rocks,” sighed Kokoro, laying back on the couch, “Should’ve asked her that first.”

“Hey, are you all excited to see that new superhero movie,” a thrilled male college student with slicked-back hair asked his fellow students, he spoke no louder than a whisper as they were in a library yet he couldn’t help squirming in his seat as his body was infected with a severe case of jitters.

One of the other guys in the group, having a lanky figure sporting square glasses and a well-groomed short mustache, gave a grunt before stating, “Not really, you know movies don’t do it for me anymore. I’m more excited for the next issue of Kamen Ame-–”

“You and your fucking American comics dude, I swear to god.”

“What? Some of it is pretty good!”

“Are you kidding me? All their stuff is the same crap; I’m sick of their cartoons always being the same generic family setting of a psychopath dad, depressed and unfulfilled mother, weird kids, and some talking animal all done in a disgustingly unappealing art style where everyone looks ugly as shit.”

“That’s part of the fun! Come on Raion, you’re overthinking things and ruining the fun.”

“Whatever Westaboo.”

Intervening on this verbal scrabble was a girl with round glasses sitting at the same table as the other two, her soft feminine voice whispering, “You guys might want to keep it down before you get yourself banned from the library, again.”

Both the boys immediately snapped their necks toward the front of the library to see a very disgruntled librarian giving them the stink eye, ruler in hand. Seeing that she had their attention the older woman gave a gesturing warning about their volume, making the boys straighten themselves back to their work; their bodies shivering.

Seeing them settle down, their female groupmate questioned, “Do you two need to argue so much?”

“I’m not Lazuli, I’m trying to enjoy the stuff I find appealing,” claimed the glasses-wearing boy, defensive as to why he’s being lumped in as if he’s the instigator.

Raion replied with an impudent comment, “And I’m pointing out that your taste is geared toward shit, Seibu.”

Seeing how this would go, Lazuli spoke up before the two started bickering again.

“Then please, can it wait till after we leave,” she begged, looking at the both of them, ”We don’t want to reorganize the entire library for a week so you guys will be allowed back in here again; right, Kokoro?”

Finally, sitting at the fourth side of the table was the living form of Kokoro, still with dreary eyes but at least his skin looks like it has some vitality in it. The entire time the living brunet was glued to what the group has been working on, snapping pictures of certain pages from the library’s book, looking through notebooks, and jolting down notes; he doesn’t give a reply or even a gesture of acknowledgment to his group.