The Wolf and The Dragon (Book 1)

The return of the crazy old Lady

-"how come Cole give you a haircut?" Nya asked during dinner.

-"oh... it was a beat. I lost!" - I explained

-"I wasn't really going to cut your hair, you know that, don't you?" Cole said apologetically.

-"I know! I told you I am cool with that, no need to feel guilty." I told him once more. Noticing the way the others were looking at us.

-"in fact, I think it really suits you, Kim! Have you ever had short hair before?" - Misako asked.

-"yes, I had very short hair before, when I was in my teens."

-"What is all the fuss about hair? Anyway, hair grows..." - Master Wu said very insightfully, as he places his plate in the sink and grabs his fresh tea potty.

-"Not yours, Wu... " Misako said making everyone crack a laugh.

-"hu" - Wu just made a noise leaving the room, and we all laughed aloud after he was gone.

After dinner, Nya and Jay clean up the kitchen and went to their room, Misako also disappeared, and it was only me, watching tv, I started wondering where was Cole. I switch off the tv and climb up to the rooftop, he was there, all by himself. He had his headphones on, so he didn't even notice me approaching. I sat by his side, he was wrapped in a blanket, and he shared with me.

-"what are you listening to?" - I asked.

-"nothing special, he put his headphones on me."

-"Drops of Jupiter?"

-"I told you, nothing special!"

-"I like it! What is your favourite music?"

-"not sure, I don't think I can pick one, I like lots of things... - what about you?"

-"very much the same, from time to time I changed my favourites, thanks to the universe for Spotify."

-"best invention ever, though I like being in charge of my selection sometimes. Fancy a glass of wine?"

-"how do you managed to sneak this wine here?"

-"I am a ninja!" - he served me a glass.

-"Hum nice!" - I said having a sip " Different than the last one, did you finish the other bottle all by yourself?"

-"No, you help me."

-"I did not!" - we went very quiet watching the skies for a while, sipping the wine and listening to his soundtrack.

-"do you think is life out there?" I asked referring to space

-"I am sure there is!"

-"How Come?"

-"Would be arrogance to think that we are the only living creatures in this huge universe. Well, you meet creatures for other realms, that's is very much life out there."

-"Make sense, what about life after death?"

-"Also true, I meet ghosts, fought them, and even became one for quite a while."

-"What? Did you die?"

-"Not really, only lost my physical body, for almost a year."

-"What the heck?? How?"

-"Long story, it was actually fun, I could sneak on the others, I could eat and drink as much as I want, without worrying about getting too big."

-"Gosh I guess was not enough cake in the world for you... " I said laughing, knowing his cake addiction -"and... what happened, how did you get your body back?"

-"During a yang lunar eclipse, I managed to enter an open rift and it turned myself back to human, that is where this scar comes from" - he pointed to the scar on his forehead.

-"I had always wondered where was that coming from."

-"well, now you know! Also my earth punch, the same day. Day of the departures, 2 years ago."

-"about ghosts, do you think people we love lookup for us from where they are?"

-"do you mean like Mom, Pete... ?" - I nodded to him-"I would like to say so or believe they do, it is comforting to think that."

-"me too" - he squeezes me into his warm embrace.

-"the bad thing about being a ghost I was able to do this" - he said as he squeezed me again

-"it must be awful not being able to hug anyone, hugs are so good."

-"it was, though I didn't really have anyone to hug anyway..."

-"I guess that 's why your pillow left you for a duvet!" (Chapter 29 - The Challenge)

-"Maybe" - we both laughed

-"Look at us: 'sipping wine, killing time, trying to solve life's mysteries'..."

-"What?"

-"just like the song."

-"Which one?"

-"haven't you heard? Bon Jovi: 'wanna make a memory'?"

-"no... - I thought you don't like love-dove ballads "

-"It is not a love-dove ballad, it is actually a song about friendship, reconnection... Well, that is how I see anyway. Different people can listen to the same song and have a very different perception of it."

-"Ok! Maybe I need to hear to understand what you mean!

-"oh well! you look for that later, I am going to bed now! Nite-night.. see you tomorrow."

-"good night Kim!"

-"love you Bro!"

-"love you Kim!"

I jump down, using my wind to soften my fall, and run towards my bedroom.

[Cole]

I watched Kim, as she runs to her bedroom, I stayed at the rooftop a bit longer, trying to understand why is that I feel so strange lately around her.

I search the song she mentioned and listened to it, and somehow it touches very deep into my heart.