Mark and Melanie walked to a Starbucks cafe that morning. The Christmas decorations were all over the place as soon as December 1st was marked on the calendar. Even if there wasn't any snow yet–weird weather–we could feel the ambiance of the holidays coming with that sweet mellow song that played on the radio.
"Hi," Mark said.
"Hi! What can I serve you today?" The young employer asked behind the counter.
"I'll take a iced americano. And, for you?" He turned back to Melanie.
"Vanilla Latte. Thanks."
Watching Mark paying, it was the first time she actually found out there were Braille dots on the corner of the bills. She was amazed.
After getting their drinks, Melanie guided Mark along with her to a quiet space, near the back of the cafe. As it was almost full, where most people were students with their laptops on, she wanted for them to be alone. They sat down, facing each other while taking off their coats.
"You're gonna keep your hat on?" Melanie asked. His whole head looked smaller and we could barely see his face. Like a spy.
"I feel warm with it, though."
"I wanna see your face," she replied softly, almost shy to ask. It had been some time since their last meeting.
"Alright, I'll take it off."
A cute angelic, and charming Mark was then revealed with that lovely smile of his. Melanie's lips curled up a little, her cheeks warming up to the sight of this handsome guy. However, it seemed like he lost few pounds. She bit the inside of her lip nervously. Stress got him, she thought.
"You don't have class today?" she said as she leaned back comfortably on her seat with the hot cup between her hands.
Mark put his drink down after having a gulp of it. "I do," he said, "but I've decided not to go. I asked someone to record it for me."
Melanie kept staring at him in wonder while inclining her head.
"...Suddenly?"
"I had to see you... I haven't been good to you."
Melanie stared down at her latte, her fingers tapping on each side of the cup silently.
"I thought you didn't care about me no more," she almost whispered.
"I still care about you. I like you. The problem, it's me. I–"
"Are you, by any chance, ill?" Melanie interrupted as she feared the worst. Looking at how he lost some weight, and remembering that he didn't want to see her in the past days might have been excuses to hide something important to her.
"No, I'm fine," he reassured her.
Mark stood up from his seat and felt around to sit next to Melanie for more intimacy, to sense the closeness to talk to her.
"How should I say this?" he continued, "I happen to have my own worries too. When this is the case, I kind of disconnect from the world and stay focus on myself. If I share my worries, I don't think anyone will understand me."
Melanie noticed how he would stutter at times, as if he was about to cry. She thought he struggled to properly express his worries and what he endured. She slid her hand under his and they naturally interlocked them. His words, she could relate to them.
"Because of that, I neglected you, put you aside when I should be there for you. I've missed so many opportunities to strengthen our relationship."
Melanie rested her head against the headboard of the seat as she listened carefully to his sincere words.
"I've broken your heart once. What tell you I won't break it a second time?"
"Mark–"
"I've taken you for granted so many times. Am I worth being with you?"
"Mark, you scare me," her voice quivered slightly.
"I don't wanna break your heart one more time but these are just words."
"What are you trying to say?"
Mark took a deep breath before saying, "Do you think we should end it here?" His voice ended up in a tremolo.
She thought she saw a glimpse of water in his eyes. That was when it hit her directly in the feels. Taken aback by the question, she blinked her eyes few times as she felt tears threatening to fall down.
"Us?" she muttered.
"Why are you still here? You should dump me already or even cheat on me or leave me just like that. We're not even official. I'm not good at taking care of you. You deserve better."
The first flow of tears rolled down her face while staring at a emotional Mark. His face turned completely red, the facial traits falling into a mix of sadness and bitterness. He turned his head away so she wouldn't see his face.
"I won't lie, I've thought about it more than once," she started, "and, I even grew feelings for someone else," she confessed to him as she thought of JB. She waited for any form of reaction but Mark wouldn't move. "However," she continued, "I sense like I have to be there with you, I don't know until when but I can't let go now. We been through so much."
"Does that someone else like you too?" he finally asked still avoiding her face.
"Yes," she replied with no second thought. "Since a longtime."
"Then, go with him."
Melanie gasped quietly, surprised by his easy response. Did he really mean it? She thought. It was as if he didn't think twice before saying it but she was unaware that he had his own secret reasons. She clenched her jaw feeling angry by the situation. Her heart beat with a pinch inside.
She sniffed. "You're giving up on me?"
"I'm just sending you off to a guy who will take care of you. Who, I hope, won't be a disappointment like myself."
Melanie frowned. "Oh my god," she whispered, flustered by what she was hearing. "There's no use to. Him and I, I believe we are some type of star-crossed... individuals."
True, there was a deep chemistry between them, an unconditional feeling, but Melanie knew JB was to be gone soon and she'll definitely need Mark more than anyone else when that time would come.
"I think you're talking about us," he remarked.
"You don't like me anymore, don't you?" she replied back.
"I still like you. I would say I even–forget it. I just want someone to take good care of you because I'm not the right guy to do it."
"Why wouldn't you be that guy? You say you still like me."
"I've broken your heart once! And, I even sent you to the hospital. I'm not good for you," he finished off making Melanie hushed for a moment.
Deep inside, Mark was broken in many pieces, she thought. His self-esteem changed, along with his self confidence. It wasn't the Mark she met months ago; he became harsh with himself which reminded her of herself. He needed help and Melanie thought she was the only one who could do it. To let him see that he was able of many great things, even taking care of the girl he liked. She would show him he deserved to be loved.
"Look at me." She held his hands once again. "Please, Mark," she said searching for his face. Once he turned back to face her, she said, "You've made mistakes. I've made mistakes too. Stop being pessimist. You're a good person, I know that. You said you can't take care of me but it's a lie. I don't know why you're lying to yourself but there must be a reason you're not telling me."
Giving him an opportunity to reply, she waited but nothing. She took some time to reorganize her words in her head.
"I don't think I'm asking a lot... I don't need for you to pay for everything. I don't need money, jewelries, or high-fashioned clothes. Not even a date in a fancy restaurant, or a dozen roses. I just want," she paused while staring into his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that didn't look back yet had a vision of their own, deeper that you could think.
"I just want your peaceful face for me to see, knowing you're attentive whenever I talk. Your spontaneous childish laugh for me to hear to light up my mood. Your calm and deep voice comforting me with thoughtful words whenever I'm feeling insecure about myself. When you're always asking me if I'm alright or if I need anything. When you call me before bedtime, or to make sure I arrived home safely. I just want your remarks about the way I laugh or the body scent I wear. I just wanna sit next to you under the night sky doing absolutely nothing. See you coming to me for a long and warm hug. Your hand feeling down my arm searching for my hand to hold or play with. And, your failed attempts at kissing my lips at the first try. I just need the old Mark back. The one that took great care of me before Emma came to our life."
Suddenly, Melanie perceived above their heads a mistletoe hanging in the air with the help of a iron stick. When she glanced around, she saw people looking at them while smiling with excitement. Some people made signs encouraging her to kiss Mark which this last one was totally unaware of the current situation. A guy with a camera could be seen not too far in the middle of the cafe. She concluded it was one of those social experimentation that was going to be posted on Youtube for entertaining purpose.
It was only the first day of December and people already prepared event for Christmas? They missed the magic of the holidays that much, she thought.
"There's a mistletoe above us," she informed him.
"...A mistletoe?"
She hummed. "People are looking at us right now. There's also a camera filming us," she whispered.
They remained quiet for a moment. Melanie took Mark's silence for a refusal.
"I guess we won't do it," she commented.
"You don't want to?" he asked.
"I–I, well, you didn't seem like doing it."
"You said there was a camera... I'm worried about missing your lips," he admitted, which made Melanie smiled amusingly, at last.
She giggled. Right at this moment, nothing else was important excepted the both of them. "Who cares?"
She came closer to his face until their noses stroked each other and then Mark tilted his head while slightly brushing her lips before embracing them with his in a loving kiss. The kiss felt almost as overwhelming as the first time.
A tingling sensation could be felt behind Melanie's shoulders as if something was slowly unwrapping. For a moment, she thought she left her seat, like those thrilling emotions you felt when you were on a rollercoaster or skydiving. That was how the power of the kiss did; as she flew away. When their lips parted away, she was right in front of Mark and for a second, he looked like light.
"Okay," Mark breathed out with a smile before turning back to a more serious face. "As long as we are trying, I'm not going anywhere."
They hugged tightly as a reconciliation. We could only hope the mistletoe would work his magic.
~*~
Afterlife
Division #434-039
Thousand voices were speaking at the same time. People in lines were gathered in the huge assembly hall in a maze of offices and corridors.
Asher tried to hurry, passing through the ocean of mix ethnicities. They pushed and shoved one another. They must be nervous as well as excited to know what was up next for them. Who thought life after death existed?
Asher was like them too after a racing car challenge ended up wrong. Now, he had been a newbie guardian angel for a while but still lacked the skills to be one. After all, he was being pressured after the one before him decide to leave; he was the oracle's favorite.
The huge building he just went in was a long tower styled with beige drapes and glass windows. The inside was clean and organized with enough space to walk throughout the cabinets. He did his best to arrive in front of the official cabinet. There was a delicate perfume of fresh flowers and soothing air. When he opened the door, which a glowing star was displayed on it, there stood an old man behind the desk. He was busy reading files from assignments for new spiritual guides soon-to-be.
"Oracle?" Asher addressed with a distinctive nervosity in his voice.
The man took a glimpse behind his shoulder. "You again?" he said in a deceived tone. "Don't you see I'm working? Managing new angels is a lot of work."
"I'm sure of this, my Holiness, but it's about Mark and Melanie."
"Who?" He scratched his bald head.
"Mark and Melanie," Asher simply repeated to finally deducted he didn't understand yet. "Formerly called Leo and–"
"Oh, Leo!" The oracle turned around at last and sat down on his office chair remembering about his Leo. One of his most precious employee here. A charming boy always faithful until his leave. Then, Asher took his place. "What happened again?" He tried to remember since he had so much on his mind.
"Well, it's more about Melanie," Asher said.
"Who?" The oracle frowned.
"Adaline!" Asher raised the tone in a sudden annoyance. He wondered why he was the oracle if he kept forgetting such details.
"Ahhh..." He expressed. "I know. No need to yell at me this way. I'm just getting old."
How old? The irony. Asher trembled under his bossy tone.
"Talk. I don't have all century."
He rested his feet on the desk while leaning back in his chair.
"You know how Adaline has started her awakening journey after meeting her soulmate–Alistair now called Jaebeom–well, this awakening have gone further today. It seems like she had an ambiguous episode where she felt her wings spreading behind her back."
The oracle raised a brow. "What are you telling me right now?" he said while putting his feet down.
"It means she'll eventually remember she was a–"
"No! This can't happen! Where's the rapport?" He held out his hand.
Asher felt around his body to only look at the man with a puppy expression. It seemed like the document slid between his hands in the crowded hall earlier.
The prophet growled. "You can't even bring me a piece of paper? I miss Leo so dearly. I should have take care of this case myself, but no, I'm overworked. Way too much."
A huge crystal ball was displayed on the corner of the cabinet. He went there and started focusing quietly. Asher remained to the side watching him doing his thing. When he heard him sigh deeply, he took few steps back by precaution.
"Leo is facing so much hardships. Who made him go blind again?"
"Isn't it... you?"
The oracle shook his head in vain. "And he still managed to find her," he said. "Anyway!" He clapped his hands at once. "There's a limit to change fate. They found each other, however, we can't let them remembering about their time passed together as angels."
It all happened way back in time when Adaline died and left Alistair behind. When she came here, she was chosen to be a guardian angel because of her pure heart, and that was when she met Leo. He was her guide or a tutor to her; he showed her all she needed to know to become a good guardian. They would complete every mission together. And, they grew feelings for each other.
When Alistair died and reunite with Adaline in the afterlife again, they decided to met on earth again as staying here for too long was no use. They left.
Leo was tired of his life as a spiritual being. It had been a while since he lived in a human body. And, he kept thinking about Adaline. Not obeying the oracle, he made up his mind and decided to go on earth to find her to know what kind of life was in store for them if they ever reunited. Without him knowing, the oracle decided to give him an handicap, his sight, as he selfishly preferred to find love than to be giving the blessing of helping and saving people.
However, the oracle found out it was a better idea than he thought; Leo could be an important piece to Alistair and Adaline's new lifetime on earth, hoping that the vicious circle will be broken.
"You know what to do, right?" he asked Asher. "Tame Adaline's awakening about this period. Hopefully, Leo doesn't remember anything."
"Um... 4th floor?"
"10th floor, you idiot! Awakening empowerment management. The 4th floor is the Hall of Souls! You don't know anything or what? You keep forgetting!"
Asher jumped at his raising voice.
"And, how come Leo is so troubled? You haven't been watching over him, don't you? What kind of guardian are you? From now one, I'll ask someone else to take care of him. At least Adaline has a guardian down there with her, her grandfather."
Asher cleared his throat before correcting him. "Um," he stuttered, "he's not really her grandfather anymore, well–"
"His soul! He has been reincarnated in a living body! I know better than you! I'm the oracle, remember? Anyway, what's his new name already? I forgot."
"Jinyoung."