Afterlife Department

Chapter 252 – Commitment

It only took two seconds for Yi Bing to realize what Huo Ling was thinking for him to suddenly run away from him. He has known Huo Ling for six worlds, and although the young man's personalities' change in every world, but Huo Ling's thought process never did. 

He's really interesting, like always. Yi Bing thought as the corner of his lips pulled up as he watched Huo Ling run away very fast. How can he let him run away from him? No matter how Huo Ling run fast, if Yi Bing willed, it will only take a second for Yi Bing to capture Huo Ling using the grim reapers' teleportation skill. Added to the fact that Huo Ling is his current assignment, and so every action of Huo Ling is recorded on the Death Note. Thus, he will know where Huo Ling is. 

And so, Huo Ling can never escape from him. 

Huo Ling has great confidence in his speed. Added to the fact that his body is lighter this time, his speed doubled. Thus, he is hopeful of his escape. But, he only had ran for ten seconds and he blinked because of the wind hitting against his face.. He never thought he would hate the wind more than ever before. 

He saw Yi Bing appeared before him. "You – how did you…? Wah! Let me go!" he cried as he flailed his limbs after Yi Bing picked him up in the scruff of his neck like he is a dog. "Put me down, you – !" he added as he raised his fists to try hitting Yi Bing. 

"Are you so narcissistic to think you're special?" Yi Bing asked as he looked at Huo Ling, whom he captured, with his eyes filled of disdain. 

"If I'm not the soul you're looking for, could it be yours?" Huo Ling sarcastically said as he rolled his eyes before he noticed Yi Bing's silence. His body stiffened. "… it can't be… it's really your soul?" he asked, his voice low, as he slowly raised his head to look at Yi Bing. 

The corners of Yi Bing's lips slowly rose as his eyes curved, filled with mirth while they stared at Huo Ling whose face slowly turned green and white, obviously showing that there is a thousand thoughts running in his mind right now as he conjure up theories about the current strange event. 

"What do you think?" Yi Bing asked back as he gave Huo Ling a fake smile. 

Huo Ling whose face darkened. "…" what the fuck! This guy's really crazy! He's scarier than Lao Xie pulling 'pranks' on us! He thought as he felt his heart skipped a beat when he suddenly realized something. 

He is a soul right now, since he had already died. However, Yi Bing can see him, as well as Yi Bing's friend, and Yi Bing is even talking to him like he had known him for a very long time. He had overlooked this fact, since Yi Bing was talking to him casually, making him forget he had already died and is currently just a soul. 

But, as he had realized now, this phenomenon is really, really strange. If he hadn't remembered his status, a soul, right now, he would take what Yi Bing was implying earlier a joke. But, because of the strange phenomenon, his mind can't help but take the implication of Yi Bing's words to a different direction. 

Could it be… Yi Bing…? "You're already dead?" Huo Ling asked in a quiet voice as he slowly raised his head and met Yi Bing's gaze. Suddenly, the wind blew and hit his face, causing him to close his eyes before opening them again. Who would've thought that what he would see the moment he opened his eyes is a skull as white as the jade with empty and dark as the abyss eye sockets staring at him?! "AAAAAAAAHHH!!!" this pale skull replaced that handsome face! Who wouldn't be frightened?! 

"Pft – " Yi Bing spoke before he laughed. He slowly placed Huo Ling back to the ground before he turned his back on him and laughed. "Ahahahahahaha!" he laughed as he held his stomach. Damn! Huo Ling is really very fun to tease with! He thought, the corner of his eyes has tears from laughing. 

"Y-y-y-you!" Huo Ling stammered as he raised a trembling hand and pointed at Yi Bing while he stared at him with wide eyes in shock. "You – !" he said. 

"What did you see?" Yi Bing asked him with a smile. 

"A skull under a hooded night black cloak." Huo Ling automatically answered because he was overwhelmed by fright. His soul can't help shaking. 

"Does something come to your mind when you think of that?" Yi Bing calmly asked. 

Huo Ling froze. A skull… and a hooded cloak that's as dark as the night… "A grim reaper?" his low voice came out between his lips as he muttered softly. He raised his head and looked at Yi Bing and saw the guy was smiling at him with a rare gentleness in his cold eyes. "You're a… grim reaper?" he asked with a bated breath. 

"I am." Yi Bing answered. 

Huo Ling sucked in a cold breath as he stared at Yi Bing in shock. A grim reaper… he thought as his eyes widened with amazement. "Then how did you lose your soul?" he asked.

"An accident when I traveled between the worlds." Yi Bing answered in a brief explanation. 

"You can travel between worlds?! Wait… there are other worlds?!" Huo Ling asked in surprise. 

"En." Yi Bing nodded. 

Huo Ling remembered Di San earlier. "Your friend earlier… he's also a grim reaper?" he asked. 

"Yes." Yi Bing answered. 

"Then – " Huo Ling's handsome brows knitted. " – why is he going to Lao Xie? Is Lao Xie going to die?!" he asked as his voice laced with panic. 

Much to his relief, Yi Bing shook his head. "No. He's going there for a different purpose." He answered. 

"… is it related to your soul?" Huo Ling is smart. 

"Yes." Yi Bing answered. "I lost a part of my soul, and I don't know where it has gone to." He explained. 

Huo Ling felt pity towards Yi Bing. "I'm sorry to hear that." He said as he lowered his head. He missed to see the smile blooming on Yi Bing's face. 

After meeting Huo Ling, Yi Bing learned how to smile and, lately, he smiles frequently, which is really strange since he is known to have an abstinent personality, and is frigid. This change was caused by Huo Ling. He changed because of Huo Ling. 

It's really different when you found someone you liked. They influence you, and slowly changes you without you noticing. By the time you finally noticed, you have thoroughly changed. And you change because of them, and for their and your sake. You wanted them to be happy, and you also wanted to be liked by them. 

Yi Bing, as a grim reaper, his task is to make his assignment happy. Although he teases Huo Ling, making the other angry, but he just wanted for the other to loosen up and smile at the end of the day. He had interacted with thousands of souls before, but none of them is like Huo Ling. Huo Ling piqued his interest. And this interest he had on Huo Ling made his usual interaction with his assignment have a different flavor. 

It was just Yi Bing's capriciousness, but it led to a tremendous change in him. He became more invested on Huo Ling and by the time he noticed, his interest on Huo Ling had turned into like. 

Someone said that if something is at rest will remain at rest, unless an external force acted upon it. Yi Bing's life had been constant, gray, thus he didn't have any emotion. But, Huo Ling suddenly appeared and brought colors to his life. He made him feel emotions that he didn't have, since grim reapers shouldn't have. 

But, there's also another rule that Newton said. Something in motion will move with constant speed and direction unless an external force acted upon it. Yi Bing started to like Huo Ling the moment he realized the changes that occurred on him and in his life. Once this feeling buds, it will continue to grow until it fully blooms. 

Yi Bing can't stop liking Huo Ling now, unless something happens. But, does he really want to end these feelings he has towards Huo Ling? It is forbidden for a grim reaper, yes, he knows that. But, what's forbidden is addicting, thus it was forbade. Just like this feeling he has towards Huo Ling. 

"I got into an accident because I wanted to save someone." Yi Bing said. "I don't want to see them hurt, thus, I risked it all." He said. 

"Are they worth it?" Huo Ling asked. 

Yi Bing was taken aback before a smile formed in his lips. "Yes. They are worth it." He answered as he stared at Huo Ling's eyes. "They are worth more than my life, thus I want to stake it all." 

In exchange for Huo Ling's safety, his feelings towards Huo Ling, he isn't afraid to commit.