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Dokkaebi don’t bleed, Somin reminded herself.It’s not Junu’s blood, it can’t be.

“So you do care about him.”

She spun around at the voice and stared at the beautiful boywho stood behind her. Dark, close-cropped hair. Dark, almost-black eyes in a pale face. Dressed all in black. The reaper from the street.

“How did you get in here?” Her eyes moved to the bujeoks plastered around Junu’s doorway.

“Those don’t work against me,” he replied, his eyes following her gaze. “I’m not a ghost or a demon.”

“I know what you are. What I’d like to know is why you keep hanging around here,” Somin said.

“You have spirit.” He nodded. “Good. He’ll need that.”

“What are you talking about?” Somin huffed in frustration.

“But you’re not patient.” He sighed. “Which could be a problem for him.”

“I don’t have time—”

“I could stop it for a bit. Let us have our chat without it.”

Without time?Somin thought. Just exactly what could this reaper do? And how could she be sure he wasn’t here to hurt her and her friends?

“I need you to be careful with him,” the boy said. “He’s more delicate than he seems.”

“Who?” Somin asked.

“I wouldn’t have imagined a human like you would be it, but I can see that you’re what he needs now.”

She knew now that he spoke of Junu. “I don’t want to be what someone needs. I want to be what someone wants. What someone chooses. And he’s made it clear he doesn’t choose me.”

“Even he doesn’t know what his heart wants,” the reaper said. “After everything that happened with his family, Junu wasn’t able to handle the life fate gave him. He closed himself off. He lost himself for centuries in anything that would numb the pain. Ifhe’d been human, it would have killed him. But instead, he was left to live his eternal life seeking out more and more ways to rip out the pain that wouldn’t let go of him. That’s how I found him. One who would do any job that could get him quick cash so he could buy another bottle. Every time I came to reap a soul of another he’d killed, I saw him. And came to know him. And came to care for him.”

“What happened with his family?” Somin asked. “What happened to make him hurt for so long?”

“Unfortunately, even I don’t know that whole story. He’s never told anyone as far as I know.”

Somin fisted her hands over her chest, like she sought to protect her own soul. “Why are you telling me all of this? Does Junu know you’re telling me?”

“Of course he doesn’t. He’d never want you to know this vulnerable side of him. But I think you need to know. He’ll need you more than ever now. His soul is in danger of breaking.”

“How do you know that?”

“Souls are my business.”

That made goose bumps rise on Somin’s skin. “What do you think I can do for him?”

“Hold on to him,” the boy said.

“What?” Somin started to say, but he was gone. One second he stood before her, solid as anyone else. Next thing she knew, he’d blinked out of existence.

She turned as the front door opened and Junu entered. Blood staining his pants, his shirt, his hands.

“Are you okay?” Somin reached for him, but he pulled back.

“Don’t” was all he said before he tried to brush past her, but Somin planted herself in his way.

So Junu just turned into the library, slamming the door closed behind him.