7 days before Valentine

3

-3-

8th of February.

Near midnight.

As if we had an appointment, the Scythupid blinks into my room while I'm pondering on something in bed. He's still rocking the same outfit as this morning, white t-shirt and bleached jeans, in white.

"So, how's it going? Have you found a solution?"

Though his wording sounds like he's concerned, his tone and facial expression say otherwise. It seems he's been merrily enjoying the free time he spent wandering out there, so much so that I don't even want to ask where all he's been to and what he's been doing. A Scythupid's business doesn't matter to a guy like me. I don't want to know or give a damn about it.

I nod. "This time, I'll be more careful. Last night I had time pressure. You were rushing me!" Right, it's his fault. He suddenly showed up, telling me to hurry and say my wish. Surely enough, I didn't have time to think it over.

"Then, whom do you think you'll erase?"

The Scythupid circles around to the other side of my bed and stops at a constellation map poster which has long faded in colors. I bought it and put it up when I just started attending a university.

Back then, I really loved stargazing. I had always wanted to make a stargazing trip. Long time has passed and the poster has faded, but I still have yet to go on that trip. My past passion has gradually diminished while I was living my life and growing up each day.

I silently promise myself, if Wat comes back this time, I will ask him to go on a trip with me. We will bring tents and then stargaze on the top of some mountain. This time I mean it. I won't forget, and I must achieve that goal.

"I want you to erase Wat's ex-boyfriend."

He peels his eyes off the constellation poster and turns to look at me. "Interesting. Which one of his ex-boyfriends did you mean?"

"The one before me, surely enough." I reply. What? Ridiculous. Was that question even necessary? It's so damn obvious, isn't it? If I didn't mean the one before me, does he think I meant I wanted to erase me?

The Scythupid looks at his pocket watch. "There's still some time before the request can be made. Can you share some backgrounds with me as to why you want to erase this person?" Then, he walks to claim his seat at my bed's end, on the same chair as yesterday.

"Wat often mentioned his ex-boyfriend, saying he's this, he's that, he did this, he did that, blah blah blah. I never paid attention before. I was quite understanding and forgiving to him. I thought I was his present, and it's not wrong of him to remember the past sometimes. Everyone has a past of their own, you know?" I explain.

"But...come to think of it, I guess Wat did talk about his ex too much. He mentioned him so often, I think maybe he still couldn't forget the shadow of his previous lover.

And I was a replacement trying to project an image on top of that shadow. But no matter how much and how hard I tried, it could never fit. I think...Wat's ex-boyfriend was the reason, the wedge that kept pushing his heart away from me."

The Scythupid nods. "Uh-huh, I get your point now. So, you've decided to ask me to erase Wat's ex-boyfriend, the one who came before you, from the world, right?"

I nod back at him. He then gets up from the chair and brings out his chained pocket watch to check the time again. "Alrighty, eleven fifty-nine, one minute until midnight. It's time for you to ask me the favor. If you're sure about it, say it out loud."

I take a deep breath and hold it in for a moment while mentally counting three, two, one.

"I want Mr. Scythupid to erase...," and I say Wat's ex-boyfriend's name. (Sure, I know his name, Wat talked about him a lot.) "...from this world, please."