The new guest

Aera stood alone in the moon garden. It was a place where she liked to retreat whenever she needed to be alone. She'd hoped Chan-sung would forgive her after a while, but days came and passed and he kept showing her a cold shoulder.

Guilt. It sneaked in, coiling around her heart like a huge Mamba snake, and refused to leave no matter what she did. Though, she didn't regret anything. The hotel was still there, the customers were happy and she didn't have to part with Chan-sung.

"Why am I not happy?" She wondered. "I wish I care less what he thinks and says. I wish he stops acting like he would have been happy if he left the hotel. No, he wouldn't have. He would have kept wandering around, trying to find a place in the world he would have never found and, in the end, the time would have passed by him and before he realized he would have been a ghost just like me and everyone at the hotel." She cried out in desperation. "I'm tired of his never-ending excuses, meant to make me feel like everything that happened was my fault and only my fault. Yes, I lied to him. Yes, I was selfish, trying to keep him next to me, but he had never wanted to go in the first place."

She looked at the huge moon tree.

"The entire garden is full of different types of flowers. Only you are stubborn and refused to allow the leaves to grow." She berated the tree. "You look like it were eternal winter, only there is any snow on your branches. You'd look better if you were covered by snow."

This reminded her of the winters of her childhood. Those times she was genuinely happy. When days were too short for everything she wanted to do. She remembered the warmth of the fire as her parents finally managed to convince her to come inside. The promise she would go out again tomorrow.

That night a new guest arrived at the hotel. After the white cat's appearance six months ago, the staff wasn't surprised to be visited by a dog this time. A long plump dog with Rottweiler features. He walked inside, his tail up high, greeting them like old friends.

He was young and so full of life and even in death he carried the same energy he'd always radiated towards others.

"His owners must be missing him greatly." Aera remarked as she noticed his youth and his energy.

The dog as if understanding who she was referring to, watched her with such deep brown eyes so full of intelligence and love.

"He seems to love them. He misses them too." Remarked another ghost at the hotel. A young woman, a few years older than Aera who'd joined the staff just a week after Chan-sung had become the manager.

"He can wait them here, at the hotel. Couldn't he?" Asked another ghost, a teenager who'd heard the tumult on the hall and came to inspect. She was barely sixteen and she'd spent most of her life in a bed, condemned by a vicious disease. Now, she was finally able to enjoy life…or death. Anyway, there was no pain, no merciless tiredness. She could run and walk all day long and feel as fresh as a daisy. She was like a child inspecting the world for the first time.

So the dog was allowed inside, a move the white cat couldn't miss. She studied him from the top of a shelf she'd turned into her favorite spot for spying the guests. She meowed gently, friendly like. As if she knew him. The dog stopped on the spot. He knew her, too. It had been six months since he'd seen her last time. He'd missed her. He'd tried to play with the other cat, but she didn't seem to enjoy his company. Not the way his young friend had used to.

The dog wiggled his tail overjoyed to have his friend back and he addressed her a few barks. The greeting he had used her with since his arrival.

It only took them a few seconds until they started to play around, destroying everything in their path.

"At least they won't be alone any longer." Aera remarked. "I doubt this place will ever get boring. Come." She added after a while. "You must be hungry." Though, they didn't seem to hear her." Both of you stop." She added as she noticed they kept ignoring her.

"You're acting like children." The Grimm Reaper exclaimed, but soon he pretended not to pay attention to them.

"Do you think it hurt?" Aera asked the Grimm Reaper.

"What?"

"Dying. Do you think he suffered?"

"No, he died quickly. Like going to sleep. I think he only regretted that he had to leave his owners. His master was supposed to return soon home. He was the one the dog loved the most. He will be heartbroken."

"How did he die?"

"He jumped in front of a car. He sneaked out of the yard, right on the road. There was no time to be caught."

"Oh. Poor thing."

"He must know he was wrong doing it, but it's too late." The Grimm Reaper assumed. "But he will be love here. I'm sure of that. You won't have to stay alone in the garden anymore."

"I don't…How do you know?"

"You'll finally have someone to comfort you."

"You.."

"By the way, the dog loves water. You'll have to take him to the sea."

"I haven't known you pay attention to all those details."

"Why not. He deserves to feel good here. Like everybody else."