Chapter 94: In the Reflection

And they were able to talk with each other in a dark, but light room. The devil asked all the questions that swirled in their mind and baffled them about the boy.

Ali responded to them, "It's true that I don't like hunger and thirst. But I liked being human in that world. Death was one of the thing that makes human experience worthwhile."

"I don't understand. Humans agonize and hate death."

"But I don't. Death makes life precious. Death eases sufferings like hunger and loneliness. Death is comforting and beautiful to me. Death makes life pretty by being the grim and ugly one. To me, life is about being hungry and being full. Life is about being hated and being loved, being uncomfortable and being comforted. It just happened that I wasn't able to become full or loved or comforted. But even so, life is still wonderful, isn't it?"

"You're… stupid."

Ali's laughter echoed around with glee and warmth. "You're funny! I haven't talked to others in a while since I don't have friends and I'm always away from my family. Can I know what your name is?"

"You don't want to know."

"But I want to be your friend!"

"You don't want to be, if you knew who I was."

"Oh, of course I do!"

"What?"

"You're the devil, aren't you? Even if you're the devil, you still must have a name, right? You're very similar to how death looks like, so I also like you! And I think you're beautiful as well."

The devil didn't know how to respond. "How did you know that I was the devil?"

Ali's laughter rang again and it became the devil's favorite sound. It was peaceful and the way it came from the heart was elegant.

"Well, of course, I'd know! Have you seen yourself from the water's reflection? You look exactly like how a devil would look like!"

"And you're not scared of it?"

Ali just smiled as he began fading away.

The devil believed that the reason why Ali didn't answer the last question was because the boy was truly scared.

But he must've felt the devil's loneliness and he just couldn't leave it alone despite his frightened self.

The devil thought that it was selfless and graceful.

That boy was truly the personification of altruism and happiness and naivety.

The devil was in the middle of conceptualizing their first world, but they immediately proceeded to the last spot and created a whole ocean beneath.

They stood on it and glanced down to look at their own reflection.

"Is this really the face and look of a devil?"