So?

“So?”

I turned to the speaker, confused. “So what?”

The man shook his head amusedly, vague features transforming into something like a smile. “Have you decided?” he reiterated.

“No,” I answered. “It’s not like I have a choice either way.”

“Of course you do.”

I looked at him impatiently. “I don’t. It’s your call, your decision. You are the boss, and therefore, I have no say in the matter.”

He smiled. “I’ve already given you a say in the matter,” he corrected. “You just don’t want to believe it.”

“How could I believe it!?” I shrieked… Or, at least, I wanted to. I can’t, though. “Well, you haven’t exactly given me much reason to trust your word,” I told him.

“Haven’t I?” he asked, his eyes darkening a bit. “I saved you, you know.”

“Saved me how?” I retorted. “If you haven’t noticed yet, I’m HERE with YOU, meaning to say, NO, I’m NOT saved.”

“That’s because you didn’t want to be,” he murmured to himself, though I could hear him just fine.

I glared at him. “What’re you saying? You think I want to be here?”

“Well, yes,” he replied matter-of-factly. “If not, then you wouldn’t be here.”

“Why you—!” I paused, blinking. Did I want to be here? Surely, I… No. That… couldn’t be true… I was… happy, wasn’t I? …Wasn’t I…?

The man sat down on the ground and gazed up at me, a slight grin adorning his lips. “Are you done thinking yet?” he asked me.

I shrugged. “I guess.”

“You were alone before, weren’t you? Do you remember?”

I nodded. “But that doesn’t mean that—”

He cut me off. “You were lonely,” he said.

“I wasn’t!” I snapped. “You don’t know how I felt; you don’t know anything!”

“You’re wrong. I know how you felt back then.”

“Then…” I stopped, my vision blurry, and continued weakly. “Then how come y-you didn’t do anything…?”

“I sent you your brother,” he offered with a frown. “You avoided him.”

I scowled. “He’d only ask for money,” I said.

“But he wanted forgiveness.”

“How would you know?” I bit out.

“How would you?” he shot back, smiling once again.

…Okay… I get it. I lost.

“So?”

“So what?” I asked, curious.

“Have you decided?”

I looked down at my shoes and sighed. “…Yes.”

“And?” he prompted.

“I believe you.”

“So…?”

I lifted my head up and met his eyes. “I want to live.”

For a split-second, the man’s figure cleared and I could see plainly his bright eyes and the pleased smile he wore.

My own body was fading and I realized belatedly that I was going back. “Thank you,” I tell the man, tears in my eyes.

He nodded to me. “See you when you’re ready,” he said, wavering in my vision.