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She picked up on the fourth ring "Yi Min-chin, Magical Remedies How can I help you?"

So the shop was open today Life went on I don’t knohy it surprised me I mean, it had been weeks since I called her that first tiements to make Work probably kept her sane

But I was quiet a beat too long

"Who’s there?" she said

"It’s Corine" I forced the words out of a tight throat, hating what I was about to ask "This e, but this is irade lunchbox"

"It had Archie and Jughead on it," she replied at once "He hated it because it was a little rusty and so ‘uncool’" I could hear her quoting hiether with duct tape Chance had a lot of shame that year, but I told hiraree "Then I have soone," she whispered "I hoped and I tried to trust Ebisu, but it has been so difficult"

"Wait, did you know so?" I hadn’t realized Min had been aware that her romance in Japan, which resulted in Chance, had transpired with a sod

"Not at first But when he went away, he told reat trials, and that ultimately, he would rise"

Whatever that meant

"Not too specific"

"The spirits tend not to be" She went on, "You have no idea how this sets my mind at ease, Corine Did youhear from him?"

"I had a really vivid dream I didn’t believe it could be real, but--"

"You had to be sure"

I nodded, then realized she couldn’t see it "He said to tell you not to worry That he’ll find a way back"

"If anyone can, he will," she said with quiet assurance

And madly, I believed her The world had lost its luster without hied to leave him once, but that was different; I’d known he was still out there sos That made all the difference--this was stark, awful, and unbearable

"He said he needsa sudden decision "And he has it I won’t stop until he’s back I can’t I love him so much"

"I know you do You always did"

"I’ll keep you posted I have things percolating"

"Thank you, ddal"

My heart twisted Toward the end ofhter" in Korean I’d never dared to call her Omma, as Chance did, but this moment called for a leap of faith, a prohter, as she had expected

"You’re welco off, I heard her sniffle Hopefully it was a happy sort of crying God knew I had done enough of that in the last feeeks But if there was even a s, I’d move heaven and earth for it

Before I rejoined the others, I had one h my call directory to find Chance’s landlord When he picked up, I greeted hi, sir This is Corine Solo to find out the status of his rent He’straveling right now, and I wondered when his rent will be due"

Señor Goh his files, and then he came back on the line "He paid in advance, so it won’t be due for anotheruard look in on the place now and then"

"I appreciate itand so does Chance" Or he would, I reasoned, if he wasn’t busy trying to crack a door between the planes "Thanks for your tiood day"

Well, at least that ht He’ll have a ho bolstered, I went back into the kitchen, where everyone rapping up their breakfast To my surprise, Ca for Mexico with Chance, but she didn’t knowcuddles

Eva shot her daughter a beuess she likes you"

"The little ood taste," Booke said

From any other male, I’d have taken the re courtly In person, he had the , as I’d always interacted with hie or thereabouts I probably wouldn’t have spoken as freely as I had in our shared drea him with the respect due an elder