“Remember you must die”

…

“Aish. What time is it already?” I woke up feeling my whole body aching. I did a little stretching, twisting my upper body and rotating my arm. Gosh. What happened to me last night?

Last night? I don’t remember.

I walked out of my room and went to the kitchen area to prepare a breakfast for myself. I checked my refrigerator and I was lucky to still have an egg. That would do.

I prepare the frying pan and cooked the egg. Luckily, there was still some rice left so I was able to eat.

When I finished eating, I cleaned my house. My house isn’t that big, it’s enough for one person or maybe two to live in. Besides, I don’t really need a large house when it’s only me who lives in there.

I took out my phone and played my playlist. First song was She Looks so Perfect by 5SOS (5 Seconds of Summer)

I was really into cleaning my house and feeling fired up by my songs that I didn’t notice that someone is actually ringing my doorbell. I paused my playlist hesitantly and went to the door. Who is it? Who would ring my doorbell in this time? AH! Maybe it’s them? But isn’t it a bit early?

“Nuguseyo?” I asked as I approached the door

Nobody answers so I peeped over to the door viewer to check who it was. Weirdly, there was nobody in there. It might be a prank pulled by some nothing-to-do neighboring kids. I was about to return to my cleaning when I realized, my doorbell is broken. It was broken since yesterday. I instantly turn around facing the door. Could it be? No way! It’s impossible! Maybe I thought it was broken but it was really ok. Yes, that’s right! Geez. What am I thinking?

I then return to the living room, to finish cleaning my house. Geez, no matter how much I want to brush it off, it just won’t. I still feel unsure. What the heck?

Suddenly, my phone rang. It made my heart skip a beat. For a moment, I thought I’m gonna die.

I went to my phone and check the caller ID. I cursed every ing curse I know in my mind as I answer the phone call by my so-called bestfriend.

“YA! JUNG WHEEIN!!!” I exclaimed with all my heart out.

Ah! That felt good somehow.

“YA! WAE???” I heard Wheein shout back. I smiled to myself. Geez, this girl.

“Why are you suddenly calling me? Aish. I’m so busy” I said plopping myself to the couch

“Stop lying. I bet that you’re laying your flat to the couch right now” she said

We laughed together at the same time. Wow! She really does know me. Wait. What? I stopped breathing. She bet what? How did she know???

“Ya! Are you pulling a prank on me again?” I said in disbelief

Chincha! I can’t believe that the scaredy cat Jung Wheein dares to pull a prank on me. Can’t she notice how the sun brightly shines in the sky? It was damn early for a petty lame prank of hers.

“Ya! What are you saying?” Wheein asked confusedly and half-annoyed, “I just called to tell you that Hwasa and I might not be able to make it tonight. She was sick and begs me to help her with her Mother. You know how she hates whenever her mother makes her drink herbal medicines when she’s sick”

Oh! Then it wasn’t her?

“Really?” I asked dumbfounded

“Yeah. Why? What you thought?”

“Nothing. How about Solar?”

Wheein immediately let out a disappointed grunt.

“Why?” I asked

“You better talk to Solar. She’s becoming weird again. Did you know how many times I tried to call her but she didn’t even pick up ONCE? She didn’t even reply back to all of my messages! I have to go to her house but nobody answers. She’s making it hard for me. I hated going outside with the heat killing me”

I laugh as I listen to Wheein rant. But wait. Wheein can’t reach Solar? Why?

“Ok. I’ll find her” I said

Wheein then hang up the phone. I immediately stood up and put the trash bag outside. I have to get ready to find Solar. I wonder what happened to her. Although, it’s not rare that Solar doesn’t answer her phone since it’s not the first time, but every time this happens, something happens to Solar- something not good.

After throwing the trash bag, I run back inside of my house as I feel the scorching hot sun piercing through my skin. Ugh! This is what I hate about Summer, it’s freaking hot! Just one second outside and I’m already sweating like a pig.

I was about to go to my room when I noticed something in my living room. WHAT THE ?!!!

I went to the living room and shockingly pointed to the girl sitting in my couch. She is petite and has long black hair. She was dressed in white and was glowing. But the weirdest thing about her is that she is wearing wings? Seriously though. Is it time for Halloween yet? Why is she dressed all looking like an angel in this hot season? Is she crazy?

“Umm—who are you?” I asked

I’m not afraid that she might hurt me. In fact, I felt so good about her. It’s like she’s really an actual angel. I can’t even bring myself to shout to her.

I sat at the floor opposite her.

“I’m called Sooyoung” she said

WOW. She really is so pretty. The more that I stare at her face, the more that I get addicted. How can a girl be so beautiful? Wait. She kind of looked familiar. Have we met before?

“Have I seen you before?” I asked boldly, “you looked familiar”

“Ne?” She asked looking startled by my question. She then smiled, “I doubt that.”

I cocked my head to the side and watched as she smiles at me. Perhaps I was wrong.

“Ah. Sooyoung-ssi, why are you dressed like that? And what are you doing here in my house? How did you get in?”

She looked at me, examining my clothes and glancing back to her dress. Now it’s her turn to tilt her head to the side.

“I don’t know what you meant but I needed a place to stay. I rang the doorbell but nobody answered so I went to look around and came in through the back door” she explained

“Ah. I see. So it was you. Mianhae” I said. Why am I the one apologizing, “But what is it? Why do you have wings?”

I saw how her face got shocked when I asked that. What? Didn’t she know that she was wearing wings or that she didn’t expect me to see it?

“How did you? You can see my wings?” she asked

She’s weird, beautiful but weird. “Ne. It’s right there.” I pointed to her and accidentally touched the feather

I immediately took off my finger feeling the tingling sensation when I touched her wings. It was so soft. It’s probably the softest thing I ever touched. She then moved her wings which caused me to be amazed.

“Whoah! How did you do that?” I asked amused. She hides her wings at her back although some parts of it is still visible for me to see.

“I’m an angel” she said with straight face

I chuckled in disbelief. She really is crazy, is she?

“I don’t expect you to believe me but I’m an actual angel.” she said in serious tone

An angel? Is she really telling the truth? If so, then why is she--?

“Then what are you doing here?” I asked my 1 million dollar question

“I can’t tell you specifically but I guess you can say that I’m on a mission”

“O-kay.” I nodded slowly at her, “But why did you come here? Why at my place?”

“Something brought me here. I don’t understand it either but there is like a magnet that pulls me here”

“Ah—I see.” I nodded once again

“Come on, you can ask me questions. It’s the least I can do for you right now”

I hesitated at first but took the courage to ask, “Is it true that when you die, you become an angel?”

I didn’t know why I suddenly asked that question. It’s clear that it’s not true. But I just read it in an article before. There was a theory that when people die, their souls either go up in heaven or hell and others become angel. It’s stupid, I know. Aish. I should really stop reading these conspiracy theories online.

“Ah! Well, it’s true but not entirely. You see, when a person dies, either they go up in heaven or suffer in hell. When the soul reaches the gates of Heaven, they are examined. How did they die? But most importantly, how did they live their life? Did they do great deeds? If they did, they are given two choices: if they want to go back to earth again or they want to stay and live in heaven where everything is good. If one wishes to come back in earth, they can be born as a flower, tree, a butterfly or a person again. If a person saves many great lives, served his or her whole life for mankind, or if they die in exchange for someone else’s life, depending on how genuine these actions are, they can become an angel.”

“Then how did you become an angel?”

“I don’t remember.” She said with her eyes looking a bit disappointed, “When the soul goes up in heaven, their memories are erased.”

“Ah, now I understand.” I said trying to lift the mood, “Even so, I think you are someone who exchanged her own life for someone else that’s why you become an angel.”

“Thank you” she said softly

I just kept looking at her. AH. Her face is so addicting. I can’t help myself but just keep on looking at her. Aigoo. What’s wrong with me?

She tilts her head to the side which made me follow her. She then forms a crease on her eyebrows and again, I followed her. She narrowed her eyes and smirked at me which caught me off guard. I instantly blushed. Aish! What’s wrong with me?

“Mianhae! Mianhae!” I said bowing to her to which she only laughed

I looked at her once again, amazed by her laughter. Wow, an angel laughing at me. I must be really going insane.

“Ah! Right! I heard you’re going to find your friend, Solar-ssi.” she said reminding me of my plan, “I know where she is”

Heol. Is this true?

When she said that she knows where Solar is, I didn’t expect that she really knows where she is. Even until now that I’m seeing Solar here in front of me, I still feel weird. I don’t even know how to exactly describe it but it’s really not ordinary. She isn’t ordinary. Maybe, she really is an angel.

I looked at Solar’s back. She was looking out somewhere- staring into space. I can tell that it’s Solar, even if I don’t see her face. She was sitting at large driftwood, watching the sea waves. The cold wind is blowing her hair and even though I can’t see it clearly, I can feel it. She feels miserable.

I slowly approached Solar. I didn’t want to shock her and make her mad at me. I know she’ll get mad at me for seeing her here, looking like that. But I want her to know that I’m here for her- that she’s not alone.

I took a deep breath and slowly moved my hand to her shoulders. I touched her lightly. And even though I didn’t say anything, she just sits still, moving her head slightly toward my direction, as if acknowledging my presence. I then sat beside her.

“It’ll be okay. I’m here now” I said softly

I didn’t dare to ask her questions. I don’t really care about it right now. All I know is that Solar needs me. She can tell it all to me later but right now, I want her to know that I’m here and I won’t leave her side.

After an hour, we decided to leave the place. We went to my house silently, no one saying a word.

When I opened my gate, I suddenly remember that I forgot to go to the grocery. Shoot! I don’t have any food in my refrigerator now. Solar seems to notice something but I just smiled at her. What am I going to do?

When I opened the door, I quickly smell something delicious. Someone is cooking.

I immediately went to the kitchen. I was shocked to see Sooyoung, in my white apron, hair tied up and was busy cooking. Wow! Could she get any more beautiful? I feel like every time I look at her, she only gets even more beautiful. But she’s in my kitchen- cooking! Where did she get all this? I thought she doesn’t have money? Magic- perhaps? But she’s an angel! Argh! I’m confused

“You’re here! That’s great! The food is now done” She said happily, “come and sit. I cooked food for all of us”

She sets up the table. I could see Solar from my peripheral view that she’s looking at me, expecting me to explain it to her now but I was just too focused at Sooyoung. How did she do all of this?

“Come on!” Sooyoung took Solar’s hand and lead her to the dining table. I was too shocked upon seeing it. Solar never lets anybody touch her like that. But looking at Solar’s face right now, it’s like she doesn’t mind. Did she perhaps meet Sooyoung already? Is that the reason why Sooyoung knows where Solar is?

Sooyoung then looked at me happily and pushed me to my seat. I took a seat kindly following Sooyoung.

It was like a feast, really. Sooyoung cooked really a lot of delicious food and they really are fitting to my taste. I’m quite sensitive to food especially spicy ones but with Sooyoung’s cooking, I could even eat spicy donkatsu.

“So, who is she?” Solar asked

We just finished eating and we were in the living room. Sooyoung was in the kitchen, washing the plates.

Geez. What do I tell her? “Ah- She’s my cousin”

I lied.

Solar looked at me confused. “I thought you don’t have any relatives left?”

“Oh. I thought so too until she came. I found out that she was a distant relative at my mother’s side” I lied again

See, that’s the thing about lying, when you start lying, it piles up and one small lie can become one big terrible lie.

Sooyoung finally came. She joined us at the living room sitting between me and Solar. Solar just looked at her.

“You’re Solar, right? I’m Sooyoung. I’m a distant cousin of Moonbyul.” She said smiling

Whoa. Did she just lie to Solar? And she’s a pretty good liar. I can’t believe she just did that. And do angels have super hearing powers? How did she know that I used that lie to Solar?

“Nice to meet you” Solar hesitantly extends her hand for a handshake.

Sooyoung gladly takes Solar’s hand. When they shook hands, it seemed as if Sooyoung was frozen for about 10 seconds before she regains her composure and smiled at Solar.

“Sooyoung, where did you get all those foods?” I asked

“Ah! I was hired as a librarian in the small library downtown. The owner is really good and gives me payment even though I just started. She said she was thankful.”

Small library? Downtown? I only know one library here. It is really well-known in our place because of its spooky aura. Nobody goes there and as far as I know the owner of that library is an old lady. She closed the library last month because she can no longer took care of it.

“Oh, kuraeyo?” I said nodding slowly

“I’ll leave you two on your own, okay?” she said and went to the room opposite to mine.

I looked at Solar and she seemed stunned. I have to shake her twice in order for her to go back.

“Bwaya? Why are you looking like that?” I asked

“She’s weird” Solar said

“I know right!” I said lowering my voice to almost a whisper. I move closer to Solar, “Did you  know? When she first comes here, she was sitting at my couch. She was wearing a white dress with wings that I thought she’s dressed as an angel for Halloween.”

“An angel?”

“Ne. Although, she changed her clothes, but she still wears that wings. Why can’t she just take it off?”

“Wings???” Solar turned to me, really shocked

It’s only now that it sinks in to me what I just told Solar. Shoot. What if Sooyoung is really an angel? Then her wings—it’s real?! OMG! And I just told Solar about it. What if other people find out? It’s not that Solar has a big mouth but what if this break out to the whole neighborhood- or worse- to the whole world! What would happen to Sooyoung? I really should be careful from now on.

“Umm- Ohh- Ahh- Ne! I almost forgot! Wheein and Hwasa won’t be able to come here. Hwasa caught colds and Wheein is trying to keep her alive” I said changing the topic

I then noticed how Solar’s face suddenly turns sad. She probably remembers her problem again. I feel bad for her.

I placed my hand at the top of her hand. She looked at me.

“What’s the problem?” I asked softly looking straight into Solar’s eyes

“It’s noth-“

“Solar. I know it’s not just nothing. Tell me”

“I need to work. My parents won’t pay for my tuition fee next school year. I have to work if I want to-“

“Then we’ll find work!” I said simply, “Ah! You know Taeyeon-unnie is leaving to go to Seoul. That means her job will be vacant. You should apply.”

“But Byul, you know I don’t know anything about coffee-“

“Ya! Of course I’ll be there to teach you. Don’t worry it’s easy. Tomorrow morning we’ll talk to Ms. Jung to let you take Taeyeon-unnie’s job. Okay?”

I guide Solar to my room and let her sleep first. I looked for Sooyoung at the next room and found her sleeping already. She’s so beautiful when she’s sleeping. She really looks like an angel. Aish! Right! She’s an angel! I forgot!

I was about to leave when suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist. I turn around to see Sooyoung still awake.

“Mianhae. I must have woken you up”

“Ani” she sits up

“Why? What is it?” I asked sitting at the bed beside her

“I saw Solar’s past”

I freeze. Is that metaphorically speaking or literal? Sometimes, I think she’s telling me the truth but most of the time, I think she’s just crazy.

“What do you mean?” I laughed a bit

“Solar had a bad childhood. I saw her father beat her up and her mother’s equally the same. What’s even worse is that even kids in her school bully her.” Sooyoung said in low tone almost a whisper. She’s really serious, “I saw it when I touched her. That’s why Solar doesn’t like being surrounded with too many people. She’s afraid that they might hurt her too. That is why she is also reluctant to be friends with anyone- until you had to force yourself to be her friend”

I was stunned for a moment. I always know Solar had bad childhood experience but I didn’t imagine it to be like that. I know her classmates bully her but not about her parents. Now I understand why she doesn’t like being in home. But how did she know all of this? Is that even true- that she saw Solar’s past because she touched her? Something in me makes me want to believe her.

“I know Solar doesn’t like people minding her business but… someone has to save Solar before an unimaginable could happen” Sooyoung added

“What do you mean?”

“That’s when friends came in” she shot at me, “In times of good and bad; friends should always help each other out and be each other’s source of strength. Solar become stronger because she has friends now. I hope you’ll stick with each other no matter what.”

“Thank you for telling me but, it’s not like I’m the type to abandon friends” I said

“But you are someone who acts in an impulse.” Sooyoung said positioning herself for sleep, “Please think about other people carefully”

I then stood up and watch her as she drifts to sleep. What is she trying to tell me? That I’m going to leave Solar? THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE! But wait. She said she saw it when she touched Solar, could it be??? Could she perhaps saw my past too when she touched me? But she didn’t say anything to me. Why is that so?

I just left my thoughts as I leave her room. I went back to my room and sleep beside Solar.