Chapter Four: Never Again

                “Hyung, wake up,” Myung-soo said while continually shaking Angel. Usually when Myung-soo gets close to Angel, he already wakes up, but that morning was different. It was the day after the big battle.

                Myung-soo lifted Angel’s head and took off the pillow underneath. But still no reaction. Myung-soo started to panic after that. Is he dead? He straddled over Angel and even if he wasn’t sure if he’d hear a heart, he pressed his ears against Angel’s chest. But there was nothing.

“Ah, Myung-soo?” Myung-soo quickly scrambled away from Angel. “What were you doing?” Angel asked, still lying on the mattress but with eyes looking at him.

“I was calling you, but you were not moving,” Myung-soo said, “I was starting to worry. I thought you were dead.”

“I will never die,” Angel said, “unless a Dark Angel stabs me.”

“But Woo-hyun is gone, right? He will never take you away,” Myung-soo said.

“No, he will never take me away,” Angel said, “It’s just so weird. I feel unusually sleepy right now.”

“Maybe you’re just tired,” Myung-soo pulled the blanket up to Angel’s shoulder, “sleep tight. When you wake up. We’ll go to movies and eat popcorns.”

“I like that,” Angel muttered before falling into deep slumber.

---o0o---

                “Hyung, how come you’re still sleeping?” Myung-soo said as he shook Angel for the second time that day. For the last three days, it became harder and harder for Myung-soo to wake his hyung up. Sometimes, he would find him sleeping while in the middle of doing something.

“Come on, get up! I’ll introduce you to my new friend!” Myung-soo pulled Angel to their living room. His parents weren’t around, so it was okay for him to invite guests.

                “Angel hyung, Sung-jong and Sung-yeol hyung are here,” Myung-soo said, “And we brought our new classmate, Dong-woo.”

                “I never thought I’ll meet a sleeper worse than me,” Dong-woo said after a laugh. Myung-soo glanced at Angel only to find his hyung standing while his eyes were still closed.

                “Hyung! Show some appreciation to our new classmate,” Myung-soo shook Angel again, rather harshly.

“Nice to meet you Dong-woo,” Angel said with a smile before he fluttered his eyes open, and looked to everyone in the room, though his smile slightly wavered when he focused to Dong-woo.

“Nice to meet you too, Angel hyung,” Dong-woo smiled brightly at him. The three students did homework together, while the hyungs prepared dinner for them. After the dinner, they watched one movie before going home.

“Now I understand why I felt so tired these past few days,” Angel said, which quickly caught Myung-soo’s attention. They were sitting at the sofa while watching TV.

“Why hyung?” Myung-soo said.

“It’s time for me to go,” Angel said.

“What?” Myung-soo took the remote control and turned off the television. “What do you mean hyung?”

“Dong-woo,” Angel said, “he’s your new angel.”

“What? But… how did that happen?” Myung-soo said. “How about you? You’re my angel too.”

“I already defeated the Dark that threatened your life,” Angel said, “My mission is already finished. I have no reason to stay anymore.”

“But, what’s the difference between you and Dong-woo?” Myung-soo said. He was beginning to get frustrated.

“He’s legit,” Angel said, “he went through the cycle of life to be an angel to you. It’s his job.”

“Then I won’t accept him,” Myung-soo said.

“Don’t be like that,” Angel said. “It is not his fault that I’m becoming more and more weak. This is natural. Once the will has been fulfilled, there is nothing left to do but to return to the Father.”

“No! I won’t allow you!” Myung-soo stood up and quickly ran out of the house. He continued running, until he reached the bus stop.

He sat on a bench and let himself cry freely. Angel wasn’t just a guardian angel to him. He was also his friend, his brother, his soul mate… He made Myung-soo feel emotions that he didn’t even know exists in him. Simply put, the thought of Angel being absent in his life was something that kills Myung-soo from inside.

“Why are you crying young man?” someone said which made Myung-soo look up. It was an old lady.

“Ah, nothing,” Myung-soo said, “Don’t worry about me ma’am.”

“Hmm, are you insane young man?” The old lady said which made Myung-soo chuckle.

“No ma’am,” Myung-soo said.

“If not, then tell me what happened my dear,” the lady said. At the rear view of his eyes, Myung-soo swore he saw someone standing on the opposite side of the road. He turned his head and there he saw the man in black royal guard suit and golden chain on his shoulder. He was looking at him. Myung-soo rubbed his eyes to make sure of what he was seeing, but when he opened his eyes, he was gone.

“Young man?” the lady said.

“Ah, uh, someone important in my life is about to leave me,” Myung-soo said. “I really wanted him to stay.”

“Is that so?” the lady said. Myung-soo nodded in reply. “Then I want you to make a clear and specific wish,” the old lady told him.

“A wish?” Myung-soo said.

“Yes, a wish. A clear and specific wish that involves the person you want to stay. Once you already made a wish, tell me.”

Myung-soo had only one thing in mind that time. He wanted Angel to become human. At least, when he’s already human, he didn’t have to go back right away. “I already made a wish,” Myung-soo said. The old lady then pulled out a metal bracelet from her pouch.

“This is a sacred bracelet used by my eldest ancestors to bind angels on earth,” the old lady said which surprised Myung-soo. “But it might work on humans too. Either way, all you have to do is to put this on the wrist of your friend and lock it tight with the use of this key. Keep the key, and make sure the bracelet is safe in the hands of your friend, because if is damaged, your wish will be voided.”

“Thank you ma’am,” Myung-soo said as he stared at the lock, “this is what I really needed right now.”

Myung-soo ran back to the house. Angel wasn’t inside, but he found him inside his art room, lying on his mattress, already sleeping. Myung-soo went close to him, and opened the bracelet. “Hyung, I’ll only do this because I want you to stay,” he said before he put the bracelet on Angel’s right wrist and locked it. He put the key on his necklace and kept it inside his shirt. “I will never let anything take you away from me,” Myung-soo said before falling asleep beside his hyung.

Why did you do that? You’re putting you and everybody’s life in jeopardy because of what you did! Myung-soo could clearly hear a voice yelling at him, but he could find it. He kept on running, and running, until he found himself inside a house of mirrors.

                He will bring danger to you and your friends! Take the bracelet off and let him go! “Show yourself!” Myung-soo yelled, and when he turned around, he saw what he was looking for.

                “Myungie! Myung-soo! Wake up, you are having a nightmare!” Myung-soo opened his eyes, only to find Angel beside him.

“You’re here? You didn’t disappear?” Myung-soo was overjoyed to see Angel in front of him. 

“Yes, I’m here,” Angel said, “and I feel oddly strong today. I wonder what happened.” Myung-soo launched forward and hugged Angel.

“Uh, Myung...”Angel said. “Yeah?” Myung-soo was still hugging him tight. “Uh, never mind. I was about to tell you that this might look weird for two guys to do but…”

“It’s okay, I don’t care,” Myung-soo hugged Angel tighter.

“Uh, Myung?” Angel said. “I have something to tell you.” Myung-soo let go of Angel for a while.

“What is it hyung?” Myung-soo said.

“I think I just remembered my real name,” Angel said.

“Jinjja!” Myung-soo said, “What is it?”

“Sung-gyu,” Angel said, “Kim Sung-gyu.”

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Finally, we knew who Angel was… Anyway, you probably might have known it was Sung-gyu all along, so… How was it?