Chapter Seven: Sloth

Sloth

laziness: a dislike of work or any kind of physical exertion

                                (Enc)

---o0o---

                Myung-soo could still remember one of the mornings before the battle took place. He was in the art room, arranging his sketches while Angel was arranging the beddings he used.

                “You’re really talented huh,” Angel said.

“Well, I got interested in studying,” Myung-soo was posting his sketches on one side of the wall, “maybe I was lucky to have a good hand.”

“Who’s that?” Angel pointed to one sketch of a girl. “Your girlfriend?”

“You should be the first to know that I don’t have a girlfriend,” Myung-soo said, “I don’t really know her by name.”

“She’s beautiful,” Angel said. “Maybe in the future you’ll end up together. Isn’t that nice?”

Myung-soo just smiled. He was welcome to the thought, but he hoped not so soon. “Angel hyung, do you want me to sketch you?” he asked.

“No,” Angel said which made Myung-soo chuckle. “Why?” Myung-soo said.

“Because you have classes today,” Angel said.

“I don’t feel like going to school today,” Myung-soo laid over the already rolled beddings. “I just want to sleep.”

“Yah, don’t be lazy okay?” Angel went over him and took his hand. “Don’t you know that laziness is a capital sin?”

“Really?” Myung-soo said as Angel pulled him up. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yup, but not knowing doesn’t exempt you from sin,” Angel said, “Come on, you should start preparing now,  or else your mom will get mad at you.”

“Mom is not around,” Myung-soo told Angel, as if waiting for him to allow him to stay.

“Then I’d get mad at you if you don’t.”

---o0o---

                “Yah, Sung-gyu hyung, wake up!” Myung-soo shook the one sleeping beside him. They were scheduled to do a volunteer work in the elder’s house, but Myung-soo was finding it hard to wake his hyung up.

                “Hyung,” Myung-soo removed the blanket covering his hyung and attempted to pull him up.

“Myung-soo, I’m not going,” Sung-gyu said.

“Come on, why not?” Myung-soo said, “Is this because of last night?”

“Partly yes, partly no,” Sung-gyu curled again under the blanket.

“Then what’s the other reason?” Myung-soo pulled the blanket away so his hyung wouldn’t be able to hide from him.

“Nothing,” Sung-gyu said.

“Hyung, there’s no such reason like that,” Myung-soo went closer to his hyung and felt his neck and forehead. “You’re not sick, so get up!”

“Yah, I don’t feel like it,” Sung-gyu said before closing his small eyes again.

“Hyung, I promise to ask the elders to give you apples, just get up and join us,” Myung-soo shook his hyung, but to no avail. His hyung fell asleep fast.

                Myung-soo, Dong-woo and Sung-jong, just like what was planned the day before, decided to  do a volunteer work in the home for the aged. Simple things make them happy, just like what Dong-woo said, and so they went in the shelter very early in the morning to cook pancakes for breakfast and bake apple pies for snacks.

                The three started the morning by assisting the nurses to aid the elders. Most of the elders were very warm, which was something Myung-soo didn’t expect. Some were timid, but with a little persuasion and talking, they tend to open up and listen to them and the nurses.

                Although most of the elders were still strong and could eat by themselves, there were some who find it hard to do the job alone – some couldn’t even lift a finger – and it was the duty of the three to help them eat.

“Young man, what is your name?” the old lady that Myung-soo was feeding asked.

“Kim Myung-soo ma’am,” he replied.

“Myung-soo, thank you for the delicious breakfast and for helping me eat,” the lady said.

“You’re welcome ma’am,” Myung-soo held out another fork of the pancake, and the old lady delightedly ate it.

“You know, you should visit us again sometime,” the lady said, “you see, all four of you reminded us of our grandsons and granddaughters.”

“Of course ma’am, we’ll see each other again,” Myung-soo said, but then he realized, “ma’am, there’s only three of us.”

“Isn’t that guy in black one of you?” the lady pointed and Myung-soo followed. The guy the lady was pertaining to wasn’t that hard to find. His black clothes stood out too much with the white background.

“I’m sure he’s not,” Myung-soo said, “ma’am, I’ll just go check on him.” Myung-soo stood up on his feet and slowly walked towards the man in black. Myung-soo made sure that nothing would tore his sight of the man. He wouldn’t let him go away without knowing why the man always show himself. Myung-soo continued walking, past to the other elders, until he was less than three feet away from the man.

“I know you’re a dark angel,” Myung-soo quietly said, “Why are you here? What do you want? Why are you always showing yourself?”

The dark angel looked him in the eye and took a step forward. That moment, Myung-soo felt a heavy atmosphere around him. The dark angel lifted his hand and reached out to Myung-soo. He tried backing away, but he couldn’t move his foot. He even found breathing more and more difficult as the dark angel’s hand reached out to his chest, until Myung-soo realized what the dark angel wanted.

No, I won’t let you get the key! Myung-soo realized that he couldn’t even speak. He shook his body until he get himself to move. There was no way that he would let this dark angel take his Sung-gyu away from him. After a few tries, Myung-soo was able to lift a finger. Then he tried moving his feet until he was able to inch away from the dark angel.

“N..no!” Myung-soo fell on the floor and Sung-jong, Dong-woo and the other nurses came to help him.

“Maybe you’re already tired,” Dong-woo said, “let me take you home, okay?”

---o0o---

“You’re early,” Sung-gyu said as Myung-soo entered the room. “How’s your day?” Myung-soo didn’t give him an answer and instead just let himself fell over his bed.

“How long have you been awake?” Myung-soo said.

“For a while now,” Sung-gyu said, “I was actually kind of bored.”

“You’re bored because you don’t do anything!” Myung-soo took the pillow and hid his head under it.

“Yah, Myung-soo… Mianhae,” Sung-gyu said. He moved closer to Myung-soo and gently tapped the boy, but then he didn’t expect to hear sobs. “Myung?” Sung-gyu removed the pillow over Myung-soo’s head and was surprised to see the younger crying.

“Myung-soo, why are you crying?” Sung-gyu said. Myung-soo closed his eyes and shook his head before turning his back to Sung-gyu. “Yah, come on, tell me.”

“N..nothing,” Myung-soo muttered.

“Hey, Myungie,” Sung-gyu put an arm around Myung-soo’s shoulder to turn the boy to face him. He was able to turn Myung-soo, but the boy’s eyes didn’t reach his. “You know you can always tell me your problem,” he said.

“You,” Myung-soo said, before looking in Sung-gyu’s eyes. “It’s just that I saw a dark angel today and you do nothing but to tell me that you’re bored when in fact if you came with me this morning you could have…” His hyung held him tight and with that Myung-soo freely cried.

“For a moment I was face to face with a dark angel, and I felt like I was frozen, I couldn’t move a finger, not even breath,” Myung-soo said, “I was so scared and I know you weren’t around but I was wishing that you would come when I call you, but then I can’t even move my lips to call your name.”

Sung-gyu held the younger even tighter. “Myung-soo, mianhada… I promised to protect you, but I broke my promise. Don’t cry anymore, I promise I’ll always be by your side from now on. I’ll never leave you and I’ll never let anyone, any being touch you. Do understand?”

Myung-soo nodded and closed his eyes. He felt a hand wipe away the tears in his eyes before his consciousness slipped away. The day hadn’t even reached halfway yet he already felt exhausted. It was a good thing that he would always found solace in his hyung’s arms.

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Annyeong haseyo!! Yup. This chapter is a little short, but it is an important chapter. You’ll understand soon…

Please comment! How’s the style that I used?

Which one is better? The style I used in Oppas and the Newbie? Or Angel Lock?

Please comment! Pretty pleaseee!!! Your comments are precious to me.