Have you ever felt like you’re being flushed down the toilet? Let me take a guess… no, you probably haven’t. Well I did. I was being down, literally. Not by the toilet though. More like portals to different worlds. I stayed hovering in the air for about 5 minutes when I crash-landed into this filthy bush. The heat is making me melt, which I later learned it was actually body liquid humans produce when they’re hot or tired called sweat. It’s around 6 minutes later that I realized I was sitting under the bush in front of Hwayoung’s house.

 

I decided to look around, at least to familiarize the whole neighborhood since this is where I’ll be staying when I’m in my human form. There’s a park filled with monkey bars and slides a few meters away from where her house and a minimarket in a boulevard a few blocks away. Dude I swear this estate is pretty sweet!

 

I was smiling and laughing all the way when I feel like someone’s staring at me. I turned around and I found this little kid with an ice cream cone in his hand staring at me with his huge eyes. To be honest, I was pretty freaked out. Then that kid pointed at the blank space behind me.

 

“You have wings,” he said, his index finger still pointing.

 

“Yeah of course I have wings, kiddo. I’m a- I HAVE WINGS!?” I tried to touch my back and gasped as I could feel the fluffy texture of my grey wings.

 

I saw a puddle and ran towards it to see my reflection. And it was there. Huge, grey wings. I glanced around, no one. I’m safe, but that kid was still staring at me, the excess ice cream that melted on his hands.

 

“Hey kid. It’s not what you think it is. I’m human. Pure human. It’s a costume… see?” I pointed towards my back. The kid didn’t respond, instead he tilted his head sideways.

 

“Jeongmin-ah! What did I tell you about talking to strangers?” a 30 something woman ran towards us. She picked the kid, whose name is Jeongmin, into her arms and apologized.

 

“Omma, the guy got wings. Huge ones. It’s not even Halloween. Why can’t I have wings?” he said, pointing towards my wings again.

“There’s no wings Jeongmin-ah,” the lady scolded the kid, “I’m sorry,” now she was talking to me, “My kid likes to imagine unhealthy things. You’re not someone from this neighborhood are you? I never see you around before,”

 

I looked at her for a short moment before finding my voice, “I… I uh I’m new and was looking for a rental house. I’m moving to Taesan High,” Yes! Taesan High! It’s Hwayoung’s school. Thank you brain for cooperating with me.

 

“I see… there’s that Yoo’s rental house. It’s very decent for students like you,” she pointed at Hwayoung’s house. I nodded, “So you’re going to Taesan High? Those students are lucky to have another good-looking student. I bet you’ll make good friends with the BAP boys,”

 

BAP boys? What is that?

 

“I guess I’d better be going. You’re a good kid …”

 

“Daehyun. Jung Daehyun,”

 

“You’re a good kid Daehyun,” she smiled before leaving.

 

I stared at the ground. There are a few things that popped in my mind. I didn’t get 1) why the lady can’t see my wings when it’s visibly huge and grey, and 2) what are the BAP boys and 3) where is the twins when I need them?

 

Now I didn’t know what to do. I’m so bored and lonely that I decided to sleep under the tree among the bushes, hoping no one would find me. I was falling asleep for about 5-10 minutes when I heard a rustle of the leaves.

 

“Hyung! I’ve finally found you!” that voice… Youngmin!

 

“Youngmin! Where have you been?” I hugged him, ignoring his huge grey wings that couldn’t stop fluttering.

 

“I was looking all around for you. I even went to that Han River to find you but you’re not there,” he said.

 

“Han River!? You went there!? Don’t you have any idea how unearthly our wings look amongst these humans?”

 

“Hyung chill… humans can’t see our wings, unless you wanted to show it,”

 

So that’s why the mother can’t see!

 

“So how is it that you find me here?” I asked.

 

“Instinct,” he smiled. He took out a wallet and a bag out of nowhere and handed it to me, “I came because I had to give that to you. You’ll need that. Kwangmin said Hwayoung wouldn’t be home till-“

 

“Five, I know. I was her guardian you know,”

 

“Right,” Youngmin was silent after that, but he stood there, with his eyes glowing as he sees the environment around him.

 

“Like the neighborhood?” I asked.

 

“Hell yeah,” he said, “You’re lucky hyung. Say, I need to go back. I’ll watch you from above and anytime you need me, just call my name. Good luck!”

 

He’s leaving me? Now? “Wait! Youngmin-ah! Are you going to leave me here alone? I can be bored too you know!”

 

“Oh you won’t,” he tossed me a digital watch as he flew up into the sky, “She’ll be here soon,”

 

I look at the watch. 5:02 PM. I could feel my heart thumping. I’ve never had a real life contact with Hwayoung and here I am, a few minutes away from her.

 

Then I saw her. Her long hair and fringe being blown by the wind as she pedaled her bike. Gahhh I could just ran up to her and tell her I love her. But that would make a really bad impression won’t it? Hwayoung went inside before I could make an appearance. Okay so that didn’t go well. Should I knock? Oh no… the door’s opening. I should hide again.

 

“Excuse-“ I tried to call her as soon as she stepped out of the house with her bike, but she rode on it and didn’t even bother looking back. So here I am, standing like an idiot, waiting for another who knows how much minutes for her to come back home and make my appearance. I walked back and forth, until I felt tired and decided to sit and rummage through the bag Youngmin gave me.

 

The bag contains an interesting amount of interesting crap: my Taesan High uniform, books, pencils, my (beloved) typewriter, wallet, papers (I’m not sure if that’s something useful and important, but meh I’ll leave that later), a bottle of milk, a phone, iPod and lastly a mic. I’m never sure what the last item is for, but I’m sure it’ll come in handy in the future.

 

I can hear a rustling in the leaves. I turned around and there he stood, all handsome and glowing (literally).

 

“Jo Kwangmin… where have you been?” I said, sighing.

 

“Eyeing on Hwayoung. Hyung you have to know something. She might not be in a good mood today,”

 

“Why?” I asked, sipping on the milk.

 

“She got… bullied,” Kwangmin said in a low voice.

 

I clenched my teeth. Those brats. “Then what happened?”

 

“I don’t know. She’s going to the big supermarket. Dinner, I guess,” Kwangmin said. We stood there in silence. I’ve never had a good, warm conversation with the twins. It always ended with this empty silence. Suddenly Kwangmin nudged me, “Hyung! Here she comes,” and then he’s gone.

 

I turned around and saw Hwayoung with a scared face. I think she heard the rustlings I made in the bushes. I decided to go out. With a backpack in my shoulders and a milk in hand, I said, “Excuse me,”

 

She screamed.

 

“Can I help you anything?” she said.

 

“No… I mean yes. I…” God why do I have to stutter like this now.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Is this house a rental house?” I asked, finally finding my voice.

 

“Yes, there’s a vacant room… are you here to rent a room?” she replied.

 

“No… I mean yes, ugh sorry,” I apologized.

 

“It’s okay,” she smiled. Her $1000 smile that never fails to melt my heart, “Could I have your name? I’ll sort out some papers and you could pay the rental fee a month after you move in, say, tell me where you come from,”

 

Where I came from? The sky above the seven skies a.k.a Heaven. I couldn’t tell you that in order not to freak you out now am I? I sighed. What should I say? I couldn’t say I’m from Seoul. I barely know the streets here.

 

“You’re pretty shy,” Hwayoung laughed, “Shall I take a guess? Are you possibly from Busan?”

 

I am not, for your information, shy. I just can’t get my words straight in front of the girl I loved. And what’s the thing with me and Busan?! I’m clearly not from Busan, never was, never will.

 

“Um okay… Can I have your name then?” Hwayoung asked.

 

I took a deep breath. This time I know what to answer without thinking too much, “Daehyun, Jung Daehyun,”