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"My Guardian Angel"

The story of the last Grigori

saltare me

“dance with me”

He was standing on the edge of a mountain, overlooking a vast lake. He looked down but immediately averted his gaze at the fear he felt. Heights were never his best friend.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath but before he could open them, he smells the scent of freshly bloomed freesias.

Kwon Jiyong smiles but even though he wanted to open his eyes, he couldn’t.

“You’re here…” He hears himself say.

“I am always with you, Jiyong.”, a whisper to his ear. “Never forget your promise…”

He wakes with a smile on his face and rubs his eyes. He turns to his right, but as always, it is vacant. On usual days, he would stretch his hand over the empty space and ask himself why he’s alone. This time though, he takes the unused pillow and crushes it against him. A calm, pleased smile on his face. 

Its been a week since the supposed accident. He was in the car with his sister, waiting for the traffic lights to change color and when it did, he put the car to drive and so did every other car in the intersection.

He vaguely remembers what happened next. He feels searing pain from his flank and when he sees the blood, he found it hard to breathe and succumbed to unconsciousness. A smell that seemed all too familiar brought him back from nothingness. At first, he saw Dara. She was a glorious sight. She wasn’t lying to him when she admitted that she was an angel. However, her dark, onyx eyes made him think twice. She had wings, one white and the other black. He might have been perplexed, but he wasn’t scared. Fear was the last thing on his mind that day.

“I’m here…Stay with me…I will always keep you safe…” Dara had said to him and her words were imprinted on his mind. Seems that from a distant memory, he was told the same things. Perhaps it was the pain that brought back the familiar, but he doesn’t delve too much in the memories that begin to resurface. He knew they will disappear. They always do and he will be left with nothing but wanting more.

Kwon Jiyong finds her in the kitchen brewing coffee. She was humming a sweet melody but he couldn’t quite recognize it. She drums her little fingers against the counter, her brows meet in the middle.

“Relax, it wouldn’t speed up just because you’re watching it.” Jiyong breaks the silence. She turns to him with wide eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Dara says. “The doctor said you have to rest. Jiyong, don’t abuse it. He didn’t want you to leave the hospital but you were adamant! At least, listen to what they advised!”

“I was wondering why you never came to the hospital.” Jiyong asks, sitting on the stool by the kitchen counter. Dara was right, he needed to rest because honestly, it still hurt. “The excuse that you made was really lame. You had to look after Hanbin? Really, Dara? My son should have been by my side!”

“Jiyong, I hate hospitals.”

“Why?”

“Its just a place that holds so much suffering.”

“Shouldn’t angels be used to “suffering”?” Jiyong counters, raising a brow at her. “But you’re right, it does. So I asked nicely at first for them to let me out but they were ignoring my autonomy. A patient has the right to decide what should be and shouldn’t be done to them.”

“But they know better.” Dara gives him his coffee cup, while she sips on her own. “You wouldn’t stop moving if you’re in the house. It took Hanbin and I a whole lot of convincing to let you stay in bed.”

“I always find the service at home better.” Jiyong says, eyeing her with interest that makes Dara look away from him. “And I feel much safer here, as you have promised.”

“I what?” Dara asks, completely caught off guard.

“You promised to keep me safe.”

“I did?” Jiyong didn’t know why or how but he felt disappointed at her reaction.

“You don’t remember?” Jiyong asks. “When you saved me from the car, you said that I should stay with you and you will keep me safe.”

“I’m sorry, Jiyong. I really don’t remember. You’v been teasing me about this for days but I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” Now, he didn’t hide his dismay. How can she not remember? When she’s in her human form, does she forget everything that happened while she’s in her angel form? “Never forget…”, he remembered the voice from his dream. Her voice. And he wasn’t deterred. If there’s a switch he has to turn on, he was going to find it.

“You look different.” He says. “The person who saved me had dark black eyes and her hair, it was definitely longer and her wings… her wings were beautiful! One was white and the other was black!”

“Are you sure it was an angel?”

“Of course I am sure! I even asked her if I was dying.”

“Perhaps you were delirious because of the pain.” Dara says. “You should go back to bed. You have to stop moving around because your wounds aren’t healed yet.”

“Nope, there’s somewhere we have to go.”

“What?”

“I’m signing the contract with my father’s company today. You have to come with me.”

“But…”

“I’ll be all right, Dara.” Jiyong assures and he grins. “You are with me.”

“They couldn’t send a chauffeur?” Jiyong asks, a brow raised at his friend, Seunghyun, when they meet at the lobby of his apartment building.

“Jiyong, I was going to the company so I offered to take you there instead.” Seunghyun says, smiling while he opened the door for Jiyong who rides the car with Dara hovering at his side. The former was about to open the passenger’s door for the lady however, Jiyong holds onto her wrist.

“She’s sitting beside me.” Jiyong demands and both were left with no choice.

“How is it catching up with your daughter?” Jiyong asks while they were on the way to the company. Seunghyun smiles at him through the rearview mirror before answering.

“Its unexpectedly great. I’m taking things slow so that she’ll eventually warm up to me. I took her and Hanbin to school today. You were still asleep so I told Dara not to wake you.” Seunghyun answers.

“He came?” Jiyong asks Dara and she nods while he notes the mirth in her and Seunghyun’s glances. “Is there something amusing?”

“You were dreaming.” Dara says.

“I was what?”

“You were smiling in your sleep.” Dara adds. “We decided not to interrupt.”

“You seemed to be dreaming of her, Jiyong.” Seunghyun says. “You seemed to be dreaming of your wife.”

“How did you know I was?”

“I’ve never seen you look so happy, Jiyong.” Dara answers. “Who knows, if you keep dreaming about her, eventually, you just might remember her.” Jiyong closed his eyes, trying to recall the whole dream but they were only fragments now. A cliff, the ocean and the smell of fresh flowers. And then there was that voice. 

Dara’s voice.

“Maybe I will.” Kwon Jiyong embeds the words like a promise in his heart. 

The stopper pops and bubbles flow out of the champagne bottle. A cheer resounds the whole room as the contract is sealed and hopes for a successful venture are shared. Dara smiles happily as Jiyong is congratulated, as well as, the team that will be working for him.

“You are not drinking any alcoholic drink today.” His father tells him, taking his flute away.

“But champagne is hardly alcoholic.” Jiyong says.

“The toast is for him anyway.” Seunghyun adds.

“We are still not in speaking terms, Seunghyun.” The old man counters with a raised brow. “Only because we are working together, I have to tolerate you now.”

“Appa, give him a break.” Jiyong defends his friend. “He’s really trying this time.”

“Well, he better.” His father claps his shoulder, happy that his son will now be working with him. “By the way, you have to be at the party tomorrow night. It is for you anyway.”

“What party?” Jiyong asks.

“Chaerin insisted to throw you a celebratory gala.”

“She what?”

“Indulge her, Jiyong. Your sisters love you.”

“Fine…” Jiyong says then his eyes dart to Dara who was engrossed in conversation with Seungri.

“How long have you been with Jiyong?” Seungri asks, his eyes never leaving her brown ones. He didn’t hide the fascination that he had with the woman. Dara could feel his curiosity over her and try as she might not to feel uncomfortable, she fails. She wanted to run and escape the conversation with Jiyong’s publicist. A fear she didn’t know crept up her spine once they have arrived and Jiyong introduced Seungri.

“Dara, I asked you a question.” Dara wakes from her reverie and turns her attention to Seungri. “I’ve been to his home but I’ve never seen you.”

“I am almost always with Hanbin.” Dara says. “After all, I am his nanny.”

“I feel like I have seen you before.” Seungri says.

“Huh?” Dara turns to him, questioning however, she feels a hand on her arm and finds Seunghyun beside them.

“Dara, there’s this gala for Jiyong tomorrow. Would you like to go with me?” Seunghyun asks but before Dara can answer, Jiyong interrupts.

“Hyung, Dara will be with me. I will be needing her since I’m still weak.”

“Shouldn’t we leave it to her to decide?” Seunghyun eyes his friend. What has gotten into Jiyong lately? He’s never been territorial with Dara. Seunghyun asks himself.

“I don’t think I am in any position to be in a formal gathering.” Dara breaks the belligerence between the two friends.

“I can take you with me, instead.” Seungri offers. “Besides, Jiyong, you will be busy.”

“I will be?” Jiyong asks.

“Yes, because the actress that you wanted for your movie is coming and you have to entertain her.” Seungri hooks his arm with Dara’s. “You too, Seunghyun. I need you both to be mobile during the party and get to know the guests because you will both be working with them. Dara will be there, if ever Jiyong needs her, but I will take care of her. Don’t worry Dara.”

There it was again, the fear that Dara couldn’t quite comprehend. What is it with Seungri that makes her want to flee?

“Will that be all right with you?” Jiyong asks her. “I really need you there, Dara.”

She had no choice but to say yes.

At dinner that night, the 3 fallen angels meet to dine together and discuss what has happened earlier at work. Seungri animatedly talked about Dara and how she was so endearing.

“She’s just as I had remembered her but she seemed to have forgotten about me. Then my fin