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"My Guardian Angel"

The story of the last Grigori

PECCATORI

“SINNER”

“What do you mean Hanbin is missing?” Jiyong’s eyes widen at the comprehension and he walks away from Bom to sit on the couch. The shock almost paralyzing him. 

“I checked to see just right before I slept and they were in Hayi’s room while the babysitter was reading to them. They were fast asleep so I asked her to leave.”

“We asked Hayi if she noticed Hanbin leaving but she said no.” Dongwook added. “Hayi and I will go see their friends today and ask around.”

“Have you tried calling his phone?” Jiyong asked, already fishing his phone out to call his son however, Bom placed Hanbin’s phone on the table in front of Jiyong.

“He left his phone.”

“I don’t understand!” Jiyong stood up, raking his hand over his messy hair. “Why would he leave so suddenly? Maybe Dara came for him?” Bom shook her head. “And the babysitter? Where is she? Maybe she knows!”

“Dara mentioned that her friend from the flower shop recommended the girl. Remember the place where I found Hayi?” Bom turned to Dongwook. “Oppa, I should check there. Jiyong, come with me! We can ask Ah Yeon. Maybe she knows.”

~~

“This is a sad sad place.” Seungyoon observes upon stepping inside the flower shop. “Why are the flowers all dead?”

“Seunghoon must be devastated.” Jinwoo adds while checking on the baskets inside the shop. They hear the sound of footsteps alighting the stairs and they see the owner come down.

“Good, you’re back! I was waiting!” Seunghoon says then halts upon seeing the state of his store. He sighs then Mino gives his shoulder a pat.

“I’m sorry for this, Seunghoon.”

“I have no choice but to close the shop today. By the way, where have you been and who is this?” Seunghoon points to Seungyoon who seemed to be inspecting his shop.

“Seunghoon, this is Seungyoon, also known as The Keeper.” Mino introduces them. “Seunghoon is an angelus. He gave us a place to stay while we were looking for the pluma vitae.”

“Wait, what is The Keeper doing here? I mean, aren’t you supposed to stay within your abyss? And aren’t you supposed to be blind? Mino, what is going on here?”

“I was given the chance to be human so I chose one who had all five senses intact. Don’t worry about the flowers and you’re welcome.” Seungyoon strikes his tuning fork against the counter and the same monotonous sound fills the shop. At the same time, the flowers came back to life. “Like I said, this is a sad sad place. At least the flowers takes away the gloom.”

“What do you mean?” Seunghoon asks. “Why would my place be sad?”

“Its not just the flowers that are dying.” Seungyoon answers, walking around the shop and picking one red poppy and lifting it up. “I can hear her crying.”

“That’s not a good joke, Keeper!”

“Her?” Mino asks then he turns to Seunghoon.

“Seunghoon, are we the only ones in your shop?” Jinwoo asks. “I can hear her too.”

The angelus leads the group upstairs only to stop by the doorway of his room. Jinwoo and Mino gasps when they see Ah Yeon sleeping on Seunghoon’s bed.

“I run after you two, following your psyche, but it seems as if there was a barrier preventing me to enter the park. So I came back and found her passed out in front of my store last night. I wanted to take her to the hospital but she woke up and refused to go. She kept telling me to take her inside so I did. Surprisingly the water was gone by then. She hasn’t woken up since and she’s burning with fever.”

“She’s dying.” Seungyoon repeats and Seunghoon glares at him. “I only speak the truth. Since you are friends, shouldn’t you know that she has been sick for a long time?”

Jinwoo holds Seungyoon’s arm to stop him from saying more. Seunghoon could just look down and shake his head.

“Do you want to know what is happening to her?” Jinwoo asks Seunghoon. The angelus looks at him but he couldn’t seem to answer. “This is important, Seunghoon.”

The four men enters the room then Mino closes the door before the High Guards let their power free. Seungyoon stands on the side and leans on the wall, as if watching something entertaining. Jinwoo asks Seunghoon to stand back as he sits beside Ah Yeon and holds her hand.

“If you wish to see, you may forego your human form.” Mino tells his friend who looks at him uncertainly. “They are here to take her. You have to say goodbye properly.”

“I don’t understand. Why is she sick? What do I have to do with it?” Seunghoon asks.

“Because she sold her soul to the demon just so she can see you again.” Seungyoon speaks bluntly and this earns him a glare from the High Guards while Seunghoon suddenly catches his throat in a grip.

“Don’t talk as if you know her! Why would she sell her soul to the demon? She’s not a bad person!”

“I think I know her more than you do.” Seungyoon smirks. “You’re quite lucky. You are loved.”

Seunghoon was about to strike him with his fist but Mino stops his hand.

“Let go, Seunghoon.” Jinwoo commands and the angelus immediately follows. Although gentle-looking, when the mindreader gives a command, his power is evident and no one can defy it. “She needs you now. When I wake her, she will be in pain, and she will probably want to say something before she breathes her last.”

“What if you don’t wake her? At least she won’t be in pain!”

“Because she won’t let me in her mind. She’s scared. If I force myself in, the demon will know.”

“Jinwoo, you mean, she’s in Ah Yeon?”, Mino asks.

“The demon isn’t in her but she warns that it can control her mind. She wants to speak with you.” Jinwoo turns to Seunghoon who walks towards him. The former stands up while the latter kneels on the floor. “We will be behind you, Seunghoon in case, she tries to attack. When it is time for her to go, you shall know. Don’t be scared. She’s not going to harm you.”

Quietly, the 3 angels watch as the human opens her eyes and smiles upon seeing the angelus. She reaches out a hand to touch his face but all he could do was stare at her in wonder. How can someone so fragile, be in so much pain and still manage to smile?

“You have good friends.” Ah Yeon speaks. “I’m sorry I only brought trouble to you. I knew you were special from the moment I saw you in this shop. You know that my mother is dead, right? Truth is, we have the same condition. I got so depressed to the point that I was angry at her for giving me this fate. That day I came to your shop and brought her gift, was the day I was supposed to die. I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t just die and not see you again. In my weakness, I have done something wrong. I caused a lot of people to be in pain and at this moment, I might just be the cause of a boy’s death.”

“S..st.. Stop talking.” Seunghoon stammers. “Just stop.”

“If I stop, then it will be too late. You have to save him. I took him from his sleep last night. His mother will be devastated. I met her. She was beautiful.” She stops to even out her breathing and she doubles in pain as she clutches at the clothing by her heart. “My insides are burning.” She says, still smiling but gasping for air and looking at Seunghoon. “I thought it will last long but seems I was only given a few more days and I was happy that my time was extended because I got to see you. Your friend, Taehyun, he’s with her. She wants to keep him. But if he is like you and your friends, I’m sure he will be fine. It was me who set the imps free and caused the accidents. I wanted to come here and warn you but I saw her enter your shop. She has the Grigori’s son now. You have to save him.”

“Why? Why did you do this? I’m not even worthy. Why would you risk your…”

“Believe it or not, you are worthy, Seunghoon. If there’s anything I regret, its not being able to tell you that I loved you. But I never regret the chance to see you again and again.” She wipes Seunghoon’s tears away before she turns to Jinwoo. “Once I close my eyes, you may read my mind to find her. But only stay a while for she might know. She is strong. She has a Leviathan in control. Your friend is locked in a room full of roses. It makes him weak. I’m so sorry.” 

“I’m sorry, Seunghoon.”

Jinwoo walks forward to sit on Ah Yeon’s other side while Seunghoon kept his head bowed. Mino glanced at the Keeper and raised a brow at the smile on his face.

“Smiling isn’t a customary reaction when there’s someone dying.”, Mino tells Seungyoon.

“It is quite fascinating to watch humans. They are weak but they are endearing.”

“You don’t have to mock her. I expect you’d give her some ounce of respect.”

“Respect? For the choice she had to make? How is choosing to serve a demon deserving of my respect? Don’t be a saint, Mino. I know you don’t approve of what she has done. Oh wait, but you do admire her for loving a celestial. The mighty Deux, tsk tsk tsk, it has come to my knowledge this little secret of yours.”

“What do you know?”, Mino turns to Seungyoon.

“Rather it was an assumption from a friend of yours when I chanced to read his mind.” Seungyoon smirks.

“Do not make me repeat my question.” Mino takes a step forward and Seungyoon takes a step back but the Deux grips on The Keeper’s shirt to hold him in place.

“I know of the choices you will have to make once the order is out.” Seungyoon frees his shirt from a stunned Mino’s grip. “Like this little girl, will you choose your love or will you choose your duty?”

~~

“Stop right here.” Dara commands while they were passing by the winding road by the sea. Seunghyun pulls over at the curb and she opens the car door. Youngbae and Seunghyun follows behind her as she stands by the edge of a cliff.

“Don’t stand too close at the edge!” Seunghyun warns.

“What is it, Sandara?” Youngbae asks.

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