Myungsoo panted heavily, with his back facing the shut door and his body doubled over with his hands on his knees. He slowly straightened up and a small towel was dangling in front of his eyes. He took it gratefully and started to wipe his sweaty face. Feeling better, he looked at the room he was in. The room was not very brightly lit with the only source of  light coming from the fire crackling in a small fireplace. A large comfortable looking bed with satin sheets was in the center of the room. Beside the bed was a side table with glasses, a bottle of wine and cheese.There was one large window with dark heavy curtains pulled across it. He turned to his left and three feet away from him, standing beside a full length mirror was the young quiet woman he had run into the room with. He quickly looked away shyly.

Oh man..what do I do now? Damn that Woohyun, he thought. Should I just tell her to leave? Slowly he mustered his strength and looked at her properly for the first time. She had silky straight brown hair just touching her shoulders. Her bare arms showed pale fair skin. The white dress she was wearing was tight around the waist and hips showing a nice figure. He still couldn't see her face clearly in the dim light but from what he could, he just knew she was beautiful. The woman shifted her feet restlessly even a little impatiently and glanced up before bending her head again.  In that moment, Myungsoo had seen a pair of large brown eyes with long lashes. His heart was thumping strangely and he blushed. Myungsoo, keep it together! He scolded himself. You know what kind of place this is, they're all doing it for money! He gathered himself together and turned to her again.

"Miss..th..thank you for the towel. I...ah...I will not be needing you.....I mean....ehm...not that you are not appealing....don't get me wrong!...you are gorgeous and all! Your hair is just..and your skin is glowi..and your figure...  B..but I think this is not going to work out...so if you please, you may leave now. I'll take care of myself...Eh?" he stopped short when he realized what he said and hurriedly added. "NOT IN THAT WAY! no no no...I mean I'll just take a nap here while waiting for my friends. I am a little sleepy." Myungsoo pretended to yawn. "So really, everything's alright...just go please."

To Myungsoo's surprise the woman's shoulders were shaking followed in seconds by her whole body. She threw back her head and soft yet glorious laughter filled the room. Myungsoo was baffled. The laughing fit slowed down and the woman walked to the fireplace. The light shone upon her and she turned to Myungsoo. He could see her face clearly now and suddenly wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"So that's what men think when they see me, huh?" drawled the Tenshi for it was he. "I didn't believe Sunggyu at first. Thanks for the confirmation, mortal. Why don't you sit down? You look weak in the knees."

Myungsoo sat down on the edge of the bed and hid his face in his hands. He was never going to live this down if the others found out. Damn you Woohyun, he cursed again. Damn Sunggyu too! Wait, the Tenshi is not the type to gossip. I'm safe, I think, thought Myungsoo. He calmed down and looked at Sungjong. The Tenshi was sitting on the floor facing the fireplace. The fire cast a warm glow on his beautiful features. Damn it all, the angel was breathtaking. Myungsoo shook his head.

"We thought you hated the idea and you were very angry with Sunggyu." said Myungsoo.  Sungjong replied without turning his head.

"I was angry. Me a Tenshi, having to stoop to that level? Distract mortal men like all the silly mortal women? Know this, Tenshi are beyond male and female. You may see me as male and address me as such. But we are above that, we are pure energy created to help you blundering beings in this world."

Sungjong sighed softly and continued.

"Regardless how I felt, I was curious whether I affected men like Sunggyu said so here I am in this place where men come to be distracted by women. You proved him right so now I'm sure of his idea. As a matter of research, I also needed to see closer how women behaved to weaken men. It's disgusting as I always thought."

Myungsoo cringed a little inside after being reminded how he had gushed about Sungjong. Brushing the feeling away, he knew he had a golden opportunity now that the angel was in a chatty mood. Myungsoo had been curious about the Tenshi for a long time since all he had known about Tenshi was through manga. He had many questions which he hadn't manage to ask during their journey.

"How old are you? Are you aware of when you were created? Did you have parents? Did you have all your powers immediately?"

"There are no parents for Tenshis. We come into existence in completed form and with full awareness of ourselves and all other Tenshi. As to age, I am fairly new as Tenshi. If I was to explain in mortal years, I have existed for twenty years."

"Twenty years? You are the youngest member of the team then!" chuckled Myungsoo.

Sungjong retorted, "Age has no meaning for us Tenshis! You cannot grasp the knowledge that we Tenshi hold. You maybe twenty one in mortal years but you are still an infant to me! I will continue to live on for thousands of years while mortals are born, grow up and then die."

"You can't die? Nothing can ever harm you?"

"Except one thing. But that is not for you to know."

"Pretty much immortal. Wish my mother had a little  bit of that." Myungsoo had a sad look on his face.

"She is happy, Myungsoo and she is proud of you." Sungjong said softly.

"You know her?! You spoke to her? Is she really proud of me??" Myungsoo asked hopefully.

"I am aware of her. She has always been proud of you. And she is grateful of the way you had taken care of your father and brother."

Myungsoo felt the wall he had built up for many years start to break as tears began to roll down his face. He covered his face with his hands again.

"It was so hard four years ago when she...." Myungsoo couldn't complete the sentence. "Father gave up on everything and stayed in his room or the pub. I had to manage the farm, take care of my brother, make sure he went to school, cook for three of us, force Father to eat his meals, make sure the workers were paid,  the customers paid. I had to do everything for two years until father could stand again. I held my tears for both Father and my brother's sake. She is really proud of me, she knows what I've done?" Myungsoo 's voice broke and he sobbed harder. All his pent up feelings released like waves in a stormy sea.

"She loves you Myungsoo, and she's been seeing what you have done all this time. You did beyond what was expected of a teenager. Even adults would have given up."

Sungjong stood up and walked towards Myungsoo. Myungsoo looked so innocent and fragile, like the boy he was years ago. Poor boy, thought Sungjong, you hid behind a calm face when what you really wanted was someone to tell you that you had done well. The Tenshi did a rare thing for himself, he spread out his wings and wrapped his arms and wings around Myungsoo's heaving body and rocked him gently. Slowly, Myungsoo quietened down and his tears stopped flowing. Sungjong folded his wings and looked down at the young man. He wiped Myungsoo's face with his hands.

"Myungsoo, what do you want to do, after all this is over?"

"I want to see the world. I want to see what's it like out there and I want to paint the places I visit. Share them with people especially the folks in inner farmlands and villages. Most of them have never stepped out beyond country side borders. It'd make them happy."

Sungjong smiled at him. "That you will. I'm sure of it. Until then, I will give you a small taste of your future. Come with me." He held out his hand. Myungsoo grabbed Sungjong's hand and they walked to the large window. The curtains parted and the window opened by itself. The angel jumped out and pulled Myungsoo with him. Soon they were soaring through the sky. Myungsoo whooped with delight, he could see the entire town which looked pretty with many lights still on.

"That's not what I meant you to see." said the angel. He flew faster and after some time, they were over the East Sea. The dark sky was filled with a million stars but slowly a pale orange light was emerging over the horizon. Myungsoo's heart caught in his throat  as the sun slowly broke through the clouds. It was the most beautiful dawn he had ever seen. Soon the sun's rays reached them. Sungjong glanced at Myungsoo's face, he had a look of wonder and joy.

"Time to return to the tea shop, I think." 

Myungsoo nodded in silence with a contented smile on his face. Sungjong turned them around and flew them back to their rented rooms.

Two hours later, Sungjong and Myungsoo joined Sunggyu, Dongwoo and Hoya for breakfast at their usual time in the tea room. Sungjong had already changed back to his usual clothes and guise as a teenage boy.

Forty minutes into breakfast, Sunggyu looked at the clock. Woohyun and Sungyeol had still not turned up. Where were they, he wondered. Usually they were among the first ones for meals. Dongwoo sensing the General's displeasure went up to check their rooms and came back down with a question mark on his face. He spoke to Sunggyu.

"Those two might have gone out earlier. They're not in their rooms. Maybe Woohyun and Sungyeol have gone out to get those things you requested."

The tea shop lady was passing their table at the time and overheard Dongwoo. She waved her hand at Dongwoo.

"Oh, I guess they haven't come back after they went out last night to the pub since the spare key is not back on the counter. I did wait up for them till two in the morning, just in case they had one too many. Only this one is back I see." said the tea shop lady indicating Myungsoo. "Do you have the spare key with you? I gave it to the cute one."

Myungsoo shrunk into his chair as Sunggyu glared at him. After the tea shop lady had walked off, the questions started.

"Where. Did. You. Go. Last. Night.?"

"Uh..General, we went to a..a club for gentlemen. It was Woohyun's idea honest! I just followed..I didn't know where we were headed. I left as soon as I could and came back right here."

"CLUB. FOR. GENTLEMEN?"

"Yes, you know the type where young ladies entertain men who give them money. And the men get to pick who they want to spend the night with. That kind of disgusting club you mortals like to frequent." said Sungjong in a matter of fact voice.

Myungsoo wanted to crawl under the table. Sunggyu's face had turned a shade of purple.

"Don't go after Myungsoo, General. He didn't do anything wicked. I know because I was there doing research for your wonderful plan where I have to disguise as a woman to distract soldiers. I'm quite sure I can do it now because in fact Myungsoo picked me as his choice. We left the establishment soon after. Myungsoo's still an innocent."

Dongwoo's and Hoya's faces were a sight to behold. Before Sunggyu could respond to the latest revelation, there was a noise at the entrance to the tea room. Two dishevelled and a little hungover young men stumbled into the room.

"Woohyun, we better go to our rooms first. We look awful. The team may still be in there."

"Don't worry. It's already forty five minutes past breakfast. The team are usually done after half an hour past."

"And how are we going to explain we lost Myungsoo? I hope by Tenshi, he returned here."

"Stop worrying, Sungyeol. First of all, we need hot drinks and hot food. My stomach and head are spinning."

"Okay okay. By the way, Woohyun, that was the most amazing night I have EVER EVER had in my life! Thank you, bro!"

Sungyeol clapped Woohyun's shoulder. They laughed and walked further into the tea room until a shadow blocked their path.

"YOU. TWO. UPSTAIRS. IN. MY. ROOM. NOW."

Sungyeol and Woohyun turned tail and ran as fast as they could upstairs followed by Sunggyu who was now a human thunderstorm.

"I better go before any permanent damage happens." said Dongwoo as he jumped up to follow them.

Hoya leaned back on his chair.

"So, you have a thing for winged creatures?" he looked slyly at Myungsoo.

"Oh no...." groaned Myungsoo. Beside him, Sungjong pretended not to hear and continued to drink his tea quietly.