Chapter Thirty-Nine
Angel Vessel
I picked up my phone. "Sunggyu." He answered after a few rings. "Minji? Why are you calling me at this ungodly hour?" I looked up to the clock mounted on the wall. It was 3am. I had fainted for a really long time. "Why is Woohyun's tattoo turning black?" I asked and the line went silent.
"You know Minji, he really is the only person with the right to tell you. If he doesn't then I can't." Sunggyu said.
"You're rule breaker aren't you? Why aren't you jumping at the chance to get one up on this?" I asked.
He sighed. "Minji. You and I cannot begin to understand."
"Make me understand." I shouted.
"I cannot." Sunggyu answered resolutely and hung up. I gave a strangled sound of exasperation and an idea popped into my head.
I took a deep breath and I started to recall the words and the signs I need to call an angel.
But before words could even escape my mouth, Woohyun slammed into me and we both fell on the carpet. "What are you doing?!"
"You won't tell me. Sunggyu won't tell me. Myungsoo doesn't know. Gabriel will. Or Michael or anyone. I'm sick of being stuck in the dark. I'm sick of being protected like some little girl. I can kick your . I can outshoot you. And I love you." I said angrily. The last part was completely blurted out and I could feel him stiffen up.
"That's your reaction to me saying I love you, now?" I asked and pushed him off. "Listen to me Minji."
"Now you want to tell me?" I pushed his chest angrily.
"I'm leaving." He said.
"Is that the only thing you can say?!" I growled. He grabbed my wrists and forced me painfully to look him in the eye. "I'm never coming back. I can't even come back again." And I stared at him. "What are you saying?" I asked.
His eyes closed. "Exactly as I have said it. I'm leaving and I will never be coming back."
I couldn't stop staring at him. I couldn't control whatever expression I had on my face. "You said you can't come back?" I asked uneasily.
His hands let go of my wrist and he cradled my face. "I love you Minji."
He wasn't making sense. He wasn't making any sense. I closed my eyes and the tears that welled up there fell. He wiped them away.
"I don't understand." I said opening them again. "Just tell me straight." I said and I saw his eyes change. "You don't think I want to be able to tell you straight?!" He got angry and I was taken aback.
"You don't think I want to be able to say everything I want to say? I can't. I can't say it. Saying it would make it real. Saying it would mean I would be leaving you. Not just one day, but forever. Saying it would mean that I accepted that I won't be able to see you smile again. To be the man who makes you happy. To wipe your tears when you are sad or angry!" He was breathing hard from shouting it all at the same time.
"I tried to discourage you. I tried to push you away. But you....you are amazing. You just never tire. You say you hate me but you'll come and ask me for more reasons to make you hate me. You ran out into the ing street to see if I cared to come and get you before you got hit by a car. You looked like you haven't slept or eaten well in days." He slid to his knees. "You're running on your will power, and yet you won't rest. I made you like this." He was holding my hands but his head was down, facing the carpet.
I saw the droplets as they started to fall and soaked into the carpet.
"I wanted you to move on, even if I felt like my heart was being ripped in two. I wanted to see you happy. I just want to be able to be by your side forever. Like that first day I revealed myself to you...I want to take care of you. I knew how selfish I was being. But I wanted to be the man you saw. I want to do so much, but I'm out of time...I'm never going to have more time again. I can't ever..." He cried, his sobbing breaking my heart. I sunk down to the floor.
"I was so scared, Minji. Scared I wouldn't make it in time. Scared that my powers would fail me. Don't ever do anything like that to me again. I don't care how hurt I get. I don't care how many injuries I have to heal. You getting hurt, me being unable to protect you. That is what I can't ever live with." His shoulder shook with his sobs.
I didn't know what to say anymore. I just pushed myself closer to him and held him as he cried.
I squeezed my eyes closed trying to ignore the pain that seem to come from every heartbeat. I didn't understand. Woohyun still hadn't explained everything and I was still confused. But his words. They had touched me a way that I knew only he could. He loved me. I knew I was being petty and it was probably something Eunji would not do. For him to put his love for me in words put my heart at ease.
I thought back to the first time he cried. It had broke my heart, just like it was now. "Can I go with you?" I asked softly and he raised his head to look at me, tears still spilling from his eyes, his expression became hard. "No." He said.
"I didn't think so." I said as he sat up. I looked away from him. "M-Minji?"
"That is a place meant to angels right? I'm just...human."
"It isn't like that. It's not a place I want you to have to go."
"Then its a bad place right?" I turned to look him straight in the eye and he stiffened. "It's a place you won't be happy, either." I continued.
"No." He smiled wistfully. "No place is a happy one without you." He reached up to cup my cheek. "You're so warm." He it gently with his thumb. I cupped my hand on top of his. "No, Woohyun. You're the warm one. Don't go...I still need you. What am I going to do without my guardian angel?" My voice cracked. Woohyun lowered his head and I felt his even breathing as he was about to kiss me, but then his phone rang. He straightened and grabbed his phone off the bedside table.
"What is it?" He asked sounding angry and annoyed. I heard a male voice on the other end of the call but I couldn't make out the words. Woohyun's eyes darted to me and he stood up and went to the other side of the bed to take the call. That stung. I felt myself grab a handful of my shirt, my knuckles turned white. I grabbed my phone and I got up. Woohyun looked at me as I got to the door.
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