This chapter is dedicated to Lilspydermunkey - the flames to my Demon Lord Seungri, the wings to my Dae, the kick to my pants. Without LSM's encouragement (and threats), this chapter would have taken at least another week to finish. So, thank you. <3

XV. IN HEAVEN

“Seunghyun?”

The man felt as though he were floating – drifting through the nothingness of feeling utterly undone. He could sense, at the periphery of his consciousness, the distant sound his name being shouted by voices he did not recognize. Only the repeated, nearly frantic, cadence of Taehyun’s voice calling his name seemed at all familiar. It was worrisome, Seunghyun thought, how distressed the baker sounded. He seemed to be mere breaths from a complete meltdown, though Seunghyun had no idea why he would feel that way. Christmas Eve was a time of peace and happiness; they were going to have a wonderful night celebrating with his brother.

His chest stung slightly, making him wince. He wanted to lift a hand to rub away the strange sensation, but his fingers seemed utterly unwilling to move.

“Come on, Seunghyun! You’ve got to breathe!”

How odd. The voices all sounded so concerned. He wondered if the mumbled sound of their voices was a result of their upset or if he had somehow managed to get water in his ear. But, he had been walking down the street to get lunch. Why would he have water in his ear? So, the fault had to lie with them. Yes, it was their fault for mumbling. He could not reply if they did speak clearly enough for him to hear.

“He’s losing a lot of blood. It’ll be a miracle if he makes it to the hospital.”

“No! He can’t die!”

“Sir, you need to sit still. You are injured as well, and we can’t risk you making it worse. The only reason you are here at all is because you promised to be still.”

Seunghyun sighed as he caught the sound of someone crying. He hated crying; it was so exhausting. Some part of his mind, a distant corner smothered by the same heavy weight that pinned his fingers, whispered of many months spent awash in tears. That was a ridiculous thought, though. Seunghyun had only cried – really cried – twice in his life. And the idea of spending months crying was utterly ridiculous. He did not have that weak of a spirit. There was no tragedy so grave that he would respond like an absolute child and waste away in his salted sorrows. But, something about that sounded wrong. His mind conjured up the distant, shadowed memory of slim black stone with a name etched on its surface… Daesung.

He gasped as his body suddenly seemed to drown in pain. Every limb felt as though it were on fire, and his mind was bombarded with the memories that had been so firmly packed away. The phone call. Identifying the body. Drinking. So much drinking. Zico. Meaningless, empty . The art gallery. Poisoned whiskey. ….Daesung.

Just as he felt like he were about to choke on the excruciating agony rippling through his body, a familiar warmth filled the ambulance and soothed away the clamor of the pain until only quiet awareness remained. Seunghyun managed to tip his head slightly towards the source of the warmth, and he wondered when it had gotten so bright. It felt like… like a small sun hung above his head. Narrowing his eyes, he blinked up at it and tried to make out the shape of it. He could see the hint of something in the brightness: a strong jaw, full lips, a hooked nose, crescent-shaped eyes. He let out a ragged, rattling breath. Daesung. He wanted to stretch his hand up to cup around that perfect cheek and the soft, warm skin he had caressed just that morning. But, his fingers still refused to move. Seunghyun was so, so close, and he let out a frustrated gurgle to be denied the contact he wanted.

“Seunghyun.” Daesung’s warm voice washed over his ears – the sound drawing a smile onto his lips. “You were so brave back there, my love. Pushing him out of the way like that.” The angel gave his head a fond shake. “You remind me of Jiyong. So brave, so reckless.”

Seunghyun’s brows twitched. “Jiyong?” His voice sounded strange in his ears, as though it were not coming from his body but from somewhere else. He did not even think his mouth actually moved, come to think of it.

Daesung hummed a little. “The angel I trained with. You saw him. He’s sorry he couldn’t be here – he’s helping Youngbae. But I will introduce you to them both in time.”

Other angels. Right. That made sense. Jiyong and Youngbae were angels that Daesung worked with. Seunghyun managed to jerk his chin down in a nod. “Daesung?”

“Yes love?”

Seunghyun’s fingers twitched towards the beautiful blond. He wanted so badly to hold him. “I want to touch you. Can you kiss me?”

A soft sigh slid past Daesung’s lips. “Oh, Seunghyun, I love you. What would I do without you?” His expressive umber eyes reflected regret, as though he were being denied a present a few more days. “Soon, I promise…soon.” He leaned closer, and his warmth rippled pleasantly across Seunghyun’s skin. “But first, I need you to promise me something.”

~~~

Youngbae was pulled from the depths of sleep by the distinct sound of Jiyong’s singing. It had been rare for the man to actually indulge in singing – he claimed he did not enjoy it – but that distinctly nasal tone was perfect in Youngbae’s opinion. He sighed happily and snuggled down into the unfamiliar weight of what had to be the most amazing pillow to have ever been made. The gentle brush of warm fingertips across the surface of his brow encouraged Youngbae to slowly open his eyes, and oh was it worth the effort. Jiyong, whose hair was a rather beautiful shade of ruby red, was leaning over him. “Ji…” The man wondered if he had managed to pass out from the pain of being slowly roasted in Hell. It made sense that he would dream of Jiyong with the hair color he had loved best on the man when they had both been alive. There was something about the fiery color that suited his sassy, saucy lover oh-so-well.

“Bae, you have such a stupid look on your face,” Jiyong said, his lips twisting up into a feline smile. “It’s the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen.”

Youngbae’s brow furrowed. In his dreams, Jiyong was never a tease – he was ridiculously romantic and uncharacteristically soft. It was what made dream Jiyong such an odd, exciting creature. This Jiyong was snarky and a bit rude, just like… “Are you really here?” The man began to struggle to sit up, and Jiyong carefully helped him upright.

“Better yet,” Jiyong breathed, “you’re really here.” Sitting on the edge of the strangely bright bed, the angel scooted closer to the speechless man. He seemed to drink in the familiar planes of Youngbae’s face with his intense gaze, and his lover’s skin began to burn under the intense scrutiny. Then, as though they were both caught in a music video, time itself seemed to slow as Jiyong leaned in close – his gaze flickering down only once to the soft, full line of his beloved’s bottom lip. His smile turned into a wicked little smirk even as he leaned closer, their eyes locked on one another. As their lips at last met in a soft ghost of a kiss, Jiyong’s gaze stayed tangled with Youngbae’s, as though he were afraid that the man would disappear if he let himself melt into the kiss. But then, then Youngbae dug his fingers into the mess of red hair at the nape of Jiyong’s neck – bringing their lips together for a jubilant kiss that was a clash of tongues and teeth and lips that was certain to bruise. It was the perfect kiss because it was real. He was kissing his Jiyong.

A choked laugh managed to skitter past Youngbae’s lips as he pulled back to admire the flush that had brushed itself across the redhead’s cheekbones. “And where is here?”

Jiyong reached up with a fine, spindly finger to brush away first Youngbae’s tears and then his own. “Where you belong,” he said, his voice alive with warmth. “In Heaven.”

~~~

Mino charged recklessly into the hospital – his eyes scanning frantically for any sign of a familiar figure. The call saying his brother had been hit by a car had made it feel as though the entire world had been turned upside down, raw and unfathomable. And then he had gotten the text from Taehyun that had simply said: “At the hospital with Seunghyun. We need you.” He had left his apartment so quickly that he had been forced to go back for his coat and left shoe; Seunghyun would have ended him if he had shown up at the hospital without those. And then he had even sprung for a cab, because public transportation was simply not fast enough. Nothing was fast enough. If he could, he would appear at Seunghyun’s side in a heartbeat. That was why the sound of someone calling out his name down the hallway drew Mino’s attention like lightning to a metal rod.

Taehyun, his arm in a cast, was leaning against a wall nearby, as though he had been waiting for the tall artist. Mino felt his breath hook itself into the fibers of his lungs like the claws of some monstrous beast unwilling to be pushed back out into the too clean air. The look on Taehyun’s face was one the brunette recognized: He had seen it when the doctors told the young Choi brothers that their parents had passed; he had seen it at Daesung’s funeral; he had seen it during Seunghyun’s confession about his misdeeds. It was the expression of absolute devastation. His hand rose to cover his heart, as though he could protect the tender organ from being ripped out by whatever news his boyfriend had to deliver.

Slowly, sluggishly, Mino approached Taehyun. (Perhaps if he walked slower, the news would somehow change for the better.) But, the closer he came, the more apparent each syllable of sorrow became in Taehyun’s posture and the tear tracks down his smooth cheeks. Even the cast on the man’s arm seemed to bespeak of a grief – a hurt that could not be uttered through mere words. “Mino,” the baker croaked. He slid off the wall and into the waiting circle of his lover’s arms. “Oh, Mino, it was so awful.”

Carefully, the artist wrapped his hand around the back of Taehyun’s head as he cradled the crying man close. He drew in a ragged breath, trying to find the words he suddenly lacked, and winced as his mind fell utterly blank. Mino was spared from asking what had happened, though, by the soft sound of Taehyun’s voice: “I was walking to your apartment. You know that corner near the café where we had our first date? I was crossing, and…” Taehyun trembled in his arms. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was so busy listening to that mix you made and thinking about how excited I was for this afternoon. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see the car.”

Mino leaned back – peeling himself off of Taehyun. He gazed down at the brunette; his eyes were utterly empty and his expression was as unreadable as a freshly made sheet of paper. “Seunghyun?”

Taehyun pinched his eyes shut and cradled his broken arm against his thin chest. “He saw it – saw me. He pushed me out of the way, Mino, and he – he – he –“

With a shudder, Mino let his head drop to rest on Taehyun’s shoulder. Tears, the traitorous sigils of grief, pricked at the backs of his eyes. “Did he – is he?”

The soft weight of Taehyun’s fingers in his hair offered some small measure of peace. “I don’t know. He’s in surgery.”

It was a mercy, in its way, that Mino’s face was hidden in the other man’s shoulder. His face broke out into a strange shuffle between a smile and an expression of horror. The fact Seunghyun had not yet died was better than he had expected, but it was clear that the odds were not in his brother’s favor. It was evident by the way the baker was shaking that he was certain it was his fault Mino’s brother was dancing along the line between life and death. “Let’s go sit down,” Mino breathed. “If he’s in surgery… it could be a while.” If Seunghyun did not simply die on the operation table, it could be a long time until his brother was released from the confines of the surgical theatre.

Minutes melted into hours as the pair kept vigil in the hospital waiting room. Within the hour, Ji-Hyo, Junsu, Seungyoon, and Seunghyun's employee Han Bin were all gathered around - some sitting, others pacing. Junsu looked grave - his features set into a stoic expression of seeming indifference - as he cradled an openly sobbing Ji-Hyo in his arms. The poor woman had lost so much in the year that Seunghyun's accident had shattered the walls that normally repressed her emotions in such situations. Seunghoon sat at Taehyun's side; he had come rushing to the hospital when he had heard that the baker had been involved in an accident. They had been best friends since practically the dawn of time, and he had been so relieved to know that the worst of the damage was the man's broken arm and a bruised rib. But the look of agony on Taehyun's face had made the man stop short in his celebrations. He had only known Seunghyun in passing, but the brunette grew grave as he heard the circumstances of the accident. Without a word, he had sat beside Taehyun - determined to support his friend through the duration of the wait. Han Bin, a rather young kid, had been sent over by the other employees at Seunghyun's antique shop in order to send them updates about their boss' condition. The poor boy looked absolutely devastated; Seunghyun was his idol. 

Unable to take the silence, Mino surged out of his seat and began to pace back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. With every circuit, his gaze would drift down the hall towards the operation room where his brother fought tooth and nail to survive. Every minute that passed brought Seunghun either closer to death or survival; Mino prayed it was the latter. But, oh, he desperately wished the outcome - for good or bad - would at last be revealed. He did not know if he could survive another hour - another minute - of not knowing whether his brother would live to see Christmas morning. Clutching his head in his hands, Mino finally leaned against the wall and slid down it, tucking his head in against the tops of his knees. A sob shuddered through his body. "God," he began to pray - silently, "please ... please don't take Seunghyun from me. I know I'm not really someone that should talk to you. I've not done a lot of good in my life. But please... I can change. I can be better. I'll do anything - be anything - you need. Just please don't take my brother. Please."

The operation light went off, and a few minutes later the doctor stepped into the room. "Is someone here for Choi Seunghyun?"

Mino slowly pushed up from the floor and shuffled towards the doctor. "I am," he mumbled. His gaze lifted to meet the serious gaze of the doctor, and he could not help but notice the deep circles that ringed the man's intense hazel gaze. He looked as exhausted as Mino felt. The man felt his heart drop.

~~~

"Kang Daesung?"

The angel turned his attention away from scene playing out in the hospital waiting room in order to gaze at the woman behind him. "Yes?"

"The council will see you now. If you'll follow me?" He inclined his head and moved to follow her into the room. 
The council room was a glorious place that seemed to be made entirely of gold and marble; it was the iconic Heaven most mortals seemed to picture. Everything was grandiose with an attention to detail that extended to the way even the swirls of the marble seemed to form wings in the stone. And the golden details along the short wall that surrounded the platform he was lead to shone with a brilliance that exceeded anything Daesung had ever seen before - like Jiyong's armor it glittered with an internal light. It was extraordinary. Tipping his head back, Daesung took in the rising ranks of stadium styled seats - each of which had been claimed by an angel - before looking at last at the single seat set apart from the others. The woman resting there was fierce in her beauty, with the sort of eyes that seemed to strip you down to the bones of your very soul in a single glance. She spun a strand of honey hair about a long finger as she examined the young angel before her; a bit of a smile teased at the edge of her lips as he shifted nervously in place. "Kang Daesung," she drawled in her low, almost nasally, voice. "Did you willingly ignore an order from the Seraphim in order to make an unauthorized journey to Hell?"

Some corner of Daesung's mind noted that his palms were still able to sweat, even though he was an angel. That was a new piece of information he would have been happier not knowing. He his bottom lip before standing a bit taller, squaring his shoulders. "Yes, ma'am. I did." 

Crossing her legs, Chaerin leaned her elbow on her knee and cradled her chin in the palm of her hand. "You know, that is technically breaking the laws of Heaven," she murmured. "A summons from the Seraphim is a very serious matter. We do not issue them lightly."

Daesung was almost certain the angels in the first few rows could hear the way his knees had begun to knock together. One angel in particular, a brunette with rather large eyes seated in the front row, leaned forward with a concerned frown. Daesung sighed: He was so screwed. He could only imagine the amount of grief Seunghyun and Jiyong would give him if he managed to be kicked out of Heaven. All of that hard work - everything he had done in order to ensure an eternity with the love of his life - would have been for nothing. "I understand." He cleared his throat, trying to infuse his voice with greater strength. "But I stand by my decision. Rescuing Youngbae was of the utmost import, and time was of the essence in his rescue."

One of the head Seraphim's fine eyebrows arched delicately. "So you will accept the consequences of your actions?"

He tangled his fingers together - trying to stop his hands from trembling. "Yes, ma'am. I am prepared to accept them."

She snapped her fingers, and two angels appeared.  One of them was an extremely stocky man with sienna hair and an intense, crescented gaze. He had enough muscles on him that it looked as though he could break a tree in half, if the mood struck him. Daesung could easily imagine the man throwing angels out of Heaven; it would be impossible to escape his grip. The other was a dainty woman with soft, round features and silvery hair. She flashed Daesung a small smile, but there was still a decided sadness in her large eyes – as though she had seen too much throughout the eternities. It made Daesung’s heart ache to see the sorrow written so plainly on her in a place that was supposed to inspire happiness and peace. He wondered what could have brought her to such a state.

Before he could follow that train of thought to its completion, Chaerin spoke, “Kang Daesung, for your disobedience you are sentenced to train with Jong Kook and Boa until they declare you fit for duty. Upon your completion of your training, you will be made a general in the Army of Heaven and given command over your own unit. At that time you will be recognized as a fully-fledged seraphim and be able to lead as many charges into Hell as you’d like. Do you understand?”

He blinked up at her. “You mean I’m not being kicked out?”

Chaerin chuckled – hiding her laughter behind her hand. “No, Daesung. We wouldn’t kick you out for doing the right thing. We just want you to be safe, which is why we’re putting you in the hands of our two best trainers. They’ll see that you are fit for full duty in due time.”

Jong Kook strode forward and boldly took Daesung’s hand for a firm shake. “I will do my utmost to protect you and train you in combat. I look forward to working with you, Daesung.”

The younger angel bowed and flashed the man a somewhat nervous smile. “Thank you. I am certain you will take very good care of me.”

At that moment, the woman approached and bowed. “I am Boa. I’ll do my best to teach you about seraphim laws and angelic tactics.”

Daesung bowed to her as well. “I look forward to learning everything you can teach me. Thank you, Boa.”

Rising from her seat, Chaerin spread her large gold wings and flew down – landing beside Daesung. “We look forward to seeing what you make of yourself, Daesung. With wings like that, you certainly have a great deal of potential.” The blond folded into a ninety-degree bow as the woman spoke; he felt a bit like he was meeting the president.

“I will do my best,” he offered. Though, he was somewhat confused by her comment on his wings. Did they hold a meaning he did not understand?

“Excellent. Well, I look forward to hearing their reports on your progress. I will see you periodically as part of your assessments.” Chaerin inclined her head once before sauntering out the door, a gaggle of angels on her heels reporting on the various activities of the different legions.

Once she was out of the room, Daesung stood straight. He cleared his throat and brushed his sweaty palms against the thighs of his pants. “Can… I ask a stupid question?”

Jong Kook’s face split into a wide smile. “Best kind of question! Go ahead.”

“What did she mean about my wings? And being a general?”

Boa smiled slightly. “Wings are a sign of rank among the angels. Only tier three or above angels have them, and the larger the wings the higher status the angel.” There was a faint glow around her before a set of lilac wings appeared behind her. Unlike his wings, which drug the ground, hers stopped mid-thigh. “Most seraphim have wings my size. It’s big enough to get us where we need to go with ease, but not quite as impressive. Taecyeon, if you remember his wings, has a very large set because he is the general of the Second Hour Legion, which is the most elite force of angels we have. Chaerin, since she is the head of the seraphim, actually has four wings. Only the highest archangels – the ones that guard the high throne itself – have six wings.”

Daesung let out a slow breath and looked back at his wings. “So… I am equal in rank to someone like Taecyeon?” It sounded a bit ridiculous, honestly. He was just a nobody; even in life the most recognition he had received was occasionally selling a sculpture.

But, Jong Kook nodded happily. “Once you finish training you will be. At that point, you’ll be a general. You’ll form your own specialized unit, and eventually you’ll have enough angels to have a legion all your own! Isn’t that exciting!” He clapped Daesung on the shoulder, and it felt a bit like being hit by a brick wall.

Catching himself as he stumbled forward a little, Daesung smiled at the obviously enthused angel. “It sounds … interesting. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.”

Boa nodded. “Take tonight to rest. I’d imagine you’ve had enough adventures for one day. Tomorrow Jong Kook and I will pick you up. We can also talk about more permanent living arrangements. No point in having you in the trainee bunks now that you have technically graduated since your abilities have manifested.”

Daesung just nodded. He honestly had no idea what they were talking about – living arrangements, powers manifesting, training. But, he would learn. He had all of eternity to figure out what was going on in his new home. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Boa,” she corrected easily. “Technically you’re higher rank, even if you are younger. Plus, it’s Heaven. We’re not much for titles here.”

An easy grin at last broke out across Daesung’s features. “I will remember that. Thank you, Boa.” He bowed again before becoming distracted by someone lightly tugging on his sleeve. Turning, he laughed at the sight of Jiyong, who was smirking slightly. “Ji! Is Youngbae alright?”

The redhead grinned – his gums showing with the motion. “Yeah. They already healed him up and have him assigned to his first duties. I just…wanted to say thank you. For believing in me. And him. And, you know… Everything.”

Daesung swept Jiyong into a tight hug, his wings even coming to curl around the man. “It’s the least I could do for you, Ji. You’re my friend, whether you want me or not.”

The angel laughed softly and squeezed the blond’s waist. “I definitely want you as my friend, Daesung. You’ll have to come visit me and Youngbae often. He wants to get to know you better, and I want to hear all about your crazy adventures, oh mighty general.”

Pulling back, Daesung blushed. “You heard all that?”

Jiyong giggled. “Of course I did! And even if I hadn’t, I would’ve found out soon enough. It’s been two hundred years since the last seraphim general manifested! You’re a special little cookie, my friend.” He winked at Daesung. “Just what will Seunghyun think of you?”

A soft smile found its way onto Daesung’s lips as pure love made his eyes bright. “He’ll tease me for the rest of time.”

~~~

Walking into the hospital room, Mino felt his legs lose feeling at the sight of Seunghyun on the hospital bed. His brother looked so broken and small. So much of his body was either bandaged or in a cast; it looked as though he would not be moving anytime soon. But, the steady beep of the heart monitor was the most beautiful sound Mino had ever heard. His brother had survived. Going to Seunghyun’s side, he carefully took his hand and sank down into the cold plastic chair at the bedside. “You really gave me a scare, Seunghyun. What would I have done if you had actually left me, huh?” He sighed. “We’re supposed to grow old together, remember? You promised.” And Seunghyun was never one to break a promise.

When Seunghyun at last woke up, it was to the sight of Mino and Taehyun attempting to play checkers on the little table in the corner. The only problem with that plan, of course, was that it seemed Mino was ruthlessly trying to cheat because he was absolutely awful at checkers (and board games in general). Seunghyun managed a little laugh, which immediately caused both brunettes to abandon their game.

“Hyunnie!” Mino jumped to his feet, bumping the table in his enthusiasm, and charged to his brother’s side. “You’re alive!”

Seunghyun raised an eyebrow, causing the stitches on his forehead to stretch unpleasantly. “Is that what this is? Feels awful.”

“It’s how you know you’re with us,” Taehyun drawled. “If it didn’t hurt, it’d be a sign you had died.”

Seunghyun’s gaze unfocused as he stared at something on the ceiling. Or, perhaps more accurately, something beyond the ceiling. “But I did die,” he murmured. “I know I did.”

Mino and Taehyun exchanged a glance. Carefully, Mino took a seat on the edge of the bed. “How do you know that, Seunghyun?”

A little smile played around the edge of Seunghyun’s lips. “I saw Daesung.” He sighed softly. “He was always my angel, Mino, but now he’s a real one. And I got to see him.”

The artist carefully took Seunghyun’s hand in his. “And what happened when you saw him?”

“Mm, he told me he loved me. That he was would wait for me. That – “ Seunghyun’s voice choked, “he’s proud of me.”

Squeezing Seunghyun’s fingers, Mino fought back tears at the look on his brother’s face. Seunghyun looked at peace for the first time in … well, since their parents had died. He could not remember seeing his normally stoic brother look so happy; it was as though Seunghyun were ten years younger and all the cares had been lifted from his shoulders. “Well, you were pretty amazing,” Mino murmured. “I mean, you did save NamTae’s life.”

The antiques dealer’s gaze slid over to rest on Taehyun. “Are you alright?”

Taehyun gave a furious nod before wiping away a tear. “Yeah. Just a broken arm. I will be getting my cast off soon.”

“Cast… I was out for a while, wasn’t I?” Seunghyun sighed at Mino’s nod. “Has the shop fallen apart in my absence?”

Mino shook his head. “Nah. They’ve been taking good care of it for you. Yerin has been running a tight ship. But, they miss you. Especially Han Bin.”

Seunghyun laughed a little, though his ribs protested the motion by making him cough. “He would.” He shook his head. “Is … everyone else okay?”

“Ji-Hyo and Junsu come past every day,” Taehyun murmured. “In fact, they’ll be here probably closer to six. That’s when they usually drop past.”

Mino his bottom lip and nodded. "Yeah. And...there's a chance Daesung's mom might stop past. She's done that a few times."

Raising his eyebrows, Seunghyun looked up at his brother. "What? But... I've never even met her. The Kangs disowned Daesung when he came out."

The artist cleared his throat and rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "Well, she heard from Ji-Hyo that you were in an accident and came to see you. Said she was worried about her Daesung's boyfriend."

Seunghyun's heart stuttered in his chest. He had never thought the woman that gave birth to his lover would acknowledge his existence, let alone recognize his relationship with Daesung. The man could remember countless nights of Daesung crying over his parents' refusal to see him after he had come out of the closet; it had broken the blond's heart to be rejected for something that was an integral part of his identity. The woman had not even come to the funeral; her husband had declared that Daesung had died years ago. But, it seemed time could heal any wound - even prejudice - if love was involved. "Is... she alright? Mrs. Kang." 

Mino nodded. "Yeah. She's worried about you. And I think she'll be really glad that you're alright." A tiny smile crept onto Mino's lips. "She's even been helping Ji-Hyo with the wedding, since you've been out. I think she's really trying to make things right."

Tears gathered at the corners of Seunghyun's eyes. Daesung was probably so excited that his mother had finally come around; Seunghyun just wished it had happened while the blond was still alive. But, at least it had happened at all. It meant there was even hope that Daesung's father would change his mind and welcome the Choi brothers into his family - that was what Daesung had always wanted. "Are the wedding preparations going okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, they are," Taehyun laughed. "We're getting close enough to the big day that Ji-Hyo and I have been making official decisions on her cake design. It's going to be perfect, I think. But, of course, you'll have to approve it as well, since you're practically the best groomsmaid."

“How long have I been out?”

“About a month,” Mino murmured. “The car mostly hit your leg, because of how you were angled. But you hit your head badly enough that… Well, the doctors were honestly surprised you survived. They had to take out some of your skull to relieve the pressure, and then they had you in a coma so your brain could heal. Honestly, they didn’t expect you’d ever wake up, even when the swelling went down miraculously fast.”

Seunghyun smiled crookedly. “I’m sorry I worried you, Mino. But… I wasn’t going to die. I had too many promises to keep. Promised you we’d grow old together – raise our kids in the same neighborhood. Promised Mom and Dad I’d take care of you. Promised.. promised Daesung – “ Again, his tears smothered his voice.

“Promised him what?” Mino prompted, oddly fascinated and endlessly curious as to what fantasy his brother’s mind had invented.

“Promise me, Seunghyun, that you will live a full life.”

“That I’d live.”

“Promise me you will fall in love again.”

“Not just exist, but really live.”

“And that, when you die, you’ll look for me. Because I will be waiting for you, love. I said I’d give you my heart for ever and ever and always, you know.”

“And to not forget him – even if I move on.” The man sighed softly and turned to meet his brother’s gaze. “I think I’m ready, Mino, to rejoin humanity. I’ve been half-dead for too long.”

Mino’s features broke into his characteristic wide grin even as tears poured openly down his cheeks. “We’ll gladly take you, Seunghyun. The world just isn’t the same without you in it.”

“I know, Mino. I know. And you won’t have to imagine that world without me.” He squeezed his brother’s hand. “Not for a long, long time.”

At that moment, the nurse came in to check Seunghyun’s vitals. The woman was obviously young – perhaps even younger than Mino – and had large, brilliant eyes. Her pink lips pulled into a wide grin when she noticed her patient was looking at her. “Mr. Choi! It is so good to see you awake. The doctor was beginning to think you would sleep the whole winter away!” Stepping up beside the bed, she took out a little light and began to test his pupils. “My name is Ji-Eun. I’ve been one of your nurses for the past month.”

“She’s pretty much amazing,” Mino drawled. “She completely trashes Tae at checkers. It’s the best thing ever.”

Ji-Eun laughed – the sound filling the room with brightness like the tinkling of wind chimes. It was a nice laugh, Seunghyun thought. “You are too kind, Mino! But, I think I have you to thank for the times I’ve beaten Taehyun. You’re very good at distracting him when he starts beating me.”

Taehyun rolled his eyes even as the nurse and Seunghyun’s brother exchanged impish grins. “I stand no chance against them, Seunghyun. It’s ridiculous. I can only hope they’ll behave now that you’re awake.”

“Fat chance,” Seunghyun drawled. “If anything, Mino will only get worse. He loves to misbehave when I’m around.”

“It’s my job as your brother,” Mino protested. “It keeps you young.”

Unable to help himself, Seunghyun began to laugh, deeply and freely. Even with the weight of the plaster wrapped around his leg and the still healing injuries across his body, he had never felt better in his entire life. And, he supposed, it was all Daesung’s fault. After all, how could anything ever be that bad when an angel loved you?

~~~

Daesung sighed happily as the sun began to crawl towards daylight, bathing Seoul in the first blush of morning. He would never tire of the way the clouds furled about the city and melted away as day ate through the last hazes of the dusk. Seoul was as much a part of him as Seunghyun and Ji-Hyo: It was where he began and ended. Beside him, Jiyong shifted on the bench. “Is something the matter, Jiyong?”

A frown puckered the man’s brow as he looked over at the radiant angel. “Seunghyun is supposed to die Christmas Eve. It was his day,” he said warily.

“Mm. Funny thing about Death,” Daesung mused, “is that sometimes he changes his mind.” His umber eyes sparkled with hidden laughter as he glanced over at Jiyong. “Seunghyun has so much life still left to live – so much to give. I need someone here. Someone to be the uncle to my nephew and two nieces. Someone to let Junsu sleep on their couch when he upsets Ji-Hyo. Someone to help Mino purpose to Taehyun, when they get that far.”

Jiyong’s eyebrows folded up in surprise. “Mino and Taehyun are going to manage to get engaged? That’s a surprise.”

Daesung laughed easily, the sound ringing through the air. “Oh, they’re going to break up three or four times first – Taehyun is more of a diva than even you. And they’re going to make a lot of really painful mistakes along the way. But, eventually, they’ll realize where their hearts lie. When they do, their love will be as strong as any other seen in this world.”

The older angel nodded slowly; it sounded a bit like a corny romantic comedy to him. Youngbae would love to watch over those two, egging them along towards their happy ending, and Ji had a feeling that was exactly what was going to happen. His angel Bae had been assigned to the true love division, unsurprisingly. “Don’t you worry about Seunghyun? That he might be at risk to fall?”

Crossng his legs, Daesung leaned an elbow on his knee and cradled his chin in his hand. “Honestly? No. Because, for however long he stays here, I will protect him. And I trust him. He knows that I will wait for him, that I am waiting for him.” He smiled softly to himself. “Someday we’ll be together again. In Heaven.”

---

Only the epilogue remains. Can you believe it? We've made it so far. This chapter would have been impossible without your encouragement. I was struggling so much, because letting this story go is like sending my first born to college. But, I know this is not the end for this universe.

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