Falling asleep almost immediately after dinner the brothers ended up sleeping side by side on their couch in the most awkward position. Half eaten ice cream still melting in their bowls while their favourite movie plays on, the brothers could not resist the drowsiness after a long day out.

"Taekwoon" Hongbin gasped as he bolts up from where he was lying on Jaehwan’s right arm. He had talked himself awake and it is incredibly disturbing the fact that he could hear his own voice sounding all cracked and longing.

"Taekwoon...Taekwoon..." Face palming himself and rubbing the warm skin there against the cold ones on his face, the boy repeated the name he was calling out to just as he woke as if chanting. "Taekwoon... who in the world..." Frowning cutely before yawning, the boy untangled himself from his brother and made his way over to the clock.

Staring blankly at the minute hand ticking away loudly, Hongbin took note of the time before proceeding to wash up and wake his brother. A new day begins again and the boy is grateful that his brother is still around. Braving the cold outside of the warmth of their nest together, the pair laughed and joke as they proceed for Jaehwan's appointment with the doctor. It's the last day of the week and Hongbin cannot be happier than today since it will be their first time spending a full weekend together starting from tomorrow.

Entering the hospital premise after an almost two hour journey on public transport, the brothers are in for a "pleasant" surprise. Jaehwan's hospital bills and surgery bills are already paid in full. Hongbin felt uneasy as he watches Jaehwan enquire about the details. The stack of cash his guardian angel had left behind the night before is packed neatly into an envelope and still on his table.

He had written a return note for the angel as well in case the creature comes when he is out, something along the line of being thankful but not really thankful. The news of a bank robbery playing on the TV above him is making him even more squeamish.

Jaehwan turns around to frown at him and he had to force a smile in return. Walking back to where the boy was seated, the older brother gave him a long hard stare as if evaluating him with arms crossed. His frown deepens with Hongbin’s every blink and the boy could not stop himself from expecting the worst.

"Lee Hongbin... you did better be honest with me..." Jaehwan started and the boy blinked again, maintaining his innocence.

"Where did you get all that money?" Jaehwan asked as he paced around his brother. The older brother is unimpressed and the younger one did not expect him to be.

"What do you mean? What money?" Hongbin almost whined. He is determined to deny everything with everything he's got.

"You paid for the bills." Jaehwan replied rather harshly.

"I did? I guess I did but only the deposit..." Hongbin muttered under his breath mind immediately wandering back to his guardian angel, mentally swearing at the angel.

"Don't get cute with me. In full. Everything is paid off. How?" Jaehwan sounded like he was rapping.

"I worked while you were hospitalised..." Hongbin made an excuse. "But just for the deposits! I swear!"

"I want proper answers. What part time job pays so well?" The man probed unhappily.

"They don't which is why I only managed to pay the deposits!" Hongbin half argued and Jaehwan raised an eyebrow. The man was about to retort when his name was called. The doctor will see him now and Hongbin heaved a sigh of relief.

As much as he wants to make himself believe his own denial, he can't. He's name is in black and white on the receipt but he can swear on his grandmother's grave that the last time he checked, he wasn't even close to paying off a quarter of the bills with his entire savings and his measly pay. How does he convince Jaehwan that he hadn't paid the bills and was definitely not involved in any of those shady businesses the man must be thinking about? Jaehwan will disown him if he had done drugs and he will never be forgiven if he had whored himself out.

Hopping up and down while he waits in silence for Jaehwan, Hongbin found it incredibly unnerving yet that was all he could do. No point running away. He might as well just push the focus away from himself. It is the hundred percent truth that he hadn't paid the bills after all.

Jaehwan had to proceed for further tests and Hongbin found himself being directed around to every department without a guide. Entering the lift to keep up with his brother's trip to the radiology department, Hongbin ran his fingers through his hair and leant back against the wall while he waited in silence. His wait drags on and before he can reach out to press the button once more, he is met face to face with his guardian angel that had appeared out of the blue.

Staggering backwards clutching onto his chest while recovering from the shock, Hongbin panted and grimaced at the same time. Taekwoon was looking even more deathly handsome than ever under the bright lights in the lift. In fact he still looks the same, just more angelic since Hongbin only ever met him when they were shrouded in the darkness of night. Hongbin’s heart skipped a beat once more.

"You have to stop scaring me like that." Hongbin complained.

"Oh and please stop trying to help!" Hongbin added. "Who would believe that a high school student can pay off the hospital bills?" "And honestly... angels aren't supposed to steal right?"

"All those cash... did you steal them?"

"I have no need to steal." Taekwoon finally opened his golden mouth.

"Great. So you just took them..." Hongbin sighed.

"Not from the bank. I have my resources." Taekwoon answered patiently.

"I don't have the means to return them to you you know..." Hongbin whispered sheepishly. As much as he is vexed because of his guardian angel's help, he is very thankful that they will not need to sell their house and slog their guts out for the next half a century. Yet he knows he cannot accept the help rendered since he will never be able to return the money.

"It's not a loan." The angel answered quietly already aware of what Hongbin is thinking about. He seems to be really sensitive too and the boy made a mental note to be more tactful when holding a conversation with the creature.

"I. Well. I just don't want to trouble you." "I'm pretty sure your job does not have monetary involvement..." Hongbin replied. "The money from yesterday is on my table... I don't need that too… please take them back."

Taekwoon shook his head and Hongbin sighed once again. The angel is forcing many things onto him and he isn't sure if he will be able to handle all this attention and affection his guardian is showering him with. Owing favours is one thing, knowing why the angel is being so particularly nice to him is another.

"You are special." Taekwoon got inside of Hongbin's head once again and provided the answer without the boy asking for it. Disappearing before the boy could respond. The door to the elevator opens as well and as if on cue and it did not take very long for the boy to realise his guardian angel had just rescued him from what would be a long, dark and stuffy ride in the lift. The two repair man welcoming him on the outside looked confused since they were sure the electric board was fried and there was no way the boy would have gotten it to work just by pressing the buttons.

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On the other side of the world...

It's been a particularly busy day for Taekwoon and he had only a few minutes to spare for Hongbin. He is not pleased today. Mainly because he had to collect the souls of a wrecked plane meant for the other angel of death and Ravi had left the job for a simpler one. He is sure the other angel has more free time than he does. Ravi is practically free lancing now and Taekwoon has to clean up his .

Taking note that the other angel of death is also infatuated by a human whose soul he was to collect years ago, Taekwoon simply does not understand why Ravi would go for a human. The human can't see them and the human definitely will not be able to reciprocate.

The human is different from his Hongbin. Or is he?

Hongbin is now human and Taekwoon keeps telling himself otherwise solely because the boy could see him. Yet he is aware that Hongbin shares the same characteristics as every other human being. He will die one day. Grow old like those old man and old women he sees so often. He is fragile. He could've died on the roads that day if Taekwoon hadn't been watching him.

Running his fingers through his hair and letting out a long dispirited suspire Taekwoon needs to plan his next move. No more playing around with Hongbin. He needs to get serious.

Hongbin seem to be having problems with fragments of his past memory and even though that is a plus point for Taekwoon, he has to be careful not to scare the boy. Taking things nice and slow is important now.

Ps: Chapter was supposed to be longer but I have to rush off for work so tomorrow evening it shall be... ¬.¬