Genre: Action, Angst, Dystopia, Fantasy, Supernatural

Summary: Chaeyeon was an angel who gets assigned to protect human. That's her sole duty. Until one girl, whispered across the sky, to be protected. She was not her mission, but she still chose her. For the girl is not just like any other human, she was Chaeyeon's favorite one.

Word Count: 11395

Hashtag: #KwonChaeng_AngelWithAShotgun

Angel with a Shotgun

It was year 2027, where everything that surrounds you is advanced technology and war is happening left and right. They say, ‘It’s more peaceful in the future because the world then are already evolved’, but surprise because it’s not. Instead of the vision full of hopes, the world turned into more worse and ed up. The technological advancement didn’t give peace, but rather, a power to those who wanted so much and battled to conquer the world.

There are people who are the lucky ones– and there are those who survived.

Amongst these people, is Eunbi.

Eunbi is an orphan. Her parents left her at the orphanage when she was just a new-born for god knows what, making the institution her home. She’s been living well, she’s been a good kid, but for some reasons, nobody is adopting her. It’s been almost 10 years that Eunbi just gave up. She gave up with her dream that someday, someone would be willing to take care of her; so instead of waiting, she dedicated her life to taking care of the other kids in the orphanage.

Years had passed, and the latter is already 18 years old.

And it was December year 2045, 6 in the morning, when their home got attacked by the army. Even after years had passed, the wars is still continuing. From country versus country, corporate war, to the smallest organization such as the gangs and mafias. And it’s been going on and on, but luckily, the orphanage did not experience being attacked, until now.

With the need to protect all the children, Eunbi initiated to take them all with her to escape the orphanage. After getting the news by the messenger that the military is on their way to their small village, Eunbi immediately took action and take them away from the institution as soon as possible.

“Bi-unnie! Wonyoungie gone!” A 3 years old Yujin cried out while looking for her sister. “Huh?” Eunbi turned around and counted all the children behind her. All of them were there, except for one. “” She exclaimed.

“Everyone, let’s hide here for a while” The eldest one tugged all the crying kids and hid them inside the abandon house for a while. “Listen to me kids, remember what I said before about bad guys?” She asked which the kids responded with a nod while wailing. “Bad guys are coming for us. But worry not because we are going to be okay, do you all understand?” She yelled and the kids replied with nod again. “While we hid here, please be quiet okay? Until I come back.” She paused, looking for the two oldest kids amongst them. “Yena! Hyewon!” She called, and the two 10 years old immediately rose up. “I’m going to find Wonyoung. You two take care of them for a while, alright?” She commanded. “You two are the only ones I could rely on about this. So please, protect them, okay?” The two kids replied with eager nods. Before the latter able to walk outside, Yena called for her.

“Eunbi-unnie...”

Eunbi stopped with her tracks and turned around. “Yes?”

“Promise us you’ll be back…” Hyewon said, albeit melancholy.

Eunbi smiled and said, “I promised. Don’t worry…”

Right after she said that, Eunbi ran as fast as she can back to the orphanage and looked for Wonyoung. When she made it there, she immediately ran to the room where Wonyoung usually hides. In the kitchen’s empty pantry. That’s where she’ll go whenever she’s sad or don’t want to play, she knows because Eunbi usually the one who fetches her.

But then, before she could make it to the kitchen, she saw troops of soldiers, about 5 of them, casually walking and looking for anyone in the living room where it’s few feet away from her. Fortunately, they didn’t see Eunbi, but for her to be able to rescue Wonyoung, she needs to distract them.

She was about to throw a stone on the outside when one of the troops that looks like their leader, called for them. Relief flows through Eunbi’s body when they walked out from the orphanage. She immediately ran quietly to the kitchen and look for the kid.

“Wonyoungie...” she called, softly. Not a minute, she heard a little whimper coming from the pantry. She released sigh of relief knowing that the poor child is safe. Eunbi open the door to the said room, and there she saw Wonyoung crying at the corner. When the little girl heard the door opened, she looked up. “B-Bi-unnie...” The moment Wonyoung saw Eunbi, she hastily ran to her arms and embraced the older tightly. “Hey, baby” Eunbi kissed the top of Wonyoung’s head while embracing her.

“I’m scared, unnie…” Wonyoung says, weakly.

“I know little one, I know. And I’m sorry if we left you here. But Wonyoungie, we have to go now okay? Yujinie and the others are waiting”

“O-Okay”

Eunbi kissed Wonyoung’s forehead and reached for her arm. They quietly walked out from the kitchen. But before they could make it to the living room, two of the troops are already back on the orphanage and they are on the hallway where it’s near in the kitchen, making the two girls froze on their position.

“There are two more here!” One of the soldiers shouted.

Right after they heard that, Eunbi carried Wonyoung and run for their life. They ran and escape at the back of the house.

“Stop right there!” One of the soldiers ordered, firing his gun.

Unfortunately, Eunbi got shot. “Augh!” As the bullet penetrated her leg, she paused for a while.

‘I have to come back’ she thought.

With that in mind, the injured woman back up and continued to run while carrying the little girl on her back. They are almost closed in the hidden pathway when the one of the soldiers managed to reached for the two. He tugged for Eunbi’s hair, making Wonyoung slip from her hold.

“BI-UNNIE!” Wonyoung screamed.

“Come here, you!” The soldier shouted back while locking Eunbi in his arms.

“No! Let go of unnie!”

“Wonyoung, just run! Run as fast as you can. Remember the house you said was your dream house? Yena and Hyewon unnies will be there waiting for you! Tell them to escape, and don’t worry about me, okay?” Eunbi screamed. “Run, now!” She ordered.

Scared little Wonyoung got nothing to her unnie, so with heavy heart she ran and ran until she made it to the house.

“Wonyoungie!” Yujin ran to her sister and embraced her.

Hyewon saw Wonyoung came back, but horror filled her face when she noticed Eunbi is not with her anymore. “Wonyoung-ah, where’s Eunbi unnie?” Anxiety is evident in her voice. It terrifies her more when the little girl cried out, “The soldiers caught u-us. And-and Bi-unnie said we have to escape because they are coming and d-don’t worry for h-her…” she said, agonizingly.

“No…” Hyewon whimpered.

“Hyewon-ah…” Yena called. She’s standing behind them, comforting the other kids to stop crying. She watches the scene and it broke her so much knowing what happened to their unnie, but she have to be strong for the kids. “Let’s go now…”

“No.”

“We have to go, Hyewon. We need to find safe place.”

“We have to comeback for her!” Hyewon exclaimed.

“Hyewon, if we come back, we are endangering the lives of these children that Eunbi-unnie risks her life with!” Yena retorted. “Please, don’t let it go in vain.”

Hyewon stared at Yena then to the crying children. It pains her knowing that she can’t do anything to save their unnie’s life, but she have people to protect.

And she promised fulfill it.

With a heavy heart, Hyewon nodded her head and took a flight off to the abandon house. Before they could go far away from the villages, she took one last look at the direction where Eunbi sprinted.

‘Please, come back…”

=

“Come on, let’s get her to the base.” The soldier who caught Eunbi said whilst trying his best to lock Eunbi between his arms as the girl still persistent to escape. “Hey, help me!”

“Captain would be happy to see this,” Another soldier said. He tugged her wrist and forcibly take her to the base.

“No!” Eunbi insisted. She tried to waver the arms of the two off of her body, then kicked their groins.

“Awe !” One of the soldier cried out, grasping his aching bottom area.

The woman managed to escape for a little while, but she got yanked by the other soldier again.

“Shut up, woman. You are coming with us!” He said, his tone hardening.

“I said no! I don’t want to. Kill me instead!”

“Then, you left me with no choice.” The man smacked her head so hard with his pistol and it knocked Eunbi out. Before she closed her eyes, one thought came through her mind.

‘I’m sorry…’

For the people she left behind, those she sworn to protect.

On the other side, a lone divine woman is staring at the scene at the top of tree, watching the abduction unfold with poker face, but anger and disgust filled deep inside within her. After witnessing the two guys hurt the woman, that’s when she cannot take it anymore and took the initiative to save the fainted human.

She jumped off from the tall oak tree and dashed hastily before they could get away. Not a seconds in, she’s already in front of the two soldier who’s dragging the woman.

Noticing the intruder, the two soldiers stopped. The long haired blonde woman is cladding with her mixed layer of fabric and leather armor that is white as snow, and a single black pauldron on her right shoulder along with fine silver broad leather belt wrapped around her waist and a monolith moto boots.

Her face screams innocence, but her grace and stance holds so much power and supremacy that made the two soldiers felt threaten for a moment.

“You know,” The woman started, her tone screams dominance and intimidation. “In our realm, it is a crime to hurt a human,” She says, taking little steps closer to the other. “But does it even matter if I’m going to hurt you for doing it to the others?” She said, almost looking down at the soldiers as she stopped few feet away from them.

“W-Who are you?” One of the soldier said. The woman is even more intimidating now that she’s already close to them.

“You don’t have to know me,” She said. “All I could just say is that I could kill you both right now.” She said simply, albeit voice full of threats.

“Pft. As if. Get the out of here before I report you,” The other soldier said, obviously taking the woman’s words as a joke.

“Oh, you sure does.” The woman said, with a smirk on her face.

The soldier put out their tactical radio. “Captain! There’s-”

“I can give you 1 minute to let go of her, then I will not kill you two.”

“Go on then.” The cunning soldier challenged. They unloose Eunbi for a while, laid her on the ground, pulling out their daggers and guns.

The woman watched the two with a smirk on her face. “Your wish is my command, sir”

Right after she said that, she streaked her way to the soldiers and hauled at them. And just like how easy it is to swing her divine sword left and right, the soldiers are no match to her strengths that she killed them easily.

“Without breaking a sweat,”

Witnessing the two useless human lying on the ground, she grab the radio and said, “Hello! The name’s Chaeyeon. So your two soldiers just died. Not my fault. But don’t worry about me anymore because I will be coming for you. So see you all later.” She said. She walked slowly to the unconscious woman. She lifted Eunbi in her arms and decided to walk to where Eunbi supposed to be.

Feeling herself being taken away, Eunbi unconsciously stirred from her sleep. Chaeyeon saw her moving and stared at her face while she’s carrying her, on the way to where the kids went to. With her divinity, the woman in white knows where they go. Discerning that Eunbi will wake up any moment now, Chaeyeon used her power and arrived at the cabin house far away from the village that hides deep within the forest in just a minute.

“This might be it,” She carefully laid Eunbi on the porch’s floor, then looked at her. This is first time she saw the girl but there’s an urge deep within her that says how much she wanted to look after Eunbi. She never felt it before, not even once in her life, after living for centuries and so. Chaeyeon walked closer to the unconscious girl, crouched a little then stared at her face, albeit mix with curious and adoration.

“I’ve seen all the beauty around the world…” She paused, slowly caressing Eunbi’s left cheek with her right hand. “…but not yours.”

Hearing a low voice coming from the inside of the house, Chaeyeon got distracted and hastily let go of the lying girl. She stood up and knocked on the door. No one dared to opened it at first and Chaeyeon with her heightened hearing ability, she can hear the kids pointing at each other quietly. So she knocked again, this time gently. When she heard a slow pace coming to open the door, she immediately went off from the house and flew up to the nearest tall tree.

Witnessing the kids reaction when they saw Eunbi, Chaeyeon can’t help but to smile.

She was a soldier.

A guardian.

An angel.

And after eons of living meaningless, she finally found her purpose.

From this day forward, she now have a duty to bear, an oath to fulfill.

And that is to protect Eunbi, with all her might, for as long as she could.

=

Eunbi woke up from her slumber and noticed that she’s already lying on the couch. She slowly sit up, observing her surroundings.

“Where am I?”

The last thing she remembered is that she got strike with a hard object by the soldier earlier and now she woke up with unusual cabin house that she’s not aware of. She was about to escape, scared that the soldiers managed to abduct her, when she heard a call.

“Unnie!”

Eunbi turned her head on her right with shock and there she saw Hyewon looking at her with relief and excitement. The latter hastily ran to her unnie and embraced her so tight. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Hearing the loud scream, Yena and the other kids hurriedly ran from the outside to the cabin’s living room. They gather around their conscious unnie, looking at her with joyfulness.

“What happened? Why am I here?” Eunbi asked, curiously.

“We found this place while we are running away from the army and then suddenly there’s a knock on the door. At first, we are scared that it might be them, but when I opened the door, we saw you lying on the porch’s floor.” Hyewon exclaimed.

“You didn’t saw who take me here?”

“No, unnie,” Yena says. “But that doesn’t matter now, what matters is you came back to us.” The kids walked closely and group hug their unnie. Eunbi filled with love and happiness knowing that the kids are safe and she is too.

When they unclasp from the hug, a 3 years old Yujin asked her. “Bi-unnie, are we going be okay?”

Eunbi glanced at the little one, she moved down, making eye-to-eye contact with the kid. “Yes, Yujinie. We’ll finally be okay.” She hugged the kid with a thought in her mind.

‘Whoever you are, thank you for protecting me.’

=

5 years later

It was already 7 in the evening, Eunbi was casually chilling outside the cabin, looking at the vast surroundings. It’s been almost five years since they escaped from their villages to get away from the army who tried to harm them.

Nothing new. The world is still the same, the war is still on going. Eunbi thinks that it will never stop as long there are people who are hell-bent on power.

And that terrifies her, frightens all of them.

So every day she wishes that it will never ever happen again; that they don’t have to run away this time.

Under the night sky, Eunbi clasped both of her hands and closed her eyes.

She wished to meet the person who saved her, and to never leave her side again.

The latter never really saw that person. She’s not even sure if someone really did come and save her. But she’s taking chances.

So she whispered, softly.

Across the universe,

“Let us meet again…”

Luckily, someone heard her.

=

“Everyone! Yujin-ah! Nako-yah!” Eunbi shouted. “Someone at the door!” She added. Eunbi was just cooking for their dinner when she heard a knock on their door.

“Later, unnie! We are playing!” Yujin screamed at the top of her lungs as they are all playing on the second floor of the cabin. Fortunately for them, the cabin house they found is quite big. Enough to cater almost twenty children and three adults.

“How come there’s so many of us here but no one even bothered to open the door?” Eunbi asked herself under her breath. “That must be Yeji and Ryunjin” Eunbi sauntered her way to the entrance and open the door. Confusion painted on her face when she was welcomed with a strange woman smiling at her.

"Uh, who are you?" She asked, warily.

"Hello! I am Chaeyeon, I am a guardian angel, and Eunbi I am the one they sent for you." Chaeyeon declared, with pure enthusiasm.

"What?” Eunbi asked in disbelief. “How did you even get here? How did you find me?"

Chaeyeon stared at her with perplexed look. "Because like I said, I was sent here. Right at this moment, for you" She said, as a matter of fact.

"W-What? What for? What do you mean? What are you even talking about?” Eunbi is beyond weirded out to the stranger who suddenly shows up to her cabin. Clad with weird looking armor that seems to be like she’s from somewhere from away here, in places and in time.

Chaeyeon could only smile at the latter as she could see the bizarre expression painted on her face. "To protect you, of course. You wished upon the sky to be protected so now I am here. Now, let's see your home" She said, taking a step closer.

Eunbi, of course, immediately hinders the other from going inside. She threw her hands upward, motioning a warning to never take one more step, Chaeyeon is threatened yes, but by Eunbi’s cuteness. "NO! YOU CAN'T ENTER!" She exclaimed.

"Why not?" The angel chuckled.

"You can't just barge in on someone's house and expect them to let you. Get out of here before I call someone!"

"Who would you call? We’re in the middle of the forest lady. Don't bother. I won't leave" Chaeyeon moved her way inside, albeit forcibly. Eunbi is trying her very best, with all her might, to stop the crazy girl. But no matter how much strength she put in, Chaeyeon is continuously marched as if there’s no Eunbi in front of her trying to stop her from taking further step.

There’s only one way to stop this, so Eunbi have to go with her last resort. "Yena! Hyewon! CODE RED!" She yelled out.

Suddenly, a series of loud weird noise erupted inside the house.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH! WIWIWIWIWIWIW! BEE-DOO! BEE-DOO!”

15 years old Yena and Hyewon along with now an 8 years old Yujin came marching from the other room holding their own combat bat. Chaeyeon got startled when Yujin suddenly jumped on her back, locking her upper body, hindering her to move. Yena hang onto her right leg, both of her arms wrapped around her waist. Whilst Hyewon is pulling her hands behind her back and tie it together using what seems to be a cable tie if Chaeyeon is right.

The latter never expected it to be this chaotic. And honestly, she could only laugh at the situation.

“Yah! Why are you laughing?” Yena asked, still clinging onto Chaeyeon’s leg.

“Nothing. It’s just funny to me,”

“What is?”

“This. Whatever you’re doing. Eunbi, you know this will not do anything right?” Chaeyeon asked.

Imagine the shock on Eunbi’s face when Chaeyeon sent Yena flying to the living room’s carpet. She broke the tie easily and carried both Hyewon and Yujin by raising their clothes upward and throw it them too atop of the poor Yena who is crouching in pain.

“H-How?” The older human asked, her tone quivering.

“I told you. I’m your guardian angel. A supreme being. Divine. Cable tie will not work for me,” She responded arrogantly. Chaeyeon successfully buy her way in and sat at the couch, looking at the three poor human still whining in pain.

“Awe Yena! My foot!” Hyewon yelled while lying on the top of Yena’s body.

“Get off of us Yujin! You’re heavy” Yena also yelled in frustration.

Eunbi remained on her position, feeling suspicious and amazement to the weird stranger sitting at their couch.

‘If I’m dreaming, please wake me up. This is crazy!’ She thought.

“You guys, stand up and go back upstairs. Tell the others that no one will come down until I say so. I need to talk to her alone.”

“Yes, ma.” Following their unnie’s command, they stood up one by one. But before they made it to the stairs, they turned around in unison and squint their eyes at Chaeyeon. Pointing a finger at the angel, motioning a warning. Chaeyeon could only raise her one eyebrow and smirk.

“I’m sorry about that,” Eunbi started after making sure that the three are already gone.

“It’s okay,”

“Umm, can we please go back to the start? Can you explain to me how you are an angel?”

“Ah, yeah. Sure. Okay so, here it goes.”

Chaeyeon tried to explain it to Eunbi in a way that the girl will understand it. She receives lots of weird looks and shocked face, it’s cute if Chaeyeon might add.

"Hold up! So you're telling me, you are an actual guardian angel?" Eunbi exclaimed.

"Affirmative"

"Like angel angel?"

"Yes. I don't know why you are having a hard time understanding it" She said.

"Do you actually think I'm going to believe you? You are supposed to be just a myth. Something people would tell to someone to scare them off!" She said, almost standing up from her seat because of the revelation.

"Aren't all humans believes in angels? I mean, especially now it's 2050? Aliens are already proven true and now, me, an angel in your couch, looking magnificent as ever and whom most people claim to be true since 1900's, are not seems to be real to you?"

"Well, I don't believe in what men says about God and all those other religious beliefs"

"I see, I respect that. But Eunbi, you can trust me on this.” She paused. “For the benefit of the doubt, I, Chaeyeon, hereby state to you, Eunbi, that I am real" She declared.

"Okay then prove it. I need evidence"

"How?"

"Angels have wings. Show it to me"

"I have, but we can't show it while we are on Earth"

"Why not?"

"I don't know. Ask the supreme. They made that law"

"Right. Umm, any powers maybe?"

"What exactly?"

"I don't know. Just anything. To make me believe you're an angel"

"Isn’t the easy strength I showed earlier not enough for you?”

"Oh, umm, okay." Eunbi says. "How ‘bout tell me more about you? That’s fair," She added.

"Why?"

"I still don't trust you. I need to know and understand your nature first"

Chaeyeon never remembered it being this hard. Usually, she will just come in front of the door and the others will welcome her greatly. But this woman. "What do you want to know?"

"What kind of angel are you again?"

"Guardian. Angels have different roles to play. There are guardians, soldiers, healers, and some sort"

"What guardians usually do?"

"We are those angels that they send to human world to protect assigned humans. May be that a long-term and short-term"

"Are you short-term for me?"

"Strangely, they didn't specify the longevity. They just send me off"

"I see. How about the others?"

"Soldiers priority is to protect heaven. You know them as the arch angels. Most of them are assigned to take out evil invade our realm. In human world, the higher-power let some of them disguises as priest or exorcist. Healers are, well, healers. You might know a story of one dying person miraculously gain life, it's their job. They give second chances. Only if the situation has been weighed and discussed"

Weirdly enough, this whole angel thing is making sense to Eunbi’s mind. It terrifies her that it’s already getting so interesting.

"Is that all?"

"There are normal angels, and there are fallen"

"Fallen?"

“Yup.”

“What about them?”

“They are actually not worth talking about,”

Eunbi noticed how Chaeyeon’s expression shifted. “But I want to know about them.”

“You do know you’re so stubborn right?” Chaeyeon says. It’s not like she don’t want to talk about it. She just think that, well, it’s not really “relevant”.

“I’ve been told. Now, continue”

"They are also angels, but unlike us, their wings are black as crow and they bleed red. Like a human. Those who are not fallen, have ichor run through their veins. When you are a fallen, it only means one thing"

"And that is?" Eunbi asks, albeit she sounds a little more interested now.

"You failed to accomplish your mission"

"That's unfortunate. What if it's just too hard for some?"

"Angels are not made to fail, Eunbi. That’s why if you are a fallen, you are a disgrace. Either they will demote you, or worse, exiled.” She simply stated.

“That’s…” Eunbi paused. “…sad.”

“We have no choice. It’s the world we live in,”

Just like what Uncle Ben said ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ and it’s the same for them. Being an angel is not easy. They have to make sure that everything will go how it is planned or else it will cause them to fail and that’s just not good.

“Is that all you wanted to ask?”

“Ah y-yeah.” Eunbi said. She stood up from her seat, realizing it’s already noon. She wanted to ask if Chaeyeon already ate, but she don’t even know if they eat.

‘Does she?’

“Um, Chaeyeon?” She called, nervously.

“Hmm?” Chaeyeon hummed while observing the house. She stood up from her seat and roam around. She saw the comfortable nook at the living area and think about making it her territory. She, for sure, knows that she’s going to enjoy sleeping there.

Eunbi followed the girl and saw her already comfortably lying down at their nook. “Have you eaten?”

The angel averted her gaze from the nook’s window to the human girl. Chaeyeon can see nervousness lies between her eyes, and what’s life without little tease? So she asked, “Like food?”

It was meant to be a joke, but Eunbi took it way too seriously that her face changed from confuse to complete horror.

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