"Somebody help me. I can't find my child"  it was evening and Arah was walking down the seashore when she heard a woman screaming hysterically. She ran to her.

"What happened?"

"My child was playing in the water but now I can't find her. She can't swim. She's just five" she sobbed and showed her daughter's picture.

It was a heartbreaking site. Arah ran about looking for her and saw her in th water. The waves were taking her away from the shore.She swam to her and managed to catch a hold  of her. She was unconscious. Arah swam back to the shore. A lifeguard had come by then and performed CPR on her. Thankfully she was alright. Her mother thanked Arah profusely.  She smiled and walked back to her apartment.

'Although the kid's mother was careless, she still loves her. She was genuinely worried. I wish my parents were here' she thought wistfully. 'Why did they get on that  plane?' She had been ten when they died in the crash.

"Hi"

Arah turned around to see who the speaker was but she didn't see anyone.

'Great now I'm hearing voices in my head' she thought.

"Hey, you shouldn't be out this late"

"Who's there?" Arah was getting nervous.Suddenly a boy materialized before her. He had chocolate brown eyes which were partially covered by his brown hair giving off a mysterious aura and looked sunkissed. He looked ethereal.

"What are you?" She asked in shock.

 "I am your guardian Kai"

She looked doubtfully at him eyeing his casual attire. She believed in the supernatural but he looked like a college student.

"Where are your wings?" She blurted out and her face turned red.

He looked taken aback but answered "Who needs wings when you can levitate" he demonstrated.

"Somebody will see you"

"Only you can see me unless I allow it".

'Why me? She thought.

'Your selflessness touched God and He sent me to protect and help you'

"How do we have a telepathic bond?" She asked curiously.

"Because I'm your guardian" he started looking impatient.

 

They settled into a routine. They went to school together. Arah was an outcast at school. She always seemed to be in her own world. She was useed to being lonely but she wasn't comfortable with it.She was an introvert and so was Kai. He seemed to not like her but in reality he just didn't know how to fill the silence.One day they were walking back home when Arah stopped suddenly'

"Kai you said you are a guardian but you almost always wear black. Aren't you supposed to wear white? Are you a fallen angel?"

"Why can't I wear black? It's my favourite colour. Just because you humans like to imagine us in white............... And how dare you ask me whether i am a fallen angel" Kai said in a calm voice but he looked angry and amused at the same time. "Also you also wear black a lot. You are a goth girl. Does that mean you don't believe in God?"

"Touche. I get it, Mianhe for offending you" Arah apologized.

'Stop talking. Use the telepathic bond. People are staring'.

'I wanna talk. I'm lonely' she confessed.

He didn't know what to say.

Suddenly she saw a wounded puppy. She approached it cautiously not wanting to scare it. The puppy came to her willingly. It kept wagging it's tail. Kai patted it's head.

"It can see you?"

"Yeah animals can see me."

They went home and took care of the puppy. It was a she. They named her Soora.

 

"Kai?"

"Yeah?"

"Do all guardians look sunkissed?"

"Depends. I look sunkissed because I am a descendant of the sun".

"So there are guardians with different descendants."

"Yeah."

 

"I'll grant you a wish"

"Why?'' Asked Arah looking confused. She had put electric blue highlights in her jet black hair.

"Because you are a selfless, good person".

She looked thoughtful. "I wanna see the future so I can help people".

Kai had a sense of foreboding. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle it? I can only grant you one wish".

"Yes I am sure" she sealed her fate.

 

After this Arah and Kai grew closer. She had nightmares but he couldn't protect her. Still he tried to help her. The main reason for the bond to become stronger was Soora. Both of them adored her. Kai was like an overprotective older brother and best friend all rolled into one. Arah used to get bullied but now they couldn't touch her. Everytime they went near her with the intent to hurt her they felt like their asses were being kicked. They started getting scared of her but she wasn't bothered because she had Kai. He considered her his younger sister and best friend. He didn't say it out loud but he always had her back

"Freak". Everybody called her this because she had tried to warn one of the popular girls that she would sprain her leg when cheerleading. The girl had not listened and she did end up spraining her leg and couldn't take part in the competition.

'Why can't they listen to me? Every morning I'm greeted by this stupid word' Arah thought despondently.

''They are idiots, that's why''  said Kai vehemently.

'But they have a point. I am useless. I can't save anybody' Arah thought sadly.

'That's not true. You did save some people. You can't save everybody. It's not your fault they don't listen to you.'

'Thanks'.

'For what?'

'For making me feel better'.

'I was just stating a fact'.

 

It was evening and they were taking Soora for a walk. They went to a park and let her run around. They sat down on a bench in silence. It wasn't awkward though.

"Kai do you miss your family?"

"Sometimes."

"Can't you visit them?"

"No, not when I am protecting someone."

"Mianhe."

"It's not your fault".

"Hey, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Umm" Kai started blushing.

"Oh look somebody's blushing" teased Arah her black eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Shut up. People are staring".

'Don't try to change the subject, So what is her name?' she asked telepathically.

'Krystal' he looked a bit shy.

'I wish I could meet her'.

'Me too. But she's also a guardian.'

 

"No" Arah screamed jolting up in shock. She was in her bedroom. She had a vision.

"Kai I need to visit my relatives" said Arah frantically packing her bag.

"In the middle of the night?" He looked confused. He had gone for a rendezvous with Krystal but had rushed back after hearing her scream.

"We have no time to waste".

"But they told you to get out once you were eighteen and never come back" said Kai angrily. He thought they were the worst and considered them equal to crap.

"Yeah but I had a vision. Their house caught on fire".

"And why should you care? They treated you like . You are paying for your education by going for part time jobs. You owe thm nothing".

"Yeah but they didn't abandon me in an orphanage".

"Yeah for the money they would get once you were eighteen".

"I am doing it for my parents and for my conscience" she got out of her apartment and got on her motorbike.

"This is not safe" Kai knew this wouldn't end well. He couldn't see the future but his hunches were never wrong.

"I have you to protect me hyung" Arah called him hyung for the first time. He was too shocked to retort.

 

They reached her relatives' house and she rang the calling bell. The door was opened by her uncle. Her aunt was standing behind him.

"What are you doing here? I thought we told you to never return once you turned eighteen' they looked pissed.

"Please listen to me. Please be careful around fire. Otherwise your house is gonna catch on fire" she stared at them imploringly.

"GET OUT" they shouted and slammed the door in her face.

"Let's go" Kai led her back. He felt bad for her. Once they reached home she apologized for interrupting his private time with Krystal.

"It's OK. She understood why" he comforted her.

 

"You should learn to stand up for yourself. I like having a strong younger sister".

"Yeah you are right. I am better than this" she looked determined.

She tried to ignore the bullies and their opinions. She didn't want to waste her time.

 

Her relatives' house caught on fire. They hadn't listened to her. They blamed her for causing the fire and wanted compensation.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

"We want your money. We are gonna get it" they told her haughtily.

Even Kai couldn't help her. He wasn't supposed to interfere. She finally understood that her relatives were gold diggers. She kind of knew it all along but she chose to ignore it. She was on the verge of bankruptcy since she didn't get a good lawyer. They charged her with damage of private property and arson all on circumstantial evidence.

'I shouldn't have been so hasty. I should have thought this over before asking fo a wish. Now I have lost everything. Not even my guardian can save me now' Arah thought to herself despondently. 'If only I could turn back time........'

 

 

"Please let me turn back time" she mumbled in her sleep. She woke up with a start. She looked aroud and saw that she was in her bedroom and not in prison. She checked the date and saw that it was the day she would be granted her wish. It had all been a dream. But she knew that God was giving her a second chance. She got ready and decided to spend the day with her hyung [Kai].

"That was a weird dream" Kai had seen it as well so he knew what Arah was talking about.

"Hey It's time for your wish. You know why".

"Hyung who grants the wish - you or Him?"

"Him".

"Dear God, I wish that he can see his loved ones and family more. Please let him not be my guardian anymore and let him see them everyday" Arah smiled at Kai.

'Goodbye hyung' she thought sadly knowing that this was what he wanted. Kai sat still, utterly shocked. He vanished. Soora ran to Arah and cuddled with her.

 

                                                         [One month later]

 

'Eonnie you are so cool. Thank you for saving me from those bullies" a girl hugged Arah. Arah had learned to ignore the bullies and they didn't bother her anymore. She defended the ones getting bullied as well. She was still a loner but she did have some friends now. She and Soora missed Kai but they knew he was happy. Her aunt and uncle had gone to jail for money laundering. They had been involved with the wrong kinds of people. She was friends with a girl named Yuki who was just like her.

She was sitting in the homeroom when the teacherr came and said "Good morning evryone. This is Byun Baekhyun. He's new here so I hope you wlcome him with open arms". He said hi and the teacher said "sit next to Arah".

"Hey mr Eyeliner" she felt comfortable with him.

"Hi miss Goth " he teased. They became fast friends.

They were walking down the hallway when Arah heard a familiar sound.

"Hi"

"Kai?' She turned back.

He stood there grinning.

"I thought--"

"Pabo You are family. So I came back. You can't get rid of me. I am your guardian. And your friend's guardian is somebody I love very much" he gestured to Baekhyun.

"So you are Kai" said Baekhyun grinning.

Arah gave Kai a big hug and turned to see a beautiful girl standing behind Baekhyun.

"Hi Krystal noona'' they hugged each other.

And Arah knew that they were gonna be one happy family.