After the two had returned home, Sungkyu waited on his cot for the sun to rise. Woohyun dropped into his desk and began to rub his face over and over again, the thoughts of something even bigger, something more dangerous than a simple fallen angel, stressed him out. He knew he would have to contact ECHO to inform them about this supposed "Real Mashiach" yet he hated the thought of doing so after the way they treated Sungkyu as a soldier for war, rather than a living, breathing, feeling man. 

The sun was beginning to poke its head, illuminating the sky slowly, causing the sky's color to lighten up, from an intense zaffre to a more relaxed cornflower blue.

Sungkyu had changed and stretched out his hand for some clothes that were strewn over his cot. Woohyun had plugged in earphones and was being soothed by the music that played on them. Sungkyu tossed himself on his cot and kept his gaze fixed at the ceiling. He placed his arms behind his head and started to hum a little song that came to mind. He was happy that all those nightmarish visions had vanished. The sight of his scarf caught his attention, prompting him to fiddle with it. Pleasant memories of his Christmas date with Nayeon a whole decade earlier enveloped his mind, a grand smile on his face was the natural outcome. He brought the scarf to his nose and inhaled its scent, pretending it was the scent of fresh laundry, laundry Nayeon might've washed, that filled his nostrils. It obviously wasn't. It was the smell of sweat, and clothes that had not been washed in months but stored away somewhere in the deepest crevices of a neglected closet. It reminded Sungkyu of Fritos.

This is when Sungkyu innocently unwinded the scarf off his neck.
He placed it at the end of his cot, with the intention of washing it later that day.

He fell to the floor and began to scream in terror the moment he let go of the scarf. He saw his arms, his whole body drenched in blood; he saw the gory images of the angels he violently defeated laughing at him and urging him to kill himself; he heard various incessant whispers hiss in his mind that caused him to lose track of which were his own thoughts; he felt numerous hands tug and pull at his feet and hair; shrieks of the angels he had violently defeated flooded his ears; he felt the ground beneath him melt away, leaving him to cradle his knees.

But it was all illusory, mere hallucinations. Nothing was there besides what was always there, and no one else was there besides Woohyun.
Woohyun had stood up and felt his breath stolen at the sight of Sungkyu crying while in the fetal position.

 "Sungkyu!" Woohyun was squeezing Sungkyu's shoulders, shaking him gently, "It's okay! Calm down!"

 Sungkyu could not hear Woohyun at all, the other screams and voices in his head drowned Woohyun's voice out.

Woohyun noticed the white scarf no longer around his neck, so he searched for it. He picked it up from off the cot and hurried to place it in Sungkyu's hand that was wet from all the tears and beads of sweat it had wiped.

Sungkyu quieted down the moment his palm made contact with the scarf. It felt warm in his hand, as though it was Nayeon's soft, small hand and not the scarf.

Woohyun took a seat next to Sungkyu and looked at Sungkyu with a face smeared with pity and frustration. Sungkyu looked up at Woohyun, his eyes were dim yet he managed to put up a small but peaceful smile. He was clueless as to what had happened.

Woohyun clicked his tongue and smacked the floor with his hand, leading him to afterwards hug it as it reeled in from the pain. His face held a scowl that was the product of frustration, anger and impotence. By this point he knew all too well that the scarf now in Sungkyu's hand was the only thing that kept him from falling into a world of despair, hopelessness, and insanity. 

 Sungkyu's spoke with a naive, tired, tone, "You okay, Woohyun?" He reached to touch the hair that dangled in front of Woohyun's eyes, " ...you look sad and angry. Maybe you should sleep. I'm sure you'll dream a dream full of joy. "

Woohyun gently swatted away Sungkyu's hand, he swallowed the spit in his throat and spoke with an almost stern voice, "You should be the one to rest."

Sungkyu steadily rose only to lay on the cot. "It's cold," he told Woohyun, "can you cover me?" he asked with beaming eyes.

 Woohyun scoffed, "I'm not your mom!"

 "But you cook for me and even wash my clothes!" Sungkyu sarcastically replied.

Woohyun rolled his eyes and got up, "Just this once!" He got his blankets, stretched them out and let it fall on Sungkyu, covering him enirely.

Sungkyu clutched the ends of the blankets, "Thank you, mom!" He then made himself comfortable and went off to sleep.

 Woohyun had his palm on his forehead. He felt stumped, not knowing where the road ahead would lead him and Sungkyu. He felt he had to get Sungkyu off this angel sealing business, but was certain ECHO would answer with saying, "He's the only one capable of sealing them. Jaejoong is currently unable to help." He started walking in circles, stopping every now and then to glimpse at Sungkyu, "Is he still asleep?" He looked at the scarf with a concerned expression,  worrying what should happen to Sungkyu if the scarf would be destroyed or lost in battle, a very possible outcome. He paused and ran his hand through his hair, plucking out a strand with the intention of regaining focus. He took a deep breath and began dialing the organization's number. 

He was answered by a man who spoke with a stern voice, "What do you need?"

The man who spoke was S. Borden, the man in charge of ECHO. 

 Woohyun hesitated but spoke up, "Sungkyu...Unidentified Lifeform No. 4 is unable to carry out his mission- He is suffering from a severe case of PTSD. He has been for a while- but there's just no helping him now; he can't go on fighting anymore."

 "That's preposterous. He has to."

 "Look, he can't do it, can't you send anyone else? I'll do my part too and help," Woohyun bargained.

 Borden let out in a harsh voice, "Only he can deal with this mess!"

 "Why are you so angry? Calm down, is-"

He guessed Woohyun's thoughts, "Jaejoong is not here with us- not that he is able to fully help the two of you- He is currently resting."

 Woohyun was baffled, very rarely did Jaejoong ever get injured to the point he needed repose for this long; his vampire body made him ridiculously strong and able to take in much damage without any real hurt.

Woohyun bit his nail, "He'll be fine, though- right?"
 

"Yes. He needs the rest, after so many battles and horrific things he has seen... You can expect him to have a peaceful time while receiving his well-deserved Sabbatical. Don't worry about him."

 Woohyun sighed a sigh of relief before adding, "But, why can't Sungkyu rest? Like I said, he's got problems."

 "I'll put in a prayer request from the Pope; that usually helps."

 "Look, prayer or not, if Sungkyu continues to fight all these angels on his own - I can't really say I actually help him by the way, I'm just there, really- but if he continues to fight alone, he'll die! I don't want that. I can't have that. That's why I'm requesting for you to send someone else to fill his place, at least for a month."

Borden took a deep breath full of concern, "We already did. 40, actually. They were trained for decades in dealing with the supernatural; these angels are different. All 40 died...only Jaejoong and this guy, Sungkyu, are the only ones to have actually sealed them. The Pope informed us that he felt an evil arise in the South L.A. region, that's why we had 40 ready there; Jaejoong was in Florida fighting a Wendigo."

 "What?!"

  "Yes, just before your Sungkyu popped up, we sent a group of 40 to attempt to seal an angel- 40 because we knew they were that dangerous. And they were brought back home to Rome in coffins. These 40 were the first to encounter these beings, they fought hard but died. By the time Jaejoong arrived, they were all dead. Jaejoong was barely able to fight one off, let alone seal one. It's a miracle he sealed a total of six! That's why he requested that you never be out on this case, because he didn't want to risk the chance of you dying. The damage he took from the 7th angel he fought, one that was peculiar, is the cause for his not being here."

Woohyun couldn't speak a word in response. 

 "If we send any more men, we're sending them off to their death."

 "But Sungkyu -"

 "- If not him, Then I'm sure people will die by the thousands. Listen, I don't know how why he transforms," he did know, he was lying for the sake of maintaing peace, "...but it's like a God-given miracle, the way he effortlessly seals these evil, evil angels. To be frank, I've sometimes struggled in my faith, not in God, but in my own strength to endure all the evil we face, to endure my own shortcomings, but this guy- Sungkyu, with the way he's like a hero, he fills me with hope. He makes me thankful to God..." 

 "..."

After some deliberation Woohyun told Borden what the fallen angel said about a "Real Mashiach"; said farewell and hung up. He was now staring at Sungkyu again. He sat on his own cot and was pensive, thinking why things must be the way they were. He questioned again the possibility of the scarf being separated from Sungkyu and of his fall to insanity that follows. 

 Then it struck him. What happens if he makes a necklace or something out of the scarf's material, then Sungkyu would have to wear it since it won't tickle him or gather any smell (he guessed Sungkyu took it off because of a possible odor). "But what if it easily rips or something," he thought aloud. Genius struck a second time as Woohyun remembered the strand of Samson's hair that was stored in his safe. Jaejoong had used it before as a means to attain an even greater strength (Jaejoong already possessed superhuman strength, but the strand made him even stronger). Woohyun took it out and looked at it as it glistened under the light. He gripped it, frustrated that it was not able to help him- the strand only strengthened those who had a deep faith. "Maybe Jaejoong left this here knowing I might need it..." The strand itself was strong, unable to be torn, and Woohyun hoped it might strengthen the thread (belonging to the scarf), thereby making a necklace that would never be able to be torn apart.

Woohyun then quietly approached Sungkyu and snipped a rather long overhanging tassel with a pair of scissors. He twined the strand of hair with the thread and made a knot after doing so. He then looked all over the place for some type of charm he could hang on it. He vented out a deep breath from his nostrils when the only thing he found available was a silver cross Jaejoong had gifted him years ago. The cross was precious to him, he always kept it well protected and in a safe place, choosing not to hang it on his neck for fear of losing it. He fastened the cross on the necklace and admired his work, "Not too shabby!" He praised himself, "It's good! Very good!"

He sat the necklace on his desk and took a seat on his chair. Woohyun kicked his feet up and let them rest on his desk as he plugged in his earbuds. He took a deep breath in order to relax himself and began to watch some random animal videos on YouTube to free some stress. He just wanted to smile and feel warm inside for a change by looking at baby animals, especially orangutans. Half an hour passed and Woohyun was now asleep, the pet videos served as a nice substitution for sleeping pills, like counting sheep or drinking a nice warm glass of milk before bed. 

Sungkyu woke up after he rolled off his cot and though the fall was loud, it failed to startle Woohyun. Sungkyu scratched his (the morning itch) and ignored the cold tile-floor as he walked in Woohyun's direction, his feet making these damp sounds with every step. He was stunned to see the baby animal video Woohyun was watching, "I just don't get this guy," he remarked as his eyes followed the bead of drool that slid from the corner of Woohyun's wide-open mouth. Then for some weird reason, who knows why, Sungkyu decided to stick his finger into Woohyun's mouth. Sungkyu was holding in his laughter at this childish act. Suddenly, Woohyun shook himself (Sungkyu pulled his finger away at this and hid his hand behind his back) and snored loudly. Sungkyu then stepped back while thinking of how he could prank Woohyun, but lost his footing and fell on his . Woohyun finally woke up.
 

He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Sungkyu with confusion, "What are you doing?"

  "Uhmm...How come your watching pet videos?"

 Woohyun glanced at his phone and smiled, "Because their cute! Why wouldn't I?" The necklace he had made glistened, catching his attention. He grabbed it and extended his hand in Sungkyu's direction, "Merry Late Christmas!"

Sungkyu grabbed the necklace and looked at it weirdly, "I think you got ripped off, it looks cheaply made. I think I made better things in kindergarten."

 Woohyun groaned, annoyed by the comment, "Just put it on!"

 The necklace was pretty wide, so Sungkyu just slipped it on and let it hang lowly. The silver cross felt cold against his skin, but it was soon warmed by his body heat. Sungkyu picked it up and stared at it, before saying, "Thanks- but I didn't get you anything."

 "That's okay, just promise never to take it off."

  "Why?"

 Woohyun's eyes were serious, "Never take it off," he smiled, "it's worth a lot. So, if you lose it, I'll kill you. "

 "...okay," Sungkyu replied with a whimper.

  "Even when you're taking a bath, do not take it off."

 Sungkyu nodded and then removed the scarf. He held it out and asked, "Can you wash this for me? It has this weird Fritos smell."

 "Oh, thank God it worked," Woohyun said to himself, noticing his plan had succeeded. He grabbed the scarf and sniffed it before pulling it away, remarking, "No kidding! It smells!"

A month passed and the two were out eating at a nearby KFC. Woohyun was scrolling on his phone, looking at miscellaneous articles while waiting for Sungkyu to finish eating. 

He stopped on one that caught his attention, "hey," he told Sungkyu, "are you still close with Mina from high school- I remember you guys were like close friends or something, right?"

 "Yeah..." Sungkyu wistfully answered. His eye winced, "but we kind of stopped after I started dating Nayeon. I think she moved back to Japan after graduation, but that's all I know..."

Woohyun slurped some of his soda, "Did you know she's famous there? She sold out the Tokyo Dome for a second time," he added as he glossed over the article.

 Sungkyu was aloof, not impressed at all because he did not know the implications of this Tokyo Dome. "Aha," he said.

  "You should hook up with her, you'll have it made. We could go on double dates- you two, along with Joy and I"

Sungkyu ignored the last bit, "How come you're interested in her all of a sudden?"

 "Actually, I remember reading an article on her about a month ago, when we ate tacos, remember? I was going to tell you then, but I got the runs that moment and forgot about it." He chose not to mention that it was an article about her breaking up with another celebrity.

 "Has she changed?" Sungkyu asked with a sudden nostalgia running through his mind.

 "Yeah...I guess- more mature, yet still kind of innocent looking. She's pretty, I guess."

 Sungkyu wiped his greasy fingers on his napkin, "I'm going to tell Joy on you," he said with a smug look, "You're cheating on her."

 "You serious? I mean, she's alright, but she's no Joy. Joy's much more prettier."

Sungkyu held his hand opened, "Let me see."

 Woohyun passed his phone and the picture of Mina in a brightly colored dress with the spotlight shining down on her made Sungkyu say "wow." Sungkyu stared at her picture for about a minute before returning it to Woohyun, "she still looks so pretty. I guess life went well for her." Sungkyu grasped the white scarf hanging down his neck and smiled slightly, "maybe things will get better for me," he thought to himself, pretending it was Nayeon's hand he was holding and not the scarf. He took a deep breath as he wondered where life would take him and when the next fallen angel would appear.