Chapter 4

Angel Yongsun’s new charge

Nothing good ever came of daydreaming. It only brought undesirable memories that ran through a mind with very little regard to the head they were passing through and what effect they might have.

Angel Yongsun sat in a windowsill in the sleeping quarters in just her nightgown with her legs bent to her chest and a book in her hands. Her eyes flickered over the page, but they could not devour the words properly, they tasted stale, had no flavour at all, which was peculiar since words, more often than not, tasted like candy and other sweet things.

Yongsun’s mind was also elsewhere, thinking about other things, about other places. She thought about going to the infirmary to do her assigned duties, about leaving Heaven in hopes of quenching her thirst for freedom, about Wheein and her promised letters, about Heeyeon and her charming smile. Yongsun’s thoughts even strayed to the magician — the last magician in Couronne — and Yongsun wondered if she was alright, or if an Angel needed to go and heal her.

Yongsun closed her book with a huff, leaned her head back against the window frame and grasped the pendant around her neck. It glowed softly, pulsating in different shades of red; first scarlet, then crimson, then vermillion.

A door slammed shut, startling Yongsun — she almost fell off the windowsill. The scarlet pendant’s red glow faded. Yongsun looked around the room for any Angels, but there were none. She dragged her hand through her hair and sighed, then jumped down onto the newly washed floor.

Yongsun walked, barefooted, over to her assigned cot and pulled out a large wooden chest from underneath it. She took out her uniform; the shirt, the armband with the cross on it, the leggings, the army boots and even the leather skirt, which Yongsun knew she would not need.

Her hand rested on the skirt, she trailed her fingertips over the dents that bullets had left behind. A sharp pain shot through Yongsun’s chest. She whimpered, holding a hand over her heart. Memories of the war still hurt, still caused her pain, even though five years had passed since the war had been declared over.

Another saying in the Land of Couronne was that pain never lasted for eternity. But that was a lie — it had to be, because Yongsun knew quite well how long pain could last, and fester, shaping people in unspeakable ways. Pain had stuck to her like glue, they eventually became each others friends.

The pendant around Yongsun’s neck glowed much more violently than earlier. Red rays shot from it, piercing the walls in the sleeping quarters. Yongsun tried to hide the pendant by clasping her hands around it, but the rays escaped, and when they reached her pillow, the pillow caught fire.

The room began to smell of smoke and if Yongsun did not act quickly, the fire would spread, devouring the sleeping quarter. Yongsun grabbed her bed scarf and rushed to pat down the fire. Her hands stung from the flames and her eyes watered from the ache in her palms.

When the fire was out, Yongsun cradled her hands against her chest, not daring to look at how the fire might have burnt her, but if Yongsun had looked, she would have seen that her hands had not been scorched at all.

She left for the wash room, the Salle de Bains, and washed her hands, which did nothing, really. When Yongsun saw her hands, she was surprised, dragging her fingertips over her unmarked palms. She frowned as she scrubbed away at her own flesh until it became red. Yongsun returned to the sleeping quarters with a nagging at the back of her mind. She closed the trunk with a huff, hurriedly dressed in her uniform and decided to pay Head Angel Solji a visit.

Enough was enough.

She could not stay cooped up in Heaven when she would rather be somewhere else. And what if she accidentally burnt Heaven down? It seemed ridiculous to waste time doing things one really did not want to do, or staying in a place that conjured horrible daydreams that only inflicted longing.

Yongsun nervously stood in Head Angel Solji’s doorway, rubbing the pendant around her neck. If she pretended long enough to be brave, Yongsun hoped she would become brave. She finally found her voice in the back of :

«Head Angel?»

Solji looked up from the papers on her desk and adjusted her round glasses.

«Yes, Angel Yongsun?»

Solji beckoned for Yongsun to step inside. Yongsun treaded lightly, as if she was walking on glass, and came to stand in front of the Head Angel.

«I was wondering if I could become a Field Angel, like Angel Wheein.»

Solji removed her glasses and placed them on the desk.

«You’ve grown bored of working in the infirmary, I see,» she said, sounding a bit disappointed, «the witch gave you a taste of freedom, didn’t she?»

«Head Angel Soji, I can assure you that is not— »

«It’s okay, Yongsun. I understand. I was once an Angel just like you, I also wanted to travel and see the world. For a moment, before the war broke out, I got to do exactly that. Now that the war is over, things have inevitably changed. I understand that you are itching to see a bit more of the wonders of Couronne.»

Solji placed her elbows on the desk, pressed her fingertips together and looked at Yongsun for a while before she finally spoke again.

«You’ve been a loyal Angel to Heaven, you’ve been dutiful and obedient, and you’ve become a role model for the younger recruits…»

Solji chuckled and shook her head, smiling.

«By the stars, I’m making it sound like you’re retiring, aren’t I?»

Yongsun did not have the courage to come up with a sincere or witty reply. She only shrugged, hoping Solji would not take offence at her lack of words.

«Whatever you ask of me, Yongsun, I will certainly do my best to grant it.»

There was honesty laced in Solji’s voice and Yongsun’s heart twisted and turned in violent ways. What joy it brought, what pain it caused; to be promised freedom, but at the cost of being selfish.

«Thank you, Head Angel Solji.»

It was only a few days later that Head Angel Solji was seen walking down the hallways, chin held high and shoulders pushed back. Solji was looking for Angel Yongsun, who was sitting in the windowsill in the sleeping quarters.

Yongsun had fallen asleep while holding a book, Solji woke her up by gently shaking her leg. Yongsun groaned, telling Wheein to stop disturbing her. Solji cleared and Yongsun opened her eyes, surprised to see the Head Angel standing in front of her. Yongsun felt a bit embarrassed and blushed. 

«I have a charge for you here in Kingston, Sector 10. She was a soldier during the war.»

Head Angel Solji handed Angel Yongsun a document.

«This is her medical file. Her name’s Ahn Hyojin, she was born in Harbour City but is living in Kingston while she gets her wounds treated. She’s almost fully healed, but still needs to be checked on regularly.» Solji let out a huff. «She can be stubborn, talkative, and messy. Very messy. But she means the best, so don’t be too hard on her when you first meet.»

Angel Yongsun curtsied, which neve