Chapter One: Minju

Assistants of Paradise (MONSTA X Fan-Fiction)

    Brown leaves frosted with a thin layer of ice covered the winter-stricken ground. A graying empyrean loomed above as milky wisps of ragged, stretched cotton pinned themselves to the span. The chilled breeze that softly, yet bitterly nipped at any and all exposed skin caused those wandering to and from work on foot to tuck their faces into scarves and jackets; the air heavy as it seemingly weighed upon lungs, partially robbing all lifeforms of oxygen.

    Slowly, a young child trudged along an icy path. 

    Her small hands, pale and clean, clenched into tiny fists as she fiddled with the white cloth of her gown. Long hair brushed against her lower back as bare feet padded through the snow-kissed abyss. Face showing no signs of fear, but rather confusion as her bottom lip jutted outwards into a childish pout; her cheeks naturally tinged pink - completely unrelated to the weather. From the corner of her eye, a taller figure nabbed her attention.

    "Hello, small one," the voice was sweet; reminiscent of honey.

    Large eyes peered up through thick lashes at the kind faced man standing before her - his body clad in a long robe. The silky material hued a pearlescent white as it skirted his brown sandal clad feet. There was a particular luminescence to him - almost as though a silver gradient to golden aura outlined his slim, but muscular figure.

    "Hi," her voice was nearly a whisper as she blinked. "Who are you?"

    Smoothly, white teeth peeked from behind their peachy fleshed barriers as he flashed a perfect grin. Squatting before her, his icy white eyes peered into her hazel toned ones, "I'm Kihyun. You're Minju, correct?"

    The little girl's eyes widened slightly, "How did you know that?"

    Gently, Kihyun smiled as he tapped his finger to his forehead, "I know everything."

    "That's impossible!" Minju's brows furrowed as her arms folded, lips now fixed into a full pout as her cheeks puffed slightly. Kihyun merely chuckled as he mimicked her childish body language, but maintained a soft smile, "Nuh-uh! I really do know everything. Go ahead, quiz me."

    Minju's small forefinger pressed into her left puffed cheek as her right arm bent brassily against her side. Eyes fixating upon the sky, she drummed her finger - the sound produced reminiscent to a leaky faucet dripping water drops into the sink's basin. Kihyun merely watched with a delightful grin as he lowered himself onto the ground; hands hoisted behind his back as a prop.

    "Ah!" She excitedly turned back to the male before her with eyes as wide as the grin she wore. "Why is the sky blue?"

    He nodded his head to the side once before answering, "Science will tell you it's due to light scatter."

    "What does that mean?"

    "Essentially, everywhere you see - angle, way, whatever - there's blue light that has been moved all around the Earth's atmosphere by the air's teeny-tiny molecules."

    Her eyebrows furrowed, "But why is it blue? Why not green or purple or - ooh! Pink!"

    A small chuckle escaped his lips as his shoulders shrugged, "The color blue has a shorter travel time than other colors. That's why the sky is blue most of the time."

    "However," he interjected as he raised his hand to the the gloomy canvas that loomed above their bodies, "I believe the sky is blue because that's how God intended it to be. He was happy when He created this planet, so I believe He chose light blue as a symbol for that; for His happiness."

    "But blue is for sad people," her voice was tinged in confusion as she moved to sit before him upon the ground as well. "If He was happy, He would've picked a different color - like yellow or pink. At least, I would have."

    Kihyun raised a brow, "Blue doesn't always represent sadness or feelings related to such an emotion. I do, however, see where you're coming from considering the human brain." He paused for a moment before gesturing towards the grey sky, "Wouldn't you say that this sky is a lot more depressing than a blue one?"

    Minju nodded in response as Kihyun merely snapped his fingers. Immediately, the empyrean hued to its usual light blue color as the usual golden ball of fire began emerging from the thick, milky clouds. The little girl's mouth fell agape as she watched the scene unfold above her; eyes wide as she turned to the man who, now, sat timidly upon lush green grass.

    "How did you do that?"

    He merely shrugged, "I didn't." 

    Her brows furrowed at his answer, but she didn't question him. Instead, her lips pursed into a straight line as she thought for a moment. Pulling them back with a popping sound, she pulled her knees up to her chest - arms wrapping around her legs as she rested her chin atop her limbs. 

    "I have another question."

    Kihyun nodded for her to continue, the young girl doing so with a sigh, "Why do people die?"

    Her question rendered a pause in the male. 

    With pursed lips, he examined the drastic change in her demeanor. Small hands bunched the fabric of her clothes in a tight, anxious manner as her eyes remained glue to the emerald shaded grass below their bodies. Her lips trembled - almost as if she were about to cry, but the lack of tears b her eyelids spoke a different theory. Minju seemingly grew smaller - not only physically, but in her spiritual presence as well.

    "I'm afraid it's just the way of human nature," his words were tender and careful - almost as if he were handling a baby chick. "Human beings cannot live forever."

    Suddenly, her hands thrashed to her sides as her left foot stomped the earth angrily, "But why?"

    Kihyun studied her expressions. Now, it was evident that she was angry, or tired perhaps. He imagined her lack of knowledge was frustrating despite her young age. Heaving a small sigh, he straightened out his back; both of their eyes locking.

    "Because God misses you."

    Upon hearing his soft-spoken words, Minju's eyes began to shake as tears visibly formed. Slowly, she shifted onto her knees as she knelt before the male, her hands fiddling with the white cloth of her gown. She didn't look at Kihyun, but rather kept her focus upon the grass as she spoke in a volume that would rival a mouse's squeak.

    "Is that why I died then? Because God misses me?"

    Kihyun was taken aback by the little girl's query, but did his best to suppress the shock that tingled his senses. Slowly nodding his head, he raised a brow, "Minju, you know that you --- passed? If I may ask, how do you know this?"

    Her tiny shoulders lifted and fell into a shrug. As her arms folded across her torso, the young girl's head lowered more until her face was no longer visible; body language mimicking that of someone who had just been scolded despite the man's delicate way of speaking. 

    "I remember," her voice was now a whisper. "I remember smelling smoke and my lungs hurting. I was crying, but no one came to me." Her voice quivered as a stray tear fell from her eye, "Everything went black and then I was here."

    Kihyun felt his stomach twist.

    Shaking his head, as he extended his arms, the small girl immediately fell forward between them as she embraced him tightly. The palm of his hand smoothed out the back of her hair in soothing motions for a few moments before pulling away. In an effort to combat her sadness, a smile spread across his face.

    "Minju, do you know what I am?"

    The tears that streaked her face glistened under the sun's rays as she utilized the back of her hand to wipe her nose. Pout small and arms seemingly glued to her sides, she shook her head in response. Lifting his eyebrows, he tilted his head, "Do you want to take a guess?"

    This time, the girl expressed curiosity as her eyes roamed his attire before shifting up to his face. Her bottom lip poked out innocently, "You look like the statues the sisters have in their convent, but not all the way. Those statues have wings."

    A smile curved Kihyun's mouth. Rising to his feet, he stood tall and proud as he mimicked the pose of one the statues Minju referenced. With raised brows, Kihyun peered down at her, "Are you talking about these?"

    Within a second, large wings protruded from his back as they arched high above his head. The long feathers knitted into them were soft like that of a polar bear and thick - similar to the dense clouds that had once covered the sky moments ago. His wings matched the color of the robe he wore - so white and clean that a glow seemed to bounce from them. 

    Minju stared in awe, "You're an angel!"

    A grin curled her lips as Kihyun nodded his head once before kneeling onto one leg, "That I am."

    With wide eyes, her small hand reached out to touch the wings, "Can I feel them?"

    Kihyun nodded as he turned his body so that she could get an easier feel. Curiously, but carefully her fingers pressed into the smooth feathers - her body pulling back timidly before she squished her palm into his wings fully. A childish giggle fell from her lips as a smile stretched his own. Allowing her to admire them a few seconds longer, Kihyun rose to his feet before extending his hand towards her, "Shall I take you to your new home then?"

    Nodding, she cupped her hand with his much larger one. Leading the way, Kihyun brought her to the edge of the span of land before swiping his hand against the air. Minju's eyes grew wide as the atmosphere seemingly tore. 

    Before the pair was an entry into Heaven. The passage rimmed in a golden sheen as clouds scattered the opposite side. Triumphant trumpets bellowed loud and proud as violins stringed so sweetly and purely alongside the harpsichords that were plucked tenderly. Kihyun felt Minju's grip tighten as she stared in complete and total amazement. 

    "This is Heaven?"

    Kihyun tilted his head back and forth, "Yes, but this isn't even 1% of it. You'll see the true glory once you step inside."

    An excited giggle left her lips as she yanked his hand, "Let's go then!"

    But Kihyun pulled back with a small tug. Shaking his head, he knelt beside her as he cupped his free hand over the top of her tiny one that continued clasping his, "I still have business to tend to down here."

    "You're not coming with me?"

    Minju's eyebrows knitted together as she stared at the angel before her who shook his head, "I will meet up with you and everyone soon. You won't have to go in alone, though."

    At his words, a woman with long hair that brushed against her waist emerged from the clouds alongside a man who held her hand lovingly. Minju stared at the couple before her with wide eyes before turning to Kihyun, "Are they angels, too?"

    He shook his head, "Not quite, but they are special to you."

    Motioning for her to step forward, the little girl took small steps towards the couple. Bending down, the woman donned a beautiful smile as she spoke sweetly, "Minju, mommy and daddy have been waiting for you for such a long time!"

    Eyes mimicking saucers, the little girl peered at the woman her before shifting to the smiling man beside her, repeating the process a few times. Kihyun placed his hand on her shoulder, "These are your parents, Minju. They're going to take you into Hea-" 

    But before he could finish, the little girl ran towards the couple; her arms wrapping around her mother's neck in an embrace before breaking away to do the same to her father. Kihyun watched with a small smile as he felt his heart warm. After a moment, Minju turned around as she faced the angel, eyes bright as a cheery grin stretched across her dimpled cheeks.

    "I'll see you soon then, right?"

    He nodded, "Yes, you will."

    Nodding, she motioned for him to lean down and as he did as he was instructed, he felt her small arms wrap around his neck into a quick embrace before she pulled away. Kihyun watched as she stood in between her parents, each hand holding one of their's, before they disappeared into their eternal home.

    As the tear mended, Kihyun took a moment before swiping his hand into the air. Immediately, the sky dimmed back to grey as the true version of the world took form. In the place of loving words and goodbyes where the earth welcomes back flesh covered bodies that eventually decay until they're merely bone and then dust, Kihyun brushed a layer of snow from the small headstone that laid low to the winter-stricken ground.

    "You're home now, Minju," he whispered to himself, fingers tracing the carved letters of her name as he stood alone in the cemetery. 

 

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xxlovemejsyo
#1
Chapter 1: WOW
Reader25
144 streak #2
Chapter 1: This chapter was so cute! I love the role you've given Kihyun!