“Seulgi, you wouldn’t believe what I saw when I was making my rounds!” Seungwan exclaimed, b with a nervous sort of excitement, as she tugged on Seulgi’s wrist.

Seulgi only looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, mouth set in a small frown due to confusion. What was so important with what Seungwan saw that they had to retreat to their quarters, ensuring that no one else was privy to Seungwan’s revelation?

“A black feather, Seulgi, black!” Seungwan shout-whispered. “Do you know what that means? A fallen has gotten past the gates of heaven!”

The fallen ones—Seulgi had heard of them, of course. Those who were once angels, now banished from the eternal gardens of heaven, all because of the only sin their kind can commit: falling in love with their human charge. It was the biggest taboo for an angel’s feelings towards the one that they guarded to go beyond the platonic, which was why only the older angels—the wiser and more experienced among their ranks—were the only ones who got appointed to watch over the mortals. It would take a few more centuries before Seulgi would reach that age, much less gain that wisdom, having only been an angel for a few decades. Yet, love is still the most powerful force there is, just as the Highest said, and it cannot be escaped by anyone, not even the finest heaven can offer.

Thoughts drifting back to their conversation, Seulgi asked, “Are you really sure it’s a black feather that you saw, Seungwan? It’s impossible for the fallen to go past our gates. They shouldn’t even be able to go near it!”

Her best friend just pulled her arm and drew Seulgi closer, answering her question by taking out the scandalous feather. “See?”

A sense of dread washed over her as she studied the feather. It was black, but it was more than that—it glinted against the light and it looked as soft as the white feathers on her back. As if entranced, she reached for it, longing to touch the velvety looking feather. When she finally touched it, smoke started forming from its tip, then eventually became set on fire, leaving behind wisps of black smoke. Right then, her vision turned black and she felt something caressing her face—a soft touch, barely there, brushing along her cheek.

“Seulgi!” she heard Seungwan calling for her. “Seulgi, are you okay?”

Opening her eyes, Seulgi saw Seungwan’s face looking at her, her brows furrowed in worry. “That never happened with me, and I’ve already touched it several times.”

Still a bit dazed and confused over what she just experienced, Seulgi breathlessly answered, “Maybe it’s spent too much time here in Heaven, you know that the fallen and anything from them burn when they’re here.”

“Maybe,” Seungwan mumbled, not really satisfied by her answer and still looking a bit worried. “Well, I just called you to show you that. Isn’t it time for your rounds?”

Seulgi just nodded and gave Seungwan a smile before furling out her wings, causing the white curtains hung above the window to flutter.

“I’ll be on my way then, the head angel will have my head if I’m late,” she said before taking off into the sky, leaving behind a still uneasy Seungwan.

As her white wings carried her over the pristine fields of Heaven, Seulgi caught a whiff of a foreign scent, halting her movements in the air. It reminded her of ash and soot—burning. That could only mean one thing—one of the fallen were nearby. Fear took over her, making her wings move faster, eager to finish her rounds. She was flying near the edge of Heaven where several trees and plants grew, as if serving as some sort of barrier, when she saw it—a black rose near the foot of a single tree just by the edge of Heaven’s fields. Curious, she slowed down and landed near it, her bare feet brushing against the soft grass as she came closer. Picking it up, she marvelled at the rose’s strange color and took a whiff. Its scent was unlike any rose she smelled before—mixed into its fragrance was something dark, something forbidden, something she wouldn’t smell in heaven, but it still smelled so tantalizing that she decided to keep it hidden within the robes she wore.

She was just about to take off and continue her rounds when she heard something behind the tree flutter, and when she turned her head and looked, she caught a sight of obsidian feathers. Despite the fear she felt and all the warnings in her head that told her to just leave, Seulgi found herself drawing closer.

“Who’s there?” she asked. When no one answered, she crept closer.

Heart thudding uncontrollably in her chest, she took a step towards the back of the tree and found a single black feather, its color similar to the rose she had inside her robe. She knelt down to pick it up and her sight immediately went black. This time though, she got a glimpse of something—a face so beautiful, with ivory skin and blood-red lips which turned up in a slight smile, as if whoever it was smiled just for her. She hurriedly dropped the feather, heart pounding even faster in her chest, and watched as it started smoking and was caught in a black fire.

Seulgi heard something rustle behind her, but she was too scared and confused to even look back. Who was it that she saw, and why did it tug at something buried deep in her mind? She quickly unfurled her wings and flew to the sky, not even bothering to glance at whatever—or whoever—she left behind.

She arrived at her quarters and was greeted by the sight of some of her friends who all looked excited, albeit a bit nervous. She walked closer to them and asked, “What’s happening?”

“One of the head angels sent out an announcement to all angels—be on your guard and do not go near or even touch any strange looking thing, especially objects that are black,” Yeri, an angel younger than her by a few decades, answered. Excitement flashed in her eyes before she continued, “Rumor has it that one of the fallen have been been sighted! I heard that from one of the senior angels when they walked past me.”

Seulgi’s heart thudded in her chest and she tensed. “I see.”

Oblivious to her uneasiness, Yeri piped up, “Aren’t you excited? Nothing has happened here in Heaven for the past few hundred years and now something’s finally happening!”

“Hush, Yeri,” Jisoo, another one of her friends, said. “Whether it’s a fallen or not, the higher ups have spoken, and it's best that we be on guard and not talk about it. You know what they said about talking of evil things.”

Yeri visibly deflated, but she quickly got over it and looked at Seulgi with a bright smile. “Oh, right! We came here to ask if you’d like to go with us to play. Apparently, the mortals have invented something new and I can’t wait to try it out!”

“I think I’ll retire to my quarters for now,” Seulgi said and just gave her a small smile. “I just finished my rounds.”

Yeri’s nose scrunched up at that, but nevertheless replied, “Well, if you change your mind, we’ll be at Jisoo’s place!”

Seulgi nodded in return and watched them leave, but not without seeing Seungwan’s small frown, obviously worried. She gave her a smile that would hopefully placate her before turning around to head to her room. Heaven was quite generous in its accommodations for its angels, given the large room filled with everything an angel could ask for that concerned their comfort. Although angels never really felt as tired as the mortals, they could still enjoy the effects of resting and sleeping, which were having time to be in peace by themselves and a clearer mind when they wake up. Food wasn’t really needed to live either, but they were still able to enjoy its taste and texture, and no matter how much or what they ate, they’d never grow bigger or get fat. Change wasn’t something that happened in Heaven after all, as the Highest had always said that true peace can only be found when nothing changed.

She went to lie down on her huge bed complete with a soft mattress and eternally fresh-smelling blankets, making sure that her wings were in a comfortable position. Seulgi brought out the rose hidden in her robe and went to smell it again. Its scent was still the same, but it was now oddly comforting, and that—added with the comfort of her bed—made her eyelids slowly flutter, letting herself succumb to sleep, the black rose still clutched to her chest.
 

Seulgi found herself dreaming, and that was odd, since angels don’t dream—there was nothing more to dream about for they were already in Heaven. Still, she felt too at peace that she didn’t dwell on it, choosing instead to let her dream play out. In her dream, she found herself walking along the streets of some city in the mortal world, not that she had been there since becoming an angel, nor does she remember her time there—no angel does after they arrive at Heaven. She was holding hands with someone, although she couldn’t make out the face of its owner. All she knew was that the hand was soft, perhaps as soft or even softer than the feathers on her wings, and that she felt happy. Content. As if she was in heaven.

Filled with the want to see the face of whoever was holding her hand, Seulgi turned her head and was shocked at what she saw. It was the same heartbreakingly beautiful face that she saw in her vision earlier when she out by the tree, and the person was smiling at her so gently that it made her heart skip a beat in her chest. All of a sudden, everything turned black, and she jolted awake. She smelled a faint scent of smoke and looked for its source. She looked down at the rose she clutched, now slowly turning white from its previously black color.

Seulgi felt something ticklish trailing down her cheek and absentmindedly wiped at it. Suddenly realizing what she just did, she looked at her fingers and was shocked to see it wet. Angels don’t cry—there was nothing to be sad about in Heaven.

So why did she cry?

It was time for her rounds again, but something felt different this time. As she flew near the edges of Heaven, she felt herself be drawn towards that lone tree again, where she saw the black rose. Slowing down her wings, she landed by the tree and her nose picked up that scent again, ash and burning. No flowers were in sight, but she heard a rustle behind the tree. As if compelled once again, she went around and was shocked when she was greeted by a sight that would’ve been heavenly if not for all the black the woman was clad in. It was the woman she saw in her visions, with wings black as night, obsidian colored robes, and blood-red lips. She was smiling at her gently, and once again, it made her heart skip a beat.

“Who are you?” Seulgi asked, fear making her voice come out shaky, but she needed answers.

The woman’s smile faded and was replaced by a small frown. “You really do not remember me…”

“You-you’re not supposed to be here,” Seulgi stuttered. “You’re supposed to be burning by now. I need to go—“

“Please, Seulgi,” the fallen said and raised a hand as if she was about to touch her, but hastily put it back down. “I just want to talk to you.”

Seulgi stopped when the fallen said her name and asked, “How do you know that? How do you know my name?”

“You loved me once, and I you.” The fallen gazed at her longingly from under her lashes, and spoke her next words as if her heart was breaking, “I still do.”

Seulgi just stared at her in shock, at a loss for words. Just who exactly was this woman and why does merely looking at her face send butterflies to her stomach? But, her duties as an angel of Heaven’s ranks come first and she said, “Whatever it was that happened between you and me in the past, when I was still a human, is just that—the past. I’m already happy here in Heaven. I need to go and—“

The fallen put a finger gently on her lips and asked, “Are you really happy here, Seulgi?”

But Seulgi didn’t and couldn’t answer, her mind focused on that single point of contact and how she felt her lips tingle in a decidedly pleasant way. She took a step back, distancing herself from the fallen, and didn’t miss how the other woman’s lips turned down slightly. “Please, you need to leave and don’t ever come back.” 

She was about to take off when the fallen suddenly asked in a small voice, “Is that really what you want, Seulgi?”

Seulgi just flew to the sky and didn’t answer, for she didn’t have an answer, too confused about all that’s happening. She shook her head as if to clear her mind, and continued to do her rounds, though thoughts of the fallen who loved her still plagued her mind against her will.

That encounter may be the first, but it wasn’t the last.

As she went and did her rounds, Seulgi found herself always being drawn towards that lone tree, and each time, the fallen—or as she now knew, Joohyun—would be there, waiting for her. She was cautious at first, wary of the fallen, but over time, as if bewitched, she found herself falling for the other woman, slowly winning over her heart by her sweet gestures and enchanting words. There were times when Joohyun would join her while flying, but would leave every time they neared Heaven’s gates. Seulgi often wondered why Joohyun did not burn, and each time she would ask, Joohyun would always give her a gentle smile and answer, “Because I love you.” Each time after hearing her response, Seulgi would just blush furiously and continue flying. Unbeknownst to her conscious mind, her feelings for Joohyun changed—from fear to longing, curiosity to want, caution to love.

They now lay beside each other by their tree, their black and white wings furled together. Seulgi gazed at Joohyun, and she didn’t think she’ll ever get over just how beautiful Joohyun’s face was. She asked a question that had been eating at her ever since she first met the fallen she came to love—“Who were you to me?”

Joohyun, who was playing with a blonde strand of Seulgi’s hair, smiled her favorite smile at her and answered, “I was your guardian angel. I watched you grow up and become such an amazing woman—you were such a kind soul, you never let your fears overcome you, and you always helped people, even though it may be hard. I always knew you’d become an angel.”

“But you lost your place in Heaven because of me,” Seulgi said and tore her eyes away from Joohyun, set in a frown.

Joohyun brushed her thumb on Seulgi’s lips, wishing to ease the frown from her angelic face, and replied, “I couldn’t help it—I fell in love with you. I made myself known to you, and somehow, you fell in love with me too. There came a day when I couldn’t take it anymore, so I kissed you, even if I knew that would mean my doom.”

Joohyun came closer to her and held her head, making their foreheads touch. “You were and always will be worth it, Seulgi. I will love you till kingdom come.”

She drew nearer and when their lips met, it was everything she expected and didn’t expect—it was soft, softer than their feathers, and everything about her time in the mortal world came back to her. Flashes of it played in her mind—walking the streets of Seoul hand in hand; her head on Joohyun’s shoulder as they watched a movie; feeding each other ice cream while watching children play in the park; sleeping together in her apartment, wrapped in each other’s arms; and finally the kiss she always longed for, when all of a sudden a great flash came from above and when she opened her eyes, Joohyun was gone. She cried for days afterwards, and never got over her one true love till the time she took her last breath.

Breaking apart, Seulgi looked at Joohyun with tears in her eyes. “You… I loved you.”

“Yes.” Joohyun opened her eyes and looked at her with so much love, it made her tear up more. “Yes, you did.”

Seulgi smiled at her and brought a hand up to Joohyun’s cheek. “I still do.”

Their lips were almost touching once again, when they suddenly heard the flutter of wings above them. They broke apart, but their hands were still tightly clutched in each other’s.

“Seulgi…” Seungwan trailed off as she and the other angels with her landed on the ground.

“Seungwan, I—“

“Fallen,” Taeyeon, one of the head angels spoke. “You trespass. You are not supposed to be here.”

Joohyun unfurled her black wings and stood up to her full height, making some of the lower ranked angels cower in fear. “You have no longer have any power over me, Taeyeon. You do not tell me what to do anymore.”

“Leave, Joohyun,” Taeyeon commanded in a booming voice and unfurled her own white wings. “Or do you think you can take on a dozen of us angels?”

One of them came forward and tried to take Seulgi from Joohyun, but she struggled against them. “No, stop! I won’t let her go.”

Seungwan came forward and pleaded with her, “Seulgi, please. It is what’s best for you.”

Seulgi still resisted, but another angel came and easily overpowered her. “No!”

She felt her hand slipping away from Joohyun, and when she looked back, she saw tears in Joohyun’s eyes. Joohyun took off to the sky and told her, “I will come back for you, I promise.”

“No!”

Held by two other angels, she was brought in front of Taeyeon. “For associating with one of the fallen, you, Seulgi, are hereby sentenced to the crypts for half a century.”

Her wings were then held together by golden metal links, and her hands were bound by golden chains.

“Your wings!” Seungwan exclaimed then pointed at her back. “They’re turning grey.”

Seulgi looked behind her and witnessed how the feathers that were once white slowly turned grey, as did her once white robe. With that, an angel took her in their arms and carried her back inside the gates of Heaven.

It may have been just a few days, or even weeks, but it felt like decades—time passed differently in Heaven. She spent most of her days sleeping, dreaming of Joohyun and all their time together—both as a mortal and an angel. She dreaded the times she would wake up and be greeted by the same sight of just stone walls.

Even if you’re a fantasy that’ll disappear once I open my eyes, I won’t let you go.

She just woke up from her dream where she and Joohyun were walking hand in hand by a park, when she heard shouts and sounds of struggling. Suddenly, she heard her cell door opening. She looked up and saw Joohyun, her black sword glinting against the light streaming down from behind her. Joohyun went towards her and quickly undid the chains that bound her. She dropped her sword and quickly pulled Seulgi in her arms.

“Are you…” Seulgi let out, her voice hoarse from a long time spent not speaking. “Are you real? Am I dreaming?”

Joohyun took her face in her hands and said, “No, you’re not dreaming. I’m real, Seulgi. I promised that I would come back for you, so here I am.”

Joohyun studied her for a moment and her eyes suddenly widened. “Your wings… they’re grey.”

More shouts and sounds of struggling were heard, making Joohyun look towards the door. Joohyun then hurriedly enclosed Seulgi’s hand in hers and said in an urgent voice, “We must go.”

They hurried out of her cell and was greeted by what could only be called the apocalypse—the once flawless buildings of heaven were now on fire, and angels that held golden swords were fighting against the glinting black swords held by the black-robed fallen. Seulgi saw Seungwan flying towards them, but was stopped when one of the fallen blocked her path.

Joohyun called out to her comrades, “Fallen, we must now go! I got what we came for.”

They both took to the sky, but not before Joohyun called out to the fallen who stared at Seungwan, “Sooyoung, let’s go!”

The black-robed fallen then hurriedly followed after them, the angels behind them with their white wings pursuing them, all except for Seungwan, who stared at Sooyoung’s retreating form, confusion evident in her eyes.

They just got past Heaven’s gates when all of a sudden blazing fire rained from above, only to be met with black flames that came from below. Shouts of agony from both sides were heard, but amidst all that, Seulgi and Joohyun continued flying away, hand in hand.

A ball of fire from above hit the end of one of Seulgi’s wings and singed it when they were just near the edge of Heaven, making her stop and fall to the ground. Joohyun immediately came to her and carried her in her arms, “I got you.”

“Why would you do this for me, Joohyun?” Seulgi asked as they now both stood by Heaven’s edge. “You’ve lost several of your people.”

Joohyun watched as Seulgi’s wings turned into black, as did her once blonde hair. “Because I love you, Seulgi,” 

They jumped off the edge and fell to the depths, black wings surrounding each other, and Seulgi softly said, “As I do you, Joohyun.”

More cries of agony filled the air, but those weren’t heard by the both of them as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“I love you till kingdom come.”