From the beginning of time, when it was too early to keep records of it, the sky had peace.

This peace lasted long years until one angel grew curious about other realms away from the sky. Driving a group of other angels into his curiosity and defying the authority of a higher power, they were exiled to a different realm, causing a constant war between them.

The angels that remained in heaven had a long fight against the fallen angels, a fight that seemed to have no end. Heaven’s angels each represented a virtue, meanwhile the fallen angels, because of their betrayal each represented a sin. Both sides as stubborn as the other, none of them wanting to let it go.

When it seemed like their powers weren’t enough to fight against each other, both sides went to earth, having children with humans that would carry on their legacy and continue their war. The children of the virtues and the children of the sins continued their war for years, battling each other brutally, white wings against black wings, looking to end each other for good.

However, these children were not only the perfect image of their parent angels, but they also had a soul, realizing they were being used on a senseless war they started rebelling against their creators and going into hiding on earth.

The angels of course weren’t happy about this, hunting down their children and subjugating them. The ones that surrendered went back with them to be punished for their sins, the ones that refused then were either killed or cursed by both sides.

They all knew there wasn’t a place on earth where they wouldn’t be found, however, a small amount managed to scatter over the lands, hiding their powers and living their life, afraid to be found and knowing they would be.

Waiting for the moment when they would have to fight again.

Jongin blinked, looking at Junmyeon like he had no clue of anything he had just said. To be honest he had no idea why any of that was relevant to him and the reason why he had to tell him all of that. Junmyeon noticed Jongin was lost and smirked, standing up from his place, his empty eyes locked on Jongin’s.

“I’m telling you this because that’s information you need for what’s going to happen next,” Junmyeon kneeled in front of Jongin. There was a disturbing feeling of need inside of Jongin, he didn’t know what he needed but he needed it all.

“What’s about to happen next?” Jongin’s voice was surprisingly steady, considering how confused and anxious he felt.

“You’ll be one of us,” Junmyeon’s smile widened, almost breaking his face in half. Jongin sat back, trying to put some space between them. Baekhyun was still holding his hand, trying to help him calm. Jongin turned his head and the rest of them were gone, nobody was there. He never heard them leave.

How was that possible?

“You already are one of us,” Junmyeon said again, his eyes suddenly changing colors to a bright blue. Jongin was terrified but he couldn’t look away. How the did he do that? Why couldn’t he just stand up and leave? There was some strange force keeping him down as he looked into Junmyeon’s eyes for longer than he would’ve wanted to.

Then there was a sharp pain running down Jongin’s body. He tightened his grip on Baekhyun’s hand not knowing what was going on. The air was knocked out of his lungs, his fingers were numb, and his entire body was trembling. Jongin was so scared, he wanted to scream but nothing was coming out of his lips.

Then that’s when he started to see it.

The images… flashbacks, of another time.

Another place.

He saw… angels? Fighting against each other, some had white wings some had black wings. He felt desperation as they were flying down to earth, they were trying to hide. Some were murdered on the spot.

It was Junmyeon’s story.

Jongin saw himself, although it didn’t look like him completely. He looked like them, like an angel, but he couldn’t identify to which side he belonged to. He was holding someone’s hand, it was warm. That person, an angel, kissed him, and then he was gone.

Everything was gone.

And Jongin felt no more pain.

He took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling of the poorly illuminated living room. His hand was still being held, his vision was blurry, and he didn’t understand what just happened. The few flashbacks he got were not enough to explain what had just happened to him. Jongin’s body felt too weak to move like his energy had been drained completely out of him.

He couldn’t move, he couldn’t think…

“Did it work?”

Jongin heard a voice say next to him, it was soft and calmed so he assumed it was Baekhyun.

“Only halfway, I don’t know if we’re going to need to do it again or if the rest will come on its own,” Junmyeon said. Baekhyun helped Jongin sit properly and then he was suddenly surrounded by the rest of them, looking at him curiously. “He didn’t get all of his memories back, but let’s give him a few days… I don’t want him to pass out.”

Baekhyun nodded, letting out a sigh. “He’s going to need someone to be around him in the meantime.”

“You and Sehun can do it,” Junmyeon waved it off, looking over his shoulder. “Do you have any issues with that?”

“I don’t,” Sehun said, Jongin thought he saw him smile.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

Nobody said anything then.

“Okay then, should we take him back or let him sleep here?” Baekhyun brushed Jongin’s hair back softly. For some reason Jongin was more and more tired each time, his eyes were closing, and his body wasn’t responding to him anyways. Jongin felt himself slipping away, not able to recognize who was saying what anymore.

“I’ll take him back.”

“Be careful with what you do.”

“I’m watching you.”

…

When Jongin woke up there’s no light coming into his room, he doesn’t know what time of the day it is or for how long he has been sleeping. He stretched, reaching out for his phone, it was already seven PM. He felt very confused, he had been sleeping for so long. Jongin also noticed a few missed calls from his brother so he would have to return those before his brother sent a whole army to check on him.

He was also hungry.

Jongin was sitting on his bed when he finally remembered everything that happened that day, his brain going over everything that he saw and was told and how impossible everything was. It had to be a dream. Right? It had to be, he slept for so long that he was starting to have weird dreams about strange angels and demons or whatever.

It had to be a dream.

Deciding on that, Jongin stood up, his legs could barely hold him as he made his way out of his room and into the living room, his body felt kind of numb. It was that odd sensation you get after your body goes through intense pain. He massaged his left shoulder when he suddenly noticed a smell in his apartment. It was like his senses were all over the place.

Was he getting sick?

Jongin glanced over to the kitchen to find a tall, black-haired guy and another blond guy making food. Sehun and… Baekhyun? The fact that this came to his head so fast made him worry. Jongin didn’t like what he was seeing at all. Their presence in his kitchen made him feel uneasy. He walked over, standing by the door.

He froze in his place for a few minutes until Baekhyun noticed him, a bright smile growing on his lips as he put a bowl down.

“Jongin! You’re awake!” he walked over to Jongin, pulling him in towards where the other was making dinner. “I hope you don’t mind; we’re making dinner for you.”

“He shouldn’t, I’m a great cook,” Sehun said with a half-smile.

“You’re okay… Kyungsoo is a great cook,” Baekhyun replied, making Sehun scoff. “Sehun’s pasta is really good, you’ll see.”

Jongin was so confused, however, at the same time, there was a calming aura taking over him. He felt like it was going to be okay. So, everything that he had seen was real? He refused to believe such a thing. It couldn’t be.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Baekhyun said, rubbing Jongin’s arm to provide some comfort. “What you saw was real.”

Jongin frowned, shaking his head. “It can’t be.”

“It is…” Baekhyun let out a sigh. He knew it would be hard to get Jongin to accept it. “You’re one of us Jongin.”

“No!” Jongin pulled away from him, putting some distance between them. He felt Baekhyun could kind of influence his feelings and he didn’t want that. He wanted to be able to think by himself and feel what he needed to feel.

“Jongin, do you remember what you saw? The visions…” Baekhyun’s voice was low and careful. Jongin took a deep breath thinking of what happened that day. The flashbacks of himself as an angel, kissing someone.

“I…”

“You were kind of like our leader, as a virtue you helped us escape,” Baekhyun smiled, but it was sad this time.

“That’s why he got the worse end of it,” Sehun mumbled.

“Sehun!” Baekhyun gave him a look, but it didn’t matter since Jongin could not understand what they were talking about. He got the worse end of what? “We’ve been living on earth for centuries now, away from angels and our purpose.”

“If that is true then why don’t I remember anything?” Jongin narrows his eyes. He didn’t sign up to be a part of some strange fantasy story that these guys were trying to make.

“That’s…” Baekhyun glanced at Sehun before proceeding. “It’s part of your curse, remember the story? We were cursed when we came to earth. You’re supposed to die and reincarnate, so your memories are taken away. Sometimes you get them and your powers back before it happens but there are times where we don’t make it in time to help you.”

“I die?”

“They always find you, that’s why we can’t leave you alone Jongin…” Baekhyun sighed. “If we do, you’re in danger.”

“But… if I reincarnate every time that means you guys haven’t been able to stop it.” Jongin frowned. He didn’t like this not one bit.

“Doesn’t mean we won’t keep trying,” Sehun said, his gaze still focused on the pasta he was preparing. Both had a very gloomy expression then, there was a huge weight on his heart as he saw the regret and sorrow in their eyes.

“We had to watch you die every time,” Baekhyun’s gaze was lost in his memories. “It’s harder on some of us than others.” he then smiled, as if they weren’t just discussing Jongin’s death.

“If we can get your powers to wake up on time, maybe we will have a chance.” Sehun turned off the oven, serving the food on three plates. “For now, we should eat.”

“Are you guys cursed too?” Jongin asked. He was telling himself he didn’t fully believe their story and he was just curious about what they had to say.

“We are,” Baekhyun was already halfway through his plate, Jongin wasn’t even sure that he was chewing properly. Sehun was quiet so Jongin guessed he wasn’t willing to say much about it.

Jongin sat down next to them, starting to eat since his stomach was already complaining because of the smell. “Let’s say I believe you guys…”

“You need more proof?” Sehun asked. Jongin shrugged, this was too much of a story for him to just buy it on the first try.

“Do you want to see my wings?” Baekhyun asked, putting his fork down. Sehun shot a glare at him.

“Baekhyun…”

“It will just be a minute, I will put them away, don’t worry,” Baekhyun turned to face Jongin. “Do you?”

Jongin nodded, because well… what probabilities were there for the blond to just pull wings out of his like that. He would be surprised, and he was when suddenly there were two bright white wings attached to Baekhyun’s back. He couldn’t stop staring at them, they looked so real.

That’s impossible.

But they had to be because otherwise how…?

How would anyone grow wings like that? Baekhyun’s eyes also turned bright blue, almost sparkling as he smiled. So that’s why Kyungsoo’s eyes always seemed odd.

“Baekhyun put them away,” Sehun muttered, he didn’t look impressed or the slightest happy about this.

Baekhyun sighed, and then his wings just disappeared. They poofed out of thin air like they were never there. Jongin’s eyes were wide open as he stared at the space, his jaw was on the ground as his brain processed what had just happened. Jongin let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

A freaking angel!

“I can’t keep them up for long or they will track my energy,” Baekhyun gave Jongin an apologetic smile.

“You’re an angel?” Jongin’s gaze couldn’t focus and he was out of breath. What the heck had just happened? What did he just see? This couldn’t be. Jongin took a step back, just… away from them and whatever they were.

“Jongin…” Baekhyun tried to reach out for him but Jongin just kept going further away. He was trying to tell himself that he didn’t see what he just saw. It was all an illusion, it had to be fake.

“We’re not angels, we’re like a watered-down version… just so we could fight their battles.” Sehun growled going back to his meal.

“We have wings for that same purpose and also, we inherit their virtues and their sins accordingly,” Baekhyun shrugged, turning back to his plate as well. “My virtue is patience and Sehun’s sin is adultery.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow. “So that means you’re unfaithful in your relationships?”

Sehun then chuckled, shaking his head. “That means I make other people unfaithful… sometimes with me,” he smirked.

“And that’s why you’re destined to be alone forever.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

“It’s not my fault people are just attracted to me,” Sehun shrugged.

“It kind of is,” Baekhyun said. “Even when there’s someone clearly in love with you,” Sehun didn’t respond, just frowning at his dinner.

“So, what was my virtue or sin?” Jongin sighed, walking back to sit on a stool and starting to eat again as well. He didn’t know if there was a good or bad side to this situation, but part of him preferred to be a virtue. If any of that happened to be true of course. He still had his doubts.

Baekhyun smiled, his gaze going back to his plate. Sehun didn’t say anything. “You’ll find out.”

None of them said anything else after that, Jongin wasn’t sure he was buying any of this, but he couldn’t deny what his eyes saw and what he remembered. He decided he would hang around until he figured out what was really going on and then he would make a proper decision.

Whatever that might be.