You're Irene
Chapter 14

 

GUIDE: 
1) Past with Joohyun (the 1960s-1980s)
2) Past with Irene (23 years ago )

 

**ℜν**

 

"Why is your name Joy?" Irene asked her.

The angel took a glance at her before gazing at the sky again.

Both of them talked and resolved the conflict between them, but it didn't mean that everything would turn back to normal again. Everything wouldn't be the same ever again. Nonetheless, they decided to take it slow as both of them tried to communicate the secrets that flowed through their minds.

"You gave it to me when you were still a kid." Joy replied without looking at her. 

"Why can't I remember anything?"

"I had erased your memories."

"For what reason?"

 

**ℜν**

«• 23 years ago

 

"I wished that unnie appears again."

And again, the angel had to experience falling and drowning in the basin. Gasping for air, she turned her head toward the child who caused her to get drenched in the fountain's water. Her face showed annoyance. The fountain annoyed her so much.

Why can't I just show myself normally? Why do I have to fall into this fountain every time the girl wishes? She thought as she muttered curses towards the fountain, but her expression immediately softened when the little girl, her assigned human, giggled from the enthusiasm of having to see her again.

"You sure is a handful," Sooyoung commented as she lazily got out from the filled basin.

She looked around and realized it was only them again. Maybe it was fate's work for her not to be witnessed by other people.

Fate must be fond of Irene. Fate let the child see me. Sooyoung thought.

"What are you doing alone here... again?" she asked even though she knew the reason since she wasn't leaving the child.

"Mommy and daddy are busy, so I came here to play and they let me."

Sooyoung knew. She was with the kid all along after all.

"Then play with the other kids. Don't go here since they are not here."

Little Irene looked away and mumbled. "They didn't want to play with me because I'm not their friend."

Sooyoung wanted to pat the little girl's head when she realized she was soaking wet. Since she cannot use her power to dry her clothes, she just squeezed her hair and sleeves again. What she knew was that the fountain would affect her overall being within the park. She can only use her powers when she was outside the park or that depending on when the wish was already granted. After that, she would become invisible again.

It was the third time that her assigned human was able to see her. The first time was when she helped the kid to go home. The parents were also able to see her and it surprised her a lot especially when the mother embraced her. The warmth was the same as her— Joohyun. It may be temporary, but the happiness remained within her. She felt satisfied despite returning to being invisible.

The second time was when the little girl made her bring her home because some irresponsible owner didn't tie the leashes of their dogs properly. The angel knew how her little human feared the dogs since she was there when the trauma developed.

And now, it was the third wish. She realized that the fountain was indeed magical. Her assumption was proven by the wishes of the little girl she was assigned to. The fountain, Irene, and she were all connected. It also brought her the past action she had done. She did a wish before. It came true, but it wasn't her wish to become an angel. Being an angel made her feel lonely. She was alone. She had no one to talk to. In addition, pure angels avoided interacting with her.

There were unspoken rules because of her new identity as an angel. There were limitations. Those trials of her power such as repeatedly saving Irene from death when she was a baby became her experiences, which made her conclude that she cannot do this and that. 

Her wish to protect was granted, but she wasn't reborn as a human. She was reborn as an angel. She assumed that it was because of the bad decision she did in the past, but was it the reason because it wasn't plausible enough to punish her. Besides, she was also a victim. Maybe her wish wasn't specific causing her to become an angel. It was stupid, really. Becoming an angel was kind of cool, but regrettable.

Nevertheless, one thing that made her satisfied from time to time she felt like losing a sense of herself was having to see her assigned human's smile. She knew that the little girl was the one whom she promised to protect until the end and the reason why she was reborn as an angel. Even so, she started to address the little girl as 'Irene' and not 'Joohyun' as she slowly adjusted to the new world, which was different from her past. She started respecting the present and Irene became her new purpose.

"What is your wish this time little girl?" Sooyoung asked her. She sat on the edge of the basin as she stared at the little girl's features. She's beginning to look like her. She thought.

Young Irene extended her little hand to Sooyoung and spoke authoritatively. "I want you to become my friend." This made the angel remember her again. It was the same manner she had received from that person in the past.

She took the handshake and responded. "Sure,"

The little girl jumped in delight as she tried to hug her if it wasn't for Sooyoung stopping her. "My clothes are wet."

Irene frowned as she crossed her arms. "I don't care. I want to hug you. You're shivering."

"Am I?" Sooyoung just realized that she was trembling. She didn't notice it at all since she was focused on the kid. Sooyoung just smiled and said, "You will get sick."

"I won't! I'm healthy. Mommy also said that sickness was afraid of me. I was sick then I was healed immediately."

"Wow, you're amazing." she complimented although she knew that she was the reason why the little girl was healthy. 

"Yep!" Then she made Sooyoung open her palms. After that, she put her both palms on top of Sooyoung's. It may not be big to cover the angel's hands, but Sooyoung was able to feel the warmth from it.

However, little Irene had this pissed expression when she looked up at Sooyoung. "Why are your hands so big? I cannot hold it."

Sooyoung chuckled at the statement. She then closed her palms and covered the little girl's hands. "You're trying to warm me up, aren't you?"

The kid nodded. "I saw my dad doing this with mommy. It always makes my mommy stops trembling."

Trembling because of cold and trembling because of not having to handle a problem. Sooyoung thought as she turned her attention back to little Irene.

"But my hands don't fit your hands. Unnie, can you make your hands smaller? You have magic, right?"

The angel smiled and gently squeezed the little hand she was holding. "I can't."

"What? Why?" little Irene groaned. Rather than being scary because of the glare she was sending, she actually looked cute. "You're a genie, right? You have the power to do everything!"

Sooyoung shook her head. "I can't do everything. You see, I'm a prisoner from this fountain. I can't grant all wishes because of it." she reasoned out: partly true and partly lie.

"Then how are you able to send me home?"

"I was able to grant that wish."

"How are you able to help me escape the dogs?"

"I was able to grant that wish too."

Little Irene wasn't amused. "Why can't you grant my wish this time?"

"Maybe because you can actually do it," Sooyoung answered. "Not this time, but in the future. I'm sure your hands will be fit for mine. You would be able to hold my hands as long as you want."

"How would I be able to do that?" Irene mumbled. She was still disappointed about the news that the genie cannot grant her wish.

"You just have to grow."

"But the future was too far, I can't wait that long. I'm sure you'd leave again." She looked away, pouting.

"I won't leave you. I'll be waiting for you."

"But you just disappeared back then!" the kid retorted.

"I didn't. I was always with you. I just became invisible."

"Can you not become invisible ever again? I don't have friends besides you." There was sadness in her eyes. This made Sooyoung sigh.

"You should make some friends your age. Are you okay being a friend with a giant unnie t