It was yet another off day for Yunho, a sacred limited day where he was gifted with the opportunity to have all time for himself for 24 hours, or less. What would he be doing during such off days, though? Sleeping till late afternoon? Visiting the parks and meet up with some old high school friends? Do some extra errands? Nope, it was painting.

Specifically, whenever he got a day off, Yunho didn’t rest still and instead spent the entire day finishing up his painting that he planned to include in the competition he signed up for. The deadline was slowly approaching, and Yunho couldn’t risk wasting time as he wished to submit his painting with the most accurate details as possible. Strangely enough, this time he could feel like he would win this contest.

It was a cloudy day. The sun was barely visible with the thick clouds blemishing the sky. The weatherman stated that there would be no rain for today but a long overcast. That wasn’t bad news for Yunho. He liked stagnant and tranquil weathers like this one. The windows to his apartment were ajar and open as he enjoyed listening to the peaceful life of the neighbourhood. The muffled sounds of cars and bikes occasionally roaring from outside gently reached his ears, soothing him with a sense of nostalgia. The laughter and chatters of children with adults alike filled the neighbourhood with the colours of a home. One of the main reasons as to why Yunho chose to move here years ago was certainly because he was attracted to how harmonious the life in this place was. And another reason was simply because the apartment rent was cheap.

Yunho was in the living room painting on the floor as the ceiling fan barely spinning directly above him. A huge canvas was flat on the floor where his painting had been applied in delicate, careful . Yunho had this one artistic spot on the floor where his artist supplies and tools were sprawled randomly. It was only natural for Jaejoong to meander around the ‘artist spot circle’ each time he had to walk through the living room.

Focusing on improving his painting, Yunho also didn’t forget to regularly steal brief glances at Jaejoong. Whenever Yunho was busy like this, the angel played the role of the one who prepared food and did some small chores around the apartment.

Jaejoong could often be seen practicing his cooking skills in the kitchen, experimenting with several menus and ingredients, inspired mainly from the daily cooking shows he watched. Yunho had recently bought him a nice cherry blossom apron. It had a cartoonish drawing of a rabbit printed on its front surface. Jaejoong seemed to like it quite well as he never forgot to wear the apron whenever he entered the kitchen.

Yunho no longer had any doubts nor issues when it came to living with a literal angel, or specifically, a death angel. He had become comfortable living with Jaejoong under the same roof, to the point where he sometimes forgot that the man was not a human, although Yunho would be reminded of this fact again whenever he saw Jaejoong casually hovering above the floor or summoning food without having to walk to the fridge. But again, Jaejoong’s existence seemed to have changed Yunho’s life for the better.

For the past few weeks, Yunho had witnessed some significant changes in his working life. Being a hotel receptionist was still another definition of a torture, but it wasn’t as tormenting as it was before. For starter, the one specific male colleague who decided to become a jerk towards him had now quitted his job. There were rumours saying that he had even moved into a different town altogether, looking for different jobs there.

Although the hotel had lost a ‘valuable’ experienced worker, despite the tough duties, Yunho admitted that the workplace was no longer as toxic as it was before this. Everyone was on a friendly term working in a harmonious agreement. Lunches would be filled with jokes and laughter at the cafeteria and Yunho himself was finally able to perform his tasks much better. In simpler words, he no longer had to hide in the toilets away from his responsibilities. And he knew that it was all thanks to the lucky charm he had, or better, it was all thanks to Jaejoong.

The familiar sweet aroma of fried meals entertained Yunho as he gracefully left wet lines on the canvas with his painting brush. The hushed aired songs from the radio kept Yunho amused and focused on his work. He didn’t recognise the songs he listened to. They must be the latest Top 10 for the week. He was no longer immersed in the music world like he was during his younger years. Yet the sound of silverware clanking in the kitchen due to Jaejoong’s cooking was more audible than the radio.

Random quiet whispers of cursing were heard each time the angel accidentally lost grip of the spatula, got some food spilling out of the frying pan, and more. Jaejoong was a bit clumsy, but Yunho found himself smiling at the scene, secretly adoring the other’s eagerness in trying to cook. Yunho himself wasn’t a great cook although at this point, he could say he was much more confident in preparing successful meals than the angel. But he was impressed by Jaejoong’s never-ending dedication to make warm, edible meals.

“Fried rice again…” Yunho mumbled under his own breath as he recognised the familiar scent diffusing from the kitchen. Lately Jaejoong would tend to cook fried rice with different side dishes. And Yunho was never tired of them, honestly.

Suddenly, as Yunho returned to being immersed in his painting, the two men were startled by the unexpected knocking coming from the front door. Both Yunho and Jaejoong gave each other a questioning yet curious stare, signalling confirmation with their raised eyebrows. Upon silently acknowledging that none of them was expecting any guest today, Yunho gestured a nod at the angel to continue cooking as he stood up.

Who could this be?

Yunho asked himself as his mind raced throughout the cores of his memories, attempting to recall whether he had made promises with some peers to hang out or similar. Lately, his friendly colleagues tended to invite him over for some lunch outside during off days. Yunho would most of the times kindly reject their invitations because he simply prioritised finishing his painting. Yet sometimes he would agree to come with them. And now Yunho was wondering if he had actually planned something with his friends today. To which he recalled, none. So, who could this unexpected guest be?

And when the door finally opened,

“Alice?” Yunho’s loud voice caused Jaejoong’s shoulders to have a little quick jump, causing the angel to swiftly glimpse at the door to see who it was.

When Jaejoong saw a familiar woman standing by the door entrance, his face distorted into a blatant display of disgust and anger, or rather, jealousy.

Yunho’s ex, the same woman who had visited the other day, was now once again standing right in front of the door wearing a blue marble print halter dress. The white straps of her bra were visibly hanging around her thin shoulders where a small tattoo of a cartoonish one-eyed skull was seen. That must be new, Yunho thought.

As before, Alice had thick cosmetics covering her face. Yunho was never a professional when it came to makeups, but he somehow had a feeling that the ones on the lady’s face were most likely to be more than just expensive, branded.

Alice had a luxurious flaming red purse hanging on her shoulder and she appeared to be stylish for an occasion, especially with the sparkling sets of jewellery all around her wrists and arms. Despite the obvious beauty the woman held, Yunho couldn’t help but to irk at this sight of a woman he deeply despised.

“Yunho, I miss you!” Alice immediately blurted out as she opened her arms side, trying to hug the man in front of her.

Yunho quickly took a step back after ignoring the urge to physically shove her away from him. The discomfort on his face was so clear that even children could easily tell it, and those who failed to pick up his hints were probably not the brightest.

“What are you doing back here? I thought I told you to go away and leave me?” Yunho didn’t even try to hide his anger this time.

Alice forced her glossed lips to form a pout as she whined in her nasally voice. She placed both of her hands at the back of her waist before arching her back and protruded her chest forward, deliberately causing her s to slightly jiggle as she did so.

“But Yunho, I miss you. I want to thank you for saving me that day. I am sorry I ran away, I was too embarrassed,” Alice whined.

“You are welcome,” Yunho briskly said. “Now leave.”

Alice didn’t stop whining as she tried to grab Yunho’s arm to which the man quickly reacted by pulling his hand away. The woman whined louder.

“But I want to thank you. At least let me show my thanks, hmm?” Alice’s jade-like pupils didn’t blink as they stared upwards at Yunho, the sparkles in her eyes spitted underlying venom. “Let me bring you to an expensive restaurant nearby, please?”

“No thanks. I seriously do not want to do anything with you anymore, at all,” Yunho said in a stern voice as his hand reached out to the doorknob, about to close the door.

But Alice was fast enough to prevent the door from closing by hindering its motion as she placed her leg next to it. Surprisingly, the woman was quite strong enough to block the door from moving. Yunho loudly sighed.

“Noooo, you cannot reject me. I have already reserved a table for us,” Alice pleaded. “Pretty please, Yunho? Come to the restaurant with me?”

Yunho was about to refuse again when suddenly he was briefly alarmed once Jaejoong teleported right next to him out of nowhere. By observing how Alice was still whining with her irritating high-pitched voice, Yunho could assume Jaejoong was pretty much invisible to the lady.

He glanced at the angel next to him and he couldn’t help but to gulp when he noticed a scowl was formed upon Jaejoong’s face, the angel sending a dreadful glare at the woman. But Yunho quickly cleared his throat, catching Jaejoong’s attention shifting to him, and he showed him a small but reassuring nod, indicating that he could handle this by himself. The other looked hesitant but eventually he nodded back.

“Fine, I’ll go,” Yunho said, and both Alice and Jaejoong had the equal looks of full shock on their face.

While Jaejoong looked at Yunho as if someone had just thrown boiling water at his face, Alice instead was clapping her hands twice in an obnoxious content before trying to hug Yunho again, which of course the man dodged.

“But after today, I would like us to be nothing but strangers. We will end everything today, at the restaurant. From then, you will no longer come to my apartment uninvited. Is that clear?” Yunho questioned, his strict voice sounding like a direct command.

Alice pouted once more and was about to whine. But the look on Yunho’s straight face eventually convinced her to reluctantly nod.

“Okay…” Alice responded in a deliberate sad tone, to which Yunho gave zero sympathy.

Well, it would be just a quick dining, right?

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The clock struck 4pm when Yunho had arrived at the said restaurant. He admitted it. Even with the first glance he had on the entire restaurant building, literally anyone could easily tell that this restaurant was one of the most expensive and lavish ones in town. This was the kind of place Yunho would never actually go to. He wasn’t confident his wallet would survive a $100 meal with a portion ridiculously smaller than a single. He would better spend some bucks in the nearest fast-food places.

This time, Yunho didn’t actually come with a taxi or his car. Rather, Alice had offered to drive him to the restaurant. At first, he totally refused the offer, concerned of suspicious advances the lady would be able to do at him in the vehicle. However, upon seeing what kind of car Alice drove, Yunho found himself saying a yes. It was a flashy white Lamborghini. He didn’t even need to think twice. It was a goddamn Lamborghini, who would refuse the chance to sit inside such a well-known luxurious car? It would be a great flex to be able to enter it, too.

Yunho wore his best suit for the occasion. It wasn’t necessarily the best suit of all, but it was his kind of best. Or specifically, it was the only suit he could afford. When Alice parked her extravagant car in the reserved spot, Yunho looked around him and noticed that there were several other deluxe cars as well, with multiple different recognised brand names too. Yunho silently gulped. He supposed this restaurant wasn’t just a regular expensive diner. Rather, it was the one most wealthy people frequented to.

Upon walking out of the car, Yunho quietly followed after Alice as she led the way to the entrance. The entire building was completely soaring, towering over spots of customers walking in and out of the premise. Large golden fairy lights were spiralled around each grand pillar of the entrance porch. Multiple tiny lamps in the shape of stars hung over from the ceiling, brightly illuminating the red carpet below on the marbled tiles. Ceramic vases of green plants were arranged on each side of the carpeted pathway, offering fresh scent of the nature.

The main colour scheme of the building was a mixture of brown and black, displaying a firm touch of solid deluxe and sophisticated class. Water cascaded down the walls accompanied by switching colours of rainbow, creating a perfectly vertical radiating waterfall. Overall, the entire building of the restaurant spoke money, and it was especially obvious simply by observing the kinds of customers it meant to serve; loaded individuals.

Yunho was frankly intimidated each time customers walked past him. They did not just walk. Instead, they were professionally striding on the carpet with the company of their significant others or peers. They were all dressed lavishly in branded clothing, glittering jewelleries and watches never left their wrists. Even if they cracked jokes, their laughter would give off the vibe of the rich and wealthy. Nobody laughed to the full of their heart, everyone chortled in proper mannerism of the wealthy, neatly covering their mouth with their hands or napkins, hands placed at the back of their waist as their chest huffed and puffed in pride.

Yunho felt totally alienated. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He didn’t belong to this type of crowd. It was obvious as his suit looked old if compared to the ones the rest of the customers wore. Even the way how he walked was different from theirs. He had to straighten his back and kept his chin up high simply to blend in. Alice, however, didn’t seem to be affected by all of these and instead she remained confident, treading gracefully with her heels as she approached the reception table. The lady finally turned around to look at Yunho.

“Come on, this way,” she spoke.

The moment the two managed to find their reserved table and seated, the diner went quite nicely. Yunho silently gasped upon reading the menus. Each dish almost costed him half of his salary. He skipped to the dessert section and the choices were also, ridiculously costly. But Alice seemed to notice his hesitance and she went to reassure him that everything would be on her. Yunho initially refused her offer as he didn’t wish to take advantage of her fortune. But after recalling the kind of betrayal Alice had done to him in the past, Yunho no longer considered any kind of courtesy and straight away ordered the most expensive dish that piqued the interest of his appetite. He might be labelled as salty but come on, it was a once in a lifetime chance. Who would say no to a free 5-star meal course? Not him, at least.

Both Yunho and Alice began to savour the meals once their orders were served. Yunho didn’t speak much as he took his time appreciating the exotic flavour melting on his tongue. But Alice on the other hand was chattery. She didn’t stop telling all kinds of stories as if her head was a storage fully loaded with enough tales to tell.

She would swiftly switch to different topic if the previous one bored Yunho, or if he wasn’t listening enough. Alice would share stories of her travels such as her latest vacations to Venice. She would also proceed to share some recent updates to her life such as how she had apparently moved into a new condo with a roommate she met from college, and how her sister just got engaged. Alice herself would be so immersed in her own storytelling as she expressed her dramatic expressions, along with her hands wildly moving to possibly re-enact the things she witnessed during the past few weeks.

Yunho however, he hated this. Not because he disliked chattery people, no. In fact, he would like to hear stories and wild gossips from such people, he tended to enjoy their company sometimes. However, in this case, Yunho despised Alice. He hated the way how she seemingly had easily dismissed the past between them both, the way how she treated as if she had neve