Do you believe in angels? Not everyone does. But there is one boy, one boy who will swear they exist, because he sees one sitting on the highest window sill of the bell tower in the church every day.

Luhan’s nice, but don’t ask him about angels, he gets kind of weird about them. These are the whispers that follow Luhan around daily, but he pays them no heed. He knows people can’t always see the angel like he can, but he is certain that the angel is there. And he’s determined to prove it.

Luhan’s decided that if he can bring back a feather from the angel, everyone would have to believe him. The only problem is that Luhan has only ever seen the angel at the top of the bell tower, which is impossible for a human to climb up normally as there are no stairs or ladders. It’s a risky stunt, to climb up the rickety old red brick tower to the top where the church’s bells sit, undoubtedly rusting in the sun. But Luhan just has to do it. He has to know that his angel really exists, and that they are as beautiful up close as they are from afar. He chooses his time, at dawn the next day, to make the climb.

The faintest pinks and oranges are starting to seep into the sky the morning Luhan arrives at the church. He peers up at the bell tower just to be sure his angel is there. They are. There they sit, on the edge of the window of the bell tower, looking ahead towards the sunrise. They don’t seem to notice the boy on the ground, staring up at them. As silently as possible, Luhan begins his climb. The first part is easy enough; there is a large oak tree with gnarled braches growing close to the church so that its leafy boughs extend over the roof. With a quiet thump, Luhan lands on the lowest roof. From there he hoists himself up to the second roof and inches over to the base of the bell tower.

 It’s as dangerous as he had thought, the red brick old and crumbly under his fingers. But Luhan’s gone too far now to back out. In determination, he latches onto the decaying bricks of the bell tower and begins his slow climb. He occasionally glances up, his heart pounding more and more loudly as he comes closer and closer to his angel, who has still not yet noticed him. The sun rises steadily over the horizon and soon the bell tower is glowing in the early morning light, and the angel looks even more radiant than before. Luhan is rather close now, just a few more feet and he would be able to grab onto the window sill next to the angel. But what happens next shocks him into stillness. The angel, who had been silently and intently staring at the sunrise, began to sing. The voice is beautiful, warm and silky smooth, like warm chocolate. Luhan clings to the side of the tower in awe of the angel’s voice. He stares harder at angel, and is now close enough to make out their features. Soft white wings, large and pure, are folded against the angel’s back. Short, neatly cropped brown hair lay softly over his gentle rounded face. Soft eyes peered out from underneath black lashes, and the song continued to spill from his pink lips. Drawn to the song and beauty of this angel, Luhan once again begins his climb. But overly eager and distracted by this angelic boy, he becomes careless. His footing slips.

“Ah.” The small noise Luhan makes as he begins falling finally alerts the angel to his presence. The song stops and the angel’s eyes widen as he sees Luhan falling. Luhan barely registers the angel springing after him as he blacks out. When he comes to again, He’s lying on his back, looking up at the sky. And finally, finally Luhan sees his angel’s face up close. It’s even more beautiful than it had been before, and in awe, Luhan reaches out his hand to touch the angel’s cheek. His fingers brush against warm skin and he looks into the angel’s eyes, which were filled with worry and a tint of fear. Luhan chuckles at them.

“What do you look so concerned for angel boy? I’m fine….I’m fine.” Luhan caresses the cheek of the angel again, as he reassures the beautiful boy in front of him. The angel withdraws from the touch a little, and still looks concerned. Finally Luhan sits up. He feels a little funny, perhaps lighter, as if he had been relieved of a burden of some sort. Maybe in a way he had. He had finally met his angel after all. Speaking of the angel, he leaned over Luhan and helped him stand. Luhan felt a little dizzy but adjusted quickly. “Wow, I feel so light, like I’m walking on air…” Luhan trailed off, still a little dazed from the fall. Eventually, the angel speaks.

“I-I think you should come with me. I know someone who will help you.” His speaking voice was just as pleasant as his singing voice Luhan decided.

“Help? What do I need help for?”

“J-just, please, would you come with me?” Luhan quirked his head quizzically at the angel before saying,

“Alright. I’ll go with you. Under the condition that you tell me your name.” The angel seemed a little taken aback by Luhan’s condition, but he complies.

“My name is Minseok.” Luhan grins broadly at the name.

“Minseok…I like it! It suits you well I think.” Minseok only seems to blush in reply. “Alright Minseok, you may take me where you want me to go.” Minseok seems relieved that Luhan agreed to come with him. Gently, Minseok takes Luhan’s hand and tugs him into the sky with a great flap of his wings. And so Luhan disappears with the angel Minseok, having paid the ultimate price for his encounter.

His funeral is held five days later, in the graveyard of the church with the fated bell tower.