Just as I thought.

“Hi~ What took you so long?”

It’s really him.

“Greetings, Sire.”

A 45 degrees bow. Knuckle on where the heart placed. It’s been a while since I last doing this salute.

“Ah, there’s no need to do that, Leo-hyung. We’re not actually related anymore, since you and N-hyung are Fallens right now. There’s no need to do our salute.”

His behavior is still the same. He and his sharp tongue.

“Let’s get to the point.. Oh, N-hyung, why are you crying…?”

“No, I’m not…”

“Hm, you used to be really honest, right? Why do you lie now? Has your 4 years being human tore your beliefs, hyung?”

“Sire Hyuk… please don’t…”

“I knowww~ I’m sorry~ I was just kidding~ Ne, hyung, can I come in? People would be really confused to see you speaking to nothing right now.”

… He’s right. Come on in. It’ll be worse when another human saw us. Or him.

“Let me straight to the point here—“

“I won’t let you take Taekwoon.”

Hakyeon…

“Oh. Why? We have an agreement before. Did you forget?”

“I remember it clearly. But I want Taekwoon here with me.”

“Taekwoon? Is that your new name Leo-hyung?”

“Yes, Sire…”

“Ah, geez, drop the Sire please, just call me Sanghyuk like N-hyung usually does. After all I died younger than you did. Technically I’m younger than you.”

“Fine. Sanghyuk.”

“That’s better, hyung~ Anyway, who gave you that name?”

“Hakyeon did.”

“Hakyeon? Oh, N-hyung, huh? Is that the name your foster parents gave you? That’s a nice name. Cha Hakyeon, I see.”

Just shut up and tell us what you are doing here.

“Anyway, what about you, Leo-hyung? Do you want to be here?”

Do I want to be here? I want to be here.. With Hakyeon. But I still… the reason I want to be human so bad. I still don’t know. And there must be something.

“Of course he wants to be here, right, Taekwoon?”

Yes, i.. I wanted to be here. For what kind of reason I can’t figure. But even though I couldn’t remember, yes, I want to be here.

“Why? You haven’t stayed that long in human world, this is a chance to grow your wings back and live peacefully in our great Heaven. Why bother being a human with a sinner like N-hyung?”

Sinner?

“Well, yes, as you can see here, N-hyung had done a forbidden sin. That’s the very reason Father sent him to Earth though. To attain his good sin of being a killer.”

Hakyeon? A killer? A person like him?

“Sanghyuk, please…”

“What, N-hyung? That’s true. You know I couldn’t lie with my status. Leo-hyung needs to know who you really are.”

Is that true, Hakyeon?

“Taekwoon it wasn’t like that… I swear I have a reason…”

“See, he isn’t going to deny it either.”

“Please, believe me, Taekwoon, I am not like that…”

No, don’t cry again. Don’t cry, Hakyeon. Please don’t cry…

“The truth is you’ve killed a hu---“

“Enough.”

“Hm?”

“Stop insulting him.”

“Ah, you’re siding with him now. I could understand. He’s what you call your savior, right? Is that why you protect him? Holding him tightly in your arms like that?”

Yes, not only because he’s my savior. He’s just Hakyeon. The one who takes care of me all these days. I won’t let him get hurt. I had sworn that I have to protect him from everything. Everything that’s going to harm him. It’s not only because he’s been so kind to me, not because I feel that I have to return his kindness, but because I want to. He’s just really important. Even if what you said was true, even he killed someone before, that doesn’t change that he’s the kindest person I’ve ever found in my life, either as an Angel or as a newborn human. It shocked me that someone like him is able to take one’s life… It is a truth I can’t deny. But still…

“Hey, what are you two anyway? Are you a couple?”

“I’m not going with you…”

“Huh? Well, that’s not even answering any of my questions, Leo-hyung.”

“Please, Sanghyuk… I’ll trade anything for him. You could take my arms, my feet, my sight, anything!”

No, Hakyeon! What are you thinking?! You shouldn’t give your body like that! I won’t let you harm yourself! There’s no need to trade it for my sake…

“Well, that’s a tempting offer.”

Tempting offer? Are you out of your mind?

“If I take your arms, you won’t be able to do a lot of activities, you can’t cook, you can’t write, you can’t even bath  properly. If I take your legs, you won’t be able to walk and run again, you will be crawling until you meet Death. Well, if I took your sight, you won’t be able to see the sky again, alas, you won’t be able to see your favorite ‘Taekwoon’ anymore.”

I hate this person. Is this what Father choose to be alongside Him? Such an ill-mannered servant…

“Is that okay with you?”

“No—“

“Yes… Yes… I’m okay. I.. I’ll give you anything, Sanghyuk. I’ll offer anything I have, just let him go and let him stay here with me.”

“Hm? Wouldn’t it bother him to take care of you that way then…?”

“You can’t take his body for trade.”

“Ah… Not even his beautiful silver hair?”

You heard me.

“Fine then, how about… I take your life, N-hyung?”

No.

“Whoa, calm down, Leo-hyung…”

I won’t let you do anything to him. I won’t. Even if you have Father’s words, I don’t care a single petty thing. Turn me to hell or anything for disobeying it, but I won’t let you touch him. Not even a single thread of his hair.

“I don’t get it why are you being so overly protective with him… Fine, fine, I was joking~ Why can’t you guys take things easier… Ah, it’s almost evening, I have to work quickly.”

What is he doing? He grabbed something from his pocket. A key…? A golden key…

“Now, by the God’s wish I shall unseal what He has kept.”

Wait, what…?

“TAEKWOON!”

What is… my head… my body feels weak…

“No! Sanghyuk!! What are you doing to him?! Let him go!! Now!!”

Ha… Hakyeon…

“STOP IT!”

No… Hakyeon…

“Sanghyuk!! No! Please!! Please… Don’t hurt him!!”

Don’t cry…

A cliffhanger. I'm really sorry. Or not :'))