Chen’s side of the story

Since childhood; Chen is different from the other. He is a quiet kid to the point that their neighbors taught that Chen is mute. He really loves playing alone walking alone and most specially talking by his self. He’s not fond of friends and prefers his self to be alone. Chen’s parents are worried in Chen’s behavior and decided that they need a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist explain that Chen’s behavior is normal for his age that kids usually have imaginary friends and it last until they learn to adopt in the other kids. If Chen learns to interact to the others he’ll definitely notice the difference from imaginary to real. From that time his parents sent him to school at early age and let him stay in place where he can find kids w/ the same age as him. In to their disappointment Chen just separates himself to the others and this situation just triggers a reason for the other kids to bully him. He always come home w/ a scratch or sometimes bruises in his face.

“Not again!” His mom hissed after looking in his face that has new bruise.

“What did you do this time?” His father scolds him.

“Did you talk by yourself again Chen?” His mom asks him. Little Chen just lower his gaze and pretend that playing w/ his finger is an interesting for this time. His dad hold his arm tight until it hurts little Chen.

“I told you stop talking to yourself. Are you crazy?” His dad shouts at him seeing this as a solution to little Chen’s behavior. Little Chen’s eyes water and not long tears started to fall.

“Your mom and I almost make a fight every time they say something about you. Don’t you know it’s so embarrassing to be your parents!! Huh!!” His dad shouts at him while griping his arms tightly.

“Go to your room and stay there as I say so, is that clear?” His dad pushes him that he almost trip on his foot. Little Chen just nod in his parents, he go upstairs to stay inside his room. Little Chen sat in the middle of his bed, leg folded to his chest while his face is hidden in his knees.

*****

“You think if I tell them what really happened, they’re still going to hurt me?” Chen is alone in his room while sobbing.

“I don’t know, maybe.” Someone answered little Chen’s question.

“I did my best just to ignore you the whole time at school just to avoid bullies but it’s them who pick at me.” Little Chen is sniffing while talking.

“I’m sorry I think it’s my fault why they were like this at you.” Someone say.

“Aniyo! Don’t think like that Minseok hyung! Why are you saying that? They don’t understand that’s why they were like that but it’s not your fault.” The said Minseok just nod his head and little Chen just smile. Little Chen love to touch Minseok’s long and silky smooth hair that all tied in the right side of his neck just like now.

“Hyung I miss your story please can you tell me your story again, jebal!” Little Chen beg for Minseok’s story w/ his puppy like eyes and the said Minseok can’t refuse anymore.

“Ok" Minseok sigh in boredom

"like I said before I’m a guardian angel I live at a faraway land that called heaven. I usually build houses w/ my angel companion. Every time people made a good deed we angels work fast w/o getting tired but if people made bad things angel will stop working feeling like they were tired even in a small move. If people say something bad or they curse, angels near them will get hurt. Our creator sends us here to guide little children like you so you’ll grow and walk in right path. We builders are sent here because most of our guardian died after guiding kids like you. They say their goodbyes to us and promise to go back after centuries but they didn’t come back and our creator said that they vanished already because people are more comfortable in doing bad things. You know what? Every time people do things bad about you I can feel thousands of needles stabbing my heart. It’s just you why I still have my existent.” Minseok start to sniff and sob and move his gaze to little Chen and smile firmly when he realizes Chen is asleep already. “Please my Chen-chen, don’t be like them. Don’t kill us, please don’t kill me.” He caress little Chen’s hair while smiling firmly while his tears fall freely like a river.

“I’ll make sure you’re not going to be like them.” Minseok determinedly say to a sleeping Chen.

*****

When little Chen turn nine his mom gave birth to his baby sister Taeyeon. Chen learns everything about life. His parents stop taking care of him and pour everything in their new child; they don’t prepare food for Chen, they don’t talk to Chen anymore, they go out and eat outside w/o Chen so Chen learn to prepare food by himself, take care by himself, he talk more to Minseok and Chen just go to school walking, and at home he just stay inside his room.

“Eomma, I want all food you cook.” Taeyeon said while eating in the dining table w/ his parents.

“Me too!” Chen whisper to his self while leaning at the backdoor in the kitchen connected to the dining room.

“Of course; especially my baby’s favorite!” Their mom proudly says while slightly pinching Taeyeon’s nose.

“I wish mom knows my favorite too.” Chen envies his little sister but he loves her as much as he loves his parents.

“She doesn’t know, they don’t know” Chen sadly said to his self.

“But Chen I know your favorite!” Enthusiastic voice from Minseok erupts in Chen’s ear. Chen smile warmly and nod in Minseok’s direction. Chen is fifteen and Taeyeon is six years old and they love each other in their parents dislikes.

*****

“Tiffany did you ask Minseok oppa about Chen oppa’s condition? Last time I visit him in his room he still suffer from fever.” Taeyeon is like her brother she can see her guardian angel and have the ability to communicate to them.

“He’s fine already, don’t worry his fever is gone by now!” The guardian angel Tiffany answers back.

“Well that’s great because I want to play w/ him right now. You can’t play w/ me out side, Chen oppa said that it’s not right if I talk to you if we have other company than them.” Taeyeon talk to Tiffany inside her room w/o noticing a pair of eyes peeking at the door.

“And I’m sorry for that.” Tiffany flashes a sad expression in her face but Taeyeon just smile warmly and slightly shake her head.

“Don’t be sorry you can play w/ me here.” Taeyeon and Tiffany grin at each other.

*****

“Hyung! Minseok Hyung!” Chen stands up from his bed while calling for Minseok but Minseok is nowhere to find. He decided to go to Taeyeon’s room to ask Tiffany. He carefully knocks in Taeyeon’s door and opens it slowly. He saw Taeyeon fast asleep, her head in Tiffany’s lap.

“Hi noona have you seen Minseok hyung?” Chen asks Tiffany.

“Yeah! I ask him about your condition and the last thing i remember he stays by your side while you're suffering in fever.” Tiffany is confused in Minseok’s whereabouts.

“Is there something up to both of you?” Suddenly Tiffany asks.

“Why you said so?” Chen is confused in Tiffany’s question.

“This past few months Minseok is bothered but he’s not telling me why!” Tiffany keeps herself busy by caressing Taeyeon’s hair.

“I don’t know what’s happening and I’m worried.” Chen felt sad for Minseok but it’s not the issue now he needs to find him. But he’s worries hit it’s fatalness because it’s been one week since Minseok is missing and Chen is frantic about his’ hyungs’ where about.

*****

It’s almost midnight three weeks after Minseok is gone Chen can’t help himself from crying his tears keep on flowing like an endless river but he can’t stop. He just got alarmed when somebody harshly slam the door in his room and get shock w/ his father at the door w/ a dangerous anger in its face. He got frightened when his father carelessly curl its fist in his collar and push him hard at the wall.

“You freak! How dare you? Why did you let your sister catch your craziness huh?” His dad gave him a blow in his gut Chen feels spitting out his dinner he have eaten. His dad pulls him and drags him down the stairs and in the living room by his collar. When they reach the living room his dad punch him in the face and Chen knock all figurines in the table after hurling in the coffee table. That’s the time when Taeyeon show in the top of the stairs and shout to his dad.

“Dad! Why are you hurting Chen oppa?” She ran downstairs and about to aid his brother when her mom grab her by her waist.

“Stay away from him he is crazy and he’s influencing you!” Her mom mutters in her ears.

“Stop it dad, mom stop him!” Taeyeon is crying hard for her brother’s condition, she falls in to her knees when she saw Tiffany is a mess. Tiffany is clutching her chest tightly; she was lying almost lifeless in the floor she is hurt and it’s plastered all over her face and action. In one look you’ll know she’s suffering in pain and agony. Taeyeon knows what’s happening as long bad things are happening near angels will get hurt. Her dad opens the door of their house and throws his brother outside just like a trash.

“Don’t come back here you’re not welcome here anymore!” Their dad shouts at the top of his lungs. Taeyeon knows that she’s helpless for her brother and she can’t do anything.

“Forget about Chen OK!” Her dad is griping her arms unintentionally tight. Taeyeon just pull her hand and run to her room as fast as she can where she found Tiffany crying out loud in pain. She hugs Tiffany while saying everything is going to be fine and the said guardian angel relax under Taeyeon’s arms. Taeyeon looks outside the window while worrying for her brother and got confused.

“Is that Minseok oppa? How can he…” Taeyeon mutters to herself.

*****

Chen suffers in pain while trying to stand from the cold gutter outside their house when suddenly someone helps him by his arm. Before the abyss takes him he saw his Minseok hyung and everything turns black.

Minseok’s side of the story

Every time a new child was born, guardian angel is sent to guide them but I’m always confused where they are now? But now I’m not confused any more after seeing the place called earth.

There are two things why guardians are not coming back. The first thing is so scary and while living here in earth my fears always bug me.

Every time human do bad things it bring agony to us. I’m glad Chen is not like them. But the sad part is every one that surrounds him is a full pack of cruelty not only to us guardian but also to Chen. I can’t believe such treatment thus exist in this place. This is the first time I saw every kind of hurt and suffering. Every passing time brings me in too much pain. The feeling of being drown, the feeling of being beaten the feeling of being stab in a thousand times are creeping in my heart in one go every time bad deed is just near me. And I thought it’s the most crucial reason why guardians are not coming back after their task but it’s not.

I did everything just to make sure Chen is going to be a good son of our Creator not realizing the fit of nothingness that I’m dragging myself. Chen is a great person even his surroundings are shouting for abundance of discrimination and uneven treatment he never dwell himself in he’s being. While growing I didn’t notice my own eyes who see no one but him. I didn’t know that my ears chose to listen in his voice and his voice alone. I missed to notice my growing feeling to protect him to caress him to care for him I didn’t notice myself slowly falling in to a situation where I know I won’t fit. A situation where there’s nothing to hold to.

*****

“You’re falling for him.” Chen is playing in the playground that time when I notice a familiar old man and my eyes widen when I remember who he is.

“How did you do that?” I’m really amazed when I recognized one of guardian angel as human.

“Stop it before it’s too late.” He’s talking to me but I don’t know what he was talking about. As time goes by till Chen begin to be my day my night my everything till I don’t need anything aside from him, slowly giving myself a hint for the meaning of his(supposed to be guardian angel turn to human)words till there’s no way out. As the day pass my feeling for Chen grows. Every time w/ Chen remains marks in every inch of me. I start to doubt rules of heaven. Why we’re not allowed to fall in love if love is the reason for us angels to exist. Why does angels need to love once and it’s w/ the creator. So many questions and all the answer is keep on hunting me even if I don’t want to know it.

“Hyung don’t go!” That’s Chen and he’s suffering from high fever. I put my hands in his forehead then sing him a lullaby and he fell asleep. My Decision is final, I want to take good care of him and I’m willing to do everything. I snuck out from the house so Jessica and Taeyeon won’t see me leaving Chen’s side.

“Bwo?” The Ahjussi I’ve met before just shrug after my almost voice wrecking reaction. He reveals all things that I have to do and I can say it’s not just a joke but a big sacrifice.

“You need to break your wings, at the top of sky you’ll jump from there to the sea and feel death that seeps on your skin before you try to feel your chest. If you feel a heartbeat, try to take a deep breath. If the danger of losing anything inside your body occurs it means you’re starting to have a human body. That’s the time of no turning back to heaven even after your death.”

“Death?”

“Yeah! Death.” Minseok just bow his head and turn to where he has to go.

*****

Minseok look up and glance at the calm clouds. He closes his eyes and readies his self in what’s going to happen during this dangerous process.

He slowly raises his hands and grabs his wings and start to pull it. He kneeled down the cloud while forcefully pulling his wings off. Suddenly Minseok can feel electrifying sense from the root of his wings creeping in his body little by little. The next thing he knew his wings had fall off. He’s now realizing a sudden jolt of feeling in his back till it’s getting worse in every second. He slowly standing up and focus his sight in the clouds he used to run every time he recovered from the pain humans gave him and now it’s going to witness a big changes in his guardian life.

“I’m sorry.” Minseok put an effort not to let his tears fall but he failed cause every time he think about leaving creator’s mission makes him feel disappointed in himself but his decision is final there’s no turning back now.

A big splash in the sea was heard after Minseok jump from the highest cloud he’d had seen. Every time he tries to breathe like human normally does, the salty water enters his nose and mouth.

“Is this death?” Minseok ask his self. His body is sore from falling, his body is responding in a weird way that even him don’t know where his body’s responding. The feeling of being suffocated, agony, injured, feelings that Minseok was used to but still what he feels right now is unbearable. He is slowly being in an endless abyss. He can’t see anything but darkness till his body gave up and let the darkness eat everything that surrounds him.

“Minseok! Minseok! Wake up! Open your eyes!” Minseok gently open his eyes and get blinded by white lights. But when he get used to the lights he saw the ex-angel ahjussi that he used to know and realize something.

“You can touch me!” Minseok blurt his thoughts out. The ex-angel ahjussi just nod his head and help Minseok to stand up.

“You made it.” The sadness and guilt in ex-angel ahjussi’s voice was clear and Minseok knows why. Minseok needs to stay on ex-angel ahjussi’s house for a couple of days to regain his lessened strength from the process he experience as he lay down at the foreign bed and he start to feel empty. He’s trying to suppress the feeling of longing for a certain boy; Chen to be exact. When Minseok is feeling well already he plan carefully how he’s going to get at Chen’s side. In the middle of his reverie he heard a grunts and a hiss from a small garden in the back of the house. He made his way there and shock run through his vein seeing ex-angel ahjussi on the ground near the small fountain in the middle of the garden while clutching at his chest. But what really Minseok notice is the slowly transformation of ex ahjussi’s body into translucent as if it’s fading.

“What’s happening to you?” Minseok hysterically ask the ex-angel ahjussi.

“It’s time for me to go.” The new human widen his eyes as he hold the ex-angel ahjussi in his arms.

“Please take a good care of this place it’s yours now.” Minseok feels a sudden coldness somewhere in his back as the ahjussi faded completely w/o a trace. A droplets of water starts to pour from Minseok’s eyes to his hands. He lift his hands and trace his face to look for where the droplets coming. As he notices everything, he knows that he’s being a human from body to mind and heart. He can’t say soul for he doesn’t have one. He clutches his chest where he can feel something is beating. Different kinds of feeling he can’t identify out of nothing he start to cry out loud and he found himself slowly letting his feelings lighten.

****

“Chen.” Minseok utters as he stands at the end of an alley facing Chen and Taeyeon’s house. This is his hobby every night after he’s left alone by the ex-angel ahjussi. Some time he wants to just barge inside and take Chen away from them. He fixes his hood and put it in his head and ready to leave when suddenly a loud crushing was heard from a certain house. After a minute, Chen’s house door slums open loudly that tears the silence of the night away. And there’s Chen hurling out beaten and hurt as his father keep on shouting as if Chen commits a crime then the door slums close but Taeyeon’s voice can be heard but Minseok don’t care and approach Chen and touch Chen’s face. Chen grunts and moan in agony, eyes close tightly and oblivious to his surroundings.

“Don’t worry I'm here now and I'm not going to allow anyone to hurt you again.” Minseok carries Chen bridal style ignoring the weight and difficulties as adrenaline rush to his body w/ the promise of ending Chen's agony. They vanished in the dark of the night and go in the place were can live freely for the rest of their lives.

I’m eternally in love As your guardian, I will block the stiff wind Even though people turn their backs to you If I could become the person Who can wipe your tears on a tiring day? It will be paradise