22 - he's an angel -
—
Dohyeong's P.O.V
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm not as good of a guardian angel as I thought, huh?"
His tone was unmistakably lighthearted as we walked out of Route 127, but it made me shake my head almost immediately in disagreement anyway.
"No, it was just me being oblivious," I told him, stuffing my hands in my pockets as we walked. "I could've avoided this if I looked a little harder, I bet,"
"Dohyeong, any mistakes you make are mine because I didn't help you avoid them."
My lips pursed slightly as I retorted childishly, "That's dumb."
By the time we were sitting in my car, I realised that I didn't want to go home yet. I'd been out for only a short time, and after that, I figured the last thing I needed was to be cooped up with my thoughts again.
But, I was lost as to where to turn to.
Taeyong eyed my distant expression from the passenger seat, his expression vaguely curious.
"What are you thinking?" He asked, the words igniting a small flame in my chest.
I couldn't help my heart from throbbing in my chest every time the words were said. The sentence had little worth in itself, but I still seemed to find it intimate on the occasion he said it. It was something like a phrase with a hidden meaning, a sign that only I knew
"I don't know," I admitted quietly, trying to push the feeling down as I said, "But I know I don't want to go home. I sort of just wanna be alone now. But, alone with you, does that make sense?"
"Dohyeong," He trailed off, his eyes wandering away. "If it makes you feel any better, Aera was telling the truth,"
I just sighed, not really wanting to revisit it. But, I went along with it nonetheless, asking, "How do you know?"
As soon as I asked the question, I immediately knew what his answer would be, and though I had never considered it before, it made sense. My eyes wandered to his halo as I reminded myself,
that's right, he's an angel.
I didn't say anything like that, though, just nodding. "Somehow, I believe you,"
He just turned his attention back to me, smiling almost knowingly.
"You obviously have a lot on your mind, so just do what you want, Dohyeong,"
It took my mind a second to switch back to what he was talking about, but I just gripped the hem of my jacket a little harder, nodding. "Okay,"
I turned the key in the ignition and the engine came to life, and I almost thought it sounded like it was yelling at me to make my decision. But, I ignored it, because I knew definitely didn't need an engine criticising me, too.
—
THIRD P.O.V
She didn't know where she was going at first, truthfully, so she just drove slower and decided that she would determine it on the way.
It gave her something to occupy myself, the choice, just another excuse to push all the recent events out of her head. Everything really was a roller coaster now, and she didn't have the patience to ride it at the moment, no matter the clearance it would give her. Some things were meant to take time to happen, after all.
So much had happened since the angel had appeared, and she wasn't really sure if that was a good or a bad thing. But, if one thing's for sure, she knew she definitely wouldn't have gotten this far on her own.
Soon after that thought, somewhere in the back of her mind, she realised that she knew exactly where she could go. She switched off the highway, making Taeyong give her yet another side glance.
"Decided?" He asked.
She really liked that he had his opinions, but she probably liked how cool he was about everything even more. She felt like she could say that she wanted to drive across the country, and he would just say, 'are you sure? okay, when?'
Dohyeong nodded. "I think so,"
Minutes later, they pulled into a crowded lot, the car screeching on the stone as she finally came to a stop. He looked out the window, a short laugh leaving his lips.
"Don't laugh," She said, turning her focus to him as she took the key out the ignition. "I'm not a drama character. What did you think I was going to do, go brood on an empty cliff?"
He just smiled and shook his head. "I guess I didn't know what I was expecting. But, maybe I should just know you better by now,"
"Hey," She furrowed her brows as she bit back a smile. "You sound like you're making fun of me,"
He innocently shook his head again, his voice borderline sarcastic, "No, I'd never,"
"I'm a normal person, I can drown my feelings whatever way I want. And besides, I'm sure you don't even do half of them, so your opinion is irrelevant." She teased him back, earning a quiet scoff from him.
It was around noon by now, and they'd just pulled into the parking lot of a plaza. It was huge, the space dominated heavily by Christmas themed decorations, multiple amazing restaurants, and profoundly drawing window displays. It was her first time seeing it like this, though, seeing as she usually only came here after a heavy paycheck in the summer.
Well, it was usually with Aera, too.
This just reminded her of what had happened, her heart sinking at the reminder that she had just fought with her best friend. It wasn't something that happened often, so she couldn't help it from resting in her chest. But, she knew she had a right to be mad, at least.
"Can I ask you something?" She said this quietly, not exactly sure how she could continue the conversation. It being the day before Christmas, last-minute shoppers made everywhere crowded. But, she doubted, or hoped, anyone would even raise a brow, much less care if she talked to what seemed like herself.
He nodded. "What is it?"
"What do you think? About Aera, I mean,"
His adam's apple disappeared in his throat as he swallowed thickly, his mouth going dry. He knew the question would pop up sooner or later, but he still hadn't figured out how to answer to it.
While he knew that what her friend had done wasn't the brightest, he thought that he at least understood her reasoning. Even if it was just mere speculation. But, he still could concede that it meant a lot to Dohyeong, and she had always been so honest with him, so he wanted to be honest with her,
"I think," he started suddenly and unintentionally, finally starting to feel nerves creep up his throat as his eyes flickered over to the girl.
Ha, he laughed silently to himself, this is new.
Opinionated questions were usually no trouble, especially when it came to hers, so why back away from telling the truth? He didn't know, but another small glance at her expression told him the answer anyway.
He wanted least of all to hurt her feelings.
He took a breath and said, "I know that she hid the fact that he was gay and still helped you with him anyway, but try to think about her thought process,"
Much to his relief, she didn't shy away from his opinion, nor disregard it. "But I don't know what she could have possibly been thinking, especially when he was so obviously uncomfortable with it at the end,"
She looked over at him after she said it, obviously waiting for his answer. He didn't answer right away, though, his eyes distracted as they caught on the slight hue from the lights nearby that were shifting colourful shadows on her skin. He didn't know what part of it distracted him, the colourfulness or the uncanny similarity to the way the lights at the dance had done the same.
Nevertheless, it was familiar, so he let it go, nerves creeping up in him again for what he determined as no reason as he looked away and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Your thoughts are always the most important when it comes to your life. Never let anyone make decisions like this for you, Dohyeong. Especially if that person is me,"
"Taeyong," Her lips widened in a smile as she laughed. "Let's be real; what would I do without you and your decisions? You're like the trump card to my stupid ones, and besides, I'd rather trust you to make them than anyone else,"
He didn't know how to react to the words, smiling as a proud feeling spread through his chest.
"At least you think so,"
She gave him a look. "You're a smart guy. I was probably lucky to get you rather than anyone else,"
Her words kept making his heart skip beats, the compliments tinging an embarrassed red to his face. But he still teased her back, "Then maybe I was lucky to get you, too,"
She smiled, unaware of the underlining affectionate tone in his voice. But, at the same time, so was he.
—
Dohyeong's P.O.V
Time has a funny way of becoming irrelevant when you're having fun. Minutes can stretch as long as days, weeks shortening to the length of seconds. Time is like a piece of gum that I can stretch between my fingers, one that grows longer and longer until it suddenly snaps, without warning.
It's already happening now, and I have no idea how long I walk in and out of shops, or talk casually with the angel in the endless stretch of red, green and gold. At least, until the sun began to peek behind the trees. I checked my wristwatch as we walked down a small alleyway littered with shops and seasonal vendors.
I sighed, not wanting to leave. "We have to go soon,"
Taeyong averted his attention from a group of inflatable snowman, his eyes wandering to my watch. "Seriously?"
"By 5," I confirmed, making him nod.
We walked silently after that for the first time in hours, the only sounds being the faint noise of other voices and footsteps. It was weird to think how another year had almost passed, and it felt like it had done so in a snap of my fingers. It felt like just yesterday that I had drunkenly kissed my then boyfriend with everyone cheering around us, overjoyed to finally be going into the new year.
But, I felt like now, I was happier than I'd ever been.
I felt an unexplainable feeling spread in my chest as I thought about the past few months, going to a Halloween party with Aera, laughing with the angel, even spending time with Hyeokjae. I regarded everything as a happy memory at that time, and I couldn't help my lips from turning up into a small smile.
The angel, of course, noticed almost right away, mirroring my smile as he asked, "What?"
"I can't believe another year has passed. I feel like it was just yesterday that I celebrated my birthday with Aera, started my senior year or noticed you walking behind me for the first time,"
He just nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he laughed. "I guess so,"
"I can't believe you're actually here with me now, if that's okay to say," I added sheepishly, my cheeks tinging.
"Of course it is. I know what you mean, we're not an exactly predictable pair,"
"Yeah, right. You seemed like such an intimidating person at first. You barely showed any emotion, and it was overjoying to me when you even just smiled,"
He seemed embarrassed by my words, just smiling, as aforementioned, appreciatively.
"Yeah, well you seemed normal, and I've definitely learned that isn't true," He teased.
I just scoffed, telling him that he had no room to talk since he was the same way.
When we had bother calmed down a bit, he told me, "Dohyeong, I don't celebrate Christmas in heaven, and I never understood why humans liked it so much, but," He trailed off, his eyes wandering as a corner of his lips turned upwards. "I think I understand now,"
I laughed, my heart flooding once again at his words.
"Well then, Taeyong, I'll make sure you have the best Christmas possible, so that when you eventually do go back to heaven, you'll fully understand."
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AN: i write both my stories at the same time and it's so funny to be writing this on one tab and about murder on the other.
also what a long chapter jfc, sorry for the delay 💀