Gabrielle rested her head on the bath tub as she let the warm water engulf her in comfort. She closed her eyes, trying to relax herself, but she couldn't.
Even after happily celebrating Keonhee's birthday last night, she still couldn't feel at ease at all about what happened with the snake. She has never been this anxious-no. She never felt any anxiety when she does her missions. This was the first time. Was it because her mission involves mortals? Was it because the King is finally involved? Or was it because this mission holds everything from the Celestial Palace, The Underworld, and the Mortal World? Gabrielle doesn't know, and that made her anxiety grow heavier.
She remembered telling Seraphiel this was an easy mission. That this is a piece of cake. Now she looks at herself eating her own words.
Everything struck her. How close the snake was in getting Keonhee's soul; for not being careful in speaking which made the snake learn who Keonhee is; and for almost having the snake report to the King about what the Celestial Palace is up to.
One careless move and her mission will fail. One careless move and all will fall to doom. She couldn't afford to let it happen.
She cannot imagine what could've happened if she came too late, or if she didn't hear that faint giggle of the snake. It was so close, she was fortunate to hear it.
She cannot imagine if she had let the snake escape from her grasp when she flew. The thought of the snake successfully returning to the Underworld to report to the King scared Gabrielle. It would certainly enrage the King, and who knows what will happen when he finds out they're on the move.
She needs to gather them all as fast as possible.
A knock on the bathroom door startled Gabrielle, snapping her back to reality.
"Gabrielle?" It was Seoho. He probably knocked on the bedroom's door and realized she was in the bathroom.
"Yes?" Gabrielle replied, looking at the door.
"I've finished cooking breakfast and the rest of the guys are already there." He replied from behind the door.
"I'll catch up, Seoho. Thank you." Gabrielle said sweetly, concealing the worry that was spreading within her. She must get things straight.
When Seoho left, Gabrielle finished her bath. She changed into another white dress. Everyday she wears a white dress, but with a different style. This time she wears an off-shoulder white dress that stopped a few centimeters above her knee. She wore her gladiator sandals and swiftly combed her hair while looking at the mirror. Afterwards, she made her way out of the room. She didn't need make up, her natural look was angelic enough.
She glanced at the boys happily eating breakfast in the kitchen, probably enjoying the food Seoho cooked. Gabrielle had to admit, he's a great cook. She just took a sandwich and ate it without sitting down. She rested her arms on the chair.
They all looked at her. "Aren't you eating? Sit down." Leedo said motioning at the vacant seat beside him. Gabrielle shook her head, on the other hand. "I'm in a hurry to get Hwanwoong."
"Darling, if you're on a mission, you should eat well. Take care of yourself too." Keonhee said as he swallowed his food. Hearing the nickname got Ravn looking at him, and then back to Gabrielle.
"I'm not hungry anyways. That's okay." She replied with a smile. She didn't look at the foods for so long since her stomach might rumble.
"But I cooked these for the first time. Aren't you gonna try them?" Seoho looked sad, which made Gabrielle sigh in defeat. He felt bad for the man.
"Alright, alright. I'll eat." She saw Seoho's wide smile instantly, which spread to the rest of the men. They were happy to see Gabrielle finally giving in.
°°°°°
In about 1:30 in the afternoon, Gabrielle finally arrived at the house of Hwanwoong, the cursed man of sloth.
Gabrielle went through the window and found Hwanwoong sprawled on the bed playing with his phone with a bag of chips and a newly opened soda with other empty cans of soda beside him.
Gabrielle looked at his room, it was so messy. His cabinet of clothes were open wide. Some of the clothes started to slip off from the hanger, and some of them were literally scattered on the ground. There were books scattered on his desk, and some are on the ground open wide. The flat screen TV in front of him was turned on, but it was set in a low volume. Beside it are empty cans as well and at the corner of the TV stand was a towel draped sloppily. To describe the chaos in Hwanwoong's room in complete detail is probably gonna be a whole new book.
In the midst of everything, Hwanwoong lays on his unruly bed comfortably, trash-talking at his phone. His eyes shortly glanced at Gabrielle's way. Too short like he just whipped his bangs away.
"Oh, I didn't notice you coming in, nanny. You came too early."
Gabrielle's jaw dropped when Hwanwoong called her nanny. "Goodness, another nickname."
"Go fix my closet, nanny." Hwanwoong began, his eyes never leaving his phone. "And please throw these cans away."
Gabrielle shook her head when she concluded he didn't realize who she is. She smiled and stepped forward. "Hi, Hwanwoong. I'm not your nanny, I'm Gabrielle. I'm--"
"Oh, you're probably her friend." He interrupted, still concentrated on his game. He ate his chips.
Gabrielle sighed. She decided to go with this idea. She kept her smile.
"We'll yes, I am her friend. And I'm here to tell you something important."
"Okay, go on."
She was honestly surprised of how things are going smoothly. Hwanwoong wasn't surprised at the sudden intrusion and he let her speak. Gabrielle started to talk and tell him about who she is and who he actually is. She starts to like Hwanwoong for making her task easier compared to the previous four men.
As the explanation goes on, Hwanwoong only has short answers, and the same exact answers.
".... And we don't know when they'll take you." Gabrielle continued.
"Okay."
"So now we'll get going to our new house."
"Okay."
"So start getting up."
"Okay."
This was the end of her explanation and Gabrielle realized Hwanwoong's not even paying attention. He's still focusing on his game.
"Are you listening to me?"
"Okay."
This has lost all the smile and patience Gabrielle had. She stood up and inhaled sharply. All this time she was talking and explaining while this man wasn't even listening to her at all.
"Yeo Hwanwoong!" She yelled in frustration.
"What!?" He yelled back, but his eyes were still on his phone. "Don't scream, I almost lost to my opponent!"
"We have to get going!"
"Where?" Gabrielle slowly calmed down since he seemed to be paying attention now.
"To our new house." Gabrielle replied with much expectation until Hwanwoong replied. "Okay."
Gabrielle scoffed. She looked at Hwanwoong with so much annoyance. She took back what she said, that he was easier to get than the previous men. She rubbed her face in frustration.
This was a big waste of time.
So, as a solution, Gabrielle approached Hwanwoong and scooped him in his arms and strode fast through the window and flew up. Her wings sprung out and flapped through the air.
Everything happened so fast for Hwanwoong to comprehend. He screamed as he felt his body being lifted. "Hey, hey! What are you doing!?" His face was full of surprise, all for the reason of being carried by a lady. A lady is carrying him while flying.
He thrashed around Gabrielle's arms. She ignored Hwanwoong's weight. Ravn was heavier than this small man when she attempted to carry him before, but Hwanwoong thrashing on her arms made himself heavier. This time, Gabrielle is really carrying a man while flying.
"Who are you!? Put me down this instant!" Hwanwoong yelled aggressively, still thrashing around. Gabrielle was already starting to have difficulties in flying.
"I said put me down!" At this moment, she was completely fed up with this kid so she stopped flying and let him go. "You asked for it."
Realization hit Hwanwoong. He was falling down. He started to freak out and scream. Strings of curse were flowing out of his mouth. "Help! Help! Someone! Hey!"
Horror and fear were in Hwanwoong's eyes as he sees the ground getting nearer and nearer. "Help! I can't die yet!"
Hwanwoong closed his eyes tightly, bracing for death. He waited for his face to hit the ground but it never came. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself back on the air. He instantly wrapped his arms on Gabrielle's neck as an instinct.
He was breathing heavily while Gabrielle on the other hand, was laughing so hard on the air. "Goodness, you should have seen your face when you fell."
Turns out, before Hwanwoong fell face first on the ground, Gabrielle has caught him in time. She thinks Hwanwoong deserves to get a snap back to reality. It could be considered as a pay back for treating Gabrielle like a nanny and for not paying attention to her.
As Hwanwoong panted, he takes a look at the lady's face. She looks like an angel, that's what he seemed it is, until he looked behind her and saw white wings flapping gracefully. "Am I taken to heaven?"
Gabrielle, who was still laughing her soul out, looked at Hwanwoong whose eyes started to lose focus. Before Gabrielle could reply, Hwanwoong lost consciousness, the darkness consuming him from the shock.
This made Gabrielle laugh again until Seraphiel crossed her mind. Her superior. Her mouth was sealed shut as she imagined how Seraphiel could be furious of how she treated Hwanwoong. She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. She hoped Seraphiel didn't see this.
°°°°°
Gabrielle finally arrived at the house. She landed on the ground and hid her wings back. Seoho was outside the door. He immediately stood up, as if he's waiting for Gabrielle to come back. His eyes landed on Hwanwoong who was still asleep.
"Please open the door, Seoho." Gabrielle asked and Seoho immediately opened the door and gave way for Gabrielle.
"Oh, is that Hwanwoong?" Keonhee said. Gabrielle nodded.
"What happened to him?" Leedo asked and Gabrielle tried not to laugh as the memories started to come back. "He fell asleep on the way."
It was not a lie though. They were technically on the way to the house and he fell asleep in the middle of them travelling.
"Did you fly here while carrying him?" Seoho's eyes widened as he looked from Hwanwoong to Gabrielle.
"Yes." The men were amazed at Gabrielle, as always.
Ravn scoffed. "Still, I'm glad I didn't let you carry me on that day."
In the midst of their conversation, Hwanwoong stirred in his sleep, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Gabrielle looking down at him.
His eyes instantly widened as the memories flashed back in his mind. "You!" He yelled as he jumped away from Gabrielle's arms and started scrambling away from her. He stopped at Ravn's leg, holding it with fear and anger.
"Get me away from her!" Hwanwoong started to freak out. He tugged on Ravn's jeans. Gabrielle tried to hold herself from laughing.
"What did you do to him this time, Gabrielle?" Ravn asked with his arms crossed, expecting another stunt. Before Gabrielle could defend herself, Hwanwoong replied instead. "S-She dropped me from the sky!"
All of their eyes widened while Gabrielle kept a straight face.
"Are you serious, Gabrielle?" Keonhee exclaimed. Ravn face-palmed, "I knew I made the right decision to not let you carry me."
"He asked for it!" Gabrielle rebutted. "He told me to put him down, and I did give him what he wanted. Now he's made at me."
"You almost killed me!" Hwanwoong yelled at Gabrielle, still holding onto Ravn's leg as a shield. Gabrielle rested her hands on her hips. "But I didn't!"
"You still dropped me."
"Well, Yeo Hwanwoong, if you paid attention to me from the start, that exact moment when I entered your room, none of this would've happened." Gabrielle ranted.
"I thought I lost my temper from explaining myself to Ravn," Gabrielle sneered at Ravn before continuing. "But I didn't know I could feel so much frustration until I met you. You made me feel like I'm talking to a ghost or air."
The look of annoyance and mockery left Gabrielle's face. It was replaced with anxiety. Everything that happened at Keonhee's place crossed her mind. How Keonhee almost died in the snake's hands, and how almost the snake could have fled to report to the King. How everything could have been doomed.
Her eyes started to become glossy. "Time is running so fast and so are the enemies. I need to find you all and save you before it's too late. I can't afford to waste time and fail. I could be the reason for everything to fall apart."
Silence filled the room as soon as Gabrielle finished talking. A tear slid down on her cheek and she instantly wiped it off with the back of her hand. Ravn, Seoho, Leedo and Keonhee looked at her in shock. They got used to see her smiling and laughing all the time. They never saw her this mad, let alone cry. Meanwhile, Hwanwoong, who doesn't know anything at all, looked at Gabrielle with confusion.
Gabrielle started to walk through them, her eyes never meeting any of their eyes. "Explain everything to Hwanwoong. I'm tired." She said to no one particularly and made her way to the stairs. To her room.