Third Person
The shaken eyes of the archangels inside the room got Mashiho worried, thinking he should've informed them earlier that he already met one of the immortals they are looking for.
The silence shuttered with Asahi's deep sigh. "Four immortals left. We should make a plan on how to catch them and send them back immediately."
Jeongwoo tilt his head in confusion. "What do you mean four immortals left? We only have Dr. Choi and Dr. Kim on our watch."
"That one guy during the basketball tournament. I'm sure he's an immortal."
"Which one? There's three of them." Mashiho ask earning a pair of eyes darted on him.
"That Yoshi guy seems suspicious."
Silence filled the room, they suddenly feel exhausted and drained just by finding out about these unexpected information. They shouldn't be focusing on other things but the problem is the guardian is connected to all the chaos that is happening, otherwise they won't be chasing after it like lambs on the run.
Doyoung suddenly stand up. "Mashi should send a scroll to the highest and inform them how we're doing. Maybe they can give us a few advices in return. Goodnight, I'm heading to sleep." he said and lazily walk towards the room.
The aforementioned archangel only nodded as an answer before everyone eventually parted ways to get some rest after the exhausting day. As for Jeongwoo, he doesn't feel like sleeping or resting, as if none of those can actually help his mind be at ease.
He took out his phone and sent a message to their group chat that he's going out to take a walk and a breath of fresh air.
It was passed midnight already, the palace has a strict rule when it comes to curfew but Jeongwoo couldn't care less. He's more worried about their mission rather than getting caught in the hallways sneaking out of the apartment building.
Once he reached the mini garden at the back of the university near their apartment, Jeongwoo sat down on the grass facing the fish pond. As expected, there is no one around. He closed his eyes and did the breathing exercise to calm his nerves while slowly pulling out the grasses beneath him.
Along with his heavy exhales are his worries and vivid memories he can't seem to ignore no matter how much he tried.
"Can't sleep?" a voice interrupted.
Needless to waste time, he didn't bother looking around to check the owner of the voice.
"Leave me alone, Haruto." he replied and throw the poor grasses he pulled from the ground.
"I'm certain your building has a curfew, how did you manage to go out?" Haruto asked, ignoring his words and casually sitting half a meter away from the archangel.
"I sneaked out obviously"
The tall immortal chuckles. "Where did your angelic principles go?"
Jeongwoo slightly grin and shake his head. "We don't always have to follow the rules."
"That's the same old and typical you." Haruto mindlessly blurt out and it's too late when he realized what he just said.
The latter tilt his head on his direction and knit his eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"
Haruto calmly shrug his shoulders and avoided his gaze by starring at the pond. "Why did you sneaked out?"
Jeongwoo stared at him for a few more seconds before giving up when he realized the other male has no intention of answering his question.
"I'm bothered by all the informations. I need time to think."
"Why? What did you discovered this time?" asked the other male curiously.
The archangel gave him a serious look when their eyes met each other's. Followed by a deep sigh as Jeongwoo look away and pulled another portion of the green grass. "Don't laugh, okay?" he started.
Haruto nods.
"I never thought angels can actually love non divine beings"
The taller male smiled to keep himself from letting out a soft chuckle. "Why? How did you come up with that idea?"
"Isn't that the norm?"
"fck the norms" Haruto replied now wearing a serious expression.
"Yeah, i guess that's how it works to some of us." Jeongwoo replied. He sit up straight crossing his legs as he face the taller male, he tug the hem of Haruto's navy blue button down polo. "Be honest. You knew who i am, right?"
"Ramiel the Angel of Hope. Ofcourse."
Satisfied with the immortal's answer, he then continued. "I thought it was impossible because of the scripture."
"Why do you look so affected with that information? Are you in love with one?" Haruto interrogates, playfully wiggling his eyebrows.
"No. Not yet."
"Not yet?" The latter repeats.
Jeongwoo lightly hit his arms. "That's not important." he said followed by a heavy sigh and a sad look on his face. "But my brother found out that Uriel fell inlove with a devil."
"And you are bothered because?"
"Because it was from the past and Doyoung can't even remember a thing."
Haruto look away from him before he answered, "That's how your cycle goes. Choosing the light will erase all the memories that would possibly drag you to sin again."
The angel nodded in agreement. "How about you? Can you remember your past life?"
"I can, clearly."
Jeongwoo look at the taller with so much anticipation. "And? Is it something you'd choose to go back to?"
The immortal turned to him with a small smile curved on his lips. "Always. I'd willingly go back to the time when both of us were so inlove."
Jeongwoo's pure eyes met Haruto's sinful ones. "You remember your past love?"
"I do" Haruto answered. Delighted as he smile gently to himself.
The latter nodded. "I'm happy for you."
"You're not happy. You don't seem happy at all." He pointed out pertaining to the look on Jeongwoo's face.
Jeongwoo playfully nudge the taller using his elbow as if telling Haruto to stop picking on him. "I'm happy for you but i feel bad for the one i loved."
"What do you mean?"
"What if i already met them in this lifetime? What if they remember me and i most certainly don't. That would hurt them. It breaks my heart thinking about it."
That simple explanation from Jeongwoo tug something in him. Silence filled the garden, only the wind and the flowing water from the fountain in the fish fond is the only sound they can hear.
Without realizing it, Haruto found himself patting Jeongwoo's shoulder. "They would understand. Don't worry."
"I hope so"
"We should go, want me to walk you home?" Haruto asked earning a look from the smaller.
Jeongwoo shake his head. "I don't want to go home yet. Can we go somewhere else instead?"
The taller furrow his eyebrows. "Go where?"
"I want ice cream, let's go to the convenience store nearby." Jeongwoo answered and immediately stand up.
Haruto just watch the archangel dust his pants to keep the scattered grass off him. He stand up and follow behind as Jeongwoo lead the way with enthusiasm, far from the worried and bothered person he was a few seconds ago.
He shrugged his shoulder and walk after him. "Funny how you can't remember me and on the other hand, i couldn't forget you." Haruto whispered.
________________
"Palace Party? Really? In the middle of the busy semester?" Mashiho asked in disbelief. His eyebrows meeting half way, obviously annoyed.
Partying isn't really his thing and he doesn't have much time for that. Not until, Doyoung and Jeongwoo came running to their department with a poster in hand.
Asahi took the poster from the two and carefully read what's written on it. Not long after, he look up while nodding. "We are going to the party."
"Are you serious?" Mashiho interjects, his voice raising a little.
"There's a lot of reason to go the party, Mashi." Doyoung stated as he calmly took the vacant seat across the latter.
Mashiho gave him an unconvinced look before crossing his arms over his chest. "Aside from the fact that you probably want to see Atty. Bang in a party clothes, what else?"
"Here we go again" Junghwan whispered from the side but no one really paid attention except Jeongwoo who told him to stay quiet if he doesn't want to get involved with Mashiho and Doyoung's daily argument.
The Angel of wisdom shrug his shoulder and grab the iced latte from Asahi. "First things first, that's not my intention. You know everyone will be in that party right? And those guys from the basketball tournament will be there too, didn't Asahi mentioned that their circle is radiating so much immortal energy?"
The smaller male rolled his eyes in defeat. "Fine, valid."
Jeongwoo can't help but to laugh at their childishness. He suddenly thought of something. "We need a plan" he said earning a confuse look from the other angels.
"Plan? What for?" Junghwan asked, his eyes glistening with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Everyone will be at the hall tonight. We can take that chance to visit the Lunar library."
With that, they started talking about their plan and even divided their group into two. They didn't know when will they get the chance to sneak in again so they are trying to use the opportunity.
Although nervous and uncertain, they have no choice but to break the rules. It's the only way out.
___________________
"Who suddenly made the announcement of the party?" the foxy eyed immortal asked as soon as he entered the conference hall, running a bit late since he has a class before the board called for the meeting.
Board of Directors a.k.a his friends who seems to be the human form of headache.
Haruto, the only student in the hall shrug his shoulders trying to play innocent.
"Not me." Junkyu stated from the side while browsing through the brown expanded folder in front of him.
Their circle is complete, even Yoshi, a busy body made it to the sudden meeting despite his packed schedule as a well known model and actor.
"Ask Jaehyuk. He suddenly barged inside my office earlier saying we should host the party asap." Hyunsuk, the only working brain of the group answered while playing with a pencil.
The seemingly bubbly immortal heavily sigh before tapping the table to calm everyone. "I know it was sudden but i agree with Jaehyuk."
Yedam glance back and forth at them with confusion written all over his face. "What do you mean? What's going on? I don't understand."
"The party was made especially for the freshmen right? The palace host a party every year to congratulate the students for making it into the masteral, the only change this time is we're doing it earlier than the usual date." Jihoon started off, looking intently at the confused Attorney before he continued.
"The venue of the party will be at the multi purpose hall and since Hyunsuk- Dr. Choi already signed the papers for the extension of the new tertiary medical laboratory that will be extended to the multipurpose hall, we have to move the dates or else the party will be postponed for a few months."
The latter slowly nods but soon furrow his eyebrows. "Point taken but do you really have to rush it tonight? Are you sure the construction is the only reason, Engineer Yoon?" Yedam playfully ask.
Even Junkyu who have been quietly reading the documents suddenly stop to spare Jaehyuk a teasing look. "He probably want to see Asahi."
Jihoon and Yoshi laughs at the remark while the other male ignored their words by shaking it off by taking a sip of his iced latte.
"Yedam pretending he's not excited to see his favorite law student at the party tonight." Haruto interrupted while smiling from ear to ear.
"Yedam's favorite student?" Yoshi and Hyunsuk repeated in unison.
Except Jihoon, the others look at Yedam with anticipation. Waiting for his answer but the flustered attorney defensively look away. "Doyoung is not my favorite student!" he exclaimed.
They continued teasing Yedam since Haruto intently spilled how the older asked him to invite Doyoung and Jeongwoo to listen to the court trial and even for dinner.
"By the way, who's going to the party?" Jaehyuk asked.
Everyone raised their hands except Junkyu who go back to reading the documents. When he felt the eyes of his friends directed at him, he slowly close the folder and move it away.
"You guys know I'm not a party person. Allow me to stay in my unit and lay in my bed doing nothing."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow. "Mashi will be there."
"Screw it, count me in." he answered in a speed of light making everyone burst out in laughter.
Hyunsuk glance at Jihoon's direction and tilt his head. "How about Yoonbin?"
The latter put his cup of coffee down as he nods. "He's going with me."
Haruto dart his eyes on Jaehyuk after ignoring Hyunsuk and Jihoon's conversation from the side. He pat his shoulder to get his attention.
"Make a move later tonight"
"What do you mean?" Jaehyuk ask, his eyes puzzled as he look up to the other immortal.
"I'm sure Asahi will be at the party too. Make a move, greet him. You can't just watch him as if he's a painted canvas like how you did last time during the tournament."
The other male gave Haruto a slightly discourage smile. "Should i? Can i? What if he thinks I'm weird for suddenly talking to him."
Haruto shake his head and quickly pat Jaehyuk's shoulder to encourage him. "Tell him you are the engineer incharge for the laboratory extension. They are the one who will work in that section once it's done."
"And how did you know that?" Jaehyuk move his eyebrows up and down while questioning him.
The taller sighed in disbelief before confidently meeting his eyes. "I saw it on Junkyu hyung's documents. Aren't they under his supervision?" he explained and lightly step on Junkyu's shoes to get his attention. "Right, Dr. Kim?" he continued.
Junkyu nodded like a child while eating the waffle Hyunsuk ordered for everyone.
"Fine. I'll do it later." Jaehyuk answered in defeat, feeling excited and nervous at the same time.
±
"Jaehyuk looks extra good looking tonight." Yoonbin who just arrived at the party hall commented alongside with Jihoon holding a glass of Martini.
They are currently seated in one of the tables in front. Some students already crowding in the dancefloor while some are continuously moving around, either trying to find a table or looking for their friends who haven't arrived yet.
"Jaehyuk only give effort to two things." Yoshi stated pausing as he look at the latter. "Firstly, to his plates and most likely to Asahi."
"You guys, stop teasing me already. I'm already nervous and shaking like crazy." Jaehyuk answered before playfully hitting Yoshi.
All eyes are on their table but the group paid no attention. Except Yoshi, Jihoon, and Yoonbin, they're all busy looking around trying to find a certain person in the busy crowd.
Junkyu acting calm but anxiously searching for a certain fun size angel, Haruto checking his phone and looking at the entrance door every now and then while Yedam simultaneously sighing as he boredly play with the table cloth.
Their eyes lit up upon the sight of Mashiho, Junghwan, and Jeongwoo entering the hall but Jaehyuk felt disappointed when he saw no sign of Asahi following behind.
Yedam knit his eyebrows suspiciously.
___________________
Doyoung ran his slender fingers on the dreadful and messed up cover of the oldest book they found. The cover was slightly damage and the title is almost unreadable. He tossed it inside the paper bag where two or more books they found earlier are in.
He and Asahi are the ones who volunteered to search the restricted section of the Lunar library. As planned, taking the event as a chance to be able to sneak at the opposite faction without getting caught by the lunar prefects.
"Fuck!" Asahi exclaimed, turning his head to the direction of the voices. He found Doyoung kneeling while holding a book near the shelf looking at him horrified.
Eyes widen and lips parted as they heard the door open followed by a pair of foot steps and soft voices combined. Doyoung can feel his heart pounding hard inside his chest as he slowly get up, he tried to look down a little to get a glimpse of his wrist watch only to see the numbers indicating that it's already quarter to 9.
The Angel of wisdom quickly dashed towards Asahi in a swift motion. The two of them pressed against the shelves, cold sweat enveloping their bodies.
"The voices are near. We will be found if we stay here, Doyoung." Asahi whispered as he wipe the sweat on his temple.
They should not be caught or else they will have to face a sanction especially that the palace has a strict rule of not crossing boundaries between lunar, solar, and stellar factions.
Doyoung took a deep breath before nodding to the other angel as if signalling him to start the holy chant. Asahi nodded back as he started humming the verses, eyes shut close, both of them trying to concentrate.
A glass like circle slowly start appearing in front of them, a little bit blinding but probably visible to the both of them only. The older continually chant the ritual verses voicelessly.
Earlier that same day, after their talk in the medical department, Junghwan and Jeongwoo told them they could use a ritual to open an eternal passage that would lead them to where they are through the elixir and blood bond. Asahi, The Angel of Healing, being his usual self, already took the initiative to memorize the verses and was able to master it in just a short period of time.
Doyoung quickly took his phone out to sent a message to their brothers about their situation. His hands were shaking as he started typing, it was shaking so bad that it slipped from his sweaty hand landing straight to the wooden floor and causing a loud thud that immediately broke the silence of the dimmed light library. Asahi's concentration slowly shuttered, his eyes become unsteady alongside with the light from the passage disappearing into the air like ashes.
He failed to fully open the passage. Asahi immediately tilt his head to glare at Doyoung for ruining his concentration. "Damn it, Doyoung. Of all the times you have to act stupid why does it have to be now?"
The latter only look at him in horror. Both of them nervously pressing their bodies even closer to the shelf as if it would cover them. They both froze when someone pick up the phone that slid out towards the outer part of the shelves- Doyoung knew whoever picked up the phone will know who the owner is. His picture was clearly it's lock screen wallpaper.
"Kim Doyoung" He shut his eyes closed when his name slipped out of the prefect's lips.
I have no other choice. He thought.
Doyoung felt Asahi tug the hem of his polo, as if reading his mind and stopping him from what he's about to do but he only held his hand to gave him an assurance that they can peacefully leave the lunar without facing the sanction.
נשקו את הזיכרונות לשלום
(kiss the memories goodbye)
The archangel breathed down a sigh while composing himself. The familiar short but effective verse running in his mind on repeat. He never thought he'd actually use that divine power to break a university rule but he has no other choice.
Doyoung nervously sigh, preparing himself to step out and meet the prefects that are waiting for him but a soft voice suddenly interjects.
"He's with me." the voice announced making the three prefects turn towards the direction.
The two archangels exchange confused glances before Doyoung finally stepped out and Asahi regain his composure to chant the verses in order to leave without a trace.
Their eyes suddenly turn uneasy as they bow at the newly arrived figure politely. To say that Doyoung was shocked is a complete understatement, he saw one of the prefects handing his phone to the man who spoke. His eyes landed on the man, his heart started thumping, feeling the need to run.
"We apologize, Attorney. We will go now." the tallest of the three uttered before bowing for the last time and turning away as if nothing happened.
Leaving Yedam whose currently leaning against the window frame of the library near the entrance but soon slowly walk towards his direction. He's smiling to Doyoung who still look surprised.
"Here. I bet this is yours?" Yedam spoke breaking the silence between them, handing the phone back to Doyoung.
In his peripheral vision, He can see the light vanishing from the corner of the shelf indicating that Asahi managed to escape through the eternal passage. He's now alone with the attorney and he has no choice but to pretend he was alone in the library the whole time.
He gently grab the phone while looking at the attorney knowingly. His eyes narrowing as questions started to loom at the back of his mind.
"What are you doing here, atty.? How did you know im here?" he managed to ask bravely. Even crossing his arms while looking at Yedam who is just smiling at him smugly.
"I'm here because my heart is here. I'll always go wherever my heart is." the attorney answered smiling at him then started walking towards the door, leaving Doyoung confused as hell.
His heart was beating erratically inside his chest, a feeling of familiarity crashing into him as the words started to process in his head.
Who the fuck are you, Atty. Yedam?