Third Person
It was one of those Saturdays with baby-blue skies, trees dancing along with the wind, the weather seemingly feels like a kiss of summer but minus the fiery heat of noon time. Jeongwoo had his lips curve into a soft smile as he look out of the cafe’s glass wall.
Contrary to his warm smile, he has a big concern under his sleeves. It has been two days since the university party which he remembered as a very embarrassing moment of his temporary mortal life. Even the slightest memory of the stupid things he did made him want to puke and throw himself off a cliff if possible.
Jeongwoo tilted his head up when he heard the door of the cafe open. It's almost 11 in the morning and there are only few people occupying the place. Setting aside his embarrassment, he flashed a smile as he saw the tall figure he was waiting for walking towards him.
“I don't remember saving a country in my past life to be graced by your presence.” Haruto stated before taking a seat across him. His eyes obviously landing on the book the archangel was reading, furrowing his eyebrows upon recognition.
“What can i do for you? You ignored me for two days, I'm certain im not here just for your eyes to see.” Haruto added smiling at Jeongwoo who just rolled his eyes taking a sip of his iced latte.
The smaller of the two who was conflicted and confused since early in the morning because of what he had read, closed the book he was reading for the third time now and look at Haruto straight in the eyes.
“I didn't order anything for you, I don't know what you like. You can order first before i bombard you with questions.” Jeongwoo answered and the immortal followed politely, walking casually to the counter and came back quickly with his usual smile.
“This story, is this real? Did this happen?” the smaller asked without wasting a second but nervous of what Haruto's answer would be.
“Relax, you look so anxious. Tell me first what the story is about.” Haruto said.
He's trying not to show any signs of emotion that would allow the other male to know about his knowledge of the story. It was obviously familiar to him but he has no plans of giving it away easily.
“Another story of an angel who fell in love with one of the deadly sins, that's what it says. During a war against the rogues, that sin almost lost his life but the archangel came in between and sacrificed himself.” Jeongwoo spoke, eyes on the book as he recited the highlighted part.
“The arrow was as sharp as obsidian that it pierced through his heart. It was the same arrow that ended his life for no one were able to save him.” the latter continued.
“It’s real. The arrow was bewitched by a spell, the angel was meant to die for the other.” Haruto mumbled feeling a lump in his throat.
A wave of sorrow and sadness laced his deep voice while his eyes locked with Jeongwoo's dark orbs that showed shock and devastation.
“Who among us? The book never mentioned it and i don't understand. Who among us would go that far for a fucking immortal?” the archangel exclaimed. His voice sounds a little rough, voice shaking as he push back his hair in annoyance.
The other male was taken aback. He could only stare at Jeongwoo apologetically. His heart constricting in pain at the words that came from the mouth of the love of his life.
You would, you went as far as leaving me and sacrificing your own happiness just so you could save my life. You did it for a fucking immortal, you did it for me.
Haruto turn his head towards the glass wall where the busy streets are kept alive by people and cars passing by. He swallowed the lump in his throat trying his best not to let emotions consume his composure. The dizziness he was feeling earlier was now gone and all he could think about is the heaviness of the divine’s words.
“I’m sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I was just bewildered that one of us actually died and made a sacrifice. I mean.... He did not die by the scripture’s natural order.” Jeongwoo explained.
He was now looking at the same direction Haruto does. Tears forming on the side of his eyes, shoulders feeling the weight and pressure of their mission. Everything he managed to discover is taking a toll on him.
“You also did great in your past life.” the immortal spoke making Jeongwoo look up to him with teary eyes.
Jeongwoo can feel his heart beating loud and fast because of the sincere smile the taller gave him. He smiled just the same but the questions in his mind start to arise.
What were you in your past life, Haruto? Were you a sin? Or were you the former guardian? Perhaps the love of me? Mischief.
±
“Mashiho?” Jeongwoo called out upon arriving at their unit.
When Haruto received an important call from someone and excused himself for the day, the archangel decided to go home as well instead of looking like a total loner in the cafe. He'd prefer to sort out his thoughts in his bedroom than in front of strangers.
“I’m still alive and kicking. Where have you been?” he heard Mashiho’s voice and follow it's direction that lead him to the kitchen.
The smaller male was seated at the island counter, book on his left hand while the other one is tuck inside a bag of potato chips.
“What a surprised that you're not out there with Dr. Kim. Have you found anything?” Jeongwoo said pointing his finger towards the book before pouring a cold water on his glass.
Mashiho rolled his eyes. “Anything but the information about that hell born guardian or whatever that shit is.”
The younger slowly shake his head while chuckling. Thinking that the human air is definitely not doing any good to Mashiho.
“I found out something. It's about one of us.” he announced.
“Spill” answered the latter before shoving a handful of potato chips in his mouth.
“Remember during the proclamation, days before we were sent down here? You told me i might have a dark mark on my wings sooner or later but up until there's no sign that it will happen?”
Mashiho hummed as he nods. “I remember that. Go on.”
“I don't have a mark but Raphael has it, right? His mark was not because he almost got claim by darkness. It was because he sacrificed himself for an immortal.” his voice is terribly shaking while explaining.
Jeongwoo took a deep breath before he continued. “That mark meant he died in his past life because of his love for someone from hell. Particularly the sin of Greed.”
The smaller nervously stare at Jeongwoo with his mouth hung open. He raised one of his hand and stand up. “Wait, you're basically saying—”
“Asahi fell in love with a sin and he died for him.”
The room fell in silence. The smaller of the two parted his lips to speak but wasn't strong enough to utter a word. Both of them stand with their knees trembling.
Mashiho’s heavy sigh shattered the silence. He placed his hand on his temple and gave it a light massage as he spoke. “I thought it was you.”
“Huh?”
“I always say you might have a mark because I've heard it among the officials. I thought you'd be the type to fall in love with a sin and die for him. Turns out it was Asahi. Wow.”
The younger wasn't sure if he should laugh or hit the latter but he just shake his head in disbelief before chugging down the cold water. In hopes that it would help him come back to his senses.
“If you will have a mark but you did not die for that sin, then what did you do in your past life?”
______________
“What did i do in my past life?” The archangel whispered to himself. Eyes closed, lazily laying down on Doyoung's bed while waiting for Asahi to arrive.
He suddenly heard the creaking sound of the door, indicating that someone arrived. Jeongwoo opened his eyes but did not bother to make an effort to stand up.
Gone was the laziness in his system when he felt the other angel’s weight against his body— Asahi lay his head on Jeongwoo's navel as he loosely hug the younger.
“Did Mashiho told you already?”
“He did” and with that, Jeongwoo felt the hug tighten but not in an uncomfortable manner. Just enough to make him feel the heaviness the other male was feeling.
Asahi slowly get up and move back to lean against the head board of the bed before he glance at Jeongwoo. “But i already knew before that the mark on my wings was not because i almost got claimed by darkness.”
“How did you know?”
The older shrug his shoulders. “I just assumed. On the coming of age, it appeared on mine but never happened to you. I assumed it has something to do with my past.”
Jeongwoo scoot closer to pat Asahi just to assure him that they got his back and that he has nothing to worry about. “Then how are you holding up?”
He heard the latter chuckle with a little tint of sarcasm. “Honestly, this mission is taking a toll on me so much. The mission was to catch all the sins and send them back to hell by finding out who the immortal guardian is but jokes on us, it seems that we discovered more about ourselves. I don't know what to feel.”
“Maybe it's meant to be this way?”
Asahi shake his head no, shoving away the idea.
“Did you ever wonder? Hell has their own but why must they cause too much trouble just to have the heaven officials sent us to go after instead?”
At times like this, Jeongwoo felt like he needs time to process things but the look on Asahi’s face seems like he can't wait for another second to hear the younger’s sentiment.
“That guardian probably was too powerful.” he stated mindlessly earning an unconvinced look from the older.
“Or he's connected to us?”
Jeongwoo knit his eyebrows. “In what way?”
“I don't know. It was Engr. Yoon at first but i think im not a hundred percent sure as of now. But It's one of the three of them. Maybe that guy Yoshi or Yoonbin, I don't know.”
The latter scratch his head in confusion. It sometimes cross his mind that he's not smart enough or doesn't have that much braincells to understand Asahi’s stand.
“What do you mean? I don't get it.”
Asahi rolled his eyes. “I mean one of them is powerful. I can feel it, their immortal power is reeking but i guess it's too early to tell.”
“Oh, wait, that's what i wanna know too! It's just that i don't know how to approach them.” Jeongwoo answered before staring into space to reminisce the day of the tournament, hoping he'll remember something from it.
“One things for sure, he's not an ordinary immortal. Oh by the way, i heard from Doyoung that you're getting along really well with this immortal from Law class.”
Hearing that, the younger automatically scratch his nape while chuckling to get away with the sudden awkwardness.
“Well.... Yeah, he's a classmate of ours. He knows a lot so im taking advantage of the extra help.”
Asahi raised an eyebrow while examining the latter’s body language. “Ordinary?” he asked.
Shaking his head, the younger answered. “I doubt. He knows a lot to be just an ordinary immortal.”
“Then any guesses?”
Jeongwoo heave out a deep sigh.
“I’m not sure just yet if he's a sin. He knows a lot about the past and whatnot so he's either a sin or he's the guardian in the past.”
The older nodded upon the information and when Jeongwoo turn to look at him, he saw Asahi closing his eyes as if tired of digesting new information.
Time is indeed ticking especially that they were sent for a mission but because of all the discoveries from their past, he wasn't sure what's more important; to find out who he was or to accomplish the mission as much as possible.
Scared is a complete understatement. Who wouldn't want to discover themselves? That's a given but what Jeongwoo is afraid of is the possibility that his story might be worse than the tale of Greed and Healing.