falling | huang renjun

xiii

the night had begun as the sun fell into slumber for the day. the new moon had finally came in.

it was much rather dark tonight than most and everyone knew better than to step out. it wasn't too cold nor too warm tonight, it felt just right.

the sight of the new moon kept many uneasy and rushing into their homes. it was the one night when the demons roamed the land in their most undefeated form.

iseul was still in heaven standing on the balcony of the palace. she was looking at the moon.

the faint moon in the sky made the sky look lonesome than usual. she was leaning on the rails of the balcony soaking in the beauty of the view.

jisung came into the balcony and stood right beside her. he was with her everyday now and grew accustomed to his presence. she would be lying to herself if she didn't like jisung with her.

today was rather a slow and painful day for the both of them. jisung was with iseul all day and he saw the side of her when they first met.

it was like two different people. it's only been his third day with her but it will always be a surprise of how much she changes on the job.

hesitantly, he looked down at iseul who had a blank look on her face. her dress was torn at the bottom and was covered with human blood.

"noona are you alright?" iseul nodded her head. not even a word would come out of her mouth. it worried jisung.

iseul and jisung now had shared the same fate. it was something iseul never intended for anyone to experience, one person was enough.

they're now both bounded together by the twisted fate of this wicked curse thrown upon them.

"let's go wash up iseul noona. it's getting dark and it's the new moon." he placed his hand on her shoulder giving her a kind smile.

she nodded her head again and they walked through the palace. the memories of iseul was on constant replay in jisung's head.

she looked so.. sad.

whoever jisung saw earlier was not iseul. he wished to never see her like that again but that was such an impossible feat.

the walk back was a little tense and jisung wanted to put his awkwardness aside to try to talk to iseul.

"noona do you like having me around?" he fidget with his hair. iseul's face grew a small smile and nodded.

jisung reminded her of her own brothers she has down in earth. even though he was younger than her by a year, he was a good kid.

"i do. are you feeling okay with doing things like this?"
"i'll be fine as long as i have you by my side. i've been wanting to ask you but how did you even end up here" his question making her freeze.

iseul stopped walking and a bitter smile came on her angelic face.

"i actually don't really remember why, but my parents had an unknown death and i was given this position."

all the memories of her parents flowed back to her, it was so bittersweet. she was only left with her younger siblings.

"i'm sorry about that. i didn't mean to bring unwanted memories." jisung rubbed the back of his nape awkwardly.
"it doesn't really affect me and it's alright." standing in the middle of the hallway together, they awkwardly stood beside each other.

"may i ask how you got this position?" iseul tucked her lose hair behind her ears waiting anxiously.

"is it alright if i tell you another time? we should get going." respecting his decision, they both continued to walk to the doors of locker rooms in the palace before separating ways.

iseul gather her extra pair of clothes and a towel from the locker before making her way to the shower.

it was now 11:42 pm. she stripped herself of the dirty clothing and threw them away in the trash bin.

not a soul was in the locker rooms with her. it was empty and quite an eerie feeling. it was a dimly lit room and had gold lining across the walls.

there was a huge mirror in between the sinks and shower stalls. it was decorated beautifully with fine jewels from earth and some that only can be found in hell.

she stood in front of the mirror naked. it was a daily reoccurrence now to stare at her raw body.

she had fresh wounds on her legs today because she had to deal with a demon couple today. they didn't make it.

a murderer. she felt like a murderer of so many souls. did she even deserve her own wings or to be called an angel?

her body trembling thinking about the first time she became this cursed cupid assistant. it was her first time watching someone die and it was also of her own doing.

is this even the same person that she knew that was reflecting back? iseul eyes watered before walking into the shower stall beside her.

the only good thing about being alone is that you can cry and no one would hear.

at least that's what iseul thought. she broke down as soon as the water hit her skin. it was just water but it felt like the tears of all the people she's killed.

she cried loudly, letting out her pent up emotions when she thought of what happened three days ago.

the look of donghyuck's face when she told him that she didn't want to be friends anymore. it broke her more and more the more she kept replaying that moment.

his words hit her hard.

"i genuinely thought that you were a decent angel for once but you just proved my point wrong."

he no longer had that pure smile or look on his face anymore. it was quite terrifying as she's never seen donghyuck angry.

their happiness is her happiness. they already did so well without her so what do they have to lose?

iseul already lost everything and the only thing that kept her up is that her siblings were safe.

she finished up her shower after crying for a while. grabbing her towel to dry her hair and her wings, the new moon was in its highest point in the sky.

iseul cursed herself for taking so long knowing that she barely has enough energy to make it home.

she stepped out the locker room to see jisung waiting for her outside on the bench in between the men and women's lockers.

hopefully he didn't hear any of her crying. he was silently sleeping with his head down and and adorable cheeks hanging. he lightly had a pout on his lips before she quietly went up to tap on his shoulder.

"jisung? did i make you wait long?" feeling guilt in waking him up and making him wait, she crotch below him. today must've been long and scary for him.

"no you didn't, let's go now?" iseul nodded her head before grabbing his hands to help him up. jisung lived up in heaven alone and he would watch her depart to earth from the gates.

especially since tonight demons are at their peak right now. it's not that he didn't
believe she could uphold herself, but because she's so tired.

"will you be alright down there alone? i can walk you home-"
"it's alright jisung. i'll be okay and you worry too much." iseul patted his arm before bowing down to the younger angel.

she jumped off the edge of the floating palace and flew downwards in a fast speed to the gates of earth. leaving a worried jisung as he felt something wasn't right.

it was too late now for him to follow her as he watched the graceful movements of iseul until she was out of sight.

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being a new writer is so hard pls,,, i don't know what i'm writing or doing half of the time lol