Veiled | JHS | ✓

Magical Encounter

It was late afternoon. 

Hoseok was walking home from a class when he came across his first magical encounter. He felt magic linger in the air, for the first time, other than his own. But it was different. He could sense from his core that this power was different.

The sun had gone to hide among the clouds and the place was desolate. There was an eerie feeling of someone's eyes on him. He paused. Slowly, he looked around. There was someone there. He could feel them but there was no one there. At least not until he turned back and flinched when he saw a man standing right before him.

"Found you." The man spoke.

The first thing he noticed about the strange man was that he wasn't human. Humans couldn't have bright, pearly white wings attached to their backs or shiny white circlets floating above their heads after all. He eyed the person in front of him curiously. One couldn't blame him. It was the first time he was meeting anyone who was remotely unordinary. Like him.

The person (or whatever he was) stared, tilting his head as if waiting for Hoseok to do something. A little confused, he whispered trying to hide his excitement. "You...you look like an angel."

"I am an angel," the tanned man in front of him replied with a subtle edge to his tone. There was a peculiar air about him that confused Hoseok. The angel looked calm on the exterior but his eyes held a tumult of raging emotions. 

"Jung Hoseok, I'm angel NJ, Guardian of the Thresholds. Twenty-four years ago, on this day, you crossed the threshold of reincarnation unwarrantedly. I'm here to take you back to your rightful place."

Hoseok frowned. "What does that mean?"

The angel took a step forward, the control he had on his countenance slipping away, "It means that you're a mistake. That you should've never been born. That you should go back with me to your rightful place. Hell."

"W-what? I-- what do you mean? Why would I go to hell?" He stumbled stepping back from the angel who was advancing onto him.

"For your sins." The angel replied, " I don't know how you managed to fool the threshold but your little escapade ends here. You will receive what you deserve and I'll personally see to it without fail."

"W-what sins? What did I ever do?"

"Heh!" NJ couldn't hold back a scoff, "Vile One, do you still think that I will fall for your tricks? You're a great actor, I will give you that."

Hoseok started back holding out his hands, "Vile one? Vile One? I'm not Vile One. I'm Jung Hoseok. I--I think you've made a mistake." The angel's eyes were glowing a terrifying yellow and Hoseok was having a really bad feeling about it. NJ paused his advances and sighed, "You have two options. You can come with me willingly or I can use force. But of course, you'll choose the latter, won't you?"

Dread sank into the pit of his stomach. Hoseok desperately tried to explain, his voice softening so as to try not to tip him off. "But I never did anything wrong...Believe me."

The angel's fists clenched.

"I see you've made your choice." A chill crept up his spine.

The angel lashed his hand out and a whip of heavenly white unfurled from his fingers. He began to move forward. Hoseok's eyes widened. Suddenly, NJ vanished from sight and Hoseok felt something curl around him.

A cry of horror left his throat as he saw the whip slowly winding up against his body just as the angel reappeared before him. A string of incomprehensible words tumbled out of NJ's lips in a slow murmur as his burning eyes met his.