Angel Kiss

Chapter 2

Cale escaped to the balcony, feeling suffocated in the room. Wanting to hold the sleeping children close, but he couldn’t.

‘Why? I have only been with them for a month, and yet they are included in the golden top whip’s test.’

He shouldn’t have been this attached to them. He shuddered at the record playing in his mind, of three half-full piggy banks that he bought for them last week. He stopped himself from recalling all the things he saw, all the people he lost inside that test.

And Choi Han. Choi Han, who suffered a worse fate in the illusion.

The breeze blowing from the Wind Island’s Twin Island brought an aroma of wine and ashes. The burnt Wind Island was a vaguely visible blob from the seaside inn. A swish of cloth was his only warning, before a warm cloak settled on his shoulders.

“You’re going to catch a cold, Cale-nim.”

Think of the Demon Lord and he shall appear. Cale did not have to turn around to confirm it. “When did you get here?”

“Just a while ago.”

First, Choi Han had to deal with a fake drunk Bud Illis who was happy to meet his idol, the First Mercenary King. The admiration in his eyes made Choi Han feel iffy. Was this why Cale-nim seemed so uncomfortable whenever he was praised? He must think of ways to make Cale-nim more at ease around him.

He also had to put the Molans in their place. They dare attack him when he was visiting Cale-nim? When he had entrusted Cale-nim to their care, and they failed? Tch. They better be thankful that he held back from gutting them.

If Cale had glanced back at that moment and saw the look in Choi Han’s face, he would have tried to run away. But he had his eyes closed then, dreaming about his slacker life.

It was weird, thinking about slacking without Choi Han by his side. When he was on Wind Island, he half-expected him to always be at his side or slightly behind him when he turned.

However, the cruel test crushed his expectations. Especially when the servant in the illusion explained with relief that countries banded together to defeat the Demon Lord and his “minions.” When Cale was the only one left. When the Black Castle and the City of Light lie in ruins. When the halls of the Super Rock Villa, visited only a few days ago in his viewpoint by energetic children, Dragons and heroes, turned silent as a grave.

And while there were items left behind by everyone, relics of the past that would only bring pain to someone who could never forget, nothing was left of Choi Han.

Nothing but Cale’s records of him that proved he once existed.

As an orphan, Cale---no, Kim Rok Soo---had always harbored a fear of losing the people important to him. Scared that the two idiots who followed him around would tire of him, or die ahead of him. That was why, in spite of his claims that living was the best, he was secretly glad that he died for them instead. Happy that he did not have to live through the pain of losing anyone ever again.

He was a selfish bastard that way.

Cale shivered. Behind him, Choi Han wrapped the cloak around him tighter, arms securing around his leaner torso. Cale decided to shove aside all these stray thoughts and focus on the warmth surrounding him. He would decide on the next steps from here.

Leaning his chin on Cale-nim’s shoulder, Choi Han fought the urge to plant a kiss on the crown of his head. He contented himself with this pseudo-cuddling session, with only a cloak between their bodies, warding them from the breeze ruffling their hair.

“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

“There is.”

“Please tell me, Cale-nim.”