𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 | (𝐆)𝐈-𝐃𝐋𝐄

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭

“Even fallen angels need saving sometimes.”

Yuqi had once soared through golden clouds, her wings kissed by sunlight, her heart full of purpose. But that life—her life as a celestial guardian—was long gone. Banished from the heavenly realm for what the Archangels called a “minor transgression” (which felt far from minor to her), she was now stuck on Earth, forced to live among the very beings she had once protected.

Humans.

Messy, chaotic, self-absorbed humans.

Yuqi had spent weeks trying to adjust to their world, dragging herself from one cheap apartment to the next, blending into the background like a ghost. Her wings, now hidden beneath oversized sweaters and trench coats, had lost their shimmer. Her heart? Numb. Disappointed. Exhausted.

She didn’t hate humans… but she no longer believed in them. And for an angel, that was worse.

One warm afternoon, she found herself in a quiet park, the sun gentle on her face. Children giggled as they played tag, couples shared ice cream, an old man fed breadcrumbs to pigeons like it was his religion.

Yuqi sat on a bench, listlessly chewing through a sandwich she didn’t even like. She didn’t notice the squirrel until it was already tugging the crust from her fingers.

“Hey—what the—”

The creature darted off with its prize, tail flicking smugly in the air. She jumped up to chase it, annoyed more by the symbolism than the actual theft. Just her luck—losing even her lunch to this ridiculous world.

She wasn’t looking when she crashed into someone.

Hot coffee splashed across her coat. A cup clattered to the pavement.

“Hey!” the stranger yelped, stepping back. “Watch where you’re—” She stopped short.

Yuqi blinked, dazed, her eyes meeting the fierce gaze of a petite woman with sharp cheekbones and a bold presence. The stranger’s short hair was tousled, her lipstick a daring shade of wine-red. Her eyes sparkled—whether with fury or amusement, Yuqi couldn’t tell.

“You spilled my coffee,” the woman snapped.

“You ran into me,” Yuqi shot back instinctively, straightening her jacket. Her wings bristled under her clothes, flickering faintly with celestial energy.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And here I thought I was the one minding my business.”

Yuqi narrowed her eyes. “Maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings.”

“Well,” she said, folding her arms, “aren’t you just... sparkly.”

Yuqi blinked. “What?”

The woman smirked. “Your whole vibe. It’s like... Disney angel meets grumpy barista.”

A laugh escaped before Yuqi could stop it. It caught her off guard—when was the last time she’d laughed?

“Soyeon,” the woman said, sticking out her hand. “I like sparkly things.”

Yuqi hesitated, then took it. Her touch was warm. Grounding. Real.