K A I

When I woke up the next day, my roommate is already about to head out.

I slowly sat up, still a little sleepy as I gave the wall clock a quick glance. It's only six in the morning. Why is this human dressed so early? "Uh..." I started and Do Kyungsoo looked at me, waiting for whatever I'm about to say. He's stuffing things inside his black backpack that already looks a little worn out. "The orientation isn't until eight, right?" I asked.

"It is," Kyungsoo answered. "But breakfast will be served from six to seven-thirty only. Aren't you going to eat?"

Oh, yeah, I nodded to myself. Humans eat, too. Regularly— Only if they aren't poor and victimized by the biased relocation of resources in a country. It's funny how such university students are lucky enough to be served a complete meal every day, even if all they do is have sex and make fun of other people. The thought made me smile a little. I wonder if this Do Kyungsoo is just like all the other people I encounter everyday.

Hopeless. Unfaithful. Desperate. Just the right cup of tea.

My roommate took his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I got to go," he smiled a little. Cautious. "Maybe I'll see you around."

I gave him a nod then regarded him for a moment, waiting for that familiar burst of consciousness erupt within me. I forgot to 'familiarize' myself around him last night. Who are you? My thoughts trail off, wrapping themselves around his mind, reading... feeling... What are your deepest, darkest secrets? What is your weakness, Do Kyungsoo? I cocked my head to one side as I dig through the walls of his mind and soul. Breaking all the barriers. Unearthing secrets.

But without another word, my roommate pulled his baseball cap lower, as if hiding his face. He gave me a nod then quickly walks out of the door.

"Huh?" I frowned. "I wasn't done reading him yet..."

Suddenly, I felt my stomach churn. Hunger. When was the last time I felt hungry? It feels like ages ago when the Devil last sent me to a mission. I didn't miss being human, though. Because being human means being able to feel. Mental. Physical. Emotional. They're all there. 

You become fragile. You become susceptible to pain.

Who wants that?

When the Devil took us, the Fallens, in, It took away everything that makes us the Almighty's creation. I could remember it until now. The scorching feeling of ripping my soul out. Every piece of me torn into pieces, thrown into a scalding heat. No words would ever be enough to describe the pain. But after that, we felt new. Numb. Indifferent. But new. It was like getting reborn but without the light welcoming a new life.

It wasn't like that ever again.

I finished my normal human routine within a few minutes. I am quick because we aren't trained to waste time. After grabbing my things, I walked out the door and was surprised to see someone standing right outside, obviously waiting.

The guy looks like the same age as me, or maybe a year older, I'm not sure. And I don't really care. I decided to ignore him entirely. Although I am unbothered by his presence, I could tell he is regarding me for a moment as I locked the door to our room. "Hey," he called out as I pocket my keys. "Is Do Kyungsoo still inside?"

I gave him a look. He seems restless. "Um, no," I decided not to lie. "He already left a few minutes ago."

Suddenly, the stranger angrily punched the wall, taking me by surprise. Even a few guys walking down the hallway stopped to pay attention. The action surely hurt but the stranger didn't look like it. He just gritted his teeth together before running a hand through his hair in obvious frustration. He chewed on his bottom lip before giving me a slight nod then walking away. The unexpected turn of events didn't give me enough time to study the situation and for some reason, that pisses me off. Are human minds always this easily clouded? It sucks.

I followed the stranger with my gaze.

What just happened?

The main cafeteria is seriously huge. There are about a hundred tables and students line up to fetch their already-prepared food from a long table by the far wall. When I entered the room, I didn't expect to be welcomed by an overwhelming atmosphere of varying emotions and souls. For once, though, I didn't feel my mouth water. Souls don't appeal to me this time, I guess, only the smell of food seems to stir my appetite. With a shudder, I slowly turned my head to one side, where a dark, familiar aura is being emanated.

Taemin sits alone in a corner, eating his food while casually browsing through his phone. He doesn't look bothered that he is having breakfast with no one or from the fact that not a single soul seems courageous enough to share a table with him. Even in his human form, Taemin looks intimidating.

After quickly getting my food, I walked towards the only creature in here who knows me and what I am. Taemin regarded me with a nod when he saw me approaching. But before I could even reach his table, Key, another Fallen, marched inside the cafeteria, dragging a very angry Lisa by the arm. Lisa is one of us, too, and the sight of them made me walk faster until I could drop myself on a seat.

What the hell is happening here?

Key practically threw Lisa on the table. "What the f*ck?" Lisa cried out as she glared at Key. "I wasn't done with him, you f*cking asshole!"

Sex doesn't really matter if you're a celestial being because the skies and even the Underworld don't really care about gender. Only the mortals do. But whenever we are humans, we tend to choose a sex just so we could fit in. Lisa, the only female Fallen I have ever had the chance of meeting, is wearing a tight-fitting red dress to breakfast. Her makeup is smudged and her hair disheveled. She also smells strongly of alcohol.

"That's not for you to decide," Key hissed as he took his seat across from us. "We have to meet up. Where are the others?"

I felt my brows shot up. "Others?" I breathed. "There are other Fallens here?"

Lisa regarded me with a smug look. "Oh yeah," she giggles. "Boss was so pissed at you, It just threw you straight up here, telling you nothing." She pulled Taemin's plate towards her then started eating from it. The other didn't seem to mind but he still gave Lisa an annoyed glare.

I seriously thought I'm only sharing the job area with Taemin. But now, Key and Lisa are also here. And they said we are meeting with others, too. Just how many Fallens did the Devil sent in one location? And why?

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" I asked, annoyed.

"We are waiting for two more," Key answers me. "But I don't think they are here yet."

"Or maybe," Lisa snaps, hitting Key on the arm with the back of her hand. "They already started with their job! Like me! Until some useless d*ck just started shoving their noses into other being's business. F*ck you, Key!"

I sighed. "Where were you anyway?"

Lisa looked at me, her annoyance slowly replaced by a look of mischief. "I joined a sorority," she purred. "Made out with some guys. Destroyed relationships. And now those imbecile fraternity boys are going after me like a moth to a flame," she ran one manicured finger along the table with a smirk, drawing a circle. "The guys around here is my school of fish in a fishbowl. Just choose a girl you want to see crying, Kai, and I could take another fish, play with it a little, then crush it," Lisa leaned forward to whisper, "I break two hearts and probably take two angry souls in one go. They're such weak sh*ts anyway. Isn't that amazing?"

It felt like Lisa is already creating a boundary. Choosing her own pool of souls to mess up with and expecting us not to try anything on her subjects. Is this what this meeting is all about? Clarifying our targets? Discussing how we plan to take on this university? But we are what we are. We do not work on teams.

"It's not ideal that we rush this, Lisa," Taemin suddenly said. He was just so quiet a while ago. "It's good that you're already building a reputation and narrowing your prospects. But maybe choosing targets slowly but surely will be better. Remember, we are after the souls. Not broken hearts."

Lisa glares as she gritted her teeth together but didn't say anything else. What Taemin said makes sense anyway. I just wish I am powerful enough to know the Fallens' weaknesses, too. Just so I could keep an upper hand. But it seems like that ability is effective on humans only. No matter how hard I try, I can't get through the unearthly barrier around their minds.

"I'm joining the soccer team," Key suddenly announces. "A lot of probable souls there, I can feel it."

"How about you?" Taemin nudges me by the elbow. "Any prospects?"

I looked at him, a little annoyed. "Didn't I tell you I do not like others meddling with my own business?" I said. "It's not me to tell you what I plan to do in a mission. You know that."

Taemin just shrugged. Unbothered. "Whatever."

When I looked away, I noticed someone entering the cafeteria. It's the guy waiting right outside our room, looking for Do Kyungsoo. The only difference now is that he doesn't look the least troubled like he did a while ago. His hair is nice and made up, his smile bright as he talks with his friends. It's like he wasn't the dude from a few minutes ago, frustrated and mad.

Something definitely feels different.

"Oh," I felt myself smirk. I think I just found an interesting soul to take.

Celestial University doesn't provide a smoking area so I was forced to step outside the university grounds when I decided I needed a light. I walked down along the sidewalk just outside the school until I reach a small, abandoned park by the road. The weeds are already tall and the playground looks untouched for a few years already. Everything's rusty. But the place seems quiet enough.

I settled on a dirty bench and reached for the cigarette pack in my jacket pocket. But just as I lit a stick, I realized I'm not alone. There, just a few steps from my spot and standing along the side of the road are two more Fallen angels. I narrowed my eyes and watched as the two males stand unmoving, as if waiting for something or someone. A soul, maybe?

Suddenly, one of them tensed in anticipation, his fingers clenching to a fist, just as I heard a scream followed by the screeching of tires. From the other end of the road, a school bus started to lose control. It carries some grade schoolers, I suppose, and these two Fallens are just having a good time.

They weren't waiting for a soul. They are about to take souls.

I let out a sigh and stood up. I don't need this kind of sh*t today. What a f*cking waste of time.

Just as I am walking back towards the university, the events that followed turned out to be not what I expected. Instead of hitting some pedestrians and turning the street into a disgusting bloodbath, the school bus slowly gained control again. It immediately drove back to the correct lane and before I knew it, it's already speeding past me and driving away. But not before dropping off a passenger just by the university gates.

I turned back to where the other two Fallen angels are standing a while ago. Sehun looks bored as he stared at the sky, probably contemplating on why the deities decided to butt in just when things are going great. Chanyeol, on the other hand, is staring past me. His eyes are fixated on the passenger stepping down from the bus with his duffel bag and backpack. I followed his gaze, too, and I can't help but drown in such suffocating calmness that is trying to envelop my being.

"Take care!" Baekhyun waved at the school bus just as they drove away. The kids inside happily waved back at him, too. Now I know why they didn't meet any accident. An Archangel was riding with them.

With another sigh, I walked towards him, only because he is standing by the gates. The aura that emanates from Archangels is displeasing to us, Fallens, although humans enjoy it a lot. The peaceful atmosphere feels like a heavy boulder dropped on our chest, making it hard to breathe or even think. But Baekhyun is the only Archangel I could stand. Maybe because we were friends. Once.

Baekhyun turned to look at me and he grins wide. "Kai!" He waved high in the air until I am close enough to hug. The gesture made me flinch but he ignored it. "I'm still disappointed Chanyeol and Sehun tried to kill a bus full of innocent children," he says when he pulled back and gather his things. "Will you talk to them for me?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You know I can't do that," I mutter. "Talk to them yourself."

"Really?" Baekhyun teased. "Can I?"

He could try. But obviously, no Fallen would stop taking souls just because some Archangel told him to. We do not take orders from anyone but the Devil. He's the Boss. Besides, we will be rotting in the pits of Hell now if we go against its commands. It's just a matter of survival. And maybe having fun.

When I looked back again to where Chanyeol and Sehun were standing a while ago, I realized they're already nowhere to be seen. They must have returned to the university already, who knows. But surely, it's not just because an Archangel came that the two decided to retreat. It's not just because it's an Archangel that Chanyeol decided to call it a day.

It's because it is Baekhyun.

And I may never know the weaknesses of my fellow Fallens but I sure have a strong feeling on what— or who— Chanyeol's weakness is. That is the price he have to pay for being too close and familiar with a fellow Archangel before. Chanyeol surely hate every second that he is human. Because in human form, no pain is left unfelt.

"Why are you here, Baekhyun?" I asked just as we entered the university gates. Buildings loom before us and the sight took me back to last night where the Devil just dropped me off with nothing but a useless luggage. "You're the guardian of children. A university full of young adults obviously don't need you."

Baekhyun laughs a little. "You can't say that," he smiles kindly. "They were all kids once. Besides," he lets out a breath. "My fellows need me. The fallen Archangels like you are trying to take hold of this university and the human beings in it. We can't allow that to happen, Kai."

I paused. Wait. Fellows?

"You're not alone," I said and it's not a question.

The Archangel smiled widely. "I'm not."