“Can I help you?” Gabe asked his classmate sitting next to him. The guy kept staring at him. He must be new—this was actually the first time Gabe had seen him in their class.
“No, I just love staring at you,” he responded.
“Hmmm, okay,” Gabe replied and tried to sit properly.
“There is something very different about you, you know?” the guy added. “I just can’t tell what it is for now.”
Gabriel looked him in the eye and suddenly felt uneasy. There was something about the new guy that gave him chills. He looked very familiar. He remembered now—he was one of the guys they had seen earlier.
He was about to say something when he heard a voice inside his head.
“Ignore him, Gabriel,” Amado said. “Control your facial expression. Play it cool, as if I am not talking to you—same with the others,” Amado added.
Gabe turned around to check on Abby, and by looking at her expression, he knew she heard him too. They looked at each other, confirming they were hearing the same voice.
“Children, my name is Amado, one of the chiefs of all angels in the realm. Listen to me very carefully. We are aware that some of your angelic traits are showing. You need to keep in mind that these traits also expose you to danger. Wherever you angels go, do not use these traits anytime or anywhere—not until you learn how to shield your own telepathy from others. It is not safe, especially since you are living in this world alongside dark forces,” Amado said.
They only listened.
“You don’t have to say anything for now. This is the only way to keep your thoughts secure at the moment,” Amado added.
“There are seven of you here on Earth,” Joonmin began to speak.
Gabriel wondered, How many of them are talking using telepathy right now? Are they having a meeting inside their heads? Looking at the twins’ facial expressions, he knew he wasn’t the only one thinking the same thing. How inconvenient—having this kind of meeting while we’re in class, Gabe thought.
“I’m Joonmin. Like Amado, I am also a chief. I would like to address this to the angels who are with me in the same place. Kang Eun-hye and Kim Jun-so—you only have each other. There are many dark angels in human form surrounding you. Stay close to one another and help each other. I will keep an eye on you two, but unlike the rest of you, Amado and I do not have physical bodies to fight them. It would be best to be extra careful at this stage.”
Kim Jun-so… that’s the name of the guy she spoke to earlier? Mikaela thought.
None of them said a word. They had many questions in mind, but for now, they had to follow what they were told for their safety. None of them were safe. They didn’t know what to believe anymore. For sixteen years, they thought they were just like everybody else—normal human beings. Now, it seemed those days were over.
“We will teach you how to use your skills. We will be the ones to arrange the location and time for you,” Amado said.
“We have a few rules for all of you.
First: never use telepathy in public places. You may only use it when you are alone. Second: keep your identity a secret. Never share it with any of your friends, family, or relatives. Third: don’t let anybody see your angelic traits.
This is for your own safety—not until you learn how to protect yourselves,” Amado continued.
As Amado and Joonmin spoke, they saw many demons and black angels roaming around the campus. Inca was using his men to find the children. They needed to watch over them closely now.
Kang Eun-hye was on her way home when someone bumped into her shoulder. She looked at the guy’s face and bowed. Her mind was full of thoughts. She was about to ride a bus when Kim Jun-so grabbed her wrist and dragged her.
“Ya! What are you doing?” she asked.
“Don’t ride that bus,” he said.
Eun-hye pulled her arm free from his grip. “Why?”
“Those commuters give me chills,” he said, pouting his lips in their direction.
Eun-hye looked and saw a group of students wearing uniforms from different schools. Two of the guys were staring at them—their eyes looked creepy, as if they wanted to kill someone on the spot. One of the girls was staring at her too, but she looked away when their eyes met. Unknowingly, Eun-hye held Jun-so’s hand. He looked puzzled.
“Sorry,” she said, crossing her arms and starting to walk. She needed something to drink.
He followed her quietly. She was deeply bothered by what they had learned today. She didn’t say a word. They kept walking until they reached a store. She grabbed a drink and paid at the counter. He really wanted to talk to her through telepathy, but they weren’t allowed to.
“Eun-hye?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m hungry. Do you like to eat spicy rice cakes?” he asked.
She nodded. They sat in a park, eating quietly.
“We’re the only ones here. I guess using our powers here is safe,” Jun-so said.
“Hm?” Eun-hye replied, looking at him. Up until now, she still couldn’t believe the guy in front of her was a celestial being. Like her, he was just a human teenager—flesh and bones.
Jun-so met her eyes. “What?”
“Do you think it’s funny?” she asked.
“After hearing everything, my brain is having a hard time digesting all the information. I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Eun-hye added.
Jun-so looked at her seriously. “Ara. I felt the same way before we talked to the so-called chiefs. I knew I wasn’t normal. I was dying thinking about who—or what—I really am.”
Eun-hye watched him closely.
“Now that I know what I truly am, I wish I hadn’t found out. I just want to be like everyone else… though I wouldn’t mind keeping the intelligence and the ability to heal faster,” Jun-so added.
Eun-hye looked away and continued eating. He noticed her smile before she put the food into her mouth.
“So you like it? Being the smartest kid in school?” she asked.
“Oh, I love it. At least I have something I’m good at,” he answered.
She smiled. “When did you first notice you weren’t normal?”
“Two days ago. I started hearing voices in my head, even when I was asleep. I thought I had a head injury—until one woman’s voice became very clear. Like me, she was confused, wondering why she was hearing voices and if she was the only one who could hear them.”
He continued, “Then I answered her question. Surprisingly, she heard me and responded. At first, I thought I was crazy. The next day, she called me—confirming whether what happened was real.”
“And the healing?” Eun-hye asked.
“Oh, I accidentally cut my finger while chopping onions. I saw my wound heal instantly—the cut disappeared in just a second.”
He laughed softly. “It’s like watching an Avengers movie… or realizing you’re actually one of the Avengers with superpowers.”
Eun-hye stared at him, smiling. “I see you enjoy your gifts.”
“Ne. If you’ve watched too many sci-fi movies and then experience it firsthand, you’d understand,” he laughed.
Eun-hye was about to say something when cold air blew toward them. Both of them stopped smiling. They felt danger approaching. Not far from them, they saw the same students from the bus stop.
“How did they get here so fast?” Eun-hye asked. “I didn’t see them walking here. Did you?”
“Anio,” Jun-so answered.
Three of the guys stared at them and began walking closer. The air grew colder, and they felt nervous.
“Mind if we join you?” one of the guys asked with a smile.
“No,” Jun-so replied. “We’re almost done eating anyway. We’ll be heading home.”
“Home?” one of the girls asked, standing beside Eun-hye. Jun-so saw the fear in Eun-hye’s eyes.
“This is what I love about humans—they have this so-called home,” the girl said, lowering her face to Eun-hye’s. “You’re so pretty. You caught my attention earlier.”
Jun-so grabbed Eun-hye’s hand and stood up. “Sorry. It’s time for us to go home now,” he said.
“Uh-uh!” The guys blocked their way.
From a distance, Joonmin and Zico were watching Eun-hye and Jun-so. They knew the young vampires would follow them.
“Do not be afraid. What you see in front of you are forces of the Dark—vampires,” Joonmin’s voice echoed in their minds.
Vampires do exist? Jun-so thought.
“Do not let them bite you. One bite is fatal to angels and can paralyze you within hours,” Joonmin added.
Great, Eun-hye thought, annoyed. She pulled her hand away from Jun-so and grabbed his wrist instead. She hated being treated as weak.
“Move,” she commanded.
Jun-so stared at her. The vampires laughed—until she kicked one of the guys, sending him to the ground. The girl grabbed Eun-hye’s shoulder, but Jun-so kicked her hard. He held Eun-hye tightly as they ran as fast as they could toward a crowded place. He was sure the vampires wouldn’t attack them in front of others—they lived in secrecy too.
In the blink of an eye, the vampires were already in front of them.
Oh yeah… I forgot. They’re the fastest killing machines of darkness, Jun-so thought.
One of the guys grabbed his arm. Jun-so punched him in the face, then used his skills to shield Eun-hye. The girl pulled Eun-hye’s hair, and they struggled, pulling each other’s hair. Jun-so was about to help when Eun-hye punched the girl in the face. To his surprise, she could fight.
Another vampire grabbed Jun-so’s legs and threw him aside.
“Jun-so, gwaenchana?” Eun-hye asked as she helped him up.
Their appearances began to change. Their nails grew longer, and their fangs were exposed. Eun-hye froze at the sight. She clutched Jun-so’s uniform as he slowly grabbed a metal pole behind him.
The vampires attacked again. Suddenly, a strong force pushed them away from Eun-hye and Jun-so, giving Jun-so enough time to stab one of them straight through the heart. The vampires were shocked. They stepped back and fled, leaving the dying one behind.
Joonmin arrived just in time. As the vampires attacked, he spread his wings over Eun-hye and Jun-so, ready to use his power—but Jun-so had already struck one down. They watched as the vampire slowly turned into ash. Jun-so’s hands trembled.
Joonmin revealed himself to comfort them.
As the wind blew the ashes away, a ray of light appeared before them, forming the shape of a winged man—beautiful, radiant, and calming. Their fear faded.
“Do not fear, my young ones. I am always with you. I admire your bravery. What you did was right. Those beings are not human—they are forces of the Dark you must fight.”
It was the chief speaking through telepathy. He embraced them, and before they could say a word, they lost consciousness.