Soul Guardian 5
I stared wide-eyed at Yunho, I know my eyes must have widened up to alien sized. He looked back at me puzzled. Then he relaxed back to the pillow supporting his back. “I really thought you got wings back there. I must be getting a hang-over.” Yunho chuckled. He stretched his body, like a cat, on the bed, turning sideways to fully face me.
I strode towards him, disregarding that fact that the robe only reaches mid-thigh and I’m freaking naked under it. Who cares about nakedness when it’s a matter of life and death? “You’re sure you saw wings” I stressed on the word ‘sure’. Ri better come in here fast. Sorry wings, we won’t be flying tonight, I can’t leave Yunho any second if there is a threat to his life. It will be both our human lives on the line. I’m too young to die, I’ve one been here for a couple of decades. Yunho CANNOT die soon. I will not allow it. If he dies, chances are he will be a guardian angel. He doesn’t have enough experience to be an Archangel yet. I paced to the other side of the bed, feeling the hem of the robe brush my thigh.
Yunho looked me up and down. “What?” I asked irritably. I get damn snappy when I’m stressed, I’m sorry brother, deal with it.
“Nice robe.” He chuckled again. “Might have been better if you just walked out naked, robe is playing peek-a-boo with you thighs.
“Not funny.”
“Are you pissy coz I said you got black wings in my hazy vision? Don’t take it seriously, It is just the alcohol. I’m sure you’re not evil. Flippant? Yes. Evil? NO.”
“Thanks. That lifted tons from my chest.” Sarcasm must be my native tongue.
He made space for me and offered me to join him in bed. I shook my head, no.
“What’s wrong Minnie? Tell me.” He straightened up from his leisure pose.
“I have a bad feeling.” I started lying. How can you tell you’re clueless brother that you are both angels and he’s probably gonna die in 24 hours? Good luck if our parents don’t check me in an asylum in a heartbeat.
“Bad feeling about?” He tried to pull me to bed. I slapped at his hands and sat at the couch beside the bed. Legs crossed. If the robe doesn’t want to cover them, I don’t care. I have better concerns in my mind. I need to think on things like how to make sure Yunho survives to see more birthdays with mom and dad and me. “You’re acting weird.” Yunho is suddenly completely sober. I, the freaky, ill-tempered and bothered younger brother is way better than coffee in waking up a pure-hearted guy like him. I’m so potent.
“You got into a fight recently?” I tried to change the direction of the conversation so I can at leaset stir him into caution.
“No. You know I don’t fight with anyone.”
The whole world knows, hyung. “You sure? Because I have that feeling same day you felt heroic about that schoolmate you had who was being harassed by her ex. You stepped up and got your face bashed. Mom cried so hard because we thought your eye will be permanently damaged by that blow knife, you still have that scar on your face. Don’t you remember? You were also saying something about wings back then. Its like an omen”
He wasn’t really talking about wings back then. He said he kept on seeing crows and his friend said they were bad omen. Him being superstitious, believed that friend and got wary. I’m hoping he lost the memory somewhere deep in his brain that he won’t find it any time soon.
“You’re being paranoid. Are you still drunk?” He joked. I sighed. There is no work-around with my brother’s positive thinking. He won’t think this through seriously. He’ll just think it was imagination.
“Maybe. Sorry.” The only thing I can do right now is make sure he doesn’t get killed tomorrow. Or any day after that before his allotted time is up. I prayed to the Lifesource for guidance. I know I’ll need a lot. Hopefully, Ri will appear soon.
I slid myself into the comfort of the bed sheets. My brother has a knowing smile on his lips. “Spill it or I’ll spill your guts.” I know. I’m moody.
“That robe reminds me of this porn film I saw just the other week.” Yunho laughed. I cursed at him. He laughed harder. I turned my back on him, wrapping the sheets around myself. I hogged them. He can freeze his toes in the A/C temp, see if I care.
Just a few hours later, I’m the one who woke up freezing. Damn robe is just really short to keep anyone warm, with or without thick covers. Yunho woke up, laughed some more, left the room and came back with a backpack. I looked at him before opening the bag to see clean clothes from my closet.
“I knew we’ll be statying the night so I packed some for you.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me last night?” I gaped at him.
“The black robe suited you fine.” He chuckled.
My anger flared and I threw his shoe at him. It made a loud thud. A couple of housekeepers came in looking worried. They both blushed when they saw me with the open robe just hanging on my shoulders. They both apologized an left the room. My brother was having a good time. For a slit second I thought it might be better to kill him myself.
*****
“I suck at human mind manipulation. Let me borrow your powers.” I sulked in front of Ri. We are at a café on the ground floor of the condominium’s building. Yunho is upstairs, guarded by Gin, who he cannot see. Ri is with me with her magically created body. With her natural magic she can make a body out of wood and breathe life into it. Its temporary but it works. The only disadvantage is she cannot taste anything so she’s channeling my mind with her powers and tasting our food through me.
“Why do you need it?” She asked me in that sweet polite tone that she has.
“It would make my life easier. Yunho’s making me reach the last of my patience.” I still haven’t forgiven him. I’m giving him the cold shoulder.
“You can’t make an archangel out of a puppet.” Ri took my hand and rubbed the back of it with her fingers. “He needs to be of his own person, how can he influence like a good leader when he cannot decide for himself?”
“I hate it when you are right.” I puffed air to my coffee.
“You’ll live.” She chuckled, obviously amused by my petulance. Silence kept us company while we ate a blueberry cheesecake. “You’re living a life now. I like it.” She when we’re halfway done with the sweet.
“What do you mean?” I raised my head to watch her face.
“We were worried about you. Before we sent you here, you go by the books so much it was worrisome. Now I can go home after the job knowing you’ll do fine for both him and yourself.”
“I’m not following.”
“You didn’t care before. When it was your charge’s time, you let them go. You never question anything. You became swallowed by death. I think it was a good thing you were charged to him. He makes you live. I’ve never seen your face so animated fr a conversation. You even hit him now and then.’ She chuckled before sipping her coffee.
“Was I like that?” Thinking back, I can’t remember. It is true that I never questioned any deed. I just went about my duties as they go. “Should I question why Yunho is dying soon?”
Ri stopped moving, her eyes focused on me. “He is not slated to die.”
“He saw my wings that I’m sure of. It is a sign isn’t it?” I asked, more worried than yesterday but having more hope that Yunho can survive this. “He can’t die. He’s not ready.”
Ri settled in her overstuffed loveseat. “It must be the succubus, or something related. Wheel of fortune is spinning because of her.”
“We need to find and stop her.”
“Or let her plans unfold and survive it.” Ri’s voice sounded distant. Crapola. Se went seer-mode on me. That’s a premonition right there. My day can’t get any worse.
As if on cue, my brother came in, I stealthily glared at Gin, asking her why she let him leave our unit. ‘He wants to know where you went. I tried to mess with the lock but he was able to open it. I can’t tie him up and be inconspicuous at the same time you know.’ Flippant-cy runs in the family tree.
Yunho was all smiles at us. “Hello there. I’m Jung Yunho, Changmin’s brother. Am I disturbing something?” He introduced himself to Ri. Ri is an ordinary looking girl. Eyes similar to mine, round-faced and medium length hair. She looks like one of those little girls you see at malls, just at 5 foot 5 inches height and not the regular height you’ll see at 5-7 year old girls.
“No, you’re not disturbing anything. I’m Rigema Gatdula. Changmin’s is just telling me about a party you went to yesterday.” Ri took Yunho’s outstretched hand and shook it. “Pleased to meet you.”
“You have an exotic name.” Yunho commented, I frowned, is he flirting with my sister?
“I came from another country. I’m just visiting.” I also frowned at her, good alibi, other country.
“Really? Which country? “ Yunho took a seat beside her. Okay, I feel like an idiot frowning at both of them and being left out of the conversation. Something crashed outside. We all turned. There was a couple fighting. The guy definitely has a foul mouth. He was cursing at her, and he’s also the one who threw the vase at the glass wall. Good thing no one was near them. The girl was crying. Embarrassed and trying to make him calm down.
The store people called the police; dud started shouting profanities at everyone saying he is the governor’s son. Ri muttered something I can only guess as profanities from her native language before she stepped towards the girl. Her hand is bleeding.
He looked at us then to the girls, not a lot of people are in the place this early in the morning. Yunho came at him slowly, politely asking what the matter is. Same old same old. Guy cheated, girl wants to break up, guy threatens to kill her if she does. We just need the police to pick him up. He basically admitted to grave threat. Ri was able to fix the girl’s hand and make her stop crying. Yunho was coaxing the guy to calm down for a peaceful talk.
Police sirens wailed outside. Boyfriend panicked and grabbed someone. Yunho. Damn. And freaking hell batshit crazy dude got a gun! Just when you thought matters will be settled nicely, the cops make the bad guy jumpy.
“Don’t come near me!” He shouted, his eyes unfocused and glazed. My heart sunk. Possessed. I can’t be wrong. Shit just got real.
“Ri! Hyung!” I called out. I can’t change to get the demon out of him, my human body will faint, same with Ri. She can’t even use her Jedi powers with so many people looking. Neither of us is a memory sweeper. Bad guy posed the gun near Yunho’s neck. “Step closer and I’ll shoot him.”
“Min, step away.” Yunho mouthed. I shook my head no. Frozen where I stood. I looked at Ri, she’s waiting for a good chance. She’s holding the girl close to her.
“I didn’t mean to cheat on you.” Bad Guy cried out. “I don’t know why I did it, believe me.” He was looking at the girl. She shook her head and started to cry again. The police warned him. Ri was trying to get the girl to back away. “Why won’t you believe me?!” Bad Guy shouted at girlfriend again. I think Ri and I both saw the look on his face. Yunho must have read my reaction because once the gun left his neck, he grabbed the guy’s hand before he can shoot Girlfriend’s face. Ri grabbed her to take cover.
Yunho and Bad Guy rolled. The police filed in. A gunshot. The Bad Guy stood up. I paled. “Yunho!” I ran towards him, Bad Guydropped the gun and looked green. Surprised he shot someone. Yunho was bleeding from his side. The police cuffed Bad Guy and called for ambulance. Yunho looked at me and saide, “You okay?”
“No. I won’t be fine if you don’t survive this. You hear me?” I know I was trembling. I’m with Yunho at the ambulance. Ri is with the shaken girl.All thoughts fled my mind when Yunho nodded but closed his eyes.