Her Saviour

Chapter 40: Snow for Rin.

Aki’s Point of View

Aki felt confused and conflicted. He had a lot of thoughts rushing in his head. This was the first time that he had been under solitary confinement, the very first time that he had received gazes from other angels that he had never seen before.

Aki tried sitting upright, closed his eyes, and thought about the many things.

What degree of crime had he committed? He had already been punished once for developing these so-called "negative emotions" and had been restricted from seeing Rin for 5 years. He reflected on these negative emotions. Why do humans even feel them in the first place?

In midst of these thoughts, Aki thought of Rin. Was it a natural instinct of a guardian angel? Or was it his own protective feeling towards Rin? Or was it because of this thing called love? No matter the reason, Aki was worried about being completely cut off from Rin.

“How is Rin doing? Will she be okay?” Aki thought.

He looked at the red string that was tied on his little finger. After seeing it, he felt better. He knew that Rin was fine.

Just then the senior angel spoke to him, “You should have known that there is a reason why we, angels, are not allowed to intervene too much in the human realm.”

Aki looked at him confused and asked, “What do you mean?”

The senior angel continued, "This relates to what the higher angels emphasize more than anything. If angels also felt these negative emotions as humans do, then the heavens would no longer be pure. It would become just like the human world. Greed would lead to angels battling over possessions, material or immaterial. Wrath would lead to war between divided angels. Envy would lead to a rise in usurps."

Aki thought deeply and frowned.

The senior angel looked at him and said, “Look, I could go on forever but the main point here is this: the heavenly realm is continuing to exist in purity and peace because we do not feel these emotions. You feeling these emotions brings a very dangerous and risky future for the heavens.”

Aki argued, “But if we could find a solution to heal these negative emotions from the humans, then everything would be fine. Why am I held here when we could be discussing and trying to find an answer to this? I could prove useful as an experiment because of these emotions.”

The senior angel replied, “Don’t you think that if there was an answer to your question, the higher angels would have found so already?”

That one sentence made Aki remain silent.

The senior angel continued, “You should try and think of what to tell the higher angels tomorrow to at least lighten the severity of your punishment though it may be useless.”

Aki thought and felt like there was no way out of this. He felt as something bad was going to happen to him tomorrow. He felt impatient as the night was longer than ever before. Each second felt like an hour.

After Aki starting feeling these negative emotions, he felt like he was worried about every small little detail. The most he was worried about was Rin. He looked at the red string. It was fine. Which meant that Rin was fine. However, he had promised her that he will be there for her. He wanted to be near her.

Still, Aki could not just barge out of the solitary confinement and go see Rin. Based on the meeting by the higher angels and what the senior angel told him, he knew that what he had done unknowingly was going to bring chaos to the heavenly realm.

He looked out the window and into the vast open and empty sky. It was dark to see anything outside.

"There's too much I don't know and too much I can't do, just like this hollow sight," Aki thought to himself. Aki flipped through his memories of Rin and smiled. He tried to rest for however long he could because tomorrow would definitely be a day he would never forget.

But no matter how hard he tried to rest, his thoughts would not let him. His thoughts were eating him from the inside and he just sat upright on the chair in the solitary room. Staring at the ceiling, attempting to find an answer to his questions.

Yet the more questions he asked himself, the more questions he was left unanswered. A never-ending cycle, full of doubts and mysteries.

Soon, the room started to slowly brighten. Before Aki realized, it was already dawn. He had tired himself by his thoughts throughout the night.

“Is it time already?” thought Aki as he heard light footsteps from afar. The sound of the door to his solitary confinement room opening made him just a little bit attentive and stood up slowly. As he turned around, a female angel, higher than him, had come to escort him.

“Did you even rest?” asked the escorting angel.

The senior angel replied, “Neither of us did.”

Aki added, “Please lead the way.” Aki was still worrying about Rin and had already decided to receive any punishment he was given by the higher angels. He just wanted to rush back to Rin.

Just then he heard the escorting angel speak, “Rushing is not good, and you already look awful. Take a deep breath.”

Aki closed his eyes, took a long and slow inhale through his nose, and let out just as equal breath through his mouth.

“Let’s go, both of you. The higher angels are waiting for you at a different hall than yesterday” instructed the escorting angel to both Aki and the senior angel. Aki followed the two angels out of the room.

The escorting angel spoke while looking back at Aki “I was quite surprised to hear yesterday that you felt negative emotions”

They were flying at a steady pace.

“I am just as surprised as you are, senior” replied Aki.

The escorting angel laughed and said, “You do not have to be so formal with me. I know I am higher than you in terms of rank but I do not really like to be ranked” and smiled.

Aki did not know what to say so he replied with a nod.

“Can you tell me how you may be different now after feeling those negative emotions? I’m quite curious” asked the escorting angel.

Instead, the senior angel replied, “You are not supposed to discuss this so openly.”

“What does it matter? It has already happened. I am just asking for details” said the escorting angel looking at the senior angel first and then at Aki again hoping for an answer.

Aki replied, “I am not sure how to answer that question because this is the first time I have also felt such emotions so I do not have an answer. I am sorry.”

"It is fine, no worries. I just wanted to lighten your mood. You look a bit exhausted and worried” said the escorting angel.

Aki replied, “Thank you for worrying about me”

“You’re welcome, dear” replied the escorting angel.

*After a while*

They slowly began descending and landed near the huge front door. The escorting angel gestured with her head to the senior angel and he nodded. Then she turned to Aki and said, “Be strong and do not worry too much. Just go with the flow now. There is nothing much to do.”

Aki bowed to the senior angel and said, “I apologize for the fact that you had to supervise me.”

The senior angel replied, “No need to ask for forgiveness. It is nothing compared to what you will face soon.” Aki nodded.

"This way," said the escorting angel to Aki and led him inside.

As soon as the huge doors opened, Aki felt nervous with the number of higher angels present in the room.

The escorting angel bowed and said, “I have brought him.”

One of the higher angels spoke, “You may take your leave”.

The escorting angel backed up a little bit, turned, and walked out of the room, closing the door on her way out.

“Aki, step forth” boomed one of the voices of the higher angels across the room.

Aki took gradual steps and now, stood in the center of the room facing about hundred higher angels.

One of the higher angels sitting at the front asked “Have you reflected on yourself, Aki?”

Aki replied, “Yes, I have taken the time given to me to think of my errors and misconduct.”

The same angel spoke, “Aki, this is the second time that you have become tainted with these emotions. After discussion with other higher angels, we have reached a decision.”

Aki could not say anything. He had never thought of defying the heaven. However, now that he had discovered his feelings for Rin, he wanted to spend more time with her. He wanted to be the one who saves her from whatever misfortune was coming her way. He braced himself to listen to what decision they have made. He looked at his hand and the red string that connected him with Rin.

Just as one of the higher angels was about to speak, Aki’s eyes widened. The red string on his little finger was losing its color and fading. The red string symbolized her life. This meant that Rin was about to die.

He stood up. Not listening to anything any angels were saying.

He flew at the speed of light and opened a portal to earth to where Rin was. He saw Rin lying on the ground with blood all over her body. He felt tears fall down his face. He then screamed "NO, I will not let you die."

As he approached Rin, he slowed his speed and began chanting a spell. As he did, one of the feathers on his wings detached and headed straight towards Rin. He flapped his wings slower and as he chanted the spell, more and more feathers detached and headed towards Rin.

As he held Rin in his arms, the last feather went to her and he whispered,

“Maybe next time…”