Chapter Text
It had been a month and a half since the angel had moved in with him. At first, Reo was sure he was ready to be admitted into an asylum, because the idea that angels actually existed was so illogical that a mental illness on his part seemed far more likely. But even after days of researching possible disorders and causes, Reo couldn’t stop seeing the angel, and the angel INTERACTED WITH HIS ENVIRONMENT. No matter how much Reo tried to rationalize it as a psychosis, the assumption that supernatural beings existed became increasingly likely. Or he was sinking further into delusions.
Regardless, whether the angel existed or not did not change his most pressing issue though: He had missed the chance to organize a rematch against Dadada High School, and now he was no longer a student. His dream of being scouted during high school had shattered to pieces, and as he got older, his chances of becoming a professional soccer player were rapidly diminishing. On top of that, he wasn’t enrolled in any university and didn’t have a job. He wasn’t short on money, but since he didn’t want to rely on his parents' funds, he needed to start earning some himself quickly. So he had two fundamental problems to address immediately: earning money and jump-starting his soccer career. At least one of those was simple.
On this sunny Saturday morning, Reo was already fully dressed by 9 a.m., sitting on his couch with a laptop on his lap, engrossed in numbers. He had been awake since 6 a.m., finished his morning jog and training session, eaten a balanced breakfast, and taken a shower. He couldn’t afford to let himself live a lazy life; he had too many problems that required a solution soon, and he wouldn’t be Mikage Reo if he couldn’t handle the task. He couldn’t explain it, but since the angel had arrived, he had regained a slightly more positive outlook. Strange, since an untreated psychosis should theoretically lead to a downward spiral instead.
“Huwaah~”
A voice yawned behind him.
“Reo is up so early. A work monster~”
The angel shuffled into the living room wearing a pajama set that was much too big for him, yawning heartily. Sometimes Reo wondered if those wings were just for show since the angel hardly used them, or if his psychosis had logical flaws. And if so, what would that say about his mental state?
“When you yawn, cover your mouth with your hand, Nagi. And watch out so you don’t trip; those pajamas are way too long for you. I told you we should have ordered a size smaller.”
They had bought the pajamas from his preferred clothing brand; it was cream-colored, made of genuine silk and they had cut two holes in the back for his wings. The angel refused to leave his side, and on his first night, when he tried to sleep in his full angelic uniform, Reo couldn’t bear the sight. So, he had ordered him the pajamas on a whim.
“Eeeh, but I like it oversized. It’s comfy.”
Reo sighed.
“I left the rest of breakfast in the fridge for you. You can heat it up. There’s still rice in the rice cooker.”
The angel’s eyes lit up.
“Yaaa~y.”
“It’s on the second shelf from the bottom.”
The angel made a pitiful face, and Reo sighed again.
“Fine, I’ll warm it up for you. But someday you’ll have to learn how to use human technology if you’re going to stick around here.”
Reo got up and began reheating the leftovers from his nutritious breakfast. He had intentionally made extra so there’d be something left for Nagi, but it would be a waste to eat it cold. Then again, who knew what kind of sleep patterns angels had? Just because Nagi looked human apart from his wings didn’t necessarily mean he needed as little sleep as humans. He couldn’t blame him. And wow, he was seriously starting to believe his psychosis was real.
Reo had no idea that the angel had long since learned how to use the microwave and rice cooker and simply enjoyed being pampered by Reo.
The suite had its own spacious kitchenette with a high table surrounded by barstools. Nagi perched on one of the stools while Reo sat across from him, back to the kitchen counter, after reheating the food and setting it on the table with the necessary utensils.
“Breakfast is served~”
The angel’s eyes sparkled. He seemed to like human food, especially when it was made by Reo. He picked up the chopsticks, looking rather clumsy, but managed to bring the rice to his mouth.
“Ouch~”
Nagi grimaced, and the rice fell out of his mouth onto the kitchen table.
“Baka. It’s still too hot. You need to let it cool down before eating it.”
“Sorry, Reo. We angels don’t usually eat. Learning all this is sooo exhausting~”
Reo chuckled. That made sense. Suddenly being thrown into an unfamiliar culture must be tough for the angel.
So, Reo picked up the rice with his chopsticks and began feeding the angel, who happily opened his mouth for each bite. Reo couldn’t help but think that it actually felt pretty nice to be needed.
After the meal, he loaded the dishes into the dishwasher and returned to the couch with his laptop. The trades wouldn’t wait for him. Eventually, he heard the shuffling steps of the angel behind him, and the couch shifted as Nagi flopped down onto the cushions beside him. Maybe angels were real after all, because Reo was fairly certain that if his subconscious had conjured one, it would have made the angel more, well, elegant? Graceful?
The angel leaned against his shoulder and started dozing off again. Angels’ sleep patterns really didn’t seem comparable to those of humans. Reo glanced at the slumbering angel, whose time to fall asleep likely broke all records. The whole situation was absurd. He was sitting on his couch, earning money, while another man—who was possibly an angel—leaned against him, sleeping so close that he could smell his scent. It was increasingly distracting him from focusing on his finances. It wasn’t as though he wasn’t used to this situation by now. The angel knew no concept of ‘friendly distance’ and treated him as if they had always known each other. On his very first night here, the angel had laid down beside a still-shocked Reo on the bed and fallen asleep. When Reo later tried to retreat to the couch, the angel insisted he stay in bed with him.
Well, if he were to believe the angel, then Nagi had indeed known him for a long time—since Reo was born, in fact, as Nagi was his guardian angel. In the first few days, Reo had bombarded the angel with questions about heaven, partly out of curiosity and partly to test how far his psychosis went. Based on all the information he had gathered so far, he had to conclude that the angel was real.
He really did have a guardian angel. A lazy, clumsy, adorable guardian angel, but a guardian angel nonetheless. And he wasn’t some intangible being that he couldn’t see but was right there by his side—and judging by the weight on his shoulder, he was definitely tangible. It was oddly thrilling. It was exciting to know about something that hardly anyone else knew. Since he hadn’t known about the existence of the supernatural until recently, and given the limited stories about them, he assumed that angels rarely revealed themselves to humans. He must be one of the chosen few. Unfortunately, his angel wasn’t particularly talkative and didn’t share much information about heaven with him. All he knew was that Nagi was his guardian angel, that angels were tasked with looking after their assigned humans, that they were usually invisible to humans but could make themselves visible if they wanted to, and that they didn’t require human food. Whenever he asked further questions, the angel would just say he was too tired to answer.
A certain nervousness spread in Reo's stomach. He was alone in a luxurious suite with another being. A being that looked human, was objectively attractive, constantly sought his proximity, and seemed to have no sense of personal space. Reo ruled out the idea that he might be falling for the angel—surely, it was entirely normal to feel a little flustered in such a situation, right? After all, he was basically living with another man, and in relatively close quarters at that.
He needed to quickly distract himself to avoid any potentially embarrassing situations and refocused on his trades.
*~*~*
After a while, by early afternoon, the angel woke up when he noticed Reo had gotten up.
“Reo?”
He saw his human by the front door, dressed in a stylish brown leather jacket, a black turtleneck, and a chic pair of pants with black-and-white stripes.
“Reo, where are you going?” the angel asked, still groggy.
It was common for Reo to go out—to jog, to eat, to meet colleagues and business partners, and more. Each time, the angel felt lonely but didn’t want to tag along because it was far too exhausting. When Reo once asked if it wasn’t the angel’s duty as a guardian to follow him everywhere, the angel had truthfully replied, “Reo can take good care of himself. And if something bad happens, I’ll feel it right here. I’ll be there in an instant.” He had pointed to his chest.
Ah, so angels had a built-in sensor that alerted them if their charge was in trouble? Interesting. Reo liked the idea better that they instinctively sensed when something was wrong with their human, rather than imagining the angel constantly watching him like a little stalker. That idea was truly embarrassing... After all, he was a young man and needed his privacy sometimes—privacy that had become rather scarce since the angel had moved in.
“I need to maintain connections. Networking is everything if you want to succeed, so I have to keep up relationships with my classmates. My friend Yamada is hosting a gokon today. I don’t feel like going, but I don’t have a choice.”
Nagi looked at him questioningly, and Reo laughed.
“Of course, you don’t know what a gokon is, do you? It’s a group date where the same number of men and women meet to possibly find a partner for a relationship. It often ends with karaoke, and sometimes couples go to a love hotel afterward if sparks really fly. But I’m only staying for dinner at the izakaya. I don’t want a relationship; Yamada is just really into one of the girls and wants me to help him out. Social obligations, you know~”
Reo waved dismissively to show how little enthusiasm he had for it, but Nagi didn’t understand any of it anyway.
“Oh, okay. Have fun, Reo.”
He waved goodbye and plopped back onto the couch. Social obligations sounded really annoying. Obligations in general was such a bothersome word. He thought about Angel Reo and wondered what he was doing right now. He missed the other angel, but Angel Reo was often strict with him. The Human Reo, on the other hand, even fed him and that was nice. He had never spent this much time in the human world before, but his charge needed him, and he would be there for his human because he cared for him very, very much.
“I’m doing well, Reo. I’m here for my human. I’m doing a good job, right?”
To pass the time until Reo came home, Nagi turned on the laptop, just as he had seen his human do so many times. Learning more about the human world couldn’t hurt, right?
*~*~*
It was 7 p.m., and the nightlife was just beginning, but the izakaya was already full of drunken guests chatting loudly and laughing boisterously. This was the first time Reo had been in an izakaya at this hour. After all, he had only graduated high school a few weeks ago, and students typically didn’t frequent izakayas this late, as that was when the drinking started. In his first year of high school, he and a few friends had visited an izakaya during the day—a rare one that opened early and also served food to students during the day. Even though they had only eaten a few yakitori skewers, Reo had felt especially cool at the time. Most izakayas were, of course, off-limits to minors and therefore held a certain allure for students. But now, Reo was long past the age where he felt the need to act cool in front of his friends. And while he was now legally an adult at 18, he still wasn’t allowed to drink alcohol, as the drinking age was 20.
However, he had an image to uphold, and he was only here to maintain connections, so he couldn’t show his lack of enthusiasm for this gokon.
They were in a traditional izakaya with low tables, sitting in a circle around a long table in the center. At the entrance, they had been given one-size slippers to wear outside the tatami mats, for instance, when going to the restroom or the drink bar. The tables were surrounded by tatami, where guests walked only in socks. This type of cozy izakaya with low tables was designed to create a relaxed atmosphere and bring people closer together. The fact that sitting on the same floor often led to elbows brushing against one another demonstrated that the design’s goal was achieved.
There were six of them: three girls and three boys. Reo was relieved that the evening started with the girls sitting on one side of the table and the boys on the other, though that would likely change as the night went on. He really wasn’t in the mood to flirt with any of the girls out of politeness or to maintain his image. That was the part of high school he missed the least.
He didn’t know any of the girls, and one of the boys was also a stranger to him. He only knew Yamada, who had gone to elementary, middle, and high school with him. Yamada’s parents owned a thriving computer chip company, and the two had been introduced through their families back in elementary school.
“So, you know what, guys?” Yamada, seated in the middle, leaned conspiratorially across the table, giving everyone a playful wink. “You don’t have to hold back! My buddy Suginami here is already 20. If anyone wants the ‘real stuff,’ just let him know.”
Reo’s mood took a nosedive. If alcohol was involved, the gathering would likely drag on and could quickly spiral into a situation he didn’t want. Besides, he had never drunk alcohol before, not even secretly, and he had no idea how he would react to it. He hated having to put on a good face, but he had no choice if he didn’t want to come across as a buzzkill.
Damn it, Yamada, why are you inviting me to this kind of crap when you know I’m not into it?
Yamada knew that Reo had been single-mindedly focused on soccer for a long time and also knew that Reo had never shown much interest in girls. In fact, it had been Yamada who once arranged a date for Reo, thinking it might help him “get a taste for it.” That was back in their first year of high school, and Reo had been curious at the time. Everyone was constantly talking about girls, so he wanted to see what all the fuss was about. That, combined with his desire to act cool during that phase, had led to a date—and even his first kiss. But it wasn’t nearly as amazing as everyone had claimed. It wasn’t worth the hype. And so, that brief interest had quickly faded and been forgotten, just like many of Reo’s other fleeting interests.
And he had thought Yamada was one of the friends he didn’t have to pretend around. What an ass. Yamada probably knew Reo wasn’t interested but had still invited him because merely bringing along someone like Mikage Reo would score him points.
Reo shot Yamada a fleeting, angry look but then grinned at the group and said, “Haha, that’s awesome! Cheers!” raising his glass for emphasis. Everyone cheered and laughed. Pretending in front of others was a skill he had mastered, drilled into him by his father from a young age.
“Always act appropriately for the situation! Consider who you’re dealing with, what they want to hear, and how your actions can help you achieve your goals. Do what’s expected of you, and if necessary, mirror their behavior! Adapt!”
And so, the evening began with everyone downing drinks. Even Reo, who hadn’t planned on drinking, ended up swallowing a few glasses to avoid standing out. Still, he drank less than everyone else, even the girls. But no one drank as much as Yamada, who also embarrassed himself more than anyone else. It was clear that he stood no chance with his crush, and everyone knew it—except him. Still, he and Suginami insisted on heading to karaoke after dinner.
The more time passed, and the more alcohol flowed, the more open the others' conversations became. Reo found Suginami to be the least likable among them. He bragged to the group about breaking up with his long-time girlfriend because her family was too poor for him. He went on to explain how she had to work because she couldn’t afford tuition fees, painting it as if it made her a terrible person. And the others laughed. Whether they genuinely found the idea of having to work to pay for your tuition fee amusing or were simply laughing out of politeness, Reo couldn’t say. At least one thing was certain—Reo wasn’t laughing along out of courtesy. Instead, he excused himself to the restroom at that moment.
Later, during karaoke, it became clear that the real reason for Suginami’s breakup wasn’t only his ex' financial situation, but the fact that she worked so many overtime hours that she didn’t have much time for him or, more importantly to him, for sex. The idea that she hadn’t "provided enough" for him was apparently so outrageous that he had retaliated by badmouthing her on social media and ruining her reputation. And now he was making fun of the troubles she was apparently having at work. He was reveling in her misery. To Reo, Suginami represented the worst kind of person imaginable.
Reo didn’t claim to fully understand or empathize with people in less privileged situations—after all, he had never experienced poverty himself. But he was certain that social status or sex would never be reasons for him to dislike or leave someone. It was easy to think that way when you were at the top of the food chain, of course. Still, Reo prided himself on having a certain sense of acceptance and fairness.
Eventually, they all ended up in a large karaoke room in the heart of one of the nightlife districts. By then, it was 9 p.m., and Reo was already counting down the time until he could leave. He figured 11 p.m. would be a reasonable time to excuse himself, claiming he needed to catch the last train home. There was no way he was spending the night here!
By now, it was clear that Suginami and one of the girls were hitting it off. They were already half-entwined with each other on the way to the karaoke bar. Another girl, a bubbly brunette with curly hair, had latched onto Reo, who made a great effort to be polite but not too inviting. The third girl, more reserved and clearly as eager to leave as Reo was, found herself stuck with Yamada, who seemed to think he still had a shot with her despite her obvious disinterest.
What a naive idiot.
Reo rolled his eyes in annoyance. Yamada could be such a fool. But even if Yamada went home dateless, Reo figured he had fulfilled his duty as a friend. Networking successful. At least that was something he got out of this stupid event.
In the karaoke room, Reo stuck to drinking his free water to flush out the alcohol as quickly as possible. Alcohol definitely wasn’t good for his fitness, and he couldn’t afford to let it cloud his senses!
Yamada went all out, enthusiastically cheering on the embarrassed girl he liked with a pair of maracas. Reo couldn’t fathom how Yamada managed to miss the beat even with maracas. Reo himself had picked up a tambourine and supported each singer politely.
When they weren’t singing, Suginami and his new "date" were busy chatting nonstop. This meant Reo overheard even more details about Suginami’s previous relationship—details he would have preferred not to know. Meanwhile, the girl hoping to win Reo’s attention chattered at him about trivial topics. Reo simply wanted to go home. Feigning interest in the singers, he focused intently on playing the tambourine. It helped that Reo genuinely had a phase in his life when music had been his passion, making his interest seem less forced.
Eventually, Suginami and his date moved to a corner of the room and started kissing. This shift in mood left the rest of the group awkwardly out of place. Yamada cast increasingly desperate glances at his crush, who expertly ignored him. Meanwhile, the girl clinging to Reo became more insistent. The entire atmosphere grew increasingly uncomfortable and awkward.
Ugh, this is so embarrassing.
Reo decided to lift the mood with a performance. Standing up, he sang the next song with full energy:
"Zankoku na tenshi no you ni
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare..."
The effort had the desired effect, temporarily breaking the tension. Both girls clapped earnestly, genuinely impressed by his passionate rendition. Even the couple making out in the corner were momentarily forgotten. Reo took the opportunity to segue into a neutral topic, sharing how he had learned guitar and joined a school band in his first year of high school. Singing was something he was genuinely good at. Many had told him he had a beautiful voice and a great sense of rhythm. His departure from the band, when his interest waned, had been a sad day for the entire school.
By 10:30 p.m., Reo was finally able to end the whole farce early because Yamada could barely stand on his own feet anymore, and Reo had to take him home. He also needed to get back home himself before the last train departed. There was no way he would call Baaya to pick him up, as that would likely alert his parents. He was determined to prove to them that he could manage on his own and didn’t need anyone’s help.
Yamada lived far away from the central nightlife districts, so it took nearly 45 minutes to get him home. Reo even had to support him during the last stretch to his apartment. By the time Reo finally dropped Yamada off at his place, it was already 11:15 p.m. Reo didn’t have much time left to get home before train services ceased operating for the day, but it would just about work. He hurried back to the local train station, a small, scarcely visited platform that didn't even have protective barriers in front of the tracks, which only opened when a train was approaching.
At this hour, at a remote station, there were hardly any people around. Aside from him, Reo noticed an unremarkable-looking woman to his left, an older man reading a newspaper to his right, and a tall young man with white hair in front of him, glancing repeatedly at his phone as if waiting for something. Reo only saw them from behind, which suited him well. He absolutely didn’t want to be approached by anyone who might recognize him. Not when he might still reek of alcohol. He had already sucked on a mint to freshen his breath, but he couldn’t gauge how well it masked the smell. "Mikage Reo violates underage drinking laws. Can the rich get away with everything?" Headlines like that could easily spark a scandal.
Reo glanced at the display. Local trains sometimes took forever, especially the ones serving such small stations. His train wasn’t due for another 15 minutes. An express train was scheduled to pass through before that, one that didn’t stop at their station. It was getting uncomfortably tight timing-wise.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Reo looked at the screen and saw that it was Baaya. He would have ignored any other caller, but since it was her, he answered. She asked if he wanted to be picked up, and Reo suddenly realized that there was probably a hidden tracker on his phone. That had to be his parents’ doing.
Still, Baaya wasn’t at fault and was probably genuinely worried about him, so he replied, “No worries. Don’t pick me up, the route is safe, and I promised Yamada I wouldn’t tell anyone his address.”
Yamada had moved to a modest apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo after leaving home and seemed embarrassed about its size. His parents, however, refused to fund a larger place for him, insisting he learn to manage his finances independently.
While Reo was speaking to Baaya, he noticed the lights of the express train approaching in the distance. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet began to tremble. An earthquake. He almost dropped his phone, but luckily caught himself just in time. The express train, however, seemed to have come to a halt.
Fuck, just what I didn’t need right now! If the train blocks the tracks, the local train won’t be able to come through either. There’s no way I’ll make it home like this.
He watched as the tall young man in front of him turned away with a resigned posture, likely planning to walk home or call a taxi.
Reo, however, didn’t feel like walking home at this hour, especially since it was a long distance, and he was slightly drunk. No way could he risk a taxi driver recognizing him and spreading rumors about Mikage Reo wandering drunk through remote train stations at midnight. That option was off the table too. He had managed to maintain his composure earlier, but now he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. His head was spinning slightly, and he felt a little dizzy. Reo sighed and held the phone back up to his ear.
“Pick me up after all, Baaya. Stupid earthquake.
*~*~*
After midnight, Reo finally arrived home. He was utterly exhausted from the emotionally draining evening, and the alcohol had left him feeling tired, sluggish, and disoriented.
“Okaeri, Reo~,” greeted the angel at the door. Reo, too drained to hold himself up, let his weight fall against the angel, who immediately supported him and wrapped his arms around him.
“Reo. Are you okay?” Nagi asked, his usually monotone voice tinged with genuine concern and surprise.
Reo’s mind was blank. No intrusive thoughts, no need to maintain his composure, no energy left to care. In this moment, he acted purely on impulse and feelings. And what he wanted now was to be cared for, the same way he always pampered the angel. His pride and barriers didn’t matter right now.
“I’m so tired, Nagi… I just wanna sleep,” he murmured softly into the angel’s ear.
And the angel understood. If his charge was tired, he would do everything he could to make him comfortable. He wanted nothing more than for Reo to be happy. Effortlessly, Nagi scooped Reo into his arms, bridal style, and carried him to Reo’s king-sized bed.
Reo didn’t resist, wrapping his arms around Nagi and pressing his face into the crook of the angel’s neck. The angel smelled fresh and sweet, like a gentle breeze soothing Reo’s restless mind.
Kneeling on the expensive mattress that absorbed their weight, Nagi gently laid Reo down. But Reo didn’t want the angel to leave. His warmth was too comforting; Reo wanted to wrap himself in it and not let go. He tightened his hold on Nagi.
“Reo…”
Nagi supported Reo’s back with one hand, steadying himself on the mattress with the other, as he looked down at Reo’s pouty face. Reo was adorable, and Nagi couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Reo, in turn, stared up at the angel’s face hovering above him. Why was the angel so beautiful? Cute, but also strikingly handsome—a perfect mix. Reo’s heart began to beat faster. Was it the alcohol? Wait, wasn’t this situation exactly like the ones everyone loved in shoujo manga? Like the situations everybody raved about when talking about kissing? In that moment, for the first time, Reo felt the hype. He couldn’t help himself. His unusually unguarded, emotion-driven mind gave his body the command as if on autopilot.
He removed one hand from Nagi’s back and placed it gently against the angel’s cheek. The angel’s skin was incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch. Closing the few centimeters between them, Reo pressed his lips against the angel’s. They were as soft and inviting as the rest of him.