Ren stared at the literal piece of heaven in his hand, wondering if a giant, snowy pigeon had somehow invaded his room while he was gone.
Just then, as if on cue, a pigeon fluttered through the open window and perched on the sill. Ren almost chuckled, the tension breaking for a brief moment.
"Is this yours?" he asked the bird, shaking his head. "Oh, definitely not. Are you hungry? Hold on, I've got something for you."
He stepped out and returned with two small bowls—one filled with rice and the other with water. The pigeon bolted the second he got close, but Ren simply placed the bowls down and hid behind his bookshelf. Within a minute, the bird was back, joined by two more friends. Watching them eat, Ren felt a rare sense of peace, almost forgetting the mysterious, glowing feather tucked away in his desk.
Meanwhile, in her own apartment, Elowen was sprawled across her bed, aggressively snacking on the sweets Ren had brought her earlier.
"I didn't want to come over empty-handed," he had said.
"What a great evening," Elowen muttered, popping another treat into her mouth. "Why don't we have these in the Heavens? I might actually get addicted to these..."
A sudden chill swept through the room, making her sit bolt upright. She shivered and walked over to latch the window shut.
"Winter is coming..." she mused. An idea sparked in her mind, making her eyes dance. "I should give Ren a gift. He's a lonely boy; he'd probably feel amazing if he got something for no reason."
She started humming a tune, heading toward the kitchen to place a "Heavenly Order," but stopped dead halfway there. She clutched her chest, her voice dropping to a determined whisper.
"Wait... why don't I make something personally? It would be so much more meaningful than just ordering a 'Divine Relic' from the warehouse."
Her eyes sparkled with sudden intensity. She lunged for her supplies, grabbing two knitting needles and a ball of high-quality wool. She began to knit with the speed of a celestial being.
"Thanks to my 'observation' skills, I know his exact size," she whispered, a stray blush creeping onto her face. "His chest size... I mean... Okay, Elowen, focus. Back to work."
The next morning, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping—but Elowen looked like she had been through a war. She held a finished woolen sweater in her hands, her eyes framed by deep, dark circles.
"Finally," she croaked, her voice thick with sleep. "It's done. It only took fifteen hours. I probably should have split the work over three days, but... who cares?"
She let out a massive yawn and collapsed onto her bed, pulling a teddy bear close.
"Good... night... Ren," she mumbled, falling into a dead sleep the second her head hit the pillow.
The clock ticked past 1 PM. Then 3 PM. Then 4 PM. A sharp noise shattered her dreams.
TING-TONG.
"Ugh," Elowen groaned, drooling onto her pillow. "My landlady won't even let me sleep..."
She dragged herself toward the door, her posture bent and her hair a bird's nest.
TING-TONG.
"Coming, coming!"
She yanked the door open, only to find a boy with glasses standing there. He wore a bright, radiating smile and carried a leather-bound diary. Most importantly, he was wearing neon-pink cat ears and a matching tail.
Elowen's sleepiness vanished instantly. Her back snapped straight. "Who are you?"
"Master Elowen!" the boy chirped. He looked left, then right, before closing his eyes. Two massive white wings erupted from his back before vanishing just as quickly. "I am Arian!"
"You're an angel? Wait... I know that name. You're one of the trainees, right? But what is with the ears and the tail?"
Arian practically vibrated with excitement as he stepped inside, grabbing her hand. "Master Elowen, please make me your student! I want to be just like you! I even thought about bringing a gift, but then I realized that wasn't necessary, so I came empty-handed!"
Eh?!...Wait, breathe first. I can't just take a student; I'm on a mission!
And why do I have such weird people in my life? She thought
"I know! I just need one masterclass! I'm following your 'Vulnerability Therapy'!" He flipped open his notebook and began reading with religious intensity. "Step one: Attach fuzzy ears to gain trust. Step two: Attach a tail to signal empathy."
Elowen felt her soul leave her body. "Arian... who told you that?"
"Oh! Master Aven, Azmeal, and Evren! They took me to the God Pool to show me how a veteran handles a target. They said you were intentionally looking ridiculous to build safety! Please, teach me these advanced methods, Master Elowen!"
The words hit Elowen like a lightning bolt. Azrael saw that? They ALL saw that? Her face turned the color of a ripe tomato. She grabbed Arian by the shoulders, her voice turning creepy and low.
"Listen to me very carefully. You will never tell anyone I invented this 'therapy.' Is that clear?"
"Y-yes! Crystal clear!" Arian squeaked, terrified.
TING-TONG.
The doorbell rang again. Elowen groaned and opened it to find Ren standing there.
"Hello," Ren said, smiling. "Sorry, did I disturb you? I found this game DVD in my storeroom and wanted to see if you'd play it with me."
Arian's jaw dropped. Is this boy the target? And he's SMILING?! What kind of high-level witchcraft did she use to get results this fast? "Of course not!" Elowen chirped, her mood flipping instantly. "I'm always ready for a rematch. I owe you a crushing defeat!"
Arian frowned, scribbling in his book. Wait... is she showing me the 'Healing Process' right now? Or does she just really like video games?
Ren stepped closer, his brow furrowing as he looked at Elowen's face. "Elowen, were you trying to count the stars instead of sleeping? Those dark circles are huge. Are you cosplaying a panda next?"
"Oh, come on! They aren't that dark!"
Arian was floored. WHAT?! How did he notice them so fast? I've been here twenty minutes and didn't see them! This mortal's observation skills are divine! He tried to lean in to get a better look at her eyes.
That was when Ren finally noticed the boy in the room—specifically, the boy in neon-pink cat ears.
"Elowen... you didn't tell me you had another cosplayer friend here." Ren felt a strange, sharp pinch in his chest. Why is there a boy in her apartment? Wait... why am I jealous?
"Oh, actually, he's—"
"STUDENT!" Arian shouted before she could finish. "I am Master Elowen's student!"
Ren blinked. "A student? Since when did you start coaching, Elowen?"
Elowen face-palmed. "Actually, Ren... he's just asking for cosplay tips."
"I see." Ren relaxed slightly. "He looks about our age, otherwise I'd be wondering why a seventeen-year-old is calling you 'Teacher.'"
Arian stared at Ren, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. Seventeen? I'm 67 years old, kid. I'm basically your grandpa. He thought.
"Ren, what kind of game is this? Does it have a three-player mode?" Elowen asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Arian's age.
"Yeah, it does," Ren replied, though his internal monologue was far less welcoming. Hmph! Why can't it just be the two of us?
They popped the DVD in and started the match. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken competition. In a chaotic turn, Elowen launched a heavy attack at Ren; in his desperate attempt to dodge her move, he blundered right into Arian's path and got eliminated.
"Uh oh," Elowen smirked, leaning back. "Better luck next time, Ren."
Ren didn't say a word. He remained eerily calm, but his eyes were sharp, reflecting a competitive fire that hadn't been there a moment ago. In the next round, he went into full "Boss Mode." With surgical precision, he ignored Elowen and funneled every single attack, combo, and special move directly at Arian. The trainee angel was obliterated within seconds.
For a moment, both Arian and Elowen felt a chill. It was obvious—Ren wasn't just playing; he was venting.
"Ren, are you okay, my friend?" Arian asked nervously.
Ren just smirked, his voice smooth and detached. "I'm completely fine. It's just a game. Better luck next time, Arian. I need to use the bathroom real quick."
"Do you know where it is?" Elowen asked.
"Yep," Ren said, standing up and disappearing down the hall.
Arian leaned toward Elowen the second the door clicked shut. "Master Elowen... your target is a little scary."
"Um, I don't know what to say," she stammered. "Maybe he just... really had to go to the washroom? Maybe that's why he wanted to finish the round so fast?"
"I hope so," Arian muttered. His eyes wandered, landing on a corner of the room where a woolen sweater sat partially hidden, knitting needles still tucked into its side. "What's that?"
"Oh! What do you think of that sweater?" Elowen asked, her pride momentarily overcoming her panic. "Is it good? I made it myself."
Arian's eyes bulged. "You made it yourself? Whoa, Master, you're so talented! But... I thought girls liked flower designs? That looks a bit plain for you."
"Oh, it's not for me," Elowen said, her voice dropping. "It's for Ren."
Arian leaned in even closer, practically vibrating. "You made a sweater by hand for your target? Are you kidding me? I mean, I know we need to get close and use affection, but this is extreme!"
Elowen's brow furrowed at the word. "He isn't a 'target'."
"He isn't?"
"No! I mean... he is, but... it's Care-taking. Yes! The more you do this, the higher the mortal's happiness index rises."
Arian's eyes shone with a terrifying level of inspiration. "So that you can complete your mission faster and relax in Heaven before moving on to the next target, right?"
For a heartbeat, Elowen went completely still. It was as if a cold bucket of reality had been dumped over her head—a truth she had been desperately trying to ignore. She looked at the door where Ren had vanished, her voice barely a whisper.
"Yes... that's the reason."
"Thank you, Master Elowen!" Arian stood up in a burst of excitement. "That was all I needed to know! I won't disappoint you. I will surely use these methods in my own missions!"
Just then, Ren returned from the hallway. "Arian? Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes! I'm going home!" Arian shouted, already heading for the door. "I have training! Bye! See you soon!"
He bolted out the door, neon tail trailing behind him.
"Cosplay training?" Ren asked, confused.
"Yes... cosplay training. We're elite-level professionals, remember?"
Ren's face lit up with a grin. "Since he's gone now... can we just get back to two-player mode?"
Elowen blinked. "Uh, Ren... you seem very excited that he left."
"Oh, come on. You're just overthinking things," Ren said, picking up his controller.
"Yeah... maybe typical me," Elowen sighed. She paused, looking at him, then looked away with a slight blush. "But... Ren?"
"Huh?"
"Actually... I have something for you."
Outside, Arian was running down the street at top speed. He skidded to a halt, a look of horror crossing his face.
"Oh no! I forgot to ask what kind of 'therapy' the sweater-giving thing was!"
He started running again, his mind racing.
"I'll just ask the seniors. They must know. First, I'll write down everything Master Elowen said, then I'll ask about the 'Care-taking' part in detail. I don't think there was a section in the manual about spoiling the target…"
Arian was young and naive, but the Seniors weren't. They possessed thousands of years of cold, calculated wisdom. If they got to know that she was crafting a gift with her own hands—a task that required a heart to beat in rhythm with a mortal's—they wouldn't see 'Vulnerability Therapy.' They would see the first symptoms of a Falling Angel.