The late-night city lights flickered as you watched from afar, your wings hidden beneath the illusion of a simple hoodie. Your mission was clear: watch over Ni-ki, protect him from the shadows, and offer comfort without revealing your true identity. Being an angel on Earth wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed. You had to remain unnoticed, just a figure in the background.

But tonight, things didn’t go as planned.

Ni-ki had finished practice late, the weight of exhaustion and online hate hanging over him like a dark cloud. His steps were slow as he left the building, his headphones on, trying to block out the world. You followed at a respectful distance, keeping your protective eyes on him as always. But tonight, your timing was off. He must have felt your presence—maybe it was the way your foot scuffed against the pavement, or maybe he was just more on edge than usual. Either way, he spun around suddenly, his sharp gaze locking onto you.

“Who are you?” he demanded, his voice tense, panic clear in his eyes.

Your heart skipped a beat. This was not how it was supposed to happen. You weren’t supposed to be seen, let alone confronted. For a split second, you panicked. What could you say?

“I— I’m just passing through,” you stammered, trying to step back, but Ni-ki wasn’t buying it.

He took a few steps closer, his brows furrowed in suspicion. “You’ve been following me, haven’t you? Are you some kind of sasaeng?”