The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the kindergarten playground. Ri, radiant and poised, watched Faith, her four-year-old son, chase butterflies with a determined gleam in his eyes. Four years. It felt like a lifetime since Raven had vanished, leaving behind a void that echoed in every shared glance and unspoken word between her, Jihu, Ash, and Fang. In the distance, Shu was a vision of quiet strength, her dark hair cascading around her shoulders as she gently coaxed a shy smile from Roxy, her daughter.
Faith and Roxy attended the same kindergarten. Today was Friday. Jihu had given Roxy Raven's last gift, a small, intricately carved red crystal locket , on her third birthday, fulfilling Raven's silent wish conveyed through clenched fists to Jihu.
Four years. Four years of radio silence from Raven. They all, in their own ways, believed Shu had erased Raven from her memory. She never spoke his name, never alluded to their past. But they were wrong. Shu carried Raven in the deepest recesses of her heart, a constant, bittersweet ache. She shielded her sorrow, knowing her grief would burden her friends, a weight she refused to impose.
Unbeknownst to them, Raven existed in Roxy's world, a guardian angel in a disguise. Every two months since Roxy's birth, he had found a way to see her, a fleeting glimpse of his daughter's growing features. But since Faith and Roxy started kindergarten, Raven had established a new ritual: Every Friday, he visited Roxy at school. He knew Shu had classes that day, a blessed window of opportunity.
Faith, an observant and gifted child, noticed this pattern. Every Friday, a white-haired man would come, stay for a while, and then disappear. He knew that his parents trusted him to walk home from school alone, so every day except Friday, when Shu picked up Roxy and faith from school.
Today, Raven landed softly near the playground, his white hair catching the sunlight. Faith, clutching a dandelion, marched right up to him.
"Mr.," Faith said, his brow furrowed, "why do you come every Friday? Why don't you come on other days? Are you afraid of Shaun?" He used his pet name for Shu.
Roxy's eyes widened, mirroring Faith's curiosity. "Guardian Angel," she chimed in, tugging on Raven's worn leather jacket, "this is my question too! Are you afraid of Mom? Why don't you come in front of her?"
Raven's face, etched with longing, softened with a pang of sadness. He kneeled, his gaze unwavering as he looked at Roxy. "No, my baby. Your mom… your mom doesn't like me. That's why I don't come when she's around."
"But why doesn't Mom like you?" Roxy persisted, her innocent face bewildered. "You're such a good Guardian Angel! Did you do something bad?"
A tear threatened to spill from the corner of Raven's eye. He swallowed hard. "Yes, Roxy. I did a very bad thing. And I'm still suffering the punishment." He quickly changed the subject, masking his raw emotion. "Roxy, Faith, do you want to fly today or walk?"
Their faces lit up, the weight of the conversation instantly forgotten. "We'll fly like Superman!" they squealed in unison.
Raven chuckled, scooping them up into his arms, one under each wing. He launched into the air, soaring above the trees, leaving a trail of laughter and wonder in his wake. He deposited them gently a short distance from their homes.
"Bye bye , see you again next week," Raven said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Bye, Guardian Angel!" Roxy chirped, waving enthusiastically.
Faith, still thoughtful, gave Raven a small wave. "Bye, Mr."
Raven watched them go, his heart aching with a love he couldn't express. Then, with a sigh, he melted back into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.
Roxy skipped home, oblivious to the profound encounter. But Faith, his mind buzzing with unanswered questions, wore a troubled expression.
Later that evening, Jihu found Faith staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. "Hey, son," Jihu asked gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What's on your mind? Did something happen at school today?"
Faith hesitated, his eyes darting around the room. "Dad," he blurted out, "why doesn't Mr. come to our house?"
Jihu's heart skipped a beat. Who is this "Mr."? he wondered. "Who? Which Mr. are you talking about, Faith?"
Panic flickered in Faith's eyes. He realized he had almost revealed a secret. "Um… Mr. the school teacher!" he stammered. "Okay, Dad, can I do my homework now? We'll talk later, okay?"
Jihu, sensing Faith's unease, decided not to push. He knew Faith wouldn't be pressured into revealing anything he didn't want to. Instead, he decided to observe.
For the next week, Jihu became a shadow, discreetly following Faith and Roxy home from school. He heard them talking about "Mr." and "Guardian Angel" but never saw anyone accompanying them. Jihu came to realize that "Mr." and "Guardian Angel" were one and the same.