Chapter 11: Growing Pains and New Connections

2: Hello, I’m an Angel

A few days passed.

Nothing major changed.
Except for one thing worth noting…

“I think I grew a bit!”

“Really?
You look the same to me.”

Kanghyuk’s lukewarm response.
I shoot up and stretch my arms skyward.

“No, I can reach the dishes in the cabinet now!
I don’t need to keep the pot on the bottom anymore!”

“Yeah, yeah, congrats.
Good for you.”

It’s not super noticeable, but I think I grew about a centimeter.
I can finally grab the dishes that my fingertips barely touched before.

My friends don’t seem impressed by this huge news.

To prove it, I stretch my arms toward the cabinet in their house.
Aiming for the dishes inside.

“Look!
I can reach…”

Ughhh.

Their cabinet is slightly higher than mine.
My one-centimeter growth means nothing as my arms flail in the air.

“You can’t reach.”

“Shut up!
I can!”

Stubbornness kicks in.
No way I’m losing to this.

I stand on tiptoes, straining with all my might.
My hand, at its absolute limit, finally touches the cabinet.

“See!
I told you I can…”

My precarious stance gives way, and I wobble dangerously.

“Eek!”

“Whoa!”

My body tilts back, slowly but unstoppable.
I brace for impact, squeezing my eyes shut.

And then…

Crash!

…

…

Why didn’t I hit anything?

Puzzled by the lack of impact, I cautiously open my eyes.
There’s chubby Kanghyuk.
Skinny Min-jae.

Where’s the other one?

“You okay?”

“Eek!”

A voice from beside me startles me.
I whip around to see Junseo’s face, holding me steady.

“Man, check out that speed.
Still got those class rep sprinting skills, huh?”

“Speed, my ss.
I was ready for it.
She was wobbling like that—how could I not move?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m too chubby to move fast, sorry!”

“Ugh, so smug.
Showing off your athletic skills.
Poor skinny me can’t keep up.”

“Let go of me first, then talk!”

I twist and squirm out of Junseo’s grip.
Glaring at him with a huff…

Bonk!

A dull pain hits my head.

“You gotta be more careful, kid.
You’re old enough to know better.”

“Not fair!
If the cabinet wasn’t so high!”

“Yeah, yeah, the almost-faller should hush.”

So unfair.

Really!

Lying on the floor at my friend’s place, soaking in the sunlight streaming through the window.
My friends are flipping through TV channels endlessly.

Pointless ads flash by.
Boring variety shows too.

As they flick through, a news channel catches my eye.

– The number of transformed individuals continues to rise.
Conflicts between them and regular people due to physical differences are becoming more frequent…

News about transformed people.

My friends watch closely, sneaking glances at me to see if I’m upset.

It’s annoying.
I don’t need that kind of care.

To make a point, I plop down in front of the TV with them to watch.

– Cases of transformed individuals being fired or facing workplace discrimination due to their traits or appearance are increasing.
Employers claim, “It’s a matter of hiring feasibility,” arguing that dismissing transformed individuals is unavoidable.

The screen shifts to interviews with employers.

Issues like fur causing hygiene problems, being too small, too big, too creepy-looking.
Or specific conditions, like being unable to work at night, forcing them to fire people.

That last one hit me, since it applies to me too.
My face scrunches a bit.
The footage showed a plant-like person, not me, but still.

Then I spot the lizard man in the clips.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Oh, just saw someone I know.”

The news keeps going, talking about discrimination and conflicts involving transformed people, whether I recognize anyone or not.

“… Yikes.”

A video of someone attacking a transformed person.
Shot from the attacker’s perspective, mercilessly beating a fallen transformed individual.

Even with mosaics, the violence is stark.

The news wraps up, urging urgent solutions for the issues and perceptions surrounding transformed people.

…

“You okay, Garam?”

Min-jae adjusts his glasses as he speaks.

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

The attack scene was a bit scary.
But I said I wouldn’t care about people’s stares just days ago.
I can’t give up now just because I’m scared.

… Though stares and violence feel like different issues.

Unless I plan to stay locked indoors forever, I’ll have to face this somehow.

“If anything happens, tell us.
Don’t bottle it up.”

Junseo speaks with concern.

“Got it, got it.”

Sounds just like my brother.

“Ehe…”

The midday sun is warm.

Basking in its rays, I feel drowsy, my whole body relaxed.
My mind floats, light as a feather.

Add an orange-flavored candy, and it’s perfect.

“Hehe…”

I want ice cream.

I’ve been avoiding it since that day, worried I’d lose control.
But that just makes me crave it more.

If I eat it, I’ll lose all restraint.
So I settle for candy.

Delicious.

Nom nom.

I lie on the floor, kicking my legs, savoring the candy.
Five candies a day, my limit.
I’ve already had four, so this is the last one.

Gotta take it slow, savor every bit…

Ding!

“Huh?!”

Crunch!

A sudden phone notification startles me, and I bite the candy.
The pieces shatter and slide down my throat.

My last candy!

Glaring at my phone with burning resentment, I check it.
A message from some Transformed Species Management… something or other.

Why’s the government messaging me?
I tap the screen.

It’s simple.
They’ve made a chat group for transformed people to share info and stay updated.
Scrolling down, I see a link labeled “Transformed Species Group (Miscellaneous).”

I join the chat.
Tons of people are already there.
The pinned message says they grouped similar species together.

“Miscellaneous” is for those too rare to be categorized yet.
I haven’t seen another angel, so I’m probably in this group.

I wiggle my wings playfully.

Wah, I’m a baby angel.

“Oh?”

A photo pops up in the chat and gets pinned.

“Look at this.
They’re giving support funds to transformed people.”

A photo explaining a support policy.
They’re giving lump-sum payments to those affected by the transformation.

“Wow… I’m kinda jealous of that money, whoa!”

“Jealous of what, you punk?
Try being like this.”

I smack Kanghyuk with my halo for his careless comment.

“Still, it’s nice they’re giving out funds.”

“Yeah.”

I nod at Junseo’s words and scroll through the chat.

People start introducing themselves.
Next to their names are their presumed species.
Since it’s the miscellaneous group, there’s a wild variety.

Mine, of course, says “Angel.”

Anyway.

Candy.

The candy’s the issue.
It was lost to an unexpected accident.
One more wouldn’t hurt, right…?
Just one…

Smack.*

Junseo flicks my hand as I reach for the candy basket.

Then it hits me—yesterday, I asked my friends to stop me if I couldn’t control myself with candy.

Am I an idiot?
Why did I make that request!

…

Can’t I have just one?

I look at Junseo with pleading eyes.

“No way, not even with that look.”

“Hng.”

Junseo coldly takes the candy basket away.
I settle for savoring the faint candy aftertaste in my mouth.

Glancing back, the chat is still buzzing.

Fairies, dryads, all sorts of species.

I notice Jimin’s in the group too.
Guess dragons fall under miscellaneous.

Anyway.

Might as well join the conversation.
I pick up my phone.

What should I say?

Right.

– Hello, I’m an angel.

I send the greeting.