“Guardian angels are assigned when the person who’s died feels like they’ve been jipped from life, pretty much, and want another chance. We can’t become human again, so we watch others, instead, make sure they can live their lives fully before they have to die,” Yamapi explains.
“Isn’t that morbid though? You’re stuck watching people like me, it’s almost like mocking you. Like, hey, you’re not alive, watch these dumbasses fuck up their lives.” Jin glares up at the ceiling. “Who thought of this idea? It’s shit. I’d hate to be in that position.”
Yamapi smiles. “It’s not so bad,” he replies. “I like watching other people, making them happy. I like seeing them happy. Probably has to do with when I was still alive.”
“What did you do, when you were alive?”
“Actually, I was a singer, like you,” Yamapi admits and Jin looks surprised. “A solo artist.”
Jin’s eyes widen. “Wait, you’re that Yamapi? That incredibly famous one?”
“That’d be me,” Yamapi sighs.
“How come you’re my guardian angel?” Jin asks.
Yamapi stares at him for a moment, then shrugs. “Guess we were just meant to be.”
*
They quickly fall into a routine. On days Jin works, Yamapi makes sure he’s awake on time, meaning not ten minutes before, but at least an hour earlier. Jin showers and Yamapi makes breakfast. He hasn’t cooked in years, so he burns the eggs and toast the first few tries and Jin surprises him by whipping up something for himself.
“If you know how to cook, why don’t you do it more often?”
Jin shrugs. “It’s not fun, cooking for myself. It’s more of a chore.”
“You’d lose some of those pounds if you stopped eating outside so much,” Yamapi teases, poking Jin in the stomach and Jin glares at him.
“I am not fat!”
Yamapi grins. “No, just a little chubby.”
Jin lunges and tackles him and the apartment is filled with Yamapi’s laughter and it’s wonderful, laughing, Yamapi doesn’t remember how long it’s been since he’s truly laughed.
*
When Jin doesn’t have other obligations, he ends up spending more time at home than he did before Yamapi had joined him. Yamapi doesn’t want to assume it’s because of him, but Jin seems much happier these days, just sitting with Yamapi and talking about everything and nothing at all, things like how big the world is, or Dragonball. And the Jin before, he rarely smiled, only occasionally when he was trying to get laid or was forcing it for the camera. But now, now, the smiles were daily. Yamapi’s greeted with a smile every morning, and sent off with a smile every night. And Yamapi’s attracted desperately to these smiles, the way Jin’s eyes light up and the way he looks honestly happy, it makes Yamapi’s stomach flop over pleasantly, that weird sensation he hasn’t felt in years. Hasn’t felt once since he’s been dead. What was it about Jin that makes him feel this way? Yamapi still can’t figure it out and it’s driving him a little insane.
They go out a few times. Yamapi tagging along when Jin needs more food, helping him buy things to use for dinner that night or the following weekend. No one recognizes him, either, which Yamapi’s fine with. He was once famous and once the center of attention. Right now, it feels good just being with Jin, shopping normally, picking fights normally, not having to worry about anything else. A second chance, almost, at being human.
PART 4
“Isn’t that morbid though? You’re stuck watching people like me, it’s almost like mocking you. Like, hey, you’re not alive, watch these dumbasses fuck up their lives.” Jin glares up at the ceiling. “Who thought of this idea? It’s shit. I’d hate to be in that position.”
Yamapi smiles. “It’s not so bad,” he replies. “I like watching other people, making them happy. I like seeing them happy. Probably has to do with when I was still alive.”
“What did you do, when you were alive?”
“Actually, I was a singer, like you,” Yamapi admits and Jin looks surprised. “A solo artist.”
Jin’s eyes widen. “Wait, you’re that Yamapi? That incredibly famous one?”
“That’d be me,” Yamapi sighs.
“How come you’re my guardian angel?” Jin asks.
Yamapi stares at him for a moment, then shrugs. “Guess we were just meant to be.”
*
They quickly fall into a routine. On days Jin works, Yamapi makes sure he’s awake on time, meaning not ten minutes before, but at least an hour earlier. Jin showers and Yamapi makes breakfast. He hasn’t cooked in years, so he burns the eggs and toast the first few tries and Jin surprises him by whipping up something for himself.
“If you know how to cook, why don’t you do it more often?”
Jin shrugs. “It’s not fun, cooking for myself. It’s more of a chore.”
“You’d lose some of those pounds if you stopped eating outside so much,” Yamapi teases, poking Jin in the stomach and Jin glares at him.
“I am not fat!”
Yamapi grins. “No, just a little chubby.”
Jin lunges and tackles him and the apartment is filled with Yamapi’s laughter and it’s wonderful, laughing, Yamapi doesn’t remember how long it’s been since he’s truly laughed.
*
When Jin doesn’t have other obligations, he ends up spending more time at home than he did before Yamapi had joined him. Yamapi doesn’t want to assume it’s because of him, but Jin seems much happier these days, just sitting with Yamapi and talking about everything and nothing at all, things like how big the world is, or Dragonball. And the Jin before, he rarely smiled, only occasionally when he was trying to get laid or was forcing it for the camera. But now, now, the smiles were daily. Yamapi’s greeted with a smile every morning, and sent off with a smile every night. And Yamapi’s attracted desperately to these smiles, the way Jin’s eyes light up and the way he looks honestly happy, it makes Yamapi’s stomach flop over pleasantly, that weird sensation he hasn’t felt in years. Hasn’t felt once since he’s been dead. What was it about Jin that makes him feel this way? Yamapi still can’t figure it out and it’s driving him a little insane.
They go out a few times. Yamapi tagging along when Jin needs more food, helping him buy things to use for dinner that night or the following weekend. No one recognizes him, either, which Yamapi’s fine with. He was once famous and once the center of attention. Right now, it feels good just being with Jin, shopping normally, picking fights normally, not having to worry about anything else. A second chance, almost, at being human.