All credits go to: Romance Club

Chapter 1: Finding Wings

Jennie was blinded for a moment by a bright light. She moved to take a step forward, but felt a void beneath her feet.

“Ah!”

A few pebbles broke off and fell. The veil began to disperse, and a waterfall appeared on the horizon.

“Where am I?” she asked.

The water was burbling and hissing, but instead of breaking on the stones below, it drifted up.

“I must be sleeping. It was a comforting thought, but everything looked and felt so real.” Behind her, there stood a forest with gigantic trees stretching their branches towards the boundless sky. She turned around and looked down again.

“act!” She heard a voice inside her head and all around her at the same time. It roared like thunder, or like the striking of a gong. Jennie understood at once that something terrible would happen if she dared to disobey it and do nothing. So she jumped into the abyss.

“People don’t die in their sleep. This will wake me up.” She thought.

She took a few steps back, accelerated, and jumped.

“Aaaaahhhh!”

The void welcomed her in its arms. Her heart was pounding as she became paralyzed with fear.
“this isn’t a dream! I’ll die!”
Fear took over all her emotions. In an attempt to save herself, her hands were desperately trying to grab on to something. She closed her eyes unable to bring herself to face death.
Suddenly she heard something coming from behind and stopping her fall. She was pulled up, and only then she realized she was moving something.

“Wings!” she was moving them intuitively. A hysterical chuckle slipped off her lips.

“This is crazy!”
A few flaps more and the outlines of the Earth were visible below. But the moment her feet touched the ground, her feathers started to fall off, like leaves in the fall, until there was nothing left of them. Everything flickered, swayed, and started to fade gradually, like an elusive mirage. Then the swaying stopped, and she ended up where she started. She heard short, pathetic claps.

Jennie then flinched and turned towards the sound.

“Bravo! To jump into the void is a brave act, even for one who believes they are dreaming.” The unknown man said.

“Who are you?” Jennie asked in confusion.

Before answering, the man spread his wings on his back.

“My name is GD.”

A woman and a girl came out of the jungle. The strange animal followed them, bounding up and down with joy.

“grrr!” strange animal.

“Yo! Wassup wassup! I’m Li—“ the girl was cut

“not your turn yet” The woman eyed the girl and so she went silent

“Congratulations on passing the test.” Woman

“what’s going on?” Jennie asked
“am I dead?”

“Wow she’s quick.” GD

The thought popped on into Jennie’s head, but every single part of her was against it.

The woman touched her, trying to give her comfort. The panic began to subside. The woman squeezed her hand tighter and looked her in the eyes.

“My name is Yoona. This is Lisa.”

The girl nodded silently while looking at Jennie.

“I want to know what’s going on!” Jennie started to shout.

GD’s grin and Yoona’s interaction with her annoyed her.

“who are you? Answer me!”

“you have quite a temper, don’t you?” Yoona sigh
“I understand it’s hard to accept, but you are indeed dead.” She weakly smile.

“that’s enough prologue Yoona. Every human passes a test after his death. Some jump like you did. But not everyone gains their wings during their fall, so they vanish.” GD stated.

“and fall leading to either heaven or hell.” He followed.

“but there are those, such as yourself, who take off. They are the chosen ones. You are among the chosen one. Same as Lisa.” Yoona added.

Yoona gave Lisa a little nudge from behind, and the girl nodded her head excitedly, watching Jennie with half-opened eyes.

“what does that mean?” Jennie asked

“The chosen are invited to enter our Angels and Demons Academy.” GD

“This Academy is paramount for both your world and ours. It keeps the balance.” Yoona

“From time to time, you will descend to Earth, to help people stay on the path of either good or evil, help them make a choice, be it right or wrong.” GD

“Dear God, have I gone mad, or is this really happening?” Jennie prayed worryingly. As if feeling her worry, Yoona touched her again.

“You’ll gain power. You’ll see immortality from a different perspective. New prospects will open for you.” Yoona said with all kindness. On the other hand, Lisa silently smirk.

“is it me, or did she just smirk?” Jennie said annoyed

The sky flickered, the water fell down for a second, as if succumbing to gravity, but then started to flow up again.

“It’s time. You must decide” GD said seriously.

“you are waiting for an answer but how can I agree to something I don’t really understand.” Jennie said annoyed.

Yoona saw something in Jennie’s eyes-she recoiled sharply and nodded to GD.

“She’s ready.” Yoona uttered all of a sudden.

GD slapped Jennie on the back. Jennie then fell on her knees, and tears ran down her cheeks. A sharp pain pieced her shoulder blades. She screamed and then fell silent at once, scared of her own cry.

Lisa squatted in front of her.
“you’ll get through this.” She reassuringly told Jennie.

“Shhh just breathe.”

Lisa kept staring into Jennie’s eyes as if trying to take the pain away. But the pain was only growing stronger.
Jennie felt her skin tearing apart as something inside her was trembling, trying to get out.

“let them out! They need to feel the freedom!” Yoona shouted

“Relax. Allow yourself to take off.” Lisa then said.

Jennie lifted her head and looked at Lisa. The girl was focused and calm.

“ah!” Jennie shout in pain

A tearing sound was heard, and then a whooshing outward flapping. The pain disappeared, leaving behind pulsating sensation in Jennie’s back.

Jennie turned around and froze.

She saw a huge white wings behind her. It’s gorgeous she might say.

“now you are one of us.” Yoona stated happily.

“They’ll tell you the rest at the academy.” GD said

Still finding it hard to believe, Jennie spread her wings. A few drops of blood fell on the ground.
“Oh!”

“Don’t rush. You’ll be able to fly soon enough, but for now, give your wounds time to heal.” Yoona told her.

“I imagined immortals didn’t know pain.” Jennie said

“Pain allows us to feel like existing. It keeps us in check.” GD

“The sea dragon will take you to the academy, Kuma?” GD pointed to the strange animal behind her.

Hearing his name, Kuma immediately jumped up and shook his head.

“Lis, will you bring her up to speed?” Yoona asked Lisa.

Lisa excitedly nodded

“omo! Is this for real? Yeyy!” Lisa jumped happily

“Stop being an overly excited kid Lisa!” GD shouted at Lisa.

Lisa felt embarrassed and do as she was told.

“Sorry”

GD took Jennie by the waist and helped her up on Kuma.
“What if I fall?!” Jennie shouted worryingly.

“that would be an excellent time to learn to fly.” GD smirked.

“Oh God” Jennie slap her forehead in this belief.

“Good luck. We’ll see each other again, Jennie.” Yoona bids goodbye

“But--” Jennie hesitated for a moment but the dragon flew off without any warning.

“wooshh!”

“ah!!!!”

Jennie leaned against the animal and wrapped her arms around its thick shaggy neck.
The gust of air was so strong that she was afraid to even ponder how fast they were moving. She squeezed her eyes shut.

“hey! You’re missing the best part!” Lisa who was enjoying her fly shouted.

Upon hearing the girl’s voice, Jennie opened her eyes unwillingly

“ah!” Jennie shouted
“this is so beautiful!” she was amazed by the view

The breathtaking view made all her fear vanish. She stretched out one hand and plunged it into a puffy cloud.
“this is worth dying for!” she uttered still amaze
Her eyes started to tear, but not because of the wind. She burst into tears and clung to the dragon more as if seeking comfort. She mourning herself. Her life.

“I’m dead. What about Daddy?...” she sadly asked herself.
She was crying her heart out.

Lisa saw that something was off and flew closer.

“is everything alright?” Lisa asked worriedly.

“I don’t want to die! I still want to live and be with Daddy!” Jennie sniffed.

She had to shout for Lisa to hear her with all the gusting around them.

Lisa’s face acquired a suffering expression. She felt sincerely sorry for Jennie.

“But you are dead. You cannot go back.” Lisa said sadly.

“Time will pass, and you’ll make peace with it.” The girl reassuringly said.

Lisa flew closer. When she wanted to overtake Jennie’s, she’d change her position to horizontal, pressing her hands to her body. then, Lisa would flutter her wings energetically, and her speed would increase exponentially.

“how come she’s not afraid to fly this high?” Jennie asked amazed

Lisa flew up to Jennie.

“how did you die?” Lisa suddenly asked

“I…I don’t remember.” Jennie said sadly. Dread and panic took over again.

“how could one not remember her own death?” she asked. She then started to delve into memories, the scraps she has left of the life she’ll never again return to.

“My Name is Jennie Kim. My mom died when I was five. I live with my dad on ***** Street.” Jennie said trying to recall the memories she could remember.

“I graduated from the University of Arts, and was on my way home to tell Dad…” She paused for a moment as the painful memories was hitting.

“I was driving…driving…” she tried to continue but the next detailed won’t come out to her mind

She clung to Kuma and gnashed her teeth.

Second later and..

“Oh! I remember! I remember!” She said all of a sudden

“so?” Lisa asked

Flashback~

The streering wheel. The road. Boring landscape. A white piece of paper that Jennie worked so hard to get, lying on the seat next to her. She was driving alone in the middle of the night.

“I graduated!” she happily told her self

She was looking in the rearview mirror. There’s nothing interesting, but something is bothering her. She gets on the highway, look again. A black, minivan turns behind her. She started fidgeting nervously.
“this car’s been following me the whole way.” She said

She speeds up a little to check her theory. The minivan speeds up as well.

“what the hell?!” she shouted annoyed

She hears anxiety in her voice, but try to not panic.

“what should I do?” she asked herself

She has decided and floor the gas pedal and she was pressed into the seat. Her hands frantically squeeze at the steering wheel. But the minivan doesn’t lag behind. And now she was completely sure that someone is following her.

Apparently, the unknown driver changed plans: it suddenly accelerates, changes lanes, and catches up with her.

“what’s he doing?” she asked confused

She turned around, but she can’t see no one.

And then: Boom!

“Ah!” Jennie shouted

The driver cuts into her way

Jennie then lose control of her wheel.

The car flies into a ditch.
“NO, NO, NO, NO!”

BAM!!!!

End of Flashback~

“They killed me!” Jennie shouted angrily

Lisa kept staring at Jennie’s face covered in tears-without looking where she was flying.

“Yeah! The sky isn’t a highway. You can allow yourself not to watch where you are going…” Jennie said sarcastically

“well it looks like I pissed somebody off.” Lisa replied mockingly

Kuma must’ve felt Jennie’s tears on his skin and started to swirl forcing Jennie to stop crying.

“aaaa!” Jennie clung into the dragon, laughing and completely terrified at the same time.

“wosshhh!” the dragon made his sound

Lisa broke into laughter too.

“what are you laughin at?” Jennie asked annoyed thinking that she was the one who was being laugh at.

“ah nothing” Lisa giggled trying to hold her laughter

“Kuma doesn’t like tears. It makes him sad too.” Lisa stated

Jennie calmed down a bit and started to enjoy the flight.

After a while, Lisa stopped, but every now and then, she’d lift with a big flap of her wings, then comeback down.

“Here’s the school” Lisa said

“it’s so gothic. There’s nothing heavenly about it.” Jennie sigh

“Wait till you see the Demon Faculty in Hell.” Lisa smirk

Jennie looked with passion and aspiration at the highest tower at the far end of the castle. The sight of a seemingly endless labyrinth garden took her breath away.

Lisa changed position again and jerked down sharply.

“Kuma, follow me” Lisa told the dragon

The dragon lowered his head, and it started to descend immediately.
Jennie clung to him again. Kuma smelled like the ocean mixed with something ethereal. As if he absorbed the scent of the sky and the cosmos itself. As they were getting closer and closer to the school, the more worried she became.

Lisa already landed and was waving either at the dragon or at her.

“Come, Kuma, come here.” Lisa motioned to the dragon

The animal touched the ground carefully and shook his head with pleasure.
Lisa patted him behind the ear.

“Good boy”

Suddenly…

“Welcome to the Angels and Demons Academy.” A stranger came

The man was walking towards them. He looked Jennie up and down.

“Greetings Angel Minho” Lisa greeted the guy

“And you must be Jennie” the guy motioned to Jennie

“ah Hello” Jennie was fascinated by the feature of the guy. It is ethereal. He looked some kind of Korean actor.

“Lisa will show you around the academy and bring you up to speed. Once you’ve settled in, we’ll start our lesson. I strongly advise you to be on time. Main hall, third door on the right. Is everything clear?” Angel Minho

Jennie nodded.

Angel Minho was about to leave. But then he stopped, turned around in a fit and looked me over again.

“which side would you like to take upon finishing your studies?” Angel Minho asked

“I beg your pardon?” Jennie asked confused

Lisa stepped away from Kuma and spoke:
“Unlike the birth-right angels and demons, humans are considered Unclaimed during the time of their training. Neither Hell nor Heaven has called upon us directly. But after our training is done, we must join either the angels or demons.”

“That’s if you succeed in graduating from the academy.” Angel Minho
His lips stretched as if he wanted to grin maliciously, but he restrained himself.
“so?”

“I haven’t decided yet” Jennie replied

“I advise you to hurry. One cannot sit on two chairs at the same time.” Then Angel Minho turned on his heels and strode towards the academy.

“what’s his problem?” Jennie asked

“don’t worry about it. He’s hard on everyone.” Lisa reassures

Lisa stood in front, let’s go in?

“Okay” then began to walk inside
As an artist, Jennie couldn’t help but get mesmerized by all the murals, statues, and the overall interior.

“Oh wow!” she stopped suddenly-gazing with trepidation-and Lisa nearly crashed into her.

“yo! Too early to be surprised. Angels know a thing or two about architecture you know.” Lisa smiled sheepishly.

“yeah right” Jennie rolled her eyes

“Let’s keep walking before anyone else notice your ignorance.” Lisa mockingly utter

“another wrong word and I’mma slap your beautiful face Lisa” Jennie sarcastically utter

“kidding” Lisa laugh and continue walking but seconds later she stopped

“Jennie let’s go, the lesson is about to start.” Lisa said

“oh okay” Jennie nodded and quickly followed

As they walked along the hallway, Lisa tried to explain the rules of the institution.

“This place is called an academy. It really is one, but it’s different from the ones on Earth.” Lisa explained

“some of the angels and demons studying here are a couple centuries older than us. They’re strong-much stronger than the unclaimed. And they don’t like us much. Be careful.” Lisa continues

“They find us beneath them, yes?” Jennie asked and caught herself unwillingly

“Exactly” Lisa confirmed
“People were created in THEIR image. Remember this. This is how they relate to us. As mere drawings of themselves.” Lisa said

They stopped in front of a door.

“This is where you’ll live” Lisa opened the door and they both entered.
Jennie saw a cozy room. She then saw a girl laying on one of the beds, swinging her legs up in the air. A couple of red wings fluttered on her back. Hearing a noise, she turned around, then lay down on her side to get a better look at them.

“are you my new roommate?” the girl asked

Jennie looked helplessly at Lisa.

“That’s right. So, don’t offend her, Momo.” Lisa seriously motioned to the girl named Momo

Momo just rolled her eyes, got out of bed and came near to Jennie.

“You’re lucky to have me as a roommate.” Momo utter and for a while, she looked at Jennie, then turned a hundred and eighty degrees and returned to bed. Momo stuck out her rear end, well-aware of how tight her pants were.

Jennie looked away and started to explore the room.

“You get settled in for now. Make sure to be on time for your lesson.” Lisa said and bids goodbye to Momo and touched Jennie’s shoulder amiably and disappeared in the hallway.

As soon as the door closed, Momo sat down and started to observe Jennie more carefully.

“what’s your name?” Momo asked

“Jennie” Jennie answered

“I’m Momo, daughter of Mammon.” Momo introduces herself

Her words made Jennie shiver

“Lisa’s right. I live next to real unearthly creatures. They aren’t humans. What’s it like to be a demon?” Jennie asked

The question made Momo laugh for some reason. Her laughter was resonant and girlishly gentle.

“What’s it like to be a human?” Momo fired back

Jennie smiled

Momo’s gaze shifted to something behind Jennie, then returned to her again.

Momo smiled shyly

“The clock in this room is a little slow. You’re already running late.” Momo stated

“what?” Jennie asked

“Angel Minho…that’s his name right? He doesn’t like it when students are late. Especially the unclaimed.” Momo said and turned around. She lay on the bed as if nothing happened.

Jennie froze for a second at the door, then dashed into the hallway.

“Angel Minho told me that the room was located in the second door to the left, am I right?” Jennie felt unsure but walk nonetheless.
She gets to the door but as she tried to open it didn’t budge.

For a while, she tried opening it for the second time, turning the doorknob harder, but the room was locked.

“am I right about I recall on what he told me? Oh yeah it’s a third door to the right. Gosh my memory is getting poor.”

Jennie then went to where the room was located. As she gets there, she no hesitatingly opened it.

She then saw Angel Minho standing at his desk, looking at a piece of paper in front of him.

“You are 10 minutes late” Angel Minho spoke.

He raised his eyes, looking at Jennie and his lips tightened with either anger or irritation.

“This isn’t one of your Earth schools. What we do here is very important. Being late is NOT an option. Sit down.” Angel Minho annoyingly stated

“sorry” Jennie was embarrassed and apologized.

She spotted Lisa among the students, and relieved, she sat down next to her.

“sorry, I was almost late myself. I wanted to take you to class because I know that are not familiar hear yet, but Angel Minho shoved me into the classroom almost by force. I’m sorry” Lisa explained sadly like a good friend she is.

Jennie smiled at Lisa’s kindness. She thought they can be a good best of friends.

Seconds later and Lisa’s emotion shift into a happy one.
“who knew we’d go back to school again.” Lisa laugh at her own words

“yeah right before dying” Jennie sarcastically said and rolled her eyes

Angel Minho went behind his desk, leaned on its edge, and folded his hands in front of him.

“many of you already know it, but let’s review for the newcomers.” Angel Minho spoke and shot Jennie an angry look.

“The Angels and Demons Academy keeps the balance on Earth, and maintains the peace between Heaven and Hell. Good cannot exist without evil and vice-versa.” Angel Minho explained

“but there is a line that should never be crossed. An angel can never be with a demon, and a demon can never be with an angel.” Angel Minho seriously said

“Since you are an unclaimed and have not yet decided which side to choose, you are forbidden to get close to either of them. This is the most important rule that you must never break. And believe me, you don’t want to experience the punishment for disobeying it. Unlike you, angels and demons were born here. This is their home. Your home is down there. Your relatives, your friends, your jobs, your cats and dogs, and everything else. Forget about it all.” Angel Minho explained

His voice was getting angrier. As if he wanted to strike fear into the students’ hearts, and with it a straightforward truth:

“Remember that YOU. ARE. ALREADY. DEAD. Your home is here now. You are forbidden to make any contact with your former life.” Angel Minho turned around and took the piece of paper, and stared at it again.

“you will learn from both angels and demons. All demon faculties are in hell, so if you’re faint of heart, that’s your problem. Last but not the least: on Earth, you’ll take on the guises of other people who are long dead. Apart from the color of your eyes, nothing will reveal your identity. Angels, demons, and you even more so you, are not able to take form of living people. You’ll perceive yourself and each other as usual. This is to prevent people from recognizing you. Changing your human form without permission is strictly forbidden.”
“is everything clear?” Angel Minho asked the whole class but looked directly at Jennie which make her confused.

Everybody answered yes.
“Great! Today there will be no specific assignment. Today, you will decide which of two evils will be the lesser for your protégé. Or vice versa-the greater.” Angel Minho explained the assignment briefly.

“And now, to the vortex.”

Jennie pulled Lisa by the shirt.

“What kind of vortex?” Jennie asked

“Oh, you’ll like it. It might be scary at first.” Lisa reassured

Everyone was crowding next to a tunnel, which whirl winded down. One by one, the Unclaimed took a long jump and dove into it.

Jennie took a step back, afraid that her turn was coming up next.
Lisa bumped into her slightly and said:
“the thing here is just not to be afraid of it. You didn’t get scared and jumped into the abyss. This should be a piece of cake.” Lisa turned to her and leaned back into the vortex.

“Lisa!”

Jennie ran closer to see if everything was all right, but Angel Minho extended his hand to block her way.

“come on, it’s your turn” Angel Minho motioned her

“Can I at least make myself read—“ Jennie was cut
“No” Angel Minho strongly utter

Then all of a sudden, he pushed Jennie from behind.

Jennie fell into the vortex.
“AHHHH!”

(Should I continue posting this in here or post it as a fanfic solo? Vote and Comment.)