It seemed like Yao's voice returned with the healing of the wounds on his back. In two weeks, the wounds on his back had healed completely and his voice was back, and Yao was beginning to get confident in talking and interacting with Arthur.
Yao was still getting used to life on Earth, but Arthur had to admit, Yao was adjusting pretty well for one who was suddenly thrown out of heaven to fend for himself on Earth.
Yao had been watching the cooking channel on the television, and was learning how to cook. So now, when Arthur returned home from work, he had a meal prepared for him. And Yao was not a shabby cook – it seemed like cooking came naturally to him.
Arthur was also enjoying Yao's company. Yao was a pleasant and entertaining person to be with, and Arthur always looked forward to returning home now.
When Yao voiced his intention on getting a job, Arthur choked on his food. "What? Why?"
"Well," Yao began bashfully. He looked away from Arthur. "I feel guilty for leeching off you, aru."
Arthur sighed. "I told you – I earn way too much for myself. Let me spend it on other people," he told Yao. "Besides, you still aren't used to life on Earth, I don't think you should get a job yet."
Yao nodded. "If you think so…" His eyes glazed over and he had a faraway look in them. He had stopped eating, and had placed his utensils on the table.
Arthur stared at Yao for a while. Finally, he asked, "Do you miss your home?"
That snapped Yao out of his trance. "Yes, a bit, aru," he replied. "But I've broken the law and I have to accept what has happened to me."
"If you don't mind me asking, what law did you break that was so serious that it had to warrant you being thrown out of heaven?"
Yao turned red and averted his gaze from Arthur's. "I can't tell you."
Arthur shrugged. He tried to be nonchalant. Personally, he didn't think Yao could break any law that would get him exiled from anywhere – Yao was too nice a person to do anything like that. But Arthur didn't push the matter. When Yao was ready to tell him, he would. Silently, he resumed eating. After a moment of comfortable silence, Arthur said, "Well, nevertheless, I know it's selfish of me to think that way, but I thank God that you did what you did because if you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you."
That caused Yao to look up suddenly at Arthur.
Arthur didn't look at Yao. His cheeks were pink as he stared determinedly at his food.
"You mean that, aru?"
Arthur finally turned his eyes to gaze at Yao. He nodded.
Yao smiled. "Honestly, I'm glad I got exiled from heaven too," he told Arthur.
Arthur could only gape incredulously at Yao.
Two months later, Yao received some unexpected visitors. He had been ironing Arthur's work clothes when he heard a tap on the window.
Yao looked up and was shocked to see his brothers and sister waving at him from outside. Angels technically could enter a human's residence as and when they liked, but Yao figured that it was out of courtesy to him that his siblings remained outside and didn't enter until permission was granted to them.
"You guys," said Yao as he opened the window. His siblings slipped right in. "What are you doing here, aru?"
"Sorry, we would have come earlier…" Kiku began.
"… but God only gave us permission to see you recently," finished Mei.
"That's okay," replied Yao, as he showed them to the living room where they could sit and talk. "I'm getting used to being a human being," he told his siblings.
"If you need anything, you can let us know," said Hong Kong.
Yao shook his head. "It's okay – the human I'm living with, Arthur – he provides everything for me. He's great, aru!"
"So…" Yong Soo wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "Have you found the human that you have fallen in love with, da-ze?"
"Oh," Mei gushed. "Have you confessed your love for him?"
Yao flushed and looked away from his siblings. He had been thrown out of heaven because he had fallen in love with a mortal. In a way, Yao thought it was an act of grace from heaven because then the fallen angel would be free to pursue a relationship with the human being; angel-human relationships were generally very hard to maintain. "Yes, and no," he replied shyly.
"Why not?" demanded Hong Kong. "You were exiled from heaven for this, you should at least take the chance!"
Yao rubbed his temples. "It's not that simple, Hong," he said wearily.
"What's not that simple?" exclaimed Hong Kong. "You confront him and tell him that you love him!"
Yao chuckled lightly. "That may be how it worked in heaven, but I assure you – it doesn't work that way on Earth, aru," he told his brother.
All of Yao's siblings looked at him quizzically.
Yao sighed. "Not everyone here knows everyone, and you can't go around confessing your love to a random person here," he told his siblings. "You need to foster and build a relationship with a person, and if the two of you think that you should take it to the next level, then you can become a couple, aru," Yao added. "Or at least, that's what I think they call it here on Earth…"
Kiku looked thoughtful. "Wow, relationships on Earth are complicated."
"So, have you found the one you're in love with?" asked Yong Soo again excitedly. "Who is he, da-ze? Are you close to him? Have you "built your relationship" with him?"
Yao's cheeks became redder. He averted his eyes from his siblings' scrutinising glares. "I've found him," he said softly. "He's Arthur – the one I'm living with."
"OOH!" Mei squealed. "That is so romantic!"
"Oh, OH!" exclaimed Hong Kong. "Like, tell us how you met!"
Yao rolled his eyes. He began telling his siblings of how he fell from heaven after losing his wings and landed in an alleyway not far from Arthur's home. He told them of how Arthur found him and nursed his injury. He also told them of how Arthur had invited him to live with him, and how Arthur provided him with everything despite his protests.
"Oh," Mei swooned. "He sounds like a nice person."
Yao nodded. "He is," he replied.
"I may not know much about human nature – but it sounds like he's fond of you already," Kiku piped in. "Not many humans would go out of their way to care for someone they just met," he said matter-of-factly.
"You think so, aru?" Yao asked his brother. "I mean, I'm grateful that he's been so kind to me, but I can't tell if he likes me or not."
"I'm sure he does, da-ze!" Yong Soo shouted. "He'd be a fool not to like you!"
Yao smiled appreciatively at his brother. He patted Yong Soo on the back. "Well, enough about me, what about you guys, aru?"
The siblings proceeded to go into an animated description of their life in heaven. Yao listened intently, silently glad that they were doing well even without him to take care of them.
When Arthur got home that evening, Yao was just putting the finishing touches to the steak he cooked.
"Welcome home, aru!" Yao greeted cheerfully.
Arthur squinted at Yao. He was… TOO happy. Yao was generally a happy person, but this was too much. "Did something happen today?" Arthur inquired. "You seem… happy."
Yao giggled. "I guess it's true, huh?" he said cheekily. "I've been told that my happiness just… radiates."
Arthur nodded. "You seem to be glowing today," he commented as he took a seat at the dining table.
Yao poured a cup of cordial and placed it in front of Arthur's plate. "Well, my siblings visited me today, aru," he told Arthur.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Your siblings? They are angels from heaven too?" Well, it made sense that Yao would have siblings from heaven – he had a life before he fell to earth.
Yao nodded. "I had no idea how much I missed talking to them until today, aru…" he mused thoughtfully.
Arthur was curious as to what Yao's siblings were like. If they were anything like Yao, he would be very interested to meet them. "Tell me about them," he said.
Yao laughed. "You want the full version or the abridged version?"
"Whatever you are comfortable with telling me," replied Arthur. "The full version, preferably," he winked.
Yao smiled and took his seat opposite Arthur. "I'll tell you all about them tonight during our walk in the park, aru," he said. "Now, let's eat."
Arthur grinned at the ex-angel and began digging into his food.