[A certain angel has been banished from the heavens by the suspicion of betrayal and is now damned to survive in hell itself.

As this certain angel wondered in the demon infested place where the infamous sea of fire is, all it can do is hide in order to survive. But still, that isn’t enough for it to completely avoid harm as the heat that had accumulated in the unhospitable place that is hell.

Being an angel who had lived in the heavens for all its life, it had never felt such extreme temperature. Actually, it had never felt any change in temperature as the heavens is a place with such perfect conditions that there’s nothing, even a single thing, uncomfortable or inconvenient there.

There’s nothing it can do about it. All it can do is endure the deathly heat.

Even though it is banished by god itself, it still possesses immortality. Something that it wishes to have been removed from it as the heat in hell is worse than death itself.

The angel hid itself behind one of the red hot pointed boulders around the terrain of hell in order to hide from the ferocious demons that roamed the lands.

It hid for hours to days to weeks to months, often changing places between boulders and even at one time, almost falling into the sea of flame.

If it ever fall into the sea of flame, it wouldn't kill it but will forever condemn it into an eternal torture of being ablaze.

The thought of being in such a predicament made the angel shiver in fear.

An angel's immortality, though not as infinitely powerful as God having absolute invincibility and immortality which could only be void with the power equal to his own, it does prevent death to befall to them but they can still feel pain.

However, this immortality has a weakness. If a sentient being were to have full intent to kill an angel they would do so with ease. Basically ignoring the said immortality that the angel's possess.

This kind of weakness isn't a big deal to the angels as in the heavens, they are offered absolute safety and thus no one in this place would ever possess such killing intent to be able to kill an angel. Except for God which is omnipotent.

As time passed, the angel grew more exhausted and hopeless more so. Hell is a demon infested place and is where the infamous sea of fire is. The constant extreme heat took a toll in the angel's sanity as well as the constant fear of hiding from the demons. It is a miracle that the angel had survived for this long with a relatively without falling into extreme distress.

It ventured aimlessly to the vast land of hell, often running for its life when every time it gets spotted by a demon.

With a body not even worn out but with a mind on the verge of complete break-down. The angel endured for months.

Then one day...

The angel woke up in a cave that it found yesterday, being faced with a large demon with large teeth poking out of its wide mouth. It has a long neck and a large body with what seemed to be wings. It has four legs with claws and its whole body is covered in scales.

There is a rumour spreading among the angels that God had created a creature with such power that it can engulf an entire world in flames. A flying creature no less with the ability to breathe fire so hot that it’s hotter than a thousand sun.

The angels confronted God itself directly to confirm this but they never get a clear answer.

The banished angel is now face to face with said mythological creature.

Its nostrils released a gust of hot air that's able to melt steal. This hit the angel. But the angel didn't flinch from the pain as it already got used to the boiling heat of hell and also there's a much more serious matter in hand.

"An angel? So that guy actually banished another one of its petty creation!? HAHAHAHA!!!"

The behemoth's laugh resound throughout the whole cave like a thunderclap, deafening the angel.

All the angel can do is stare at the creature with a mouth wide open from laughing with shaken pupils.

So suddenly, the creature stopped laughing.

"So, for what reason we're you banished? That guy may be strange from what he creates but he isn't irrational. He will never do something without a reason."

Having to be asked by that question snapped the angel back to reality. The angel's lips moved automatically to answer that question like it was natural to do so. It was natural anyway. The reason being only filled the angel with loathing.

“I—“

And thus the angel finally said its answer with an unwavering voice. Its voice succulent and sweet that the very sound of it could soothe one’s ears but that was all a façade.

“—forced to be a source of entertainment in the guise that I betrayed him.”

…

Now back to Denis.

The images slowly blurred and being inversely proportional together, time slowly speeds up while the rate of which the frames move by slowly decreases until, what felt like an eternity, time regained momentum to its optimal speed and the images then ceased to be visible.

This whole experience took place in under 3 seconds.

Only being confused to the whole ordeal, being only confusion the only thing he can experience but he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

Those two are the only feelings that he got and remembered from it.

“Unfortunately? What?” his boss said, snapping him back to reality.

–Wait… what were we talking about? Ah right! Regarding the change job to being a wildlife photographer!

But... That story seems familiar... I feel like I heard that story when I was little. Also what the hell was that experience!? It's so surreal! It's like I just slept for eternity with absolutely no idea what the hell's going on.

Now back to the subject at hand.

He remembered what he was going to say, despite the fact that he literally spent countless years being in a slowed time state, watching images of black and white moved by from left to right in front of his eyes with fortunately having only confusion as an emotion to retain his sanity.

He did remember it anyway but something inside of him tells him not to.

Like something is saying that this is something that he should do. Something he is obligated to do. Like it was what God has told him to do.

A purpose in life is what this thing said. Something he never found through all the time he spent on self-reflecting.

Then the memory of when he was a child suddenly re-surfaced, the time when a thought came to him when he was thinking of his ambition that he aspires to achieve. The thought read; Photography.

Along with that message, he remembered that first time that this vision had occurred before him.

His memory was fuzzy but he knows it's true.

“Never mind. I promise that I will do my hardest in this job."

"Right. Let's talk about the specifics."

Roland tapped the papers in the desk with a thud, they then discussed about the job.

♦

“How the hell can I pull this off….?”

Denis is currently contemplating while sitting on his chair at his desk at staring at the black computer screen.

The office space of each employee is connected to one another side to side, like a typical office set up.

It’s only natural that he should be contemplating. His boss, Roland, gave him a week to prepare all of his equipment as the expedition towards an exotic rainforest. Regarding why this job is needed, he never questioned it. Since he understood that this topic is somewhat confidential... For some reason.

Though it would be an interesting experience, the thought that he was tasked on something like going to an exotic rainforest never crossed Denis’ mind.

Also, he currently lacks the equipment to go to such place. Needless to say, he still doesn’t own a camera and would only hope that what his mom would give him something like that.

Suddenly a finger poked on his back.

“A-are you Denis Onasawa?”

Denis looked at the one who had poked on his back and asked that question with quite a feminine voice.

It is, unsurprisingly, a women which Denis had guessed to be around 20-25 years of age. This women have a black short hair that is surprisingly soft as it danced with the gust of wind that a nearby fan had produced, being odd for it to be in the wide room that is already cooled by 10 air conditioner.

Back to the description of the women. She has short black hair, a bit childish face but still retaining some sort of matureness to it, a petite body with a not so large breast size, not that breast size is something important. She also possess a pair of black-coloured framed glasses with a brightly coloured blue eyes and is wearing the traditional uniform for females.

It resembles the girl that bump him a few hours ago on his way to work.

Looking at her, Denis could only feel nervous but still remained composure by having to quickly straightening his back and putting on his “normal face.”

Having to suddenly remember what they were talking about after spending 5 seconds of awkward silence, he immediately confirmed his name like nothing ever happened.

“Ah… Yes it is. Do you have business with me?”

“Oh? Right.” She then gently smiled. “Firstly, my name is Yuuki Sorairo. I would like to inform you regarding the job change.”

When Denis heard the name of Yuuki Sorairo, he assumed that she is a Japanese but refrained from confirming it.

From the looks of it, she is his superior.

“The one that Mr Roland talked to me about? What of it… ma’am.”

“No need to call me with a ma’am. I would prefer if you would call me with my first name.”

“Then Yuuki, what is it about the job change? Is there something that I haven’t been told about by Mr Roland?”

He said this since Roland had spent 30 minutes discussing with him about the sudden job change.

“There is actually. I’ve just been told by Mr Roland that I will apparently be your partner in the upcoming expedition next week.”

“…”

Denis’ mind suddenly went blank, the whole place turned completely black, only him being in the center as a single light illuminated him like a spotlight.

This isn’t correlated to the visions that Denis had before, it’s more because of the sheer fact that a girl this cute would actually be his partner on something. This is an experience he never had as a kid up until his teenage years.

“Denis, is everything alright?”

“Huh? Ah Yeah! Everything’s… alright. Haha.”

After the awkward laugh, Yuuki again smiled heart-warmingly.

“Then if you say so.”

Denis, after seeing her smile so beautifully, couldn’t help but to unconsciously blush.

This is a feeling that I never thought that I would experience again. He thought. This is certainly something but still, I’m pretty pathetic to fall for a girl with just a simple smile. So he thought the obvious.

“Well unfortunately, I don’t have that much equipment. None at all actually…” Denis said depreciatingly.

“Haha. Don’t worry, I’m the same.”

Am I imagining this or did a ray of light that came from the heavens suddenly appeared above her?

“Then, would you like to buy some equipment?” He asked.

“Oh sure! I guess some beginner stuff should be fine. Tomorrow then?”

“R-right.”

Among to what Roland and Denis had discussed, he would be exempted from his work to prepare for the expedition on a remote rainforest just at the north of the city of Ronto. He also silently lets out a sigh of relief upon discovering that something like a rainforest that is just north of the city is actually not cut down for the production and expansion of the already over populated city.

Yuuki then sat on the chair that was on his right. Surely enough, this shocked him. When he arrived at his desk, there’s no one sitting on the chair beside him, on his right since he is at the end of the row of office desks.

“So you’re also my office neighbour?”

“Well I guess I am. Hahaha.”

“I’m curious. What’s your job before the job change?”

“I’m a Data Organizer.”

“Oh? So you’re like me then.”

“So you’re also a Data Organizer? I still haven’t met the other Data Organizers in this company for almost 5 years now. I even starting to believe that I’m the only one.”

“Data Organizers really are rare, huh?”

"Well they aren't really necessarily needed that often so..."

With a giggle, Yuuki slowly frowned.

"I guess something like photography would be a nice change. If I can only do so..."

"What was that?"

"It's nothing."

Yuuki gently smiled.

"Come to think of it, how old are you?"

"Just recently turned 18 last month. How about you?"

"36. You look a lot older for your age."

"Oh? Well you look a lot younger for your age."

Yuuki puffed up her cheeks.

"Geez! 36 isn't even that old. This kind of age is just like a mere second for me."

"You're older than me for 18 years! That's basically twice my age!"

"!–So what? You're still a baby, aren't you?"

"I didn't mean any of it. Also, just a baby?"

–Why am I talking to her like this...? Also, what the hell is she talking about?

"Pfft! Fine! If you're implying that I'm old then treat me with respect."

"Eh? OK...?"

Yuuki corossed her arms with an arrogant look on her face. While Denis is just dumfounded to what just happened.

♦

–I didn't even do anything today at work...

Denis sighed.

"Hey, wanna grab something to eat?" Asked Yuuki nonchalantly while cracking her knuckles, straightened her back and leting out a heavy yawn.

"I got a tight budget for this week so I really ca–"

"Then I'll treat you."

"Really? You don't have to though."

"Don't worry, I insist so stop being modest already."

They then went to a nearby fast food restaurant just a few blocks away.

It's currently 7pm which is a point of the day with the highest traffic of people as this is the point in time where most jobs in Ronto usually ends.

The place they're going to is a popular destination so it's usually full.

The establishment in question is a two story building with two large windows at the facade and walls coloured with red and yellow and a large M at the top of the building.

"Let's try the other one over there." Denis suggested.

"Don't want to. This place is my favourite and the food here is good."

"It's already full. Plus, the food here isn't any different from the other one's."

"Nope. I said this is the one I want."

"Eh...? Fine, fine. You’re buying anyway."

–Is this woman really 36 years old? To be so persistent when there's absolutely no vacant seat...

Yuuki glanced at Denis like she heard what Denis had thought about just now.

"Well I'm actua– No, nevermind. I already said that I'm 36 years old. You still don't believe me? Also I'm being persistent because I need to be here. Haa... For a mere baby like you to tell me that...

"Umm..."

Denis was set aback to Yuuki's sudden statement. The idea of being of we being a mind reader came to Denis' mind but subsequently denied this idea as it's to irrational.

After all, magic doesn't work in the real world. Is his reasoning. Also it's impossible to read minds as thoughts are just signals sent by neurons to other neurons.

"Don't be so closed minded. I really can read minds."

Another absurd statement by Yuuki which Denis is shocked at again. This is the second time she supposedly "read" Denis' mind. Such a feat is very impressive. Denis only knows few magicians and illusionist that can do something like reading minds.

Yuuki let's off a sigh.

"You don't believe me do you?

"What do you mean?"

"Fine I'll show you."

They approached the window and Yuuki pointed at the table for two with a reserve sign placed on top of the table.

"See that? I'll get us those seats."

"How?"

"I'll talk to with the waiter. Wait here."

"We can just go to ano– *sigh* never mind."

- What did I get myself into...? She's obviously living in a fantasy. Didn't expect that from a 36 years old. But for her to know what's in my mind is rather impossible... No, Denis your better than this. Don't be fooled. Magic is just something stupid.

After a few minutes of Denis staring at the blank sky, Yuuki came back with a grin on her face.

"Looks like good news. Done bribing the waiter?"

"You really lack fate in me do you? I'm guessing you’re an atheist."

Yuuki crossed her arms and made a smug like look. Then she pointed her thumb towards the table before like some kind of badass.

At the table, there's a waiter removing the reserve sign.

"Wow you actually did it." Denis said sarcastically. "So how much did you gave her, the waiter that is."

"I didn't bribe her." Yuuki clicked her tongue. "I convinced her give us the table with my power."

Denis could only raise an eyebrow from the outrageous claim of Yuuki.

The thoughts that's swarming inside his mind are... This is bad news - she's completely nuts! - ran away! - crazy detected - what excuse should I say? - 36? Lies!

"...Right."

Denis made a wry smile as to not raise any suspicion while he talks his way out.

"C'mon let's go!"

Yuuki grabbed Denis' hand and pulled him in the fast food restaurant.

The smell of fried chicken and baked potatoes fill the air. From groups to families all ate their food while chatting with one another.

It's all nostalgic for Denis.

"This way please." The waiter waved at them and pointed towards the table.

"Wow. Didn't know the waiter here leads costumers to their table." Denis said.

"They don't actually." Yuuki replied on impulse.

"What do you mean?" Denis asked with a puzzled face.

"I convinced her, the waiter to give us quality service like the ones on those 5 star restaurants."

"How?"

"I'm an all-powerful being so something like that is child’s play."

"Sure, sure."

Denis couldn't comprehend what he just heard. To think that someone would actually claim something as an all-powerful being, being it 21st century at that. Denis only knows three kinds of people who would boldly declare that what they did is magic. One, a magician performing tricks and two, someone who is drowned by their own delusions. Three, a con man that tricks people into joining their made up religion.

The options being presented before him, he picked the second and third option.

"I can see that you still don't believe me, eh?"

"You can tell?"

"I don't need my powers to know. Your face says it all."

"I wasn't born yesterday. Let me answer your previous question, yes I'm an atheist so I don't believe those kinds of things."

"Oh? Then let me show you."

Just then, Yuuki's lips twisted.