High above the world, a grand structure floated gently among endless clouds. It looked like a castle, but it wasn’t one. This was the sacred court of the angels.

In the center of the glowing hall, Hikari stood still. Her wings were tightly folded behind her back. The air was heavy with a powerful presence, but she didn’t lower her head.

“The sacred law has been broken by Hikari,” the judge’s voice echoed through the vast room. “And for that, she must be punished. As written in the holy laws, she will be cast out of the celestial realm and sent to live among humans on Earth.”

Hikari’s hands curled into fists. A spark of defiance shone in her brown eyes as she stepped forward.

“But my lord, I only saved that human,” she said firmly, though her voice wavered slightly. “He had just begun his life. It wasn’t fair for it to end so soon.”

The courtroom went quiet. Cold and still.

The judge didn’t flinch. “Silence,” he said sharply. “You broke the law. The sentence will not change.”

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek, holding back the frustration building inside her. She knew begging wouldn’t help. The decision was already made.

Without another word, she turned. Her back stayed straight, her face unreadable. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her fall apart.

—

The train hummed beneath her, but Hikari hardly noticed. She stared out the window at the golden-lit city, everything outside moving in a rush—cars, people, voices blending into one steady noise.

It had been a year since she was banished.

At first, Earth felt overwhelming. Loud, messy, full of things she didn’t understand and didn’t want to. But, little by little, she adjusted. Even if she didn’t want to admit it... she’d gotten used to it.

Now, she was just another person in the crowd. Just human.

She let out a quiet sigh and tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. Her face stayed calm.

The train screeched to a stop.

“Hikari!”

A hand grabbed her wrist suddenly, pulling her back to the moment. She turned sharply.

“What?”

Natsuko stood there grinning. “We’re at our stop!”

Hikari rolled her eyes and pulled her arm free. “I know that, idiot. You didn’t have to grab me.”

“Then hurry up before we miss it!”

With an annoyed huff, she stepped off the train, brushing past Natsuko.

“...Thanks for the reminder, though,” she muttered under her breath—so quiet even she wasn’t sure why she said it.

“Huh? Did you say something?” Natsuko tilted her head.

“H-Huh? N-No! Of course not!” Hikari looked away quickly and shoved her hands in her pockets.

Natsuko smirked but didn’t say anything else. She simply grabbed Hikari’s arm and tugged her along. “Well, it’s already 9 AM. Time to get to work!”

“Yeah, yeah… Let’s go.” Hikari sighed, brushing off the moment as they walked together.

After a short walk, they reached a cozy little bakery tucked between taller buildings. The smell of warm bread and sweet pastries greeted them the moment they stepped in.

“Looks like Minami’s already here,” Natsuko said, spotting their co-worker near the counter.

In the staff room, they quickly tied on their aprons. Hikari, suddenly filled with a spark of energy, raised a fist. “Alright, let’s skyrocket our sales today!”

Minami peeked in from the doorway, holding a tray of pretty cakes. “Our new specials are ready for display.”

Grinning, Hikari stepped out and flipped the “Closed” sign to “Open.” Her voice was quiet but full of energy. “Alright, time to make some sales.”