“Hey, Josh!”

“Hey slugger.” I ruffle his hair as he runs by. “Be careful!”

“I will!”

“Hey Joshua!”

“Hi Josh!”

Jeonghan leans in, that lock of hair by his face tickling in my neck. “So, what are you? The Britney Spears of school or something?”

I smile as I greet everybody back to a first day of school on the grounds. “No, sir, I am the Joker prefect. I am responsible for the well-being and genuine happiness of all the students here. I’m the top student, the head of the student council, I attend seven after-school activity clubs, and I am the principal’s personal assistant.”

Jeonghan stares at me a little.

“Hey, Dino!” I high-five the small freshman at the gates. He’s the number one pupil coming in this year, with the best grades from his previous school. He toured the school at the end of last year and I got to meet him. “How’s it going, kid?”

“Hey Joshua!” He’s all bright smiles and wide eyes, and kind of reminds me of me. “Uh, nervous!”

“Excited, you’ll mean.”

“That too.” He lets out a quick, nervous giggle. “Uh…”

“Oh, Dino, this is Jeonghan. He’s an exchange student, he’ll be with us this year. Jeonghan, this is Dino, one of our new freshman.”

“Hey kid.” The demon doesn’t poke out a hand to pump, and Dino doesn’t notice. “Sup.”

“Uh… okay?” Dino turns to me again. “When are the openings for school clubs?”

I laugh. I had a good feeling about this kid before summer started. He’s like me, ‘cept he’s smaller. “In about three weeks. Sports try-outs are in four, so pace yourself.”

“Yes sir!” Dino salutes, and we chuckle over it.

“Ten hut! Dismissed, soldier.” I pat him on the shoulder with a happy grin. “Go find your mates, alright?”

For the rest of the morning, Jeonghan is silent and reasonably complacent: he doesn’t speak when I make coffee for the staff, he doesn’t make a note when I introduce him to our class, and he doesn’t even seem to blink when he sits in the chair next to me.

I can’t help but notice that the chair and desk are just a little too small for him.

It’s actually a little distracting to see him here. Just this morning I had no inkling he even existed, and here he is. A demon. With horns and wings. The whole enchilada. And he… belongs to me. His body and mine are connected.

A few times during math, the idea puts me into a sweat. It’s just so… intimidating. And kind of invasive, you know? Like, our bodies are connected. It’s weird.

A thousand thoughts are rushing through my mind. If he gets hurt, do I get hurt the same way? Is he going to stick around forever? I’m not sure I could deal with something like that. I can barely think about the end of the school year – thinking about the long-term isn’t something I’m very good at – never mind the rest of my life.

I’m so engrossed in the terrifying idea of the rest of my life, I don’t hear it at first, and then I look up, wondering why everybody is looking at me funny.

“…I repeat.” His voice comes on over the speakers. “Would the Joker Prefect please report to my office? Thank you.”

I can feel blood rushing to my face. How embarrassing. The first day of school, and I’m already slacking. I stand in a frenzy, blushing like a girl. “Mrs. Hunnicut? Permission to-”

“You think I want to be the one that kept the Principle’s secretary waiting? What do I have, a death wish? Get going!”

I grab my papers off my desk and sling my bag over my shoulder, and I’m half-way to the door when I realize.

“Mr. Hong, is there any particular reason Jeonghan is following you?”

“It’s part of the program,” I mutter. “Come on, Fido.”

“Wait here.”

“I’ve got to go with you.”

I turn with the flames of hell in my eyes. “I said, wait here. Are you stupid, or deaf?”

Jeonghan bridles, rocking from the balls of his feet to his heels, before staying stationary. “Fine. Don’t take too long.”

I knock twice and poke my head around the door. Principle Shin is sitting at his desk, glasses on the edge of it. Bad news. The Principle only takes his glasses off when he’s stressed. “Principle, sir? I’m very sorry I made you wait, sir.”

“Joshua!” He looks up, and a little of the stress seems to fall off his face for a moment. “No, no, come in. Come in. You’ve done a wonderful job again, Joshua. Never has the commencement of a school year gone so smoothly.”

“Keeping the other Prefects in check is a full-time obligation, sir,” I smile back timidly. “Was there something in particular you needed me for, sir?”

“Have a seat, Joshua.”

I sit in the right-hand seat in front of the principle’s desk while he moves and pulls a legitimate hipflask from his bottom drawer. I know the hipflask is there – I’m not an idiot – but I made a pact with the Principle that he wouldn’t drink before midday. He gives me a stressed look before taking a quick swig. “Joshua, I need your help.”

“Of course sir, anything.”

“…do you know of Jaehwang High?”

“Yes, sir. They’re situated on the other side of Seoul.”

“Their principle is an old friend of mine.” He starts twisting the cap back on the hip flask, re-thinks the idea and twists it off again. “We went to college together, the right bastard. He