To say that she was a nervous wreck the rest of the day would have been an understatement.
 

It was a question of whether if what had occurred the night before was just a well detailed nightmare that she happened to be living with her eyes open–a horrifying manifestation of what Taemin's influence he had had on her ever dwindling mind–or it really was just Taemin ing around with her (probably for his own sick amusement). Either way, it did not sit well with Hwayoung and she didn't want to sit around her in apartment too long in case she got her answer.

She had been wandering around all day–staying alone at home and permeating in her anxiety was not a viable option for her so Hwayoung decided that at least being outside and getting some fresh air would be a much better solution. If it was any other day or any other time, she would almost be able to enjoy the crisp spring air and warm sunlight but the metaphorical storm cloud that hung above her head blinded her to everything around her.

That's why she wasn't ready for when she bumped into some poor unsuspecting person, consequently splashing the coffee that person had been holding all over his shirt and causing the both of them to fall onto the ground. The sound of a ring clattered next to her and the contents of Hwayoung's bag also spilled to the floor.

"Oh ing hell, there's coffee on my sweater."

Hwayoung let out a groan, rubbing her bruised backside before realizing the person she had bumped into looked worse for wear than she did, because of her, "Oh god, I'm so sorry! Please let me help you!" On hands and knees, she instantly pulled a worn napkin that was tucked between some of her books that had fallen onto the ground, wobbled over and gingerly patted the boy's shirt despite the strange look the other was giving her.

"Ah, you're..." The boy stared at her intently, before clearing his throat and politely swatting her hand away, "Yes, yes, it's fine. You dropped all of your stuff."

Hwayoung blinked, with her hand still in midair holding the napkin and realizing that in fact, yes all of her stuff was strewn about on the ground, "Right.." she sighed as she began the effort of picking up her things. 

In the process of grabbing her key chain that had rolled away, she came across a gold ring next to it. Scooping it up, she inspected it in awe. The ring looked very time-worn, almost primordial, and had the face of a falcon as it's centre piece. On the inside of the band was something inscribed in a language Hwayoung didn't understand. It was so pretty, and she couldn't stop herself from turning it this way and that to take in every detail. 

She suddenly remembered that the boy was still sitting there, probably looking at her like she was crazy so she sheepishly stopped and made her way over to give it to him, "Here's your ring, I think."

The boy outstretched his hand to grab it from her, however just as his fingers grazed hers, he had sharply pulled his hand back as if he had been shocked and Hwayoung dropped the ring in surprise as she had felt something too. They locked gazes for a moment, confused and trying to make sense of what that was before the boy ultimately looked away and picked up his fallen ring.

"Uh... That's really lovely," Hwayoung offered to try to diffuse the strange atmosphere from that moment and the boy smiled politely in return, "If you don't mind me asking, what does it say on the inner band?"

The boy took a moment, staring at the ring in his hand before looking back up at her, "It says 'Key'."

____________________________
 

After a very awkward few moments, with the girl apologizing profusely to Key one last time about his ruined sweater, they parted ways as strangers once again. 

Key watched as this weird girl walked away from him, watching as she went back to looking just as hopeless and distracted as she did before and shook his head.

"This makes no sense..." 
 

~ Just as their fingers brushed against one another's, it was as if Key was backwards into his mind, his eyes were filled with a brilliant white light and he gasped as he felt the air in his body rushing out of him. When he finally opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the middle of a girl's bedroom.

"Ah, this must be a vision..." Key whispered to himself. He was used to this, his clairvoyance often brought him visions of the future. He looked around, figuring out that obviously something wanted him to be here and see something, but what it was, he wasn't sure yet. He glanced behind him then, to find the back of a girl facing him, sitting at her desk and was working on what Key assumed was homework. He walked up to her, aware that he was essentially invisible to others in his visions, but stopped in his tracks when he looked over his shoulder and caught glimpse of the date on the calendar that sat on her desk.

"This... this is the past." Key staggered back, only to be stunned further when the girl turned around to reveal that it was– "The girl who... it's Hwayoung."

Hwayoung smiled then, and stood up facing him. Key held his breath in dread, nervous that maybe things had changed and she could in fact see him. That could make sense, since Key was now in a vision from the past like he never had been before and he was afraid that maybe the rules regarding his second sight and powers had changed.

His fears were proven wrong as the door to Hwayoung's bedroom door opened and Hwayoung jogged past Key (who exhaled in relief) to throw herself in the arms of the one who walked in, "Hey, your mom let me in and I've got chips for our study session for calculus!"

Key's eyes widened as he saw the one Hwayoung had openly embraced, he listened as the two laughed as they sat down together on her bedroom floor with their books. Key crouched down next to them, staring Hwayoung in the face as she tore open the bag of chips and started and then gaped at the other boy who sat leaned against her bed. Bringing his face close to the young teen in front of him, he smirked, "If it isn't Lee Taemin. As a teenager no less."

Just as he was about to laugh at the situation and how unreal and absurb it all was, Key was knocked off his feet and back into the white light he had experienced before. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in front of Hwayoung with her hand extended before her, with belongings and his ring still on the ground and coffee on his sweater. ~

What Key had seen, it changed everything. Not only had the vision he just had been from the past (which in itself is bizarre because his precognition only applied to the future) but he was sure in that moment that he had seen Taemin in his vision and he was human. Completely human, with no trace of evil in him. But that made no sense, he was sure that Taemin–the Taemin he has come to know now as his sire and the devil–was always... well, the devil. But then again, how can he be sure? There were so many questions that needed to be answered, but all he knew for sure was that Taemin had been human at some point. It didn't make any sense to him but that's all that mattered to Key and all he needed to know for now.

He needed to get to the bottom of this, he wanted to find out what this was about.

"Taemin a human, huh? Interesting." Key murmured to himself before turning around and almost immediately stepping on his forgotten coffee cup. He groaned as coffee spilled out the sides of the cup and onto his shoe, then he promptly remembered that his sweater probably looked just as bad. He cried out in annoyance, almost raising his fists to the sky in anguish, then stomped away.

____________________________


He reached the foot of the steps to the grand, clandestine manor that Taemin had been situated in for who knows how long. Key really hated this place, it was far too large than what Taemin actually needed but as always, he had to have what he wanted and the things he usually wanted had to be obnoxiously extravagant and over the top. Just like him, Key thought. He never questioned how Taemin had gotten the things he had, but assumed he either took them for himself on his own accord or got some pretty sweet frickin' deals from some senseless rich guys.

Key stood outside the door hesitating, stopped by all of what was on his mind. First off, he now was suddenly having visions of the past. His second sight always only delivered him visions of the future and this was starting to worry him. What was the reason? He had no clue for now. Second, he didn't know what to think of Taemin, what to tell him about today and what he saw in his vision and he was sure that Taemin would notice this uncertainty in him. Granted, Taemin was not Key's favourite person and he really was just his "boss", but Key did not want to invoke any of Taemin's wrath. He was a little worried, he'll admit, but he was conscious of the fact that he would have to face Taemin no matter what. All he knew was that his little encounter with Hwayoung and the vision he had had of their past... Well he was gonna keep that to himself for now.

With a sigh, he walked into the manor, past the shivering butlers and maids who greeted him meekly, and straight into Taemin's lavish study room. It was a large luxurious room filled with dimly lit lights, mahogany tables and leather chairs and the perimeter of the room was lined with books and books that looked eons old.

Hearing Key enter the room, Taemin smiled and put down the book he had been reading, his hands brushed the wine red velvet curtains as he made as way over to the blond haired boy, "Karael, where have you been? Torturing some unwitting humans I hope?"

"It's Key, and I've been around." Key shrugged as he followed Taemin to a set of leather chairs situated near the bookshelves behind Taemin's desk.

Taemin pouted at the other boy, "I don't understand why you insist on blending in with the mortals. Being 'normal'... what do you gain from that? Don't forget that you are a demon, you must do what you can to raise some hell up during your stay."

"Says you..." The blond boy muttered defiantly.

"Yes, says me," At this, Taemin patiently smiled and flipped the next page in his book, "Well, I guess it must be fun though being able to live up here in the mortal realm, It's been a while since you've been let out, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it has," Key stared pointedly at Taemin, who's attention was back onto his book, "Better than the hole you put me in down there." 

"Oh come now, it wasn't that bad. I had managed down there for a couple millennia and I quite liked it. It was cozy."

Key studied Taemin's expression. He hated how content and cocky he looked all the time, like Taemin was a real boy and not a demon festering underneath that pretty, innocent face. But... was Key any different than him, now? He didn't want to think about it. "If that's the case, then why are you fighting so hard to be up here?"

Taemin gazed up at him then, a stern look in his eyes as if to warn him not to ask more than he should.

At this, Key let out a dramatic sigh and changed the subject, "I had another vision. Bits and pieces of the future, nothing whole but...you have something big planned, don't you?"

"Maybe!" He smiled brightly, giggling as he bounced up and down in his seat.

"Again, I ask... Why this girl? What makes her more special than anybody else? Like I've said before, as far as I can see, she isn't worth the strain. " 

Taemin's eyes narrowed, but the smile was ever so present on his face, "Why are you asking me all of a sudden? Why the interest?" When met with no reply, Taemin exhaled forcefully before closing the book on his lap and placing it on the table next to him, "I've never mentioned this to you Key but Hwayoung and I have known each other for a long while. Whether she knew who I was or not, I have a bond with her, you see. It must be that affection emotion humans talk about."

Key raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help but think of Taemin's reasoning as pure bull but... "That's it? Because you 'know her'? That sounds not more than just convenience in this case, does it not?"

"No, no, no. Of course not, it's not just that. Her soul is so pure, it's been available for far too long and it's as if it's just begging to be taken. So here I am, taking it." Taemin laughs out loud, mirth in his eyes from just thinking about it. Key was not impressed.

"Stop joking around, Taemin. You think I don't know when you're messing with me? You're not telling me everything and I want to know."

Key was almost surprised at himself for talking to Taemin like this, and it seemed that Taemin was just as impressed as his eyebrows raised and he smiled brightly at Key. Key sunk into his seat a little as Taemin leaned back in his and threw a leg over the other while laughing into his hand, "Well, Key. Of course it wouldn't be fun if everyone knew what my reasoning and plans are... However, why are you being so nosy all of a sudden? You always like to put a damper on my fun and Hwayoung has nothing to do with you."

Key fumed silently, opting to say nothing. He was, essentially, right.

"Ah, I know! You must still be upset with me, aren't you? But wow, I mean you can't still be angry? Isn't it about time you stop being petty and get over it? You should be thankful that I-"

Key jumped from his chair and pointed an angry finger at Taemin, "I told you NOT to bring that up again, you bastard."

As quickly as Key had spit out his scorn at the other, Taemin had smacked his hand away, pushing him with enough force to sit him back down and hissed, "Save your attitude, Key, and do not speak to me like that again."

Key backed down thusly and almost as fast as the snarl on Taemin's face had come, it was replaced by a pleasant smile, "Anyway, I want this to be my pleasure and mine alone when I get my prize."

Key let a moment of silence happen between the two of them before sighing in defeat. He stood up then and walked over to stare at one of the many shelves in the room and crossed his arms, "I really don't get any of this but fine, whatever."

"Of course you don't, Key. It's a human type of bond that I have with this girl."

Key turned to fixate on Taemin at that moment before quietly uttering, "Right, and I gotta be human to understand then? You're no more human than I am..." Taemin glanced up at him, "Or... are yo-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence before Taemin had rushed him, all snarls and gnashed teeth, and slammed him against the wall, a hand dug deep against his throat and lifting him off the ground. Key gasped for air as he struggled and gripped the other's hand that held up before the air completely left him. "Y-You motherfu-"

For a brief moment, he was sure that Taemin had choked him into an early death but he soon realized that he was having a vision when his eyes filled with white light, his body was backwards in time once again and he out.

He awoke in a bed of flowers, opening his eyes to see a community park on a warm sunny evening. He rubbed his neck, groaning in pain at how hard Taemin had grabbed him and annoyed that the ache followed him into the vision. He got off the ground and wandered over to hear laughs and giggling. He came face to face with teenage Hwayoung and Taemin once again, looking as pure and honest as ever.

"Ah, back to this then," Key groused. He watched as Hwayoung and Taemin swung on a set a swings, listened as they griped about menial high school dilemmas. Hwayoung looked so happy, swinging as high and far as she could as she recounted her day to Taemin who, Key assumed by the looks of it, was her best friend. He shifted his gaze to the younger Taemin, not being able to hold his look of disgust at the younger boy (despite being aware that this... may not be the same Taemin). He was taken aback slightly, noticing that Taemin never took his eyes off the happy girl, a sunny and earnest expression gracing his features and that Taemin looked at her with the most affectionate gaze.

Key let out a loud snort, shaking his head in disbelief and amazement as he watched the two teens, "I don't believe it."

Before he could say anything else, the white light had engulfed him and he was back into the present, his neck still being choked by Taemin's hand as if no time had passed at all. His vision cleared and he could see Taemin staring into his eyes, calculatingly before his grimace returned.

"That's enough for today, I was and still am as malicious and evil as ever. I am Lucifer, I shouldn't have to remind you." He dropped Key to the floor like a rag doll and sauntered over to sit angrily at his desk, and the other panted and gasped for breath on the ground as he rubbed a fresh bruise on his neck. He glared heavily at Taemin, "You can leave now."

Key grumbled to himself as he stood up and straightened his shirt, "Whatever, I was leaving anyway."

He was almost out the door when he was stopped in his tracks again, quite literally. Taemin's hand was outstretched from his desk behind Key, his powers gripped the other boy's throat once more and he used his control to turn Key around to face him, Key's feet hovered above the ground, "Don't forget your place here."

He released his hold and gently grounded him. Key shook in quiet fear as he nodded, and Taemin dismissed him. As he ran away from the looming manor, he was furious. He hated this, hated the way he was treated but he had no choice but to keep going back to Taemin. In the time that he walked away, he made the conscious decision then that he was going to do what he could to fight against Taemin. No more, he wasn't going to submit. He was going to figure out what Taemin's game was and what own his visions meant. He was going to find out everything. He laughed to himself once he calmed down after thinking about the last vision, it was just too good and it at least gave him just a glimpse into the truth that he needed. That Taemin–or at least the Taemin in the past–loved Hwayoung.

"What are you hiding, Lee Taemin?"

Here's another update! It's pretty long, so I hope you guys like that :) Thanks for reading!