The second after those elevator doors closed and the seven of us were all squished together, I reached for the first thing I could grab. That thing being the brown locks of the person standing closest to me, Kim Himchan, the Gumiho. It was his head that I grabbed roughly and dragged downwards, causing him to almost fall over onto the floor of the elevator.

There was a flood of protests escaping his mouth saying that it was unfair that I was taking my anger out on him, that I was a cruel mistress to him, whatever the hell that meant, and the like.

“Have you gone crazy? What are you—”

The Tokebi, Jung Daehyun, did not have time to finish his sentence. I socked him in the stomach with my free hand before he could. His eyes bulged before he leaned back onto the steel-coated wall of the elevator, clutching onto his stomach as though it were his precious.

“What’s crazy is your appetite!” I yelled at him, praying that that punch to his stomach would somehow cut down those constant cravings of his. It wouldn’t, but hey, it was worth a shot.

“Miss Sora, please control your rashness.” Moon Jongup, the Haechi, attempted to calm me down. And I didn’t want to hurt him. Honestly, the only ones I wanted to hurt ever were the Gumiho and Mr. Demon. Only because that was the only way to get through to the two of them.

Instead, I opted for a less harmful way to release my anger towards him because that “Miss Sora” crud he’s pulling on me is so freaking endearing I can’t be that harsh towards him about it. So, I swept my leg under his, sending him falling onto the floor of the elevator and sending a loud banging sound echoing off of the metal walls right after.

The Xiezhi, named Choi Junhong, nicknamed Zelo, almost tripped over him. His long legs held steady though, his posture looking like that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He really shouldn’t have said a word, but there came an all-knowing statement out of his mouth that set me off even more, “If you were more honest to yourself about everything, maybe you wouldn’t be this frustrated about it.”

I had no words as I reached forward, grasping onto the collar of his shirt tightly, his eyes widening in response. “Stop with the mindreading!”

“I’m not mindreading.” He answered back, unaffected by my hold on him. Instead, his lips were curving slightly in the face of my explosion, just slightly, and I knew that the saying was true.

Like father like son.

Just like Mr. Demon, Zelo was thoroughly amused by me. 

“Have I ever said how much I love this violent side of you?” A gruff voice spoke up among all the chaos. I turned to him, earning a yelp from Himchan as my fingers tightened in his brown locks that I still had a hold on.

And standing there was Bang Yongguk, who looked on at his friends with that irritating smile on his face. And who would I be if I let him remain that way as the elevator went down past the second floor? I would be an imposter, that’s what.

I would be an imposter if in that moment, I didn’t send my heel slamming down onto that red, unsuspecting tail of his. And since I’m me, that’s exactly what I did. Mr. Demon promptly went hunching over, a low groan slipping from between his lips.

The Dokkaebi, Yoo Youngjae, held his hands up as Mr. Demon went tumbling to the ground, his palms showing as though he were surrendering to the situation, “And so today is the day she finally cracked.”

And like that, the elevator reached the lobby of the hospital, the doors opening to reveal me gripping down onto the head of a buckled over Gumiho with one hand and holding tightly onto the collar of a Xiezhi with the other, a Tokebi who was half way sunken onto the ground as he clutched at his stomach in pain, a Haechi on his hands and knees as he was caught in the act of trying to stand up again, a demon huddled into a ball like a pill bug beside him, and a quick to escape Dokkaebi.

Not exactly the first thing anyone would expect when the doors of the elevator you intend to get on open. Not exactly the first thing I want my grandmother of all people, who was standing there with a small group of other passerbys, to see this winter morning.

And it’s not exactly what I imagined I’d be doing just over a week ago.

But damn did it feel good.

I slid the door open, kicking my shoes off as I stepped onto the wooden flooring. Six pairs of legs followed behind me and seven pairs of shoes now laid out on this snowy winter day. It was after twelve now, my grandmother having supplied lunch for the spirits, the demon, and I.

The small tussle we had in the elevator apparently didn’t bother her in the least. Though I did get scolded for hurting them without reason, which couldn’t have been farther from the truth, I got off pretty easy for the wrong I committed.

I wouldn’t deny that it wasn’t wrong.

But I also wouldn’t deny that it was the highlight of my day.

A day which was heading for a less than happy turn as five spirits, a demon, and I had now been given the task of cleaning up my grandfather’s shrine by my grandmother. It was still in a state of disarray since the day I first met Mr. Demon, and no one else was going to clean it, were they? Of course not.

I entered the room filled with books and old scrolls, memories that happened days ago freshly appearing at the forefront of my mind. I glanced over briefly at the dresser near me and an image of the gum showing, blonde Bang Yongguk was there, smiling at me as he says the words, “I’m the devil.”

It feels like its been forever since then. In reality, it had been just over a week ago. I feel as though it had been months. Every day was lively now. Every day was entertaining. Every day I did something new with these six supernatural beings. It sounds like I’m having the time of my life, doesn’t it? Well, quite the contrary.

Oh, how do I hate these days? Let me count the gray hairs on Zelo’s head.

Each one on his head representing a reason for my displeasure.  

Which would be his whole head.

So, no, I’m not enjoying myself.

“This place is a mess.” Daehyun poked his head into the doorway that lead into the main room of the shrine. The room which had been stained with a black substance that looked like ash and whose floor had been shredded at in such an unforgiving manner that it looked as though deep scars ran through the dark wood.

“And we’re here to clean it. So please do get a move on and stop blocking the door.” Youngjae, his best friend, then delivered a kick to his posterior and sent him stumbling into the room before following behind him. Curses could be heard right after, no doubt coming from the Tokebi’s lips. And I couldn’t help but smile at the display of such a deep bond of friendship that held back no punches. Something I could personally relate to.

Okay, fine.  

I concede.

Maybe I am enjoying myself a bit.

Just a little bit.

“Miss Sora,” Jongup addressed me, completely unfazed by what I had done to him this morning in the enclosed space that was the hospital elevator. As though the entire situation had been left behind there, not a single one of them complained about it.

Not even Himchan or Daehyun, which was definitely surprising considering their track records which include complaints ranging from the insistent and unrelenting “Why aren’t we having dinner yet?” to the annoying and rage inducing “Why are you always hitting me? Underwear horoscopes are not nonsense! It’s scientific. It’s all facts!”

To hell with facts Kim Himchan, I’m not telling you the color of my underwear today or any day, ever. 

“Should we start here?” Jongup continued, pointing down to the pile of books in the room that if we weren’t careful, could tumble down, washing over us with a wave of words.

“Don’t bother. It’ll take days to do that.”

“I wouldn’t mind spending days with you doing it.” The Gumiho interjected, most likely not expecting that I would respond in the manner I did.

“Oh really? Then we can start right now if you’d like.” I gestured to the book mountain, challenging him to even attempt to start climbing it. And just like I knew he would, he backed down almost immediately.

“I was kidding, Sora baby. Can’t we start on something else?” He whined, diverting his eyes as though that would somehow make the book stacks disappear. It didn’t. It also meant that due to his absence of usual banter, he was giving the opportunity to fill the silence to a certain Demon.

“Before we start, I think you should check your phone.”

Wait, what?

I turned to find Mr. Demon holding a rectangular object in his hands, displaying it to me. My hand ghosted over my bag, my mind not believing for a moment that this was reality. That there he was, my phone in his hand. And he didn’t even attempt to hide the amusement on his face.

He peeked over the back of the phone, his smile shining through and through, “Your friend kept on calling and before you ask, remember,” he held up the index finger of his free hand, “taking calls during meals with others is impolite.”

I didn’t have a single thing to say in response. I mean, the answers to any questions were obvious. Why did he take it? For some reason, Mr. Demon doesn’t like technology during the three major meals of the day. How did he take it? There was no point in conveying that question out loud because that would only get a wordless smile in response. Odds are he’d do it again anyway so I chose to figure it out then.

Instead, I walked over and took it from his hand, unlocking it and seeing that Oh Sehun, my best friend, had called me over twelve times, sent me six texts, and left me one voicemail. Just one. I listened to it as Mr. Demon with Xiezhi, Haechi, and Gumiho in tow entered the main room of the shrine, joining the two trickster spirits.

Their voices that I had gotten used to to the point in which having them as background noise was starting to become the norm for me sounded louder than usual as I listened to Sehun’s voicemail. I was supposed to meet him today, something I forgot about again amidst everything.

He said he met up with a few other friends so I didn’t have to show up since I was already over an hour late now. And he said one more thing. He said one more thing as though he somehow knew exactly why I hadn’t shown up and exactly who was behind the explanation of why.

He said through the transceiver, his voice coated in static, “This is going to be an everyday thing, isn’t it?”

I was getting used to this. To the phone snatching. To the banter. To the bickering. To the complaints. To these five spirits and this one demon. I was getting much too used to it.

I laid in bed, my head buried into my pillow like a sleeping ostrich. My whole body was sore from cleaning the shrine yesterday. My legs felt like Jell-O and honestly, while I have always enjoyed sleeping, particularly the morning after, today the bed sheets felt especially good. And today, today would be just like yesterday and the day before and the day before.

“Sora baby.”

My facial expression twitched as I turned my head to him, my hair forming a mesh in front of my face. The Gumiho was standing there and at the sight of me noticing him, nine white tails I had never before seen peeked up over his frame, waving to me the greeting he then sang out.

“Good morning.”

Yes, this would be me from now on. Every morning. Greeted by that wide smile on his face, whether I beat him up the day before or not, whether I ignored him the day before or not, whether I wanted him there or not. And in approximately three seconds, in through the door would come a certain devil incarnate.

“Breakfast is done.” Himchan pointed behind him as he took a step closer to the bed.

Three.

“Come down and eat with us.” He pressed his hand forward, laying it against the transparent barrier that remained strong despite his constant attacks on it with his face every morning.

Two.

“Up, up up,” he slammed his other hand down on it, patting onto the barrier with both of his hands as though it were a drum. A light thumping noise invaded my eardrums, not at all helping my current agitation with him.

One.

“Up, up, Sora get up,” he pounded the barrier in sync with each melodious syllable that left his lips, “Sora needs to get up, up, up. And eat breakfast with us, us, us.” I groaned as I buried my face back down into my pillow, lifting my hand and waving it through the air lethargically, mumbling complaints about what a pain in the he was in the morning.

And cue Mr. Demon, Bang Yongguk.

“She’s not up yet?” I heard his muffled voice above the vibrating booms Himchan was creating, which he stopped making right after. “Maybe you should make World War three come crashing down on her.”

I can hear it. I can hear the amusement in his voice. I can practically hear the curling of his lips upwards as those pink gums display themselves to the world. And right after, I can hear nothing except the pounding of the barrier by the Gumiho, his mimicry of the gunfire, of the explosions, of all of the sounds of war much too accurate for his own good.

And above it all, a wounded soldier cried out, “I’m starving, hurry up and get up.”

Oh, wait. No. That’s just the Tokebi, Jung Daehyun, with the stomach as bottomless and limitless as Mary Poppin’s bag.

And at this point, a voice of reason can do nothing to soothe the rage I can feel bubbling over the brim.

“We should not force Miss Sora to get up so early. She worked hard yesterday.” The Haechi, Moon Jongup, seemed to have stumbled into the room now as well.

“I don’t care, I’m hungry.”

Well if you’re so hungry Daehyun, go and eat by yourself why don’t you? Or what? Did grandmother leave for the morning already? Do you need me to be there to make extras for you? Because you know I’m weak and I’ll do it?

“Liar.” Zelo’s voice murmured amidst what apparently was World War III. A deafening, indefinite World War III with me against a group of spirits and one demon.

And Sehun’s question to me over the phone yesterday suddenly came to mind.

This is going to be an everyday thing, isn’t it?

This World War wouldn’t end. Not a single victor or armistice was in sight and I would be on the disadvantageous side each and every time. But, no. Not this morning. Today, I’m not going to wake up to the calls of the screaming Banshee of a Gumiho. Today, I’m not going to be taunted by a demon. Today, I’m not going to be stuck making extra servings. Dammit, today I’m going to sleep.

“Get out.”

And just like that, the gunfire died down, the explosions ceased, the cries of the soldiers halted.

“Get.” I seethed through clenched teeth, peeking up from my pillow, my bed head a jungle in front of my face, “Out.”

The funny thing is, they did.

All I heard was a confused Dokkaebi named Yoo Youngjae, who was previously reading the newspaper downstairs none the wiser, say, “What’s going on? Where are you all going?”

And then, I heard a door in the distance slam shut.

Just like that, I won World War III against the spirits and the demon.

Just like that, I failed to see the impending World War IV on the horizon.