Taemin stood in the center of the training grounds, the black grasses brushing softly against his white boots as he looked at Minho in front of him, both of their eyes serious.

 

“Alright, show how easily you are able to bring it up now.” Minho said, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched him, his face expressionless.

 

The angel sighed and calmed himself, relaxing his tense muscles as he looked at his hands, seeing the sparks of electric on the tips of his fingers.

 

The first time was the hardest, but he never thought that the second time would be even harder.

 

He furrowed his eyebrows as he concentrated, seeing the faint outline of his shield. It was then, he had finally gotten it up; its purple-ish blue tint appearing as his force-field barrier came up, shielding the angel of his surroundings to prevent anything from harm.

 

Minho nodded after examining his difficulty of getting it up. He was not kidding when he said he has difficulty… The demon walked up to the angel and tapped at it, the surge of energy rippling from the sudden action.

 

“Alright, that’s good for now, you can let it down.”

 

Taemin blinked twice, because he could not hear him, as inside the shield, his muffled voice was too low for him to hear his words properly. The latter sighed and gestured his hand into a downward movement, signaling the boy to let down his shield. That much, was what the angel understood as he lowered his concentration, the force shield now disappearing.

 

“That’s better. Anyways, I can see that you are struggling with the use of your first ability. Perhaps it’s because you’re forcing it to come out.” Minho concluded with a small smile. The younger nodded slightly—he was sort of forcing it. However, he does not know how it came out a bit easily the first time he tried it…

 

The dark-haired male snapped his fingers as if a sudden idea popped into his head and spoke, “Hold on, I think I could do something. Wait here, Taemin. I will be back soon. When I’m gone, you can…err…occupy yourself with thoughts.”

 

The light brunet pouted slightly as he watched the demon walked—no, run—away to get whatever he needed for this kind of thing. Occupy myself with thoughts, he sneered and turned around, scanning his surroundings. I can do that.

 

‘Soon,’ he said, ‘soon’.

 

He huffed, remembering the times that people use the word, ‘soon’ yet it is never soon. In fact, it has become longer than just ‘soon’. Soon means, in a short matter of time—not for a freakin’ thousands of years! Soon means either later on the same day, or tomorrow in the early morning, not during the weeks or so! All of his thoughts ran all because of the word, ‘soon’.

 

He is quite an impatient angel, you know, and he always love things to the max—everything to the speed.

 

By the way, what is the point of thinking of something so stupid? How would it stall time—by imagining rainbow clouds and cotton candy pink rain with marshmallow bunnies hopping around in a blueberry blue garden?

 

…Hahaha~ bunnies! Hey~ where are you going…? I want to play with you!

 

Come here, bunny. Come here! Aw, you are so cute~

 

—Crunch!—

 

 Ah, you are so tasty~

 

All you can see is a dreamy Taemin, clasping his hands together as if he was in love.

 

You might as well think he has gone nuts.

 

“—min! Taemin!” He heard Minho’s voice from behind, snapping him out of his imagination. Wow, it works! Thinking does stall time.

 

“Yes?” He responded, turning around with high expectations to see Minho standing there. However, he was not expecting to see an apple along with a large blade flung towards him.

 

His eyes widen at the sudden objects hurling towards at him in such a fast speed. The next thing you know, everything went into slow motion as Taemin held out one arm in reflex, protecting himself as he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact.

 

When nothing came, he said and was about to yell at him, “Yah, Minho-hyung, what was that for! An apple and an axe? You could have—” He stopped halfway at his sentence as he stared in surprise at the incident that just happened.

 

The two objects were floating inside a small force field, the energy pulsing softly. The large axe pierced the rosy red apple as its juices dripping onto the pulsating sphere.

 

Just seeing that much has shocked him the most.

 

“—killed me,” he trailed on, finishing his sentence at last. Minho smirked and walked up to him.

 

“Just a simple test if it works or not. Your ability doesn’t come out forcefully—it comes out when, reflexively, you have the need to protect yourself or someone from harm.” He told him, sounding like a wise teacher.

 

“I can protect someone else as well?” He asked, the angel tilting his head in curiosity.

 

Minho shrugged and said, “If so of all means.” With that, he stepped back and summoned his katana. He humph’ed and—without warning—lunged at the angel, causing the angel to be caught off-guard.

 

“Whoa!” He cried out, dodging the strike. He did not have any time to pull out his daggers since they were low into his boots.

 

The light brunet stared at the demon in shock as he saw his katana lit up in flames. Minho smirked and twirled his weapon in one hand before he lunged at the angel, not letting him utter one word.

 

Luckily, the angel bent backwards as a reflex, holding his breath when fire danced in his eyes, the flames up the blade. Taking his chance, he kicked the katana out of his hand as he went back onto his feet, the weapon spinning high in the air.

 

Taemin could see Minho about to go and get it, but he stopped him, trapping him in a force-field bubble with one hand while he caught the katana with in the other. He gripped tightly onto it, despite getting shocks from it, letting him be aware that Minho’s weapon is clearly pissed off that someone other than him is holding it.

 

Minho chuckled with a smirk and clapped his hands. “Nice job. Let’s train some more, huh?”

 

The angel nodded at the proposal and so, the training really begins.

 

 

They continued to fight each other.

 

Taemin was soaked with sweat as he panted, blocking the attacks of Minho’s katana with his scythe before lunging at him. He was too slow, as the Demon dodged just in time, only to kick him down to the ground.

 

The boy grunted, feeling the ache in his back as he collapsed face first, his grip on his merged weapon tight.

 

“You’ll have to do better than that! Focus!”

 

“I’m trying!”

 

“Well, try harder!”

 

Taemin felt goaded as he stood up, getting back into his fighting stance. He has to minimize the current noises around his surroundings and focus on his opponent only. The only way he could make a move on him is to focus.

 

Therefore, he tried again, letting out a battle cry as he sprung towards Minho, his two hands on the scythe.

 

While the duo were training, another duo came in to see the scene of the two beings sparring with each other.

 

“Ooh~ is this where you guys have been?” A voice took their attention and they both looked to see Joon and a dino-looking male demon standing there—Jonghyun (as far as he could remember) with that cocky smirk of his as he crossed his arms over his chest and Joon staring at them with a slightly amused expression.

 

Minho grunted when Taemin managed to slice the back of his shirt, nearly marking his skin. He looked at the angel with red eyes, watching as the Angel managed to utter out an apology, since the Demon was distracted from the combat.

 

Taemin merely used that as his opportunity to make a mark on him.

 

Upon looking at the two, they were taken aback to see them in the training grounds.

 

“Hey, what are you guys doing here?” He straightened his stance, surprised to see his two best friends here in the training grounds.

 

Joon shrugged, “Nothing, if it was not for the fact that our kiddie angel had escaped from his prison cell.” His eyes were glaring at the younger angel, who looked down guiltily, avoiding eye contact with him.

 

“Joon, shut up. Minho probably wanted to train the angel before he dies—I mean, look at him! Nobody had seen him this interested into the angel!” The dino person said.

 

The dark-haired male’s cheeks burned light pink and this amazed Taemin to see the demon blushing. “S-Shut up! I’m not interested in him!” He says that, but he is clearly embarrassed.

 

He does not know why, but his heart clenched at those words, making him frown slightly.

 

What is this feeling? Why do I feel so…upset?

 

He looked at Minho, who looked at him, locking eyes before they looked away, feeling a bit uneasy.

 

Why does my heart speed up so quickly when I look into his eyes?

 

I… I cannot! It cannot be!

 

We are friends, nothing more! Yes, just friends!

 

Taemin clutched onto his scythe upside down, its blade scratching the grassy ground as the Second-in-Command walked over to him. He tried all his best to avoid eye contact unless it was necessary to look up at him.

 

“So, uh, how’s your training?” His voice was then softer than before, and this caused the light brunet to look up at him in surprise to see the male’s eyes softening up, a small smile on his face.

 

“U-Uhm… it is going fine. Thank you for asking, Joon-ssi.” He stuttered, unable to contain his surprise.

 

“Whoa, Kitty was right, you do look cute!” Jonghyun said, suddenly appearing in front of the angel, his face so close to his. Taemin’s face went red when he heard the word, ‘cute’. Then he pouted and stomped his foot, bothered with the same compliment that he heard so many times in so many places.

 

“I am not cute! I am manly! I hate it when people call me cute! It makes me sound like I am a kid! I’m not a girl, you know!”

 

“Then cut your hair.”

 

Taemin gasped, clutching onto his locks as he shook his head in disagreement, “No! I…I would never!”

 

Jonghyun sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and said, “Then you’ll be called as a girl forever, that’s why you won’t cut your hair.”

 

Still, I like my hair, He wanted to say, but he clamped his lips shut. I am planning to make it longer…

 

(A/N: Something tells me he is doing this for someone—someone other than Minho, just saying.)

 

“Oh, how’s your body? I heard from Joon that he was so blinded by rage that he stomped on your wings and kicked you everywhere.”

 

“He did what?”

 

Taemin bit his lips and turned to see a fuming Minho. His eyes were glowing orange-red and his horns were lit up in flames as well. There was a circle of fire surrounding him, burning the poor grass.

 

“M-Minho-hyung, it wasn’t that bad! It was only a bit of pain!” He assumed that he had not known that it was Joon, but rather, someone else. Hell… was he angry.

 

“Hell to the ing no, Taemin, my own best friend almost killed you and we could have been in trouble! Yah, Joon, come here so I can give you that big punch of mine!” The demon snarled and was about to lunge at the elder, if it was not for the fact that Taemin quickly trapped him in a force field.

 

Minho banged onto the shield, ripples showing all over it from the hard pounding.

 

“I’m sorry, Taemin.” The angel can tell that Joon had a hard time apologizing since none of the Demons apologizes before he continued, “It’s just that you reminded me of my past and I was so angry that I took it out on you.”

 

Taemin looked back at Minho who was screaming at Jonghyun who kept mocking him, “Huh? I can’t hear you, speak louder!” when Minho was trying to say, “ off, Dino!” but could not since his voice was muffled. Jonghyun was too busy laughing his off, having fun teasing Minho.

 

“It’s not a problem, although it does hurt a bit…” He winced as he thought of how painful it was to hear his wings cracking, the bones breaking and that harsh kicks he received onto his stomach and chest.

 

He really thought he was going to die back then.

 

“Oh yeah,” said Jonghyun as he turned to him, ignoring the angry frog, “I met up with Kitty a few days ago and informed him of your wellbeing.” He said with a dark smile, a tint of yellow swirling in his muddy brown irises.

 

“You did?”

 

“Yup, caught him from getting into a fight with this stupid Demon who clearly forgot who I was—he got a good hit from me though.”

 

If only you saw, kiddie angel, kekeke~ he thought evilly in his head.

 

“Wait, you helped that diva brat? Why…?” Joon cried out in shock.

 

Then there was something flickering in Jonghyun’s eyes as he looked at Joon, his eyes serious. “Joon,” Taemin almost tripped himself by his own scythe from the devilish tone of his voice.

 

Something tells me he is not your usual Demon…

 

“You know I hate it when someone plays with something that is mine.” He hissed, his fangs bearing at him. The brunet could have sworn that his horns had gotten sharper as well as a devil tail from behind.

 

Oh, wait.

 

That is a tail.

 

Joon held his hands up in surrender and said, “Oi, oi, I know that, no need to go all ‘Devil Mode’ on me, geez!”

 

Jonghyun smirked at him as he looked away from the elder.

 

Oh, look! His tail is gone.

 

Taemin blinked twice, thinking that his mind must be playing with him.

 

“Hey, better put the frog down, he’s beginning to get annoyed and a bit sick from being in the air for too long.”

 

He was right—he could see a bit of paleness on his skin along with an annoyed look plastered on his face.

 

“Aw, does the poor frog need to put down~?” Taemin cooed, and Jonghyun snickered when Minho hissed at him, fangs out.

 

His muffled voice was low, but it was still a bit audible as he screamed out, “Put me down, you idiot or I will barf up my dragon meat and my entire breakfast.”

 

“Eww, Minho, don’t do that~” Jonghyun cooed, earning another hiss out at the dino-looking male.

 

It was then the angel asked as he glanced downwards, a knowing smile on his lips, “Are you sure, Minho-hyung?”

 

The demon nodded furiously and Taemin thought it was cute, seeing him pout—it was so unlike his handsome image, but hey, you learn one another to see these surprising events.

 

“Alright then, down you go.” He mumbled and he snapped his fingers, the force field now fading.

 

“Wait, that’s not what I mean—!” He shrieked as he fell into a large pool of water—a pond.

 

Joon and Jonghyun were pretty much on the ground, cracking up in laughter. Then Jonghyun came up to Taemin and ruffled his hair, “ing hell man! That was awesome! I am in! I wanna train with you!” He chimed, his eyes round as a puppy. Taemin could not resist and nodded with an amused chuckle, inviting him to come over anytime.

 

As he was then glomped by the said male, in the corner of his eye, he could see the demon’s head emerged from the water, a clearly annoyed/pissed off look on his face. He began laughing at the sight.

 

“Aw, there are two frogs! How cute!”

 

Apparently, the first frog is Minho and there was another frog on top of his head, going ‘ribbit, ribbit’ without a care in a world.

 

Minho narrowed his eyes at the laughing bunch and grumbled, “You guys will regret this.”