Key squealed and struggled in Daehyun’s grasp, but his hold on him grew tighter, and thus, blocking out the air from his mouth and air. The blonde-haired person gasped, and clawed at his arm, desperate for air.

 

“Quit struggling, Kitty! Give up! He is gone! We have waited for this moment where he’ll be out of our hair and today’s the day!” Daehyun laughed darkly.

 

“So, you fill my satisfaction, right?”

 

The angel wanted to hurl at his sickly sweet voice, and his eyes were glaring at the demon, his eyes now icy blue. His fingers twitched in anger. Where is this anger coming from? Why did he feel like tearing him up now?

 

Because Jonghyun is dead?

 

That is right…Jonghyun…he is my friend…

 

He let out an audible growl, only getting an amused smirk from the latter as he then pressed the blade against his frail neck.

 

Jonghyun…he made it this far to save me…

 

“It’s the end of the line for you, Kitty. If I kill you, perhaps I can get the kiddie angel again?”

 

Key’s eyes widen at his best friend’s name and growled again, his eyes growing a vivid sky blue. He is not going to let this happen to his ‘son,’ not ever.

 

Jonghyun, you bastard, if you say you cannot die, then get up!

 

Key can feel blood trickling down his forehead, and the blood dripping down his neck as the blade pressed further against his neck, ready to go across his pale skin.

 

“It’s over.”

 

Goddamn it Jonghyun! Wake up!

 

Key closed his red puffed eyes as he waited for the impact—that very deadly influence that could lead him to his own grave.

 

 

…

 

 

…

 

 

…

 

 

Kekeke…

 

 

The blade paused in its actions, almost trembled. He furrowed his eyebrows at the sudden halt. The angel wondered why he stopped when he was supposed to meet his death.

 

 

Kekekeke…

 

 

Key opened his eyes, the irises now fading to brown as he saw the two demons who assassinated Jonghyun frozen in their spot; their eyes were wide in shock and horror.

 

 

Hahaha…

 

 

A dark laughter echoed in the Angel’s ears as he stared at the fallen body that was supposed to be lifeless.

 

His bangs covered his eyes, yes, but he could see his lips slowly turning into a dark, twisted grin. His fingers twitched as he continued to laugh. Key’s wide, shocked eyes then met glowing golden yellow eyes.

 

 

 

 “Boo.”

 

 

 

Jonghyun slowly sat up, the bullets still in his head and the sword still stuck in his chest.

 

“Tsk, is that all the torture you give me, Daehyun-ssi?” He stressed out the ‘ssi’ as he stood up, unfazed by the pain it was supposed to give, hence with the things they had done to him.

 

Daehyun shrieked in horror, crawling back along with Key in his arms, who just sat limp there, too numb to comprehend what is going on around him as he stared at the bleached haired Demon standing in front of him.

 

“Impossible! You are supposed to stay dead! I thought I killed you right in the heart!”

 

The latter only smirked and reached out for the sword handle behind his back, swiftly pulling it out. Key winced as he once again heard the tearing of flesh. It was so gruesome.

 

Jonghyun tilted his head to the side and the bloodied bullets fell into his palms.

 

“For your information,” he paused and flung the two bullets at the retreating demons, piercing right at their chest. The boy was terrified at his dexterity and wisdom as the duo faltered in their movements before dropping down to the floor, blood pooling around them.

 

Now they were dead for sure.

 

“You can’t kill me, Kitty. I can’t die,” His words echoed in the angel’s head.

 

They cannot kill him. He was not lying…

 

“Do you believe me now, Kitty?” Jonghyun’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked at him and saw that same genuine smile. He slowly nodded.

 

Jonghyun smiled, but it vanished as he continued where he left off, “As I was saying—for your information, you nearly had me killed. You were so close to this wonderfully beating black heart,” he pointed at his chest, where the organ pounded mercifully. “But you’re rather unfortunate.” He smirked, the black pupils narrowing; making his eyes seems similar to a cat’s eyes. His horns grew charcoal black and he got a devil tail sprouting from his behind.

 

“S-Stay back!” Daehyun cried out as he gripped onto the handle of the dagger, switching from Key’s neck to his head. “You come any closer, I’ll kill him!”

 

Key’s breath hitched when his hand moved from his mouth to his neck, choking him.

 

“Jjong,” the sudden nickname came out from his strangled voice, “You don’t want to do this!” He hissed when he saw that he was coming closer, flicking the leftover bullet to the side.

 

The Demon smirked and looked at Key with such caring eyes, “Trust me.”

 

One-step closer.

 

“I’m warning you!” Daehyun readied himself; his strength was surely to break the handle of the blade now as he raised it sideway, high and clear enough to see that he is going to die instantly.

 

“Jonghyun,” Key hissed again, his heart beating rapidly. If he does not listen to him!

 

“I said, trust me,” Jonghyun whispered, his tail swishing this way and that way with such grace, his fangs poking against his bottom lip.

 

Two steps closer.

 

“You have made the biggest mistake of doing this!” Daehyun felt his back pressed up against the decaying wall as he watched the demon get closer. He is so far, just yet so close.

 

“Jonghyun, you—you’re ing insane! I don’t want to die like this!” Key screamed out, his voice strangled as he gasped from the lack of oxygen. He felt the tears prickle in his eyes.

 

“Jonghyun, you can’t—”

 

“Key.”

 

His voice was so deep and stern that he automatically shut up. He looked to see his yellow eyes, so full with gentle care and… something else.

 

“Trust me. I won’t let anybody hurt you.”

 

That, he did—he did put his trust in him and even if he was a Demon, he still trusted him.

 

Three steps closer.

 

“That’s it! It’s over!” Daehyun declared before he brought the dagger down at Key’s head. The angel closed his eyes peacefully, his body relaxing as he gave his entire trust into Jonghyun, the Demon who will save him from this nightmare.

 

The blade never made a scar at the boy’s head.

 

“Wha—?” The shocked demon was surprised to see that the dagger was not in his hand at all.

 

“Looking for this?” Was that his voice in his ear? He looked to the right and saw a smirking Jonghyun holding the dagger in his hand.

 

So fast, his speed is… it is incredible!

 

Key refused to open his eyes—he just wanted to be relieved that he did not kill him. He can live at last.

 

Jonghyun grabbed Daehyun’s arm around the angel’s neck and twisted it, causing him to cry out in pain.

 

“I told you about the consequences about playing with my toys, my dongsaeng. I’m afraid you deserve a punishment.”

 

CR—CRACKKKKK!

 

“Aurgh! Stop! It hurts!” Daehyun cried out in pain, feeling both of his shoulders twist, becoming dislocated. He bent back his wrist. He lay on the ground, holding his broken wrist while crying in pain from his shoulders.

 

Jonghyun picked up Key bridal style. The blond still refused to open his eyes, but he wrapped his arms around the demon’s neck, his head against his chest. He sighed blissfully from the comfort he was giving off. He finally saved him.

 

The demon looked at the writhing male, seeing the tears stream down his hair. “Dongsaeng, crying make you look ugly, you know that?”

 

Daehyun was terrified of him—the way he said those words with no emotion on his face scared him greatly. His brown eyes were pleading his merciless golden yellow orbs.

 

“P-Please! Do not punish me like this! I need to live!”

 

Crackkk!

 

There goes his right foot.

 

Key has the right to close his eyes. Who knows if there were bones jutting out from the skin?

 

“Then stop this foolishness. You’re a disgrace.” Then he turned to the doorway. “Jia, I know you have been standing there the entire time.”

 

He heard a scared squeak before a mess of pink hair poked out from the doors. She was the only one alive in this rotting mess.

 

“Take him out of here, the building is falling apart. And do your best to heal him.”

 

Key noticed that he was right from the sounds of it—the ceiling was creaking and the walls were breaking down. The destruction will trap them in there if they do not get out soon.

 

The cat girl only nodded and ran over to Daehyun’s support.

 

“Let’s go Kitty.”

 

With that said, they left with a blur.

 

 

Key could feel the wind brushing against his face. He could hear the grand whoosh of the demon’s wings as they soared in the air, with Jonghyun carrying him…somewhere.

 

“Kitty…”

 

His voice never sounded so sweet…

 

“Key…”

 

Why did he want him to keep saying his name forever?

 

“Look up…”

 

Huh?

 

The Guardian Angel did what he was told and his eyes were met with a twilight sky and blinking lights. His eyes sparkled at the sight; they were stars. He had never felt so close to them before. However, that one thing that caught his attention the most was the full moon. It was so big and wide, and they were so close to it, it was almost as if they could touch them.

 

“Wah…they’re so beautiful!” He gushed, his cheeks becoming pink as he stared at the beautiful scenery in awe.

 

It was then, he realized, when he looked down, that they were on the top of the tower of the Demon Kingdom.

 

 

 

The very top. He could see the town below…

 

 

 

…And the very deadly height between there to the ground.

 

 

 

Key shrieked and clutched onto Jonghyun tightly, his arms wrapped around his neck as if he was his salvation to keeping him alive.

 

“H-Heyyyyyyyyy! I can’t stand this great height!” He shrieked loudly in fear, squirming in his arms.

 

Jonghyun had to laugh at this cute sight, as it was just adorable. “Oh? But you fly in the sky though?”

 

Key growled as he smacked the demon on the head before hastily clinging onto him. The Demon winced when the Angel screamed in his ear, crying bloody hell to him if he cried any louder.

 

“THAT’S DIFFERENT, DINO. STANDING AND FLYING ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, NOW PUT ME DOWN TO THE ING GROUND GODDAMNIT!”

 

The latter burst out laughing and said, “Nope! You look so cute being like this!”

 

The angel whined and buried his face into his chest. The latter continued to laugh until he felt his shirt becoming wet.

 

“Key?” He looked to see that he was crying. “W-Wha…? Hey, I am sorry! I’ll put you down if you’re that scared of heights!” He panicked; he did not know he was this scared of heights.

 

“No…it’s not that…” The male whimpered.

 

This confused the Demon.

 

“I was so scared, Jonghyun…”

 

The silver-haired Demon softened at his words and stayed quiet as he poured out his feelings in his words.

 

“I’m tired of putting up this façade, Jonghyun…the diva side… it isn’t me… It is not me at all! I was so scared when they kidnapped me. I thought nobody would find me…

 

“Did you know how happy I was when I found out that you came for me? I was surprised yet graceful to have you by my side, even as an enemy. You fought off an entire group of Demons just to get me. And when you were killed…” Key moved his face from his chest and looked up at Jonghyun with watery eyes. The demon smiled and wiped them away with his thumb.

 

“I thought I was going to die too.”

 

Is that what he felt when he saw me ‘die’?

 

Sorry for worrying you, my love…

 

“I am not lying! I thought I had nothing when you died. You… my friend… risked your life to turn your back against your own race to save a useless Angel like me… You have no idea…you have no ing idea how scared I was, you !” He yelled, punching his chest with his small fists. “Saying that you can’t die and then act like you’re dead, you had me worried! Now I am relieved… I’m so relieved…”

 

His dark heart swelled at his truthful words. He never thought that he felt this way towards him. He stopped his pounding fists and then held the angel’s chin and directed it to him so he could see his eyes.

 

“Key, you should know I will always remain your loyal adversary. Demons may lie, but I’m truly not lying about this.”

 

What shocked the angel was that the demon kissed his remaining tears away. His cheeks went red because of that.

 

“And don’t think that the diva you is a façade. Yes, you may have built a wall to hide your vulnerable side, but sometimes, the diva in you is real. And I like that side of you.”

 

Wait… is he…

 

“R-Really?” He asked, touched by his kind, soft words. In response, he got a nod from the latter. Key averted his eyes to the stars above them before looking back at him with a smile, his cheeks red as his feline eyes turned into crescents.

 

“…Thank you…”

 

 

The distance from the Demon side to the Angel side was so deepening far, but they did not care. They liked staying this close. Jonghyun held the sleeping, wounded Key in his arms as he flew over to the Angel side, the wind bustling against his thin, bat-like wings.

 

All he needs to do is just bring Taemin out of his room to help him get Key inside the castle. In addition, he is wounded and bruised. Although the bleeding has stopped, his neck needs some serious tending and nursing.

 

He stared at the angel in his arms; he looked so frail, so weak and almost lifeless due to his ripped and tattered school uniform, showing most of his skin. He almost growled when he saw the bruises on his beautiful skin.

 

Black, black, black and blue; they were all over him—and they could be more that were not seen to the eye.

 

“Mhm… Jonghyun…” The light-haired Guardian then looked at the angel’s face, but saw his closed eyes.

 

Sleep talking, I see?

 

He chuckled at the sight. It was his next words that shocked him:

 

“…I like you too.”

 

Jonghyun had never felt so relieved to hear those words. Even though he was only saying it in his sleep, it means that there is always a chance.

 

Then he frowned at the passing thought.

 

Even if it means betraying the rule for my love.

 

He held onto Key, pulling him so close that he could smell his sweet, vanilla scent.

 

Even if it means starting the Great War all over again.