Seunghyun was known to be a rebel, he didn't care about the rumors that spread around his little town about going out to the edge of the woods, nor did he heed any of their silly superstitions. In truth he had gone through the woods many times, but he wasn't a fool. He stayed in clear paths and never wandered somewhere that seemed dangerous, but all in all the people in his town preferred to go all the way around then face the unknown of the woods.

 

There was an old superstition about the woods, people said there were strange creatures lurking about in them, but Seunghyun supposed that they were only afraid of their shadows. He would not let the townspeople's warnings keep him from taking a convenient short cut.

 

“Seunghyun!”

 

Seunghyun stopped in his tracks and gave an annoyed look at the one who was calling his name, “Yes?”

 

“You're not going in there are you?”

 

“Why yes, yes I am.” he set his things down and gave his friend, Daesung a look, “You know I always take this route.”

 

“Yes but, one day you'll regret taking that path. Why don't you go around like the rest of us, it's safer.”

 

Seunghyun promptly disagreed, “No, it takes longer to go that way, I'll just cut through like always. Now if you would excuse me, if you want something to eat by the end of today then I suggest you let me go.”

 

Daesung rubbed his stomach, he was indeed hungry, but he would rather Seunghyun take the other path, “If you say so, but I would prefer you go around.”

 

“Don't worry about it, I'll be fine as per usual.” he picked up his fishing gear and waved Daesung off. He liked his friend, but sometimes he was a worry wort. Seunghyun wasn't keen on listening to these ghost stories, he wasn't easily scared of the unknown.

 

He started down the path, it was still a little rocky since he was the only one that really used it, and he had to be careful so he wouldn't fall. Getting hurt on the path was the only real danger, and he was sure footed so there wasn't much to worry about. It was actually a very bright day and the sun shined through the treetops, there was no real threat to him in the woods and he wondered why everyone was so afraid of it.

 

Without incident he was able to get to the small lake that was at the end of the woods and start fishing. It really was a good day and he wished that he could have shared this simple walk with Daesung as the glaring on the lake was really a nice sight to see. He smiled as he felt a fish bite on the end of his line and he struggled to pull it out of the water as it must have been a big one. Seunghyun let out a triumphant cry when he pulled the fish out of the water. He and Daesung would eat well tonight and maybe a few other nights as well if he was able to catch more fish just as big.

 

After a while he got caught plenty enough for he and Daesung and started his way back home. Seunghyun looked up at the sun and thought that he was making good time. He stopped and looked some bushes near him, there were berries growing on them and recognized them as blueberries, he stopped to pick some; he figured he had enough time before the sun went down and Daesung would enjoy them as well.

 

He picked a few berries, but something was bothering him. It wasn't the berries, but he heard a slight rustling, of course the wind was starting to pick up and that could be what was making the noise, but it seemed too purposefully done to be the wind. Seunghyun stopped picking and looked over his shoulder, there was nothing there, so maybe he was just imagining things. He decided to quickly pick the rest of the berries and get going.

 

As he walked he paid more attention to the sounds around him. It sounded the same, except, not that he thought about it, there was sometimes an out of place rustle or snap coming from behind him. Though whenever he turned around he could see nothing and no one but the woods around him. Seunghyun shook his head to clear his head from ridiculous thoughts. The townspeople were starting to get to him, he didn't want to be as superstitious as them, all their claims were just ridiculous.

 

When Seunghyun finally made it to his little town, he breathed a sigh of relief. The walk had somehow been a lot more laborious than usual. He chalked it up to his thoughts going haywire, and just walked back to his small home.

 

“Seunghyun?” Daesung called out when he heard the front door open.

 

“Who else would be?”

 

“A demon in disguise.”

 

Seunghyun chuckled, “What a preposterous thing to say. You come up with the funniest things to say.” Seunghyun set the stuff he brought home on the wooden table and started spreading it out, “I got quite a catch today. I won't have to go out in a while.”

 

“Wow, this is a lot of fish that we are going to have to dry and smoke.”

 

“Yes, but that means less work in the long run, I also picked some blueberries.”

 

An excited look came over Daesung's face, “Blueberries! Oh we haven't berries n a long time.”

 

“I figured you would like them, can you start the fire while I gut the fish?”

 

“Yessiree, by the way, how was the walk?”

 

Seunghyun tensed for a second, “Oh it was the same, nothing interesting.”

 

Daesung heard the slight hesitation in Seunghyun's voice and noted it as he started the fire, “You sure, you sound weird.”

 

“Nothing, just you're silly superstitions getting to my head is all. I swear you all need to stop with those, it's dumb.”

 

“Our towns superstitions are not dumb, even if there may not be monsters in the woods, it still is dangerous to go in them, especially without anyone with you.”

 

Seunghyun rolled his eyes, “Like any of you would come with me.”

 

Daesung frowned and didn't say anything, “Well that's besides the point, it's still dangerous.” he brought the pot over the fire and poured some water into it.

 

“I've been fine all this time, I'll be fine again.” Seunghyun gutted the last fish and set some aside to be hanged and dried while scraping the scales off of the fish, “You should come with me some time, it really is nice during the summer.” Seunghyun reached down for his fishing gear and frowned, “Hey, did you put my fishing gear up?”

 

“No, I just got done with the fire, why?”

 

“I-I can't find it?” Seunghyun looked around the room with a small frown on his face, “Did I leave it?”

 

“You couldn't have.”

 

“Well I must have, I might have forgotten it when I was stringing up the fish, damn, I'll have to go get it.”

 

“But it's getting late.” Daesung didn't like the thought of Seunghyun going out at this time of day, the sun was setting and it would be dark soon.

 

Seunghyun sighed, he didn't want to go out either, but he needed to get his gear before someone else would take it, “I'll have to go, you finish dinner and I'll be back soon.”

 

“Seungh-

 

“No, I'll be back, don't worry all right?” he quickly got a caught as the temperature had dropped quickly. The sun was going down fast and he realized that he would be caught in the dark. Luckily he knew the woods like the back of his hand, and this wasn't the first time that he walked in the woods at night. Although the atmosphere seemed significantly different as he walked. The shadows were starting to merge together and he could see how the other towns people would be afraid of the woods from the way it was looking now.

 

The trees were starting to look gnarled as he walked and the noises he made seemed to amplify as he walked on. Seunghyun wanted to know what was going on with him. He had done this trek so many times, it was too late to be scared now. Seunghyun stopped, he had sworn he heard an audible snap. He looked around to see if anyone was near him, but he saw no one. There was a second of silence before he had seen a pair of eyes in the dark.

 

Seunghyun grew angry with himself, he was even starting to imagine things and it was starting to become annoying. He started walking again and told himself that he was being absurd. It was no time until came to the lake again and noticed stuff sitting by the edge of it. He quickly grabbed his things and briefly stopped to admire the moon reflecting off of the waters surface. It seemed a little bit more eerie than usual and he slightly shivered at it's ominous glow. He rolled his eyes and chalked it up to it being a full moon, and full moons always looked a little eerie.

 

He started making his way home and almost laughed at himself. He was imagining things for no reason, there was no one there but him. Seunghyun narrowed his eyes when he heard another snap not too far away from where he was walking. He swore that these animals were really messing with him on purpose.

 

A gasp escaped his lips when he this time the odd noises weren't stopping, they seemed like they were coming closer, and this time he did make out a pair eyes, this time, in front of him.

 

Seunghyun backed up in shock, after all these years he had never seen anyone in them besides animals and his own self. He was paralyzed with shock and slight fear, he could be bold enough to come out like this, and with such wild colored eyes. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the lean silhouette getting close. Seunghyun gulped, when he saw a scantily clad man approaching him with a hungry. He was able to back up a few more steps, but he was still frozen in shock.

 

His eyes widened when he saw a small smirk forming on the mans lips, “W-who?”

 

The man stood in front of Seunghyun and ran his hand down Seunghyun's cheek, startling the poor boy even more, “The question is not who, but what.” the mans voice was lilting and soft as he spoke, it almost calmed Seunghyun down if he did not hear the underlying malicious intent in his voice as well.

 

“W-hat d-do you want?”

 

The man backed up and smiled, “I've been waiting for this moment for a long time.” he ran a hand through his hair and gave Seunghyun a side eye glance, “I've been watching you.”

 

Seunghyun swallowed thickly, the man before him was only wearing a short skirt made out of crude leather and seemed torn in places. His feet was caked in mud, and his hair was wild and unruly. The man was skinny and it looked like he had been living in the woods. Seunghyun took some time access the situation and took a deep breath. Obviously this man was crazy and he should be careful of his words, “Really, watching me?” Seunghyun looked around for a quick escape. He hadn't gone off of the beaten path before, so he was afraid of getting lost if he ran in a random direction.

 

The man laughed, “What are you looking for? An escape?” he stepped closer to Seunghyun and ran his hand down his chest.

 

Seunghyun was thoroughly uncomfortable as the man touched him. He didn't want to take an sudden movements as he was afraid of what guy might do. He cringed as the man pressed himself against and ran a finger down his cheek. This man was truly crazy, “What are you-

 

“Listen, do not try and escape, for tonight we dance.”

 

Seunghyun had had enough he push the man away and glared at him angrily, “You're crazy, I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to use force, I will.”

 

“Insolent being, you can't hurt me.”

 

“Try me.”

 

The man just laughed, “You have no clue what you're dealing with, I'm the type of person they write stories about.” he stepped forward and grabbed Seunghyun by his collar and made him look him in the eye, “These eyes aren't human love, look at me.”

 

Seunghyun instinctively closed his eyes.

 

“Look at me!”

 

He slowly opened his eyes and looked the man in his eyes, they were glowing a yellowish gold color and it made Seunghyun shiver at their beauty and eeriness, “What are you?”

 

“A bloody nightmare.” the man smirked then starting laughing hysterically. He suddenly became serious and stared down Seunghyun, “I want you.”

 

“Me, why me?”

 

“This world is lonely, and I need a companion, I think you're up for it.” he looked Seunghyun up and down, “And how handsome you are as well.”

 

“No, you freak! Get away from me!”

 

“Freak? How hurtful.” a pout formed on the mans mouth, then he stuck out his tongue and quickly Seunghyun, laughing at the disgusted look on Seunghyun's face, “Tastes like sugar. You'll go back to your sorry village, and you'll act like none of this happened, and I will see you soon. It was nice meeting you Seunghyun, you'll be mine soon.”

 

Seunghyun blew out a breath of air, he closed his eyes and slid down, his heart pounding as he thought about the man before him. His eyes opened quickly once he realized he still wasn't out of the woods yet. Seunghyun got up and looked around, the mysterious man was gone, but Seunghyun still felt like he was there watching him. Seunghyun grabbed his stuff and ran out as quickly as he could, he needn't be in the woods any longer.

 

Daesung rose up when he saw Seunghyun walk in and he ran to him and pulled him into a big hug, “I thought I lost you forever.”

 

“I'm fine Dae, I'm okay.”

 

“What took you so long you bastard? I was worried sick!”

 

“I-” Seunghyun didn't if he should tell Daesung what had happened in the woods. He knew he should tell someone, but something was keeping him from doing so, “I just had trouble remembering where I put my stuff. It's all right really.”

 

Daesung gave Seunghyun a suspicious look, usually Seunghyun would be more lighthearted about Daesung's overprotective-ness, but he seemed a bit off, “Are you okay Seunghyun, you seem a bit off?”

 

“I'm great, did you make dinner, I'm starving.”

 

“Oh, yeah, coming right up.”

 

Seunghyun sat down at the table and waited for Daesung to put a bowl down in front of him. Seunghyun thanked him and dug in, he was starved from all the walking.

 

“Hungry much?”

 

“Yeah.” that was all that was said between the two as Seunghyun ate. He wasn't really up for small talk and he wanted to go to bed right after. Seunghyun was just up for forgetting about what happened in the woods.

 

After a while Seunghyun had pushed what had happened to him to the back of his mind. He had all but forgotten about the strange in the woods till it was time for him to go out and get more food for he and Daesung.

 

“.” Seunghyun looked through the cupboards and sighed loudly, “!”

 

“What's the problem!?” Daesung came out from his room and stared Seunghyun down, “Why are you cursing so much?”

 

“I have to go out again.”

 

“Well it's about time, we've run out of dried fish and fruits.”

 

“I know, I know, I'll need to go out.” Seunghyun in his bottom lip, the only way he knew to get to the lake was through the woods. He didn't know the pathway when it came to going around and he was to afraid to ask Daesung the directions or else he might be suspicious. As he thought about this he gathered his fishing gear and maybe a few traps for red meat, “Hey, maybe you want to come with me? Just this once?”

 

Daesung, oblivious of Seunghyun's apprehension of leaving, shook his head no, “No way, I'm not going.”

 

“Okay, I thought I'd try for once.” Seunghyun threw his gear in a pack and gave Daesung one last look before leaving.

 

Seunghyun made it all the way to the forests edge, and took a deep breath before going in. He looked around as he walked down the familiar pathways, and sighed in relief once he didn't hear anything strange. He had made it halfway there before everything went down hill from there.

 

“Boo!”

 

Seunghyun dropped his fishing rod and placed his hand over his heart. His eyes widened and he groaned once h e saw who it was that scared him, “What do you want?”

 

“Isn't it obvious?” the man circled around Seunghyun then stopped in front of him and poked his nose, “I want you. I won't stop until it's just you and me together forever.” he swayed gently as he said those words, as if he put himself in a trance.

 

“I don't think so.” Seunghyun tried to side step the man, but he stood in front of Seunghyun, blocking his way, “Can you stop! You're starting to piss me off!”

 

“Can you stop? You're starting to piss me off.” he mimicked Seunghyun then laughed in his face, “No, no I can't stop.”

 

“Why me then?” Seunghyun was becoming frustrated, he didn't know why he was being targeted.

 

“Because you're handsome, and you're the only one who has been in my woods in a long while. It had once been so festive here.” he seemed to be reminiscing some foreign time as he spoke to Seunghyun, “Everyone would travel through here, oh the pickings were so grand.”

 

“Save me the details.”

 

“Now there's only you, and I'm oh so lonely.” he touched Seunghyun's cheek and smiled, “You can't get rid of me, now that I have you, you can't get rid of me. I'll be where you live, where you work, I'll be everywhere. All you have to do is say you'll stay with me.” he reached out his hand towards Seunghyun with a smile on his face, “Come on.”

 

“I'm no dog. I'm not going to come when you say. You wait till I tell the rest of the villagers about this, we'll hunt you down you freak.”

 

The man laughed hysterically, slapping his knee in the process, “Yeah okay, hunt me down, that's funny. No, listen, I will have you.” he suddenly became serious and grabbed Seunghyun's arm, “You're mine, it's been too long.” he took Seunghyun's face into his hands, “Look at me, I've been so lonely.” he slid his hands down Seunghyun's shoulders, “Look at me.”

 

Seunghyun was uncomfortable, he didn't look at the strange man before him.

 

“Look at me Seunghyun, look.”

 

Seunghyun slowly opened his eyes and he looked at the strange man, really looked at him. His golden eyes peered up at him and Seunghyun felt like he was being in, he swallowed thickly as he looked at the man. The man peered up at him, with eyes full of desperation and a bit of longing, “Wh-what do you want?”

 

“You.” it seemed obvious as the man tugged on Seunghyun's shirt and pulled him toward him.

 

“I-” Seunghyun looked up at the canopy of trees as the man embraced him. Seunghyun didn't know what to do at the moment, this poor strange man stuck in a time that once was, “What is your name?”

 

The man looked up at Seunghyun, a small smile playing at his lips, “Jiyong.”

 

“Ji-jiyong?”

 

“Yes.” Jiyong, now officially named, placed his hands on Seunghyun's cheeks and leaned into him, “Stay with me.”

 

“I, I don't know.” Seunghyun had no idea as to what he was thinking, he should get out o here, he should leave, he shouldn't entertain this man. He looked down at Jiyong's blazing eyes and thought he couldn't be harmful, he was just strange.

 

“It's already too late, you have no choice.” Jiyong removed himself from Seunghyun and blew out a breath, “You're mine.” he gave Seunghyun a flamboyant bow and looked at his nails, “I am Kwon Jiyong, the one and only, the one that will be by your side forever.”

 

“How is that possible?”

 

“You'll see.” and with that, Jiyong was not there anymore and Seunghyun was left to wonder what he meant.

 

Seunghyun came home later after fishing, trapping, and picking some fruits he came back home a little late, but he had enough stuff to last them for a while. Of course he go into town and maybe trade for food, but he preferred getting it himself, that way he would always have enough to last a long time.

 

Daesung greeted Seunghyun with a smile as per usual, but he frowned when he looked at Seunghyun, “Seunghyun?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Have your eyes always been that color?”

 

Seunghyun furrowed his eyebrows and walked over to the mirror in the living room. His eyes widened as he noticed the color had changed to a gold color. Seunghyun swallowed a lump in his throat and face Daesung, “Of course they've always been this color, what else would they be?”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah, you know how you always see things late.”

 

Daesung shrugged, “Yeah I guess so, though that's a strange color to have.”

 

“Eh.” Seunghyun put all the food on the table and yawned, “I'm going to go take a nap, can you get this ready?”

 

“Yeah sure.”

 

Seunghyun headed to his bedroom and shut the door after him. He immediately grabbed a hand mirror that he kept and started looking all over him for any other differences since he had met Jiyong in the woods. He started searching his hair and pulling at strands to see if they had changed color. After searching his whole body he realized that it was just his eyes that had changed and sighed in relief. He wasn't sure if he could handle anymore changes.

 

“Scared?”

 

“Ah!” Seunghyun quickly covered his mouth and moved back on his bed, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I told you, we're going to be inseparable now.” Jiyong pressed his finger to Seunghyun's lips, “Ah, don't scream. You'll only embarrass yourself when your friend comes in here and doesn't see me.”

 

Seunghyun ignored the ridiculous request and screamed his head off, he wasn't going to be murdered in his own home.

 

Daesung came charging in Seunghyun's room and became bewildered when he didn't see anything wrong, “What, what's going on?”

 

“Wha?” Seunghyun looked at Jiyong who had an I told you so look on his face, “Can't you see him?”

 

“See who?” Daesung became worried, Seunghyun had been acting strange and now he was seeing people that weren't there?

 

“Uh.” he quickly looked around his head for a lie to come up with, “The fly, the fly that was in here, it was huge.”

 

“What?” Daesung put his hand on his hip and gave Seunghyun a stern look, “What are you on about?”

 

“Nothing, nothing, it was huge is all.”

 

“Call me when you need me, but don't scream okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Daesung left, slightly confused and closed Seunghyun's door behind him.

 

“See, I told you.”

 

“What the hell are you?”

 

Jiyong became disappointed, “I told you already, why can't you get that in your head?” he sat down on Seunghyun's bed, “I'm your own personal demon Seunghyun.”

 

“You don't seem evil to me.”

 

A smile came over Jiyong's face and it almost made Seunghyun take back what he said, “You have a lot to learn.”