In, out. In, out. In, out. Haneul kept her eyes closed as she concentrated on her breathing in order to suppress the raging terror that was threatening to take over her body. She was still on the library floor, and had been for the last five minutes, simply quaking with fear. Jinyoung’s furious eyes still flashed in her mind, and although he hadn’t harmed her, she felt as if she had been face-to-face with death himself. As the sickening feeling began to rise in her stomach once more, she hurriedly shook her head to clear away the dark images dancing around in her head, breathing hard. In, out. In, out. In, out…

Finally, her heart rate decreased and her lungs performed properly, so she uneasily cracked an eye open and looked around. Indeed, the moody demon had disappeared, leaving her all alone among the shelves. She jumped when she heard the library door crash open and feverish footsteps echoing through the large room, and she glanced up just in time to see a breathless Baro careen around the corner. He skidded to a halt when he clapped eyes on her, but lost his balance and went tumbling into one of the shelves. It shook threateningly as his head smacked into the base, rattling the books as it rocked precariously, but thankfully it remained upright. Rubbing his head miserably, he cracked an eye open to peer apologetically at her.

“Haneul, are you okay?” he asked worriedly. “I sensed you were in trouble, but I got held up… Are you hurt?” Haneul could not help but smile at the demon’s adorably concerned expression, and the thought that he had come rushing to her aid warmed her heart.

“Yes. I’m okay,” she nodded reassuringly. He sat up, sitting, crossing his legs as he smiled broadly in relief.

“That’s good. I thought I was gonna have to beat somebody up,” he grinned. He then narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious. “What happened?” Haneul had no good reason to lie, and she thought that Baro at least deserved to know the truth about his so-called best friend. She shifted uncomfortably as she recounted the awful experience.

“Jinyoung came to pay me a visit,” she murmured. His eyebrows shot up to his forehead in surprise. “He thought I was working with the angels, and he was really mad because he thought I was trying to hurt you,” she added before he could get very angry. Though he had terrified her, Haneul couldn’t hate Jinyoung completely. It was obvious that the only thing on his mind had been concern for Baro, and he obviously cared deeply for his friend. He also could have stolen my soul if he really wanted to… But he didn’t. Baro crossed his arms with a slight huff and looked at the ground, chewing on his bottom lip as he considered the story.

“Don’t worry,” he suddenly beamed, looking comfortingly up into her eyes. “I’ll have a talk with him. He’s kind of an , but he’s really a good guy, you know? Once I get him convinced that you’re all right, he won’t come after you anymore. Promise!” he vowed before hopping to his feet. He offered a hand to her, the other shoved deep into his pants pocket, and she gratefully took it and allowed him to gently pull her to her feet. She gasped as he abruptly jerked on her arm, causing her to fall into him. Before she could register what happened, he had wrapped his arms around her in a slight hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I’m sorry he scared you,” he sighed in regret. Blushing slightly, Haneul reached around him to awkwardly pat him on the back. Taking this as a sign of forgiveness, he quickly let her go and uncomfortably ran a hand through his fluffy black hair. “So, uh, I’m starving. Lunch is soon, right?”

“Yes,” she nodded in affirmation. “I’m supposed to eat with Sandeul today,” she frowned. When a look of great disappointment passed over his fine features, she added hastily, “You should join us. I don’t think that Sandeul would mind.”

“Okay,” he grinned and slipped an arm around her shoulder, turning her to guide her out of the library. She pursed her lips slightly but did not pull away; she felt secure beside him, and the fright of the confrontation with Jinyoung was still burned into her memory. I can humor him for a little while, she thought with a soft smile, pressing into him slightly. If Baro noticed, he made no show of it, but she believed she saw his eyes sparkle and his smile grow a little wider.

As he walked side-by-side with her in the hallway, the bell suddenly rang shrilly from the intercoms, signaling the middle of the school day and the ever-popular lunch break. Haneul, not quite ready to be the subject of gossip concerning her and Baro’s blossoming relationship, slipped out from underneath his arm an instant before students began pouring out of the classrooms. A few girls giggled with passing glances at the handsome demon as he passed by, but he made no note of their doting, simply staring levelly ahead as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Only a short while ago he would have been grinning like an idiot and feeding into them… I wonder what’s changed? She thought with a slight frown.

“Haneul!” called a familiar voice from behind her, and both she and Baro glanced over their shoulders to see Sandeul wading through the massive crowd of students, waving happily. He trotted up to them when the crowd parted enough for him to push through, panting slightly as he came to a stop in front of them. “We still on for our lunch?” he inquired, shooting a slightly confused look at the demon.

“Of course! I invited, Baro, though- is that okay?” she asked worriedly. Sandeul beamed brightly.

“Sure! Actually, I invited Gongchan to sit with us today too!” he cried excitedly. Haneul felt a twinge of panic, and she looked anxiously at Baro to see his reaction. If it perturbed him, he was quite excellent at hiding it, because he betrayed no sign of discomfort in his expression. Instead, he merely smiled, flashing his sharp fang-like canines for the briefest of seconds.

“The more the merrier,” he smirked. I think he might actually enjoy getting under Gongchan’s skin, she thought with a heavy sigh. As she trudged behind the pair of boys, heading to the lunch room, she anticipated the utter absurdity of the circus act to come. Her stomach was twisting in knots so badly that by the time they took a seat at one of the round tables that her food looked completely unappetizing. She stared at it, her face slightly green as her intestines boiled, wringing her hands anxiously as the boys each took a place beside her. She looked up when a small gasp when she heard a plastic tray slam down on the table, and bit down on her lip when the beautiful angelic boy stood behind it.

“Sandeul. I didn’t know someone else would be joining us today,” he remarked with a forced smile. Haneul could see his left eye twitching with pure revulsion as he regarded the demon coldly. Baro, unbothered, picked at his teeth with a chicken bone.

“Gongchan,” Baro replied smoothly. Stiffly, the angel plopped down in his seat, directly across from the roguish demon. Haneul swore that she could see electric sparks dancing in the air between their eyes, glaring daggers as they gazed threateningly at one another. Sandeul, utterly confused at the air of hostility, glanced rapidly between the pair of supernatural beings.

“You guys know each other?” he blinked.

“We’ve run into each other once or twice,” Gongchan remarked with a disgusted snort, biting into his hamburger angrily as he continued to glare daggers at the demon. Haneul shifted uncomfortably, positively sick with anxiety due to the tension thick in the air.

“You could say that we’re rivals,” Baro smirked as he savagely ripped away a large chunk of chicken with his teeth, causing Gongchan to wrinkle his nose in revulsion. He then sniffed and tossed his head haughtily, apparently too pure to even look at the uncultured demon any longer. While Sandeul nibbled quietly at his food, unsure just how quite to comprehend the situation he had unwittingly placed himself in, Haneul felt the hair on the back of her neck begin to rise as a dark presence approached. She didn’t even to have to turn her head to see the man who flopped down beside Baro to know who it was. She dug her fingers in her skirt, trembling slightly.

“So, this is where you were, Baro,” Jinyoung huffed as he propped his foot up on the empty seat beside him. Gongchan, extremely displeased at the addition to the table and the fact that Jinyoung’s foot was resting very close to him, pursed his lips. “I was beginning to think you had run off,” he added with a slight smirk as he tipped his head to the side to grin at his friend. Haneul was astounded at the shocking change in the demon’s demeanor; he was completely unhostile, and actually seemed to be enjoying himself in the company of his friend. He really does care about Baro, doesn’t he? I wonder if he came to back him up, she thought as she peered at Gongchan out of her peripheral vision. He was sulking, his shoulders nearly up to his ears as he hunkered down over his tray and stared venomously at the pair of demons. They seemed to find his bitterness quite amusing, and began laughing.

“Gongchan, lighten up, my man,” Baro teased with a magnanimous smile. “This is neutral ground, bro. You don’t have to have a stick up your the whole time.” Gongchan’s eyes merely twitched as he used all of his willpower to avoid reaching over the table and throttling the cocky demon boy. However, he regained his composure and sat up straight, attempting to retain some shred of dignity. Haneul jumped slightly as his gaze her, and she saw regret swimming in his eyes. Is he still upset about what I said to him? I haven’t forgiven him yet, she thought with a frown. Still, she had to admit that it was probably unfair to have treated him so harshly, so she decided that she would at least be civil with him.

“How are you liking the school, Gongchan?” she asked politely. His eyes widened considerably, seemingly surprised that she had addressed him at all. He then smiled softly.

“I like it a lot. There are a lot of good people here- with a little riffraff,” he huffed as he glared at the demons. Haneul sighed. They’re all hopeless. You can’t out them all in a room together without them bickering like a group of toddlers! Sandeul, who had been silent during the entire exchange, suddenly perked up like a kitten who had spotted its favorite toy.

“I know!” he explained as he jumped to his feet, nearly knocking over his drink in the process. “We’ll all go out and do something together!” Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at him in incredulity, all of their mouths hanging open in shock; even Jinyoung looked extremely alarmed, breaking his usual stone-cold demeanor. “You guys just need to get to know each other better,” he beamed as he held up a finger to give his address. “Then, I’m sure you’ll get along! It’ll be so much fun!”

“Uh, Sandeul, that’s nice of you and all, but I really don’t think getting these guys together is the greatest idea,” she frowned up at her friend. As soon as they’re alone, they’ll try to kill each other.

“Yeah, I’m down for hanging with Haneul anytime, but why do you have to bring the stick in the mud?” Baro whined as he tossed a pouty expression in Gongchan’s general direction. Jinyoung merely rubbed his temples, not satisfied with the direction the conversation was going.

“I agree with the moron, for once,” Gongchan huffed as he crossed his arms. “It’s not a good idea to have us within twenty miles of one another.” However, Sandeul had made up his mind, and there was nothing in the world the three beings could do to change it. He slammed a hand down on the table as determination blazed in his eyes.

“No way! You’re going, and that’s that! One hour after school, we meet at the public pool! If none of you show up, you’ll be receiving a -whoopin’ from me! Got it?” he snapped as he glared at all of them. Under the intense stare of the suddenly intimidating boy, they slunk down in their seats in resignation. Haneul couldn’t help but giggle. Maybe this will be fun… Sandeul does have wicked powers of persuasion. Maybe they will learn to get along, she thought. They all jumped when a teacher screamed, “Sandeul! Sit down before I send you to the office!” He bristled and hastily obeyed, blushing brightly. The entire table burst into laughter, and he just smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

As promised, Sandeul and Haneul arrived at the public pool an hour after school. Sandeul impatiently flitted across the sidewalk, his head swiveling back and forth as he kept watch for his guests. “Where are they? Where are they?” he whined. Haneul only half-listened to his exasperated whining, peering through the chain-link fence at the pool. It was sizeable, able to hold fifty patrons at a time, with crystal-clear water purified with chlorine. For the time of day, it was remarkably empty, with only a few happy children splashing around in the shallow end of the pool. The pool deck was lined with white wooden beach chairs, shaded by large blue umbrellas. A lifeguard sat bored in his chair, a stack of rentable floats and pool noodles baking in the sun beside him. What a great day to come to the pool, she thought as the sun beat down from above. She had only been there five minutes, and she was already beginning to sweat. She loosened her pool wrap slightly, hoping to release excess heat.

“Hey, Haneul, they’re here!” Sandeul cried suddenly. She whipped around to see a beaming Baro waving from a few yards down the sidewalk, a towel slung over his bare shoulders. Haneul blushed slightly; even from far away, the definition of his muscles was starkly clear. Oh my, she thought absently as she approached, hiding her face. If he noticed, she would simply blame it on the intolerable heat. Jinyoung walked along beside him, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes as he chewed on a piece of gum. Gongchan trudged along behind, muttering under his breath the entire time. “I’m glad you guys came!” Sandeul beamed when they stopped in front of him.

“You think I would miss Haneul in a bathing suit?” Baro smirked with a wink at the girl. She averted her eyes shyly, tightening her wrap in embarrassment. Sandeul’s mother had insisted she wear a bikini, one of her old ones, and she was beginning to regret it.

“Can we just get on with this? It’s hot as Hell,” Jinyoung whined as he fanned his face. You probably know exactly what it feels like, too, she thought with a slight snort. She still hadn’t forgiven him for frightening her earlier.

“Why me?” Gongchan whimpered as Sandeul happily threw open the gate and charged onto the pool deck. With an excited squeal, he launched himself from the concrete, cannon-balling into the clear water. After a magnificent splash, his head popped up from the water, wearing a stupid grin.

“Come on, guys, the water’s fine!” he called merrily before flopping onto his back and back- back and forth across the pool. Baro grinned and ran towards the pool, followed by a despondent Gongchan, but Jinyoung hung back and grabbed Haneul by the wrist as she passed. It was not threatening, more desperate, and when she looked up at him he looked awkwardly away.

“… Sorry about earlier,” he muttered before hastily letting go and walking briskly after his friend. Haneul blinked slightly, then smiled and bounced happily after the group of boys. The apology went a long way, and she was beginning to see the demon in a new light.

Baro dove into the pool with a shout, landing right next to Sandeul and dousing him with water. As he splashed about, spitting water from his mouth, Jinyoung sat down on the edge and stuck his feet in the water, kicking them gently back and forth. Gongchan lurked on the edge, glaring at the two demons, while Haneul sat down on one of the pool chairs to smear sunscreen on her arms. As she coated her skin in the white cream, Baro came paddling up to the edge of the pool, staring at her with smoldering eyes.

“When you gonna take off that wrap and lemme see what you’re wearing underneath?” he purred. Blushing, she ignored him and continue to apply the sunscreen. “Don’t make me come and get you,” he called as he rested his arms on the edge of the pool. His gaze slid to Gongchan, who was glaring icily at him, and with a huff the demon suddenly launched himself out of the pool. He whistled to Jinyoung, who glanced up with an uninterested expression. Haneul ceased what she was doing to watch as the demon and angel squared off. Suddenly, Baro grabbed a pool noodle and yelled, “En guarde!”

“Hey, what the hell?” Gongchan cried as the demon charged him and whacked him on the head with a pool noodle. “Leave me aloooooone!” he whined as Baro chased him around the pool deck. When he got close enough, he snatched up another pool noodle and whipped around to block the next attack. “What’s your deal, man?” he huffed as they began exchanging blows.

“You need to learn how to have more fun!” the demon grinned. Gongchan narrowed his eyes, then cried out in alarm as he was grabbed around the middle. Jinyoung had snuck up behind the angel to grab him around the waist.

“Might wanna hold your breath,” the boy grinned before tossing him mercilessly in the water. While the pair of demons laughed uncontrollably, the angel resurfaced, coughing and spluttering. Jinyoung grabbed one of the foamy noodles before releasing a battle cry and leaping into the water to pounce on an unsuspecting Sandeul. Haneul watched the pool battle with a widening smile, then frowned when the sun was eclipsed by a shadow. Baro was leaning under the umbrella, a smirk on his lips as he prodded her with the pool noodle.

“You aren’t gonna like what happens next if you keep sitting there,” he warned playfully. She swatted the foam weapon away with a laugh, standing up from the chair.

“All right, all right, I’m coming,” she relented with a small smile. Shyly, she removed her pool wrap and immediately was overcome with self-consciousness, and so she wrapped her arms around herself to cover her largely exposed middle. She gasped as Baro, sneaking up behind her, grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms to her sides.

“Why’re you gonna try and hide when you’re so beautiful?” he whispered in her ear. She felt goosebumps travel over her skin as his lips tickled her earlobe, and her heart pounded uncontrollably. He then chuckled softly and released her, unwilling to agitate the group of boys with his antics. He danced around her, lightly tapping her with the pool noodle, and she squirmed under the assault.

“Baro,” she laughed, and he paused his attack to gaze softly at her. Taking advantage of this, she snatched the noodle from his hands and bopped him on the head with it. He rolled his eyes back into his head and pretended to faint, then grinned and grabbed her by the legs. She cried out as he lifted her into his arms, bridal-style, and crowed happily before dashing at the pool. As he launched into the air, she screamed with delight and clutched onto him, anticipating the landing. They landed in the water with a mighty splash, and she was still in his arms when they popped back up to the surface, both laughing. With deafening howls, the three other boys sprang on them with their pool noodles.

They stayed at the pool until the sun set and they were forced out of the pool by a very exhausted lifeguard. As they walked down the sidewalk, wrapped in towels and laughing about their tomfoolery that day, Haneul felt as if there were no boundaries between them; they weren’t angels and demons and humans, but a group of friends with a new understanding of one another. Jinyoung was smiling more than he ever had, and even Gongchan had loosened up, and did not glare once at the demons.

I really hope that today marks a new day, she thought brightly as she walked alongside Baro, their arms brushing against one another’s as they continued into the night.