Haneul glanced up from her position on the bed, belly-down on the soft mattress with her feet kicking lightly in the air as she lay reading a classic fantasy book that Sandeul’s mother had loaned her. She clapped it shut, not bothering to save the page, for she had read it three times already and was beginning to grow quite bored of it; however, she had read all of the other interesting books in the house five times over, so there was little for her to do to appease the monotony. Sandeuls’ brown-haired head popped out from behind the door as he pushed it open; she rolled onto her back and hopped off the bed to greet him, smiling cheerfully.

“Hey, Sandeul. What’s up?” she asked brightly. He regarded her with slightly surprise, looking her up and down. She had gotten dressed despite the fact that it was a weekend, even bothering to do her hair and a little bit of make-up. The soft fragrance of perfume wafted off her skin as she crossed the room to stand in front of him. “Hey, is something the matter?” she asked when she noticed his peculiar expression.

“N-no,” he refused instantly. “I just was coming in here to check on you, but you seem to be doing fine,” he frowned.

“Yeah, I’ve been feeling a lot better since I had that appointment with the counselor. I go see her again next week, so hopefully she’ll agree that I’ve made some progress!” she smiled brightly. In truth, she had felt a difference; she was beginning to care less about the students discussing her incident and the gossip they spread about her, and was taking the teachers up on their kind offers while she deals with her grief. She was also beginning to feel less sad and hopeless, and hadn’t had any nightmares about the murder-suicide in four days. She was beginning to think that she was on the fast-track to recovery.

“Well, that’s good!” Sandeul beamed as he flopped down on her bed and picked up the book she had been reading. As he perused the back cover, he asked innocently, “So what’s changed? I mean, what did she say to you that was so enlightening?” Haneul blushed slightly as her eyes flashed to the black feather hanging on the back of the door.

“Um, she said I needed to find a hobby. You know, channel my energy into something else,” she answered evasively. “That’s why I’ve been reading so much. Unfortunately, I’ve run out of books to read, and the library at school doesn’t have that great of a selection either,” she moped. Sandeul rolled onto his back and set the book on her bedside table.

“Why don’t you go to the bookstore?” he suggested. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and tossed it to her, smiling softly. “Take some money and go buy yourself a book or two. Think of it as a gift from me for doing better!” he grinned as she moved to protest. Pursing her lips at his insistence, she reluctantly removed a small stack of bills from his wallet and then tossed it back to him. He returned it to his back pocket and propped his arms behind his head. “Honestly, I thought Baro might have had something to do with your sudden recovery,” he remarked. Haneul’s cheeks flared red, and he raised an eyebrow at her. “… Does he?” he asked slowly.

“I-I mean, he’s a good friend and he cheers me up,” she responded quietly.

“Do you like him?” Sandeul asked eagerly as he sat up straight.

“No,” she lied.

“You do!” he snickered. Angered, Haneul grabbed a stuffed teddy bear from the end of the bed and threw it at his head; Sandeul caught the fluffy projectile and hugged it, grinning knowingly at her. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about! He seems like a pretty good guy, even if he does act like a ert,” he sniffed, wrinkling up his nose.

“He likes to tease me. I don’t think he would ever do anything weird,” she answered in the demon’s defense. She flushed under her friend’s light interrogation, but she could not deny the way her heart was pounding and the butterflies in her stomach at the mere mention of the demon boy. “… I guess I do kinda like him,” she admitted shyly. With a squeal, Sandeul jumped off the bed and wrapped her in an affectionate hug.

“Awe! My Haneul is blossoming into a young woman!” he laughed as he rubbed his cheek against her head. She squirmed in his grass, protesting meekly.

“Hey, Sandeul, cut it out! It’s not serious!” she whined. He released her from his grip, smirking down at her. “Besides, he probably doesn’t even like me,” she pouted. Of course, she wasn’t quite sure about that; in fact, she was highly certain that Baro did have some kind of feelings for her, and that was why he came around so much. However, she wasn’t sure about the nuances involved in a human-demon relationship, and so she didn’t want to give Sandeul any ideas about him setting her up with the boy. “Just keep it on the down-low, okay?” she pleaded.

“That’s no fun!” he whined and stuck out his tongue at her. “But, if that’s what you want, I’ll refrain for now… But if anything happens between you two, I have to be the first to know! Deal?” he demanded. Haneul giggled and nodded in consent, and he patted her lightly on the head. “Good! I have stupid math homework to do, so I’m afraid I can’t join you in your trip to the bookstore. I’ll see you when you get back!” he smiled cheerfully as he exited the room. Haneul folded up the bills and stuffed them into her pocket before retrieving her shoes and exiting the house.

The pool day had been the last burst of summer, it seemed, as the leaves on the trees were beginning to grow bright shades of orange and yellow and brown. Quite a few of them had been plucked from the dead branches already, and were dancing in the cool wind as Haneul walked along the sidewalk. The air was crisp and cool, carrying a hint of decaying leaf on the breeze, and overall it felt quite pleasant. The birdsong was muted, many of the species having begun migration in preparation for the oncoming winter, but Haneul enjoyed the relative silence as she made her way into town.

During the winter months, tourism in Daeyang screeched to a halt, so there were very few cars she passed on her commute. It was also quite late in the day, and the sun was setting as Haneul arrived in town. There were even fewer people, only a few local residents walking into town to run small errands. A few recognized Haneul and called cheerful greetings to her, and a few offered condolences for her loss; she chatted amiably with them for a few minutes before continuing on her way. She arrived at last to the book store, a small corner shop with hanging flower pots by the door and old wooden walls with peeling paint. It felt quite quaint, and when she opened the glass door, a little bell signaled her arrival and the smell of old paper and bindings flushed into her senses. She breathed in deep, smiling as she stepped into the small store.

It was stuffed with mahogany bookshelves, lining the walls and standing in columns all the way to the back of the store. A few children clustered around a brightly-colored display of children’s books, reading aloud while their mothers and fathers looked on. An old man, presumably the shopkeeper, hovered at the cash register reading a thick, leather-bound volume. Haneul bristled as she felt something furry brush against her leg, and she glanced down fearfully; she relaxed when she realized it was only a cat, a silver-furred creature with big blue eyes. It meowed at her, rubbing its head against her leg, and with a giggle she reached down to pet it.

“Aye, now that’s a sight,” smirking the old man from behind the counter. Haneul looked up to see him gazing at her from over the edge of the book with wise eyes surrounded by wrinkles. “Ol’ Kimchi there doesn’t let just anyone pet her. You’re a lucky lass,” he smiled. Haneul looked back down at the cat, who was purring loudly as she scratched it behind the ears, and smiled softly.

“She’s such a pretty cat,” she remarked with one final pat before straightening up and continuing down the dusty aisles. The cat padded quietly along behind her, her tail flicking as she watched Haneul peruse the shelves. She hopped onto a shelf as Haneul reached up to pull a dusty tome down, purring and butting her head against the girl’s hand as a signal to continue petting. “You really do like attention, don’t you, Kimchi?” Haneul laughed as she relented, petting the cat with one hand and grabbing the book with another. She propped up her knee and balanced the book on top, reading the first few pages of the old fairy tale to see if it piqued her interest.

Haneul jumped as Kimchi suddenly released a savage hiss, and the girl hastily brought her hand away from the cat in fear that she would attempt to bite her. However, the cat was not looking at Haneul, but a point just beyond her shoulder; the girl fearfully peered around as a shadow fell over the aisle. A man stood at the entrance, his features darkened by intense shadow, but Haneul felt the malcontent rolling off him in waves. She slowly clapped the book shut and tucked it under her arm, retreating further down the aisle. When she turned the corner, she made a mad dash for the front of the store, hoping that the light and presence of the store owner would dissuade the mysterious figure from action. She trotted up to the counter, looking around warily, but the strange man had vanished. Kimchi hopped onto the wooden counter, her paw and drawing it over her ear as Haneul nervously set the book down.

“Is this all for ya, little lady?” the old man asked as he rang up the book.

“Yes. I’ll finish it soon enough, so I’m sure I’ll be back here soon!” she laughed anxiously. Whenever that strange man is gone… I didn’t even get to get a good look around! She frowned. She paid the old man, and he slipped the book into a small paper bag for her with a cheerful farewell. Haneul patted Kimchi lightly on the head before exiting the store.

However, leaving the small shop provided her with no relief. It was dark now, with only a crescent moon and weak stars to light her way. She felt the dark presence following her, dancing in the shadows; every time she looked behind her, however, she could not see anyone there. She was beginning to consider hiding out in a crowded restaurant and calling Sandeul to retrieve her when a hand darted out of a dark alleyway and clamped down hard on her wrist. Before she could scream, the other closed around , and she was pulled roughly into the darkness.

Haneul wriggled violently in the stranger’s grasp, managing to loosen up her elbow enough to slam it into her attacker’s ribs. With a pained grunt, he released her roughly, and Haneul stumbled into the dirty brick wall. She whipped around to face the mysterious man, expecting it to be Jinyoung, here to collect; however, though her attacker was indeed a demon, it was one she had never seen before.

“Man, you’re a lot feistier than I expected,” the man spat at her, dark brown eyes flashing. He had large grey wings, dark like ash, with greasy black hair that flopped over his eyes. He was also dreadfully pale, wearing black leather that made his skin shine white in the dark. Uneasy, Haneul pressed herself against the brick and attempted to ease her way back to the light.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Better yet, who sent you? I’m not giving up my soul, so you had better just keep walking, buster!” she snapped as she crept along the wall. However, the demon matched her movements, planting himself directly between her and the exit of the alleyway.

“You ask a lot of questions,” he remarked darkly. “Frankly, I’m not obliged to answer them. I just happened to make a pretty good deal that includes me getting your nice, pure soul, free of charge, without any trouble from those blasted angels. So come here and just hand it over, girl, before I have to hurt you!” he snapped and lunged at her. Crying out, she grabbed a nearby trash can and flung it at the demon, allowing her time to dash down the alley. Despite his evasiveness, the demon had still told her something useful. Someone wanted her dead, and was willing to use demons to do it. But who? She thought, panicked, as she ran over the uneven bricks.

“Oh, no!” she gasped and slid to a halt. Her feet slipped over the moss growing in the dankness of the dark alley, provided by the leaking pipes in the backs of the two adjacent buildings. She had reached a dead-end, closed in by a brick wall nearly ten feet tall. She whipped around as footsteps resonated from the darkness, and a snicker bounced across the walls, echoing around her as she stood paralyzed with fright.

“Little girl, where are you?” called the demon quietly. Haneul faced the wall once more and dug her fingers into a crack in the mortar, easing one foot onto a loose brick. Slowly, she began climbing up the masonry, scrabbling for holds as she desperately attempted to put distance between her and the monster. Suddenly, there was the sound of metal whistling through the air, and she screamed as a dark obsidian dagger slammed into the brick only centimeters from where her hand was reaching for the next hold. She lost her grip on the brick and went falling back to the earth, landing on the wet brick a few feet down. As she pushed herself up into a sitting position, she froze with fear as the demon’s face appeared inches from her own.

“Found you,” he purred. He snatched her neck in his hand, lifting her clear off the ground. She grabbed weakly onto his hand, attempting to pry his fingers free and struggling to breathe. Her heart beat so loud that she was sure he could hear it, and tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She kicked at his chest, but her feet bounced off harmlessly as the blows grew weaker. The edges of her vision blurred as she began to lose consciousness. “There, now that you aren’t so keen to fight back any more,” he smirked, lowering her so his eyes stared mercilessly into hers. Haneul felt the familiar dizziness washing over her, her limbs growing limp as the dark magic worked away at her nervous system. “Now, girl, will you give me your soul? I promise, I’ll make it quick,” he whispered as he brought her face close.

“I-i…” she stammered. She bit down on her tongue, stopping the answer threatening to spill from . No, I can’t! she thought frantically.

“You’re stubborn,” he sniffed and tightened his grip around her neck. She gasped as her wind pipe constricted, and she gulped for air, crying. “Just give in already. No one’s coming to save you, girl,” he laughed as she struggled in his grasp. Just as Haneul was ready to give in, the demon cursed loudly and dropped her. Haneul fell roughly to the ground, and she instantly gasped for breath, clutching her bruised throat. Blood splattered the ground from the gaping cut on the demon’s arm, and he looked around angrily in the darkness. “Who’s there?” he demanded.

“You know, it’s scum like you that give demons a bad rap,” came the taunting voice from the dark. It danced around the alleyway, its origin unclear. The demon spun around in a circle, breathing hard as he attempted to discern the location of his attacker, and spat on the ground. “Let the girl go, and I won’t have to kill you.”

“She’s mine! Back off!” the demon growled angrily and ran up the wall to retrieve his weapon. He landed with a thud, hunkering close to the ground as his dark eyes flashed. Haneul had begun crawling across the ground, desperate to escape. “Oi, you stay,” the demon muttered and stomped over to plant his foot in her back. Haneul screamed in pain, pinned under his weight. “I’m not through with you.” However, while he was distracted with Haneul, his attacker made another move to strike. The demon went sailing through the air, slamming into the brick wall with enough force to crack the stone. As he stumbled down, Haneul felt an arm slip beneath her own and gently lift her to her feet. The arm then wrapped securely around her waist, holding her up while the other threateningly pointed a dark obsidian sword at the man who had tried to steal her soul. Soft, red-brown feathers brushed against her shoulder.

“Jinyoung!” she gasped in surprise. The demon smirked down at her, amused by her reaction.

“Surprised to see me?” he teased. “Baro would get pretty mad if I just let you die, you know,” he mused. He then returned his attention to the stumbling demon, who was lashing out with his knife clumsily.

“No way! She was promised to me!” the demon babbled, on the edge of lunacy. “Did those harp-playing, halo-wearing bastards double-cross me? Damn them!” he roared and lunged at Jinyoung. Not breaking a sweat, Jinyoung parried the blow and sent the demon reeling. He kicked the dagger from his hand, sending it skittering across the brick floor; he then punched the man in the head, and with a grunt he slammed down into the brick, his head bleeding from the blow.

“You don’t want to look, Haneul,” he murmured as he twirled the sword in his hand so it was pointing directly over where the man’s heart would be. Haneul averted her gaze, burying her face into Jinyoung’s chest. There was a scream, and a gasp of breath, and then everything was silent. She peered down to see nothing but a pile of dust where the demon’s body should have been. It was blown away by the wind, carried off into the night. Jinyoung sighed heavily and tucked the sword into the sheath hanging from his belt, then looked down at Haneul with a complicated expression. “Uh, you aren’t hurt, are you?” he asked awkwardly and stepped away from her.

“No,” she answered, but her knees were still knocking together so violently that she lost her balance and Jinyoung had to grab her once more. He frowned down at her, unsure of himself. “… You saved me. Thank you,” she smiled weakly up at him. Despite his abrasiveness, Haneul was sure now that Jinyoung would never hurt her.

“Ugh, you’re welcome, I guess,” he flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Normally I wouldn’t care, but Baro would be pretty upset if I just let you get hurt, so…” he trailed off.

“Why did that demon come after me? I’ve been doing better, or so I’d thought…” she frowned as Jinyoung glanced down at the few remaining fragments of dust.

“Someone bought him out,” he spat. “An angel, it seems. They can’t kill humans, so one of them circumvented that and hired a demon to do their dirty work.”

“Why would an angel want me dead?” Haneul asked.

“Someone obviously doesn’t like you hanging around Baro, and they’re crazy enough to try and kill you to draw him out,” he frowned, glancing up at the sky. A single, white feather floated down, landing in his outstretched palm. “Things are about to get really complicated,” he huffed, closing his fist around the white feather and crushing it.

I hope Baro’s all right, she thought anxiously and looked up at the sky. It was empty, full of glittering stars. Jinyoung then gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the alleyway, walking her in silence all the way to Sandeul’s house. After Sandeul had completely freaked out, seeing the bruises on her neck and the story about a stalker than Jinyoung had concocted, Haneul had retired to her bedroom, exhausted by the events of the day. She stared silently at the black feather on the door, watching it sway slowly back and forth as the air vent blasted air into the room. Baro… Please be okay.