Later that day, Haneul lay face-down underneath the embroidered red comforter, curled up in a ball as she stared blankly at the black feather through a small gap in the blanket. Rather than returning to school and facing more misery, she had trudged alone back to Sandeul’s home, surprising his mother. Thankfully, the woman asked no questions and even prepared her a hot cup of tea before Haneul had disappeared into her new bedroom and secluded herself in the room, wrapped in the security of her mother’s memory. She had allowed her mind to wander on many things, but her train of thought always returned to the dealings of angels and demons, to whether Baro was truly evil or not and whether Gongchan had truly betrayed her. The answers were not as forthcoming as she would have liked.

Haneul stirred and raised her head slightly as a soft knock echoed from the door, and Sandeul stepped into the room with a complicated expression. He walked over to her desk, setting a small stack of papers on the wooden surface and unloading the books she had left in her locker from his bookbag. He then crossed the room to sit down on the edge of the bed; in response, Haneul merely pulled the comforter over her head, embarrassed by her own weakness.

“Perhaps it was too soon,” he sighed to her, shaking his head. “Do you want to take a few days off? I can get your assignments for you. The school will understand,” he offered.

“It will always be too soon, Sandeul,” came the muffled reply. “It will always hurt, and so I’ll always be weak.”

“Haneul, you are not weak for being affected by the death of your mother,” Sandeul sighed heavily, pulling the red comforter back from her face to stare at her determinedly in the eyes. He reached down to gently her hair, just like he always did when Haneul came to him after a particularly bad incident and broke down in front of him. It brought her little comfort this time around, and she just buried her face further into the pillow. “I understand that you’re in pain, but-“ At the remark, Haneul suddenly reared up with a furious expression, forcing the confused Sandeul off of the bed.

“Understand? How can you of all people understand? You’ve always been happy, with your perfect home and your perfect parents and your perfect life!” she screeched, pointing accusingly at him as tears streamed down her cheeks. “My mother is dead! My home is gone! My life is falling apart, and I can’t piece it back together when everybody is just sitting around pitying me! I am not crazy!” she shouted, throwing a pillow across the room. It slammed into the door, knocking the black feather from its hanging place. Suddenly, all her anger melted away, and the sudden urge to replace the feather to its perch came over her. She slipped out of the bed, walking past the startled Sandeul to gently pick up the feather and hang the string on the hook. She then released a loud sob, sinking to her knees and leaning her forehead against the door.

“Haneul?” Sandeul whispered, hesitantly taking a few steps toward the volatile girl. She felt immense regret for yelling at him, the one person in the world who understood her better than anyone.

“I’m so sorry, Sandeul. I didn’t mean it, I’m just… I’m falling to pieces, and I can’t hold myself together for much longer. I don’t know what to do. I’m trying to be strong, like I always have, but I’m not strong enough for this,” she whispered hoarsely. Sandeul crouched down beside her, wrapping his friend in a tight hug. Haneul allowed herself to break down then, and she buried her face into Sandeul’s chest as she wailed in frustration. He remained silent as she forced herself through the crying spell, and when she had finally calmed down enough he pulled back and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” he began, gently her hair. “Get help, Haneul. There’s no shame in seeing a professional to get through this. I’ll even go with you, if you’d like,” he offered. Haneul sniffled and nodded in agreement, finally aware that she could no longer lift the heavy burden from her shoulders by herself.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do that, Sandeul. I’ll see the counselor at school, and if that isn’t enough, I’ll even go to a psychologist if I have to,” she conceded, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Sandeul smiled in relief, standing up and helping her to her feet. She made to return to her cozy bed, gasping when her friend held her firmly back.

“Oh, no. You didn’t think that I was just going to let you crawl back into bed, did you? No, you and I are going for a little walk to clear that head of yours and put a smile on that face,” he smirked mischievously, waving his hand dismissively as the girl began to complain. “No ‘but’s’! Get dressed!” he demanded, giving her one last emphatic glare before grinning and exiting the room to let her dress in peace. With a heavy sigh, the depressed girl perused her closet and finally decided on a pair of form-fitting blue jeans and a loose cardigan. She trudged downstairs where the eager boy was waiting on the couch, and when she hopped down from the last step he jumped to his feet. “Mom, Dad! I’m taking Haneul out; we’ll be back later!” he called down the hall before merrily leading her out of the front door and down the sidewalk.

“Sandeul, where are we going?” she sighed as she walked alongside him, her arms crossed. She certainly felt better compared to earlier, but she had not recovered enough to entertain trekking across Daeyang for the sake of it.

“We’re going into town to do some things,” Sandeul answered evasively, smiling down at her. He nudged her with his elbow encouragingly. “Come on! If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me?” he begged, poking out his bottom lip and looking at her like a pleading puppy dog. Unable to resist “the face,” she sighed and nodded relentingly. Her friend grinned happily and looped his arm in hers, humming beside her as he led her down the concrete paths. His happiness was infectious, and by the time the pair reached the business district, Haneul found herself in a much more content mood with a small smile on her lips.

The weather was quite nice, with the afternoon sun shining brightly down from the sky and casting the town in a gentle warmth. A soft breeze rolled in from the nearby beaches, bringing the smell of salt with it. The air was filled with the hum of conversation and the sound of purring car engines as both tourists and natives alike strolled the sidewalks, shaded by regularly placed trees. The storefronts buzzed with activity, as people perused gift shops, department stores, pet shops, food markets, and a host of other locally owned stores. Here and there were placed small cafés, casual restaurants, and fine dining venues that featured outdoor seating along the flower-lined streets, where couples and friends chatted happily as they ate. Upon taking in the spectacle, Haneul realized that she had not been into town for quite some time, and that it was a nice change of pace.

“Well, you brought me here. What are we going to do first?” she asked, then blushed as her stomach growled loudly. She had not eaten since before school that morning, and it had just dawned at her that she was intensely hungry.

“Guess that answers your question,” Sandeul laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders, guiding her to the a nearby noodle shop that they had frequented together many times in their long friendship. They ate their fill there, giggling as they slurped at the noodles and made up ridiculous stories about the people strolling by the large window that overlooked the street. A richly dressed woman with a small dog peeking out of her purse walked haughtily by, and she and Sandeul imagined that she was the heiress of a billion-dollar company, but she was visiting Daeyang to visit her secret lover and run away with him to escape an arranged marriage. Two young teenage girls, twittering away on their phone, strolled past, but the pair gossiped that they were secretly spies of the government, having undergone plastic surgery to make them look younger and sniff out secret drug rings in high schools. A young man with a leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet walked past, but Haneul and Sandeul supposed that his toughness was all an act, and that he was actually a gentleman with a heart of gold who read to old people and saved kittens who climbed too high into trees.

After having their fill of noodles and entertaining tales of passersby, the pair of friends exited the restaurant and descended back onto the busy streets, eager to find their next destination. Haneul spotted a new ice cream shop on the corner, and with glee the pair ran inside and came out with towering cones covered in a menagerie of delectable toppings. As Haneul happily nibbled at the ice cream, she gasped as a hand closed around hers, pulling the cone away.

“Well, fancy meeting you here, Haneul,” Baro purred as he popped a piece of chocolate from the top of her cone and dropped it into his mouth. “You have good taste; can I have a ?” he teased and stuck out his tongue.

“I can’t get a moment’s peace with you, can I?” she cried, jerking the cone back with a huff. Baro tipped his head back with laughter, and Haneul was disappointed to find Jinyoung standing behind him with a rather annoyed expression. Both were in their human disguises.

“Uh, Haneul, do you know this ert?” Sandeul asked, glaring at Baro as he stepped defensively close to her side. Haneul sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose before taking a bite of her ice cream before Baro could descend on it.

“His name is Baro, and this is his friend, Jinyoung,” she introduced through a mouthful of the creamy substance. “I met them, ah…” she fell silent, unable to come up with a decent lie so quickly. After all, she couldn’t tell Sandeul the truth- that the pair of boys were demons bent on devouring her soul.

“I met her through her mother. My mother was a client of hers, ordered a lot of dresses and such, and I was often sent to pick up the finished products. I grew to know Haneul quite well. It’s a shame, what happened,” Baro explained smoothly, not missing a beat as he threw an arm around her shoulder. Sandeul seemed unconvinced and glanced uncertainly down at her.

“Is that so? Funny, she never mentioned you,” he frowned, staring intensely at Baro’s arm slung casually about her shoulders. Baro made no move to retreat, and Haneul felt quite uncomfortable between the obvious rivalry that was occurring.

“I suppose I never got the opportunity to talk about him since we never talked about my mother’s work,” Haneul replied hastily, hoping that would be enough to satiate the boy’s concern. The cover seemed to appease him, and Sandeul shrugged before addressing the pair of boys once more.

“Well, if you are friends of Haneul’s, why don’t you join us, then?” he offered. Haneul struggled to suppress a groan, as having the demons joined her and Sandeul on their jaunt around Daeyang was the last thing that she wanted. Baro himself would not have bothered her; in fact, she may have even enjoyed his company, all flirtatiousness aside. It was Jinyoung that concerned her, as the only contact she had ever had with him was on the night he and Baro had attempted to steal her soul, and it was no secret that he was the rougher and, most likely, more dangerous of the pair.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun, doesn’t it, Jinyoung?” Baro grinned, glancing gleefully over his shoulder at his moody friend. Jinyoung just snorted and muttered, “Whatever, Baro,” obviously displeased at the sudden turn of events. Baro, however, was all smiles, and turned back to Sandeul with a happy grin. “Thanks for the invitation. I never get to spend any time with Haneul,” he pouted, smirking as he ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she hissed to the demon to where Sandeul couldn’t hear.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, doll face,” he purred back, relinquishing his grip around her shoulders.

“I have a great idea!” Sandeul suddenly exclaimed. “Haneul, why don’t we go shopping in the department stores? It’s been ages since you’ve gotten any new clothes,” Sandeul offered. The girl glanced down at herself to find that the boy was right; the clothes she was wearing were at least three years old, and fit her more tightly than they should. Her sneakers had definitely seen better days, and she spotted a hole forming on the tip. Slightly embarrassed at the realization, she blushed and looked away as an even more embarrassing fact came to light.

“Sandeul, I don’t have any money,” she mumbled.

“Then we’ll treat you,” Baro smirked from behind her. “Isn’t that right, Sandeul?”

“Yeah! Friends buy friends gifts,” the other nodded eagerly. Haneul sighed heavily, unable to fight the decision the boys had come to. She knew that when both of them got an idea in their heads, she would be unable to sway them. “Come on, then! To the department store!” Sandeul cheered before shoving half of his ice cream cone in his mouth and marching off down the sidewalk.

“Do you even have money, Baro?” Haneul asked lowly as she walked alongside the demon.

“Of course. What do you think we do with the money people have on them when we steal their souls?” he grinned mischievously, pulling out a wallet thick with cash. dropped open in shock.

“You steal their money?” she exclaimed, hitting him in the shoulder as a form of reprimand.

“It’s not stealing if they’re dead, Haneul!” he laughed, swatting her arm away and returning the wallet to his back pocket. He laughed once more before walking ahead, falling into conversation with Sandeul. While she pondered the idea that she would be getting clothes with dead people’s money, she felt a hand close tightly around her arm, and she looked up to see Jinyoung glaring down at her.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing at with Baro, but don’t forget what we are and what we want,” he warned darkly. The girl swallowed nervously, jerking her arm free of his tight grip.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Baro is the one who keeps following me around. You both should just give up; you’re not getting my soul,” she huffed determinedly.

“That’s what you think,” he snarled before walking ahead, leaving the uncomfortable Haneul trailing behind. The warning was pushed to the back of her mind as they walked through the glass doors of the department store, a massive two-story building stuffed with all manners of designer clothes and shoes. The escalator led to the second floor, which contained the home goods section; Sandeul beelined for the girls’ section, pulling Haneul happily along as he babbled on about the various outfits he was planning to try with her. They zipped through the racks of clothes, and poor Haneul became buried underneath a mountain of tops, bottoms, and dresses that Sandeul picked out.

“He really likes fashion, doesn’t he?” Baro mused as he plucked the armful of clothing items from her, easily throwing the articles over his shoulder.

“Yes, very much so. He wants to be a fashion designer,” she explained, watching in amusement as Sandeul paused to comment on Jinyoung’s fashion choices, much to the demon’s disgust.

“What do his parents think of that?” Baro asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, they’re quite alright with it. They just want him to do what makes him happy,” she answered. Baro remained silent and only nodded, and opened his mouth to ask her another question. However, before he could speak Sandeul popped up in front of them and grabbed the girl by the arms. Haneul gasped as she was suddenly spirited away to the dressing rooms. She was then left alone in the stall with the mountain of clothes, with Sandeul bleating at her to hurry up and come out so he could see his handiwork.

One by one, Haneul walked out of the stall in the various outfits that Sandeul had chosen to get the boys’ opinions. Sandeul was very vocal, prattling on about color choices and fabric possibilities and what went right and wrong; Baro offered the occasional remark, commenting on how well it accented her features and figure, and she was mildly surprised to find that he kept his lewdness to a minimum, and she actually felt quite flattered with all that he had to say. Jinyoung remained largely silent, only muttering vague comments when Baro demanded his opinion, and Haneul was relieved that he offered no insult, seeming not to care whatsoever. After about an hour of a what seemed like a fashion walk, she finally walked out in the last dress, a simple light blue one paired with some white flats and a bow in her hair.

“Well? What do you think?” she asked nervously. The boys had descended into a shocked silent, and even Jinyoung looked mildly impressed with her look.

“We have to buy that! You are not walking out of the store without it!” Sandeul cried, running over to her so he could get a closer look. “You look simply stunning, Haneul- stunning!” he giggled with glee, pleased at his own genius. Haneul blushed and glanced over at Baro, who was staring at her with his mouth hanging open. As her gaze fell on him, he jerked and struggled to regain his composure.

“It looks nice,” he coughed uncomfortably.

“Looks nice? Looks nice?” Sandeul cried incredulously. “That doesn’t even begin to cover it! Haneul should be on the cover of a magazine!” Sandeul’s rant became lost on her ears, however, for as much praise as he showered on her, it paled in comparison to the shy little statement that Baro had just uttered. She blushed darkly and swished the fabric of the dress about her knees, staring at her feet as a pleased smile crossed her face. Even long after they had bid the demons farewell and returned home laden with bags, Haneul could not get the demon out of her mind, and she felt the happiest that she had for as long as she could remember.