It's been awhile, I know.

--

"Come a little closer." the devil whispers, pulling Jihoon close to his chest. The smaller looks up and is met by Seungcheol's intense gaze, his eyes are now a pair of ruby red color. Jihoon gulps but keeps his eye contact with the devil.

A glowing huge pentagram materializes underneath their feet, Jihoon flinches as he can feel the heat radiating from it. The devil holds him in place and wraps his arms around Jihoon's slender waist. Jihoon blushes at the sudden skinship.

"Close your eyes and tell me your wish. Do not open your eyes unless I told you to. Do not do anything unless I give you my signal." the devil commands and Jihoon instantly obeys. He closes his eyes and feels his heart beating against his chest. It suddenly becomes quiet and Jihoon can hear even the smallest rustle of their clothes as it is being blown by a wind without an origin.

"I... I want to see my family." Jihoon breathes and he can feel the shift in the air. An overwhelming power engulfs him and he didn't dare open his eyes. He can feel Seungcheol's breathing gracing above his head and murmuring enchantments that Jihoon cannot grasp.

The devil spreads his palm and a paper materializes, the contract. An invisible force causes the paper to suspend in the air and through the devil's enchantments, the ray of light seemingly starts to on their own as the second wish is being written.

I, Lee Jihoon, is willing to give my life, my soul and my humanity to the devil who I summoned in return of favors which are stated below:

1. The devil will disguise as a human and will be my friend.

2. I want to see my family.

Then it all becomes quiet. The rustling sound and the blowing wind become silent. Jihoon cannot feel the warm arms embracing him anymore, it is gone. He is now alone and Jihoon knows it. He absentmindedly hugs himself and is waiting for Seungcheol's instruction to open his eyes. A cold breeze caresses his body and he wants to cry. For an unknown reason, he wants to cry.

Then Jihoon feels it, a soft yet warm lips against his. The familiar warmth that he first felt when he was reborn by the devil's power. The intruding lips move against his and Jihoon mirrors it, shakily holding onto the devil's arms. Jihoon squeezes it lightly causing the devil to groan against his lips and Jihoon momentarily forgets the real reason why he is in the devil's embrace in the first place.

"Open your eyes."

Jihoon opens his eyes and instead of seeing Seungcheol in front of him, he sees people.

His parents who died 15 years ago are standing in front of him. Bewilderment and shock are written on his parents' faces. Then it melts into a loving gaze that causes Jihoon to sob. His mother starts to cry against the chest of Jihoon's father who looks at Jihoon with intensity.

"M-mom. D-dad."

Jihoon's tears cascade down his pale cheeks, blurring his vision. He wants to run to them and hug them and never let go but he can't, not until the devil gives him the permission to. Jihoon covers his mouth with the back of his hand to stop the hiccups from coming out of his mouth.

"Go." a faint but audible voice whispers against his ear and Jihoon didn't think twice and runs towards the waiting arms of his parents.

"Mom! Dad! I miss you!" Jihoon is enveloped by the same passion and love that he felt when he's younger. The same hug that the three-year-old Jihoon had known and the adult Jihoon had come to miss. The same body heat that lulled Jihoon to sleep. The open arms that are always waiting for him. They feel so real, it's like they never died in the first place.

"Jihoon! Baby! We miss you too! You've grown a lot!" His mother cups his cheeks and stares at his eyes. Jihoon can't help but chuckle at his mother's choice of words.

"When I last saw you, you were like... Two feet? And now look at you! You've grown taller and transformed into a fine young man!"

"Honey, it had been a couple of years since we died. Of course, Jihoon will be a grown man now." Jihoon's father squeezes his shoulder. Jihoon looks at his father. He really looks like his hyung just as he remembered.

"Where's hyung?" Jihoon's eyes wander around the couple and at their back but his father's frown and his mother's biting of her lower lip tell a lot. He's not with them.

Jihoon's parents take a step back and they look so afraid. Jihoon doesn't need to peek behind him to know that his devil is now standing so close to him. Probably towering him and looking so monstrous. A beautiful monster.

"J-Jihoon?"

"Its okay Mom. He's the reason why I was able to see you." Jihoon smiles and his mother smiles in return and eyes the devil, murmuring something that the devil never thought in his entire immortal life to hear from a spirit he picked suddenly from the purgatory, "Thank you."

"Five more minutes, Jihoon." Seungcheol states and the newly reunited family understands. They hug once again and mumble apologies to each other. Especially from the part of Jihoon's parents.

"I'm so sorry that we aren't able to be with you. We know it's so unfair to leave you like that. A three-year-old boy who doesn't even know what is the difference between right and wrong. You needed guidance but we weren't able to give it to you. We're so sorry Jihoon."

"No, mom, dad. Please don't apologize. Nobody wanted that to happen and I know there is a reason why it all happened." Jihoon's mother wipes her son's tears away. She nods and purses his lips. Jihoon's father soothingly caresses his son's back.

"Jihoon, a minute left." the devil murmurs and Jihoon tightly hugs his parents. Wanting the moment to last forever, wanting the moment to never cease.

"It's time, Jihoon. We need to go. We're very happy to see you well. Always take care of yourself, be brave and never stop believing. Always remember that we are watching you and guiding you and loving you. We love you, Jihoon." Jihoon's father says, for the first time since they met again, he sheds a tear.

"I love you too, dad, mom." Jihoon can feel the previously warm bodies he came in contact a few minutes ago turn into cold ones. Jihoon feels the bodies slowly disintegrates and he can still clearly see in his mind his parents while they are holding each other and with satisfied smiles on their faces as they change into nothing but smokes.

Jihoon feels like breaking down. It's happening again. Him, all alone. Him, sad all of a sudden. Him, that nobody wants. I'm scared. Jihoon is about to cry when he feels a strong and warm pair of arms cages him from the back.

"Don't be sad, Jihoon. I'm here."

With the devil's velvety voice, Jihoon breaks down but not because of sadness but because of relief. Jihoon knows that he'll never be alone again, he doesn’t need to cry alone and he will never be sad and scared again. He has Choi Seungcheol beside him. He has a devil who is always behind his back.

The devil snaps his fingers causing the human in his arms to slump forward and lose his consciousness.

The devil carries Jihoon in his arms, thinking to himself, this is just the beginning, Jihoon. Hold on tight.

†††

"Thank you." Jihoon airily whispers as he enters the kitchen where the devil is preparing breakfast. Wait. The devil can eat human food? As a matter of fact, I haven't seen him eating anything since we lived together.

"I can eat human food."

Jihoon gasped and a hint of betrayal graces his eyes.

"Hey, I didn't read your mind. It's not my fault that you're always talking out loud." The devil smirks and Jihoon blushes deeply. Seungcheol walks past Jihoon as he secretly smiles at the human's reaction.

"I think I made a lot. If you want, you can have some."

Jihoon meekly follows.

Just a few months ago, this room is just an empty space. A cold and hollow place where a certain no one is residing. A living, breathing human who doesn't have any idea where to go. But now, here he is, in the middle of his own living room eating with a devil. Lee Jihoon never expected that his life will turn out this way.

"So, you remember it all?" the devil asks, midway of his chewing.

"Yeah. It's kind of hazy but I can still remember." Jihoon drags his words as watches the devil chews his food and the way the devil's Adam's apple bobs up and down as he gulps his coffee makes Jihoon feel tingling inside. The devil meets his eyes.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get to meet your brother." Seungcheol holds Jihoon's stare.

"No, it's okay." Jihoon sighs and smiles sadly.

"Maybe it's not yet time to meet him. But, I am very thankful for all your help." Jihoon reaches for Seungcheol's hand which is resting on the table and the devil stares at it. Jihoon notices what he had done and quickly retracts his hand.

"How did you find my parents? Are they in..." Jihoon's mind conjures all the bad scenario in his head. The worst is that, his parents are in hell all along and suffering and his chest clenches in pain.

"Do not worry, they were not in Hell. They were staying in the purgatory, waiting for their turn to know where they will go, heaven, hell or back to earth." Jihoon felt like a big weight is lifted off his chest.

"I heard after our meeting they went straight to heaven."

Jihoon smiles at that. He knows his parents deserve to be there.

"But how did you get to bring their souls here?"

"As what I had said, they were in the purgatory. Purgatory serves like a waiting room for the souls. If the goodness they did outweigh the badness they will go to heaven and vice versa. If the supreme judge wants you to go back to earth because you still have a mission not yet fulfilled then you will be reborn, reincarnated. Since it's like a waiting room we can walk in and out of there."

Jihoon's brows meet.

"So you get to always meet angels there?"

Seungcheol nodded. He observed Jihoon as the human eats his meal quietly. The Jihoon in front of him is far from the Jihoon with the violet eyes. It's true that they have the same face and body but the Jihoon in front of him is full of youth and innocence. The Jihoon in front of him cannot even hurt a fly. The Jihoon in front of him is the much humanized version of the real Jihoon inside of him who is oozing with confidence, full of knowledge and power, full of mystery and secrets

"You didn't get to meet my brother there? Where do you think is he?"

"There are hundred possibilities."

"I hope he's fine wherever he is."

†††

"How's school?"

"Don't ask."

"I heard you went to that Lee Jihoon's house."

He smirks as he tosses his bag on his bed.

"Yeah. It was fun and I was able to meet someone who I never thought I would meet there."

"Who?"

"The first born prince of Hell."

"Interesting."

"It looks like he was bounded to Jihoon."

"To Jihoon? This is going to be fun."