essence 0.5; yokai have surfaced

Xiyeon lounged back in the sleek black Lamborghini with a slight purple undertone as she watched her eyes faded to a chocolate brown and her hair glimmer to an ombred brunette to striking blonde hair as her eyes sparkled with an enchanting, alluring gleam as the car stopped in front of a neighboorhood. The smell of almonds strong in the air as she pushed opened the door to her car as she heard a thud. She placed one Miu Miu platform sneaker on the ground as she slammed the car door shut as she waved the car off as it pulled off a large house behind the neighboorhood. She took a step forward as her form blew into the wind with a purple haze as she appeared sitting on top of a wall just seeing a pinked haired boy skating down it. "Hello." Xiyeon sang out as she watched Jaemin skate right into the trash can in front of them. 

Jaemin braced himself as he felt a gentle tug on his collar as he didn't hit the trash can only his skateboard. He looked back to the girl standing behind him simply pulling him back. He fixed his jacket as she fluttered her eyelashes as he just blinked at her. 

"Let us get this over, dear Jaemin." Xiyeon started as her shifted then back to her more human appearance.

"What the are you?!" Jaemin blurted as he backed up. "I mean, who are you?" He asked 

"Xiyeon. just shut up and listen." Xiyeon raised her manicured hand, "I can grant your every wish. Travel, Adventures, Pay off medical bills, You name it - but there is one catch. You have to give up your lifespan to me and be my pet when you feel your life fulfilled." Xiyeon almost purred out as her brown orbs glowed a slight purple 

"How? How can you do that?" Jaemin looked her up and down."What do you give you my lifespan?" Jaemin crossed his arms 

Xiyeon let out an exasperated sigh. "You dear ask too many questions." She placed a hand on her hip. "I am a famous yokai, gumiho. You must have heard of all of the dramas made after my glorious kind. I have power - more than you can believe. Just sign this, and all you've ever wanted will be yours. Your parents can cut back on work, your sisters won't have to worry about their next meal or yours, and your sister won't have to worry about how to pay for her college tuition." Xiyeon smiled, "Oh that part. Your curse, sweet one. I want it." 

"What does my curse have to do with anything?!" Jaemin through of the rush of anger coming inside of him when he had told his parents what happened at school today. Then what they told them, but he had enough time to calm down. He sighed as Xiyeon was smirking under her pretty smile. 

"It gives me power. I want that power." Xiyeon held out the contract in front of her. "This binds me to my word." She said as she let him snatch from her hands. 

"You'll protect me from other demons?" Jaemin watched her nod. "What about my friends? They are like me too." Jaemin stared at her as she stared back confusedly as her eyes flared purple. 

"That stupid howl was an ookami. Great, how many are there?" Xiyeon demanded 

"There is six of us," Jaemn said

"Six?! How did the fates screw up so bad they made six blossoms born so close together." Xiyeon shook her head. "Sign it, I only want you, dear. I'll only protect you." Xiyeon watched him read over it as she held out a black stick with purple ink dripping off the end.

"Okay, here you go." Jaemin handed it back to her. "What is an ookami?" He asked 

"A stupid mut that is what he is." Xiyeon rolled her eyes. She took the contract as it disappeared in her hand. "Now about school -" She said

"I am not changing schools." Jaemin said "My friends are there. My sisters went there, and I like it there." He added as he watched Xiyeon sigh.

Xiyeon shook her head as she crossed her arms. "Okay, I"ll go to school with you. I live up there, come by tomorrow morning. I'll give you a ride to school, my dear pet." She walked past him just sliding back his skateboard to him. "Ring this bell if you need me." She threw back a black handle bell as the bell inside was purple. 

"You never asked me my name." Jaemin caught the bell 

"Oh, Jaemin. I've known it this whole time. I don't go into a making a new contract without research." Xiyeon replied as she disappeared back into the wind in a purple haze, leaving Jaemin alone on the street. 

•••

Kitae lounged in a tree branch near the shrine as he pealed a plum in with a black claw looking at his brothers lounging about in the shrine as silly humans placed more fruit in their offering bowl. He rolled his eyes as his beak like teeth took a bite out of the fruit as the red juiced rolled down the sides of his mouth. 

"There is a rumor that a plum blossom is finally ripe." Youngil appeared under his friend just snatching a plum from the three. 

"Boy or girl." Kitae took another bite. Everyone tengu new girls were stronger due to the fact, only tengu could be male - well purebred anyway. 

"A girl around our age." Youngil said, "No one can find her though." He said as he watched Kitae drop his fruit on the ground as he disappeared in a green mist of wind. "Hey, ! Don't just leave in the middle of a conversation!" Youngil cursed, which sounded like loud squawking to the humans around him

Kitae found her. He had been smelling something all day. The same thing he dreamed about the other day. It was tearing him apart that he couldn't pinpoint until Youngil said what he did. He observed her walk next to the male in which he furrowed his brows. Did someone already take what he wanted? He crossed the street effortlessly as he entered the bookstore behind them. 

"You seriously needed me to you to the bookstore?" Junseo teased Yeoreum. 

"It is just - yes." Yeoreum looked around as she hurried off

"Yeah, whatever. What are you so scared of? I am here, your big brother to protect you like Kyunsang. God, grow up." Junseo stuck his hands in pockets as he followed after her. 

Kitae smiled at the useless book in his hands. Brother. Perfect. Kitae casually walked the way around as he listened through the wind for their conversation. He picked up a comic book just starting flip through it as he watched them. 

"Stop teasing me." Yeoreum glared at Junseo. 

"It is my job. Hurry up and find what you want. Mom wants us back by six; she said Kyun has big news." Junseo looked at his phone.

"He better not move out. Who's going to pick me up and take me to at school? I can't walk home or there." Yeoreum nervously blinked at Junseo

"Yeoreum! That ing selfish thing to say to me! I can drive." Junseo snapped at her "Plus Kyunsang has given up so much for you. What is wrong? It is time you maybe rely on me and give him a break." Junseo handed her the book she was too short to reach, "Or find a real boyfriend to take care of you." Junseo grunted as he smacked the chest with a book. 

"Boys don't like girls like me," Yeoreum said 

Yeoreum. Her name is Yeoreum. She's pretty so why doesn't she think so? Kitae thought as he watched him as he watched them banter some more as Yeoreum looked at him just shifting between trying to get around Junseo and pushing him. Why was she so nervous and anxious? Kitae looked up to see a ghoul coming down. Kitae waved his fingers behind his back as the ghoul dodged knocking over a bookcase as Kitae hurried as he grabbed the bookcase as Yeoreum screamed just burrowing herself in her knees as she was whimpering. Kitae held up the bookcase with one hand as he gripped his fingers closed as he strangled the ghoul in the air as he then lifted the bookcase up as Junseo thought he helped. 

"Thank you," Junseo said as he bent down next to Yeoreum. "Piglet, it is okay. It is gone. You're okay." Junseo patted her back 

Kitae picked up the books Yeoreum wanted as he waved his fingers as the fallen books went back into their places. He waved his hand as dark forest green handkerchief appeared in his hand as he handed it to Yeoreum who had stood up. "Here, I am sorry that thing scared you," Kitae said to her as Junseo had gone to get a staff worker to complain and maybe get her books discounted. He could smell her, and he couldn't breathe because she was so close to him. He felt her fingers slip over him as she took the handkerchief as she held back out to him, "You can keep it." 

"You can see them too." She whispered as there was a scared notion in her tone and worriedness of talking to him.

Kitae nodded. "It can be our secret." He gave a half smile, tiring to make her feel better as he looked her over to see the fading bite marks and scars from other monsters. She had been ripe for a long time. No wonder she was so scared all the time. She wasn't even wearing a protection item - must have stopped working.

"Come on, Piglet. We have to go." Junseo said 

"Here you are." Kitae held out her books. 

"Thank you." Yeoreum took them, "Thank you for helping me. I'm Yeoreum." She hurried her heel as she was right back at Junseo's side as he strung an arm around her shoulders just patting her side. 

"Kitae." He answered as he could see the forest green peeking out of her jacket. He smiled to himself as he rubbed his fingers together where she had touched him. He found himself basking in the sun back under his tree just keeping her scent in his memory and thinking of his plan of action to get close to his honey.

•••

Hyejoo had been smelling something that smelt a lot better the food trucks and stalls that she had smelling all morning and afternoon up in her tree that she was resting in near her shrine. Her shrine was tiny of an offshoot of the bigger one that was owned by the bird brains. She only had a shrine near theirs due to the face some princess of hers down the line way back when married a bird king to make a treaty, and that only lead her people to be on the bottom of the hierarchy and mass death of her kind for their selfish needs. She peered at a boy talking to a ghost. 

"No, I want to help you. You shouldn't have to alone all this time without your family." Minjae said as he was holding hands with a young ghost probably around eleven or twelve, "To be honest, it would be my honor to help you move on. I couldn't sleep well last night knowing you were out here suffering all alone." 

Hyejoo scoffed at the boy's naive knowledge as she studied the ghost child as it was merely a lost soul. She breathed in as she got that orange smell so much stronger as the boy walked straight into her shrine with the child as they sat across from each other. She listened to them talk as Minjae was playing jacks with the child just talking and having a good time. She watched as the young spirit glowed a soft orange as it disappeared as Minjae smiled. "You are one of them." She looked at the basket of oranges and painting of the famous orange tree back home. There hasn't been an orange blossom since that princess married that winged idiot. Hyejoo smiled as she was stupidly lucky to find one as naive as him. She appeared in the shrine through a soft golden glow as Minjae had already left as she looked to see an older moon rabbit putting out new flowers. 

"It is good to see you having some ambition again." The older rabbit spoke as she inspected the harvest in the bowl as she picked it up "Do not let the tengu know your final game plan, Hyejoo. Some of them will not like it." She said as she handed the other girl an orange.

"I know. We've always been seen as the lowest of the low, and everyone wants to keep it that way. But, think if we restored our blossom lineage and took back the orange blossom - wouldn't that be great for us?!' Hyejoo said 

"Power is not everything, Hyejoo. Though, yes. It would be nice. You need to watch that boy." The other one said as they both looked at the larger shrine "Do not let them steal the orange this year. They've already taken too much, and plus a new marriage has been arranged." She added 

Hyejoo nodded as she was unpeeling her orange. "I won't. You can count on me, moon goddess." She frowned at the idea of one of her brothers or sisters being shipped off next doors. She watched the other disappear in a golden glow as she ate her orange just thinking of what to do next. 

•••

Joon watched Somin walked down the streets of Seoul as he had finally tracked her down from her parents home. She was carrying a bag of groceries just earbuds in her ears as she was ignoring many of the spirits around her due to the glowing bracelet around her wrist - but it couldn't get rid of the smell that was coming off of her. He landed gently on his feet as he followed behind her just making sure she wouldn't notice him following her. He couldn't believe that she was just walking around out in the open like this. The stories that he had heard from his clan members were that they would keep the blossoms locked up in towers or away from society, but times have changed. 

"Are you following me?" Somin spun around as Joon quickly snapped as he disappeared as to make it look like that Somin was simply just talking to herself. Somin shook her head as she could have sworn someone was following behind her. She looked at her phone as she changed the song just walking into a cafe just going back into the area where the employee goes into. 

Joon walked into the cafe just making himself visible again as he calmly waved his hand at his side as he was now carrying a teacup and pot to a table as he watched Somin walk out with an apron and notepad as she walked behind the big ordering counter where all the machines were as he wondered why someone like her would even want to work at all. Joon leaned back in his chair as he sipped on his tea just letting his senses go into kitsune form as he could listen in on what Somin was saying. 

"I am sorry, Yena. I am going to be late tomorrow. I have an advising appointment with my counselor at school." Somin looked at her 

"Okay, thanks for letting me know. It is okay; I can cover for you." Yena patted her shoulder. "I mean you weren't even scheduled for today." She added 

"I know. I had to get out and do something. Plus something weird happened at school and nevermind sorry. I'll start cleaning the dirty stuff in the sink." Somin said as she started to clean up the mugs and teacups that were in the sink. She looked over to Joon who was simply looking out of the window just watching her reflection in it. 

"Can I get you something?" Yena asked Joon as he turned to look at her 

"Yes, you can. I see you have a special of peach-infused green tea. I would like that." Joon flipped his fingers as he illusioned enough money to pay for it. He handed it to Yena as she nodded. Joon watched as Yena made the tea as she looked over to Somin. 

"Somin, can you go give this to him." Yena handed her a tray. 

"Sure," Somin answered as she took it just going over to Joon's table. "Here you are, enjoy." She said 

"I will, thank you," Joon said as he watched her go back to cleaning. In time he would surely enjoy more than just peach-infused tea - but whole blossom its self. Once he was done with his tea, he got up just leaving the cafe. He walked down the street just appearing on the rooftop of the building across it to watch Somin and wait until she left work to follow her home. 

•••

Seohyun had been watching Sangwoo a few days ever since that ghoul attacked the group and she had known that Sangwoo was the apple blossom as he smelled so much like the crisp trees that would grow around the lake that she was made at. She sighed as she watched him cleaning some computer screen as they were closing up for the night. Seohyun waited out in the shadows as she could hear the owner of the computer cafe telling Sangwoo to get on home before it was too late. She watched Sangwoo exit the shop just having his backpack on his shoulders. She watched as he was looking at his phone as she walked down the street. Seohyun would watch out for things in his way just moving them with the water in the air or any liquid substance around them. 

"Mom, I'll be home soon. Don't wait up for me, just go to sleep. You have to work tomorrow. I know, I am sorry that we couldn't have dinner together but I had to work another shift." Sangwoo sighed to himself

Seohyun sighed as she looked at a few shadowy figures hanging around. She appeared behind them in a soft haze of mist as she placed her hand on them as they turned into mist just going to back to the spirit plane. She spotted Sangwoo staring in her direction as he shook his head as he kept going. She sighed as he started walking again as watched him make it home as she turned around to leave just bumping into someone. 

"You're still following him?" Jaehyun asked as he looked at her 

"Yes, I am. Someone has to make sure that he is okay until we properly meet. I thinking about tomorrow at school. He spends a lot of time on the roof." Seohyun said as she kept walking 

"You know what he is?" Jaehyun asked 

"Of course I do." Seohyun said, "Why do you ask like that?" She asked him

"A lot of people will want what is inside of him," Jaehyun said 

"Are you included in that?" Seohyun asked 

"No, I've had my blossom and loved it too." Jaehyun said "I never wanted power. I promise you there are far more amazing things a blossom can give you beyond power." Jaehyun looked at her 

"Like what?" Seohyun asked 

"Each one is different. You have to bloom them to find out." Jaehyun said, "Anyway, I only came to find you to tell you that the family is having a ritual meeting in a few days - you should come." Jaehyun said 

"I will try." Seohyun looked at him. "Is it to protect the orchard?" She asked as she watched Jaehyun nod. "I'll be there then." She said as she nodded to herself 

"Good. I'll see you then." Jaehyun disappeared in his own haze of mist. 

Seohyun sighed as she misted her small apartment just grabbing a bowl from a high shelf with water already inside with apple slices and apple blossoms petals inside as her fingers glowed as her bowl of water turned into a looking glass to keep an eye on Sangwoo at home. She sat down as she didn't know what she was going to do with Sangwoo.

•••

Dongwoo sniffed the air as he was waiting outside of the school gates as Nayoung was walking with Eunbi. He smiled to himself as he could the sakura blossom smell coming from her as he could see the light pink wave of aroma coming off of her. He walked behind them just staying far enough back from them so that he wouldn't look too weird. 

"Nayoung, why do you always have to get into fights? I wasn't bothered by what she said." Eunbi said as she looked at her 

"Because no one is going screw with us again! I hate bullies and jerks like that, you know this! I won't let me run over us." Nayoung linked their arms as they walked "Now, what should we do today?" She asked 

"Well, I have a family event tonight. My mom invited some people over so I can't do anything. Sorry, I was trying to tell you this when launched your attack." Eunbi said 

"Really? Oh okay, I can just get some food and head home." Nayoung said, "See you tomorrow." Nayoung waved as she watched Eunbi head in a different direction. Nayoung kept walking as she stopped by a shop just getting take out as she looked back to see Dongwoo carrying his own takeout bag just smiling to himself. "Hey!" Nayoung snapped as Dongwoo titled his head, "Are you following me?!" 

Dongwoo shook his head. "No. Why do you think that?" He asked 

"Because I saw you outside of school and nowhere." Nayoung glared at him.

"I am not following you," Dongwoo said as he looked at her. "I don't even know you, but I'm Dongwoo. I am transferring to your school that is why I was there. My mom was getting the paperwork done." He said, "My family lives in this building too." Dongwoo snapped his hands as he held up a key. 

"Okay, well welcome to the neighborhood. I'm Nayoung." Nayoung said as she started to walk in the complex as he followed behind her. Nayoung sighed as she turned around. "Can you stop? Just wait here for like five minutes. It is weird to go home with someone I just met." Nayoung said to Dongwoo was she walked to the elevator. She entered just disappearing in the elevator.

"I think it is weirder to think I actually live here." He said as he disappeared in the apartment he tricked and made sure he had as he looked around as he waved his arm as furniture appeared as he had back in the demon world expect a lot more modern looking. He sat down at his table just starting to eat thinking about how he would befriend Nayoung.

 

Author's note: Hey everyone! here is the yokai's intro! I hope that you guys like it!