Fire. That was all I could see. Feel. Everything was burning and I was stuck in my own body, unable to even move.

After about ten minutes of utter suffering, I finally managed to open my eyes to the light of the sun shining right in my face as I forgot to close the curtains the night before.

I closed my eyes again and searched blindly for my blanket, which I must've thrown off my body subconsciously to escape the heat. After I couldn't find it, I lazily tried to get up but then immediately flopped back down onto the bed due to the sharp pain in my head.

Ah . Hangover. 

Vague flashbacks came to me from last night. Of low lights and loud music. Sweaty bodies and weird shapes.

I stayed down until I felt a tiny bit better and then got out and staggered to my bathroom, struggling through the headache.

I quickly took some painkillers and aspirin before brushing my teeth.

Least I didn't barf all over like last time.

After taking a much needed shower, I felt much better and less dirtier and I groggily made my way to the kitchen in my moderate two room apartment.

Where the is Lisa?

I opened the door to my best friend's room and saw her sprawled on bed with Jisoo, her girlfriend. If I wasn't feeling so goddamn hungry, I would've stopped and took a picture because of how cute they looked.

I was smiling as I walked in my kitchen.

"Damn, you really live like this, huh?" Came an unfamiliar voice. 

I stopped in my tracks and saw a girl standing in the kitchen, rummaging through my fridge.

She straightened up and looked right at me and I gasped.

Her pupils were completely red and slitted. She had a bored, lifeless look in her eyes.

"Wh-who the ...."I managed to sputter out.

"Excuse me? Well, that's quite rude. You invite me yourself and don't remember?" The girl said with a lazy drawl.

"I...what....I never...I don't...." I kept staring at her, unable to form a coherent sentence as she looked at me expectantly.

Finally, she rolled her eyes and sighed. Mumbling something about being done with the human race.

"Rosé, right?" She asked.

I don't know why but the way she said my name sent a shiver down my spine.

What the . Could you stop being gay for just one moment, Park Chaeyoung?

"Y-yeah. Why?" I asked.

"Oh gosh. I think you need to sit down for this." She said, making herself at home, sitting on a stool at the island and gesturing for me to sit as well.

I tentatively walked over to her and sat down one stool away.

She noticed this and chuckled, shaking her head.

"I don't bite." She said, grinning, giving me full view of her unusually long canines.

"Not on the first meeting anyway."

Then she winked. And I didn't know whether it was just the after effects of the hangover but I felt myself getting impossibly hot again.

"But anyway. I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. Basically, I'm a demon. You summoned me last night in a drunken haze and now I have to be with you for two months, doing whatever you wish."

I stared at her for a moment. One, two....

Then I started laughing. I laughed so hard I almost fell off the stool.

She only looked at me, confused.

"A d-demon...." I said through gasps of laughter. "Ahhh that's a good one."

I wiped a tear from my eye and sat up straight.

"Okay. You tricked me. Ha ha. Now tell me, which one of those idiots paid you to do this?" I asked the 'demon'

"I mean, it can't be Lisa. She's not smart enough to think of that. Or actually, she may be. Her mind works wonders if she's trying to prank someone."

I watched the girl's face become more and more confused as I kept talking.

"Umm you're misunderstood. I really am a demon. And I cannot be paid to do silly biddings for humans."

"Uh huh. Sure, Jan." I said, ready to go and give Lisa hell for going to such lengths just to mess with my head.

Then I felt that feeling again. The extreme sudden hotness. I suddenly felt way too hot in the thick hoodie I was wearing.

"What--"

"Do you feel that? That's my power. Not even a fraction of it. But enough to prove to you that I'm not human, yes?" She said, slightly smirking.

"Jesus ing christ, STOP!" I yelled, the heat getting to me, feeling like it was gonna swallow me whole.

The suffocating feeling stopped almost immediately and I took a huge gulp of air, feeling overwhelmed.

"Wh-what do you want from me?" I asked the girl, the demon.

"I've told you. You summoned me. I am to serve you for a month. Your wish is my command I suppose." She responded in a bored tone.

"Is that so? Then I relieve you of this....this.....whatever the heck this is. You're free to leave." I told her, massaging my temples.

"Ahh but you see, it doesn't work like that. If I don't go through with this, then not only am I going to be punished, you're also gonna be put under some kinda curse. So yeah, backing out now is not an option."

"What the . What if---"

"And no, you can't just order me to leave you alone as part of my duty. I have to be with you all the time. It but it's all on you." She said, the subtle accusation not lost on me.

"Oh Jesus...."

"Indeed."

*****

"Wow. Oh wow. You're really dumb, has anyone told you that?" Jennie, the demon, said as I told her I had absolutely no memory of summoning her due to the fact that I was utterly wasted last night.

I glared at her as I took some aspirin to ease the growing headache I was having, which just seemed to be increasing because of the current situation.

"I mean, even when drunk, who actually tries to summon demons??? Who told you that would be a good idea?" She continued.

"Look, I don't know, okay? It's the last weekend before we have to officially start going to college so naturally I got stupid drunk. Sue me." I said, going over to the living room and planting face down on the couch, which did not help my headache at all.

"Stupid drunk is right."

"Don't try to get me mad. Demon or not, you won't like me when I'm angry."

"Bold of you to assume I'd like you anyway." Jennie replied coolly, taking a seat on the couch, lifting my outstretched feet and putting them on her lap.

"Whatever." I mumbled against the couch fabric as she started massaging my sore feet, which I admit, felt extremely good.

I let out a quiet moan of approval as she continued her massage and I felt the room grow hot. It was only for a few seconds and then it went back to normal again. 

Weird...

"Chaeng....what's for bre--" Came Lisa's sleepy voice before she seemed to stop in her tracks as she most probably noticed the strange girl massaging my feet.

"Oooo did Park Chaeyoung finally manage to get a good lay?" Lisa said in a teasing tone and I groaned as the heat returned full force. It didn't seem to affect Lisa at all though, since she was still laughing at me.

"No, Lisa. Meet Kim Jennie. My own personal demon slave." I said in a clipped tone, still not bothering to get up from the couch since I was feeling too good with the massage Jennie was still giving.

"That's not offensive at all." Jennie said.

"Wait wait what??? Demon?? What's going on?" Lisa said, walking over to the living room and casting a cautious glance at Jennie, who grinned at her expense.

"Oh boy. Sit down, Lisa. And don't freak out." I said, finally sitting up.

*****

"WHAT?!?!?"

"I told you not to freak out."

"There's an actual real life demon in our house, Chaeng. How are you not freaking out?" Lisa said in a high pitched voice, moving to sit besides me on the couch, apparently shielding herself from the eyes of Jennie, who just seemed bored of the whole thing.

"I don't know actually. I've just accepted it now." I said shrugging, meeting Jennie's eyes and the hotness returned for a split second before going away.

"Oh and Lisa? Could you do me a favour and fill Jisoo in about this whole....mess?" I said, tilting my head back and leaning against the couch.

"Damn, how many of you live here? Are y'all broke or something?" Jennie asked.

"None of your business, demon slave." I said lightly, not having the energy to be all that agressive at the moment.

"So wait. You have to do whatever we tell you to do, no matter what it is?" Lisa asked, still half-hidden besides me.

"Not you. Only Rosé. Perhaps not everything but....yeah." Jennie said, squinting her eyes  suspiciously as she saw Lisa wickedly grin and raise her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Alright then. Chaeng, could you please ask your demon slave to make a cup of extra strong coffee for me?"

I rolled my eyes and Jennie scoffed unbelievably.

"Go wake up your girlfriend, Lisa."

"Yeah Lisa." Jennie said, hostility laced in her tone and posture, which I found to be quite amusing and adorable.

Lisa shrugged her shoulder and walked back to her room, but not before giving me another wicked grin.

A few seconds passed in silence, me massaging my temples and Jennie sitting there, ever-bored.

"You know, on second thought, I think I really could use a cup of coffee right now."

Jennie let out a groan but went to make it nonetheless, mumbling something about stupid and lazy humans.

"Hey! I heard that!"

"Cry about it."

"Fine then. Make it three coffees."

" you."

******

"So what you're saying is, murder is definitely not up for discussion."

"Yes, Jennie. Absolutely not."

"Ugh so lame. You're no fun." She said, pouting.

"If it keeps you out of potentially going to prison, then yes. I will forever be no fun." I said, lounging on the couch, browsing through Instagram.

"But that idiot human laughed at you and called you names. Just because you accidentally wore two different colored socks to school. Aren't you infuriated? Don't you want to rip his head off?" Jennie asked incredulously.

I sighed and closed my phone.

"It doesn't bother me anymore. They will do what they do and the more I let them see that they get to me, the more they'll keep doing it."

"So it does get to you!"

"Of course it does! But what am I supposed to do? Tell the teachers? So that they can hand me yet another anti bullying leaflet and tell me to be more careful?!? You think they care that their precious trust fund brats are being racist s?!?"

I could see Jennie's eyes growing wide with astonishment as I went on. But I was on a roll and it was impossible to stop me now.

"All they care about is the constant stream of cash donations they get from the filthy rich parents of the board." I scoffed then. "As if they'll care about the well-being of one pathetic student over the thousands of dollars worth money they get every month."

At this point, I could feel the tears b beneath my eyelids as I willed them not to come out.

Jennie just stood there, staring at me with an open mouth, until something changed in her expression. I saw it go from shock to brief sadness and then to pure untamable anger.

"Jennie, don't do an--"

"I'll be back."

"No, wait!" I called out as she practically jumped up from the couch.

I got up and grabbed her hand to stop her from doing something stupid in her blind rage. However, I was unaware of just how much force I used since I promptly lost my footing and fell back down on the couch with Jennie in tow.

She fell face down on top of me and had both of her hands on my shoulders. My hands subconsciously moved down to her hips in an effort to steady her and not let her fall off the couch.

She lifted herself up after a few moment and we were face to face and I felt a wave of heat wash over me. I felt my neck getting extremely hot and I hoped my face wasn't as red as it felt.

"Uhh....s-sorry I didn't mean--"

"Do you really not care about what those kids do to you?" Jennie interrupted, staring at me intensely, as if trying to catch me lying.

I sighed.

"No, Jennie. I really don't. What they think of me is nothing compared to how the people that actually matter to me think. I don't care about their opinion. I've got you guys, don't I?" I said truthfully, staring back to convince her.

"Okay." She said, half getting up from her position so she towered over me, her knees and hands on either side of me.

"I'd kill for you. You know that right?" She said innocently, tilting her head as if genuinely curious.

"Yeah but uh let's not."

She shrugged before completely getting off of me. Picking up my legs, she put them on her lap as she casually switched on the T.V. and started browsing through the channels, muttering about how boring human entertainment was.

I was still laying there, breathless as my mind kept going back to how Jennie felt against me, her hands, her eyes on me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, not liking where my thoughts were going as she gently rubbed my feet with her warm hands.

Get a ing grip, Roseanne Park.

I eventually fell asleep like that, my feet being massaged by Jennie as I thought about her. And me.

Us.

****

"What if I rob the bank? That'd surely give us enough money to pay the stupid rent. Or better. Move to a much nicer apartment." Jennie suggested.

We were all gathered in the living room, discussing ways in which we could earn money to pay this month's rent.

"No, Jennie. Don't rob the bank." Jisoo said.

"Don't rob the bank, Jennie. Don't poison the school principal, Jennie. Stop stealing from flower shops, Jennie. Gosh you guys really are no fun to be around."

"Why do all your ideas of fun involve breaking the law? Why can't we just go wash some cars or something?" Lisa said.

In the few weeks that we've spent together, Jisoo and Lisa had grown quite attached to Jennie. As for me.....well. It would seem I had grown just a bit more than attached to my little demon slave.

"Why'd you wanna steal flowers anyway?" Jisoo asked.

Jennie seemed a bit taken aback at the question and spluttered a bit before saying.

"They were for this one." She gestured to me, rolling her eyes before continuing. "She was still sulking like a child about the whole bullying thing and I wanted to get some flowers to cheer her up or whatever."

She avoided eye contact with me after saying that and I wanted to hug the life out of her.

Jisoo and Lisa gave each other knowing looks, putting on almost identical satanic smiles before staring at Jennie.

"What? I read it in that stupid handbook about being nice that Rosie gave me. And it worked! Hurrah." Jennie said defensively, seeming to shrink even further into the sofa after saying that, opting to look up at the ceiling rather than either of us.

"Rosie." Lisa over-exaggeratedly mouths at me, wiggling her eyebrows and I threw a pillow at her.

"Anyway, about the rent...." I spoke up, hoping to divert the topic.

"Oh! I just remembered. Irene's parents recently opened a small café in the mall. Maybe we could work part time there." Jisoo said.

"Hmm I guess that's our best option right now. Could you hit Irene up and ask her about this?" I asked Jisoo.

"On it."

"Soooo in celebration of us not being potentially kicked out of this apartment, let's have a drink or two." Lisa said.

"NO! Last time we did that, we ended up with....this." I gestured to Jennie.

"I am literally the best thing that has ever happened in your boring little life. Don't even try to deny it."

"Okay buddy."

****

"I went to the toilet for five minutes and you managed to break some guy's nose AND get fired." I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples in a futile attempt to prevent the on coming headache.

"What? I didn't like him. He gave me bad vibes." Jennie said, putting her apron on the counter.

"That dude wolf-whistled when you bent down to clean a table earlier." Irene said from behind the counter, taking the apron and seeming amused by this whole situation.

I stared at Jennie who suddenly seemed to be in a lot of hurry to get out of the café.

"You ing idiot." I muttered before grabbing her wrist and sitting her down at a corner booth.

"Don't you dare move from there."

I came back with the emergency first aid kit to tend to Jennie's bleeding hand that she tried and failed to hide from me.

I placed the kit on the table and Jennie moved further inside the booth to give me space to sit down.

I gently took her hand and started fixing it up.

"You know, you don't have to protect me all the time. Defend my honour and all that crap. I can take care of myself." I said softly.

"I know you can. But you don't, do you?" She replied.

"That doesn't mean you have to do it for me. You're here to do what I tell you to, right? I'd never ask you to do that."

"I know you won't. That's why I did it."

I sighed as I finished bandaging up her hand. I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles before slowly bringing them up to my lips and placing a tentative kiss on them.

I heard her take in a sharp breath before I felt the familiar hotness again. I'd gotten used to it by now. I almost welcomed it.

"Just.....be careful." I said, looking up at surprised eyes. "Okay?"

Jennie nodded slowly, as if in a daze.

I smiled and patted her hand before going back to the counter to collect my tips for the day. It hadn't even been a full minute before I heard a loud crash behind me. I looked back to find Jennie on the floor with the contents of the first aid kit all around her.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that day.

"What did I just say, Jennie?"

"I-Im sorry. I'll clean it up." Jennie said, hastily picking up the supplies.

Seeing her so flustered was definitely a moment that I wanted to savour but she seemed to be really struggling so I sent an apologetic smile to Irene before going over to help her.

"Gosh, what's with you today?"

I went on picking up the supplies, not noticing how quiet and still Jennie had gotten until I was completely done.

"Jen?"

"It's the 24th in two days." She said, looking off into space.

"Uhhh yeah I guess. So?"

She only shook her head before rushing past me and out of the café.

"Jennie! Jen, wait!" I called after her but she just kept on going.

"That's not even the right way!"

She didn't stop.

****

Half an hour later, I was at the apartment that seemed to be eerily quiet, which was odd. Usually, it'd be filled with laughter and yelling from either Jisoo or Lisa. Sometimes both at the same time.

"Guys?" I called out.

No answer.

I slowly made my way to my own room, which I had been sharing with Jennie during the time she's been here.

I opened the door to see Jennie sitting atop the window sill, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Why is it so dark in here?" I said, fumbling for the light switch.

"Oh sorry, hold on, let me set something on fire." replied Jennie.

Normally, I would've rolled my eyes and said something witty back but there was something off about her tone this time.

I decided to leave the lights off as it was and walked towards Jennie, sitting in front of her on the window sill.

I watched her for a while, taking her in. It was the night of a full moon and I was mezmerized at how soft the moonlight was making her seem. She tried so hard to be all hard edges but in the few weeks I've known her, I'd realized just how gentle of a demon she was.

"Jen? Would you mind telling me whats wrong?"

Jennie didn't reply for a while. She just kept staring out the window as if she didn't even hear me. Then she let out a long sigh and looked at me.

"You don't remember?" She said in a tiny voice.

In all the time I've known her, I'd never heard her sound so.....vulnerable.

"Remember what, Jennie?" I said tentatively.

"Its gonna be two months soon."

"Two mo--" Then I realized.

And my heart sank.

"Oh."

"Yes."

We both sat there on the window sill for god knows how long. Lost in our own thoughts.

Jennie went to bed first. Saying a small goodnight before wrapping the duvet around her body in what looked like a warm cocoon.

I stayed there for a while longer. Processing everything. Trying and failing to picture my life without Jennie.

The annoying way she rolls her eyes for the smallest of reasons. Her incessant teasing. The way she always protects me, even if I tell her not to. Especially if I tell her not to.

I realized with a jolt just how much my demon slave meant to me. So much that life without her seemed......empty. Colourless.

Not wanting to depress myself by thinking about it any longer, I changed my clothes and got into bed.

Jennie was sleeping soundly and I found myself memorizing every single part of her face.

The long lashes around her cat like eyes, her perfect little nose that I wanted to kiss, her round pinchable cheeks.

I had a sudden urge to reach out and touch her face, like I wouldn't get any other chance if I didn't do it now.

Against my better judgement, I shifted slightly closer to her and gently her cheek, careful not to wake her up.

I traced my thumb over her cheekbones and moved down to cup her cheek.

Inevitably, my eyes went to her seemingly soft plump lips and I wanted nothing more than to just kiss her. Tell her not to leave.

Make her mine.

But I knew I couldn't do that. At the end of the day, Jennie was only here because she has no choice, not because she desires it.

I grazed her bottom lip with my thumb as I was lost in thought.

I didn't even notice when Jennie's eyes opened.

I came back to reality when Jennie moved just a bit closer to me and I looked up to see her eyes boring into mine, switching between both my eyes, as if searching for something.

In that moment, I felt as if nothing else existed in the world except us. Jennie was looking at me with such intensity, I felt like I was going to burst into flames at any moment.

"Rosie..."

I vaguely noted that my hand was still on her cheek and my thumb on her lips.

I sighed and placed my forehead against hers.

"Jennie."

We fell asleep like that, foreheads together, her hand on my waist and mine on her cheek. Hearts beating in sync as the world fell apart around me, feeling like I was about to lose a part of my own heart.

*****

When I woke up, Jennie wasn't there. I laid there on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

This time tomorrow, Jennie would probably be out of my life forever....

I got up and quickly went to the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when I bumped into someone and would've fell, if not for the hand holding the wrist.

"Rosie!!!" Jennie yelled.

She was standing there with a knife in her hand, wearing my stupid hello kitty apron and looking utterly adorable.

"You could've been stabbed, !" She scolded, sitting me down on one of the stools.

I was still in a sleepy daze as I looked up at Jennie, who was waiting for me to say something with an eyebrow raised.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have the most soulful eyes in the whole world?" I said, smiling lazily.

Jennie's instantly went red as her eyes went wide and she started sputtering for a reply.

"Wh--you--how could you be flirting me with when you just nearly died?!?" Jennie exclaimed, going back to her cooking, which was starting to smell really good.

I chuckled as she mumbled profanities under her breath.

Cutie.

"Go take a shower, Park." She said, not even turning to look at me, too preoccupied with what I was sure was her infamous kimchi fried rice that I oh so loved.

"Jeez okay okay."

***

We ate the rice together in silence.

The only thing Jennie said to me was about how nice I smelled.

After lunch, we lounged on the couch, watching whatever was on the T.V.

I knew that we were just postponing the inevitable, neither of us willing to talk about it.

It didn't help that we were alone together either. Lisa had texted saying Jisoo was missing dalgom, her dog, so they decided to visit him at Jisoo's parent's house. They ended up just sleeping over since they lost track of time and Jisoo's mum was unwilling to send them alone so late at night.

"Soooooo...." I started, sitting up. "This is it, huh?"

Jennie froze for a second before turning off the T.V. and facing me.

"Yeah, I guess."

I closed my eyes and sighed, shaking my head. Then I went over to sit besides her.

"I'm gonna miss you." I said sincerely, with a pinch in my heart at my own words, only now fully understanding how much I meant them.

"I mean, this was always gonna happen right? No need to get all emotional about it." Jennie said.

"Stop crying then."

"I'm not." She said, furiously wiping at her cheeks.

"Jennie..." A stray tear made it's way out of my eye too and I forced myself not to completely break down.

I took her face in both my hands and made her look at me.

"I didn't think this mattered so much to you." I said.

"You shouldn't have assumed." She whispered, placing her own hand against my own.

I don't know who leaned in first. But the next moment, we were kissing. She had her hand on the back of my neck and I pushed her until her we were laying on the couch.

Everything was growing hot and I had half a mind to wonder what the hell we were doing.

I knew this was never gonna go anywhere but I couldn't bring myself to stop. I've wanted her for so long. She seemed like an impossible dream I had no hopes of achieving but now she was here. In my arms, kissing me senseless. Gently nipping, biting.

I remembered our how we met then. How she said she didn't bite, not on the first meeting.

"We're baaa---OH MY GOD!!!" Lisa's loud voice was heard along with a slamming of a door.

I was so startled I fell off the couch, while Jennie was still laying there. Both of us were panting, our faces undeniably red.

Lisa had probably run off after witnessing what we were doing and I didn't blame her.

"Well, that just happened." Jennie said, still catching her breath.

"Huh."

Jennie peeked over at me and I stared up at her.

I let Jennie's familiar heat wash over me as she moved down to lay besides me on the floor.

"What are we doing?"

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but realized that I had no idea. I didn't know what we were doing. I didn't know what was gonna happen, how everything was gonna turn out.

I didn't know whether I'd ever be able to let go of her.

I looked over at her and found her already looking at me. I intertwined our pinkies together and decided right then, looking into her eyes, that if she was going away, then I'll make damn sure that she fully knows just how in love with her I am.

I kissed her slowly, gently, with as much feeling as I could muster. I kissed her repeatedly, over and over, addicted to how her lips felt against mine.

"Stay."

"Rosie---"

"No. I'm serious. Stay here. With me." I stood up, picking Jennie up as well. "What's gonna happen if you stay, huh? Are they gonna come for you? Is it forbidden?"

I knew how desperate I sounded but I didn't care.

Jennie avoided my eyes and bit her lip.

"I don't belong in your world, Rosie."

"But you're here aren't you? You can just stay on as.....as my friend. Not as my demon slave."

"Hmm? Do you kiss all your friends like that?" She asked teasingly. "Explains why Lisa and Jisoo keeps hanging around you all the time."

"Ugh, Jennie! Now's not the time!"

"I know I know."

She took both my hands in hers and placed a soft kiss on my palms and I felt my knees grow weak.

"I will try to stay on. For you. But if they summon me....." She paused, looking into my eyes. "I will have to go back. You have to understand that."

"Then I'll just summon you back!" I said indignantly and she chuckled as a fond smile graced her lips.

"You better." She whispered before grabbing me by the waist and kissing me again.

****

"So you just stayed??? And they didn't even notice??" Jisoo was asking Jennie as we lay around the living room couches. Everything felt okay and normal again and I was absolutely esctatic about this new turn of events.

"I mean, they would obviously notice. I guess they just didn't care." Jennie shrugged.

"Wow. So does that mean you're gonna stay here forever???" Lisa asked.

"Uhh yeah. As long as you'll have me." Jennie said, uncharacteristically shy as she tucked her hair behind an year.

Jisoo and Lisa looked at each other for a while and then simultaneously cheered and hugged the life out of Jennie.

"G-guys.....can't......breath."

I laughed and Jennie gave me the stink eye as I playfully winked at her.

I didn't know what was going to happen in the future, but right now, at that moment, my heart was full and I was finally feeling content with the world.

Nothing could go wrong as long as I had my friends by my side.

There was nothing more I could ever ask for.