Hello everyone, thanks for being patient and congrats of achieving the following MV's goals

[Ring Ding Dong 118.87M→119.51M, Lucifer 108.68M→109M, View 47.7M→48M]

I know I was aiming for 4 MVs but I'll cut you all some slack. Here's the chapter;

~~

The shaman experience has put both boys in a particular mood.

Taemin doesn't know what to make of it but knows that something is going to happen and it's not something he can prevent.

Key isn't particularly bought by the charlatan act.

“All I ask that lady is if I will meet my significant other,” Key complained. “Girl. Boy. Dog... whatever! But noooo... she has to go mumble jumble on us. No wonder she didn't get a lot of customers, fortune-telling is a tough market.”

Taemin had to agree but that didn't explain how she was when she got possessed. They both had immediately ran out of the temple. Luckily the shaman didn't follow them but they wouldn't talk about it afterward, even pretending that it was all just an act.

“I have to get to work,” Key gestures his phone. “I'll text you later. Be careful going home, something's weird going on these days.”

A wave of goodbye Key left leaving Taemin alone at the campus grounds. Taemin doesn't have any more classes today so he decided to head home.

And that's when he sees him.

A tall handsome man wearing aviator sunglasses in a business suit with two buttons of his shirt undone showing his strong collarbone. He leans casually on a sleek red convertible that all college students ever dreamed to own or ride. His presence garners attention of everyone walking by, stares and picture taking aimed his way.

He doesn't mind their presence, doesn't register they exist. He takes off his sunglasses in a smooth fashioon and looks directly at him. “Taemin-ah.”

The attention had Taemin blushing. He puts on his hood and hunches forward, walks through the crowd toward the man. Whispers surround them when he finally reaches him.

In reaching distance the man takes Taemin into his arms, hugging him tightly. His tall stature allows him to almost swallow Taemin in his embrace. There were more whispers and people are taking photos of the two.

“Dongsaeng I miss you so,” the man said. “Do you miss me?”

“Taecyeon hyung,” Taemin murmured into the man's chest. “What are you doing here?”

“Can't I visit my little brother?” Taecyeon asked, moving away to take a good look at Taemin. “You grown so much.”

Taemin blushed. “You could have call or texted me.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” Taecyeon moves to quickly squish Taemin's cheeks. “My cute dongsaeng~”

The gesture had Taemin blush with embarrassment, swatting his older brother's hands away. His action had made his hood fall from his head, revealing his face. This had cause squealing from the girls on the interaction. A handsome man with his cute little brother that goes to their school.

“C-can we go somewhere else?” Taemin muttered, he hunches his shoulders forward embarrassed of the attention he's getting. “Please?”

Taecyeon gave a mischievous smile, making a move to bend down and cup his ears. “What's that? Can't hear you.”

“... please, hyung?”

“That's better.”

They got into the car but not without Taecyeon opening the door for Taemin to get in, causing all the girls to squeal at the gesture. They drove off to a restaurant for an early dinner.

The longer Taemin stayed with his brother, the more he sulked. Everywhere they go, Taecyeon manages to get everybody's attention without even trying. Even the maitre'd and the waiters had blushed when they entered the restaurant. Blessed for his looks and wealth, Taecyeon is the envy of human perfection. The attention that Taecyeon receives would in proxy included Taemin, causing the boy to be embarrassed and shy.

“So Taemin,” Taecyeon started. “How's school? Are you doing well?”

“School is okay,” Taemin mumbled, twirling his pasta with his fork. “I have an exam coming up so I've been studying.”

Taecyeon nodded. “That's good to hear. With your brain I'm sure you will get a good grade. You have a year or two left before you graduate. All you have to do is concentrate. Do you know where you plan to go after you graduate?”

Taemin shrugged. “Not really. Isn't it a bit soon?” He takes a bite of his pasta. “I'll just go with whatever company accepts me.”

“You are better than that, Taemin-ah,” Taecyeon points at Taemin with his fork. “Don't just accept anything that comes your way. You better get your head in the game. The competition is fierce out there, not to mention that period for your mandatory enlistment. If you want I can pull some strings and – ”

“No thank you, hyung,” Taemin interrupted. “It's a duty that I have to do or else it wouldn't feel right.”

Taecyeon sighed and gives Taemin a fond smile. “Aigoo, when did my Taemin grow up so much?”

Taemin pouted. “I'm in college, hyung.”

“Yes but you still have cream on your face,” Taecyeon wiped the corner of Taemin's lip with his thumb, a gesture that mothers would do for their child. “My Taemin off to the big bad world. You should have stayed by my side so that I can look after you.”

Taemin makes a twisted expression at the thought as he takes a bite of his pasta. Although they both got the same dish, Taemin's dish looks a lot messier than Taecyeon's. It's impossible to not make a mess but for some reason Taecyeon looks neat to a fault.

“I'll be here for a couple of days for business,” Taecyeon informed. “I'll be at the hotel for the time being. We'll get to see each other more often.”

After dinner Taemin waits outside while Taecyeon pays for dinner. Taemin closes his eyes as he feels refresh from the cool breeze. With his belly full from dinner and his brother visiting, it was a nice night.

The cool breeze he feels suddenly turns piercing ice cold. Taemin shivers at the feeling, pulling his coat tighter around him. The restaurant's entrance light flickers above him, making him blink. A harsh gust of wind blew near his face, making him shut his eyes on instinct. It was his imagination that the wind felt like cold lips on his cheek and whispers into his skin. “Little one.”

“Taemin-ah!”

Taemin opens his eyes and turns to see Taecyeon coming out of the restaurant. He suddenly feels relief Taecyeon is here with him as that ominous feeling disappears.

“Why did you wait outside?” Taecyeon asked. “It's cold. You could have waited inside.”

“I wanted some fresh air,” Taemin fidgets. “I'm wearing my jacket, I'm fine.”

“Still, I worry for you,” Taecyeon frowned, touching Taemin's cheek. “Look, your face is all red from the cold. And wet, is it going to rain?”

“No rain today.” Taemin bites the inside of his cheek. The lips he felt earlier had left a bit of wet spot. Or thought he felt. Even that thing calling him little one could be from his imagination.

Taecyeon frowned but decided to drop the issue as he changes the topic. “I just got a call from work so I need to head back. I can drop you off home on the way there.”

Taemin shakes his head. “Hyung it's fine. I'll just take the bus home, it's just across the street. Your work is important so you go ahead without me.”

When Taecyeon frowns as he wasn't sure of that decision, Taemin decided to pull out the big guns. It was something he rarely uses but it works every single time on his hyung.

His aegyo.

Taemin approaches Taecyeon with wide eyes that makes him look innocent and cute. He hugs Taecyeon around his middle, his hands barely connecting with each other because of how big his brother is. He looks up to give Taecyeon the full effect but Taecyeon is looking away.

No matter, he always wins.

“Hyung, I'm a big boy now,” Taemin said in a soft voice, puffing his cheeks. “I take the bus everyday to school. I drink my milk and eat my vegetables even if I don't want to so please? Taecyeon hyung~”

Aegyo takes practice to be perfected. Too much leads to cringiness and effectless. This something he rarely does but he knows the effect he has on people. It works well on Onew and to some degree on Key. But as his brother who regards him as the apple of his eye, Taecyeon is never immune.

With an added effect Taemin nuzzles into Taecyeon's chest and begins the count down in his head.

3...2...1...

Taecyeon sighs and brings his arms out to embrace Taemin. “You know that this would make me more concern of leaving you by yourself,” he said in a low voice. “Maybe I should bring you back with me and never let you out of my sight.” He then pats Taemin on his back and lets him go. “I'll let you off the hook for now, brat. But I'll be expecting a text from you saying you got home. Understand?”

Taemin eagerly nods. “Sir, yes sir.”

Reluctantly satisfied Taecyeon goes to his car alone as Taemin watches on. Taecyeon pauses at a thought after starting his engine. He rolls down his window and calls out to Taemin. “By the way Taemin-ah, did you check your bank account? I deposited some spending money for you in there this morning.”

Taemin widened his eyes in surprise. “What?!”

“Bye Taemin-ah~”

Taemin didn't get a chance to say another word as Taecyeon drove off. With hesitation Taemin takes out his phone to check his bank app.

The number made his jaw dropped. “Oh my god....” He quickly refreshes the app and it is still showing the same number. “This is just too much...”

He shoots a quick text to Taecyeon to thank him for the money but also as it wasn't a necessary gesture. It's something Taecyeon does often that Taemin has no knowledge about.

Taemin sighes and puts his phone away. He glances over to the side and sees a supermarket near him. With some spending money in his bank account, what better use for it but to go shopping.

Shopping for groceries is an important affair for an average college student. But what to buy remains a debate.

“Mie goreng flavor is interesting,” Taemin compares two types of ramen side by side. “The Youtuber said it's good but there's no soup though... the basics never let me down...”

He puts both ramen in his shopping basket before moving on to the next aisle. Candy. He's running out of jelly candy. A tall man stands in front of the jelly candy section, blocking the view.

“Excuse me,” Taemin calls out. “You're blocking the way.”

The man turns around and both Taemin and the man had various looks of recognition. One of surprise and one of fear.

“I'm sorry to bother you, I'll just be on my w-”

“Wait!”

Taemin halts in his steps as the man approaches. He could feel himself getting sweaty and his hand holding the basket shakes. The man goes around to stand in front of him but Taemin doesn't dare to look up.

Until there were 2 bags of jelly candies held in front of him.

“Which one?”

Taemin looks up, realizing it was the nice guy who held his friend back from eating him. The guy whom he gave his jelly candy.

The man frowned, raising the jelly candied bags up for Taemin's attention and repeated his question. “Which one did you gave me?”

Taemin numbly pointed at one of the bags. “I usually get that one,” he said. “But most of the time they all taste the same, just different flavors.”

The man tossed the other bag back onto the shelf. “Thanks.”

Some of his tensions was released as Taemin grabbed a bag for himself. “You like the jellies I gave you, hyung?”

“It taste... sweet,” the man said unsurely. “Why do you call me that?”

Taemin looked confused. “Call you what?”

“You called me 'hyung'” the man frowned. “Why?”

“Isn't it polite to call people older than you 'hyung'?” Taemin asked. “You're not old like an ahjusshi. Sorry to assume, I thought you were older than me just because you know...”

“Because I'm tall?” the man cracks a smile, the first Taemin had seen and thinks it suits the man very much. “Because of my voice? For some reason you calling me hyung doesn't seem natural.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“Kai,” he smiled. “Call me Kai.”

They made small talk with Kai accompanying him to finish his grocery shopping, even helping to hold the basket. He finds that having Kai by his side is pleasant and curious. He even finds himself giving tips on shopping; what type of things to buy, brands, quality, etc.. They even tried the supermarket meat samples together even though Taemin just ate.

He pays for Kai's candy. “That's for helping me carrying the basket.”

“Will you need to help carrying the bags home?” Kai gestures the bags in Taemin's hands. “They are heavy.”

“It's fine and also look at this,” Taemin lifts the bag up and down in succession. “This makes a great workout routine. Look at my biceps, so big~”

Kai chuckles making Taemin laugh as well. They bid each other farewell at the bus stop and parted ways.

He doesn't have to wait long for the bus to come and the ride was fast to get to his stop. By the time he gets off his stop, the sun has completely set and the lamppost lights has lit.

Once again Taemin's one track mind causes him to be less perceptive of his surroundings when a loud crack was heard behind him. Taemin slowly and stiffly turned around to see what had caused it and sees a man standing up.

Inwardly Taemin was relieved that it wasn't a demon or something that was haunting him. But he started to worry when the man approaches him with intent.

“Boy,” the man called out. “Do you want to eat with me?”

Taemin's eyes widened and turned around to see if there was anyone else in the area the man was referring to. When there was no one else he realized the man was referring to him, Taemin starts to panic.

“I'm sorry mister, I think you got the wrong guy. I already ate so I'll be going now – ”

“That was a rhetorical question.”

If Taemin's eyes could widened even further, his eyelids would disappear. He turns around to book it but was startled back when the same man suddenly appears in front of him. The man towers over him. He has an unkind grin and invades Taemin's personal space.

“It's good that you ate,” the man leers. “It just means that I'm going to be full from eating you whole.”

Taemin starts to have deja vu but this guy is nothing like the man with Kai. Because this guy actually means it.

A hand reaches out to grab him but Taemin deflects it with his grocery bag, stunning the man temporarily. It gives enough time for Taemin to run in the opposite direction.

He runs aimlessly with the purpose of putting distance between them. He starts to run out of breath, the weight of his backpack and groceries is weighing him down.

Taemin glance behind him to see if the man is still following him but found no one. He starts to slow down until he completely stops, taking heavy breath from the running he did.

“Boo.”

Taemin screams and fell as the man appears out of nowhere in front of him. Taemin shuffles back until he hits a wall while the man floats as he closes the distance.

Float?

He'll wonder about that later if he ever gets out of here. The man drops in front of him, takes Taemin by the hair, and pulls him up. Taemin winces at the pain, his hand scrambles to get the man to release but to no avail. His head was tilted at an awkward angle as the man regards him carefully.

“I pick a nice one,” the man tilts Taemin's head at another angle raising a yelp. “A cute and healthy one.”

The man leaned in close and taste the sweat on his neck. Taemin shuddered at the feeling, trying to move away but was held by an iron grip by the roots of his hair. The man moves back and smiles unkindly. “Don't worry, I'll be gentle.”

The hand holding to Taemin's hair suddenly burn, causing the man to stumble back. He growled thinking it was Taemin's fault, raising his other hand to punch him. His fist was stopped by a black mist cloud that suddenly appeared.

“Now, what do we have here....”

Taemin and the man turns to the sound. The long shadow behind the man materializes and forms a humanoid being. It steps out with the clear sound of dress shoes echoing as they approach. Intense colored eyes, sharp white teeth, spade-like tail, and off-colored skin.

He never forgets the demon he summoned in his bedroom.

“You have something that belongs to me,” the demon gestures, a snarl curled on its lips. “You even dirtied him, we can't have that.”

The man who attacked Taemin jump high into the air as high as an building. Once at a particular height he hurls down to earth at lightning speed intending to hurt the demon. The demon looks bored, not the slightest bit of worry.

The demon catches the man's flurry of fists, each heavy and hard from the height he flew from. The force from each fists thrown, deflected, caught, causes Taemin to stumble from the energy. The sound echoes loudly and rattles the nearby windows and shakes the lamppost.

“Quite the strength you have there,” the demon commented. “Didn't know humans can fly.”

“Shut up!”

The demon caught one particular fist and twisted the arm in an awkward angle. The man yells as he was flipped to the ground, kicking his legs wildly to get free. The demon grinned, his eyes flared. “Now let's see what I can do to you.”

The man flew out of the demon's grasp in a short burst of speed to get away as far as he can. But he wasn't fast enough as the demon appears in front of him. He could barely stop himself with only a feet between them. The demon leaned in close and whispers into the man's ear, “Burn.”

The man suddenly screamed as his whole body overheats. Black-like flames burst from his chest and spreads across his body. He flew high and far away from the demon and Taemin.

Taemin watches as the demon descends slowly to the ground. He quakes in fear as the demon slowly approaches him. Nowhere to run or hide, he is trapped.

The demon kneels down to be at his eye level. Taemin realizes that this is the same situation the first time they met. And even then he is scared beyond measures.

The demon regards Taemin carefully, eyes glowing gleefully with a sharp smirk to match. “Now what am I going to do with you, little one.”

~~

Introducing Ok Taecyeon from 2pm as Taemin's hyung. But in case this he is Lee Taecyeon. I really love the Shinee and 2pm's interaction in Idol Army. (clicking the link will go to the youtube playlist) I bet a lot of Shawols are fans of 2pm because of this

Informal introduction to demon Minho. Are you excited? Next chapter is coming soon and we will have formal introduction so look forward to that.

Author's PSA: The first time you met a guy, DO NOT TELL THEM WHERE YOU LIVE. Even though they might seem cool or nice, you can't trust that as that might be an act. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LIVE ALONE. Taemin decline Kai's offer to carry the groceries is a smart decision. Trust has to be earned, not given. REMEMBER TO SAVE A LIFE.

The virus pandemic is affecting all over the world so this is a troubling time. Remember to wash your hands and stay safe. Make smart decisions and not ones out of stupidity, hate, and fear. That also applies the way you treat others. Racism is rampant especially towards asians. Don't spread the hate and the virus. Spread love and compassion instead.