Seungkwan was sitting at the edge of the forest, overlooking the meadow. It was covered in a blanket of mist at the onset of the dusk. He liked this time of day. No longer light, not yet dark. An almost ironic case of symbolism considering who he was. What he was.

Born of both darkness and light, never quite fitting in on either side of the spectrum. His father had been a demon; malicious, murderous, and cruel. His mother a child of light; kind, benevolent and naive. His father had manipulated his mother, tricked her into giving him her love. Seungkwan himself the result of their taboo affair that ended with both of their untimely deaths.

This was all based on what Seungkwan had been told and had heard over the years. The stories were always the same. Darkness is evil, the light is good. But what did that make him? He had been raised by his mother's eldest sister and her husband. They had always been kind, as was their nature. But no matter how much they tried to make him feel like he was just like them, Seungkwan had always felt that he wasn't. He always felt like the darkness cast a shadow over him. As if he was always standing in the shade, being able to see the light and be seen by it, so close but never truly part of it.

He wasn't exactly a true outcast. Seokmin, his cousin in blood, brother in heart, was the brightest light Seungkwan had ever witnessed. Being near him made him feel warm and accepted without requisites. Almost as if the darkness was swallowed, washed away by the light pouring from his existence. Combined with the other friends in his life it was almost enough to make him feel like he was who he was supposed to be in the place where he was supposed to be at.

Yet sometimes he needed to get away. He needed these moments of solitude to recharge. He couldn't quite explain it, but every once in a while he felt overwhelmed by who he was. Usually triggered by things that reminded him of how he was different. A story being told about evil and dark beings and the glances cast in his direction that others didn't think he saw; instances where he was reminded of the fact that his powers of light were significantly weaker than those of his friends; being scared of his own emotions.

It was at times like those that he came to the meadow. Sometimes at dusk, sometimes at dawn. He felt the most comfortable coming here by himself and he had never told his friends that he came here. Hansol being the exception. Although he hadn't really meant to tell him. Hansol had caught him coming home one night and asked him where he had been. Seungkwan never lied to Hansol and had told him about the meadow. Hansol had been understanding and had always respected Seungkwan's occasional need for solitude.

Seungkwan was torn from his hazy thoughts when he became aware of a presence close by. It didn't feel like someone he knew. Who would be here at this time anyway? Apart from animals and the odd tree spirit, Seungkwan had never happened upon anyone during the hours he had spent there over the years. Weary of the source of the sound he stood up without making any sound of his own.

As he followed the rustling of the leaves he could see the shape of someone, or something, down by a bush. He couldn't make out what they were doing and he got a bit closer. As the creature straightened up Seungkwan froze. He knew what kind of creature this was. The same kind his father had been. A demon. In all his life he had never met one. He had heard descriptions, seen pictures, but never had he encountered one in the flesh. He hadn't expected a demon to be so beautiful. Seungkwan had a hard time deciding if he was more disturbed by the fact that he felt an instant attraction to this demon or that this creature, who was supposed to be everything that is wrong and evil, did not appear to be anything like that. In fact, this person was apparently helping out a rabbit that got stuck in the bushes. The demon smiled at the animal after freeing it, it's long ears and watched it hop away after setting it down onto the forest floor.

Seungkwan took another step, drawn to him. The sound of a twig snapping. The demon's eyes instantaneously upon him. He jumped up and stared at Seungkwan with wide eyes. He was tall and handsome by anyone's standards.

“I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.” Seungkwan spoke.

“That's okay. I was just helping out that rabbit...”

“Yeah, I saw.”

“Do you live here?”

“No. Do you?”

“No.”

If Seungkwan were to listen to everything he had been taught he would have ended the conversation right then and there and return home. But the man in front of him was too intriguing for him to walk away. He felt unfamiliar and yet familiar. Dark, yet kind. Seungkwan wasn't scared like he had always thought he would be when faced with a demon.

“My name is Mingyu.”

“Seungkwan.”