Seungkwan was waiting for Mingyu to arrive like he had so many times already. But this time he wasn't alone. Next to him stood Hansol. That night when he had been waiting for him to come home Seungkwan had told him about how he hadn't been spending all that time by himself. He could tell by the way the expression on the face of his lifelong friend changed that he understood that it hadn't been with one of their own. He hadn't lied about who Mingyu was, but he had purposely kept the details vague and full of yet to be answered questions.

“He is kind and gentle, Hansol. I know this is a lot I ask of you. But won't you meet him? You will see for yourself.” Those were the words that had led them to stand on the edge of the meadow in the moonlight, waiting for Mingyu to come. They turned around simultaneously as they could sense a new presence approaching. Seungkwan placed a gentle hand on his friend's arm to let him know that it was alright. He knew who it was.

Hansol's heart stopped when a tall dark figure stepped into the moonlight. The thought had crossed his mind. He feared it. He feared that Seungkwan's search for who he was would draw him to such a being. When Seungkwan told him he had been meeting with a creature that wasn't one of light he had hoped that it wasn't the worst case scenario. But now he was looking at it. A demon.

“Hansol. This is Mingyu.”

Hansol looked at the demon who had such a mysterious hold over his best friend. His first instinct was to grab Seungkwan's hand and take him away from here. But he did not. For Seungkwan's sake he stood his ground.

“Thank you for meeting me. I admit I have been curious about Seungkwan's friends. He always speaks very fondly of you.”

The kindness in Mingyu's words were confusing to Hansol and he thought he understood how it must have confused Seungkwan as well. Confused him enough to think that a demon was actually capable of true kindness.

When Hansol did not speak Seungkwan spoke instead, “Hansol, please look at Mingyu for who he is. Look at him with a mind unclouded by prejudice and horrible stories that we have been told. Do that and you will see him like I do.”

“Seungkwan has spoken fondly of you as well.”

It was through the shy expression on Seungkwan's face and the way he looked at the demon, that Hansol started to understand. Mingyu was more than his friend. Seungkwan was in love with him. The realization wrapped around his heart like an icy gust of wind. Love was a powerful thing and it had the dangerous ability to cloud one's judgment. It was true that Mingyu seemed friendly on the surface, but, unlike Seungkwan, Hansol's eyes were void of affection and in their unaffected state saw what was really happening. Seungkwan was repeating the mistakes his mother had made in the past. He had let himself get pulled in by the demon's outer appearance and smooth words and taken them to be his true self.

That night when they returned home Seungkwan felt relieved that he had told Hansol. He felt glad to have been able to share Mingyu with his friend and felt a part of the pressing weight of his secrets lifted slightly. He would allow Hansol a day or so to let the meeting sink in before he would tell him the true nature of their relationship.

Unfortunately, that was not how it went.

It was the next day, when the sun was at its brightest, that Seungkwan found himself in a room with all of his friends. Seungcheol, the eldest and most righteous of them all, invited Seungkwan to sit. He looked over at Hansol, but his gaze was avoided. No one had spoken yet, but Seungkwan already felt the taste of betrayal on his tongue. Hansol had told them about Mingyu.

Seungkwan sat down as told. The others did as well. Along with Hansol, Seungcheol and his cousin Seokmin, his friend Chan was also present. All of them had the same expression on their face. Not angry, but sad and worried. And, worst of all, a bit frightened. If it was him they were frightened of or the topic at hand, he did not know. Regardless of why, it made him feel scrutinized and ambushed all the same.

“Seungkwan,” Seungcheol spoke with his voice that was always gentle, “Hansol has shared with us about your recent encounter with a...” he paused, carefully weighing his words, “...with someone.”

Seungkwan again looked at Hansol. He did not look away this time. Through unspoken words Hansol could tell Seungkwan felt betrayed by him. It was understandable. Seungkwan had trusted him with his secret and trusted him to keep it. But this had been an issue too big for him alone.

“Seungkwan,” Seungcheol got him to look back at him, “Besides the obvious reason of why we might be concerned, Hansol told us that he thinks you're feelings for him have gone beyond friendship. He believes you are in love with this person.”

“Do you believe I'm alone in my feelings?” Seungkwan asked of Hansol. “You do, don't you? Well, your wrong. My love for him is not one sided.” He stood up. He felt the anger rising in his body. They had already made up their minds about Mingyu.

“You most likely believe his feelings for you to be genuine, but you cannot forget what he is!” It was Chan who spoke up this time.

“I know who he is.”

“We don't want you to do anything that you will regret once his true nature inevitably shows itself.” Seungcheol also stood up, the rest followed.

Seokmin approached his cousin and placed a hand on his arm. “Given what we know about his kind he will try to seduce you and when you refuse to give him what he desires...he will take it by force.”

Seungkwan jerked his arm away from Seokmin's touch. Seungkwan knew the stories. Stories of demons trying to seduce others. Stories of them those who were not so easily seduced. It made him sick to his stomach to think that his friends thought Mingyu was capable of something like that.

“What if what he desired was what I desired also? Would you still consider it to be wrong then? Is it wrong that I-” He stopped himself.

“That you what?” Seungcheol questioned, “What did he desire? Seungkwan, what have you done?”

“I have done nothing wrong.”

“You've lain with him?” Hansol's voice was shaking. He hadn't thought Seungkwan was this far gone. “How could you do that? How could you give the most sacred part of yourself to a...a demon.”

“You are wrong about him. How can you not see that after you've met him, Hansol! Mingyu loves me! Perhaps what we know about demons isn't true or only part of the truth.”

“Don't be a fool, Seungkwan!”

Seungkwan's mind was wrapped in a haze. The looks on the faces of his friends were clutching around his heart like a hand trying to squeeze him to death. He turned away from them and ran. Ran out of the room, out of the house. He ran through the streets, not caring who looked. He ran until his legs gave out and he found himself in the forest. He sat on the damp forest floor and cried.