Tiffany placed the flowers down gently. Her eyes were swollen and red. She smiled softly, placing her hands together as she prayed.

I wish you luck in the other side, _______.She smiled at _______’s grave, her fingers tracing the carved words. Tiffany ignored the soft noises as she looked out towards the hill, observing the endless grave stones. Many were buried here, all waiting to pass into the world after this. Heaven, after-life - whatever you wanted to call it. No one, however, expected _____ to pass so early.

It was suicide, they said. Tiffany didn’t believe them. ______ wouldn’t suicide. Tiffany was sure of it.

Tiffany didn’t cry very often. She wasn’t the type of person. She was calm, composed and simple. She lived by very little standards. Emotions took very little toll on her. Not this time, however. Tiffany felt a small drop b at her eye, threatening to fall. She closed her eyes, steadying her breathing. She wasn’t meant to cry, she told herself, she didn’t have a reason too.

Things happened. happened. People got over it.

A warm hand touched Tiffany’s shoulder, ‘It’s okay.’

Tiffany nodded, ‘I know.’ She shook her head, laughing nervously. ‘I just didn’t expect her to leave.’

‘No one did.’

Tiffany turned around, meeting a friendly face. She didn’t know who it was, but she didn’t see the point in asking. The stranger seemed kind enough.

‘I know,’ Tiffany replied, ‘But I, she, I mean, she’s my best friend.’ She left me here.

‘She didn’t mean too,’ the stranger said, reading her mind.

Tiffany nodded, ‘I know,’ she repeated. She sighed, looking down at the grave, ‘I guess she probably wouldn’t want me moping about her either.’

The stranger chuckled, ‘That’s where you’re wrong.’ He pushed Tiffany’s hair behind her ear, looking into a distance as he spoke. ‘Humans are funny creatures. They love attention, they love knowing they are needed. They always feel the need to prove themselves. I guess, in a way, that’s how the social standing they value so much evolved from. People took advantage of everyone’s desire to impress. Those people became powerful – they became the people you should impress. They created rules to suit them. They decided what was acceptable and what wasn’t.’

‘Funny,’ Tiffany replied, ‘that’s insightful. Say, would you like to go get some coffee? I’m Tiffany by the way.’

The stranger nodded, ‘Yes I would. You can call me Myungsoo.’


Tiffany didn’t know who he was or what he did, but she decided she liked this Myungsoo guy. He was polite, smart and knowledgeable. He could take her to worlds she couldn’t imagine and he could fire a bright spark in her mind, keeping her entertained for what seemed like days. Even five minute conversations with him could keep her occupied for weeks. She enjoyed his company greatly.

She believed she was beginning to like him as more than a friend.

The boy was charismatic and beautiful - on the inside and out. He was almost perfect – a super-human. It seemed impossible that anyone could be like him. He seemed to be something out of this world – both in his appearance and manner. No one her age, Tiffany had decided long ago, could keep her in a stimulating conversation. Not even ______. Yet Myungsoo managed to do just that.

One day they went to the park. They sat down on a blanket Tiffany had prepared, staring out as they both quietly admired the view. One of the many things Tiffany liked about Myungsoo was his respect for his surroundings. They watched the view before engaging in a totally different conversation.

‘What do you think of demons?’ Myungsoo asked, his deep brown eyes staring at Tiffany.

Tiffany blinked, ‘I don’t know. There’s no proof they exist.’

‘There’s no proof love exists.’

‘Yes there is. People feel it.’

‘How do you know? How do you know if it’s love? What is love? Has anyone ever defined it?’

‘It’s a feeling where you would go as far as needed, where you would do anything for one person who might not even love you back. It’s where you find someone who changes you and makes you feel dependant on their existence.’

‘What about family love? People say they love their siblings, but would you really kill one sibling for another?’

Tiffany blinked, taking in his question. ‘I don’t know.’ Her voice lowered into a whisper, ‘but I love you.’

Myungsoo didn’t even flinch, ‘Let’s see about that. Come on, let’s go to my house.’ He got up and left, waiting for Tiffany to follow.


Myungsoo’s house, or rather, apartment, was quite small. It was elegantly designed and looked like it was an interior design competition entry. Everything was well-matched and nothing looked out of place. There were no dirty walls or messy desks. It was as if the flat was just for show. Tiffany took in her surroundings quietly, admiring and questioning every part of her friend’s home in her head.

‘Let me show you something,’ Myungsoo said, heading off into a room. Tiffany followed. They entered a room in which countless dolls were displayed. Every doll was different, special and unique. They were held on shelves, all positioned perfectly. Each doll seemed to represent a personality, a unique face. It was as if they were human.

Myungsoo chuckled softly, ‘They were human.’ It was as if he had read her mind.

He traced his long fingers against each doll, searching for a particular one. Tiffany watched him, unsure of how to feel. She couldn’t exactly process what he had just said, but her curiosity made her stay. There was no point in running. Anyone who could turn humans into dolls could catch her if she ran. Tiffany wasn’t a fast runner. She was better with words.

‘If it calms you,’ He said, chuckling, ‘I won’t turn you into a doll.’

It did calm her. Slightly.

He stopped at a particular doll, taking her off the shelf. He handled the doll carefully, as if he was handling a baby. A human. They were human after all.  Were.

‘This is your friend, I believe,’ He smiled. Tiffany looked up. Beyond his white teeth were fangs. She took the doll without a sound, the material. The doll felt too real. She its cheek with her thumb, her eyes watering. She couldn’t cry. There was no point. Crying didn’t bring people back. Myungsoo waited patiently, but Tiffany said nothing.

‘Do you still love me?’ He asked.

Tiffany drew her eyes away from the doll, ‘Am I allowed too?’

Myungsoo laughed. There was no emotion. ‘That’s for you to decide.’

There was silence for awhile.

‘Can the spell be undone?’ Tiffany whispered. ‘Can you bring her back?’

‘Not that simple,’ Myungsoo shook his head, ‘I couldn’t even if I wanted too anyways. I’m not the puppet master.’

‘You have a boss?’

Myungsoo laughed coldly, his eyes almost crying. ‘Do you think I enjoy taking souls? Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderfully fun and the blood is just delicious, but don’t you think I have better things to do with my time? These people aren’t chosen at random. We all have a master, someone we respond too.’ He met her eyes, which showed little emotion. ‘I have a debt to pay off anyways.’

Tiffany nodded, ‘Continue.’

Funny, he thought, she wasn’t judging him at all.

‘I’m not naturally a demon. I’m what humans refer to as a fallen angel. If you care, I traded my angel wings for the life of a demon.’

‘Any reason why?’

Myungsoo shrugged. ‘Wasn’t cut out for being an angel. They’re all fake, and I didn’t want to be.’ He let out a short laugh. ‘Humans tend to think they can classify everything as either good or bad, don’t they? Life isn’t that simple. Angels, if you think about it, are just like demons. They’re twisted in a way you won’t believe, in a way you don’t want to believe.’

Tiffany paused, waiting for her brain to register the new information. When she felt sure that she could handle more, she nodded, ‘Okay, so let me get some things straight.’

‘Go ahead.’

‘You killed _____.’

‘Correct.’

‘You killed her because your master told you too.’

‘Indeed.’

‘You don’t know why you needed to kill her.’

‘Yes.’

‘You don’t care either.’

‘You can say that.’

Tiffany raised an eyebrow.

Myungsoo shrugged, ‘I’m pretty curious, but humans tend to blur into one mess. I guess I stopped caring a while ago.’ He paused. ‘However, if someone would like to inform me, I wouldn’t mind knowing.’

Tiffany nodded thoughtfully. ‘One more thing - you’re a puppet.’

Myungsoo didn’t miss a beat. He nodded.

Tiffany took a deep breath, ‘I have a few more questions.’

‘Continue.’

‘Who’s your master?’

‘Sungjong. You wouldn’t know him. No one does.’

Tiffany nodded, taking in the information. She pondered for a few moments, asking the last question, ‘So why do you tell me all of this so freely?’

Her eyes wondered around the room, stopping as she came towards a mirror. It made the room seem bigger than it actually was. She watched her reflection, half dreading the answer Myungsoo could give.

Myungsoo smiled, waiting for the glass to shatter. Tiffany’s reflection came out. ‘Because you’re next.’

‘You lied,’ Tiffany said. She didn’t have to say more.