Nana and Kibum were both baffled the next morning when Haneul came in and sat down without speaking to either of them. They pulled their chairs over to her when class was finished for the period.

“So Haneul…How did it go with him?”

“How did what go with whom?”

Nana nudged her in the side. “With you and Minho of course; why didn’t you call me?”

Haneul shrugged it off. “Just because… Does everything have to have a reason?”

Kibum leaned in closer towards her face which surprisingly didn’t faze her. “Hey you are acting so weird; something happened why won’t you just say it?”

She glared down at her friend. “Because I choose not to that’s why.” They couldn’t press her any further because their teacher came in for their next class.

***

Key did not let the subject drop and it gave Haneul reason to beat him up even when she’d been warned several times by passing or on looking teachers.

“Ah really Haneul, you couldn’t just ignore him?” Nana sighed as they were going to their bags. “You could be going home to practice instead of staying back for detention.”

“He was asking for it!” Haneul retorted with her face firm as stone. “He’s such a nosey drama king it makes me sick sometimes.”

She stopped ranting when Nana patted her on the back. “Hey, I know you don’t want to talk but if you change your mind… I’m here.”

Haneul saw that she had no ulterior motive. She nodded, “thanks I’ll tell you when I’m ready ok?”

Nana agreed, “very well but you should leave before you get another half an hour added onto your time.” She waved to Haneul as they split in separate directions.

Staying in a class room with nothing to do but write down two hundred times of the wrong that you would not commit again was torture. By the time she had handed the pages of writing in the time was almost eight thirty in the evening.

“We don’t usually see you in here Go Haneul,” the teacher remarked. “Did Kim Kibum really upset you?”

“None of your business,” Haneul muttered dipping her head down as she walked off, clutching the straps of her backpack.  The teacher leaned out to watch her with confusion on his face.

Even though the path she was walking on had a few light posts down the way which did little to omit the darkness. There was the sound of scuttling as something with more than two legs was coming close. It barked and she lifted her eyes.

For a dog it sure stood larger than the typical ones she’d seen in the neighbourhood. Its fur was mangy and it smelt as though it had never felt soap suds.

The glare in its eyes as it snarled sent panic through Haneul. She didn’t mind dogs but this one was an exception. Something about it felt off, very off.

And then it barked, spitting with its top lip curled. Haneul started running before the beast even came after her. She didn’t dare glance behind for the sound of its paws quickly tapping the concrete behind her was a good indication it had her in its sights.

Going around a corner she skidded on the grass as she cut the corner. The dog was almost upon her but its jaws caught a hold of her bag. Haneul fell back against the grass; it shook its head side to side furiously trying to steal her possessions.

***

Haneul wasn’t the kind of girl to scream. However this time she let one out. Soon the dog grew tired of her bag and lashed out at her face. Lifting her hands to protect this Haneul prepared for her fingers, her string plucking and strumming fingers to be savaged.

However she did not feel the dog’s teeth in her hands. There was a yelp and the dog got pushed to the road, still with its teeth exposed. Someone lifted her up to stand and she did before the person passed her the backpack. There was a rip in the bottom.

She held a hand near her face, her hero was emitting a bright glow, “M-Minho?”

“Guess again,” the light dimmed and she saw who. “It’s been a while Haneul.”

“Lee Jinki,” she answered.

“Raphael when I’m in my angel form.” He added, “But I’ll accept Jinki all the same.

A car horn honked, brakes screeched and there was a thud. The engine of the vehicle turned off and a person got out. His face fell when he found the dog, limp beside his tyre.

Haneul’s knees gave way and Jinki caught her. “Let’s leave here,” he suggested gently and led her away by the shoulders. She was more than happy to oblige.

They had found a seat at a park table opposite each other. Haneul breathed out slowly. Jinki had told her the truth. “So it was a demon?”

“Well, it had a demon yes.” Jinki said. “It seems that it may have been used to try and attack you.”

Haneul got goose bumps from this. She rubbed her arms. “So what do I do?” Without Minho around she felt more afraid and fearful. The nightmare was starting to get worse.

“Stay at home for a few days. By then Michael and Gabriel will have dealt with the problem.”

Haneul agreed her face still pale from the shock. “Alright, maybe I can have a day or two absent. The only problem is I am not able to fake sick.”

“Maybe you won’t have to,” Jinki suggested.

She didn’t realise how close to the truth that ended up being. The next morning she woke hot, sweaty but feeling chilled. Her mother made her stay home and in bed. She didn’t even get to practice or try and write some of her composition.

***

“Are you sure you are alright to go?” Her mother asked on Friday evening. It was the second day that Haneul had been home and she stood in the doorway pulling on her sneakers.

Haneul nodded a little harder. “Mum I said I am feeling better. Plus listening to Jonghyun play will make me completely well.”

The truth in reality was that she wanted to see if he had changed for the better since their last encounter or not. However she couldn’t explain that to her mother without revealing the whole story and the last thing she wanted was them pressing charges against him.

At the café she sat down at a table only to find someone else sit down. “Jinki,” she raised her eyebrows. “You aren’t working tonight?”

He shook his head. “Nope and Michael told me about this place so I figured I would come along for once.”

Haneul wondered when Minho had actually had the time to converse with him but it didn’t matter. Zion came onto stage and the crowd cheered. Peering around Haneul noticed that there were more people in the place. When had his band grown in their fan base?

“We are Zion,” the drummer said introducing them. Jonghyun went to his bass and slipped it on. Some girls screamed at him and he winked at them.

Jinki turned in his chair to Haneul. “What a rather friendly boy. So how come you don’t like him anymore?”

Haneul’s eyes widened. “Shut up,” she said through gritted teeth.

Jonghyun wooed the girls a little more before one of the other band members nudged him in the side to begin. He’d wasted ten minutes from flirting. There were gasps as he had a fist raged, prepared to sock the guy.

Haneul found herself standing up. The band waited for him and he then forgot about it, getting ready to play. His gaze had changed though. While they were playing there in the present he seemed to be thinking about something other than performing.

They played two songs before the band decided to call it quits for the night. Some of the customers protested and booed while Jonghyun packed away his bass and left first.

“What was that about?” Some people began to gossip. “Did they have a falling out?”

“Who knows, it’s been a while since they have played. Maybe it’s time they parted ways.”

Haneul wanted to shut up those who were making assumptions except the café door swung open to reveal two familiar faces.

“We have to go,” Minho said without even saying hello.

She looked at him, at Taemin and then at Jinki, “g-go where?”

“We’ll tell you when we’re outside,” Taemin explained before he and Minho pulled her to her feet. She was almost dragged outside by them, Jinki paid the bill as he trailed behind.

Haneul freed herself while they were walking and they paused. “Ok, what is happening? Why have you just come back out of nowhere? Could you have at least called or something just so I know whether you’re here or in the middle of God knows where?!”

“We were told not to tell you until we could see it was true.”

“What is it?” Haneul raised her voice. “You’re not getting to the point. Just say it before I beat your angelic butts blue and black!”

Minho gave a look to Taemin who responded with his own. Both seemed a little wary and Jinki picked up on it easily. “Ok,” Minho began. “We’ve found the nest of the head demon. We know where he’s hiding.”

“Ok so where is he then?”

“He’s inside someone.” The thought made Haneul squirm. She swallowed hard. Taemin slowly nodded as she found out the truth herself. Jinki whispered something and the angels agreed in tones of similar volume.

“It’s one of your friends.”

This was not what Haneul expected. She just stared at no one in particular. The thought, no the simple mention of it caused her skin to crawl and her breath to be held back. The shock was like that of someone who had just been in a car crash.

“Kibum, it can’t be him—“

“—it’s not him.” Minho gently told her. “It is someone close to you however.” Haneul wasn’t sure who else it would be if it wasn’t him. She was close to Kibum, Nana and…

No.

Not him.

Haneul stared at them, all the colour in her face faded. “No… No you can’t be saying…”

Jinki spoke up. “It is... It’s Jonghyun.”

***

A longer chapter and honestly who was expecting this? Give me your honest thoughts.