Haneul half expected them to not appear at the café that Friday afternoon. But as she stepped into the rather modern cafe with the dark walls, large bauble lights hanging from the ceiling and the metal framed furniture out of the corner of her eye she saw them. Taemin glanced around uncomfortably; Minho said something to soothe his nerves.  That was when he noticed her and waved.

“Why did you pick to sit over here?”  she asked as a chair was pulled out for her to take a seat on by Minho.

“It has the most lighting,” Minho said pointing to the cluster of baubles which weren’t as far spread out as the others.

“But the dim lighting gives it this feel.” Haneul argued peering at the menu.  Minho glanced at Taemin.

“Not a good feel however.” Taemin calmly nodded as footsteps came towards them.

“Go Haneul,” she lowered her menu to the guy standing nearby. He didn’t stand as tall as Minho or Taemin yet he was taller than Haneul.

“Jonghyun,” Haneul said noticing something different about him. She examined his clothes; nope, he normally wore jeans, a jacket and a shirt with an old iconic band. His clothes were normal.  “You dyed your hair.”

“Yeah, do you like?” He flicked his custard blonde fringe which slowly darkened to caramel, to warm treacle and then ended being a dark coffee.

“Looks good,” she admitted hoping that she wasn’t staring too much. "Oh Minho and Taemin, this is Kim Jonghyun. He plays in the band ‘Battered Wings.’”

“Nice to meet you,” Minho and Taemin politely greeted him alarming Jonghyun and Haneul.

“Wow someone bought you up well,” Jonghyun winked in return. Minho and Taemin glanced at each other confused. “What can I get you?” They now spotted the pad and pen. Looking like lost lambs they asked Haneul.

“How am I supposed to know?” she scoffed, “what do you normally drink at home?”

“Banana milk.” Haneul gaped at Taemin who smiled, setting off beams of happy innocence.  Now feeling the same way the other two did just before Haneul scanned the list of drinks.

“Umm, he can have a banana smoothie,” she told Jonghyun who nodded while scribbling it in. “Minho can have coke.”

“Ok,” he didn’t know what that was but he was more than happy to consume it.

“And what about you Hannie; aren’t you going to have something?” Hannie cringed. She blamed Kibum for Jonghyun giving her this nickname.

"Just a herbal tea please.” He then stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry.

“Boring,” then he winked, “but sure coming right up.” With that he put his equipment away and went off whistling before stopping to talk to a table of girls.

“So have you thought about it more?” Minho asked reminding Haneul that she hadn’t given them an answer about them guarding her.

“A little,” she admitted fiddling with the chunky beads on her chain-link and black beaded necklace. “It’s still somewhat beyond my understanding.”

“Well I need to find out tonight because… There won’t be another time.” He sounded urgent, almost anxious. Was that even possible? Him being like this caused Haneul to drop her necklace back down and give him her full focus.

“What do you mean by that?” Her voice not much louder than a whisper; he leaned forward closing the space between them.

“The demons have been clustering together more than ever… And God was going to use someone else.”

“Then why the hell doesn’t he just hurry up and do so?!” Haneul demanded cracking her knuckles, “if he really is that impatient.”

“No you don’t understand,” Minho pleaded with his eyes as well as his words. “It wasn’t because he’s impatient. God is more than patient with mankind.” He swallowed for a moment; Taemin was playing with the flowers in the vase at their table. “… He would have used someone else because you wouldn’t have survived.” Haneul spilt her glass of water. She pushed back in her chair, a fear crippling her into place.

“I-I was going to be …?” With a solemn nod Minho agreed.

“That demon the other night; we were supposed to let it take you.” Haneul clutched the arm rests of her chair.

“But why would he do that?”

“That’s not for me to know,” he ran a hand through his neatly cut hair. “Whether it was for a trial or a test I don’t know. All I know is that God had someone else in mind. I had to beg him to let you be spared.”

“I find that hard to believe?” Haneul was miffed, “nobody can just beg God.”

“Moses did,” Minho started. “He would have killed them if Moses hadn’t said anything.”

“You’re losing me at Moses…”

“—Haneul, why won’t you answer your calls?!” They were startled by the appearance of Kibum, who had dressed in a white shirt, red jacket and shoes that were red and black.

Haneul always had a reason for her actions. “My phone’s on silent.  Besides you can’t just greet people like that!”

“You’re my friend, get used to it.” From that Haneul swung a leg out to kick Kibum in the shin. He hopped up and down from the pain until Taemin offered him a seat.

“Here, hyung,” he smiled sweetly at their older friend. Kibum ruffled Taemin’s hair.

“Such a good kid,” Kibum said to Taemin before death staring Haneul who mouthed to him, ‘I love you too.’  The drinks arrived and Jonghyun greeted Kibum.

“Honey you’re late,” Jonghyun told him.

“I was getting my hair done.”

“It looks good anyway,” Jonghyun raked a hand through Kibum’s locks and he gave a giggle. The other two guys at the table looked at each other and then at Haneul.

“Get me my usual!” Kibum said patting Jonghyun on the head like you would with a puppy. “Thanks honey.”

“Sure.” Happy at being praised, Jonghyun went off to grab it and then go to the stage where three other guys were getting ready to perform. Haneul saw the two looking to her. “You two never seen that sort of thing?”

“We have … But it isn’t good,” Taemin sipped his banana shake. “It’s frowned upon.”

“They aren’t really.” Haneul said to them amused by their bewilderment. “It’s just something they do between the two of them. Plus both have had girlfriends.” A thought crossed her mind. “Why do you guys not agree with it?”

“If you read the Bible then you would know.” She had just been shut down.  Folding her arms she thought for a moment Haneul remembered that she’d learned some rather horrific news just before.

“So … I have no choice really; do I?”

“I’m sorry,” Minho apologised.

This chapter feels flawed. I don’t think I explained things well so I’ll leave that between me and God. He can reprimand me on anything that I got wrong.