It felt like a dream.

When Hyukjae woke up this morning, he was on his bed, in his own room. Everything seemed to be normal like before, and he was wondering if what had happened last night was just a nightmare. He breathed deeply as he stood in front of the mirror and studied his face, trying to find any difference in him.

But nothing changed. He still looked the same, and everything around him didn’t change at all.

“Then it was just a dream,” Hyukjae said to himself, smiling.

He knew it, there was no way everything that happened to him last night was real, because it was only a nightmare. He didn’t even know why he would be dreaming about devils and not to mention he made a contract to be a devil’s lover?

What a joke.

After making sure that he looked smart and clean, he walked out of the changing room and headed to the cashier counter, where Sungmin was arranging some papers. Other workers had started to arrange books on the shelves like usual, and they bowed at him slightly when he walked pass them.

Hyukjae sighed. How he wish they would talk to him normally, instead of treating him like the real owner.

“What’s wrong with you this morning?” Sungmin asked as soon as he stood beside him.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“You looked like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Or maybe a devil, Hyukjae added in his mind, before quickly shaking his head. It was just a dream. Nothing was real. “I had a nightmare last night,” he said.

“About what?”

“About…” Hyukjae stopped for a second, thinking of a very logic answer that he could give. There was no way he'd tell about the devils. “About ghosts.”

Sungmin chuckled. “And you said you’re not a baby? What a funny brother I have.”

“I’m obviously a grown up man who’s very self-sustained. I can cook, I can do house chores, and I can do anything by myself,” Hyukjae said confidently, with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You can’t drive a car.”

“I’m going to learn how to drive later!”

“You’ve been saying that to me for two years, Hyuk-ah.” 

“But I can take a bus or a cab by myself. I’m brave, aren’t I?”

“But you’re clumsy, not to mention a crybaby. You even dirtied a customer’s ring with your blood.”

Hyukjae who was getting even more annoyed with his friend’s ‘sudden attack’ wanted to fight back, but nothing came out from his mouth when suddenly realization hit him.

The ring.

As if he had just woken up from a deep sleep, he quickly grabbed his bag under the counter and rummaged through it nervously, only to widen his eyes when he realized the ring was gone.

“What is wrong with you now?” Sungmin asked with a frown on his face. The younger’s behavior seemed strange ever since this morning and he wanted to know why.

“H-hyung…” Hyukjae looked at the older, his face pale. “T-the ring is gone…”

“What?! What do you mean it’s gone?”

“It’s not in my bag.”

“Oh dear…” Sungmin palmed his face, not knowing what to say anymore.

They were definitely in a big trouble now, seeing that the owner of the ring was a customer who came here. Paying it back would be hard, and if they were to be fired because of this, he would surely go crazy.

Hyukjae, on the other hand, was worrying about something else. If the ring had really disappeared, that would mean everything that happened last night was real. The devils, the contract, and Lee Donghae, it might be real! He rubbed his face a few times, trying to calm himself down. He needed to be calm in this situation, he needed to think carefully before making any decision.

“We can’t do anything about it,” Sungmin said, “If the owner of the ring comes back here, we need to apologize.”

“But-“

“I’ll take care of it. Just stay calm, it’ll be okay.”

“Hyung…” Hyukjae sighed, “You don’t understand. It’s…it’s not like that…”

“What are you talking about? Just do as I said, everything will be fine. If he wants us to pay him back, then we have no choice.”

Hyukjae finally decided not to say anything, since Sungmin wouldn’t believe him anyway. He didn’t even know now whether he was dreaming last night, or it really happened. What if it was real? Hyukjae couldn’t help but to shiver at the thought.

Getting involved with devils (which he still couldn’t believe that they exist), making a contract with them, and having a devil as a lover?

“Oh my God…” Hyukjae shook his head, getting goosebumps all of a sudden.

“Customers are already here, Hyuk-ah. Just act like usual,” Sungmin whispered and walked to the shelves to arrange some books, leaving the blonde at the counter alone.

Hyukjae was getting more nervous when he began to remember every single thing that happened in his so-called dream, because only now he realized how real it felt.  This is impossible, he said in his mind. Devils do not exist!

And just right after he thought about it, he felt shiver ran down his spine, as if he was being watched by someone. He was about to call Sungmin when suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps getting closer to him, before stopping right in front of the counter.

Hyukjae’s eyes widened when he finally took a look at the man’s face, who was standing with his arms crossed, and had a very arrogant look on his face. He was wearing a casual black shirt and jeans, a necklace was hanging around his neck, and there was a weird ring on his middle finger.

And he had…an orange-colored hair.

“L-lee Donghae…” Hyukjae finally managed to say.

“Good morning, my lover,” Donghae said, smirking.

_____________________________________

“You thought it was a dream?” Donghae said, chuckling. “Unfortunately, all of this is real and you’re officially my lover now, human. Blame yourself for being so stupid to make a pact with a devil.”

“Blame your emperor for bringing that damn ring to my store,” Hyukjae retorted.

“So you believe I’m a devil now. You’re funny.”

If it wasn’t because they were walking in the middle of the crowd, Hyukjae would’ve hit the man without mercy. He really wanted to die now rather than facing the truth that he couldn’t hide from.

A devil’s lover? God must hate him.

And he had another trouble coming up, because he could clearly remember the shock on Sungmin’s face when Donghae dragged him out of the store earlier.

“What the hell happened to you by the way?” Hyukjae asked, his eyes looking at the latter up and down.

He hated to say it, but this devil was really an ‘eye candy’ with his handsome features, stylish clothing, and the serious look on his flawless face really made the girls’ eyes sparkle when he walked pass them. But the man that he saw yesterday had a black hair and silver eyes; a very intimidating appearance that would make people shiver.

“This is how I look in this world,” Donghae answered.

“ What do you mean?”

“We devils don’t always stay in our world. Most of us will wander to somewhere else, like here, or other places. Some of us like to mingle with humans and live among them, but some hate to get involved with your kind.”

“So you’re saying that you’ve been here for a long time?”

“Yeah, I can change my appearance to however I want.”

“You can use magic?” Hyukjae looked at the man with his mouth opened, surprised by this newly found knowledge about him.

“It’s not magic, idiot. We use power. Now stop talking about me and let’s discuss about my plan,” Donghae said as he stopped in front of a mini market.

“Wait, what plan? I don’t know anything about a freaking plan!”

“That is why I’m going to tell you now, airhead. Now listen carefully to what I will say.”

“Wait,” Hyukje raised his hand, stopping the latter from talking, “So you dragged me all the way here just to talk about a stupid plan when I’m still working? You know what, I really want to kill you right now.”

“Whatever you say, but listen here,” Donghae continued, ignoring the blonde’s death glare, “I want you to go through a few tests to see if you’re good enough to be my lover.”

Hyukjae felt like his world collapsed at that moment. “WHAT?!”

“Like I said, you’ll be facing a few tests, so get ready,” Donghae said coolly.

“You’re out of your mind.”

“I’ve never been in my own mind.”

“Why the hell should I listen to you?”

Donghae cocked an eyebrow, a smirk plastered on his face. “Then I’ll break the contract and you will die. It’s easy.”

“Fine!” Hyukjae gave up, knowing exactly that he couldn’t win against this devil. What an evil devil. “So what do I have to do?”

“Okay, so we both don’t love each other,” Donghae started, and the blonde nodded, “But you have no choice because the contract has been made. And I have to follow the order from the elders to find a partner as soon as possible.”

“Why? Is it that important to have a lover?”

“You don’t have to know,” Donghae said and quickly continued before the blonde could ask anything, “And even though I’m a devil, I’m a healthy man, you know. I have my desires too. So don’t interrupt my personal time.”

Hyukjae scoffed. “So you do have a girlfriend here. I thought you’re just a stupid jerk.”

“Girlfriends,” Donghae corrected him, a playful smirk formed on his lips when he saw how the blonde’s eyes went wide for a second.

“Oh, you’re a playboy, huh? I can see that, though. But let me tell you, even though I’m gay, you’re not my type too, jerk.”

“You’re gay?” Donghae’s smirk widened. “I think my life will be more fun from now on.”

“Whatever,” Hyukjae rolled his eyes.

“Now,