“…What?” KyuJong’s eyes widened and he put the spoon down. “I’m hired? Really? But…we just met, and I haven’t even been interviewed yet.” He hadn’t even tried to apply for a job at the tiny, run-down coffee shop.

“Yuetu interviewed you,” SungMin replied, petting the rabbit spirit’s fur. “I could hear him all the way from the back; he likes you. And Yuetu’s a good judge of character. The guy I called knows it too, so he agreed to give you a shot here.”

KyuJong wasn’t even sure what part of that to reflect on first; it was a little overwhelming. He absently wondered what Yuetu had said to SungMin about him, and wished he could hear the rabbit too. “The…son of the owner is a Keeper too?”

“Mhm. Those of us in Seoul tend to stick in groups. Only so many people you can talk to about this, you know? You’ll probably meet him at some point; he’s a snarky upstart, but you seem to have a cool head on your shoulders. So, when are you free?”

“Uh…I don’t have my school schedule with me,” KyuJong flushed; he hadn’t thought he’d be hired so fast. “I can bring it in tomorrow?”

“Cool. I’ll be here tomorrow again. It’s dead around this time of day, but we’ll be busy later tonight and tomorrow for sure. So the sooner you can come in and work, the better. You’ll be on shift with me while you’re training.” SungMin snorted. “Which means you’ll help me keep Yuetu from getting in too much trouble.”

“Sounds fun,” KyuJong smiled. He was looking forward to work already.

“Say that after you’ve had to keep him out of the vegetable drawers all day.” SungMin flicked one of Yuetu’s ears playfully, the rabbit pointedly ignoring him.

KyuJong chewed on his lower lip, debating something. “I saw a spirit beast a couple nights ago lose a spirit battle,” he said slowly. “And then the next day I saw that spirit beast with a totally different person, and her Keeper wasn’t anywhere around. The person she was with could see her too. Is that normal?”

“You’re really new to this, aren’t you?” SungMin blinked. KyuJong flushed in embarrassment.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m guessing you saw a formal challenge, not just a training battle.” SungMin scratched Yuetu’s ear lightly. “If a Keeper loses a formal challenge, they lose their spirit beast. It’s to keep a strong spirit beast from being tied to a weak human. And in order to keep spirit beasts secret from the rest of the world, the former Keeper loses memory of anything related to them. The person you saw the spirit beast with afterwards must be her new Keeper.”

“If they lose a challenge, they lose their spirit beast?” KyuJong frowned. “What if the Keeper’s just having a bad day? That seems a little unfair.”

“Keepers can’t have a bad day.” SungMin’s pink eyes flicked up to meet KyuJong’s, gaze suddenly serious. “This isn’t a game. We’re talking about creatures whose very presence stabilizes the world and keeps dangers at bay. A single bad day could throw everything into chaos. If the Keeper can’t handle that, they shouldn’t be a Keeper in the first place.”

KyuJong winced at the harsh reply. “Okay. Do you challenge other Keepers?” He looked at Yuetu, finding it hard to see the rabbit as a threat.

“I don’t go out of my way to challenge others, but I’ve never backed down from a challenge either,” SungMin replied. “And as you can see since I still have Yuetu and my memories, I’ve won each challenge so far. Only cowards refuse a formal challenge.”

Frowning, KyuJong thought about HyukJae and JunSu, who had taken off the second they thought he was going to challenge them. Then he thought about KiBum again. “What about new Keepers?”

“The newbies?” SungMin laughed, the bright smile returning. “That depends on who you talk to. Some Keepers believe you’re either born with the ability to be a great Keeper or you’re not, and don’t have any qualms about challenging new Keepers the same day they get their spirit beast. Others will offer to train the new ones to judge their potential, and some will just leave them alone until they’re ready to take on challenges. Since I don’t issue any challenges myself I don’t care what the newbies do, but if one of them is stupid enough to challenge me cause my spirit beast’s a pink bunny, Yuetu and I’ll kick their .”

KyuJong grinned sheepishly. “You must get a lot of challenges then.”

“You have no idea,” SungMin sighed dramatically. “It’s a little tiresome always getting the greenhorn challenges; the older Keepers know better.”

They both looked up as more people came into the café, talking. SungMin stood up, straightening his clothes. “Well, I have to get to work. Yuetu, behave.” He gave the rabbit a pointed look before heading off to collect orders.

Grinning, KyuJong finished up his lunch. By the time he was done, there was a small crowd by the door and SungMin was busy keeping up with orders. Catching the Keeper’s attention, he stood and scooped up Yuetu in his arms before heading to the front to pay. Yuetu didn’t seem to have any problem with being picked up this time, nibbling on KyuJong’s collar.

“I’ll be back tomorrow, thank you for giving me a chance,” he smiled widely at SungMin when the waiter appeared to take his money, placing Yuetu on the counter.

“No problem,” SungMin chuckled, cashing him out. “I’ve never met a non-Keeper who could see Yuetu before, and considering how much he likes you, I’ll be keeping an eye on you KyuJong.” He gave KyuJong his change. “How busy are you at night?”

“Night?” KyuJong blinked. “Uh…it varies.”

“Night is when all the Keepers come out,” SungMin winked. “When the sun goes down, look to the sky.” He slung Yuetu over one shoulder and carried the rabbit spirit into the back.

KyuJong mused on the other man’s words as he left the café and headed towards his apartment, before putting it on the back burner to consider later. It was almost time to meet HyungJoon, he had just enough time to take a shower first. Tomorrow would have to be spent on homework; he was going to fall behind at this rate.

In comparison to the morning he’d just had, his apartment was painfully ordinary. KyuJong closed and locked the door behind him, sighing softly. It was almost harsh coming back to reality after spending lunch in the company of a Keeper and a very mischievous rabbit spirit. He went to take his shower, thinking on what he’d been told today. He’d have to write it all down in his notebook before he forgot about it.

He was just finishing his shower and had changed into new clothes when there was a knock on the apartment door. Blinking, he went to the door and opened it.

“Hi!” HyungJoon stood on the other side, grinning a little sheepishly. “Was just checking to see if you’re still good for meeting up. Uh…is this too early?”

KyuJong blinked at him past damp bangs before chuckling, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “No, it’s fine. I was just showering and coming over afterwards. I’d suggest just staying here since you came over, but well…” He looked around his barren apartment.

“You can come over, no problem,” HyungJoon replied, face a little redder than it had been two seconds ago. “KiBum’s around to take care of Choco. If you’re okay with being in the same apartment as her.”

“As long as she doesn’t get too close I’ll be fine,” KyuJong shook his head, moving away from the door and sitting down to pull on his socks and shoes.

HyungJoon shuffled to just inside the door, closing it behind him. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you scared of dogs?”

KyuJong looked up at him. “When I was little, someone on the fringes of my hometown was trying to breed dogs… One of them got loose and chased me around town. I would have probably been mauled to death if it weren’t for some neighbors stepping in and shooting it.”

He rolled up one of his sleeves, showing HyungJoon his arm. Old mostly-faded scars stretched across his skin, where sharp fangs and claws had drawn blood years ago. HyungJoon’s already large eyes grew. “…Oh. Wow. I really don’t blame you for being scared of dogs after that, it must have been terrifying.”

KyuJong nodded, leaving out that the mauling had been partly his own fault. After seeing the spirit battle when he was ten, he’d gone through a phase of thinking ordinary animals could become what he’d seen that night. He’d willingly approached the loose dog and the animal must have felt threatened. It didn’t make it any easier to get close to dogs afterwards though.

“Well, we’ll leave Choco in one of our rooms,” HyungJoon smiled reassuringly at him. “She’s a sweet girl and just wants to play all day, but if you’re not comfortable around her, that’s fine.”

“Thank you,” KyuJong returned the smile with a grateful one of his own. HyungJoon turned a light pink and coughed into his hand, turning away.

Getting ready quickly, KyuJong joined HyungJoon by the door a minute later. “Well, what do you want to do first?”

“Let’s play some games,” HyungJoon grinned. “You said you weren’t really good at video games, but I found some board games that could be fun. Come on!” He headed out into the hallway. KyuJong laughed at his enthusiasm as he followed, locking up behind them.

When they got to the brothers’ apartment, KyuJong saw KiBum standing out in the hallway with Choco in his arms. “KiBum, I thought I said to have her in your room before we got here,” HyungJoon frowned.

“I’m trying, she’s a little—“ KiBum winced when Choco started barking and struggled to get free of his arms. KyuJong instantly hid behind HyungJoon, heart rate increasing at the noise. “Something’s got her worked up again.”

“She’s been that way since Wednesday,” HyungJoon sighed, then looked at KyuJong behind him. “Uh…let’s go for a walk. We’ll go to a board game café instead.” He took KyuJong’s hand and pulled him back out the door.

Looking back just before HyungJoon could close the door, KyuJong saw Pantera sitting by KiBum’s bedroom door. Choco was barking at the panther spirit, growling and trying to reach her as KiBum struggled to keep a hold on the puppy.

“Sorry about that,” HyungJoon mumbled sheepishly as they headed to the elevator. “Choco’s not normally that bad…someone must be moving down the hallway, the noise always drives her nuts.”

KyuJong let out the breath he’d been holding onto. “It’s fine. But I don’t know if a board game café will work…I haven’t got a paycheck yet,” he mumbled, slowly calming down as the barking became inaudible.

“I’ll pay for you then,” HyungJoon grinned at him.

“You…you don’t have to do that,” KyuJong protested. “I’ll pay you back.”

“It’s fine, my treat. How did the job hunt go, by the way?” HyungJoon pressed the elevator button.

“I got a job,” KyuJong said, lips pursed. “In Hongdae Moon Café.”

“…No idea what that is.”

“A small run-down place in Hongdae, not that far from here. I have to go back tomorrow to give them my school schedule, and find a way to fit homework around work,” KyuJong sighed.

“Ah, join the club,” HyungJoon grinned, pulling KyuJong into the elevator by their linked hands. “KiBum and I both have part-time jobs too, though for KiBum it’s more whatever freelance photography job he can get. Kevin helps him out with that, recommends him to any clients who ask.”

“Sounds fun,” KyuJong chuckled. “What do you do?”

“I work the school’s bookstore,” HyungJoon gave a long-suffering sigh. “Most unglamorous job ever, with the most annoying coworkers ever.”

“Who?” KyuJong’s curiosity was piqued; HyungJoon didn’t dislike many people, and seemed to get along with the whole school some days.

“Park JungMin and Lee HongKi. It’s not that they’re bad…JungMin just likes picking on people, and HongKi’s an enabler,” HyungJoon wrinkled his nose. “It doesn’t help that I knew JungMin from high school, he wasn’t much better back then.”

“So I shouldn’t go visit you at work one day?” KyuJong chuckled. They reached the ground floor and stepped out of the elevator, heading out onto the street.

“No,” HyungJoon shook his head hard. “The prices are doubled anyways.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be helping your work,” KyuJong snorted, shaking his head. HyungJoon was still pulling him around by one hand, the older man following his friend since he had no idea where they were going.

“Nope,” HyungJoon remarked cheerfully. “The less people who show up, the more I get to sleep in the back and avoid those two bullies.”

Laughing, KyuJong let himself relax and just enjoy HyungJoon’s company. Maybe a bit of normalcy was just what he needed right now.

By the time they got back to the apartment that night, KyuJong was completely at ease, not thinking about anything other than just having a good time. HyungJoon was great company, always with a joke at hand or if that failed in raising KyuJong’s spirits, wasn’t adverse to making a fool of himself in exchange for a laugh. It was with a lot of protesting on KyuJong’s part that HyungJoon took him out to dinner, but the younger man wouldn’t hear any of it, insisting until KyuJong gave in with a mental note to pay him back once he had a paycheck coming in.

HyungJoon didn’t offer to bring KyuJong back to his apartment again, something KyuJong was glad for. He didn’t really want to see if Choco was still worked up; even the chance to see Pantera again wasn’t worth it.

“See you at school,” HyungJoon grinned and headed down the hallway, waving back at him. KyuJong waved in return, watching him go. Part of him was very tired and wanted to just go back to his apartment so he could sleep. But something was tugging at him, and after HyungJoon had disappeared down the hallway the older man wandered to the windows and looked out into the night sky.

When the sun goes down, look to the sky. KyuJong’s gaze went skyward, but he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Frowning as he searched the darkness, he debated just going to bed. What was he expecting to see, anyways? But he couldn’t leave the window, just standing there watching the sky.

Ten minutes later as his watch hit eleven, KyuJong saw it. A quick flash of color overhead, mostly hidden behind the tall buildings. All he could see was it’s glow against the darkness of the sky, a bright blue. A few seconds later it came back, merging with a white glow shining from a building over.

He couldn’t see anything this low…he needed to get higher. Realizing that, KyuJong turned to the elevator and climbed back in, pressing the button for the top floor. That was a spirit battle. SungMin had said all the Keepers came out at night.

Reaching the top floor, KyuJong headed straight for the staircase. He hurried up the steps to the rooftop, pushing the door wide open.

Please comment, subscribe and vote if you enjoyed reading! :D

@Forest_pixi: LOL Keepers and spirit beasts do take after each other ;) Which came first though? It's a chicken and egg situation.

@Forever5501: Yeah, only once a week :( It'll help me keep up with writing; I don't want to burn myself out LOL But there's still the stuff over at Copy&Paste to read XD

@ping501: Keke KyuJong can ask all the questions he wants now xD Thank you for reading and commenting~!!