Sungjae lay in his room. His head was completely mixed up from the events earlier. He couldn’t believe what happened. Just who was that man, and what was he? Was Yoseob really a demon? Could Sungjae or even all of BtoB’s lives be in danger? Everything was now put into question.

            Sungjae’s thoughts impeded his performance. During rehearsal, his timing was off, his steps were all over the place and he’d constantly miss his cue, which hindered the rest of the group. Everyone, at one point or another asked him what was wrong but he kept silent. He didn’t want the shadows to hear about it, at least not yet. Eventually they gave up and Peniel and Yoseob escorted Sungjae home.

            Sungjae laid alone on his bed while his brother watched a boxing tournament in the living room with Yoseob. He told the boys he was feeling sick to get them to leave him alone for a minute. He couldn’t take the crippling stress of the new information he had received. He had to talk to someone, and he had to make sure the shadows didn’t hear him.

            “Oneul mwohae, Itta mwohae, Jumare mwohae, Lalala lalala, ♪” Jiyoon sang while Junhyung played on his keyboard. Ilhoon danced along to the song the siblings composed on a whim when he heard a familiar ringtone from cell.

            “Hey, one sec,” Ilhoon grabbed the small device and walked into the hallway as his siblings continued to goof around.

            “What up, Jae-Jae, how ya doin?” Ilhoon casually greeted in English.

            “Don’t call me Jae-Jae,” Sungjae answered seriously.

            Ilhoon’s smile faded, “Ok, seriously Sungjae, what’s wrong? You were a mess during practice today and now you won’t even humor me.”

            “Ilhoon,” Sungjae sighed. “Everything in my life has suddenly been put into question.”

            Ilhoon thought for a second. “Is it a girl?”

            “No,” Sungjae yelled, “It’s Beast!”  

            “Beast?” Ilhoon leaned against the wall, “What’s wrong with them?”

            Sungjae sighed once more, “Is your brother there?”

            “He’s in the room with Jiyoon. Should I go get him?”

            “No. I don’t want him to hear what I have to say.”

            “Ok, I’m listening.”

            Sungjae took a deep breath before gathering the courage to speak. “I met someone today, this strange guy with long black hair and a suit. I couldn’t make out his face, but I felt like I knew him.”

            “Go on,” Ilhoon encouraged.

            “He wasn’t human.”

            “Then what was he?” Ilhoon asked, “A troll, a golem, an elf?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know,” Sungjae sighed. “His aura was neutral like a human but at one point his eyes glowed white and he sprouted black wings and flew out the window.”

            “Weird,” Ilhoon thought aloud. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

            “What was weirder was what he told me beforehand.”

            “What was that?”

            “He told me,” Sungjae hesitated for a moment, “or rather he warned me, that Beast aren’t all that they seem. He claimed that shadows are demons. They’re monsters that actually plot to consume our souls so they can use our bodies to walk in the light.”

            Ilhoon chuckled, “and you actually believed him?”

            “Well, what he said made sense,” Sungjae sighed. “I mean, their aura is unexplainably dark, and their blood is black. They don’t even have a heartbeat, hyung.”

            “Sungjae,” Ilhoon deadpanned, “just how long have you been with Yoseob.”

            Sungjae thought, “Almost two months.”

            “Exactly,” Ilhoon stated, “and forgive me if I’m wrong but, when has the sweet little bundle of chaos ever seemed like he wanted to destroy you?”

            Sungjae sighed, “I guess you have a point.”

            “Besides, if the shadows were demons, they probably would have told us, right?”

            Sungjae smiled, “You’re right, Ilhoonie, I was probably worried for nothing.”

            “Right,” Ilhoon smiled, “For now, you should focus on the audition. It’s this Friday. If you mess up your parts again, Jiyoon’s gonna kill you.”

            “Thanks, Hyung, you always know what to say.”

            “Damn right,” Ilhoon cheered. “Now go practice. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            “See ya tomorrow.”

            Ilhoon hung up the phone as his brother entered the hallway. “Hey, was that Sungjae?” Junhyung asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “How’s he feeling? Is he sick? I hope not,” Junhyung was worried that one of his top vocalists wouldn’t be able to perform Friday.

            “Nah, he’s fine,” Ilhoon assured. “He was just worried about something.”

            “What was he worried about?” Junhyung asked.

            “He just got the ridiculous notion in his head that shadows are actually demons that are trying to devour our souls.” He chuckled a bit but Junhyung’s face remained serious.

            “Who told him that?” Junhyung asked.

            “Oh, um,” Ilhoon thought, “some strange guy with shining white eyes and black wings.”

            Junhyung’s eyes widened, “a Rei.”

            “A what?” Ilhoon asked. Junhyung quickly snatched Ilhoon’s phone and started to search through the list of contacts. “Quick, what is Eunkwang listed under in your phone? I need to contact Doojoon.”

            “Oh, um,” Ilhoon was a bit taken aback by his brother’s frantic behavior. Just what was a Rei?

            “How is he listed?!” Junhyung yelled and Ilhoon stepped back.

            “I-It’s Kwang-chang-luck,” Ilhoon admitted and Junhyung scrolled through the contacts. “Go get your shoes, Ilhoon. We’re headed back to the school?”

            “What why?!” Ilhoon questions, now worried.

            “Because if a Rei has shown up, it means nothing but trouble.”

            The BtoB boys watched as their shadows frantically searched through the abandoned library.

            “Ugh, where is it?!” Yoseob yelled, standing on the top of a very large bookshelf.

            “I remember hiding it years ago,” Dongwoon replied. Many books were levitated above his head. “I just don’t remember where.”

            “Hyunseung was the last person with it!” Kikwang remarked, sorting through shelves.

            “Hyunseung!” Doojoon ran over to the 4D boy. “Where did you hide the Tome?”

            Hyunseung paused for a moment to think when a memory popped into his head. “I know. It’s not in the library at all.” He quickly dove into the floor below him, leaving the rest of the room in silent confusion.

            “What’s going on?” Changsub asked among the Btob members, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

            “Not exactly sure,” Minhyuk replied. “On our way home, Dongwoon received a call from Doojoon on my cell. Next thing I knew, he was dragging me back here.”

            “When Doojoon got a call from Junhyung, he seemed really upset about something,” Eunkwang mentioned before sitting down at the library table with his group.

            “I wonder if this has to do with that stranger I met,” Sungjae leaned back in his chair.

            “What stranger?” The entire group resounded with the exception of Ilhoon.

            “Earlier today, I met this guy with white eyes and black wings,” Sungjae admitted.

            “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Peniel asked his brother.

            “Because I,” Sungjae swallowed. “I didn’t want Yoseob to find out.”

            “Why not?” Minhyuk asked, but before the tall boy could answer, the platinum blonde shadow emerged from the floor.

            “Found it,” Hyunseung yelled, a strange, old book was settled between his palms. “I buried it outside in a box beneath the old peach tree.” He placed the book on the table in front of his group and they quickly flipped through the pages.

            “Hyung,” Ilhoon walked over to Junhyung, “What’s going on here?”

            Junhyung sighed, “That thing Sungjae met was a rei.”

            “What’s a rei,” Eunkwang asked as the other BtoB boys approached the table.

            Doojoon took in a deep breath, “They’re hunters.”

            Eunkwang raised an eyebrow in confusion as Dongwoon began to read aloud from the old book. “Reis, also referred to as Whispers by some, are