Injun didn't really want to be too elated by his first successful exorcism, but he couldn't help it. Seeing Husky smiling the next day at school and knowing that Jihwan wasn't suffering from night fright anymore made him happy. The new exorcist anticipated Jin's "that was just the beginning" lecture, but Injun thought that he might as well celebrate his first victory. Whenever he and Husky were together at school, Injun wanted to hug his friend and cry. The only problem was that Injun couldn't tell him the truth, because Husky didn't believe him the last time he tried.

"Great treasures lose their luster when discovered by many," Husky confidently tried to question his friend again in between classes, "but shared with a friend, they are even more spectacular."

"If I could understand you just once," Injun shook his head, "this definitely wouldn't be it."

"Oh, come on," Husky whined. "You have to tell me what you did to help Jihwan. I haven't seen my mother this relieved since I passed my final exam several years ago."

"Believe me, Husky, even I tried, you wouldn't--"

"Just tell me, damn it."

"Fine," Injun sighed heavily. "A second in command of a division of angels came to me and told me I can fight demons. I banished the one that was bothering Jihwan last night. There."

It took a few moments for the words to sink in to Husky. And when they did, he looked even more puzzled.

"What's with all this angel stuff?" Husky frowned. "You asked me about them a while ago, didn't you? What are they like? I mean...do you really see them?"

"Yes, Husky," Injun carefully answered. "I do see them. One's been assigned to me, apparently. His name is Jin."

"Injun, you've got to snap out of it. You're too young to go crazy."

Thankfully for Injun, the bell for their next class rang, and they had to seperate. It was beginning to frustrate him, though, that he couldn't tell his best friend about these new happenings in his life. They were supposed to be able to tell each other everything. But as Injun thought about these while walking into his Hanja class, he spotted something that caught his eye. Or rather...someone.

Ashley.

Injun didn't go to sit beside Ashley, lest he come off as creepy, but diagnally behind her to the left, which unfortunately had him botch his Hanja the whole class. He really wanted to approach her, but he didn't know how. There wasn't a normal reason he could think of to use as a conversation starter, since he could only think of their first time about angels. That might have been acceptable at some point, but Injun couldn't help but still feel awkward about it. He wanted to be a bit...closer to her before talking more about that.

Time was soon up for the class, and all of the students in the room stood up to go to their next one. Injun watched Ashley pack her supplies and stand up. A blush began to rise to his cheeks as he noticed for the first time how beautiful Ashley really was. Injun's throat constricted as he began to fall into a trance into Ashley. His hand raised by itself and he found himself walking over to her. He was about to tap her shoulder when--

"Hey, Injun," Husky called to him from behind.

Injun turned around, still in a daze, and looked at his friend.

"Listen," Husky sighed, "I'm sorry for being so dismissive about your interest in angels."

With a sigh, Injun looked behind him to check for Ashley, but she was gone by then.

"Life just may be turning you crazy," Husky teased, "but you may also be seeing them for real. I just want to apologize, and you should know that...I'm still skeptical about this whole thing. But don't let that keep you from talking to me like you always did, even if I give you sarcastic answers. I'm here for you. We're best friends."

"Thanks, Husky," Injun sighed heavily. "Believe me, I think I'm just crazy too at times. But...what happened with Jihwan...I know this is real. I know it."

"Well, tell your guardian angel that I'm thankful he came to you and taught you to..."

"Banish demons," Injun finished for him. "That's what he called it."

"This is the first time I had an exorcist for a friend."

Like all of the times they did since they befriended each other, Injun and Husky put their arms around each other, threw their heads back, and laughed. Ashley would have to wait.

Trying to concentrate on Korean history while thinking over an exorcism, a skeptical best friend, and a beautiful stranger who just might understand what you're going through is just torture. Injun couldn't focus on his homework, and that was driving him into the pits of frustration. Their teacher asked them to organize the timeline for the development of Hangeul, but the book in Injun's hands didn't make sense no matter how many times he read it. His parents fighting in the living room didn't help his predicament either. And with that, all he could think of was the demons whispering into their ears, laughing at their puppets. A dangerous idea hit Injun, so he stood up and put his hands on the knob to turn it.

"One victory over a child demon," the familiar comforting voice appeared from behind, "and you think you're ready to face the ones bothering your parents? You should seriously reconsider, Pooh Bear."

"I can't think about history right now," Injun sighed, "so I thought I'd do something I felt like doing."

"Pooh Bear, those two out there are nothing like the one that was with Jihwan. Besides them being a pair, they're also much more powerful, and you have a lot to learn before I'd ever let you go out and face them. I'm not joking when I say you could die."

"Well," Injun snapped around, "didn't you say you could drive them away when my life was in danger? What is there to keep me from going out there and facing those cursed things that have been the cause of so much of my misery growing up? And they still affect me."

"I'm sorry," Jin came over and hugged the boy. "I know how you feel, but you're not ready. I care about you too much to let you go out there unprepared. Please, just trust me on this. You can banish them when you're strong enough."

Tears rushed out of Injun as he buried his face into the arms of the angel. He was quickly becoming so dependant on Jin, and he knew now that he could never lose him. There was safety and comfort with Jin, someone to talk to, someone who understood him.

"I just want them to go to Hell," Injun choked out, "and leave my family alone."

"I know, I know," Jin Injun's hair. "You can do that when you're much stronger and can banish any demon that crosses you. I know you're going to become a very powerful Dark Prince over the next few--"

"What do you mean?" Injun lifted his head and frowned at the angel.

A look of confusion came over Jin's face, and he looked extremely cute.

"You said..." Injun blinked a few times. "You said I'd be a powerful Dark Prince."

"Oh," Jin began to shift uncomfortably. "Uh...I meant...ahem..."

"How am I a Dark Prince? Of all things, I didn't think I'd be dark..."

"Sorry," Jin faked a smile. "Slip of the tongue."

Waves of suspicion pounded in Injun's gut, and he felt like nauseating.

"Now sit back down," Jin pointed to the bed, "and do your homework. I don't want you getting into trouble tomorrow."

With a frown, Injun sat back down and faced his homework, but this time, "Dark Prince" was keeping him from focusing. Jin bid him good night and disappeared, but Injun knew that he was never really alone. There were many eyes watching him. Whether they were all good or not was something Injun tried not to think about. A crash in the living room didn't even register in the boy's mind.

Of all things, I didn't think I'd be dark...