It's... him.
You remember the young man standing in front of you, whose hand is currently wrapped around your own. Of course you do. That just goes without saying. You've been singing the song he wrote for the past several hundred years, and even though you've lived a long life, your memory remains as sharp as ever. You will yourself to remember as many interactions as you possibly can. To remember the faces of the humans you've met, so then even when they inevitably pass on, someone will still carry their legacy into the future.
Naturally, your memory isn't perfect. You're bound to forget little things here and there. But for the most part, it's bright and unmuddled. Especially when you're staring at the person who sparked your love for singing in the first place.
Jinu. He told you his name, but you never told him yours. 400 years ago, that meeting took place. 400 years is a long time. Humans don't live to be that age—and if even they did have such an impressive lifespan, their appearances would reflect it.
If that were the case, if Jinu's skin had grown thin, crinkled, and sallow, you probably wouldn't have recognized him. And yet, he looks the same. He hasn't aged.
Nor does his soul carry the same pulse as that of a human.
"Jinu," you repeat, and he seems to flinch as you narrow your eyes at him. "You've made a grave mistake. You struck a deal with him, didn't you? You sold your soul to Gwi-Ma."
You watch the way Jinu's fingers twitch where they're still entwined with yours, as if even now, he hasn't quite decided whether he wants to hold on or let go. But regardless of what he wants to do, he doesn't pull away. Instead, he stiffens.
Not in surprise—no, the surprise has already passed. This... this is shame.
There's a flicker of something wounded in his gaze, the kind of raw guilt that only comes when someone realizes their sin cannot be hidden anymore. It's in the way he meets your eyes, then immediately breaks contact. In the faint tremble of his lips. In how his grip slackens. You could pull away now, if you wanted to. But you don't. Not yet.
Finally, he exhales, voice trembling. "I... didn't think you'd recognize me."
"I always remember," you reply.
He winces at that, almost as if it hurts to be remembered, despite the brief excitement he felt upon meeting you again. Mainly because you know now. You know what kind of choice he's made.
Still, trying to gather whatever composure he still has, he lifts his gaze up a bit more. "But... what about you?" he asks. "You remember me, and you haven't aged a day. You're not human either. You've lived this long, but you still look the same. You're just like me. You must have also made a deal with Gwi-Ma."
"No," you say simply. Calmly. "I was already a demon to begin with."
All of the color drains from his face.
Jinu stares at you, searching for any hint of deceit. A nervous laugh escapes his throat, though it's humorless at best. "W-What?"
"I never made a deal with Gwi-Ma," you continue. "I've always been like this."
"But... you helped us." His voice is faint, disoriented. Disbelieving. "You helped me. You helped my family. Why would a demon do that...?"
"It's complicated," you sigh, and truly, there's no other way of putting it.
You glance around. The street is busy enough for the two of you to speak like this, but not quite busy enough that you won't accidentally end up drawing attention to yourself. It's hardly the place for the conversation you're about to have. Your kind isn't exactly supposed to exist in plain sight, and you still don't know to what degree you can trust Jinu. You've never encountered a demon that's exactly like you before.
More than likely, those kinds of demons don't exist.
"Let's sit somewhere," you suggest, tugging him forward. "Someplace quiet. We should talk."
Jinu blinks, and he finally seems to notice that your fingers are still tangled together, even now. His cheeks immediately redden as he yanks his hand back in a flurry of embarrassment. "Right, um... sorry."
You gesture to a nearby restaurant patio. It doesn't look like it's too busy. If you ask to sit outside, far enough apart from the other tables, continuing the discussion there should be fine.
And so, Jinu follows you. He doesn't consider trying to refuse, although you doubted he would. Most demons are intrigued by you. Well, normally the intrigue doesn't last very long because they try to kill you, but either way, you're far too much of an anomaly to be dismissed.
You manage to grab a table right away. Once seated, Jinu fidgets with the hem of his sleeve, still trying to process what you've told him. He looks every bit as confused as you expected—but also, visibly nervous.
"You're a demon," he finally says again, as if the words might sound different the second time around.
You just nod, eyes scanning the surrounding tables.
"But that doesn't make sense," he frowns. "Demons harvest human souls. That's... that's what you do, right? Either for yourself or for Gwi-Ma. That's the whole point. That's how it works."
"Maybe that's how it works for others," you shrug, smoothing out the napkin in front of you. "But I've never done that."
He looks genuinely baffled now, like you've just told him that gravity doesn't apply to you. Which it does. But it'd be kind of cool if it didn't.
"You're saying you've never taken a soul? You've never... brought anything back to Gwi-Ma?"
"I've always helped humans. That's all I've ever done."
Jinu stares at you. "And Gwi-Ma just... lets you?"
That question makes you pause. You hold his gaze, eyes unreadable, and for a moment, he thinks you're about to answer. But instead, you shift the topic entirely.
"Before I explain," you say, "why don't you tell me your story? You were human when we met. What did Gwi-Ma offer you? I'm just assuming, but... wealth? Enough wealth so that you and your family could finally live comfortably?"
Jinu's mouth opens slightly, but no words come out.
He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't prepared to be asked directly—even though he should have been. You're staring at him intently, and he knows it. He feels the weight of your attention pressing into the back of his mind, the same way it used to, all those years ago. The difference is, back then, he admired you. Back then, he thought you were like some kind of guardian spirit. Otherworldly, yes, but kind. Selfless. Mysterious.
It turns out that he was right. Sort of. Except the image of angel, which is what he immediately saw you as, is quite literally the opposite of what you actually are.
You're a demon. He knows that now. And yet... nothing about you feels malicious or cruel.
Still, the shame in his chest continues to bubble up.
Because the truth is ugly.
The truth is that he did strike a bargain—but not for anyone's sake but his own. He was tired of being worthless. Tired of the cold winters, the empty bowls, the way nobles sneered when they passed him in the street. He told himself it would all be worth it. When he accepted Gwi-Ma's deal, initially, he thought that it would apply to his whole family. That they'd all be showered with more money than they could ever possibly need.
However, when it came down to it, and the guards blocked his mother and sister from passing through the gates, he just... carried on.
Without them.
Gwi-Ma gave him money, and prestige, and everything he could have ever wanted. Just him, though. Only him. His family was cast out, condemned to an even worse fate now that he was no longer there to try and provide for them.
He knew that they were likely to starve to death on their own. And yet he still did nothing.
"...right," Jinu says, forcing a faint smile as the lies spill from his lips. "That's exactly it. My family and I were always poor. I couldn't stand it anymore. I made a deal with Gwi-Ma so we wouldn't have to starve or freeze."
You nod, listening without interrupting. He feels his knuckles turning white as he grips the edges of the table. As his shame begins rising all the way into his throat and choking him.
"And it worked," he continues. "We finally had enough to be happy. But... then the patterns appeared." His hand instinctively drifts to his neck. He's concealing his patterns, same as you, except it doesn't look like he's mastered the art. Perhaps they remain invisible to the untrained eye, but if you focus, you can see them shimmering faintly as he moves. "My family would have noticed," he mutters. "They would've known what I'd become. So I ran. I couldn't let them see me like that. But at least I knew that they were finally safe."
Jinu smiles again, softer this time. It's a sad smile, but you assume that it's because he had to separate from his family. You interpret it as something nostalgic and bittersweet.
"I became a demon so that my family could escape misery," he says, finishing his story in a quiet, hushed tone.
Your gaze softens. It's a beautiful tale. Tragic. Noble.
Unfortunately, it isn't true.
But how could you possibly know that?
"I see," you say, gently. You have no reason not to believe him. After all, you weren't there to witness what happened after you gave his family money and food. You weren't there to witness his fall from grace.
Before you can ask anything more, a server approaches your table, notepad in hand.
"Hi there! Sorry to interrupt, just wanted to check if you two were ready to order," the server smiles. "Are we celebrating anything special today? Anniversary, maybe?"
Jinu nearly chokes.
"No!" he says, quickly—a bit too quickly. "We're not d-dating or anything like that. We're just acquaintances. We're meeting again... after a really long time."
The server raises an amused eyebrow but nods politely. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. Well, can I start you off with some drinks? Or do you need a bit more time to decide?"
"I'm not all that hungry, so I'm fine with a cocktail," you brush off. "I don't really have a preference. You can pick something for me. I like trying new things."
"Oh, sure. I love when customers ask me to pick for them! They usually end up liking my suggestions." The server then turns towards Jinu. "And what about you, sir? Anything to drink? To eat?"
"I guess I'll just get whatever your most popular flavor of soju is," Jinu says, straining another smile.
"Got it. I'll be right back!"
The server leaves, and no sooner is he gone before Jinu rubs at the back of his neck, skin feeling uncomfortably hot. His embarrassment is very obvious. Probably because of the anniversary comment. It makes you chuckle.
"So, we're meeting again after a really long time, huh?" you ask, somewhat entertained.
"I think 400 years definitely falls under that category," he insists.
You smile, just faintly. "Fair enough."
Jinu clears his throat, then looks down at the menu, even though neither of you has any need for food. You realize he's just stalling. Waiting to work up the nerve to continue where you left off.
Eventually, he raises his head. "So... you've really never made a deal with him? And you never had to do as Gwi-Ma said?"
"Pretty much," you nod.
"I still don't get it. No offense, but it just doesn't sound real. Isn't he constantly trying to control you? How do you still defy him, even when you hear him whispering in your ear?"
Ah, right. Gwi-Ma's voice. It's enough to drive demons absolutely mad. He makes it impossible for anyone to defy his wishes. Granted, a lot of demons simply are evil by nature, but some, like Jinu—who were once human—probably wish they could escape from him.
"I used to," you admit.
Jinu blinks, studying you in silence. Or perhaps amazement.
"You used to?"
"Yes. A very long time ago. I was born a demon, which means I manifested in the demon realm, connected to Gwi-Ma by default. He kept trying to control me. To force me into bringing him souls to feed on. His voice was relentless. It made me sick. I was tempted to claw my own throat out."
You fall silent. Jinu is still staring at you, lips parted open as he clings onto every word that leaves your mouth. He's on the edge of his seat, desperate to discover the secret to breaking free of Gwi-Ma's control.
You hate to dash his hopes, but there's no such thing.
"I just didn't listen to him," you finally say, and as expected, Jinu's face drops.
"Wait, what? You didn't listen?"
"Yes."
"I don't get it. I understand that you're not under his control, but I want to know how you pulled it off. I want to be able to do the same thing."
"So, do it," you frown. "There's nothing stopping you from doing it. Gwi-Ma isn't as all-powerful as he'd like you to believe. Regardless of what he says, you do still have free will. You just need to be strong enough to overcome his voice. To force yourself not to listen, no matter what he tells you to do. It'll be painful. For the longest time, I kept crying and crying because I just wanted it to be over. But I didn't give up. I endured, regardless of how unbearable it was. And eventually, his voice disappeared. Forever."
Jinu blinks again, head slumping forward. He doesn't say anything. In fact, he goes silent long enough that your server returns with your drinks. It looks like he picked out a rather sweet cocktail for you. A strawberry daiquiri, he called it. And holy hell, is it absolutely delicious.
As for Jinu, however, he still hasn't even touched his soju. The bottle and cup sit beside him, rigidly. It seems as though your words weren't the foolproof escape plan he'd been hoping for.
"But I... can't," he finally manages. He digs his fingers into his hair, gripping down on his roots. "It's not that easy. I don't even know how you were able to do it in the first place. Gwi-Ma tortures me. He reminds me of awful, excruciating things if I don't do as he says. He forces me to relive the worst moments of my life."
"And what moments are those?" you ask. "Maybe if you willingly tell someone about them, they'll become easier to deal with. You'll take some of the power away from Gwi-Ma. I'm here to listen. You can tell me anything you want."
"I..."
Jinu stops himself. How can he possibly tell you? How can he admit that his story from just a few minutes ago was a complete lie? How can he acknowledge that he abandoned his own family, after you just told him that you bravely fought to resist Gwi-Ma's influence?
You're different from him. That much is obvious. You're strong, and righteous, and pure. There's nothing but good in your heart. You may have been born a demon, but you're kinder than most of humanity itself.
He could never be like you, not in a million years.
He's a fucking coward.
"I don't—I don't know if I can do that," Jinu says, swallowing thickly. It's difficult to even meet your gaze right now. He just feels so unbelievably ashamed.
You take a few sips of your drink, then nod. "I understand. We barely even know each other, so I can't blame you for not wanting to share everything with me. But if you ever change your mind, my offer still stands. You can sever yourself from Gwi-Ma. No, it won't be easy, but if you're willing to suffer for a while, it's undoubtedly worth it. Because then you won't have to be his puppet anymore. You won't have to carry out the horrible things he forces you to do. You can live your life proudly. I'm sure your family would want that for you."
Another dark, shameful look crosses Jinu's expression.
But once more, he covers it up with a fabricated smile.
"I'll do my best," he mumbles weakly. He stops and stares at you, jaw clenched, then without warning, he pours some soju into his cup, chugs it, and slams the cup back down on the table.
A split second later, he grits his teeth.
"Fuck you, Gwi-Ma, you disgusting, evil bastard. Who do you even think you are? You're nothing! You're nobody!"
Several people sitting at other tables turn their heads, and even though you don't normally like drawing attention to yourself, you can't help but smile.
"That's the spirit," you chuckle softly. "I bet his influence on you is weakening already."
"Wait, you really think so?"
"I mean... I was mostly kidding, but you never know. Everyone has to start somewhere. Even one step forward is worth the effort."
Jinu nods quickly. He still can't believe he's sitting here and talking to you like this. Apart from abandoning his family, that was his biggest regret. That he never got to know you better.
"Oh," Jinu blinks, eyes widening. "Your name. I just realized you never told me before. Even now, I still don't know what it is."
"I'm [Name]," you say. Before, you kept it close to your chest, never divulging the truth to anyone. But he's not the first to learn your name, and you doubt he'll be the last. Your life is changing, slowly but surely. You're no longer the unknown stranger that you lived as for so long.
"Thank you," Jinu swallows.
"For what?"
"For telling me this time. I waited for you to come back, all those years ago. But you never did. Now we actually get to talk like this. I guess being a demon has its perks, after all."
He offers a weak chuckle. It's obvious that he doesn't want to be a demon. Nobody does, really. It's a sad, dark existence. But you are proof that it doesn't always have to be. It can be more than that. It can even be... fulfilling.
You take another sip of your drink, smiling, and Jinu does the same.
*****
group chat: DEMON DUMPERZ
members: zoey, rumi, mira, [Name]
Zoey:
okay omg!! this is like history in the making!
[Name] is officially in the chaos chat!
Mira:
still hate the name
Rumi:
we were all asleep when she made it
Zoey:
i think it's cute! like us!
[Name]:
hi lol
i still cant believe i actually got added to this
but no fangirling, i promise
Zoey:
yayyy hi bestie!!
i missed you!
(˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥)
Mira:
maybe don't scare her off like less than 2 mins in
just a suggestion
Zoey:
i missed you sooooo much!
⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Mira:
wow
it's like im not even here
Rumi:
i like that zoey's always so honest
hi, [Name]!
dw about anything, we all know you're cool
[Name]:
thank you
i appreciate it
(づ> v <)づ♡
Zoey:
omg i was literally JUST going to use that emoticon
it's like we're sharing the same brain!
Mira:
that's not the compliment you think it is LMAO
Zoey:
she knows what i mean!
[Name]:
yep i do
(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)
Zoey:
HEHE
Mira:
does anyone else feel like gouging their eyes out or is just me
Rumi:
i think it's just you
Mira:
ugh
Rumi:
anyway!
like i said, now that you know our secret, feel free to talk us whenever
especially if you're ever scared or if you need help with something
Mira:
but we do a good job of kicking demon ass, so i wouldn't worry too much
you'll be safe
[Name]:
yeah i trust you guys
i'm not scared, promise
Zoey:
you're such a baddie omg!
maybe you should come take down demons with us lol
Mira:
zoey pls
Zoey:
i was just kidding!
[Name]:
i mean, i don't mind
if you're willing to let me help, i'd be happy to
Mira:
woah, uh... okay?
but no
like, HARD no
it's way too dangerous. we make it look easy because we've literally trained all our lives for this. you're still just a civilian, no offense
Zoey:
but didn't she say she's been attacked by demons before and they've never actually been able to hurt her?
[Name]:
it's true
i think i'm just stronger than the average person or something
but i've never really had any trouble with them
it just sucked knowing that other people were getting hurt, even if i wasn't
Zoey:
whoa you really ARE a baddie!
Mira:
zoey, c'mon
Zoey:
oh right
actually, my bad. mira has a point
it is dangerous so i don't want anything bad to end up happening to you
don't worry, though! we'll keep all the demons away! everyone will be safe!
Rumi:
yes, please don't try to do anything reckless
we don't want you to get hurt, ok?
[Name]:
alright haha
i was mostly just kidding, but either way, i'll look out for myself
dw
Rumi:
ok good
♡〜٩( ˃▿˂ )۶〜♡
Mira:
rumi ewwwww
not you too
Rumi:
just embrace it
Mira:
uh, no thanks
Rumi:
but for real, it's really nice finally being able to talk to someone about this
technically, we DO already have someone
our mentor, celine
she was also a demon hunter like us. she helped train us and prepare us for everything we needed to know
but she's kind of...
Zoey:
scary? strict? ruthless?
Mira:
yes to all of the above
Rumi:
she's a good person, but yeah
it's just a little bit harder being around her because she expects us to always be perfect
talking to you feels a lot more laid-back
[Name]:
well i'm glad
i know i can't do much, but i'll be here if you guys ever need to vent or something
i promise i won't judge, no matter what
Mira:
yeah she's nothing like celine LOL
and thank god for that
Zoey:
celine's not that bad, though
she's a good person
Mira:
obviously
but sometimes i'd like her to get off my ass
that's all
Zoey:
okay yeah that's true lol!!
anyway, [Name], you're one of us now
no takebacks!
[Name]:
there's no chance i'd do that
i feel so lucky to be talking to all of you like this
not just because i recently started getting into your music, but because you're all so nice and genuine
and i'm glad you're such good friends with each other
it's really sweet
thank you for letting me be part of this
really, thank you
*****
After talking in the group chat for a while longer, you slowly put your phone down, feeling more energized than you have in a really long time.
Not only are you friends (ish?) with HUNTR/X now, but you ran into Jinu earlier today and got to speak with him. Obviously, you were upset to discover that he made a deal with Gwi-Ma, but he did it for the sake of his family. You couldn't find it in yourself to berate him. You just couldn't.
Plus, if he commits to it, if he really commits to it, then maybe someday, he'll be a free demon, just like you.
A yawn spills from your lips. You're tired. Lately, so much has been happening. You're not used to things being so eventful. You're not used to talking to people at length, and feeling included in their lives.
It's honestly incredible.
Right as you turn to start getting ready for bed, your phone vibrates against the nightstand, and you reach over to pick it up.
Then, you blink.
Rumi:
hey again!
sorry to bug you, i know it's getting late
it's just that mira and zoey will be asleep soon, so i wanted to ask
would you maybe want to meet up in a bit?
just us?
A few seconds pass. You stare at the screen of your phone, eyes steady. It's a private conversation. Rumi messaged you separately, away from the group chat. You already know what she wants to talk about.
But again, it doesn't even occur to you to refuse.
[Name]:
of course
let me know when to leave, and i'll be right there
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Just another reminder to check in frequently so that you don't miss any updates if the website doesn't notify you when I post new chapters. Also, MC will meet some more members of the Saja Boys next chapter!