The Demon In You

Rian felt her nerve twitch. This man really lives in his own wishful world.

"Sir," she said, trying to keep calm. "I cannot fulfill that request."

"It's not a request," Hyunjae said. "It's an order."

Rian gaped at him.

"But sir, I can't be the showstopper!" she protested.

"Why not?"

"B-because...I'm not a model!"

"Nonsense," Hyunjae scoffed. "Modeling isn't that hard. You just need the perfect clothes. Let me style you!"

Rian saw through his ruse. He was still adamant to style her.

"I-"

"Will do it?" Hyunjae put words in her mouth. "Good! I already have a few designs in my mind. You'll be practicing ramp walking everyday after work. I will personally assist you with it. Good luck!"

He cheerfully waved her off. Rian wanted to punch that smiling face. The CEO was really getting on her nerves!

But she had no choice. He was the boss, after all. Refusing his offer outright may cause her to lose her job.

Hyunjae watched as the girl exited the room. He knew she was not too happy with his insistence, but she will thank him later for this. People always do.

"It's time for a showdown," he said, flexing his fingers.

...

Jo Sun burst into the CEO's office. Hyunjae, who was admiring himself in a mirror, looked up.

"Are you out of your mind?" he scolded. "You shouldn't just barge into my office! I have work you know."

"Put down that mirror, or I'll shatter it to pieces," Jo Sun threatened. Grumbling at his rude secretary, Hyunjae put it aside.

"What do you want?" he asked, feeling annoyed.

"Why in the world would you choose an inexperienced office assistant to be the showstopper at the country's biggest fashion event?" Jo Sun demanded. "Are you insane?"

He knew Hyunjae was imm.a.t.u.r.e but this move was uncharacteristic even for him. Despite his narcissistic tendencies and over the top personality, Hyunjae was quite shrewd when it came to his business. He would never take the risk of choosing an inexperienced person as a showstopper unless there was a motive behind it.

"You're plotting something, aren't you?" Jo Sun accused him.

Hyunjae leaned back on his chair, calculating his next words.

"Yes," he revealed. "I am plotting something."

"What's going on in your head?"

"I think, Jehoma will be able to answer that," Hyunjae said quietly.

"Jehoma?" Jo Sun was startled. Hyunjae got up from his chair and strode towards Jo Sun. He touched the latter's head.

"Reveal yourself, demon," Hyunjae chanted. "I, the lord of all demons, command you to show your true form."

A light began to emit from the Jo Sun's head. It did not pain him, but the light was too bright. Within seconds, a light ash color figure emerged from Jo Sun. He winced.

Jehoma appeared in front of them. Like all demons, he had no face and his color reflected Jo Sun's heart.

A human himself cannot see his or her own demon unless it is extracted from them by a demon lord. Jo Sun only knew of his demon's existence after Hyunjae summoned it out of him many years ago. That incident tied him with the world of demons. Since then, Jo Sun had accompanied Hyunjae, learning the secrets of the human psyche and how demons affect it. Even if they bickered a lot, they put immense trust in each other's abilities.

"You have summoned me, master," Jehoma bowed down to Hyunjae.

"Jehoma," Hyunjae said. "You have felt the disturbance in the demon energy around you. Explain to Jo Sun, what is going on."

"Yes, master," Jehoma obliged. It turned to Jo Sun, who looked at it with contempt. The demon reminded him of that terrible ordeal it put him through so many years ago.

"Some demons have been dabbling into the forbidden territories," it informed him. "They are allowing a certain darkness to engulf them and turn them against their masters. Demons are bound to their vessels. They can instigate their human host into doing bad things but not force them. The ultimate choice to carry out the deed stays with the humans."

"But there have been some rumors going on," it continued. "Some demons have been gaining the power to alter the will of a person. If their human host does not comply with their instigation, the demons can bend their wills and make them carry out the deeds. This causes the demons to gain powers rapidly and also, feast on their human host's soul. At one point, if they consume enough soul from their vessel, the demon can leave their host's body and latch on to others. Their vessel turns into an empty shell, living a hollow life. However, their life spans are still linked. As long as the human host stays alive, the demon can latch on to other humans."

"But isn't that forbidden?" Jo Sun asked in astonishment.

"It's forbidden," Hyunjae replied in a grave tone. "But not impossible. I didn't believe it until I saw Rian's sister that day. Her demon, Saion, already ate some of her soul. I'm sure, he is making her do things, she would not normally do. Probably forcing her to do it. His color is nearly black. A few more days, and Rian's sister, Oh Rui, will lose her soul."

"Rian's sister?" Jo Sun was puzzled.

"She was Armiola's showstopper," Hyunjae sighed. "I looked into her profile. Up until a few months ago, her demon was a normal light grey color. Suddenly, her demon Saion started to turn black. After that, she dabbed into some shady work to get the chance of becoming a showstopper."

"Is that why you're pitting Rian against her?" Jo Sun asked. "To make the sisters confront each other at the contest, so that the demon can make Rui lose her temper to fight with Rian."

"Yes," Hyunjae said. "Saion will instigate Rui against Rian. In fact, it will hurt its pride even more if Rian won the fashion show. I'm sure it will try to attack her through Rian. That's when we'll take the chance to purify him."

"It sounds like the plan is based on a lot of luck," Jo Sun frowned. "What if it does not attack Rian?"

"It will," Hyunjae said in a firm tone. "Like it vessel, Saion hates to lose. It will come for Rui."

There was no other way. The only time, they can purify a demon is when it voluntarily reveals its crimes. It was not possible to barge into Rui's home and extract the demon. The process can kill her if the demon refuses to confess.

Only after a confession, can they strip the demon of its powers and turn it into an empty shell instead. The human vessel can them go on to live a normal life without thinking about the lifeless demon beside it. The demon will then become a silent spectator and speak only when the Demon Lord allows it to. Otherwise, the demon will simply follow its human silently through the years.

"So you're trying to make Rui jealous of her sister, so that Saion can be manipulated to confess? Jo Sun sighed. "It's going to rely purely on chance. Besides, why are you so interested to help Oh Rian? Is it because of that incident?"

He scrutinized Hyunjae's face but the latter only curved his lips into a smile.

"That will be all for today," Hyunjae grinned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to my mirror I mean work."

He dismissed his secretary and went back to admiring his silky hair in the mirror.

Jo Sun sighed and turned to leave the room. Sometimes, he wonders if Hyunjae's dramatic nature and proclamation of self-love are only facades to hide his true feelings.

"I think I'll get new face masks," he heard Hyunjae hum to himself as the latter checked out his smooth skin in the mirror. "This time I'll go for the new Seaweed Clay Masks. Time to hit the stores!"

Nope. He really loves himself the most, Jo Sun sighed inwardly.