The Demon In You

"Let's get some things straight," Hyunjae stated. They were sitting at his dinner table opposite each other.

"I'm listening," Rian folded her hands. Lambark was standing there, watching the fiasco.

Hyunjae took out a piece of paper and started to list down.

"Number one," he said out loud. "You will move out as soon as you get a new apartment."

"Agreed," Rian said.

"Number two," he went on. "No one at the office can find out that you're living here. You'll be at your desk before everyone arrives. You will leave your desk after everyone leaves."

"Agreed."

"Number three. 25% of your salary will be house rent."

"Not agreed," Rian protested. "You're the reason I'm homeless in the first place. If you hadn't revealed the fact that I'm the showstopper to Rui, she wouldn't have gotten jealous and thrown me out of the house! Take responsibility you jerk."

They glared at each other.

"Fifteen percent," Hyunjae offered.

"Ask for rent and I'll tell Secretary Jo Sun that you caused me to become homeless and he'll burn down your scarves."

"Ten percent."

"That's it! Say bye to your scarves!"

"Fine!" Hyunjae gave up. "You don't have to pay rent."

Rian smiled at her accomplishment. It gave her great satisfaction to pay him back for all the agony he put her through.

"Number four," Hyunjae continued. "You have to keep the place spotlessly clean."

"Done."

"Number five. You'll let me redo your beauty routine. That includes changing your entire wardrobe, make up, shoes, style-"

"Pass!"

"Unchangeable."

"Scarves."

They glared at each other. As if the Secretary Jo Sun from hell was not enough and now he has a PA from purgatory. Old man, you're testing my patience, Hyunjae gritted his teeth.

How he wished for a white lotus employee! At least he would have had a girlfriend like those male leads from other romance novels!

"Stop fantasizing about getting white lotuses," Rian read through his mind. "Even they will run away from you!"

"You're being unusually rebellious," Hyunjae noted. "Usually you're meek at office."

"It's not working hours," Rian shot back. "Now, I can speak my mind freely since it's non-office hours."

"Tch," Hyunjae snorted. I'll change her wardrobe, one way or another, he promised.

"Number six. You'll not bring over any boyfriends over. In fact, no guests."

"Done."

"Number seven," Hyunjae went on. "And even if you complain to Jo Sun about it, your protests won't work coz he also agreed to it. You'll be the showstopper."

"That's what got me kicked out from my house!" Rian exclaimed.

"Well, then make sure your agonies pay off well," Hyunjae said. "That is all."

He was about to sign the paper when Rian spoke up.

"Wait, I have conditions too!" Rian demanded.

"Proceed," Hyunjae ushered.

"Tone down the narcissism at home," she said.

"I'm not a narcissist," Hyunjae said. "I am just an exquisite creation of god who simply laments on the agony of being such a perfect being."

Rian wanted to puke at those words.

"TONE IT DOWN!" she said loudly.

"I'll try but I can't promise anything," he replied in a nonchalant tone.

"Number two," she pressed on. "We will stay in separate rooms and give each other complete privacy. If I see you lingering around me with ill intentions, I'll break your bones."

Her threatening voice made even Lambark feel the chill. Hyunjae, however, was unabashed.

"I do not pry on a lady's privacy," Hyunjae said. "Nor do I have any ill intentions towards you. You see, I prefer a particular type of women."

"What type?"

"Rich ones," Hyunjae nodded. "Their money and connections bring in more business. more business, means more happiness. More happiness, means my skin will get more beautiful."

Rian shook her head in amazement. This guy would probably find beauty care resources and ways to make money even if he was stripped n.a.k.e.d in the middle of the desert without any provisions.

"Number three," she said. "You'll have to cook."

"Why?"

"Coz I'm a lousy cook," she admitted.

"So am I," Hyunjae revealed.

"I thought CEO's were supposed to be good cooks!" Rian said. "All novels show CEO's as cooks!"

"Well, I don't want my face to be ruined by hot oil and greasy stains," Hyunjae replied.

"Then how do you eat?"

"I usually invade Jo Sun's house for dinner," he shrugged. "Shua is a good cook."

"Wait, what is Ms. Yang doing in Secretary Jo Sun's house?" Rian asked in confusion.

"They're lovers," Hyunjae said in a dull tone. "They've been together for years."

"But..."

She tried to picture the uptight Jo Sun with the smiling Yang Shua. Not only was Shua much older than Jo Sun but they were completely opposite in personalities. More specifically, Jo Sun did not seem like the type who would date someone since he was always working.

"Opposites do attract," Rian commented.

"Attract?" Hyunjae scoffed. "It's not just attraction between them. I once walked in on them, getting all hot and heavy on each other like a pair of wild bunnies. They didn't even bother looking up to say hi."

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR DETAILS!" Rian shouted, covering her ears.

Hyunjae smirked.

"So yeah, I just head over to their place for dinner," he said.

"What are we gonna do about food then?"

"We'll just have ramen," Hyunjae suggested. "It's my favorite food anyway."

"Wait, I thought you had ramen for the first time today," Rian frowned.

"Oh yeah...I lied," Hyunjae admitted. "I was just playing with you two."

"You really know how to piss people off," Rian said in a quiet tone.

"What else to do?" Hyunjae gave her a sarcastic smile. "It's my job to piss people off."

A silence lingered in the air. Rian elt like slaughtering her overbearing boss while Hyunjae was thoroughly enjoying teasing Rian.

Lambark, who was seeing the whole 'arrangement', sighed.

(Lord, it would be best if this conversation ends here, he suggested. Fighting won't do any good. If you want to catch Boram, then you'll need her support. And now that she's living here, won't it be easier to protect her when Boram finally decides to come for her?)

(Why else do you think I provoked her sister into kicking her out, idiot? Hyunjae scolded him.)

Lambark stared in astonishment.

(You anticipated this? it asked.)

(Yes, Hyunjae admitted. And it worked perfectly. All Rui needed was a news to push her over the edge.)

(Then why were you asking for rent?)

(Because I love making money, Hyunjae said.)

Lambark felt like banging its head against the wall.

"So, Ms. Oh," Hyunjae broke the silence between them. "You will be staying here for a while. I'm hoping we can get along."

"I doubt that," Rian said. "But I'll try not to kill you every time you open your mouth."

"I assure you, I'll be a gentleman," Hyunjae rolled his eyes at her.

"You better stick to the rules," Rian warned.

"You too, Ms. Oh."

They signed the paper.

"This is our living agreement from now on," Hyunjae said. "We're bound to stick by it."

"That we shall," Rian replied. She held out a hand.

"Thank you, roomie," she said.

Hyunjae shook her hand. "You're welcome, roomie."

Lambark looked from one to the other, wondering what problems are about to arise from this arrangement.