The Demon In You

"This is bad," Hyunjae muttered to himself. He was staring at the picture in front of him. "Are you sure she was killed the same way?"

He looked up at Shua.

"Yes sir," she said in a grim tone. "This girl's intestines were also ripped apart like the other victims. Can it be Boram?"

They were at his office, discussing a new serial murder in town. The police did not reveal this new crime's information though. Shua had the pictures copied through one of their contacts at the homicidal department.

"This is his style," Hyunjae said reluctantly. "But it's not making any sense. The serial murders seem to be contradicting all our previous theories. Initially, the murders were committed by ripping apart the insides of the victims. But now, the demons of the victims are instigating their hosts to commit suicide."

He leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "Boram holds a great amount of control over the dark demons," he recanted. "He's never the one to shy away from his signature style of killing. In fact, he wants us to know it's him. Why is he using two different ways to kill the victims?"

"Perhaps to distract us?" Shua suggested.

"Or…" Hyunjae frowned.

"Or what, sir?"

"Or, there's another demon who is doing all this in Boram's name," Hyunjae concluded.

"But didn't So Min's demon mention Boram?" Shua pointed out.

"It did," Hyunjae said. "But how much of it was true? What if it thought it worked for Boram but was actually being manipulated by some other demon? Demon can be manipulated too, you know."

"So, the pitch black demons might actually be the work of someone else?" Shua questioned.

"That's a possibility," Hyunjae murmured. "He's not the type to switch methods this constantly. Also, the ritual is very precise on how it wants the victims to be killed."

"CEO," Shu bit her lip, hesitating. "Should we…"

"Should we what?" Hyunjae raised his eyebrows.

"Should we ask those two for help?" she asked.

Hyunjae very well knew who 'those two' are.

"We are not asking that second lead and his sasaeng fan of a secretary for help," he said loudly. "Those two will only try to get in our way."

"But this concerns them too!" Shua protested. "After all, he is a Demon Lord too! If you two don't work together to solve these two mysteries, then the old man will arrive himself!"

"That soggy old geezer is bus chasing young girls in Hawaii!" Hyunjae snapped. "He won't come over anytime soon."

"Seems like the only other option is to use Rian," Shua sighed. Hyunjae grumbled. He did not want to involve Rian in this mess especially after the club incident.

"We'll visit the crime scene tonight," he finally said. "Inform this to Jo Sun."

"Alright," Shua nodded and exited the room.

Hyunjae sat back, thinking hard. Even though So Min's demon had mentioned Boram, Hyunjae was beginning to doubt that Boram was behind the transformation of the demons. He was sure Saion had led them to the right place that day but he did not sense Boram anywhere in the club.

He glanced at the photos on his desk. The photos showed a girl in her twenties who was found dead by her neighbor that morning. Her intestines were torn apart and she was left to die in her apartment.

He was studying the pictures intently, oblivious to his surroundings.

Rian had returned to her desk after helping Changmin to unpack. She grabbed a file and entered Hyunjae's room only to see him concentrating very hard on something in his hands.

Rian had never seen him so intense before. His brows were furrowed into a frown and his long hair was tied into a messy bun. A strand of hair fell over his eyes, but he was unblinking, his full attention on the paper in front of him.

He looks beautiful, Rian thought without realizing. Kinda...macho. Immediately her cheeks blushed up. What am I thinking? She scolded herself.

But the scene of Hyunjae looking so serious was an amusing sight. The hair strand was still falling over his eyes. Unaware of her actions, Rian's hand reached forward to catch the stray hair and tuck it behind his ear.

Startled by the sudden touch, Hyunjae glanced up. His blue eyes met her brown ones. For a moment, their eyes were locked at each other.

"Your eyes have a hint of hazel in them," Hyunjae whispered.

Rian felt her cheeks flush red. Hyunjae cleared his throat, and pulled back. He hid the photos in his drawer.

"I'm sorry!" Rian apologized, still blushing. "You were concentrating on work and the hair strand was bothering you and-"

"It's alright, Ms. Oh," Hyunjae said. "Lots of girls want to touch my beautiful silky hair. I understand your urge to touch it. After all, this luscious long hair can make any woman frenzy. If you like my hair so much, I'll allow you to touch it more often! Do you also need a list of hair care products I use?"

His eyes sparkled with self-love.

There goes all my fascination, Rian thought miserably.

"I'll pass," she said shortly. "Just sign these."

She handed him the file.

"Okay," Hyunjae sighed. "But if you need hair care products, don't be shy to ask!"

"I will," Rian said aloud. So that I know which products to add some glue in, she added to herself.

Hyunjae cheerfully signed all the papers.

"You didn't even read them," Rian frowned.

"Reading bores me," he complained. He handed over the file to her. "There you go!"

Rian took the files and was about to exit the room when Hyunjae spoke up," Ms. Oh, I will be going out tonight. Don't wait up for me!"

"Where will you go?" she asked.

"To the beauty salon," Hyunjae lied cheerfully. "It's time for my weekly facial. All this work has made my skin kinda dull."

He took out a mirror and examined his face.

Rian rolled her eyes. I shouldn't have asked, she lamented. She headed outside, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as she left, Hyunjae clutched his c.h.e.s.t. His heart was still beating rapidly from their small encounter before.

"Years passed by and the heart still beats for you like this," he said with a sad smile.

….

Rian exited the room, only to lean against it. Her heart was beating erratically. What i going on? She wondered.

She could still feel the touch of his smooth hair. But the touch scared her. Why did she act on an impulse to touch him? Or, rather, she should ask herself the real question.

Why did his touch feel so familiar to her?