The Demon In You

Hyunjae bent down to inspect the lifeless girl. She was in her mid twenties and a well built woman. Judging from her toned muscles, he could tell she was a good fighter. Unfortunately, her fighting skills could not save her life.

"Is it him again, sir?" Yang Shua asked. Jo Sun was standing beside her, observing the scene.

"No doubt it was Boram's work," Jo Sun said. "This is the fifth victim this month. The police are going to get suspicious."

The girl, Minah, was killed exactly like the last victim. Her insides were viciously ripped out and her eyes were open in shock. She was alive when the killer tore out her intestines from inside her.

Hyunjae laughed. "As if they have the brains to figure out who the culprit is," he snorted. "This is beyond their comprehension."

"We're no closer to capturing Boram ourselves," Jo Sun frowned. "Every time we get a clue, it slips away!"

"And the more it escapes, the more the dead bodies pile up," Shua added. "We need to catch it before another person is killed."

"But Boram is no ordinary demon," Jo Sun said in a grave tone. "It can latch on to any host. It keeps changing its human vessel to carry out the crimes. Every time we catch one of the vessels, it flies off to find someone else."

"And whenever it escapes a human vessel," Hyunjae said, examining the corpse's ripped insides. "The human is nothing but an empty shell of his or her former self. They lose their soul and live the rest of their life in a coma."

Hyunjae scratched his head. Chasing Boram was wasting too much of his time and energy. He could already feel his skin hardening under the stress.

"Firstly," he said. "Shua, order me a clay face mask. All this investigation is making my skin rough."

Shua shook her head while Jo Sun opened his mouth to make an angry remark but Hyunjae cut him off.

"Secondly," he said loudly. "Scan the whole area for CCTV footage. See if someone tailed her and check her last activities. We'll get some clue from there."

"Thirdly," he said in a serious tone. "We'll need a Demon Seer to catch Boram."

"Surely, you don't mean Oh Rian?" Jo Sun rolled his eyes. "She's just a kid! She doesn't even have any idea what her powers can do!"

"Which is why we need to use her to catch Boram," Hyunjae shrugged.

"But what if Boram targets her next?" Shua asked. "After all, the last victim must be a Demon Seer in order to complete the 'ritual'."

"True," Hyunjae agreed. "For now, we'll just use her to lure out that monster."

"What if Boram captures her?" Jo Sun frowned.

"We'll just make sure we capture him before he gets to her," Hyunjae replied.

"What if we fail?" Jo Sun shot back.

"Secretary Jung, do you really think that I, an exquisitely unique and successful creation of god himself, have ever failed in any of my tasks?" Hyunjae asked pompously.

"You failed in topping Armiola," Jo Sun said bluntly. Hyunjae felt as if thousand tonnes of bricks fell on him.

"That is just one failure," he said, recovering from shock.

"You failed to get a girlfriend," Jo Sun was now counting his fingers. "You failed to send us back home, then you failed to do your laundry last week, you failed in Mathematics classes, you failed in-"

"Alright that's enough!" Hyunjae bellowed. "We need to extract this one's demon!"

"Oh yeah you also failed to save this victim," Jo Sun concluded. Hyunjae clenched his fists. If only the old man had not sent this annoying brat with him!

"Let's just get the damn demon," Hyunjae ordered. Like with the last victim, he put his hands on Minah's body.

"Oh you who has escaped purgatory and led this human astray in her short life. I condemn you to go back to your real place and purify yourself through redemption."

The dead body began to shake as a light grey color ball floated out of her. Hyunjae held the ball and it disappeared in thin air.

"Her demon was a light color," Shua observed. "She was one of the good souls."

"Hmm..." Jo Sun agreed. "Boram seems to have increased the pace of killing. Earlier it was four victims per year. But now..."

"It went for a fifth victim," Hyunjae finished for him. "Which means, the blue moon is nearly upon us."

"Sir, that means, it will come for her," Shua said in a worried tone.

"And that's when we will end it," Hyunjae said firmly. It has to end this time, he vowed.

He got up to his feet. "There's nothing more to do here," he gestured at the bloody mess around him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and prepare for my daily skincare routine. Cleansing, toning and moisturizing. All in that particular order."

He smiled and held up a V-sign.

*Smack*

"Let's go for some ramen," Jo Sun suggested to Shua. She agreed, ignoring the CEO who was writhing in pain behind them.

"I'll get him for this!" Hyunjae g.r.o.a.n.e.d as he held his aching head. "This is going to create a bump!"

.....

Rui returned home to find Rian sitting on the couch, with a book in her hands.

"You're late," she said. "Where have you been?"

"I was hanging out with some colleagues," Rui replied, taking off her shoes. "How was your first day?"

"It was good," Rian said as Rui sat next to her. "Our CEO is cuckoo in the head though."

"You mean Hyuk Hyunjae?" Rui asked in an excited tone. "The guy is a legend! His company is the only one which can compete on par with Armiola! They say he is quite good looking too. Are the rumors true that he is the most handsome guy in our country?"

"I don't know if he's the most handsome one," Rian commented. "But he sure is the craziest guy in the country."

"What do you mean?"

"He's got his head in the clouds," Rian ranted. "Self-absorbed and narcissistic. He only cares about his own looks and checks himself out in every mirrors he can get his hands on. Anyone who talks to him for five minutes will either end up choking him or throwing him into a fiery pit."

Rui stared at her sister. She never ranted so much about someone. The CEO must have really gotten into her skin.

(Interesting development, Lambark said.)

(Is the CEO really that nuts? Saion asked)

(No, Lambark replied. He's worse)

Rui laughed. "Seems like you're going to have a fun time there," she giggled. "Anyways, I'll be going to bed. I have a busy schedule tomorrow."

She got up to leave when Rian asked, "Rui, do you have anything to tell me? Did anything happen recently which made you really happy?"

Rui turned around to see her sister's hopeful eyes on her. Rian waited for her to say something, but Rui stood there with an unfathomable expression on her face.

"No," she shrugged. "I don't really have anything to say to you. Good night."

She failed to notice Rian's frozen expression as she went to her room and slammed the door behind her. Saion followed suit.

(Night guys, it yawned)

Rian was left alone in the living room, hurt by her sister's words. Rui would not even share the happy news of becoming a showstopper with Rian.

"Are you hurt by your sister's words?" Lambark asked quietly. "She alienated you and didn't even bother to share her happiness with you. Isn't that some sort of...betrayal?"

Its words cut through Rian's heart. Was it a betrayal? Rui simply chose not to reveal the big news to her. What if she was just waiting for the right time? What if she wanted to surprise her?

"Surprise you?" Lambark said, reading her thoughts. "You've seen Saion's color. You know your sister's inner thoughts. Admit it, she hates you."

As Lambark said these words, it could feel its color was slightly darkening. Yes, it thought. Darken more so that I can eat her soul.

Its neutral ash color was slowly turning into a grey hue. Its feet were deepening and the color was about to reach his t.h.i.g.hs when suddenly, the color change stopped. The grey color was washing off and the ash color returned.

"Stop trying to instigate me against my own sister," Rian threatened it. "Otherwise, I will end my life and yours too."

Lambark let out an angry hiss. It knew she would carry out that threat if she was provoked. If she died, it will die with her and Lambark happened to love its life.

Not sparing a second glance at the demon, Rian made her way to her room. The demon did not bother following her.

"I will never let it overpower me," Rian told herself. "Never."