Long Journey || ATEEZ

Friendships Blooming

"Welcome," an orange-haired figure sat in a smooth leather chair, surrounded by mahogany, and five other individuals in front of him. He stared at them intently with mismatched eyes. "I did have to call you quite hastily since it hadn't been quite long since I took over – but I have a job for you guys. A very important one, at that."

The five faces staring back at him prompted for elaboration.

"I think it's quite simple," the demon shrugged. "Remember our two traitors?" He chuckled. "They were too naïve, you see. Forgot the fact that I was always watching. I know where they are."

"Ohhhh." An evil grin lit up Hyungseok's face, while the others looked apprehensive.

"Kill them," Dongju ordered, his trademark lunatic expression illuminating his face. "Make sure they never see the light of day again."

* * *

It was late morning, Hongjoongie-hyung had long since left for work, and Seonghwa-hyung was asleep. San had prepared breakfast for himself (he was quite proud of himself for doing this) – a simple meal of toast and butter – and he'd already showered and gotten changed. He was raring to go outdoors and find a little part-time job he could do.

Scribbling a little note for Seonghwa-hyung, the demon shouldered his satchel, slipped on his trainers, and headed out.

A wave of heat hit him as he stepped out of the apartment, and he sighed contentedly. Time to go.

* * *

He didn't have much luck finding a good part-time job with good pay.

A lot of the places – especially the ones that required him to interact with people – vehemently refused to let him work there once finding out he was a demon, claiming that it would 'drive away customers', when San knew it was just unjustified bias. Others, though at terms with the fact that he was a Dark Creature, couldn't accept him because he didn't have the right skills. Other places were simply just too busy to interview him, and asked him to come back later. But they'd most likely reject him too. Because he was a demon.

It was okay though.

San was used to these kinds of things, as were most Dark Creatures, excluding ghouls and schlori, of course. Even when San was just a homeless vagabond, he had experienced similar attitudes to demons such as himself.

Before the orphanage had burned down, the other orphans living there with him had absolutely loathed him. They wouldn't let him join in their games, they would talk about him behind his back. Once, they'd even stolen Shiber and shoved him down a blocked toilet. It had taken ages to wash him out, and even longer for him to dry.

It was downright bullying, now that San thought about it, but at the time he didn't realise. He had thought he had done something wrong, that there was something wrong with him being a demon.

There wasn't, of course.

But numerous incidents had led to San losing control of his Dark Energy – for the first time – and the fear of his own power to grow inside of him.

He shrugged it off. He was a different person now. He was no longer scared, and he had control over it now. There was nothing to worry about.

He checked his phone for the time. It was 12:30, according to it, and San only then realised how hungry he was. He clearly didn't have enough toast that morning. He wandered around the streets for a while, now not looking for 'Help needed!' posters on the windows of the restaurants, but rather anything with a menu that looked tasty enough for his lunch.