The Underworld Office (Boss x Reader) KINDA ON HOLD

Chapter 21: Trust

"Huhhh?! W-What?! But-"

Boss cuts me off with a chuckle, "Don't think I haven't noticed how badly you wanted to work by my side."

I stand there shocked for a moment. What the heck changed his mind so quickly?! And he was being so stubborn about it too! I shake off the thought and quickly catch up to him. 

After a bit of silence walking I spoke up, "Uhm...where are we going?"

"I've already taken care of most of the demons in this area so we have to travel a bit. It won't be long now."

He wasn't kidding, in a couple of minutes, we arrived at a temple-looking building. Inside I could see the dark aura of the lurking demons. I swallow the lump in my throat. I didn't have to have powers to tell the demons inside were strong and bloodthirsty. 

"While I take care of this, go around back and get rid of the lesser demons in the shrine house. They are stronger than those you've fought before but I believe you can do it."

"...alone?" I look at him shocked and a bit scared. The only time I fought a demon alone was on the subway, and even then I only survived because I used Boss's fan.

Boss nodded. He waited for a second and assessed my emotions. He gently placed his hand on my head, "Don't worry. You are stronger than you know, and even if you do get hurt I will know and come to your aid immediately." He reassures me as his hand travels down to my wrist. He held it up, reminding me of the traditional bracelet. 

I hesitate before nodding. They couldn't be as bad as the demon on the subway, right?

.

WHY THE HELL DID BOSS THINK I COULD DO THIS ALONE?!?!

I ran out of the house and turned back to look at the demons trapped inside. There were four of them and all of them were like that damned subway demon!

In the temple, I could hear the struggles of both Boss and the demons he was fighting. I catch a glimpse of Boss cutting down a bulking demon and take a deep breath. He said I could work with him...this is what I will be doing if I do. I need to prove myself.

I looked at the four demons who were staring at me with hunger. 

I hesitate, looking around the entrance for any weapon I could use but the only things there were some pots and an axe in a stump. I weigh my options before grabbing the axe and practice swinging it. It was a bit heavy but the weight would help put power into my swings. 

I shut the front door and made my way to the back. I slowly creak open the single door and walk in. The monsters were still focused on the front door. 

As I make my way closer one of the monsters catches the whiff of my scent and turns to face me. Being the greedy souls they are, the monster made his way towards me without alerting the other three. 

I let out a breath of relief that I could take them on one by one and readied my weapon as it came closer, slowly cornering me. Right before it darted towards me I threw myself to the side and then landed a powerful blow on the back of its neck. 

I landed blows on the back of the monster's legs as it tried to get up and blocked its attempts at hitting me.

As soon as it was immobilized I finished it off and watched it fade away. A smile spread on my face as I relished in my victory but I was quickly brought back when a shadow appeared on top of me. I look back but am thrown across the room as the other three monsters come at me. 

I scramble to dodge the one in front but I almost run into another, "Oh come on guys, three against one is kinda unfair don't you think?"

The monsters just screech and start attacking me. I groan as I dodge their attacks trying to look for something else to fight with. I find a pair of cymbals on the floor and grab them before smashing them onto one of the monster's heads. A loud crash emits from the cymbals, disorienting all of them. 

I quickly grab mallets for a drum and charge at one, bashing his head in. As it starts to fade I use the second mallet and finish off the one that I hit with the cymbals. 

I look around for anything else but there's nothing else around me. Before I can move anywhere else I bump into a wall and get cornered by the last monster. I stare at the monster in horror as I realize the situation I'm in.

It started to walk towards me, its many mouths salivating as its eyes went crazy. When it charged the only thing that I could do was crouch and shield myself with my arms as much as I could. 

I shut my eyes tight and waited for anything to happen but I heard a crash. I look up in confusion to see the monster crashing into a red sort of forcefield dome. Inside the dome with me was the man from my dreams. 

Although his back was facing me his hanbok flowed from the force of whatever was happening. Just like in a superhero movie he was holding his hand out, seeming to hold the forcefield with powers. 

My body slightly relaxed, relieved that I wasn't dead. 

Before long my bracelet started to glow and the man started...glitching? When the man glitched away Boss replaced him almost as if he was summoned by it. 

"B-Boss?!" I call out, confused.

He looks back and the forcefield glitches allowing the monster to land a blow. I shout in terror as Boss falls to the ground but the fabric from his hanbok quickly attacks the monster, strangling it until it disappears. 

Boss gets up and brushes himself off before extending a hand to me, "Are you alright?"

I stare at him stunned and confused about all of the events that just happened. 

He pulls me out of my daze as he picks me up and places me on my feet, "You did good."

I nod. 

As we walk through the building I see all of the bodies of the monsters that Boss defeated fading away. Without even counting I could tell that there were at least thirty monsters. 

We walk in silence through the streets before I decide to ask about what happened, "Boss...what was that red dome thing, and how did you just appear in front of me?"

Boss glances at me, "I told you that the bracelet would let me know if you were in danger."

"I was a round four soul-hungry monsters for hours and it never glowed or summoned you. I think the moment you told me to go into the shrine I was in danger." I retort back.

Boss sighed, "There's a difference between you being in a dangerous situation and you being in danger. You could handle yourself just fine before you choked."

I went to retort again before pausing. I didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

Boss continued, "But to answer your question, that bracelet was infused with magic by a mudang to protect its owner. The red 'dome thing' you saw was said magic."

"Ok...but how did you just appear? And why was he there before you appeared?"

Boss's eyes shifted as his eyebrows knitted together. His mist engulfed him and he appeared a little to the left. "I just saw the red glow and came to aid you. Did you hit your head and forget I can appear and disappear?"

My eyes squinted a bit. But there was no mist when he appeared. He just glitched there. That wasn't how that happened. "No, I just...." I huff in frustration.

He shakes his head, "And I do not know what you mean by 'he'. There was no one there when I appeared in front of you."

"...I was probably just imagining things, don't worry about it" I reply knowing I wouldn't get an answer out of him, "Where else are we going to go."

"That's all for tonight. You have school tomorrow and I would prefer if you got some actual rest before that. even if your body is resting you need to properly rest your mind too." Boss stated, cutting off the argument of my body already resting.

I sigh, "Okay." Although I was bummed, he did say that I did good today...

He takes me back to the office before I make my way back home. It was dark so Boss said he was going to follow me back home just in case anything happened. What he'd be able to do, I don't know but I did feel comforted that even if I couldn't see him I knew that he was still there.