Shadow | Huang Renjun

8

"Hey, how was girls' night?"

Jeno slides into the seat beside Eunah, watching her scribble down notes like her life depends on it.

She raises her head and smiles, immediately noticing Mark's absence.
"It was fun! We watched movies and did face masks and ate loads of food. Yeon even showed me some music she likes."

"That sounds awesome. Listen... about yesterday–"

"It's fine," she interrupts, her smile turning to that of fake reassurance.
"I get it. It's hard to go against what you know."

He places his hand on top of her free one, trying to look her in the eye.
"If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. I'm sure we can find things out another way."

Eunah sighs, dropping her pen and running her fingers through her hair. Does she want to keep lying to Miyeon? No. But does she want to support her friends? Always.
Is she being selfish for wanting everyone to get along? She doesn't know.

"It's fine, I just– need to think..."

"Eun–"

"I said it's fine," she snaps, gaze hardening for a brief moment.

Jeno's eyes widen and he gingerly moves his hand away. Hers soften, becoming teary, and she murmurs an apology. Before he can respond, she packs her things away and stands, running out of the library with a pounding heart and wet lashes.

Blindly sprinting, Eunah lets her feet carry her to wherever they're going. Right now, she doesn't care. She just wants to be alone.

Somehow, she ends up on a roof, dangling her arms over the railing as tears drip to the ground below. Heart heavy, she chokes out a sob.

Am I even an Angel anymore? All I've done is lie, manipulate and argue... and I haven't even been here that long–

"Jumping won't do anything, Angel."

Startled out of her thoughts by a low, sadistic tone, Eunah turns and stares– wide-eyed at the Demon behind her. Renjun pushes off the wall he was leaning on and steps into the warm sunlight, staring back with piercing, red irises.

She swallows back the lump in her throat, feeling her whole body turn rigid with fear. As her eyes rake the surroundings for some kind of escape, he tilts his head, raising a brow.

Although his wings are retracted, a dark aura oozes out of him– the tips of his fangs just visible between his pinkish lips, and his hands stuffed into the pockets of black, skinny jeans. Covering his torso is a simple, white t-shirt that's almost blinding in the light. Ironically, the golden rays provide a heavenly glow to his skin; reflective patterns dancing across it from the earrings he always wears.

"Scared?"

Even the condescending question doesn't register, and Eunah continues to look for a way out. Of all the people to see her like this, she definitely didn't want it to be him.
Silent tears cascade down her soft cheeks, causing him to scoff.

"Pathetic. What happened? Did someone bump into you and not say sorry?"

"I- I don't–"

"Or have your perfect little friends left you?" he spits, voice full of disgust and hatred. At this, Eunah wipes her cheeks and frowns.

"No, they haven't. And why do you care?"

His previously neutral lips curve into a slight smirk, enjoying her croaky, heartbroken tone.
"I don't."

"Then leave me alone. I'm not in the mood."

"Feisty, aren't you? Are you sure you're an Angel?"

Eunah scowls, pushing past him towards the door. She grips the handle and mumbles, "I was," before throwing it open.