The Familiar Devil || Minsung

Chapter 1: The First Dream

The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall glass windows of a small cat café in downtown Seoul. Laughter echoed through the streets as Han Jisung and his friends made their way to the cat café. They sat at the corner table, their usual spot. It was one of their usual hangouts, a cozy spot with just enough charm to keep them coming back.

The group made their way to the counter to order their drinks. But Jisung was surprised when he didn't saw the usual older lady that was taking their orders every time, instead of her he saw a younger man around their age when he looked at his face he was already staring at them with a genuine smile.

They ordered they drinks and went straight towards their usual table when all of them got their orders.

Jisung, with his playful smile and easy-going nature was always the life of the group, though today his mind was elsewhere.

Felix his best friend nudged him gently. "Are you even listening?" Felix asked a grin playing on his lips as he leaned closer, a half-eaten piece of cake on his fork.

"Huh?" Jisung blinked snapping back into reality. "Oh yeah, of course I am". He chuckled, though he knew Felix could see right through him.

"You've been quiet lately". Felix commented, lowering his fork. "Something on your mind?"

Jisung waved him off, forcing a smile. "Nah, just tired. You know work's been crazy."

Felix didn't seem convinced, but he let it slide "Okay just don't overwork yourself. You know I've got your back if you need to talk."

Their conversation faded as Jeongin and Changbin joined in, joking about something that happened earlier in the day. Jisung laughed with them yet he couldn't shake off that weird feeling that had been nagging him for days now. It wasn't stress and it wasn't the usual anxiety he felt when life got too hectic. No this was something different.
Something... otherworldly.

After another round of laughs Jisung excused himself, feeling the weight of his exhaustion. As he made his way home, the city lights blurred around him and the strange feeling clawed its way back. After he came home he went straight to bed, the exhaustion coming up to him.

But the dream he had made him more restless.

In the dream, he stood in a dark forest, fog swirling at his feet. Jisung turned around to see the forest better, founding himself walking through the mist, toward the rock cave, the leaves crunching beneath his feet. He jumped a little when a silhouette  appeared, sitting casually on one of the rocks, as if waiting for him. But even if the figure was sitting in light places, where you would normally see at least the person features, he looked like a shadow. Jisung could tell it was a man thanks to the silhouette but still, he couldn't remember nor see his face or features. Although there was one thing he couldn't get out of his mind. The eyes. The only thing he could see. They were piercing, intense, watching him with an emotion he couldn't quite place.

But what unnerved Jisung the most was the familiarity of it all.

He never had these type of dreams, where he would see some person and if he had, he could see its features and it was most likely Felix.

"I'm glad to see you Jisung" the figure said, their voice low and almost teasing.

"Why am I here," Jisung muttered, glancing around. "Who are you?"

The figure chuckled softly, though it didn't answer. Instead it jumped down from the cave and stepped closer, but the shadows seemed to cling to the figure, hiding its features. All Jisung could make out was his silhouette of sharp, lean lines. The only clear thing was those cat like eyes — bright, almost glowing but impossible to place.