Demon in Disguise

Excited

"Qiang, did you hear? There's an event two towns over, they're setting up fireworks." Junmyeon's excited voice chatters over the phone.

"Two towns over? How did you hear about it?" Qiang frowns.

They didn't usually associate themselves with whatever was happening in the other towns.

"I have a few friends there, they major in chemistry and mechanics. Together they designed some fireworks and want to display some of their work. Will you come with me?"

It's been a month since he last took her out, he didn't try anything on her so she considered it safe to go out with him again. The last thing she would want to do is make him think that she had feelings for him and then lead him on to have feelings for her. "Sure, I don't see why not."

"You will? That's great." She could hear him laugh in relief at the other end.

"When is it?"

"It's tomorrow at 8:30 in the evening."

"Alright, I'll be ready by then."

------------------------

Qiang was excited for the event, she chose an outfit that was good for the heat of mid-July. Summer meant mosquitos so she prepped a bug spray.

"I'm going to watch fireworks." She bites her lower lip nervously but excitement bubbled up inside her. It had been so long since she had last been to a fireworks show, she can't even remember when the last time was.

Her phone rings to indicate that Junmyeon was calling.

"Are you excited for this evening?" His smooth voice asks her.

"Yes." She lets out an excited chortle, "Are you?"

"I've been to quite a few in my life, but since I'm going with you this time I have a good feeling about it. I'm glad to say I can guarantee you a good time at the show."

"I haven't to one in a long time, thank you Junmyeon."

"Anything for you." Junmyeon tells her. "I have to go to work now, see you this evening Qiang."

"Yep, bye."

The call ends and she sighs, dropping her phone on her bed. She gives Ai Hui some cat food and is suddenly filled with the memories of Junmyeon walking with her to the pet store.

"I'll protect you while he's gone."

He only called her Qiang these days, no longer Miss Qiang. They are getting more comfortable with each other, inside jokes were starting to become a normal thing. "..While he's gone."

Qiang sighs sadly, stroking Ai Hui behind the ears as she ate. "Where are you Chen."

"We could be working alongside each other, wouldn't that be great?"

She missed her best friend, his bright smile and loud voice. Qiang would've never thought that she would come to the day where she called Chen her best friend and missed him.

The alarm on her phone rings warning her that she had ten minutes left before she had to leave for work.

Qiang quickly eats a bowl of cereal and throws on her work uniform. "See you later Ai Hui."

It was a busy day at work but the event that was about to take place that evening gave Qiang energy.

"You're quite energetic today." Her boss notes. "What's been making you so happy?"

"Jumyeon is taking me to a fireworks show this evening. I haven't been to one in years." She smiles.

"Are you two a thing now?" The boss questions. She had seen them at the park last month, she suspected something but she didn't think too much about it. It wasn't good to make assumptions in life.

Qiang snorts and swats at her boss's arm, "We aren't a thing."

Her boss's question did make her question her relationship with Junmyeon. Were the things they were doing what couples did? Since she welcomed his actions, did Junmyeon think she accepted his affection for her?

"How far are you two?" Her boss asks. "Any hugging? Holding hands?"

"We're not a thing, I told you."

"Alright." Her boss smiles. "Get back to work."

As soon as she got home, Qiang took a quick shower and brushed her teeth. Wouldn't want to stink like a restaurant right? She styled her hair into a loose braid and pulled on a short-sleeve v-neck and a pair of leggings. She folded a sweater and left it by her bag with the bug spray in it for when the warmth of the day faded away. A knock sounded on her door and she peered at the clock.

6:30.

This man was punctual, she nods in approval and opens the door for Junmyeon.

"Hey." She smiles brightly.

"Hello Qiang." Junmyeon was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts with a sweater tied around his waist. His fresh and sweet cologne making him all the more appealing. "Are you ready?"

Qiang nods, "Let me go get my bag."

As they drive out of town and two towns over, Qiang and Junmyeon listen and sing along to songs from when they were in high school. It turns out that Junmyeon was 26, not much older than Qiang.

"I lived in China for six years, my grandmother and I lived with her best friend. Unfortunately, the wonderful friend of my grandmother did not live long after I got to know her." Junmyeon told her when she had asked him how he knew the songs.

"What were your friends like?" Qiang asks. She was curious about his past, she wanted to know who he surrounded himself with.

"My friends... They were good people. I had the same friends all throughout junior and senior high."

Qiang lowers the volume and looks at his handsome face expectantly.

Junmyeon had befriended three other boys: Han, ZiTao and YiFan. They were all popular, athletic and academically blessed. Han had big doe-like eyes, often mistaken for a girl.

"He always claimed to be manly." Junmyeon chuckles.

ZiTao looked like he always wanted to kill someone, his martial art skills said that he could if he wanted to.

"Zitao had a soft heart, he was a very expressive boy. Tao was also dark, we always joked about how he looked green. Like a dinosaur."

Yifan was tall and handsome, he played basketball and was very intelligent.

"Yifan was like our ring leader. Though he may have looked intimidating, he was actually a caring person. He made sure that none of us got into any trouble, he always had our back." Junmyeon smiles sadly at his memories.

"The four of us were inseparable, we did everything together. I lived the best days of my life with those three."

"What happened." Qiang asks quietly. The air had gotten cold, cold and sad.

"My grandmother's best friend died when I was 18. We made a funeral for her and buried her, then we moved back to Korea. My grandmother followed her best friend shortly after."

Qiang fell silent at his words. She knew what it was like to lose the most important in one's life.

"Sorry for making you sad." Junmyeon apologizes. "Let's talk about something else. What about you? How was your high school life?"

Oh. Well...