Track 6. I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie

The demon, it seems, is a morning person.

Imagine Lalisa's apparent shock when she sees a half-naked demon man in front of her kitchen counter at 7am in the morning, humming Hozier to himself while flipping a pancake. A pancake, which Lalisa doesn't recall buying, but here he was, cooking one as if he had all the time in the world.

(He doesn't.)

The air is lighter this time around, the tense mood from yesterday night dissipating as they both dine on convenience store pancakes and mineral water. She doesn't ask where he got the money he used to buy it, and in return he doesn't question her 40-minute long shower. It's a win-win.

Before leaving, the angel makes sure to sheath a small celestial dagger she has kept in the back of her mattress, just in case the demon decides to betray her today. There may be no tension now, but demons are unpredictable beings and Lalisa wants to be ready if he so much as lay a hand on her. Their kind still lie on different sides of the spectrum and she would be lying if she said that this Jeongguk does not scare her.

When they step off the tacky apartment building in fresh clothes, Lalisa notices the way Jeongguk's eyes roam around the surroundings. "First time in Seoul?" she voices out, walking next to him with her hands inside her ratty jean pockets, one hand on the hilt of her dagger. Just in case.

It's always easy to get overwhelmed once you're in the middle of the metropolis. The sky-high buildings, the throngs of people, the sounds of cars, the smell of freshly baked red bean bread. It's a sensory overload that she couldn't blame his current stupor. Seoul, especially during the mornings, is a sight to behold. She'd learned when exactly to catch such a view ever since she came here.

"Not really," he breathes, his gaze lingering on a bus with the idol Choi Yeonjun's face on it. They both hurriedly pass the pedestrian lane once the light turns green, side by side. "King Taejo of the Goryeo Dynasty and I used to horseback along these roads. It's just... not what I expected to come back to."

"In what sense?" She couldn't help but ask. She's known a number of kings and queens, yet hasn't had the chance to talk to them. Jeongguk merely shrugs. "Let me guess, is this your first time coming back here?"

An elderly ahjumma gives them a smile as soon as she sees Jeongguk pass by her little fruit stall, and Lalisa returns the gesture. There's still some goodness left in the world, after all.

"Obviously. Hell isn't just some place where you can leave and return anytime you want," the demon grumbles as he avoids bumping into a running child. That earns him a roll of eyes from her. "Anyway, the parlor's almost close so buckle up. It's just in this area."

"How can I be certain that you didn't bring me here to kill me?" She challenges, brow raised.

Jeongguk heaves out a huge sigh. "Angel," he begins, turning around to face her and stare at her dead in the eye. "If I was going to kill you, I would've done it earlier when we were alone. I'm not stupid enough to murder you right here in broad daylight, where mortals and celestials alike can see you. I'm not an idiot."

Lisa's face reddened, but she stands stubborn. She can sense honesty in his words, but her instincts are telling her otherwise due to his demon nature. "I still don't trust your word."

"Then don't." He turns around and walks away. Lisa only huffs.

As they round to a corner, Lalisa's eyes instantly land on a sign that says IN NEED OF A CASHIER AND A SERVER. INQUIRE INSIDE! in ugly red and blue paint. It stands tall and proud in front of a cream-coloured building, paint cracks visible on the surface. It's... an odd sight, she thinks.

She can't keep the confusion out of her voice. "Is that it?"

The question must've sounded bad, because the demon grins so wide. "Oh, stop judging now, angel. You're not God."

Her mouth falls open. "I wasn't judg--"

Jeongguk goes inside the establishment without hesitation and she follows reluctantly, her words melting at the tip of her tongue. Almost immediately, she's greeted by a wall of cold that feels uncomfortable. Her hands rise up to rub her arms whilst her eyes travelled along the bright room in curiosity.

There isn't much to see, really, it's pretty much a normal parlor with pastel-coloured walls and checkered floors. The early Seoul sun filters through the circle windows but despite that, everything still feels cold. A lone customer is sitting in a table in the left corner, scrolling through his phone.

"Good morning," Jeongguk greets the woman at the counter. She looks up, and Lisa sees that he's smiling at her.

"Wow, I didn't know your kind has manners," she comments snidely.

Jeongguk elbows her arm, to which she yelps. "I would just like to ask if the positions are still available? My friend--" he points at her, she gives a pained wave, "and I are planning to take the jobs."

Almost immediately, she snaps, "We're not friends."

"Fuck buddies?" He says loudly, gaining the attention of the customer.

Lisa wants to bury herself alive. "Shut up."

As Heize's voice echoes inside the parlor, Lisa's eyes fall on the little pin on the woman's chest area. Eunha, it says.

The woman stares at her and back at him again, probably questioning their little exchange. A faint blush creeps to her cheeks the longer she stares at Jeongguk though, and she purses her lips shyly. Then, she shakes her head. "The position for the server is open, but I'm sad to say that the cashier was taken."

Lisa bites the inside of her cheeks to mask her disappointment. "It's fine, demo--Jeongguk. I'll go look for something somewhere else. Thank you, though."

But Jeongguk doesn't move. Instead, he chuckles.

This action takes Lisa by surprise. He places his wrists on the counter, almost caging the human, and lowers himself down to Eunha's level to meet her eyes. Expectantly, she blushes even harder, her cheeks harboring a light pink colour.

The atmosphere instantly changes.

"Can you do something about that?" His voice transforms into a sultry tone, becoming deeper than he normally uses. It's alluring. Dark. It sounds like a lullaby, almost.

Lisa frowns as she watches him give Eunha a small smirk.

"I mean, it's so hard to find a job these days, you know? It would mean a lot to me if you consider her, just this time."

Lisa turns her gaze to the manager. The effect is instantaneous. Her eyes had glazed over while he was speaking, seemingly hypnotized. Mouth curled to a longing, lovesick smile, she looks so unlike the person she was minutes ago.

Is he doing what I think he's doing--

Then, she finally speaks. "I... I guess so," her voice sounds high-pitched, airy, light. "We can always use another helping hand."

Satisfied, Jeongguk straightens and turns to her with a winning grin as if what just unfolded seconds ago did not happen. "You hear that, angel?"

Lisa stares at him, jaw slack and mouth wide open as the recent event dawns upon her. "You-- you just... Jeongguk, you can't just--"

"When can we start, Miss?" He asks the woman again, who's now blinking furiously behind the counter.

Her fingers go to her head to rub her temples. "Woah, what was that? I felt like I blacked out for a moment," she mutters and shakes her head. "You were saying-- ah, when can you start?" she repeats, startled. "Now, you can start now. But there's only one--"

"Great!" He chirps and grabs a discarded apron from the side and puts it on. He doesn't forget to throw a fresh one to Lisa. "Wear this."

"You can't--"

The manager scrunches her brows. "I said there's only--"

"Two, ma'am. You told me two," Jeongguk cuts her off as he enters the counter smoothly without permission. "Remember?"

"I did?"

Everything is so wrong; her angel subconscious is thrashing wildly in her mind, and Lisa is on the brink of telling the truth when Jeongguk gives her a knowing glance. At this, Lisa hurriedly puts on the pastel pink apron and ties the upper straps and the lower straps, tuning her mind out and the conversation despite the war inside her.

"Of course you did. Are you done, angel?"

"One moment." She finishes tying the last ones at the back and faces him. "Yeah, I am."

The manager looks back and forth between them. She still looks disoriented, but she nods nonetheless. "Okay, you guys just, uh... I'll be at the back. Call me if you... need anything."

Both of them watch as she goes to the back of the parlor, and when she disappears fully Lalisa takes it as a chance to get inside the counter. "Jeongguk, you can't just use your powers on humans like that!"

"She left me with no choice. If I didn't do that you'd remain jobless. Hey," Jeongguk taps her arm. "Why don't we start cleaning these up?" He points to the stack of plates at the sink just nearby. Lalisa really doesn't want to, but her celestial instinct to help is overpowering, so she mumbles a small okay before heading towards it. "At least we'll have something to do."

"You're avoiding what I said," she starts off while grabbing the sponge. She doesn't know what to do with it, but Jeongguk squeezes some soap into it and hands it back to her. "Manipulating her? An innocent soul, really?"

"Wet that and wipe it all over these dishes," he instructs while taking the drying towel with a frown. "Anyway, not all humans are as innocent as you think they are, angel."

Lisa shakes her head while taking a nearby plate and doing as he says. "They are, actually. They're created in God's image after all. Well, that is, until they start getting tempted by their desires... done and influenced by none other than your kind."

A snort unceremoniously escapes his lips. "Please. That's just a false rumour that Amenadiel spreads around. Just because he's the eldest of all the Archangels doesn't mean his word is true," he supplies as he dries the dish. "And for additional information, we don't influence your precious humans, thank you very much. What they do is entirely up to them, and we only give them the punishment they deserve."

"And what was that thing you did just now? Did you not just influence her?"

Weirdly, he lets out a sound that sounds like a laugh and a gasp. "Those were just charms, I guess."

"Charms?"

"Yes, charms, angel. I mean, look at me." Jeongguk puts the towel on the sink and suddenly does a slow turn as if showing off, a stupid smirk in his stupid charming face as he cocks his head sideways. "Who wouldn't want a piece of this?"

Lalisa eyes his torn hoodie and grimaces internally. "Not me, that's for sure," admits Lisa. Demons are vile beings, and he isn't an exception. "For a lowly demon you seem to think so high of yourself."

"Well, I actually have every right to do so," he resumes drying the dishes off, thank goodness. "I'm the King of Hell. I don't see why I wouldn't perceive myself in such a way."

She almost rolls her eyes at the mention of his delusions of grandeur. Has he always been like this? "King of Hell, wow. Why would the King of Hell even visit the human world when he's occupied with ruling the Underworld?" she asks, because it's just not possible.

Samael the Lightbringer--known now as Lucifer or The Devil--does not have any business in this realm. His domain is Hell, and it will be for eternity. The human world is not his to meddle with. Lalisa has never met him, but she's heard stories about his doings, his mind games, and his deceit towards angels and mortals alike. She hopes she never does.

"Uh, I don't know, because his demons betrayed him and want him out of the Throne?"

She scoffs. "Believe what you want to believe in. The Devil is too powerful to be thrown out like that."

Jeongguk sighs for the umpteenth time that day and miraculously shuts his mouth. The two of them work in relative silence--Lisa soaps and washes the plates, the demon dries it and places is on the drying rack. Although it's quiet, there's a bubbling curiosity within Lalisa's mind that she tries to avoid voicing.

There's a lot of questions she wants to ask the demon, if she were to be honest. It's just... bizarre how he arrived on Earth out of nowhere--in front of her apartment door out of all places, bleeding and broken and nearly dead. She hasn't forgotten his first words to her either, the raspy I found you falling from his lips before he blacked out.

A nudge on her elbow makes her nearly drop the plate she's holding, and she hisses, "What?!"

"You've been frowning at that plate for like two minutes now. If there's something you want to ask, ask away," Jeongguk simply comments and grabs the plate to dry it.

Lalisa doesn't deny his words, because then she'd be lying, and she doesn't lie. "Fine. I was just wondering... what brought you here?"

The demon rolls his eyes, obviously irked at this point. "I've said it, angel. I'm looking for something."

She's persistent. She doesn't grab another plate, and instead leaves the water running and holds the sponge within her palm. "What kind of something?"

"Something precious to me," he words it differently, but Lalisa's curiosity doesn't waver one bit. She wants a specific answer.

"And what is it?"

Jeongguk sighs, leaning against the sink. The water sloshes towards his hoodie. "Do I really have to tell you?"

"Trust is the foundation of a budding relationship, and since we're supposed to be friends, you have to be honest with me." It's one of the many dogmas that she follows, and although honesty is a rarity in this human world, she still chooses to practice it, anyway.

He shakes his head and turns off the faucet. "I'll tell you soon."

"I want it now though." Lalisa relishes in the look of annoyance that Jeongguk's face morphs into. Somehow, evoking some kind of emotion from the demon makes her feel satisfied.

"But I don't have to tell you everything," he insists firmly.

"Fine. You don't. But at least I need to know something. I'm already struggling here as it is, being exiled and all, I just need your honesty. That's it," she exhales, accidentally squishing the sponge too hard that the soap spills over her fingers. Her outburst is embarrassing, but she's desperate for any kind of truth. "Tell me what you're here for."

She sees Jeongguk's eyes soften just a fraction. Then, he sighs.

"Alright," he finally relents with a roll of his eyes. Lisa waits expectantly, folding her hands together. "I'm here because I'm in search for my wings."

She blinks. "Wings... like your actual demon wings?"

"Uh. What else?" When he sees her face, he explains even further, "I know you might be confused, but Asmodeus, one of the demons whom I thought was my ally, organized a small rebellion against me to cut my wings and kick me out of my throne. All because I just wanted what's best for Hell." A shadow of a look passes across his face. "Ironic, I know. Reminds me of the old times."

Now. This got her attention. "How? I mean, I know angels get their wings cut off, but I never knew how."

Jeongguk shrugs as if it's nothing. "It's simple. Hellfire."

Hellfire. It's a type of fire that can only be found in the deepest pits of Hell, and only high-ranking demons can get ahold of it. It was used by the Devil Satan in the War of Heaven, causing a destructive damage that sent nearly half of the angel and demon population to death.

Before she can even ask more, the demon nudges her towards the counter. "There's someone coming."

Turning around, she sees a young woman walking inside and sighs, wiping her hands on a nearby towel. Work starts now, and she wouldn't want to make a scene on her first day. The hellfire fiasco can continue later. Lisa returns to the counter with a smile on her face and greets her first customer.

"Hi, welcome to Ice Cream Chillin', what would you like?"

Convenience stores are what Lalisa considers gourmet now.

Lalisa stares as Jeongguk's face morphs from utter shock, to betrayal, to disgust, to downright horrible, to pure blasphemy, and then back to his calm self. All in a record time of 10 seconds, and all because Lalisa bought him a cup of ramen and a bowl of pickles.

"Well, this is disappointing," he remarks, glaring at the ramen as if it's the most hideous thing in the world. "When you told me you were going to treat me out to lunch I thought we were going to one of those fancy restaurants up there."

She rolls her eyes and separates her chopsticks into two. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is all I can afford. You should know that by now."

"Oh, I do, angel, but I won't eat this monstrosity you call a meal. In fact, I've got a better idea." The sudden mirth in his gaze has her feeling worried for a second. That doesn't seem to look very good... "What else do you want to eat?"

The question takes her aback. "What?"

"Just choose."

Unsure, she stammers. Her gaze unconsciously lands on the overflowing shelves of snacks behind him. "Uh, well, if I had more cash with me then I'd opt for instant rice, pork cutlets and... a... sausage?"

Jeongguk's mouth widens to a grin, and her stomach suddenly churns. It doesn't feel right. "Great, I'll be back."

Surely enough, Jeongguk returns with two packs of instant rice, a bag of pork cutlets, an instant lunch box, and a sausage. All heated and steamed, it seems, as a bit of steam still hangs in the air.

Her jaw drops when he places it down on the table between them with a winning smile. "Woah, where did you get the money for all these?"

Jeongguk tsks and hands her the sausage--gosh, her stomach rumbles at the sight. "There was no money," he tells her, "just my wonderful charms and immaculate face."

Lalisa's mouth drops. Did he just steal from the convenience store? "I can't believe you! Do you not remember the Ten Commandments? Thou shalt not steal? Goodness. Did you even pay--"

All of a sudden, he shoves a piece of sausage into her mouth and forces her to chew on it. "Eat up before the pork gets cold, Lis."

The angel could do nothing as she chews on the sausage angrily, the demon grinning up on her.

* * *

The thought of hellfire completely leaves Lalisa's mind the entire afternoon, and only returns when they're already back home with bags of convenience store food and water. The angel and the demon spent the rest of their shift serving customers and learning how to make the perfect ice cream swirls (Jeongguk nearly broke one machine because of anger). It was a bit stressful day, but hey, she's not jobless anymore.

It's only when they're preparing for bed when Lalisa remembers the hellfire, and she stops on the way to her bedroom.

"Hey, Jeongguk."

The demon's busy prepping the couch--it's become his territory now--fluffing up the single throw pillow and unfolding the thin blanket she gave him yesterday. He hums in acknowledgement, sitting down and bouncing upon the impact. When he deems it comfortable enough, he lays down and snuggles under the blanket.