s.c.s. ☆ j.jh ☆ ayakashi series | ✔

prologue [three]

With a click, you unlocked your apartment door, flicking the lights on as you entered. Jeno followed in behind you as you made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Tama!" You called out into your home for your pet. "I'm home! I know you're hungry bud, come on!"

Suspiciously, Tama slinked into the kitchen, eyeing Jeno with narrowed eyes.

The boy with you returned the look, and you looked between the two with concern. Jeno was seriously having a staring contest with your cat.

Deciding not to comment on it, you set Tama's food bowl down, distracting him.

"Hey, love, I missed you," you said as he took a short detour to get pet by you.

Once you'd stood up, he continued his journey to his food, and you motioned for Jeno to sit in your adjoined living room. He plopped down in the corner of your couch, and you sat yourself right in front of him on your coffee table. You laced your fingers together, looking to him expectantly as you leaned your elbows forward on your knees.

"God, this is going to be a long story," Jeno sighed, rubbing his face in exasperation. "Don't ask any questions while I'm talking, it'll just take even longer."

"Okay," you nodded, agreeing to these terms.

Tama had finished his food as quick as ever and took his place in your arms as Jeno tried to piece together his thoughts.

"Alright, I guess I'll start with me? Uh, I'm a Tengu, a winged supernatural being of sorts. The collective term for supernatural beings like me is Ayakashi. Renjun, Johnny, and that other dude, uh that came in with Jaemin, are Ayakashi too. Those things in the café today were Wraiths, evil spirits. They typically just possess people, but today it seemed they've figured out how to make their own human forms, which means they're getting stronger, not needing a human host to move amongst people."

It seemed as though he'd found a stopping point, and you felt like it was the right time to ask your questions, "So did you... kill the Wraiths? With the table?"

"No, I can't kill Wraiths unless they're in a human host. I just fucked them up enough to disperse their energies for a bit."

"Were they the reason my phone wasn't working?"

"Probably."

"So you already knew Renjun, Johnny, and Sicheng before today?"

"Nope, never seen them in my life until today."

"Then how'd you know they were Ayakashi too?"

"It's just a feeling, I can sense it when other Ayakashi are around," Jeno's gaze was fixated on the white cat perched in your lap, who was currently enjoying ear scratches.

"You said Tengu is just a kind of Ayakashi. Do you know what kind the others are?"

"Nope."

"The Wraith called Renjun, uhm 'Satori.' Is that an Ayakashi?"

"Satoris are seers, they can like read people's minds and stuff."

"Does he not have powers like yours, then? The Wraith called him that like it made him weak or something."

"Yeah, if Renjun's a Satori, he's no different than a human aside from the mind-reading. Just as weak and pitiful as you."

Jeno's biting remark went in one ear and out the other as you desperately tried to process the information that you'd just gotten in a very short time span.

"Jaemin isn't..."

"No," he scowled, as if that was the most ridiculous thing you could suggest. "Jaemin's a human just like you. But he doesn't know anything about Tengu or Ayakashi, and you can't tell him. The more people know, the bigger a headache it is for me."

"Well then you're lucky he wasn't in the café for most of the fight."

"Johnny did that on purpose, it was no luck."

"Why?"

"You'd have to ask him," Jeno shrugged and yawned, and you had a feeling that he was nearing the end of his usefulness to your unending stream of questions.

But you were still in slight disbelief, "Can I see your wings one more time? Just to prove to myself that I'm not crazy?"

The boy rolled his eyes, but nonetheless, two black wings sprouted from his back. Tama seemed unfazed by the sudden eruption of wings, continuing to observe your guest as closely as he'd observe you. Your hand lifted as if to touch the wings, but for some reason that felt too... invasive, so you retracted your hand and looked only with your eyes.

After a moment, you said, "Okay, thank you."

Then the wings were gone, and Jeno looked like a normal human being again. He readjusted his baseball cap as he stood up, and you set Tama down to follow him to the door. Jeno offered no further words as he disappeared down the building hallway, and you were left with your thoughts and your pet.

The ringing of your phone caught your attention, and you went back to your coffee table to pick it up. It was Jaemin calling, and you accepted the call.

"Y/N? Hey, are you good?" He asked, concern apparent in his tone.

"Yeah, Jaemin, I'm okay," you tried to quell his worries. "Jeno just dropped me off, and Tama's been fed."

"He left you already?" Jaemin's anger bled into his voice as it came through your speakers.

"Jaemin, your concern is really sweet, but I'm not traumatized or anything, there was no reason for him to stay. I'm fine, I promise."

He paused for a moment before saying, "Alright, alright. Get to sleep early tonight, okay?"

"I will. When does your break end?"

"Right now, actually. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, NaNa."

"Bye, Y/N."

With that, you hung up and fell onto your couch. You had a lot to think about tonight.

Tama slid himself between your arms, and you habitually stroked his white fur, a deep sigh coming from within you.

"Oh, Tama, the day I just had..."