Knock, knock, knock.
No answer.
Knock, knock, knock again.
"Evelyn?"
She doesn't want to answer it; she's too far away from wherever the voice calls. Why can't it just stop?
Knock, knock, kno-
Evelyn bolts her head to the disturbing sound, unsticking her forehead from the arms shoving into the rough white wood. Her headphones are hurled into the table as her eyebrows illustrate her annoyance, tightening along with her lips and eyes, waiting for the brunette boy to talk. All she wants is to go back to her usual pre-course slumber.
When he doesn't even attempt to open his mouth, she rolls her eyes while closed, gathering her patience in place. "Yes?" she asks, pronouncing the word with null emotion.
The brunette boy's hand is extended towards her, his fingers handing over a piece of laminated cardboard. Evelyn doesn't reach for it, she just stares at him and straightens her back on the chair, crossing her arms and waiting.
The boy's eyes are nervous and addled, and they shift from Evelyn's as quickly as they started watching her. Evelyn has had enough; she prepares herself to yank the invitation and go back to her nap.
"What's that?" the overly-curious voice of Heeseung questions, receiving the disapproving look of the girl.
He shakes his head, smiling and asking voicelessly, 'what's the matter?' The confused boy gazes at the devil, but then restarts watching Evelyn, who is now even more disinterested in the topic she would be surely forced to endure listening to anyhow.
"I know you always refuse to come to our parties, but I thought that maybe, since you now have a boyfriend..." The boy leaves his sentence hanging, letting her complete the obvious rest.
'Boyfriend?' she asks herself, waiting and at the same second receiving the true information: she does indeed now have a boyfriend, and he is the devil-in flesh and bone or whatever materialized him into being here.
"No." Her statement stops further additions from the boy. But not from her endearing boyfriend, too.
"Look, love! That's adorable." He fists his fingers and positions them in his cheek, tilting his head and almost fluttering his lashes at Evelyn, wearing his innocent smile better than any deceiving mechanism. He keeps his attention on her fully, not modifying his resting elbow one inch, as he speaks to the still-waiting boy, "Of course we will come." His smile enlarges, seeing Evelyn's head shake violently in disagreement.
"No, I won't." The words shape in a determination not meant to be crossed, yet of course it is.
Heeseung lifts himself up and gets out of the college's fancy tables and seats, making his way out of the row and all around to Evelyn, who is fuming in anger. It is more than unusual for her to feel those demolishing and powerful feelings, and she wishes that at least they wouldn't be all based on vexation. But they are, and the reason is no other than the man now picking her up by the shoulders.
She shakes her head 'no' at him as she's lifted, and, like a contest, he shakes his head 'yes' back at her. His hands press softly against her upper arms as the girl still shakes her head.
"Oh, but yes," he says as he grabs the invitation from the boy who stands awkwardly and not knowing what to do, until Heeseung motions him to get lost, which he executes with no complaint, searching for a way out of the tension as quick as he could.
"We're going," he states, reading the words then shoving the cardboard on a random bench. Evelyn passes him an irritated look as she picks it up and throws it in the trash.
"I already said no."
The girl prepares herself to argue further, but the door opens and a tall man wearing glasses and an odd pink tie enters the room.
"Alright, everyone! Did you all read the paper about the 19th century music that I sent you?" Mr. Willow asks.
The space is either filled with affirmations or cowering heads, hiding from the responsibility they didn't honor. Evelyn, fitting into the first category, takes her seat, accompanied by her current bother.
"Understood," the professor mumbles as he shifts through some papers, starting to call people's names.
"Mei Anderson," he shouts.
"Here," Evelyn says, and eyes retake their watch on her, as they did in the morning and as they do every single day from the very first year of college. Who knew musical students could be so nosey?
Mr. Willow moves on and frowns at the last name. "Heeseung..."--he pauses, a confused expression invading his face --"Lee?"
Evelyn looks at him, bewildered.
"Here," he exclaims with an uncaring smile.
"I am sorry, but I don't know you. Are you sure they didn't make a mistake?" For the past two years in which Evelyn attended every single day, not one new student made an appearance, so naturally, the professor's curiosity piques and so does the students'.
"I just transferred from...theology." He smiles, and the eyes of the students watch the scene with intrigue. Nothing ever escapes them. How could they be so blind? Well, that would be called a demon.
The professor moves on from the puzzling moment and starts writing on the white board. But Evelyn doesn't pay any attention to the Beethoven or Chopin in front of her; instead she gives Heeseung a questioning look and awaits his explanation.
"It's pretty easy when you're not useless," he whispers in her ear, "like most everyone here." He laughs lowly, still near enough to smell her strawberry sense and graze his chin on her cherry-colored collar.
She doesn't mean to, but a small laugh escapes her mouth as well. Her cheeks blush, and she refocuses on the course. Heeseung stares at the girl as she starts writing down her notes, casting patterns with his eyes only into her milky skin.
The class ends, and everyone gathers their things, but not as quickly as Evelyn. She was already in the halls, ready to leave when she found out her other course was cancelled for the day. Heeseung's arm was intertwined with hers, and you couldn't tell who was dragging whom.
"Don't think we're not going." The sentence restarts the discussion Evelyn was hoping he had forgotten about.
She stops abruptly, wrenching her hand away from the boy's. "Why do you want to go so badly? Why do I have to go?" She almost yells the words out.
"Because," he takes her hand back and ushers her to a corner of the hall, away from the hungry looks of people, "you are my girlfriend, and I want us to have fun."
"But this is all an act!" she exclaims as she tugs at her hand again, hopelessly. "I am not your real girlfriend. We have a goddamn contract."
"No, no, no," he says, "our deal is very real, and so it's your romantic status, darling. You are my lover." He trails as he moves one hand to the back of her head, petting her hair until it reaches her shoulders, and tapped her nose.
Suddenly and ghastly for Evelyn, he brings her to his chest. The remarks of people are unavoidable, and they don't leave them, nor do the piercing eyes filled with shock and some peppered jealousy. Heeseung's hands rub her back as he supports his chin on the top of her head.
Evelyn feels him close, too close, perhaps. She tries to withdraw her body, but her attempt is futile and pathetic even for her. It was as clear as the day that Heeseung always does what he pleases, and there wasn't much she could say no to.
"And you're only mine," he says, loud enough for people to react, to go back where they came from, and to whisper more quietly.
His hands unstuck themselves from her, and find her icy fingers again. They make their way out of the college silently, Evelyn too taken aback to say a word, and Heeseung just holding a proud smirk, all too specific for him.
She hasn't had this kind of physical contact in ages, and she can't even remember the last time she hugged a boy. It was all too foggy and all too scary.
...
Later, when the night knocks at the door, giving way to a few stars here and there in the previously clear sky, and when the coldness of November amplifies, a girl makes herself as small as can be in the corner of her room, trying to hide herself behind the bed. There's bad déjà vu in her veins.
And that unfortunate girl is Evelyn.
"Where," footsteps echo through the room,"could" they get closer to her, she hears them close. "Could she ever be?" The question marks the moment when it all goes quiet.
Evelyn lifts her head from her knees-curled in an odd form meant to make her as unseeable as possible-fearing the silence, and her heart beating inside her familiarly.
Heeseung's head pops up right above her, and she lets out a mortified shriek, followed by her body jumping up and her head hitting the wall behind her. Whining, her hand goes up to the back of her head, rubbing the painful spot, and she forces her groans to remain inside her.
"Now, that wasn't wise, was it?" Heeseung asks as he lifts and walks her out of the narrow spot.
She breathes out quietly, the look in her eyes a strange curtain, hiding what exactly? "I didn't actually think you'd search there," she lets out in a whisper, still massaging the swollen part of her head.
Heeseung chuckles, earning the glare he already knew she'd give him. His arms wrapped around her, taking her down and dragging her to the kitchen. Grabbing an ice pack from the freezer, he scoffs, amused.
"Humans..." he trails as his hand sticks the cold blue bag to the back of her head.
"This wouldn't have happened if you left me alone!" she exclaims, recalling her reasoning inside her head.
His words were blank, his eyes still focused on her wound. "Why would I?"
"I told you I don't want to go," she answers, grabbing his burning hands from her head and taking the ice away.
Heeseung rolls his eyes and leans on the kitchen counter, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on it. "I truly don't care."
This is a part of the deal. He shifts his arms, crossing them over his chest and tightening the leather jacket around his arms. "You turn happy, I am happy," he explains again. But is he not always happy?
"But a party is not going to make me feel happy," she says, widening her eyes to create empathy over the statement, still hoping she won't be forced to go.
"You'll be with me--of course, it will. Now stop whining and get ready. That thing the stupid boy gave us said the party starts at nine pm."
Evelyn checks the watch on her wrist and rolls her eyes at the thirty minutes she has left to prepare herself for something she doesn't want to do. It shocks her that the hard part about making a deal with the devil is actually dealing with his demanding ways, meant to make her "happy."
That's not how she portrays happiness-not through a party or social gathering. Heavens, she didn't work herself out of a house just to not stay inside it and rather go out to meet people she is far from found of. That would be the only flawed part of her deal that she experienced in her first week of going through it.
What a week, and what a flaw.
She flounced into her bedroom, shutting the door slightly louder than needed. Her feet aggravate her hardened expression as she walks over to the closet and rummages through it, gesticulating with each clothing-grab. Frustrated, she untidied her clothes, which she quickly regretted.
After finding good enough jeans and shirts, she looked around her room, disappointed and shocked.
"Did I have to make all this mess?" she asks herself, groaning with her hands shoved in her face. There were quite a lot of things she didn't like, and that included mess. She despises them.
She peeks at the clock again and sees the fifteen remaining minutes, so she post-haste starts folding her clothes. A knock fills the room as the last shirt is tucked inside her closet, and she shouts for Heeseung to go in.
"You're not dressed." He looks at her with raised eyebrows. "Do you want me to dress you, Mei dear?"
She stares at him, hoping deeply that it is a joke, and says, "I was just going to. No need."
"If you say so," he teases with lips upward.
After her changing, Evelyn finds out something she truly didn't expect. The black car she thought was her neighbour's turned out to actually be Heeseung's. He explained to her, vaguely, that it wasn't stolen and it had some more history, but she didn't feel the need to dig further, glad that her feet wouldn't hurt and she wouldn't have to pay for a taxi.
The house they arrived at was big and the kind you only see in the rich neighbourhood, where they actually were.
Evelyn steps out of the car, greeted by Heeseung's hand, which she tries to ignore but doesn't manage to. He takes her hand in his and starts making their steps together, passing the rush of cold wind.
The eyes land on them, and all the smiles seem to fall from the girls and shock glow from the boys, who have never seen the girl they tried to approach on several occasions, anywhere near a party.
Was she inexperienced? No. But was she willing to give chances to any boy that gives her the eye? Also, no.
The girl turns to Heeseung, tilting her head and tucking her hand into his, much like a kid asking their mom how much longer they were going to stay.
"Can we not? Please!" she begs, glancing back for a second at the crowd that retook their positions as quickly as they had changed them, but that was talking about her, none whatsoever.
"No." He ruffles her black hair and starts leading her towards the crowded space.
Drinks, people, loud music, weird looks, nasty smells of mixed perfume, and the tingling sensation of agglomeration-just perfect.
"I'll get you a drink," Heeseung says, the line coming into Evelyn's mind like one from a coming-of-age rom-com movie that wasn't about to spark any interest in anyone. Except this line did, and Evelyn grabbed his wrist before he could walk off.
"You didn't bring me here to throw me to the wolves and leave me alone. I am coming with you."
He smiles at her determination and takes her hand in his.
From the side of her eye, she catches a glimpse of a face she doesn't want to see, not that night, not ever. And she wonders if it may be an illusion. An ugly illusion regarding some of her heart.
Heeseung looks at her, handing the red plastic glass and lowering his face to watch her frowned, contemplating brows. His thumb comes in contact with the skin above her forehead, and evening out, her skin pleats.
"You should frown less," he suggests, taking a sip of the curious drink.
She snaps her head at him, waking up from a reverie and nodding vaguely, absentmindedly in agreement. His hands travel to her shoulders, turning her to face him fully. With eyes meeting the tensed gaze, Heeseung steals her lips in his all too quick for her to realize.
Evelyn's eyebrows pull together when Heeseung lets go, her lips tightening but lacking the time to open and let the words break free, for they are again captured by the boy's. Her eyes widen, and her hands fall limply beside her, her ears only registering the loud noise around her and her mind slowly understanding where she is and what's happening.
She pulls away harshly and looks at Heeseung in shock and mouth agape, not knowing herself what she is waiting for. She blinks her eyes two times and observes as Heeseung's finger come to his lifted lips to wipe off the small amount of blood her teeth caused, before the very same finger wipes her bottom lip as well.
Her head recoils, but her body can't when Heeseung's other hand reaches the small of her back, pulling her too close to his body. With her head raised towards the man who just kissed her, she sees him towering over her, nearing her even further towards his chest. Their bodies interchange their warmness and their eyes wonder to each other, Heeseung's-proud, content and wishing for more and Evelyn's- confused and still magnified.
His mouth reaches her ear, as he comes closer and lowers his voice, whispering devilishly, "You're sweet."
Icy hands poke his chest and set her free, Evelyn's mind in utter shock and her feet ready to take off.
Heeseung's arms stop her, however, drawing her right back into his chest.
"Come on, don't be so mad. You liked it, too. " He brings himself close to her ear again, rocking her lightly back and forth in his warm embrace. "I can feel it in the butterfly, remember?"
His fingers shift her head downwards, where the butterfly lights in his pants' left pocket. She flings her head at him with true concern in her eyes and searches for his expression, finding nothing more than a smile and wink.
She wasn't ready for that.
Friday night was constructed for creativity outbursts, piano rehearsals and, mostly, the comfort of her silence. That didn't seem to work in the last two Fridays, though the change was sickening her and drowning the little energy she had.
And this didn't make things any better, the kiss did more than filling her with shock. When the pen touched the paper, inking the empty space meant for her signature, she knew what she was getting herself into. She wasn't stupid; it was obvious what a deal with the devil may bring. But when Heeseung's lips pressed against hers, her body felt like it transferred itself to the moment when she stained the contract.
And she was seeing herself, engaging into a roller coaster of emotions she wasn't ready to feel. The butterflies, the real and fake ones, the electricity running through her veins, and her quickened breath are mere symptoms of his touch. And that makes her wonder just how much other things he does would affect her.
She gazes at him again after lifting her head from the view of his flickering pocket. "It's kind of weird for you to keep it in your trousers' pocket," she states with a small laugh. He returns the joyful sound with his face softened. It was shocking that the devil was all smiles so very often, not quite what you would expect.
Evelyn slowly becomes more aware of her surroundings, the people's tiresome looks, and their intrigued expressions. Cut me some slack already.
Heeseung searches for her hand, brushing their fingers in the process and starting to spin her body on the dance floor. She laughs a heartily laugh as her body circles around. Her hand hangs in the air, lifted above her head, intertwining with the boy's, allowing him to sway her at his will and to glue their bodies to each other.
The dancing session leaves her breathing with difficulty, but Heeseung looks better than ever, clear sentiments of achievement inside him, exteriorizing into a smile.
Some forgetful hours later, they both agreed they had had enough for a night. As they make their walk towards the exit, ignoring the people, Heeseung raises an eyebrow, starting to speak, "I told you you'd feel good."
She sighs and rolls her eyes slightly, shifting her face closer to his but not finding the words to disagree. So, it revolves to staring at him, yet, ascending, her features morph into an odd expression as she peeks behind the boy.
The shift of emotions and mood is contoured by the one person she re-sees, confirms his being him, and wishes she didn't. The steps of the boy approach the two of them, who had stopped in place at the nearing exit.
"Evelyn!" the blonde-haired boy calls out, still walking towards the two, avoiding people and hurrying to catch the girl. At the calling, Evelyn takes Heeseung's hand abruptly and runs out of the villa before he can get to them. The demon's quietness is held all until they reach his black car, and the seat belt is fastened.
"I don't--" she starts, but it's interrupted soon after by his voice, empty and serious, "I didn't ask. It's okay." He rubs his hand to the side of her head, reaching higher to caress her onyx locks of hair.
His hands grab the steering wheel, and just as the night fully seizes the background, Evelyn leans her head on the car window, watching the stars and feeling her eyes slowly drift to darkness.
Her body shifts through the bed, and her fingers touch the silky material of her sky-blue sheets, yawning and stretching, her eyelids loosening the latch of sleep. She fixes in bed with her body spread all across the space, stilling and looking at the air, blinking her eyes, occasionally trying to wipe off her tiredness. Her arms hang weirdly above her head as she recalls the events from the night before.
She scrunches her face as she tries to remember how she got in bed in the first place, when a knock startles her.
"Yes?" The door swings open and in enters Heeseung with a mug in his hand, accompanied by a sneer.
"Feeling alright, sleeping beauty?" he questions, placing the mug on her white wooden nightstand. She nods her head at him, eying his frame vigilantly as he sets himself at the edge of the bed.
"I carried you," he answers her question before she could even address it, "in my arms," he says before laughing at her speechless countenance.
Inhaling, she peels off the sheets and stands beside the bed. Her eyes run to her clothes, assuring they are still the black jeans and light brown sweater she was wearing yesterday. Relief overflows her heart at seeing the familiar clothes on her, and Heeseung swifts his head from side to side, entertained by her reaction.
After changing the subject and, respectively, her clothes, Evelyn makes her way to the kitchen, accompanied by Heeseung. The place had its usual fragrance of coffee, Evelyn's favourite thing--for keeping her awake to watch the moon and pleasing her taste.
Along the things that have changed was the fact that she was unable to take her night walks, too caught up with Heeseung's ways of entertainment in the evenings. Heeseung had been sleeping on the couch of her living room for the past week, but Evelyn wasn't convinced a demon needed to sleep.
"It's Saturday, I think I need to go shopping." The words leave Evelyn as she bits into a sour apple.
"You left your list on the counter, and I bought the groceries when you were asleep," Heeseung says as he opens the cabinets to prove his point.
"Oh," she exclaims, "thanks." Her eyebrows scrunch in stupefaction as she plugs in the coffee machine. "Where do you even have the money from?" she completes, shortly after rummaging through her mind.
He steps away from the counters and paces to her spot at the kitchen table, where the girl waits for the water to boil.
"I can get,"--he lowers himself to her sitting position, ensnaring her rosy cheeks and placing a kiss on her lips, before sitting up and smiling down at her--"anything I want."
Confusion steals her face as she looks at the pink-haired boy. Her heartbeat feels like violent knocking on the gates of hell, blasting in her ears.
And she fears someone will hear it.