Demon and Modernity
"Please take care of me."
Seha stared blankly at that hand. It was slender and beautiful. And cold.
"...Yes."
Dahong thought to herself as she held his hand. So this is what a handshake is like. An old memory resurfaced. Humans shook hands when they first met. Something that had never happened once in hell. The only time hands touched there was when ripping an arm off.
She let go. Seha gazed vacantly at his palm, then turned his head, ears turning red.
"Um, Dahong...ssi."
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to eat. Would you like some?"
Dahong nodded.
"Sure."
"Is there anything you want? I can order delivery. ...Ah, you probably don't know Earth food well."
Dahong thought for a moment. Truth be told, she didn't care. Any Earth food would do. She'd lived in hell for centuries. There was nothing edible, and even if there was, it never suited her taste.
But.
"Ramen."
The words slipped out unbidden.
"Ramen...?"
"Yeah."
Seha's eyes widened round.
"Really? That's okay? I could order something tastier."
"Nah, ramen's fine."
Seha asked no more and headed to the kitchen. Dahong followed him out.
Seha filled a pot with water and lit the gas stove. Soon, the water began to boil. The moment he added the noodles—
Sniff.
Dahong poked her head close from the side.
"......?"
She was smelling it. Eyes closed.
Seha couldn't say a word as he tore open the vegetable packet. Crrrk. He dumped it into the pot.
Sniff. This time, even closer.
"It's hot, so don't get too close..."
"It's fine. Keep going."
It was not fine. Seha's face was already burning. He tore open the powder packet. Shake shake shake.
In that instant, something warm and soft brushed his cheek. He turned his head, and there...
"......!"
Snow-white hair and long lashes. A beautiful woman with eyes quietly closed. That woman's cheek had just... touched his...!
"D-Dahong...!"
"What?"
"Uh, u-uh... uwaaah..."
Seha's face turned beet red; he couldn't form words. Dahong tilted her head, so Seha grabbed her shoulders, shoved her away from the pot, and stirred frantically without looking back.
Dahong glanced at Seha's red ears, then turned to the pot. The aroma thickened. This was it. The scent that had haunted her nostrils for centuries, fading when she chased it, teasing when she gave up.
Hee-hee. A smile crept up.
***
The two sat facing each other at the table. Seha handed her chopsticks.
"Do you know how to use chopsticks...?"
"Yeah."
Dahong stared at the chopsticks, then scooped up noodles with familiar ease.
"......"
It was delicious. Something tugged at her memory. She didn't know what. Where, when, with whom. Just the feeling of having eaten this before. She didn't grasp at it, lest it vanish. She just ate. Slowly. Silently.
Seha ate his share, sneaking glances. Did she like it? Hate it? Her expression gave nothing away.
She's keeping at it, so probably likes it?
Slurp. Slurp. Crunch crunch.
She even eats kimchi fine.
That was Seha's thought as he watched Dahong devour her ramen like a mukbang star. She polished off the noodles deftly, then tilted the bowl to gulp the broth.
"Puhah...!"
Not a drop stained her pristine white suit.
"One more bowl."
Seha paused mid-chopstick.
"Pardon?"
"Boil another."
"Ah, yes...! Just a sec."
Seha scrambled up. Dahong watched his back a moment, then looked at her empty bowl.
This was it. Exactly this taste.
***
Dahong finished the second bowl just as quickly. She set down her chopsticks, stretched her upper body with a yawn.
"Kuhhhng! So good!"
The oddly erotic nasal groan and her assertively thrusting bosom left Seha turning his head again.
Dahong gazed toward the balcony. It was dark outside. Lights flickered beyond the window. Buildings. Streetlamps. Cars moving in the distance.
Earth's night.
Dahong said, "I'm heading out."
"Pardon?"
Seha looked up sharply from clearing bowls.
"R-Right now?"
"Yeah."
Seha blocked her path.
"No, it's too late. It's dark out, and you haven't registered as a summoned beast yet."
He glanced at her horns.
"We need to prepare. Let's go together tomorrow daytime, okay?"
"Got it."
Dahong nodded and rose, heading for the balcony.
"Wait, Dahong-ssi? That's...!"
Dahong placed a hand on the railing and hopped over lightly.
"Uwaaaah—!!!"
Seha dashed out. He peered down. Fourth floor. High if high, low if low. Dahong was already strolling across the parking lot, hands in pockets.
"W-Wait, stay right there...!"
Dahong didn't even pretend to hear.
"Ugh...!"
Seha bolted to the door, shoved on his shoes, and ran out.
***
Out of the apartment complex, a main road. Dahong walked slowly. Signs. Streetlamps. Passing cars. Distant noises. Earth's night after centuries. Brighter than she remembered. Lights overflowed everywhere.
Not bad.
Her steps veered toward the road. She ignored signals and crosswalks, naturally.
Screeech—!!
Tires skidded; a car swerved just past her. It wobbled wildly, nearly flipping, then steadied with a jolt.
Bang. Driver's door flew open.
"Crazy bitch, you got a death wish!?"
Middle-aged man. Half-bald head flushed red. Still hyped from the near-miss.
"If you wanna die, do it quietly in your room—why drag others down?!"
Dahong didn't reply. She just stared blankly at the high-rises.
"Fucking junkie bitch... Hey!"
The man stomped over. Then Dahong's head turned slowly.
"......!"
He froze unwittingly. The woman was smiling, blissfully.
"I'm in a good mood, so I'll let it slide."
Muttering that, Dahong hummed a tune and walked off. The man, dazed by her beauty, realized he'd been dismissed and scowled, grabbing her shoulder.
"What the hell did you just say, you crazy bitch?"
In that instant—
Crack!
A massive sound with the wind. The man turned slowly. A parked car was neatly bisected. Behind it, a long gash scarred the building. A clump of his thinning hair drifted down.
"H-Hiii...!"
He collapsed to the street, scrambling desperately away. Dahong spared him not a glance.
"Hum de hum~."
She walked on. Then—
Something grabbed her ankle. A scent. Blood. Fear. The stench she'd breathed sickeningly for centuries in hell. Here, it oddly felt welcoming.
Clack.
She turned toward the smell. A quiet alley. Six people. No, five. The five seemed a gang. One pinned the lone man to the wall, knife to throat.
Clack.
Shoe heels echoed; the lookouts turned. A large shadow approached. The men stood.
"Mister, don't wanna get hurt? Keep walking."
The shadow said nothing.
Clack. Clack.
Growing nearer. Then revealed: a woman. Alone.
The men eyed each other and snickered.
"Yo, check it. Chick wandering alley alone at night?"
"Lost? Or came looking?"
Laughter echoed. The victim, hoping for rescue, despaired at solitary Dahong.
One sauntered over.
"Hey, sis is hot. Where you live?"
Another slung a forearm-thick knife over his shoulder, flanking.
"Horns? Cosplay?"
"Nah, for easy gripping during... like this."
"Kuhahat! Psycho. Kek..."
Dahong stopped. Slowly scanned the alley depths.
"Perfect."
Blood-red eyes swept the men.
"Was getting bored."
"What? Bullshit?"
Hee-hee. Dahong's lips stretched ear to ear.
"Eek..."
The victim shut his eyes. She'd suffer horribly soon. These weren't ordinary thugs. All high-rank awakeners. No chance for a woman to break free.
Moments later—
Splatter!
Something sprayed. Thud. Heavy drop.
"Uwaaak!!!!"
Panicked yells followed.
"F-Fuck, what?!"
"Crazy—!"
"......?"
Thud.
"Die! ...Gurk, keh!"
Screams. Not the woman's—the thugs'.
The victim cracked his eyes. Streetlight cast long shadows on alley walls. Something flitted rapidly within.
"......?"
He couldn't tell what at first. Then—
Plop.
It rolled across the ground. He looked down instinctively. An arm. Cleanly severed from the shoulder.
"...! Hup!"
Too shocked for a scream. Of the five thugs, only the knife-wielder remained.
He backed away, babbling desperately.
"W-Wait! Do you know who I—"
Slice.
Voice cut. Something round arced high from the shadow, then dropped.
Splat.
Alley fell silent.
"Hahk... heuk... huuu...!"
The victim scrambled from the meat piles. But he was at the dead end. Nowhere left to flee.
Clack. Clack.
Demon. That's what he thought. What else to call one who butchered with a tearing grin?
Clack.
But the demon didn't glance his way, turning and exiting the alley. As if she'd never seen him.
He lay frozen long after she left.