Chapter 4: The Girl Who Shouldn’t Exist
1594 Words
“There are humans who fear demons… and then there are the rare few whom demons fear without knowing why.”
“Even Hell has secrets… and some are buried deeper than its flames.”
The ride back to MIN Entertainment was unusually quiet.
Rain tapped softly against the tinted windows of the black limousine, blurring the city lights into streaks of gold and crimson.
Cha Min-jun sat in the rear seat, one leg crossed over the other, his gloved hand resting on the armrest.
His expression was as unreadable as ever.
To anyone watching, he looked perfectly calm.
Inside…
His thoughts refused to settle.
He slowly removed his right glove.
His eyes fell to the palm of his hand.
Nothing.
No wound.
No mark.
Yet he could still feel it.
The moment Han So-yoon’s fingers brushed against his.
It wasn’t pain.
It wasn’t weakness.
It was…
A pulse.
As though something ancient had awakened inside him.
He closed his hand into a fist.
Impossible.
For nearly five hundred years, no human had ever affected him.
Not a priest.
Not an exorcist.
Not even those blessed by Heaven.
So why…
Why did one ordinary artist leave behind a sensation his demonic body couldn’t erase?
“Sir?”
His manager, Kim Seung-ho, glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
“You’ve been quiet.”
Min-jun lifted his eyes.
“Have I?”
“Since the exhibition.”
“…”
“You usually criticize the food, complain about the photographers, or tell me never to schedule another event like that.”
Min-jun looked out the window again.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
Seung-ho chuckled.
“I’ll write today’s date in my calendar. A miracle finally happened.”
No answer.
The manager smiled to himself.
He had worked for MIN for almost eight years.
Even after all that time…
He still knew almost nothing about him.
No family.
No friends.
No scandals.
No dating rumors.
No social life.
It was as if Cha Min-jun had simply appeared one day and become the biggest star in Korea overnight.
The limousine disappeared into the underground garage of MIN Entertainment.
The moment the doors opened…
The warmth vanished.
Every employee instinctively stepped aside.
Some bowed.
Some greeted him.
“Welcome back, Director Cha.”
He acknowledged them with the slightest nod before entering the private elevator.
The doors closed.
The elevator didn’t stop at the penthouse.
Instead…
He pressed a hidden button beneath the control panel.
The cabin descended far below the building.
Lower.
Lower.
Lower.
Until the digital display went blank.
A soft chime echoed.
The doors slid open.
Darkness.
Stone walls.
Ancient torches burning with black flames.
A corridor no human knew existed beneath Seoul.
Min-jun stepped inside.
His polished shoes echoed against the black marble floor.
At the end of the corridor stood two towering figures in black armor.
Demons.
The moment they saw him…
They dropped to one knee.
“Your Highness.”
Neither dared look him in the eye.
Min-jun walked past them without a word.
Massive doors carved with strange symbols slowly opened on their own.
Beyond them…
A throne room unlike anything on Earth.
Obsidian pillars reached toward a ceiling hidden in darkness.
Red rivers flowed beneath crystal floors.
The air itself seemed alive.
Waiting.
Watching.
And at the far end of the hall…
Sat the ruler of Hell.
King Lucien.
His crimson eyes opened before his son could speak.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
Min-jun stopped several steps below the throne.
“You already know.”
Lucien smiled.
“I know everything that happens in my kingdom.”
Silence filled the hall.
Then…
Lucien leaned forward.
“The human.”
Min-jun’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
“She’s unusual.”
A low chuckle echoed through the chamber.
“Unusual?”
“My son…”
Lucien rose from his throne.
“…there has never been anything ‘unusual’ about humans.”
He descended the steps slowly.
“Tell me.”
“What did you feel?”
For the first time in centuries…
Cha Min-jun hesitated.
“…”
“I don’t know.”
Lucien stopped directly in front of him.
For a brief moment…
Father and son simply stared at one another.
Then the King’s smile disappeared.
“That…”
“…is exactly what concerns me.”
The throne room fell silent.
Only the sound of the rivers of crimson flowing beneath the black crystal floor echoed through the chamber.
King Lucien slowly circled his son.
His long black robe trailed behind him like living shadows.
“You don’t know…”
He repeated the words as though tasting them.
“How interesting.”
Cha Min-jun remained expressionless.
“I’ve encountered thousands of humans.”
“They all react the same.”
“They fear me.”
“They desire something.”
“They accept my offer.”
Lucien nodded.
“And this one?”
“…”
“She did none of those things.”
The King’s crimson eyes narrowed.
“So…”
“What makes Han So-yoon different?”
Min-jun looked away.
“I intend to find out.”
A faint smile returned to Lucien’s face.
“No.”
The word echoed through the throne room.
“You intend to observe.”
“You will not interfere.”
Min-jun’s eyes met his father’s.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
Lucien turned and walked back toward his throne.
“The balance between Heaven and Hell has remained untouched for centuries.”
“I won’t allow one insignificant human to disturb it.”
Several demons standing at the edge of the chamber exchanged nervous glances.
They had never seen the King question the Prince over a human before.
One of them stepped forward.
“Your Majesty…”
Lucien didn’t even look at him.
“Speak.”
“The soul quota from this month has exceeded expectations.”
“Excellent.”
“The Eastern District has delivered nearly twelve thousand contracts.”
Lucien waved his hand dismissively.
“And the Prince?”
The demon swallowed.
“His concerts continue to be our greatest source.”
A faint smile crossed Lucien’s lips.
“Of course they are.”
He looked toward Min-jun.
“You’ve always understood humans better than anyone.”
“They worship beauty.”
“They worship talent.”
“They worship fame.”
“And before long…”
“They worship desire itself.”
His voice grew colder.
“They never realize…”
“…they are walking willingly into Hell.”
Meanwhile…
Across Seoul…
Han So-yoon sat inside her tiny apartment with her sketchbook resting on her knees.
She couldn’t stop smiling.
“I actually met him…”
She touched the page where she’d begun drawing him from memory.
Every detail came effortlessly.
His sharp jawline.
His calm eyes.
The way he looked at her painting.
But no matter how hard she tried…
She couldn’t draw his expression when their hands touched.
It was strange.
For just one second…
She could have sworn his eyes had changed.
“No…”
She laughed softly.
“I’m imagining things.”
She erased the eyes and started again.
Her phone buzzed.
It was her best friend.
Kang Ji-ah.
“So-yoon!”
“You met MIN!”
“I’ve already seen the photos online!”
So-yoon’s eyes widened.
“What photos?”
“Someone uploaded them!”
“You’re standing right next to him!”
She quickly searched online.
There they were.
Pictures of her and MIN looking at her painting together.
Thousands of comments flooded beneath them.
“Who’s the girl?”
“She’s so lucky!”
“Did MIN actually stop to talk to her?”
“She’s pretty.”
“I wish I were her…”
So-yoon covered her face with embarrassment.
“Oh no…”
Ji-ah laughed through the phone.
“You’ve gone viral!”
“I don’t want to go viral!”
“You already did!”
Back beneath MIN Entertainment…
The throne room had emptied.
Only Lucien and Min-jun remained.
Lucien stood before an ancient wall carved with symbols older than humanity.
In its center…
A single painting.
Covered by a black silk cloth.
Without turning around, he spoke.
“Do you know why I sent you to Earth?”
Min-jun answered immediately.
“To collect souls.”
Lucien smiled.
“That’s what I told everyone.”
His hand gripped the edge of the cloth.
“But that isn’t the real reason.”
With one smooth motion…
He pulled it away.
Min-jun’s eyes narrowed.
The painting showed a young woman standing beneath a silver moon.
Long dark hair.
Gentle eyes.
A paintbrush in her hand.
Behind her…
A massive pair of glowing white wings.
Not angel wings.
Something far older.
Beneath the portrait were words written in an ancient language.
Lucien stared at the image.
“For over five hundred years…”
“I’ve searched for her.”
Min-jun remained silent.
Lucien continued.
“The girl who can change the fate of Hell.”
He finally turned.
“And today…”
“…for the first time…”
“I felt a presence that resembled hers.”
Far above…
The wind howled across the rooftops of Seoul.
Han So-yoon stood outside her apartment.
She held her sketchbook close as she looked up at the night sky.
“I wonder…”
“What kind of person are you really, Min?”
The city lights flickered below.
She smiled to herself.
Completely unaware…
That at that exact moment…
The King of Hell had begun watching her.
- Writer
