The throne room of Hell was unusually silent as Jungkook sat upon his black throne. With one hand resting against his temple, he rubbed the bridge of his nose while a demon knelt before him.

"Tell me again," he asked as the demon swallowed nervously.

"The child, my lord. Heaven calls him special. Angels surround him constantly. They say he carries God's blessing," the demon spoke again with a lowered head as Jungkook's crimson eyes narrowed.

"A human?" he asked for confirmation, to which the demon replied, "Yes." A cold smile appeared on his lips.

"Then kill him," he ordered without any hesitation as the demon bowed. "As you command..."

Days later, the demon returned—or rather, what remained of him did. Jungkook stared at the broken horns lying before his throne.

"An angel?" he asked.

"Several," another demon whispered. "They protected him."

Jungkook's jaw tightened.

"Send another."

Another failed.

Then another.

Then another.

Each time, Heaven’s angels slaughtered his servants before they could even reach the boy. So finally, Jungkook stood.

"I'll do it myself." His wings unfurled behind him, enormous and black, swallowing the chamber in darkness.

———— Earth ————

Night had fallen as the little boy stood alone beneath an ancient tree, unaware that something was watching him from above. A black feather drifted down as he looked up. Jungkook descended from the clouds, his boots touching the ground silently as his eyes locked onto him.

He was smaller than he had imagined.

Human. Fragile. Completely unaware that the Devil himself stood only a few steps away.

Jungkook raised his hand. Dark energy gathered around his fingers. "You're the reason my demons keep dying," he said as the boy stared at him, confused.

Then, softly, he asked: "...Are you an angel?"

His expression hardened.

"No." He stepped closer. "I am the reason angels fear the dark." His hand moved toward his throat, but the moment his fingers touched his skin... His heart stopped.

Not metaphorically. For one impossible second, Jungkook couldn’t breathe.

A strange warmth spread through his chest.

And somewhere deep inside his ancient soul, something whispered a name he had not heard for centuries.

His name—the one he fell for. But why was he remembering him right now? In the mess of his emotions, his power disappeared.

Jungkook froze.

The boy looked into his eyes.

"Why are you shaking?" he asked, looking into his eyes as his hand fell away.

He stared at him as though he were a ghost from another lifetime. "...Who are you?"

He smiled faintly. "I don't know."

And for the first time since his fall... Jungkook was afraid. And this was just their first meeting.