Doctor Demon

Hobin was checking Baekha's pulse while the others were gathered around him. Minyoon was anxious and Soobin was sitting next to Baekha, almost praying for her safety. Jiwoon was standing at the back, ash faced and silent. 

Miyoo was asleep on another couch. She was restless after seeing the demon so Yoonmin put her to sleep.

"This is really weird," Hobin muttered. "Her body is hot. Way hotter than average fever. Even her temperature reading shows it's higher than usual."

He turned to Jango. "What did she eat today?"

"He...er…"

"We know Baek is a girl!" Yoonmin snapped. "Just tell the doctor the truth."

"Well," Jango began. "She ate rice and seaweed soup, beef and curry. She eats well! We don't starve our idols here."

Hobin checked Baekha's breathing. It was short and shallow, indicating that she was not able to breathe properly.

"Soobin, touch her chest and tell me what you feel," Hobin ordered her. Soobin was taken aback. Touch her chest?

"Uh…"

"Do you have to violate Baekha's privacy?" Minyoon winced.

"If you want to save her, someone needs to touch her chest and since Soobin is a girl, she can do it," Hobin said absentmindedly as he checked Baekha's pulse.

"O-Okay!"

Soobin hesitated before touching Baekha's chest. She frowned when she touched it and pressed the unconscious girl's chest a little harder. To her surprise, there was something hard and coarse wrapped around Baekha's chest.

"There's a cloth!" she informed Hobin. "Wrapped tightly against her chest. I can feel it!"

The twins were looking away while Jiwoon stepped forward.

"She must have used to to compress her breasts," Hobin said in a nonchalant way. "Since she needed to hide her busts. First of all, Soobin and Jiwoon. Take that cloth and wig off her and dress her in loose clothes. Then we'll take her to the hospital where she can be treated for the night. Where are her parents?"

He added that to Jango.

"They're not going to help her," he said at once.

"I'm not asking them for help. I'm asking where they are. Legally, I'll have to inform them about her state."

"They're at home I guess."

"What kind of sick parents are they?" Minyoon scowled at the manager. "How can they just neglect their only child?"

"They don't even know their kid is an idol!" Jango replied. "Baekha insisted on doing everything on her own. They ignore her and don't care about their daughter."

"Why?" Yoonmin frowned but it was Soobin who answered.

"They love their son more," she said in a bitter tone. "For them, their son was the heir and future. The Cho family aren't kind to girls, seeing them as a burden. Baekha told me that they're not even interested in handing over her rightful inheritance. Her brother is dead so she's the heir but they won't give her anything."

The twins were sickened by that sort of mindset. Why would any sane person have that old mindset in this day and time? 

Minyoon gazed at Baekha and recalled all the times she had outwitted the bullies on her own. He felt bad for being rude to her initially.

"Also," Soobin went on. "Her brother was a top idol. Cho Sungki."

"That's why she wants to become a top idol!" Minyoon realized. "So that she can prove to her parents that she's equally capable."

"Does it matter?" Hobin asked. "They'll still be shitty parents to her. Nevertheless, I'll have to inform them."

"Do we have to let them know?" Jiwoon asked. She was reluctant to face the Cho's but seeing Baekha's condition, even she knew that the parents have to be informed.

"I'd suggest you return to the mansion with my brother," Hobin told her. "It's best if you don't get involved in this mess. Besides, the Cho's might not even come to visit their daughter but we can't discount the possibility that they won't."

Jiwoon was unwilling to leave Baekha in that state. After all, Baekha was one of the people who treated her kindly during her hellish time at the Cho mansion. 

"I'll keep you updated," Yoonmin offered her. "But the crazy doctor is right. It'll only add to her worries if you face the Cho's. After all, she did a lot to protect you."

Jiwoon took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right," she mumbled. "I should go for now. But please, keep me informed. I don't want Baekha to suffer anymore. Let us undress her first and then I'll leave."

She and Soobin got to work. The men waited outside while they changed Baekha's clothes. The girl's body was burning as if on fire. Jiwoon and Soobin were surprised that she was even standing in that state.

"Sis, she must have suffered a lot," Soobin said, feeling worried. "This is crazy! Her fever really is strange."

"Baekha is used to doing everything on her own," Jiwoon winced. They took off Baekha's wig and the cloth around her chest before putting loose clothes on her. Baekha moaned a little and was slowly coming to her senses.

"Jisoo...sis?" she mumbled. Jiwoon touched her cheek and stroked it.

"You'll be fine, okay?" she said in a gentle tone. "Don't worry about anything else and rest. You need it."

Baekha's mind was too muddled and she was not strong enough to argue. Her eyelids were heavy with sleep and she was unconscious again. After they were done dressing her, they summoned the men back inside.

"Let's take her to the hospital," Hobin said. 

"I'll get going then," Jiwoon nodded. She patted Baekha's forehead and left. Minyoon picked up Baekha again in his arms. She was surprisingly light. Was she underfed her whole life?

"Quit blushing and take her to the car!" Hobin snapped at the idol when he was taking too long to act. "I know you have a crush on her but keep the feeling bottled up until she's well."

"Crush?" I would never-"

"JUST GO!"

Minyoon pouted and blushed. He carried her to the car outside. The others followed him to the car while Hobin stayed back to look for Jina. She must have gone to find the demon on her own and he could not leave her alone in that state. He went back to the stage which was now empty except for a few assistants and fans who were being dispersed. 

He sniffed the air. There was a faint scent of sulphur but it was hard to point where it was coming from. 

"Where are you, Tinkerbell?" he whispered.

…

Jina followed the demon to an isolated room and locked the door behind her. 

"Tell me," she demanded. "What's going on? How is that demon, Sungki, affecting Baekha? And do humans in Hell turn into demons? And why can't charms work on you?"

Magrod jumped on a table and huffed out his chest in pride, feeling very important at that moment.

"Listen up, Priestess!" he exclaimed like a teacher teaching a student. "First of all, humans turn into demons in Hell. Good or bad, if you're a human in Hell, you'll turn into a demon. It's in our contracts. Now, you know that only those who make contracts end up in Hell regardless of their actions. Hence, sometimes good people also end up there. If they turn into demons, their demonic personalities are also good. Kind of like spirits but we're just more powerful."

"Once we turn into demons, we can choose new names or keep our old names if we can remember them," he went on. "Most of the souls forget their names but not Sungki. He is a special type of Kirstis."

"What's a Kirstis?"

"I'm getting there!" Magrod said irritably. "Honestly, you humans have no patience."

"You were a human too!" Jina frowned.

"I was a special kind of human," he claimed. "Exquisite and unique. In other words, I was more awesome than other humans and hence ended up as a noble class demon!"

Jina stared at him warily. Good or bad, he was definitely the most self-absorbed demon she had ever met. Which was strange because all the demons she had met so far were evil and cruel. To think there was a comical demon was something hard to wrap her head around. 

"Anyways," he said. "Sungki is deriving energy from his sister. His obsession and natural tendency to resort to cruelty accelerated the process for him. Sometimes, very rarely though, when the obsession of a human being transcends to Hell, they speed up the demonization process. Hence, Sungki was able to turn into a demon faster than others. It can take decades or even centuries for souls to turn into demons. And his idiot parents summoned him from Hell with the help of a shaman. I'm sure they don't know they've sold their souls for it. Many shamans trick humans into giving away their souls."

"Can't we break the contract and send him back to Hell?" Jina asked.

"Nope," Magrod said. "Those two idiots are doomed. Even if you exorcise Sungki, he won't go to Hell until the deal is complete."

"What deal?"

"The deal to give the Cho's an heir," he revealed. "Our demon friend is trying to have a child with a woman of his choosing so that the Cho's can get an heir. And Sungki is obsessed with only one girl. After all, his obsession is the reason he turned into a demon this fast."

Jina's eyes widened in shock.

"Jiwoon," she realized. "He's still obsessed with Jiwoon!"