The Love That Remains

"Bae Ri Na, I like you."

The most popular boy of the academy confesses to her under the cherry tree.

"I like someone else."

Bae Ri Na speaks the words without hesitation.

"Oh." The boy bends his head down, looking depressed. "May I know who he is?"

Bae Ri Na looks at him. He is handsome. His face can make any girl's heart skip a beat. He can probably send butterflies flying in all the girls' stomach in the academy. He is also from a good family. He knows how to play the violin. There is nothing to dislike about him. The problem is that Bae Ri Na's heart doesn't throb for this person.

"It's a cat," Bae Ri Na answers him with a clear voice. "I am not interested in men."

The boy blinks his eyes. He is not able to process her words for several minutes. The most beautiful girl of the academy, sixteen years old Bae Ri Na, is interested in cats only.

Not men. Only cats.

"Cat?" He asks again to confirm.

"Yes." Bae Ri Na crosses her arms. "Are you done? Go away."

The poor boy walks away with heavy feet. His pride has been thrashed by this girl.

"Awesome!" Sung Soo Han comes out from the hiding. "You like a cat. Are you into bestiality? I wonder how Aunty Wang would react to this news."

"If you tell her, I will beat the crap out of you." Bae Ri Na threatens him. "Or I will tell Aunty Fang how you sneaked away to hell to bully demons when you visited your grandfather in China."

"As always, we agree to keep our secrets" Sung Soo Han sits on the bench beside her. "Are you really into cats?"

"I am not into cats." Bae Ri Na leans backward. "I am into a certain cat."

"Who?" Sung Soo Han is always interested in gossip. "Tell me. Maybe I can help you with the cat."

"It's a cat who can turn into a man." Bae Ri Na brings out the white handkerchief from her pocket. It reminds her of the man with silver hair and mismatched eyes. "I wonder who he is."

"I can help you find out." Sung Soo Han smiles at her.

"What do you want in return?" Bae Ri Na is not a fool.

"Introduce me to Ami Ong." Sung Soo Han likes his cousin. She understands him the best.

"Do you need an introduction?" Bae Ri Na sighs. "Who doesn't know the Sung brothers?"

The nine demon brothers can turn the entire academy upside down. Their reputation is not exactly good. The nine brothers have nine charms in their personalities. Each one can frustrate anyone in their own way. People usually avoid them because they love their little peace of mind.

"Introduce me." Sung Soo Han lets out an exasperated sigh. "If you introduce me, I will have a reason to talk to her. You have an image of a good girl in the academy. I need your recommendation."

"..." Bae Ri Na wonders if she is recommending him for a job.

"I will help you with your love life," Sung Soo Han tells her. "You help me with mine. I really like Ami Ong. She is really cute."

"Her family specializes in demon exorcism."

"That's why I like her more."

"You are seeking death."

"I can't die. I am an immortal."

"I don't want your help in finding him." Bae Ri Na looks at him. "I want something else."

"What is it then?" Sung Soo Han is curious. "If it is riskier, then you have to help me get a date with Ami Ong."

"It's not impossible to get her to date you." Bae Ri Na smirks at him. "But, promise me. You will do whatever I want you to."

"I will." Sung Soo Han promises without a second thought. Anything for his love, Ami Ong.

Bae Ri Na leans in and whispers, "Help me become an immortal."

That man hates mortals. So, she must become an immortal first.

Sung Soo Han's hands tremble. He shouts at her, "Are you out of your mind?"

"It will take too long to reach the queen rank." Bae Ri Na knows that her uncle and aunt will never agree to send her to hell. If she reaches the Queen rank level 9, then she will get the spell to open the gate of hell as a challenger. Even her parents have not reached that rank yet. It will take a long time before she reaches the Queen rank level 9. She can't wait that long.

"Father will kill me if I do that." Sung Soo Han shakes in fear. "Mother will throw me in the den of beasts if I do that. I don't know which is the worst."

"You have been to hell." Bae Ri Na glares at him. "Won't they do the same if they find out that you go there without their permission?"

"I don't go as a challenger," Sung Soo Han explains to her. "I am a demon. They will never harm me. The hell is in a bad place. It is total chaos. The demon lords have been restored, but they are having trouble executing their powers. There is no order among the demons. They kill the challengers mercilessly. It's been more than sixteen years since Father have merged the circles of hell. The demon lords are having trouble reorganizing that place."

"You can't open the gate for me?" Bae Ri Na asks quietly.

"To be a challenger, you or your sponsor has to open the gate." Sung Soo Han sighs heavily. "Just cultivate diligently and get the spell. Nobody will stop you once you get the queen rank."

"Alright." Bae Ri Na gives him a nod. There is a long pause before she says, "You can give me the spell or tell me where I can find it though."

Sung Soo Han slaps his forehead. He gives up finally. She will find that spell in one way or another.

"I will tell you if you let me come with you."

"Sure." Bae Ri Na grins. "I need a bodyguard."

"I will ask Soo Hwan and Seong Min to come with us." Sung Soo Han knows that his parents will kill him for this. "We will take a quick trip to make you an immortal."

"A superfast trip"

"You uses spiritual energy. You can't use the spell that I use." Sung Soo Han's voice is so low that Bae Ri Na has to lean closer to him to hear the words. "I am sure that the spell for spiritual energy users is in the father's study."

Bae Ri Na furrows her brows. "How do you know?"

"He has opened the gate of hell once. It should be there." Sung Soo Han continues. "There is a strong barrier outside his study room to keep me and my brothers away. He only lets Na-Mi inside the study."

"We can ask Na Mi to copy the spell." Bae Ri Na is quite close to Little Na Mi. "She will do it for me."

"Do you really think that?" Sung Soo Han can't help but laugh. His little sister is just like his father. Unreadable. Unpredictable. All the brothers cannot win against her. Even Mother is quite helpless when it comes to her. She wins everyone's heart with her adorable tactics, but she is only loyal to one person - his father. "Bae Ri Na, she will sell you to father the moment she finds out the plan. You won't even know how you are slaughtered."

"Right." Bae Ri Na shrugs her shoulders. "I forgot how she is. She is quite scary."

"Scariest among all of us, only second to Father." Sung Soo Han gets a shiver down his spine. "You have to sneak inside his study when you come for a sleepover."

"I will come tonight." The risk is high, but all is fair in love and war.