#reader is safe

"Listen 'cause I'm preaching to the choir. Can I get the mic a little higher?"

Was this your seventh time listening to the addictive song that spread throughout social media like wildfire? Yes, it was.

It had already been a month, and the new K-pop boy band called the Saja Boys had topped the charts, surpassing BTS, NCT, or whatever letters you did not know about. You were new to K-pop, having only listened to a couple of songs in general. You were more familiar with NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and perhaps One Direction at best. When it came to music groups, you assumed that the Saja Boys would come and go.

You thought wrong.

Soda Pop and Your Idol played constantly in people’s minds. You figured that the songs were designed to do so, but when you heard their songs at the gym, in the supermarket, and on the radio, you gradually grew concerned. It did not help that the men were hot. It was almost as if they were sirens, beckoning fans to their demise. But that was crazy, right? Just your imagination…

You decided not to dwell on the dread that night, so you lay down on your bed, stopped the song on your phone, and drifted off to sleep.

You woke up to the sound of knocking. Sitting up straight on your bed, you turned to your bedroom window, the night sky glowing an eerie purple and pink, but you figured it was just a weird sunset. When the knocking continued, you called out groggily, “Coming!”

Standing up, you shuffled out of your room and stopped in front of your door, yawning, “Who is it?”

A friendly, masculine voice answered in a muffled tone, "Good evening. I was wondering if you could help us. We’re lost, and we have never been to this city before. Could you guide us in the right direction?”

“Sure. And who am I speaking to?” Sleepily, you opened your door but kept the chain on it just in case it was someone suspicious.

“Your new biggest fans.” You found five men standing in the hallway, wearing casual pastel clothing and soft smiles on their faces. When they took individual poses in unison, a vocalized harmony played in your mind. Your eye twitched as you immediately recognized the men before you.

The Saja Boys.

Without missing a beat, you smiled nervously. “Excuse me for one second.” You gently and slowly shut the door, ensured all the locks were in place, and then rushed into your room where you grabbed your cell phone from the bedside table and dialed immediately.

"Hello, 911? Five strangers are barging into my home. Send help!" You whispered into the phone. To your dismay, instead of a person or an automated voice message, a familiar tune blared from the phone.

"You're all I can think of every drop I drink up. You're my soda pop. My little soda pop!"

You hung up. They had taken over the authorities.

The knocking returned fervently.

The same voice that greeted you called your name, saying, “We’re respecting your privacy by knocking, but asserting our authority as your idols by coming in anyway!”

WHAM!

You heard the cracking of metal and wood, and foolishly, you poked your head out of the room to find the men now in your living room with your front door out of its hinges. They all smiled casually as if they had not broken your door down.

“Who are you and how do you know my name?!” You demanded to know, conflicted with how to react to the handsome invaders. The man with short black hair, who looked average in comparison to his companions, stepped forward.

"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself. I'm Jinu, and these are the Saja Boys: Abby, Romance, Baby, and Mystery. We're demons, and the world, as you know, belongs to us now."

“Demons?” You blinked. You did not believe that for a second, although it did explain why they would know your name. You questioned if that was true, so why would they admit it in the first meeting? … Unless they had already won. You did not want to fathom such a reality. Either this was a prank, good cosplay, or they were the real Saja Boys. You took no chances as you stood up and attempted to be brave about it.

"Even if that were true, what does that have to do with me? And why are you taller than normal?" You rubbed your eyelids a little to notice that the men’s heights had changed so that every Saja Boy was taller than you by a foot or two.

Jinu chuckled, "Don't worry. Both questions have the same answer. There have been spikes in desires and energies in this area. A strong soul that affects our power. We call them Special Souls. They ground us and give us a boost in power. The greater the power, the more effective it would be. You smell delicious, and we can't let someone as powerful as you run away, especially towards Huntrix. So, we're taking you now."

You slightly blushed, your eyes twitching at the thought that your soul was apparently effective enough to cause demons to grow. “I have no choice in the matter, do I?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, look, they’re making a funny face! That’s cute~” Baby crooned in delight, smirking when you gave him a look that you wanted to strangle him. What was this: a fanfiction situation like those stories of parents selling their children to bands?

“But first, we’re taking everything you own to our mansion,” Jinu spoke up, causing you to do a double-take.

“Wait, what?”

"I call dibs on the games!" Baby cried out as he immediately dove to the other side of the living room, cheering at all the consoles and a stash of board games in the area. "A Switch, 3DS, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo 64, and a Game Boy Advance? I hit the jackpot tonight!"

Abby had gone to one of your closets, whistling in an impressive tone. "A treadmill? We will use this more often! And you need proper weights." He started taking out weighted dumbbells.

"Don't worry, darling. You'll thank us for the organizational makeover later. Your library needs a separate room!" Romance called out from your bedroom. Before your eyes, your possessions disappeared one by one in pink wisps.

“No, no, no, this can’t be happening. That’s not yours to take!” You got up on your feet and tried to save your belongings, but they vanished before you could touch them, and Jinu gently held you back.

Suddenly, a meow coming from the hallway stopped you in your tracks.

“Hey, not my cat!” You cried in worry, fearing the worst. “Gumball, it’s going to be okay, sweetie! Don’t panic!”

Gumball, your one-eyed male Tuxedo cat, was held by Mystery, who looked as nonchalant as ever. Instead of fear or anger, Gumball curled up in Mystery's arms and purred, rubbing his head against him. Mystery purred back and rubbed behind Gumball's ears with a small smile on his face. You figured cats were naturally attuned to the supernatural, so it did not surprise you.

"Don't worry. Your pet will be in good hands." Jinu promised before he whistled softly. Just when you thought things could not get weirder, the floor started to glow blue as a giant tiger head popped up from the hole, carrying a six-eyed magpie wearing a tiny hat. Before you could question it, Mystery placed Gumball onto the tiger's head next to the bird. Both felines purred while the magpie watched in silence, then the three dove back into the disappearing hole.

What in Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle was this?

Jinu placed both his hands on your shoulders as he explained calmly, "Now that we have it out of the way, let's discuss the process. To bond with us as a special soul, you must be consumed literally. You won’t die if that’s what you’re worried about, but it is an unusual experience. We will not harm you, and we will make it as gentle as possible since you're our biggest fan.”

Reluctantly, you nodded. "I understand. Before you do what you need to do, may I freshen up and have a moment to say goodbye to my old home?"

"Of course. Go right ahead." Jinu smiled, satisfied that you accepted your fate as you went to the other side of the house without another word. He sighed happily. "Hmm. I like it when things go smoothly--"

“They escaped.” Mystery spoke matter-of-factly as the five demons craned their necks to the open window and the fire escape with overturned plant pots nearby.

"I knew the gentle but honest approach might be our downfall," Abby commented.

"Of course they did." Jinu hummed before he suddenly smirked at an idea popping into his head. "Boys, why don't we give our number one fan a performance they'll never forget?"

All five pairs of eyes glistened in demonic excitement.

With a racing heart and burning lungs, you slid down the fire escape and ran until you reached a street corner where you found a taxicab waiting for a passenger. Without thinking about it, you opened the cab door, forced yourself inside, and closed it as the car floored it down the street. Seemingly safe, you leaned back in your seat and groaned.

"Thank you for showing up! You saved my life from getting eaten by demons."

"Don't be so sure about that." The driver tilted a rear-view mirror to reveal a monstrous face with orange skin and golden eyes glancing at you. Your eye twitched before you whimpered, slumped into your seat, and covered your eyes in defeat.

The demon chuckled while rolling his eyes, "Just be glad the Saja Boys are after you. You'd be a goner if Gwi-Ma were interested."

You did not want to know who this Gwi-Ma was, so another question left your lips.

"Where are you taking me?"

"This would explain. For you." He handed you a folded letter, which you opened and read immediately:

Dear Special Soul, Our Biggest Fan, let’s play a game. We shall give you fifteen minutes after you are dropped off to hide. When time is up, we will appear and chase you. Whoever can wrap his hands around you first will get to have you. Do not escape the city. We have it surrounded. Good luck~ Jinu. 

Whoever this Jinu was, he made you wish you could punch his invisible smug face as you crumpled up the letter. The demon taxi driver took you into the heart of downtown before opening the door, and an unknown force pulled you out before the taxi closed and drove off.

You were on your own. Seeing that the city was devoid of sound or people, you decided to investigate briefly as you searched for a hiding spot. You passed by a bus stop where a woman sat on a bench, staring off into the air. First, you waved your hand in front of her face, then snapped your fingers. Nothing. After glancing around the area for other people nearby, you assumed everyone was stuck in a trance, and then you left. Once you were further into the city, you stopped to take deep breaths.

"This is the most agonizing and exciting apocalypse I've ever been in." You concluded to yourself, attempting to calm down. "It's okay. You can survive this! It's just five mini-gigantic guys that happen to look cute. It can't get worse than that."

Four notes that sounded like church bells rang into the air as you turned to the eerie presence that you felt washing over you and your town.

The Saja Boys floated above the city, their heights ranging from 50 to 70 feet. They wore black hanboks, gats, shoes, and unique accessories that gave an ominous presence. Their skin ranges in hues of magenta, fuchsia, and red with intricate violet patterns. All their eyes were golden and demonic. It came down to one conclusion you wailed upon.

"Oh no, they're HOT!"

You knew your interests would be your downfall. You stared at the giant demons, wondering what they would do first, and you did not believe that they would make things worse for you any more than they did already. As if the universe came to mock you, Jinu snapped his fingers, and each boy lifted their head in attention and sequence.

"No one..." Baby growled.

"... does it..." Romance purred.

"... better..." Abby crooned.

"... than..." Mystery sang.

"... me." Jinu finished smugly.

“What the--?” You almost choked on your saliva. They were going to sing A NEW SONG?! JUST FOR YOU?! Fearing for your life, you booked it down the sidewalk and through the shadows of the city.

As you ran, the Saja Boys descended to the ground, their feet silent as they landed on the small streets below them. They walked as if striding through one of those small city replicas, harmonizing, "I'm not afraid to give you."

"Any less than all of me." Jinu stretched out his arm, his claws beckoning to you, but you kept on moving until you bumped into something large and hard. A snarl sounded from above as if it were a wolf the size of an elephant growling. You glanced to see Mystery leaning against a building nonchalantly, tilting his head toward you.

"Girl, I would never give you," Mystery sang while waving a finger at you. You backed up, then yelped when you felt breathing on your back.

"Promises that I can't keep." Romance's face was near you, upside-down as he flexed his back far enough to hold in that playful position while holding his hands together close to his chest. You ran off in a different direction.

As you jogged down the street, you quickly typed on your phone, "How to get rid of demons from KoreaAAAAAAAAH!" You shrieked when avoiding the swiping claws from Baby, who laughed in a musical tone while he and the others sang together.

"Find another, delete my number. Told yourself you don't got it bad."

Spotting a building nearby, you rushed in to hide on one of the floors and prepare yourself for any demon repellents the internet would provide you with. You doubted that you were powerful enough, as Jinu said you were, even though you did not notice how fast you were running, nor the energy you had to dodge them.

"But on the low, though, I think we both know..." To show that he was not just a handsome face, Abby pushed two skyscrapers to the side as he stepped forward and sang, "I'm the best that you'll ever have!"

The demons looked around the area, not spotting you at first until Jinu examined one of the buildings, sensing your soul. With a sly smile, he smoothly approached the tall building.

"I'll give you forever, so take all the time you need~" Jinu sang as he stepped up to search for you from one of the floors of the building. He found you sitting in a large circle of salt in a room, holding a crucifix in each hand.

“Stay back! I mostly know how to use these!” You warned, attempting to be brave about the ordeal as you stared out the window at the golden eye. There was a pause before a long claw phased through the brick wall, passed the salt barrier, and patted your head softly.

“Wrong religion~” Jinu cooed with a smirk.

You screamed and threw the crucifixes, dashing away before Jinu could grab at you. “The Supernatural television shows failed me!” You ran down the hallway, threw yourself out of an open window, and landed on the rooftop of the next-door building, witnessing the destruction of the building you just escaped from. As you rushed off to get distance, you found the giant demons in five directions, dancing smoothly while trying to corner you.

"Cause no one does it better than me. Go ahead and try to find someone, but I guarantee they won't change your mind."

Getting overwhelmed, you searched for a route that would help your survival, hopping onto what you thought was another rooftop, but it was made from softer material. You then realized that you were on the rim of Baby’s gat.

"You'll realize," Baby smirked as he reached to grab you, and the others vocalized in response, but you dodged the claws and slid onto a girder from a construction site that made you think of cartoons briefly before going back to flight mode.

"There's only one me, and you can't hide!" Jinu sang out cheerfully, pointing a beckoning claw to your direction. 

You hopped from beam to beam, hoping to find a safer way down. You were too busy running to notice purple patterns appearing all over your body, shimmering under the moonlight.

"No one does it better than me."

As you reached the top of the unfinished building, your patterns glowed a faint magenta while a voice purred into your mind: You're alone now with no one to save or care for you. Why you of all people? So weak and small. Don't worry. We'll care for you.

You almost tripped as a sudden force pulled you back, holding you in position as if someone held your limbs in place. You then noticed the glowing patterns on your arms in confusion. Before you could question yourself,

"No one does it better than me!"

Five large hands reached for you at the same time, and you did not have to turn around to know that they were there. The giant demons grabbed at you like selfish children fighting for a new toy to play with, or in better terms, the last snack. However, their hold was careful and calculated enough not to squeeze your body too much.

“There you are! You made us work up an appetite to get to you.”

“You are so adorable, I can't wait to gobble you up!”

"Mine, mine, mine!"

"That was a good game you played, special soul. It's fun with you around."

“They’re making funny faces again~”

It was one of your worst nightmares: five giant hot demons wanting and praising you like you were a precious little one. Then, Romance addressed the elephant in the room, “So, who gets to eat them first?” All demons stared at each other with narrowed eyes

"Well, we can't all eat them at the same time!" Baby snapped.

Abby piped up, “We could fuse into one being to make it fair?”

“Nah, maybe another time. Besides, the soul is about to have a heart attack.” Mystery shook his head as he motioned to you hyperventilating and shaking like a leaf. After a moment, the Saja Boys proceeded to decide in a civilized manner rather than like demonic piranha.

Four demons ended up playing Rock, Paper, Scissors for you. Mystery decided to opt out and hold onto you instead, his quiet aura calming you down somewhat. Baby and Jinu were at a stalemate until Jinu won two out of three. Baby mumbled curses in the background while the others agreed with the decision since Jinu was the leader. You found yourself held by the waist as Mystery lifted you higher, Jinu’s head below you.

By now, you were exhausted and overwhelmed. Souls? Giant demons? Patterns? That mysterious gravely voice in your mind? The fact that five K-Pop Idols were watching you like you were significant with one feeding you to the other like boyfriends do… it was so much too fast.

“Wait, wait, wait! Can’t we just talk about this?! I mean, I get it: demons want souls, this is terrifying and hot at the same time, and I’m probably like a snack to you, but there’s no other way to do the Special Soul thing?! How do I know that you won’t keep your promise—” You began to reason out of getting devoured while struggling in Mystery’s grip when Jinu opened his mouth that made you freeze.

Jinu’s mouth reminded you of a tiger’s maw with fangs to match and a wide tongue with feline papillae, but that was not why you stopped. His tongue also had glowing patterns that resembled words.

“Is that my full name in my language glowing right there?”

Jinu’s smug, open grin made you want to kick a tooth out if you were not so scared or weak. With a chuckle, he replied, “Welcome home~”

Then you fell right on top of his tongue. It felt moist and the type of surface that was hard and sturdy if rubbed in one direction. The tongue pushed you in different directions, including at the roof of his mouth, moans surrounding you that came from the giant who held you in his mouth and the spectators outside. To make things worse, Jinu’s mouth was kept open for the rest of the Saja Boys to see. Covered in saliva, you slipped as you attempted to crawl and reach an arm out to escape…

… only for Jinu to tilt his head back and swallow. With a loud gulp, you slid to the back of the throat and descended to the esophagus. The only sources of light you had were the patterns on your body and what could be best described as blue waves in the air and space around you that extended beyond Jinu’s body and the city. You did not know what it was, but when you fell into an open area and landed roughly inside his stomach, you saw the waves turn pink before shattering into tiny pieces. The slimy walls around you had patterns just like you and the demons had. You raised your arms, planning to pound at the walls and beg to be let out when your adrenaline ran out. You drifted off to sleep, hearing deep murmurs from outside, and seeing a glimpse of pink fire before passing out.

You woke up in bed with a slight gasp, your cat Gumball nestled next to your head. It was all a dream. You were safe. You were okay. No pain at all on or in your body. The nightmare was over, and you were free. Crying happy tears, you nuzzled your head against Gumball’s fur… not noticing the luxurious suite you were in, the king-sized bed you slept on, and the patterns on your skin that shifted into symbols that marked who you belonged to: The Saja Boys.