JOHANN COULD NOT SLEEP PROPERLY RECENTLY. 

There was too much pressure he needed to balance from his new job and new death dealers to deal with. He was sleeping soundly in the living room before a clear voice registered on his brain.

“Wake up. Wake up! Sleepyhead! Breakfast is served!” said a jolly voice that he recently got familiar with.

When Johann opened his eyes he saw Clay staring down at him as he stood next to him while lying on the sofa.

“Why are you up early?” he asked as if seeing him there is a constant thing they do.

“What do you mean I’m up early? I do not sleep. Nope. Not at all!” Clay said while smiling at him.

He seemed like a friendly human but Johann knew what he was. He is the death dealer he “accidentally” met near the hospital. But even before the conversation last night with Kyros, Johann finally understood it was all a setup. That death dealers are finding him, or rather the death dealer inside him.

“He’ll be staying with you while I look for your stepfather,” Kyros said as soon as Clay appeared in their house. “He may not look like one but Clay can be a good bodyguard.”

“Oh… so that’s my role here,” Clay said as if amazed with the situation. “To protect Cassian, to be with Cassian, and to free Cassian. Got it!”

“I’ll contact you once I have some updates. So always check your phone, Clay.”

“Yes, Sir,” Clay said while saluting to Kyros. Once he was gone, Johann could not help but inquire about a few things from Clay.

“Is he your superior or something?”

“Kyros? Nah… I just like him.”

“That’s your only reason for following his commands?”

“Yeah! Plus, this seems like fun! So… what’s Cassian doing now while inside you?”

“Probably listening or just… observing,” Johann guessed.

“He’s probably asleep.”

“Huh? He’s asleep.”

“Yup. What else will he do there?” Clay said while pointing at his chest.

“So… you do not wish to sleep?” Johann asked Clay after he recalled their conversation last night.

“Well, I forgot what it feels like to rest. Our job always takes most of our time. That’s why I try to enjoy it as much as I can.”

You mean you kill people for fun, right? Johann wanted to ask but did not dare to offend his bodyguard.

When he heard some vague conversation from outside their living room, Johann could not help but look outside from the window. He saw his mother and Luz assisting some men he was not familiar with. But seeing the renovations they were doing in his damaged room, Johann understood that his mother already hired contractors to fix their house.

“I guess she was leaving it all up to me now.”

“They keep ignoring me so I wake you up!” Clay told Johann. “But let’s eat. I’m starving!”

When they went to the dining room area, Johann saw the breakfast served by Luz. Clay sat and tried eating some bacon and eggs.

“These are… good.”

“How come you can still eat despite not being human?’

“I am still partly human. Death dealers can still enjoy some stuff humans consume. But we no longer rely on it the way you humans do. We can even have hobbies and properties in our realm if we wanted to.”

“So you’re like humans but not really.”

“Yup!” Clay said before gulping down his coffee. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

“I don’t know. Stay home. Stay safe.”

“Ugh. How boring. Is that all you got?”

“Well, we can’t stay in my room to play some games. But—”

“How about we go out?” Clay suggested in an excited tone.

“Will Kyros allow that?”

“Of course he would. That’s why you have me.”

“I’ll try to ask my Mom first.”

“What are you? A kindergarten? Oh, wait! You said your mom might kill you if you do things your way, right? Was that her?” Clay asked while looking in the direction where his mother was. “Let’s go then! Let’s ask her!”

When Johann and Clay arrived at the garden area the men were already cleaning up the damaged wall and window of Johann’s room. They work fast and his mother will probably wrap everything up within the day. Luz was even assisting her for all the materials they needed to buy and was probably assigned to search for suppliers. But knowing Luz, she probably already has a database for that. 

“Mom? Is it okay if we go outside?”

“Sure. Just let me know what time you’ll be back,” his mom responded while still staring at her phone.

“Oh. Ahm… around dinner time. Will that be all right?”

“Sure. Go ahead. Do what you want, Johann,” Selena then walked towards Luz and ignored Johann. “Luz, was everything settled? Is there anything we missed out that must be done today?”

“I think we’re right on track. I already ordered everything,” Luz replied respectfully. 

“Okay. Good. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Johann awkwardly left the two women who seemed to be rather looking at their task than him.

“So… what did she say?” Clay asked while smiling.

“Did you do something with them?” Johann asked the death dealer.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking if you’re capable of manipulating them like how Kyros does it.”

“What makes you think that?” Clay asked with a curious yet innocent face.

“They won’t even look at me and they didn’t even ask where we’ll be going.”

Clay laughed. “Then you should celebrate! They’re finally treating you like an adult. Let’s go!”

CLAY AND JOHANN WERE WANDERING AROUND THE MALL AREA. 

Johann watched Clay look around for clothes for himself. Clay was also amazed with clothes meant for early teens. Clay even said he wanted to check out the movies and tried to look for an action film but was only disappointed to see nothing of that sort. Mostly, it’s about an animated film, romance, comedy or fantasy. Johann sighed and wondered who was really guarding who?

“That was disappointing,” Clay said as they sat at the outside area of a café. He was still bitter not to see any movie about people killing other people.

“You wanted to watch an action film that badly?” Johan asked half-heartedly. He was more interested in how small demons would run away as soon as he made eye contact with them. Johann was unsure if it was because of him or Clay. The sun will set soon and Johann was thinking if he should book a cab now so they can go back home.

“They’re terrified, aren’t they?” Clay asked as he looked at his coffee mug. “They can sense that fire in you. And though it was tempting them to eat it they also felt it might eat them first.”

“What do you mean the fire in me?”

“Demons can look for their next prey by looking at our souls. They do not really attack because they find a human attractive, you know. They attack or even lurk around the soul they want to eat next. Their eyesight is different from yours.”

“But it’s the same with yours?”

“Bingo!” Clay said happily. “But not all the time. Let’s just say we enjoy having both insights as I would call it. It was how I knew all the people I killed were criminals. The darker the soul, the better. I like sending those to hell.”

“So you’re telling me, you send bad people to hell? Is that it?” 

“Yes. And no. As you know, evil ones ended below and good ones ended up above,” Clay explained while moving his fingertip while he referred to heaven and hell. “But… it’s not really up to us who goes where.”

“But if you weren’t—”

Kyros suddenly appeared and sat on the chair available at their table.

“I found him.”

“Huh? What? How did you know we’re here?”

“I texted him,” Clay explained.

“That’s not what needs to be discussed here. Your stepfather. I found him.”

“Already?!”

“You sound surprised. Or should I say disappointed? Did you think it will take long to find someone who hunts demons for a living?” Kyros asked Johann.

“No… it’s just… where is he now?”

“Rooftop. He will be on the rooftop.”

Clay sensed someone was staring at them.

“Kyros… incoming,” Clay warned in a serious tone.

“I know,” Kyros sighed. “He’s here.”

“What? Who’s here?” Johann asked.

A huge man was suddenly standing near their table. He was smiling at Kyros and Clay. And since his approach seemed intentional, Johann sensed what he was in an instant.

Great. Now I’m facing another death dealer… What do they all want with Cassian anyway?