LOVER MONSTER!
19. Attention Switch.

"I've been manipulated" Jessica said.

He groans desperately in front of Ethan who is stirring a cup of black coffee for him. Jessica-though already made a pact with Demian, woke up from her sleep full of regret.

Oh, my gosh!

How could he allow Demian to go in and out of his room? Even if the man threatened to do something skewed towards her, Jessica could still report the man to the police, right? She didn't need to be a stupid girl who felt there were only two options in this world?

"I must have been so sleepy that I didn't realize what was happening" Jessica defended herself. She acted like a stupid girl last night.

"I don't know what's going on" Ethan said. "Are you having nightmares?"

"It's worse than a nightmare" whined Jessica. He grabs Ethan's hand, who has just placed a cup of coffee in front of him. "Ethan, I need a talisman to throw away bad luck."

"Yeahaaaaa?"

"i'm serious. I'd go crazy if-" no. Jessica could not reveal the story of Demian infiltrating her room.

Why can't it? Jessica asked the same thing.

Why does his tongue always lie whenever he wants to share his personal story with others? Is this a curse? Demian must have cursed him!

"I can be stressed if I have nightmares every day." Jessica surrendered without letting go of her grip from Ethan's hand. "Ethan, you're my angel, aren't you? Save me, please..."

"I didn't know you believed in such a myth as a good luck charm" Ethan replied with a rascality.

"Right, I don't believe it either." A voice greeted Jessica's ears. Very close to his nape and made his body stiffen instantly. The voice belonged to the man who had already created terror in his mind. Fucking Demian Bellamy!

"De-Demians..." Jessica moved her face away from Demian who suddenly appeared behind her. Is he a ghost?

"Why are you here?" Jessica glanced nervously at Demian. He felt the muscles and bones in his body freeze until his head was very difficult.

"I want to order coffee, what else?" Demian moved to Jessica's side. Those who often sit two benches - now sit side by side with their elbows touching.

Ethan looks at the two with a big question mark over his head. When did they become familiar?

"There's a lot of new stuff I know today" Ethan said. He poured another cup of coffee for Demian. "I just found out you know each other."

Calling each other by first name is a rarity. During this time, Ethan realized the interaction of Jessica and Demian is only limited to the friendliness of the owner cafe to its customers. He never thought there was a situation there.

Since when did Jessica call Demian with Demian?

Although Ethan knows Jessica knows Demian through Demian's love affair with Angela, Ethan never knows if Demian also knows Jessica.

"Hmm, is that it?" Demian glanced at Jessica, a thin smile etched on her face. He still feels funny every time he sees Jessica.

The girl-without trying-had comforted Demian with her visibly uncomfortable expression. It was as if he was walking with the banner 'Sway me, Demian!' on his chest.

"We met Saturday night" Jessica said, trying to straighten out Ethan's misunderstanding. No, rather, he was trying to cover up his closeness with Demian.

No one should know that Jessica kept the bar boy in her room for a week. Jessica didn't want to create unnecessary rumors.

"Did you remember when Elli and I helped Angela's boyfriend?"

"An ex-girlfriend" ralat Demian.

"Well, uh. We accidentally met with.., um...,"

"We met briefly there" Demian continued. "I am deeply moved by the kindness of your boss. He's willing to take on a man he doesn't know."

"Aaaah, so it's like that." Ethan is smiling. "Jesse is really good, isn't he? He kept calling me an angel, but he was very kind himself."

"Mm, I agree." Demian glanced at Jessica and again whispered in the girl's reddened ear. "You're even willing to put me in your room, I'm so flattered."

Jessica shuddered for a moment. The warm breath of Demian sweeping through his skin felt extremely tickling. He rubbed his nape while pinching Demian from under the table.

"I'm just following Ethan" Jessica said cheerfully. He was satisfied to have Demian cowering in pain beside him.

"Anyway..., Demian, isn't Angela's shift this afternoon, why did you come so early in the morning?"

"Oh, right." Ethan followed. "Because Angela's single now, isn't this a great opportunity for you?"

"I didn't know we were so close until you dared to give me input on my personal matters." Demian offends Ethan blatantly. Her sarcastic voice made Jessica come back to realize how dangerous Demian was. Goddamnit!

"Sorry, I seem to have gone too far."

"No problem" Demian said. "Only, I'm curious enough for your attention here."

"Y-yes?"

"It seems like every employee at the cafe is aware of my relationship with Angela. Has it been, unknowingly, that I've been a spectacle and entertainment to you?"

Demian's aura darkened there. The relaxed atmosphere that had previously been around them, was swept away by darkness and horror. It would be dangerous if Demian found out Jessica - of all people - was betting ten strawberries over her third romance. Because of that fear, Jessica spontaneously kicked the table.

Jessica has to protect herself, who is a fan. For the sake of Elixir and for the sake of not being beaten.

"Yeahahh!!!" Jessica tilted her body towards Demian, she smiled broadly. "It's impossible that we're unconscious, right?" ask Jessica, rhetorically.

"???"

"As a normal human being with two healthy eyes, me, Ethan or whoever works here must be aware of the relationship you three have. I mean.., even if we didn't find out, we would have been end-to-end aware of your situation. After all, the appearance of the three of you is also very different."

"Different?"

"Y-well, Jake-I mean...., very handsome, right? He went into this cafe looking very neat, like there was a light covering it. Angela too, waaah.., it is difficult to describe her beauty in words, she is very eye-catching. So, as I said earlier, naturally, we must be watching you, inevitably."

The chin-backed Demian at the table, her pair of dark irises noticed Jessica who was clearly misbehaving. His cheeks and ears are red.

"Then, what about me?"

"What's wrong with...,"

Demian sipped her coffee for a while, before again teasing Jessica with a witty look. "What's pulling from me until you, inevitably, notice?"

Geez!!!

Is he expecting a compliment now?

"Jessica?"

"I.., oh?" Jessica also sipped her coffee that had not been touched at all. In one gulp, he finished the cup of coffee. A few drops seeped out from the corner of his lips, flowing down his jaw.

Demian watched the melt with stunned eyes. Again, he thought. The desire to taste the pale skin was seething in his mind.

"I forgot something in my room, I'll go first..." Jessica wiped the coffee melts on her neck with a tissue on the table. Without responding to Demian's question, Jessica managed to escape from there. Least.

"I survived" murmured Jessica relieved.

Demian down there stared at the traces of Jessica's tissue on the table.

*

In Bronze, thursday night.

Despite the heavy rain out there, the situation in Bronze is still as peaceful as ever. Each table is still covered by gambling addicts. Colorful chips spread here and there, the sound of card shuffling and dice. Everything is churning under the light of the lamp.

Demian, who had been living in Bronze for several nights, returned to play with Oscar.

A woman Demian did not know who was next to him. Spoiled on his arm. Across Demian's table, Oscar was still at home in his dealership attire. He served Demian to play for the umpteenth time tonight.

"Say Demian, what's the key until you never lose? Do you count every game by the odds formula?"

"Am I a mathematician?" Demian spoke while pressing his cigarette on the ashtray.

"The thing is, I've never seen you lose once. It's disappointing."

Demian turned to the woman who was still faithfully embracing his arm. Damn it, Demian's arm is cramping. Also..., why is that woman so fragrant? She's like a flower garden! Very stinging nose and makes his breathing uncomfortable.

Demian prefers Jessica to be in-Eh?

"Demians...?"

"Yes?"

"You want to rest?" although it sounds caring, Oscar's intentions are definitely related to other things. 

Perhaps because Oscar saw Demian staring at the woman on his left side for too long, Oscar thought Demian wanted to stop playing cards and start playing with the woman. If the case is like that, Oscar has no problem giving up. He has been defeated over and over again.

Demian understood the meaning of Oscar's words. He looked back at the woman next to him who was now looking back at him. A pair of hazelnut irises with those sharply engraved eyeliners panned towards Demian, seducing.

"Well, then..." There may be no harm in having fun.

Demian was already too busy until he ignored his instinctual needs. He needs to let go of all his mental and bodily fatigue. He needed to forget about a pale-skinned girl who often soiled his mind with crazy illusions.

True, Demian needed to forget about Jessica Cerise who was already lodged in her head, stirring up her demonic instincts.

He needs to distract her.

*