THREE DAYS LATER

Sunggyu puts the last rose in front of the headstone that read, "Kwon Jiyong. June 6, 1996 - November 14, 2014".

Note: we used 2014 since we originally published this story last 2014

     Sunggyu stared at the grave, but he didn't cry. There were no more tears left in him. The rest of the Demons stood at the side, staring at the grave as well.

     "Rest in peace, my little boy..." Mrs. Kwon stated as she wiped the tears on her face.

     After Jiyong's death, the sons found out that people's memory of Kwon Jiyong was erased. Only the Demons (Maybe even the Arcs), Kai, Tamo, the Demon's mothers, and Jiyong's parents, were the only once who remembered him. Only the people who saw his dead body.

     They found out about it when Charles told the school about his son's death. The principal was confused because he didn't know a student named Kwon Jiyong, and that there were no files that proved that Kwon Jiyong even enrolled at Holy Angels University.

     "Sunggyu..." Charles called out as he walked towards the Demon's leader. Sunggyu looked at Charles as Charles handed him a box that he was very familiar with. It was the same box Sunggyu and the rest of the Demons received on their 18th birthday. The box their demonic father had given to them that changed their whole life.

     "Jiyong...he never read the letter. I think it's best that you and your brothers keep it." Charles stated.

     Sunggyu slowly took the box from Charles's hand and nodded. Then Charles squeezed Sunggyu's shoulder and went back to his wife.

     "Let's go?" Charles asked, and Mrs. Kwon looked at the Demons first and said, "Thank you, sons."

      The six looked back at the two and bowed as they left the cemetery.

     "Minhyuk, we'll head out first," Minhyuk's mother stated as she looked at her son. Minhyuk nodded and she and the rest of the Demons' mothers left with Charles and Mrs. Kwon.

     "Tamo...we should leave them with Jiyong as well," Kai stated as he looked at Tamo who was still crying until now.

     Tamo wiped his tears and nodded. Kai placed his arms around his lover's waist and looked at the sons, "We'll head back to the hotel and go back to Japan tomorrow. We're here Demons. Know that if you need anything, we will always be there for you."

     "Thank you, Kai...Tamo," Suho stated as he went to the two to hug them. Kai and Tamo hugged him back, then the rest of the sons bowed to show their gratitude for the service these two mortals have given to them.

     "Good luck on your journey...our princes," Tamo stated as he and Kai bowed in front of the Demons as well before finally leaving.

     The six were silent as they slowly stared back at Jiyong's grave. Then, Jackson sat down on the grass, just right in front of Jiyong. Taeil did the same, then the rest of the sons followed. The six created a semi-circle surrounding Jiyong. Sunggyu, who was in the middle, showed the box to his brothers.

     "This idiot didn't even read the letter father Lucifer gave him," Sunggyu revealed, placing the box on top of Jiyong's grave.

     "Typical Jiyong," Suho stated with a soft chuckle.

     "Should we read it?" Hyunseung suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement.

     Sunggyu took the box and opened it, "I'll read it so listen to it carefully this time Kwon Jiyong," Sunggyu stated as he looked back at Jiyong's grave. Then Sunggyu unfolded the paper and read it out loud.

Happy 18th Birthday Jiyong

If you're reading this then it means your mom and Charles had told you who I am. I'm here to tell you that they are right. I am a demon Jiyong. I am one of the Seven Deadly Demons, and you Kwon Jiyong are also a demon, a half-demon child.

I know you are confused right now because of this. But I want you to fully understand the situation like how Charles did.

There are six more like you; all posses' abilities that are far greater than any of you have ever imagined.

One is a boy born to love and born to be loved. He will be your arms.

A boy hungry for power and greatness will give you the greatest gift.

A boy with quick feet will wipe your unwanted tears.

A boy whose bidding is done by others will show you reflection.

A boy whose flames can burn the coldest of hearts will bring you light.

And a stubborn boy who was born to be selfless will give you your salvation.

Find these Demons and unite with them. Unite with them because there is someone after you, and he will feed you to the darkness. These sons will make sure they bring you back to the light.

Fight the enemy with the rest of the Demon-children. I know I can count on you my son.

Please be strong, and may the King of Hell be with you...

    "And your spirit...Lucifer." Sunggyu finished.

     He gently placed the letter back inside the box and put the box back on top of Jiyong's grave. The moment Sunggyu placed the letter back; they quickly regretted that they even read it in the first place. Hearing it only made them feel worse.

     "Salvation? I wasn't even able to give him salvation...I...I let him die." Jackson stated; the pain obvious in his voice.

     Taeil held his best friend's hand, "No, Father Lucifer was right. We were able to give Jiyong all those things in our own ways. We might not have noticed it, but I'm sure for Jiyong...it was enough."

    Jackson squeezed Taeil's hand back and wiped the tears that slowly fell from his eyes.

     The six became silent. They didn't say anything and just continued to look at Jiyong's grave. The wind got stronger, but the sons closed their eyes and felt that the strong breeze was Jiyong, giving them his last embrace.

MEANWHILE...

AT THE HOLY HOME

    "Will he forever be in peace..."

     "Amen." The Arcs said in unison as they were all kneeling on the floor while Park Dong Min was standing in front of them while holding a bible. They were at the prayer room, facing the mirror that showed them Jiyong's grave. The Arcs had been praying for him every day since his death. They've been doing it day and night, and no one complained. They all felt that they were obliged to do it for Jiyong's sake.

     "I'll prepare for our lunch. We'll give our final prayers for Kwon Jiyong after dinner." Dongmin stated as he closed the bible and went downstairs to the kitchen.

     The Arcs stood up and sat on the sofa. They were all tired, not because of the fight with the Demons and the ghouls, but because they couldn't sleep after everything that happened.

     "We should go to the Demons." Mark suddenly suggested, making everyone look at him.

     "I'm not doing this because I want to see Jackson, I want to see the Demons one last time and at least-" Junhyung quickly cuts Mark off and says, "It was part of our instructions to never see the Demons again. I know what you feel Mark, but we need to follow instructions. I thought you'd take it seriously now after everything that happened."

     "I am taking it seriously!" Mark suddenly shouted, then, he started crying.

     "They were instructed to kill me...but they gave me back and now I'm alive. We were instructed to make sure that one dies so everyone else would be safe...and now Jiyong is dead," Mark stated with pain and agony in his voice.

     "And they could have all been dead if we didn't do what we were told to do." This time, it was Seunghyun who said it. He went towards his brother and wiped his tears away, "What's done is done, but we're not at fault so you do not have to suffer because of something that was bound to happen in the first place. We cannot show ourselves to the Demons, you know what Sunggyu did to Junhyung."

    Then everyone looked at Junhyung who was still weak because of what happened before.

    "Just give them their time...and maybe one day we'll get to see them again." Seunghyun continued, and Mark finally stopped crying.

     "So, what now?" Lay asked as he looked at his brothers.

     Junhyung looked back at Lay and answered him, "Like always...we'll follow what we were instructed to do."

BACK AT THE JIYONG'S GRAVE

     Sunggyu finally stood up from the grass after sitting for almost 30 minutes just staring at Jiyong's grave. The rest followed and stood up as well.

    "We should go," Minhyuk stated, and everyone nodded their heads. Minhyuk started walking, but the rest didn't follow him, so Minhyuk stopped to look back at his brothers.

     Sunggyu didn't move, he clenched his fist and looked at his brother.

     "Hey," Sunggyu called out. Everyone looked at their brother who continued, "I...I just wanted to say...goodbye."

     "What?"

     Everyone looked at Sunggyu with confusion. Sunggyu put his head down and gulped loudly, "My mom suggested that I go to a place where I wouldn't...remember. She thought it was for the best...and I think it is too."

     "T-that's not right. We need you here Sunggyu, more than ever. You can't just leave." Minhyuk tried to say, then he looked at his brothers, asking them to convince Sunggyu to stay as well, but no one did.

     "Guys?" Minhyuk softly called out, but no one even wanted to look at him.

     "He's right Minhyuk," this time, it was Hyunseung who said it. Minhyuk looked at his brother with shock and said, "You gotta be kidding me..."

     "Minhyuk...I-I'm sorry," Hyunseung says, blood tears falling from his eyes again. Minhyuk pushed back the tears as he looked at his brothers, "So that's it? You'll just walk away and forget about everything like nothing happened?"

     "Minhyuk, let me explain," Hyunseung said as he held his best friend's hand, but Minhyuk quickly pushed it away.

     "No, Jiyong's fucking dead, and you want us to separate?" Minhyuk asked them.

     "Then what do you want us to do?!" Taeil suddenly shouted, surprising Minhyuk even more.

     "Taeil, you too?" Minhyuk asked, hurt in his voice. Then, he realized something and quickly said, "You guys talked about this...didn't you? You were all going to leave and you didn't even tell me."

     "It was for the best Minhyuk. We knew you were never going to.-"

     "That's bullshit!" Minhyuk shouted at Suho, making Suho take a step back, "You guys are all that I have left...I have nothing else."

     The rest finally started crying upon hearing Minhyuk's words. They knew he was right. Minhyuk's words applied to everyone else, but the other's weren't as strong as him. They couldn't take the pain of seeing each other anymore.

     "It hurts Minhyuk," Sunggyu suddenly stated as tears continued to pour from his eyes. 

     Sunggyu pointed at his own chest and continued, "It hurts so much. I have loved you all and you were the best thing that happened to me. Because in this cruel world, you guys were the only thing that made me feel like living was a beautiful thing. But now? Seeing us all gathered like this, with an empty spot that should have been our seventh...it hurts, and I know if I can ever live another day knowing that that spot will always be empty."

     Minhyuk didn't say anything as tears finally poured from his eyes as well. He nodded his head and took a deep breath.

     "Alright then..." Minhyuk stated in defeat. He clenched his fist and suddenly bowed right in front of his brothers, "I, Lee Minhyuk, the second son, and the prince of Gluttony...am very honored...to have served with you...my brothers."

     The sons didn't say anything, but Hyunseung quickly bowed down as well and said, "I, Jang Hyunseung, the first son, and the prince of Lust, bid you farewell."

     "Jackson Wang, sixth son...would like to wish you all good luck on your new journey," Jackson stated as he bowed as well.

     "Goodbye..." Taeil simply said. Then Suho bowed too and added, "Thank you for everything, my brothers."

     And finally, Sunggyu took a deep breath and told everyone, "Kim Sunggyu, the fifth son, the prince of Wrath, and the leader of the Demons...will make sure, that you will forever be in my heart. Goodbye...brothers."

     Sunggyu quickly turns and leaves the others. Suho nodded his head and left as well. Taeil leaves next, then Minhyuk, then Hyunseung. Finally, Jackson turned to face Jiyong's grave for the last time and said, "Goodbye...Prince of pride. Goodbye...my dear brother."

    Then he was gone.

    The brothers walked their own paths alone. Leaving Jiyong, and their memories of each other behind.

- END -