Their squabble had caused the ship to sneak up on them.
Through a loudspeaker, a scratchy voice bood over the water. "Identify yourselves!"
The voice was coming from the man standing at the helm with a line of gun barrels pointed at the pair.
"What are you?" He proudly displayed the scar running down his nose. "What flag do you fly?"
Lucifer clicked his tongue. "Yeah, yeah, shut up."
Within that single sentence, the ship was split into two, disintegrating the commanding officer along with it.
His scar now freshly opened, he sank to the depths of the ocean—a fresh al for the sharks lurking underneath.
"You need to be more thoughtful, young man," said Satan, staring into the dead eyes of the sinking man. "It’s bad manners to hold a group of friends going to movies."
He scratched his goatee.
"Sorry to leave you like this. We can’t be late today, you see. My favorite actor has a film being shown soon. It’s been more than half a decade since I last watched a film of his."
"Stop talking to the dead," Lucifer said, walking through the burning wreckage, sinking into the sea. "We have a long way to walk."
"Well, whose idea was it to jog all the way from Seoul to Berlin?"
"What choice did we have? We don’t have any passports or money for that matter?"
"I could’ve ripped soone’s face off and sewn it to mine."
"And you call yourself cultured?"
"And you call yourself the devil?"
***
Averie rubbed his arms.
"Are you cold?"
"Yeah, I—I don’t know. Maybe. I felt a shiver."
"Oh, that’s no good." Hyerin fretted around, searching through her bag. "Here, wear this."
She draped a scarf around his neck.
"Don’t get a cold, okay? You can’t be sick now. The film festival starts tomorrow!"
"Are you guys even listening to ?" The driver stared back through the rear-view mirror. "It’s not nice to ignore soone who’s talking."
"You’ve been talking for half an hour straight, man."
"Because you don’t listen."
’Everyone here is a clown. I am running a circus. I swear to God I am going to punch soone in the face one day.’
"As I was saying, there is this misconception among young n and won that an actor needs to be handso. But that’s wrong."
Averie nodded. "Preach, brother."
"If you want to be an actor, having a photogenic face is what’s required, and that does not equate to being handso."
"Good god, you are right."
"Are you good-looking? Of course, you are."
Averie nodded, pleased.
"But are you the most handso actor? Definitely not."
’What the hell, man? I an, I know that, but it’s a little rude.’
"Are you the cutest? No."
’Why would I want to be cute?’
"Funniest? No."
’What’s up with him? Give it a rest.’
"Quirkiest? Maybe. Long Live the Quinn helped with that reputation, I am sure."
Averie snapped his fingers and pointed at the rear-view mirror. "Sexiest, though?"
"Eh... New things are always attractive. Now, my girlfriend thinks you are sexy... but that’s entirely because of BSPH. If not for that show, would she think that?"
’Probably.’
"Because she sees Asmodeus in you, she finds you attractive. But like, that’s not a valid opinion, is it?"
’It is.’
"That’s what’s wrong with the dia. People see sothing and want it, no matter how unrealistic it may be. I bet she wouldn’t find you sexy if she saw you now."
Everything seed to make sense suddenly, and Averie understood the man’s passive-aggressive tone.
’So, it’s a love problem.’
"Did you tell her about BSPH?"
The man swallowed audibly. "I just told her that I saw this amaz— I saw this good actor, and she asked where she could see your acting. I told her about your works, and now she tells how much of a hottie you are. What’s so good about a criminal like Asmodeus?"
The man grumbled on for about a minute.
’You are partly to bla for her adoration for , then.’
"Don’t be so upset, man." Averie leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Look, she said all that to grab your attention."
The poor man’s eyes widened. "What?"
"Think about it; why would she tell you all those things?"
The man looked hopeful for the escape from reality Averie was providing. "Why?"
"It’s because she feels alienated from you, man. She is trying to make you jealous."
"Really?"
’There’s no way. Are you stupid?’
Averie put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course, man. Why would I lie?"
’I don’t need a reason.’
"You don’t think she really likes you?"
"No way, man. She just wants your attention. You’ve got to give it to her."
"How?"
"Dress like Asmodeus. Show her you can compete and replace anyone in the world for her, even the prince of lust."
"Won’t that be a little weird?"
’Hell, yeah!’
"Nah, man. I know the ladies; I’m telling you she’ll like it."
"Will that be enough?"
Averie made a disgusted face. "Of course not. You need sothing strong. You need to show her that you an it, that you deserve her."
"Tell how."
"A ring."
"What?"
"You need to propose, man."
"Are you sure? We have been together for only half a year. I really like her. Should I really go for it?"
’In what world do you think that’d work?’
"Perfect! Do it!"
Overhearing the conversation, Hyerin and Min-Ha shared a stare, concluding that it wasn’t worth it to stop their devilish employer.
"Alright, thanks. I’ll—I’ll do as you say."
Having pacified the man and resolved the issue, Averie leaned back.
"When are we eting up with the director?" he asked. "He has arrived, right?"
"Yes, he is in his room. You’ll et him soon, I am sure."
"So..." Averie licked his lips. "How did the film turn out?"
"Oh, you haven’t seen it yet, right? Yeah, editing took a while. I am surprised that we were able to submit it before the deadline. I was—"
"Answer the question, man."
"Sorry, sorry. Bad habit. My mother was the sa. In fact, she got it from her mother. It runs in the family. Even my sister..."
He went on and on. And Averie never received the answer.
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