A Matter Of Trust

"You haven't listened to me completely yet William"

"Do I even have to listen to you Old Man??"

"Yes, William.."

"The entire reason why I'm requesting you, especially you!! to accept this task is because..."

The reverend paused as he breathed in some air.

"....."

"The Demon Energy we found in City Bountress... It's at least...."

"....."

"Hundred times bigger than yours"

"....."

"....."

"I'll Go"

.....

"Jin, if you would please??"

Jonathan gestured towards the exit with his hands wide open towards the mat.

Both of them, Toby and Jonathan, had something restless about them which enveloped both of them. It was as if they were different, yet they were the same guys Jin knew and had spent his time with from the beginning of middle school.

Toby had his hands in his pockets as he walked towards the exit. Jonathan remained and gestured, giving a sign for Jin to walk with him.

Toby went still just as he stepped out of the coliseum. The others had already dispersed and they were leaving the school.

It was around 4 in the evening and the day was hella tiring, not just for Jin but for the others as well.

But what stood before Jin were two tight lipped friends who had a strange tense aura shrouding them.

'Have they ever been this serious?'

Jin thought to himself as he commenced to walk with Jonathan.

He shot a glance to Jonathan who was beside him. The boy who had always been cheerful, loquacious, and funny in his way was now silent to the extent that Jin felt he was being dragged to his execution.

"Umm... Guys??"

Jin stuttered as he started for a call to his friends.

None of them responded.

Toby stared at his blonde friend who inched closer to him along with his other. As Jin looked at him, their countenances met, but their eyes didn't, Toby was checking Jin out, but his eyes never came back to meet Jin's.

But Jin could confirm that the stare he received from his friend was not a hostile one.

Jonathan's naturally blue wavy hair played around with an uncanny breeze that greeted them as they exited the coliseum.

'Are these the same guys I know??...'

Jin, yet again, out of circumstances could only think about it as both of his childhood friends gave him no heed.

[Why do you think they are being weird to you?]

The Demon Lord made his entry with a question.

'Well, If you didn't know, these two are the biggest goofballs I have ever met in my life... they just don't care about shit when we are together'

[Oh?]

'And there's also the other reason... Do you know what I mean?... The one in the bathroom.'

[Hm??... Ahh Yes]

The Demon Lord clasped his hands together while sitting on a black throne made of lava inside the mind space of Jin.

He remembered what Jin meant.

The scene in the bathroom flashed back into his mind as Jin remembered a cause to the problem he might be facing currently in front of him.

The problem being a dilemma related to him and his friends, Jin knew that if he didn't deal with this appropriately, then it would probably cause him the conclusive nightmare of losing his friends, especially their trust in him.

But telling them the truth that a Demon is inside his body and specifically that it was the Lord Of the Demons would certainly make them lose their minds.

What he realized now was that the only thing he had to do was to remain silent for the moment until they particularly ask him for the information.

As of now, Jin wasn't sure whether they were acting like this because of the incident in their bathroom.

Jin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't know that he had walked past both of his friends.

Jonathan paused his movement as he reached Toby. As he locked eyes with Toby, they nodded to each other and in sync turned and peered at their blonde oblivious friend who was still thinking of something as he walked towards the school's exit gate.

But as Jin tried to dig deeper into his thoughts, a familiar voice broke his trance and made him broaden his eyes in worry.

"Jin?"

Jonathan's voice greeted Jin as his oblivious mind returned to its prime.

Jin slowly yet steadily turned to look at the ground below his friends. He wasn't ready to receive a question from their side, not yet. But he still turned for his sake and that of his future together with them.

After all, they had to attend college together in two months.

"...."

Jin remained silent as he looked at the ground, what he now had to do was be confident, and he wanted to be confident when he tried to shoot his gaze at both of their eyes. But he still wasn't confident enough to either look them in their eyes or reply with his words.

But, in reality, he just didn't have to reply.

Jin was dumbfounded when his friends, both of them, bent down and bowed to him.

It was Jonathan who started it up.

"We are sorry Jin, we couldn't come to help you"

Jonathan said as he apologized.

His voice wavered and it leaned to the genuine side as it left his mouth.

Jin was still static and mute. He was thinking... deep in his mind, he was thinking about the chances and the probabilities of why his friends would ever apologize to him.

But that was then when it struck him, a part of his memory came flushing down his memory lane just as he gasped with a chuckle.

"But we are happy to see you...alive. Thank God you survived!!"

Jonathan completed but still bent himself.

"Oh, C'mon Jeez, stop apologizing already... stand straight!! You guys have got no rights to bow down before me, you jerks are equally 'humans' like me !"

Jin retorted as he stepped closer to them.

"I'm here that's what matters isn't it??"

"Yes it is"

Jonathan smiled as he jumped straight up to Jin's reassuring words. Toby followed his blonde friend's word and ceased bowing. He also had a smile on his face, but something was very strange about his eyes as Jin trained his eyes on them.

But it only took a second for Toby to change his expression as his eyes went wide with shock.

"J-Jin??..."

Toby stuttered.

"Wh-What's wrong??"

Jin began his words as well. He was yet again dumbfounded, but he realized his heart was beating dast as he questioned his redhead friend back.

"You eye color... They changed..."

Toby completed his dialogue, pointing it out for Jonathan.

Jonathan followed his fingers and met with Jin's eyes.

'Why didn't I notice this before?'

was what Jonathan's mind screamed at him as he found himself staring at Jin's new eyes.

Jin was static, he went still as a statue in his place.

He had already come up with the reasoning as to why his eye color must have changed.

'It must be... Yes, it must be because of 'The Phantom's Eyes' ...!!!"

Jin estimated his reason and only found a solution to it...

That...

'It was true'

"J-Jin??..."

Jonathan began.

"Why are your irises... bright blue??"

'Shit!... I never saw this coming... I never knew my eyes changed...!!'

Jin gruntled in his thoughts as he tried to think of a perfect answer.

[What are you gonna do now?? Huh?... Genius brat?]

The Demon Lord yet again made his presence visible to his host. He seemed to be enjoying the situation even though he knew the risk.

Yep, he was the demon lord after all.

'...'

[What happened boy? Went blank?? Heheheheh]

The King who ruled hell laughed as he teased the teenage boy.

'....'

"Jonathan, Toby..."

[!!!!]

The Demon Lord rustled as Jin spoke.

[What is he thinking??]

The Demon Lord thought as he amazingly realized that he had become restless as to why his host had decided to speak up.

[What is this boy gonna do?? He didn't even think of an excuse!]

The Demon yet again thought.

It was true.

Jin and The Demon Lord were integrating to become one with each other, and because the Demon Lord was 'coincidently' inside Jin's mind space, he must be able to read every thought Jin cooks up in his mind unless...

Jin had thought up a way to block that as well.

But it just seemed too impossible to the king of hell, so he shook that thought off.

But as things stood, The Demon Lord had found himself and his mouth gaping at the mysterious cause as to why Jin had commenced speaking to his friends.

What The Demon Lord wanted to imply to Jin earlier was to keep shut and laugh it off, but he soon realized it wasn't a matter to joke about as it was a matter of trust between the chaotic trio.

"I wanted to tell you guys something..."

Jin paused just as he began.

[Brat!! What are you doing??]

The Demon's words were muffled, it was as if he was trying to be quiet as much as he could.

"I wanted to tell you guys that..."

[BRAT???!!]

"I awakened my HEQ"

[!!!!!!!?????]

.....

Author Notes.

I'm sorry guys for being late. But please enjoy this chapter of mine and have a safe day. I've got nothing to add on the footnote, except to hope that you guys are enjoying it till now.

I'll be marking this chapter as an official beginning to something that I've cooked up in my mind. Can't wait to see your comments!!.

.....