HIS life was a dream. The snapping claps from the audience in the stadium sang loud as the ringmaster of tonight's performance announced his arrival. It would be his third night performing in Incheon. Seo Hyo took one glance in the mirror surrounded by a circle of lights and fixed his favorite navy blue tuxedo encrypted with several curves that shimmer when it is flashed by lights. He double-checked his living props by simply patting them under his vest, and white gloves.

He was ready to walk outside the room when he saw a figure in the mirror.

"Look how stunning my son is." His mother, Ji-a, grinned while standing beside the door. The shape-tight costume of a trapeze artist is girdled in blue, perfectly matching his.

He turned to look at her. As he walked towards his mother, his stiletto tapping on the tiled floor clicked like a sound matching his mischievous smile. "I am stunning every day, Eomma."

Napatawa naman nang mahina ang kaniyang ina. "Sure, you do."

Binigyan siya nito nang isang mahigpit na yakap bilang suporta bago siya hinayaang makalabas sa kuwarto. Naglakad na siya patungo sa entrance ng stadium. He stood inside the shadow as he waited for his name to be called.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The savior of the night, Kaspar the magician!" Another round of applause started by the ringmaster and start of a classical music served as his cue to make the passageway his runway to the ring. He snapped his finger to summon and cover half of his face with his feathery mask fitting that of a ball. 

Nobody knew him as Seo Hyo, but Kaspar, whenever he becomes one with the stage.

The stadium grumbled in excitement when they saw him hope to the ring with both arms open. The flashing light immediately followed him like a superstar, shimmering his favorite tuxedo. Ang mga ingay nila ang nagsilbing dahilan upang mas lumawak pa ang ngiti niya. Kumabog sa sabik ang kaniyang puso.

"Guess I'm the favorite part of the show." He chuckled. With his mic on, the audience heard his words making them laughed, eventually turning into a cheer.

They loved him so much after his exhibition of cutting his body in half last night.

He cleared his throat to silence them. "Last night was a little bit gore, don't you think? I love the horrified faces of yours though, but we will not be seeing that today, especially because we have too many kids watching tonight." Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang mga batang nakaupo sa pinakaunang hanay. "I should be friendly, no?"

"Yes!" Humiyaw naman ang mga bata. He loved a responsive audience.

"Without farther ado, let's begin!" He slightly opened the side of his tuxedo and pulled a white handkerchief. Flexing it, he turned it upside down, allowing his audience to see there was nothing hidden in it. His white and complete pair set of teeth flashed the audience as they waited for him to ask for his signature line. 

"Is it magic or illusion?"

"Magic!" They shouted in unison.

Seo Hyo immediately crumpled the handkerchief like a paper while sipping through his thumb to the thin nylon on his vest and pulling the living prop caged in cloth with the same color of the handkerchief. Now it was behind the handkerchief without the audience noticing. With his fast hand, he immediately released the prop, allowing its feather to flap. The audience, especially his target for tonight--kids–-awed as they saw a dove.

"Correct. It's magic!" He moved his hand upward, pushing the dove to fly, at the same time, putting the handkerchief back to his tuxedo.

"Look at my hands. Do you see anything?" Binalandara niya ang kamay na may suot na puting gloves. "What do you think will come up next? Magic or illusion?"

"Magic!" The kids shouted one more time.

A chuckle let out from his mouth as he removed his gloves in a simultaneous manner, shuttling the audience focus only to the gloves. Without them knowing, his swift finger have already pulled the other two doves hidden behind the sleeves of his tux.

"I guess you're right again. Magic!" The three doves he released flew above him like a crown as the music reach its climax. Lumabas ang mapaglaro niyang ngisi. It was time for the real deal.

He snapped his finger when the loud beat came. The idealess audience didn't know that he had already put their vision a filler of his own world.

"Is this magic this time or illusion?"

"Magic!"

Napahagikhik siya bago nilabas muli ang panyo sa kamay. Tinapon niya ito sa itaas. Bago pa ito bumagsak sa sahig, tinuro niya ang direksyon ng mga manonood at kaagad na sumunod ang panyo. Lumipad ito na parang ibon. Umani ng mangha ang kaniyang gawa at mapasunod doon ang tingin ng mga tao.

Nang mawala ang atensyon sa kaniya, tinakpan niya ang mic bago magsalita. "Reveal the image."

As he said the magic word, square images he could only see came out from the audience's head. His calculating eyes immediately collected the most similar image the audience thought of--a giant bird.

He clapped his hand, with a surge of magic coming from there, the handkerchief stretched longer until it formed wings. Later, the head and the body almost covered the whole stadium. The audience gasped in surprise, some run screamed and some almost run in an impulse, frightened to see the giant.

"You are wrong, yeoreobun," muli siyang nagsalita dahilan para mapatingin muli ang mga tao sa kaniya. As their attention shifted to his, the giant bird puffed like a bubble. He then signaled the technical staffs to release the feather like confetti to mask it as a scenario in reality. "It's an illusion."

Nang tuluyang umulan ng confetti, samut-saring palakpak din ang kaniyang natanggap. Hindi pa doon nagtatapos ang kaniyang performance kaya nagtuloy-tuloy siya. Hanggang pitong tricks din ang kaniyang pinakita dahil na rin sa request ng ibang audience na ayaw muna siyang paalisin sa stadium.

Isang sipol ang kumawala sa kaniyang bibig nang tuluyan siyang makauwi at makahiga sa kaniyang malambot na kama. Nasa loob siya ng kanilang House Truck. Ang palagi nilang sinasakyan sa tuwing bumabyahe sila sa iba't ibang lugar para sa kanilang performance.

Nais na sana niyang matulog dahil sa pagod subalit ayaw naman niyang matulog nang 'di pa nakakapagbihis kaya muli siyang bumangon. Tinanggal niya ang kaniyang stilleto, naghubad at saka naligo. Pagkatapos ay nagtungo siya sa kaniyang malaking salamin. Binuksan niya ang drawer upang simulan na ang kaniyang skin care routine.

"Gosh, pimple!" sigaw niya nang maramdaman sa gilid ng kaniyang ilong ang isang maliit na umbok. Kaagad niyang kinuha ang pimple patch at nilagyan ito. Hindi siya makapapayag na may bubuka na taghiyawat sa kaniyang makinis at iniingatang mukha.

Nang matapos ang kaniyang routine, bumalik na siya sa kaniyang kama at nahiga. Another night of a successful performance, and tomorrow would be an another form of entertainment--not for humans though.

Seo Hyo left a smile on his face as he fell asleep. When he woke up, he immediately reached for his phone with a Blueberry phone case. It took him ten minutes to find a song to mark a theme for his morning. Then he got up, joining the beat as he prepared himself to go to Seoul and join the annual meet-up for demigods.

Nang makalabas sa truck, kaagad siyang nagtungo sa iisa pa nilang sakyanan kung saan naroroon ang big bike ng kaniyang ina habang bitbit ang isang supot na naglalaman ng pasabog niya mamaya.

"Eomma! I'm gonna borrow this baby, okay?" sigaw niya sa kaniyang ina na natutulog pa. Nais niya mang mag-commute at sumakay ng tren ayaw naisip niya kagabi na mas magiging maganda ang kaniyang entrance kung nakasakay siya sa isang big nike.

Hindi na niya hinintay na makasagot ang ina at dali-daling pinaandar ang big bike.

Nang makarating sa hotel na napag-usapan ng mga demigod, pinara muna niya ang big bike sa parking lot. Saktong pagkadating niya ang pagdating din ng isang pamilyar na sasakyan.

Tinanggal niya ang kaniyang helmet nang makilala kung sino ang lumabas.

"Daejung-ya!" Kaagad siyang bumaba at binigyan ng isang yakap ang isa sa kaniyang mga kaibigan.

Niyakap din siya kaagad ng lalaki pabalik. "Hyung! You're still looking the same!" bati nito sa kaniya. Daejung was the son of Dalnim from a mortal. He had the eyes of of a mist and a greyish hair. His skin was pale. His features effortlessly made him one of the successful influencers in the country.

"And you look . . ." He looked at him from sad to toe. His solemn face--normal face--made Seo Hyo grimaced a little. "You look sadder than usual. Did somebody hurt you?"

Mahina naman itong natawa. "I'm fine. Let's go inside?"

"Sure. But where's Chae-a?" he asked about his other friend. He only had two though, Daejung and Chae-a.

Daejung suddenly flinched in the mentioning of her name, making Seo Hyo confused. "Is something the matter? Did you two fight or something?"

Ilang saglit pa bago sumagot si Daejung. Napakamot ito sa buhok at hindi makatingin nang diretso sa kaniyang mga mata. "Well, kind of like that."

Sasagot na sana siya pero may biglang bumangga sa kaniya. Kahit hindi niya pa ito nililingon, kilala na niya agad ito dahil sa amoy nito.

"I wonder why the parking lot smells a little rotten. Nandito ka pala," nanunuya ng taong kararating lang. Pulang-pula ang buhok nitong bagay-bagay sa umaapoy sa kayabangan nitong personalidad. Siya ay si Hoon, anak ng diyos ng araw.

"And I wonder why the place smells a little sour." Tinakpan niya ang butas ng ilang gamit ang dalawa niyang daliri. "May dumating pa lang anak sa araw."

Kaagad namang nawala ang mapaglaro ekspresyon sa mukha ni Hoon. "You're an outcast. Why did you even come? Walang may gustong makita ka sa annual meeting. Pagkatapos ng ginawa mo no'ng nakaraang taon, lalo ka lang kinamumuhian ng lahat."

Nang maalala niya ang kabulastugang ginawa no'ng nakaraang annual meeting, kaagad siyang napahalakhak. Naalala niya ang mga takot nilang mukha at higit sa lahat ang naiiyak na ekspresyon ni Hoon.

"Oh, please!" He waved his hand in a way as if he was complimented. "That was a performance. I just let some snakes crawl into some people's pants. How is that loathesome? You people doesn't know how to have fun, no? Scaredy cat."

His last words made Hoon blushed in embarrassment. "You're not wanted here!" Ang huli nitong sinabi bago tuluyang tumalikod at umakyat na sa first floor kung saan naroroon ang kanilang event hall.

Sumunod na rin sila.

The annual gathering of the demigods were commanded by Sang-je as a means of uniting their children. More than that, it aims to build connections. It had been seventeen years since the gathering happened, and Seo Hyo never failed to miss showing up.

As the giant glass-like door opened up for them, the crowds took a glance of curiosity about who just arrived. To Seo Hyo's not really surprised reaction, he expected a pool of disgusted expression. But instead of getting embarrassed, he swallowed the attention with a smirk on his face and gave them a wave as if the star of the night has arrived.

"You are all so welcoming. Thank you!" he said with the brightest smile he had.

Those who have heard him say that either turned their back or glared at his whole being. The demigods, except Daejung and and Chae-a indeed hated him. What does he expect though? He was the son of Seokga, after all, the great trickster god who was the root cause why Mireuk chose to curse the world his father ruled.

Because of his father, everyone was sinful. Therefore, his existence would automatically mean a sprout of evil. Even before when he was still a child, when he was still incapable of doing anything, every humans who knew about his identity had labeled him a sin. The demigods who were supposed to be of his kind had turned their back too, always looking at him as the villain they need to extinguish.

He shouldn't have minded them and ignored them. However, the menace guts he had inherited from his father made him act like those names the people used to call him. They had called him a liar, a heartless and emotionless jerk who loves to fool people's live, and a carbon copy of his father, so who was he not to assert those labels? To hell with good image, he might as well play the story they started.

"Seo Hyo, don't start something," Daejung warned him. He knew him well.

"What?" Naglakad siya sa mga nakahilerang lamesa kung saan nakatuntong ang mga pagkain. Kumuha siya ng isang cupcake. "I just want to eat."

Nasarapan siya sa cupcake kaya kumuha pa siya ng isa. Aabutin na niya sana ang kulay asul na cupcake ngunit may mga kamay ang nauna roon.

"Oh, sorry. Do you want it?" A man with a pair of glasses asked.

Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakita niya ang lalaki.

"You can have it," sagot niya naman.

Magalang itong tumango at bahagyang yumuko bago tuluyang naglakad paalis. Sinundan niya ito ng tingin subalit iba ang nakakuha ng kaniyang mga mata. Sumilay kaagad ang ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi nang makita ang pamilyar na olandes na buhok 'di kalayuan sa kinatatayuan niya.

"Chae-a-ya!" hiyaw niya sa babaeng nakaupo lang sa isang lamesa. Handa na siyang lapitan ito pero napatigil nang biglang lumapit si Daejung sa kaniya. Hinawakan nito ang kaniyang braso.

"Don't come near her."

"Why not?" He asked, confused.

"Well . . ." Napaiwas ito ng tingin."She's a little bit unwell these days." 

"What do you mean?" As far as he could remember, Chae-a, not once, had gotten sick. She got the protection of a sun god, after all. She was Haemosu's daughter and Hoon's half sister.

"Uh . . . it's . . ." Daejung couldn't look straight at him so he held both of his arms.

"Don't lie to me. I can see right through you. What's the matter?"

Bumuntonghininga naman ito, marka ng pagsuko. "Okay, fine. Chae-a and his father have a fight last night. She wants to go out of the country to travel, but he just wouldn't let her for fear he might meet a monster along the way. Now she is not in the mood to talk with everyone, so I want you to keep your distance in a while too. Judging from your mouth, you can easily agitate people."

"Oh, okay. I understand now, but wow, the last part is a little bit offending." Napahawak siya sa kaniyang dibdib.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah." Tumango naman siya at binalik na lang muli ang atensyon sa mga pagkain. Even before he was born, the monsters have been causing problems around the world. Though he had not met one, he had heard they were rampant in the country of Maharlika. It was understandable Chae-a's father would be protective of her.

However, he had another issue.

Habang ngumunguya ng cupcake, palihim na sinundan ng kaniyang mga mata si Daejung na naglalakad papalapit sa ibang mga demigod. He was his friend whom he had grown up with since little; he knew all of his habits, gestures, and movement when speaking. He knew when he was telling the truth and when he wasn't.

Daejung loved to crease his forehead when he lies to look more appealing to the victim.

And he just did the gesture when he talked to him earlier.