Sometimes, he dreamed of reality. He saw his face, his hair, and that beautiful eyes. A room filled with hisv own vanity that nevernonetheless will drive him to his own insanity. Sometimes, it was like another person's dream. It was sentimental and almost like a nostalgia. Too close to his heart that it clenches and it hurts. It hurts too much for something he has never experienced.

He knew the price of beauty. Why they sell them so desperately. Why one became a merchandise and longed.. longed.. what is the word ? Love ?

Was it wrong for a demon to want to fall in love ? Especially when it was served under the guise of beauty. Those women he met, told tales of true love and freedom. Wishing for a better life and to be brought into eternal safety.

Those women provides more than mere food could. Company of the same wavelength and boredom killer. Sometimes he was invited to join them in their sultry profession as well. As disgusting as it sounded, a demon was once naivë.

Enchanted by the red lights and bright colorful silken clothing, encouraged by the crowd and the cheer of men and women. The demon decided to blend into the colorful parade and danced. His hair flowing so freely and beautifully. Swaying the eyes of many. When the time is right, men or women fell for his hair, for the beauty of his colored clothing and invited him for a night's embrace.

He was more than ready. His clothing stripped to his shoulders and a scream.

The demon was perhaps too naive to not hide his confusion. A male! They screamed.

What ? What was wrong by being male ?

In his confusion he heard the word he dreaded to hear. Ugly. Horrible. Monster.

And a monster he became.

It was not about the soul that he fed in. It was not the horns or the hair. The fact that he was male companion send what was once his customer screaming. The hair demon choked the life out of him. It was fitting for him. He is not ugly. He is beautiful. He is the most beautiful person and everyone knows that!

He decided to return home where his safety will not be tampered with. The netherworld where all beings big and small, bad nor evil roams. In his hall of mirrors, he found peace of heart.

Rude. Ugly humans. They did not understand what true beauty is.

He said to himself as he puffed his smoke. All this tragedy made him peckish. He felt like eating something…

He fell asleep from the thought.

Reality is a dream and a dream is a reality. That is how the dreamscape works. If you realised it was a dream and wanting to wake up, then it is all over.

He is there beside you. Wanting...willing…

From your mouth spilled poetries. He came closer and closer. Embracing you with his colored fingers.

He is beautiful, you noted. Exceptionally so. You would never know whose eyes were covered. His or yours ? Does it matter when the world belongs to the both of us ?

He was so subservient and you loved him for that. Just enough tempo and rhythm, enough twist and turns to keep them going. They danced through the night and parting felt ever so bitter when dusk came.

The monster named Kamikui woke up alone.

Ah, such is the burden of being too beautiful. The longing for an equal companion meets no end. Being the sole bearer of unparalleled beauty could hurt so much. Ah…

What tears came from a lonely demon ?

Who would hear his silent screams ?

And those sadness twisted itself into something more sinister.

No. He deserved his beauty and others just do not understand them. If they do not understand them they do not deserve to even grace his presence. They were no more than food.

The more he ate, the more beautiful he became.

That was all that matters to him. All that he saw and felt was the utmost importance.

Hence he went on a journey to improve his beauty.

Soon after, he went home after his walk.

Dazed. Confused. Mermerized.

Why ? He questioned. Nobody else ever mattered to him like this before. He invited the onmyouji to his realm for no other reason but to see him again. Will he ever see him again ? After all that he has done ?

Abe no Seimei. He was his enemy was he not ? He did not seem like it. Seimei regarded him with respect and not the slightest fear. His shikigami was strong yet not forceful. They rendered him till he cannot move yet… he did not finish him. Seeing that he would not cause any more trouble he let him go.

He did not understand this.

Why it aches so much to want to be wanted?

He thought that he is all he needed. He assured himself so.

He spend nights pondering when and where. Should he go see Seimei ? Was he prepared for the rejection? Will he be the same as every other human that called him a monster ? A disgusting freak ?

By the time he made up his mind, he was in front of the courtyard. Seimei's courtyard.

His heart throbbed and almost it aches. He would at least try knocking would he not ?

The moon that iluminates the space made the experience surreal

I want to see him again.

He whispered.

"Kamikui ?"

The hair demon turned around. It was him. The one he wanted to see, to meet once more.

"What are you doing in the middle of the night?"

He tried to form words but none came out. He was… shy, hesitant, perhaps a bit nervous.

He could not form logical nor comprehensible words. Anyone would too if they met their first love.

The onmyouji named Seimei gave a slight smile.

"Come inside. It is cold out here tonight..."

The monster named Kamikui stayed, a little bit longer than what he hoped he would that night.