Jaehwan's mouth gaped as Hakyeon dragged him through the front door of his home. When Ravi hadn't come back from the bedroom, they had decided to leave Taekwoon and him in peace. She seemed agitated but when he asked her what was wrong, she brushed him off and mumbled something about 'a fool' and 'the only explanation'. He knew she hated how long it took to walk from the edge of the town to his building in the town centre but there was nothing he could do; no cabby carriage would stop to take the two of them.

"Hakyeon," he took her arm before she could step away from him "Please, tell me what's going on." He drew her close and pressed his nose to her cheek, accidentally grazing his lips on her skin as he spoke. "I thought we promised to tell each other anything." She sighed and shook her head, pulling away and turning back around so they were face to face. "I know," she mumbled "You've always been so patient with me... Cared for me despite everything I've done."

"Then tell me," he repeated.

Hakyeon shook her head, placing her hands on her hips with a wry grin "You won't believe me." 

The doctor chuckled and tilted his head, folding his arms over his chest "Try me."

"Your family are of the old faith, right? What do you know about creatures of the non-human variety?" She didn't waste any time. It was best to ask the question outright rather than dance around the subject. Jaehwan stared at her for a few moments before suddenly jolting back to life. "Well," he spluttered "I never really paid much attention to any of the stories and fables my grandmother used to tell me, I'm afraid." He ducked his head and she lowered her eyes in disappointment.

"But," he hesitated for a moment, regaining her attention "I believe I have a something in my office that might provide the information you're looking for."

Hakyeon's lips stretched into a broad grin "Really?"

Jaehwan nodded and grabbed her hand, leading her across the living room and through a side door. His private office wasn't particularly big; it housed only a polished mahogany desk, a small two-seater settee, and a large dark wood bookshelf that took up the entire East wall. It would have looked quite empty and cold if it weren't for the burgundy Persian rug on the floor and the matching curtains drawn open either side of the window. It wasn't as inviting as the rest of the house but Hakyeon supposed that Jaehwan didn't allow many visitors in here. That was the beauty of living above his place of work. 

"Now," the doctor clasped his hands together and turned to the bookshelf, eyes scanning up and down its contents "It should be here somewhere."

"What are you looking for?" Hakyeon gazed around the room with wide eyes, taking in as much as she could. Jaehwan's eyes flickered over to her for a second before his focus returned to the task at hand, running his fingers over the spines of the dozens of volumes "A gift."

"And how's going to-"

"Aha!" Jaehwan let out a triumphant cry as he found what he was looking for. He reached up and pulled down a thick, leatherbound book. Hakyeon's jaw dropped; it was beautiful. The cover had been dyed a vibrant purple and the title was written in gold letters on the spine and across the front, along with engravings of creatures Hakyeon couldn't identify. "Here," he grinned, passing it over. "Careful," he warned as she took it hesitantly "It's heavy."

He wasn't kidding. The weight w