{ Recap of Chapter 5 }

"___-ah? Honey?" My dad knocked on my bedroom door.

"Yeah dad?"

"Your mom and I are going out for a bit, we'll be back in a few hours, arasseo?"

"Geurae, bye!"

I heard the jingling of keys and the front door close. I let out a deep breath, changed from my pjs, and I thought of Woohyun's home in the south-west, entering Inspiria.

___________

I tumbled onto the wooden floor, looking around. Sungyeol was looking out the window, munching on an apple, his back facing me. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. Finally, he turned around.

"EUH-AAAH !" He screamed and jumped, almost dropping his apple.

I laughed while still sitting on the floor. "Surprise."

He clutched his chest, breathing. "I'm gonna have to get used to you appearing. When did you get here?"

"Just now." I replied. "What were you thinking about?"

"Oh." Sungyeol bit his apple. "It was nothing."

"Oh... okay." I got up from the floor.

"___-AH !!!" A voice called out from the door behind me. I looked back.

"Woohyun ! Oof." I greeted back. He practically jumped to give me the biggest bear hug ever. L came through the door as well, shaking his head and chuckling.

Woohyun pulled away. "I missed you, kid !" He ruffled my hair as he laughed.

"But I just saw you yesterday !" I chuckled.

"It felt like days though." Woohyun pouted.

I laughed. Sure, Woohyun had the appearance of a dragon, but his personality was like a cute bunny.

"Oh yeah, why are you here?" Sungyeol asked.

"I... I want you guys to help me find someone." I answered. "You see, the whole reason I know Inspiria exists is because this guy came out of my shower first. He told me about Inspiria, and I was hoping you guys could help me find him.

"Wait, he came out of the shower first ?" L asked.

I nodded. "And he said that Inspiria is his hometown."

The boys knit their eyebrows together, trying to absorb everything I said.

Finally, Woohyun looked at me. "Only genies are able to get out of Inspiria with a direct exit."

"Genies?" I asked.

Sungyeol nodded. "Can you tell us what he looked like?"

"Um..." I looked up, trying to remember what the feminine oppa's appearance had been like. "He had brown hair and sharp facial features. He wore a grey scarf, he had a piercing on his left ear, and he looked... kind of like a flower boy. Does it ring a bell?"

L smiled. "I think I know the right place to find him."

★               ★               ★

After walking for minutes, all of us arrived at an abandoned tea table in a small forest. Its table and chairs had beautiful carvings, and you could tell that the craftsman put skill and effort into the creation. Even though it was beautiful, they were rusted and dirty. There was a teapot and seven teacups on the table.

"Why are we here?" I asked.

"You'll see." L walked closer to the table. "LEE SUNG JONG !" He called out. "I know you're there. Don't make me make you come out."

No response.

L took the teapot. "3 seconds. 3, 2... 1 !" He started to rub the teapot with his sleeve. As he did, a swirl of purple magic dust left the spout of the teapot. And after that, a bending figure came out of the pot as well. He looked exactly like the feminine oppa, but his bottom half was basically invisible, leading back to the teapot.

He gasped. "L hyung, Woohyun hyung, Sungyeollie ! Mianhae, I didn't come out because I thought it was the mean landlord."

"Sungjong, look who we brought." Woohyun pushed me to the front so the genie could see me.

Sungjong gasped. "It's... It's you !" He smiled. "Welcome to Inspiria !!" He tried to hug me, but his genie form made him pass right through me. He chuckled. "Oh, I forgot."

Sungjong spun around, then transformed into his human form in a flash. He looked like how he did when I first met him. He smile, hugging me. "Annyeong, I'm Sungjong !"

I smiled back at him. "I'm ___ ~". He seemed like a really nice guy. "So you're a genie?"

"Yep !" His eyes sparkled.

I gasped. "Then could you grant my wishes ?!"

"Well..." He ruffled his hair. "Not quite."

"Huh? Why not?" I was confused. "You're a genie."

"Okay, yeah, I can grant wishes, but they don't have enough power yet to happen the way YOU want them to. They still have a mind of their own."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's say that you wished you had a cat. I'd probably give you a lion." Sungjong explained, wincing. "Something like that."

I nodded and Sungjong pouted. "Ya, it's okay ! Don't worry about it." I smiled, comforting him.

He smiled back. "I'm really glad that you're the person I met when I ventured out of Inspiria. Friends?" He asked, holding out his hand.

I shook it. "Of course ! I thought we already were !"

∞