Sungyeol only had a vague idea about where the mystic cosmologists’ pub was located. He had once been there with his grandfather but he was too young to remember much from the visit. All he recalled was that it was in a rundown street and had no name. His grandfather’s notebook mentioned the area where it was situated roughly and he decided to start there.

In his hand, he held a compass. It wasn’t an ordinary compass – it was designed to pick up mystic energy in the vicinity. He knew that the mystic cosmologists practiced many of their arts at the pub so he was sure that the place would give off a lot of mystic energy.

But after walking down the area for an hour, the compass needle had remained unmoving.

“I hope that is working,” Woohyun muttered, staring at the compass.

They had reached a deserted section of the area and they didn’t need the compass to tell that there were no people in the vicinity.

They were about to turn back when suddenly the compass needle sprang to life and started to point towards their right. They were both shocked.

“There’s nothing here.”

Woohyun pointed to the wide open expanse on their right that looked like an abandoned construction site.

“Told you that thing is broken.” He sighed, looking disappointed.

“It can’t be…” Sungyeol muttered, shaking the compass in his hand. It still kept pointing to the right.

Woohyun sighed again.

“Let’s check it out anyways, just in case.”

Sungyeol agreed and together, they left the road and sauntered into the construction site, stones and gravels falling under their feet.

What looked like a temporary outhouse was the only structure for miles and feeling immensely stupid, they tried the door handle to it. At the first try, it didn’t budge, but then Woohyun tried harder and the door swung in.

Immediately, Sungyeol felt the difference in the air. It was as if the air inside the outhouse was full of excited static. He felt a lull in his stomach and at the same time, the excited whispers of the Sacred Secrets filled his ears.

We’re here.

Exchanging glances, they walked inside. A staircase led downstairs and they followed it, groping the sidewalls in the dark. When they reached the landing, their mouths fell open.

They were standing in a huge room with stone walls and floors. It was lit by thousands of candles in candle holders all around the room, hanging from walls and the ceiling. There were small circular tables with chairs around them. There was also a bar, or what looked like a bar, on one side. The room was crowded. There were people everywhere, sitting, standing, drinking, gossiping.

Some people had their heads in large tomes while others were working on compasses and other mystical devices.

Sungyeol drank it all in and exhaled – this was his dream hang-out place.

“Not my idea of a hang-out place,” Woohyun said in a low voice from beside him.

They didn’t attract much attention as they walked through the people towards the bar. Sungyeol decided that it would be best to talk to the man in charge first.

At the bar, a man was sitting on a low stool, wiping a glass with a clean dishcloth. His eyes were roving around the room, as if he was keeping a watch on everyone in the place. Sungyeol suddenly felt shy, talking to this unknown man. He silently pleaded with Woohyun, who heaved a resigned sigh and walked up to the man.

“Umm…hello,” Woohyun said as brightly as possible. The man stopped looking around and after glancing over at Sungyeol, fixed Woohyun with a penetrating stare.

“What do you want here kid?” His tone was gruff but he didn’t sound too angry.

“Yeah well – we are looking for -” Woohyun stopped and looked around at Sungyeol. “What are we looking for exactly?”

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the boys and Sungyeol hastened with the explanation, introducing himself and Woohyun, and mentioning his grandfather’s name. The man’s facial expression changed immediately.

“He was such a good man, your grandfather. He was the best there was.” His voice had softened and now he smiled at Sungyeol warmly. “You take after him, you do. Silly me, I didn’t notice, the resemblance is uncanny. He was quite a loss..." The man sighed and scratched his chin absent-mindedly. He had a distant look in his eyes.

“My grandfather mentioned a wise man -” Sungyeol started hesitantly.

He had indeed heard his grandfather talk about a wise man who was the most learned in the lore of mystic cosmology. He wasn’t sure if he was still alive but it wouldn’t hurt to look for him. He could provide them with a lot of answers. He would definitely know about the green star. And also they had yet to find out what the end of the earth meant. It had to be a definite place. It was probably a metaphor pointing to a certain place and he needed to know that.

Looking through books will take too much time.

“Ah yes yes. So you are pursuing his way I suppose, that’s the spirit! I never saw your father here though.”

“No he’s not interested in this.”

The man’s face darkened. He seemed to have taken it as a personal insult.

“Not interested? What is he, a fool? His father had done so much, unlocked so many secrets of the Universe and his son isn’t interested? Hmph, his loss then.”

Sungyeol was in no mood for hearing the man’s rant. His senses were tingling and the buzz in his ears got louder. He knew he was in the right place, he just needed the right person.

“Please, the wise man? I’m on a quest my grandfather left me.”

He felt bad about lying the man would probably help him a lot more if he thought Sungyeol was doing something his grandfather had started since he revered him a lot.

As expected, it worked. The man ushered them towards the end of the room. It was quieter here, and there not many people. The tables were mostly empty.

He motioned towards one of the rickety tables at one corner, where a lone man was sitting, poring over an ancient-looking manuscript. The man didn’t give off any special vibes but the compass needle started to vibrate in his direction.

He’s giving off so much mystic energy, he must be a great scholar and quester.

Hurrying towards the man, he put the compass in his pocket. Woohyun was watching the man uncertainly, but with an appreciative nod from Sungyeol, he moved forward and cleared his throat.

Woohyun was the better communicator between the two and Sungyeol was glad that he was here with him since he was awkward with introductions.

“Hello Mister, er…Sir. Can I – umm, are you the wise man?”

The man looked up from the book and instantly, Sungyeol’s  face fell. He was too young to be the wise man; at most he’d be in his 20’s. He was wearing a wide but slightly confused smile.

Definitely not him!

“Wise man? That sounds fun!”

Woohyun looked at Sungyeol, and so did the young man. Sungyeol shifted his feet uncomfortably. Bowing, he said, “I’m sorry we’re looking for the wise man and the bartender pointed at you so -”

“Oh that wise man, like the one who knows a lot about Mystic Cosmology?” The man nodded his head. “Yup, that’s me.” He smiled again, showing most of his teeth.

“Oh great, we badly need you.” Woohyun drew a chair and sat down in front of the man. Sungyeol moved much more slowly. He couldn’t believe that this grinning young adult was the wise man, who had studied the lore for many years.

“I’m Woohyun by the way, and this is Sungyeol.”

“Jang Dongwoo, nice to meet you boys.”

Sungyeol bowed politely although he wasn’t still convinced that he was the wise man. In order to test if he really was the wise man, he started talking about his grandfather. To his utter surprise, Dongwoo knew his grandfather well and spoke about him so thoroughly that there was no doubt they had been friends.

But that doesn’t make sense…this guy is so young.

Dongwoo loved to talk, and so did Woohyun. So in the next few hours, the two were talking nonstop and even though Woohyun didn’t understand half the things Dongwoo was saying, he looked very impressed.

“He’s so cool,” he whispered to Sungeyol, who sighed.

“Can we get back to work now?”

“We are working, aren’t we? Besides, we have a month Yeollie, don’t be so tight.”

Sungyeol resigned and listened to Dongwoo speak of the different traditions of Mystic Cosmologists of the world. He couldn’t deny that he knew a lot, maybe even more than his grandfather. And yet his heart didn’t want to believe this grinning young man was the wise man his grandfather so reverently talked about. He also couldn’t stop thinking about how Dongwoo resembled a dinosaur.

Dongwoo had ordered them orange juice and he was now sipping the glasses timidly. It tasted good and he was thirsty from the long walk. He wondered if he should stop Dongwoo and ask him about the green star but the man looked so overjoyed at being able to talk, he didn’t want to break his flow.

After some time, a few men in overall started to move the tables to the corner of the room. The crowd parted, giving them space to work.

Woohyun, who had seen that too, looked at Dongwoo inquisitively.

“You guys came at a good time. We’re having disco tonight!” He clapped his hand excitedly, while Woohyun and Sungyeol exchanged looks.

Sungyeol hadn’t heard about Mystic Cosmologists discoing but he reasoned that there were probably people like Dongwoo who liked it.

That means I won’t be able to ask Dongwoo anything about the green star with the noise and people around.

He got up, and wandered off to the bartender to ask if he could get a room to stay overnight.

“Of course, anything for you,” the bartender said, smiling, and offered to show him the room. He decided to follow him and after resting for a while, he would go down and get Woohyun.

I really hope Dongwoo knows the identity of the green star or one whole day would go to waste.

He slumped onto the bed and before he knew it, fell asleep.