Hae Ri sat at the dining table, waiting for Chanyeol and Mrs Park. She waved her hand around the withering flowers on the table and muttered a spell. The bent flowers immediately straightened, regaining their fresh colours.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” Mrs Park stated as she entered, looking really shocked.

“I thought she...”

“Hae Ri has a very strong affinity with Nature, she can cast those spells well,” Chanyeol, who had entered with his mother’s hands hooked through a loop formed by his arm, explained.

Time had flown by. There was just one more day left before the Conference. Throughout this time, Hae Ri and Chanyeol had worked hard on the preparations. Even though Hae Ri had appeared to be struggling with etiquette and lady lessons, with Mrs Park’s patient guidance, she had become more or less a natural. During this time, Mrs Park had spent a lot of time with the twosome. She tried to made up for the lost time with her son and since she knew that Hae Ri had grown up without a mother figure by her side, she was especially affectionate towards Hae Ri, treating her like a real daughter. Mrs Park had always urged Hae Ri to show more of her warm side, to show her emotions and let go, even in front of people she does not trust and does not know well. She added that Hae Ri should try to do so for her own sake and if not, at least for the mission. She advised that since she would have to get close to Baekhyun and Lu Han, it will be much easier for her to adopt a bright disposition. Hae Ri understood and for the past few weeks, she had been battling against herself. She will attempt to melt her own ice.

After Hae Ri had washed up and gotten ready for bed, it was going to be midnight. The day’s preparation had been long and hectic, with last minute information and checks, all for Conference tomorrow. Hae Ri slipped under the warm sheets and settled herself into the soft bed. When she was about to fall asleep, she heard a light shuffling in the room. She could feel the presence of someone. Someone was silently approaching her.

“Assassin…?” she considered.

Swiftly, she took out the dagger that she had keep hidden under her pillow and held it at the incoming figure’s neck.

“Why the hell do you have a dagger in your bed?!” Chanyeol whined.

He promptly disarmed her and shoved a birthday cake right in her face.

“HAPPY 18^TH BIRTHDAY NATURE GIRL!” He announced.

Hae Ri’s eyes widened at the turn of events. Her eyes widened even more as she stared at the sloppy icing handwriting on the cake. The words ‘Happy Birthday Hae Ri’ were droopy and there were weird patterns around that could have passed off as flowers if they were drawn by a steadier hand.

“Did you bake this?” she asked, frowning.

“YAH! Show some appreciation!” Chanyeol complained while whacking her head.

“I asked Umma to teach me how to bake but she gave up, saying that I’ll never be able to bake anything presentable by your birthday. So she did most of the baking while I just helped with the batter. I did all of the icing though!” He boasted. He looked like a little kid who was fishing for compliments because he was proud of his work, his eyes twinkled and he smiled widely.

Hae Ri rubbed her head and suppressed a laugh. She contemplated how she should respond and suddenly Mrs Park’s words resonated in her head.

“Let go of your inhibitions…”

She placed the cake on the floor and flung her arms around Chanyeol.

“Thank you Fire Boy!” she murmured into his big ear.

Right after she hugged him, she regretted her decision so badly. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and she was so afraid that he could hear it. As she started to pull back, he wrapped his arms around her, pushing her back into a tighter hug.

“You’re always welcome Nature Girl,” he replied, his breath tickling her ear.

The both of them stayed like this for some time, just enjoying the moment of being in each other’s arms. Chanyeol was the first to pull away.

“Present time!” He grinned.

He took out two necklaces from his pocket, the first with a four-leaf clover and the other with the pendant shaped in the form of a flame.

“I casted protection spells on these two necklaces. From tomorrow onwards, many things will be very uncertain, I hope that it will keep us together.” Chanyeol whispered.

Hae Ri was so touched that she could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said while smiling such that her dimples were showing. Chanyeol broke into a smile and ruffled her hair.

He mumbled the blood ritual spell and took out a needle. He pricked his own finger, allowing one drop of his blood to fall into the light that is now emanating from the flame necklace. He took Hae Ri’s finger and pricked it as well, allowing one drop of blood to fall into the light emanating from the four-leaf clover necklace. The first part of the ritual was completed. The necklaces are now bounded to their owners and will protect them from harm. He did the same thing again but this time he dropped his blood on her necklace and dropped her blood on his necklace. The ritual is now finished. The necklaces are bounded to each other. If the owner of either necklace is in danger, the owner of the other necklace will be able to sense it.

Chanyeol attached the necklace securely on Hae Ri’s neck and she helped him wear his as well. They then placed their attention on the poor cake that was placed on the floor earlier and finished up the rest of the birthday celebration. Chanyeol lit up the candles with a spell, sang a birthday song for her and she made her wish and blew out the candles. They quickly finished the cake and cleared everything up before going to sleep.

Tomorrow was the big day. 

Ok MR BYUN AND MR LU ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR ENTRANCE SOONNNNNNNN xD

I hope that the story has been interesting so far though :x 

Some comments would be nice! :D