Taemin wasted no time in pitching the idea to Kibum. He was anxious to get the magician's approval and get back home as soon as possible. He thought he might be a little more eager to help him, but instead the magician just looked like he thought he was crazy. Then again, he had to have to been a little insane to willfully ask for someone to put a spell on him.

"You agreed to this?" Kibum asked Minho.

The master of the house lingered a few steps behind Taemin. He wasn't as excited about it, but he had agreed to the proposition.

Taemin had made sure to bring it up to him again first thing that morning. Minho must have realized that he needed to compromise a little bit if he wanted to keep Taemin's company. Three days would be a short amount of time compared to what he had already given to that mansion, and compared to the unspecified number of days he committed to afterward.

"Yeah, I agreed to it," Minho answered.

"You seriously want me to use magic on you?" Kibum asked Taemin.

"Nothing horrible," Taemin clarified, "Just something small. Something bothersome that would make sure I returned."

He looked to Minho again, like he still wasn't sure.

"He gave me his word he would return," Minho said.

"And I'm a man of my word," Taemin assured. "Please."

Kibum sighed, and though he had his misgivings, he gave in. He stepped closer to Taemin and took a moment to think of a fitting spell. He lifted his hands and laid them on his chest. He looked like he was about to begin the magic when he stopped. "Do the others know?"

"I'll tell them," Taemin said.

"I think you should have discussed this with them first."

"It's my decision," Minho snapped, "Just cast the spell."

He didn't argue anymore. With a doubtful shake of his head, he turned his attention back to Taemin. He closed his eyes and began his work with the magic.

Taemin tensed apprehensively. He had never been remotely close to magic before coming to that mansion. He had never seen magic being used or felt is affects before, but he could tell it was magic going through him. The feeling was unmistakable.

Its energy surged throughout his entire body, down his limbs and through his insides. He wondered if Minho felt the same way every night, when his curse took hold of him.

Kibum opened his eyes and the spell was finished. He removed his hands and the surging throughout his body subsided, though he could still feel the lingering effects of the energy.

"It's done. The moment you step through the gate, you'll have seventy-two hours."

Taemin pulled down the collar on his shirt and examined the "72" on his skin, the same type of numbers that had marked his father.

"Then what will happen?"

"You'll turn into a woman."

"WHAT?"

"Okay, not entirely a woman. I don't think anyone is that powerful..."

"A woman?" he asked in disbelief. He hadn't agreed to that consequence. Then again, he didn’t know what he was agreeing to. He supposed he should have been a little more careful with his request. "What will happen to me?"

"s, hips, a lot of crying...all those lovely womanly things."

What a terrifying thought.

Kibum smiled brightly and clapped him on the shoulder. "But you're a man of your word, right? Just be back in three days and you'll have nothing to worry about. Unless you want to be a woman of your word…"

Yes, he should have given it more thought. A lot more thought.

Naeun felt like a horrible person. She and Jongin knew they had taken a risk by going to see Taemin, and they knew their father wouldn't be pleased when he found out they left him, but she didn't expect it to make her feel that awful.

They had run into Daevy several miles from their home, after he had run in a frantic attempt to find them.

They had terrified him more than they thought they would. She hated having to put her father through that, but she knew the harsh truth was that if he hadn't been drunk at tavern, it wouldn't have been necessary. He should have been the one to tell them what to do with the money. He should have been home and sober to make sure they didn't leave him. He should have been the strong one in their family.

His children should not have had to take over that roll. Taemin took that responsibility after their mother died, and now there she was, doing the exact same thing now that he was gone. Maybe if Daevy had been more of the father he should have, they wouldn't have felt Taemin's absence so strongly.

She wanted to say all of that to him. She wanted to yell and scream at him about all his drinking. But she didn't have it in her. She couldn't hurt her father, who was already hurting so much.

It had been over a day and still they could not get over the tension their trip had caused. Night was now approaching and a few hours would tell if Daevy had learned anything, or if he would wander back to the tavern like every other night before.

"I'll trade in a few pieces of the stuff tomorrow," Jongin said as they all sat around the dinner table in awkward silence. "We don't want to do too much at a time. We don't need anyone discovering just how rich we've become."

It would attract unwanted attention and possibly unwanted thieves.

Naeun still hated the idea of using the money, even though Taemin told them to. She didn't think anything about that situation would ever feel right.

Nothing would be right until he was back home...

A banging on the door interrupting their supper. It was urgent and loud, and it frightened Naeun with how frequently it continued. Jongin rose from his seat and warily went to answer it.

She watched from the table as he opened the locked door.

Taemin was standing outside with the most heart-felt smile on his face. Without saying a word, he grabbed Jongin in a tight embrace.

"Taemin!" Naeun cried in surprise and joy. She and her father rose from their seats at the same time, but she reached the door long before he did. She threw her arms around her brother and held him close. She could hardly believe that he was there. She had just left him, expecting to never see him again. And there he was, home.

"I'm back," he said with a contented sigh, holding onto her just as tightly as she held him. "I'm home."

"I don't understand...he just let you go?" Daevy asked him warily. Taemin sat at the table with his father and brother, while Naeun quickly prepared him a plate from what was left of their supper.

Taemin took a second before answering him. He didn't want to crush everyone's newfound joy by telling them he would have to leave again. He would tell them after he made sure everyone was back on their feet. "Minho's not so bad."

"Not so bad? He nearly killed him!" Jongin said, appalled.

"He wouldn't have died. It was just a trick. Honestly."

Daevy looked surprised.

"Even so, he's still a monster," Jongin said.

"I know..."

"We're so glad you're home," Naeun said as she set the plate before him, "I didn't think you'd ever come back."

"I told you all I'd see you again. Have a little more faith next time, alright?"

"There won't be a next time," Naeun said confidently, "You're here to stay."

He only smiled. He couldn't break her heart. Not yet. "Where's all the stuff Minho sent?"

"We hid it in the corner, underneath the quilt," Jongin answered and pointed to where the chest was sitting.

Taemin took one spoonful of his soup, before giving into his curiosity. He went to the corner and removed their mother's old quilt. He lifted the lid and marveled at the treasure that was now in their possession. Minho really had gone above and beyond what he expected. He must have really been trying to prove something to him.

It was a little disconcerting that he was willing to give away so much, mainly because of him. Then again, compared to all his wealth, this chest was a meager pile. Minho probably didn't even miss it.

"We were going to trade some of it tomorrow, enough to get the money for the landlord."

"How far behind are we on the rent?" he asked.

"Two months," Jongin answered.

Taemin noticed that his father was unusually silent. Taemin could only guess what he was thinking and feeling. No doubt he was forced to face all the poor choices he had made over the past two months. "How has your work been going, dad? Have you managed to get caught up?" Even though he knew the answer, he asked anyway.

Naeun and Jongin could have answered for him, but they didn't. They forced their father to answer the question himself.

"No, I haven't," he admitted.

"Is there a reason why?"

He couldn't look at his son, but he did nod and answer him. "I haven't been handling myself as well as I should have. I'm sorry."

Taemin sighed softly. "Dad, you can't just turn to the tavern every time something bad happens in your life. Especially not when you don't have the money waste on it."

"I'm sorry!" he said again, finally lifting his head to meet his eldest son's gaze, "It was just too much. I couldn't bear the guilt. I couldn't bear the thought of that beast holding you captive. I couldn't bear the shame. I should have made the sacrifice, not you. I should have just let him kill me!"

"Dad, none of us would let you die," Naeun said.

"But it was my fault! All of this was my fault. I should have been the one to pay the price, whatever it was...not you guys, I'm sorry."

Daevy started sobbing. All the emotion he had been trying to run from for the past four weeks rushed to the surface. The drinks were no longer there to hold them back.

Naeun went to their father and put a comforting arm around his shoulder, assuring him that all was forgiven. And assuring him that everything would be alright, now that Taemin was back. He couldn't stay though, and he wondered how well his father would hold up when he inevitably returned to the mansion. Would all the shame and regret drive him right back to the tavern?

"What's done is done," he said, "It was my choice to go and I don't regret it, dad. Neither should you."

"I know," Daevy said, smiling despite his tears, "And you're back now, so everything will be alright."

A/N: I know you all wanted a chapter of them in the garden, and I thought about doing it, but it just didn't work...Sorry. But don't worry. There's more 2min to come. :D

Comments, subscribers, and votes...all very much appreciated. :)