Just like the time Min Jee had to send in her application for university, she was nervous.

As she stood there with Chen in the airport waiting for his grandfather’s flight to come in, Min Jee wasn’t anticipating the moment where she would meet him. It wasn’t even the fact that apparently he had something important to tell the both of them, but moreover because she was awkward in general when first meeting people.

She had to work on it more.

And as she saw the plane that carried Chen’s grandfather land, she realized she wouldn’t have much time to prepare sadly enough.

Chen though, was happy, and it only aided to Min Jee’s own tension which he didn’t notice at all especially when he saw his grandfather walk through the gates with Kyungsoo and Baekhyun in tow behind him.

Immediately upon reunion, Kyungsoo simply nodded at Chen, however the latter wouldn’t condone that and grabbed the young male into a hug which he reluctantly returned after a few seconds.

Baekhyun then exchanged a type of bro hug before Chen rubbed his hair playfully. Baekhyun huffed and swatted his hand away after he did that.

When Chen finally faced his grandfather though, he bowed respectfully and then pointed at Min Jee who widened her eyes and waved shyly.

“Hello,” Min Jee greeted as they all came near.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo each returned the greeting but Chen’s grandfather just stared at her with a certain look in his eyes. Min Jee tried not to squirm under the gaze.

Finally after some time, he spoke, “Let’s go home, we’ll talk there.”

Kyungsoo whipped out his phone, and a few minutes later a limousine arrived at the airport. 

Min Jee raised her eyebrow as the three young males gathered the luggage and loaded them in. Chen at some point noticed how she was hanging back from them waved her forward, and she reluctantly went into the car, somehow sitting beside Chen’s grandfather, with Baekhyun and Chen in front of her. Kyungsoo was in the front with the driver.

The ride was silent for the most part until Chen’s grandfather cleared his throat.

“You’re Jieun’s granddaughter?” he asked as he turned to face Min Jee.

The girl nodded simply, and he smiled at the response which startled her.

“I should have known. You look just like her.”

“Thank you Mr. Kim.” Min Jee answered stiffly, she knew she had inherited her grandmother’s eyes for sure, but other than that she was sure she looked nothing like her. The sentiment was nice though despite the fact that he somehow knew her grandmother to speak of her with such a loving tone.

“No need to be so formal with me, just call me Ilkook.”

Chen huffed, “What? She gets to call you that while we still have to call you ‘sir’?”

Ilkook shot him a look that made the male pout but otherwise keep quiet. Min Jee marvelled at the control he had over Chen when she couldn’t stop the comments that usually flew out of his mouth in her presence.

Kyungsoo seemed to appreciate it too when he let out an amused snort, and Min Jee wondered how many times he would have gone through the antics caused by Chen. She guessed it was numerous times.

As the mansion grew closer into view, Min Jee thought about how she first saw it in the beginning. How wonderful it all seemed. The sleuth inside of her jumping for joy for solving, what she assumed, was a simple mystery. That was a mistake.

She blinked as another thought occurred to her, did Ilkook know that she broke into their mansion?

Based on how he smiled at her and welcomed her to his humble abode with such ease, he had no clue whatsoever. She made a mental note to thank Kyungsoo and Baekhyun at a later date.

Once they all settled into the mansion, Chen and Min Jee were ushered into Ilkook’s study room. The pleasantries quickly dissipated at that point and it was suddenly more serious when Ilkook eyed the two of them sitting on some chairs that Kyungsoo had brought in a few minutes before.

“Now that we’re here, I’m sure you two know what I’d like to discuss.”

Min Jee nodded, “You and my grandmother went through the same thing.”

Ilkook shook his head at that, “No you have the wrong idea.”

“What do you mean by that?” Chen asked confused.

Ilkook sighed as if preparing for a big speech and clasped his hands. “We were essentially just pawns—while we had the box as well, the two of us never had to prepare for the things you two have to. All we did was protecting the box so that it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. Jieun and I ran away after setting fire to the information that we had during that time in case those chasing us would ever find out—luckily because of that fire, we safely hid away.”

“So you were the ones who burnt the records?” Min Jee questioned.

“Yes, but only because we had to.”

“Do you remember anything from it?”

“Enough. You and Chen will be tested by the forces at work, if you two happen to survive through it all, Chaos stays trapped and if not then it’s the end. You cannot oppose to face the trials either, as this has been set in stone for ages, longer than I was even alive.”

Min Jee frowned, “And the box?”

“May I actually see that?”

Min Jee nodded, and pulled it from her bag that she always had with her. Gently, she placed it on the table and Ilkook took it into his own hands, studying it.

“It’s been a long time since I saw this. I thought it was over when Jieun and I vowed to store it away for safekeeping. We never thought that it would be the two of you.” Ilkook looked at them solemnly with certain sadness in his eyes, as if his own past had brought back old ghosts. “How many of the symbols have turned so far?”

“Four so far,” Chen said, glancing at Min Jee to make sure as she added her own confirmation.

“That’s good. That means we still have time.”

“What for?”

“ You’ve both seen what the symbols can do, correct?” Ilkook, despite having asked a question knew the answer already and continued on, “Then you know how dangerous it is. Now come with me into the garden.”

Min Jee was left speechless at what Ilkook had said and the fact she had inadequate time to actually process it. At that point she followed mostly because he didn’t answer Chen’s question.

Said male quickly trailed after the two with a certain glint in his eyes but for the first time it seemed he had nothing to add.

*

*

*

After the trio had arrived in the garden where small plants and pots of flowers laid around, Kyungsoo was already waiting there for them with three chairs that were in a circle near a white rounded gazebo that had vines wrapped around the pillars a few steps to the side. Ilkook led them to it and instructed them to sit down, all the while being cryptic as he murmured to Kyungsoo who left a few seconds later with a nod.

When Chen tried to speak up, probably to ask what they were doing, he was immediately shushed by Ilkook who finally took his own seat as he clutched the box tightly to his body.

“The first st