Apparently her mother just loved everyone except for her because when she entered the house with Chen in tow; she was shoved aside in haste as her mother instantly went to hug Chen as if he was a long lost son. Afterwards, Min Jee was left in the dust because her mother quickly ushered Chen in the living room before telling him that she would be back with some treats she would prepare in the kitchen.

When Chen even tried to say that she didn’t need to go through all the trouble, her mother shushed him and said that it wasn’t a big deal. Min Jee came into the living room after travelling to her room to get the box and just told Chen to not even bother. Her mother was a person who loved hospitality, and plus through that she could test out her baking on unsuspecting guests; Min Jee and Minseok were victims more than once.

“If she ever offers you any form of cake, do not take it.” Min Jee said, sitting in a chair on the opposite side of Chen.

“Why?” Chen asked with a raised brow.

“She has a habit of adding strange things, last time she made cake, her secret ingredient was beets.” Min Jee cringed at the thought, it looked just like Red Velvet cake, but the taste was totally far off, “It was bad, trust me.”

“I can only imagine,” Chen said with a small chuckle before he turned his attention to the stone that Min Jee had just placed beside the box on the table that lay between them. His hands grasped both objects and brought them towards his lap where he studied them, turning them over with curious eyes. The stone was small, about the size of a quarter and when he brought it near the box where the same symbol was, a small audible click was heard as another compartment opened.

“What is it?” Min Jee asked, leaning forward in her seat then how she was slouched previously.

“Another slip of paper,” Chen answered, taking the small roll out and opening it to read, “It’s in some language I don’t understand though.”

Min Jee silently put her hand out and Chen gave her the paper. When she studied the words on it, she noticed it was the same language that were carved in the box, and she knew that she would have to contact Minseok again because he was the one who at least could somewhat decipher what it says.

“Here are some cookies that I made,” Min Jee’s mother said as she walked in the next moment holding a plate, “Would you like something to drink Chen?”

“I’m fine,” Chen said pleasantly, side glancing at Min Jee pouting at her mother, who in answer just smiled teasingly at her, showcasing that despite the situations like this, her mother was only jokingly ignoring her on purpose.

Min Jee was delighted though over the fact that it was cookies that her mother made, which was something she was definitely better at than her cakes.

When her mother placed the cookies on the table though, she shivered.

“Is it feeling cold for you guys?” She asked, standing straight again.

Min Jee didn’t notice it until her mother pointed it out and rubbed her arms which had acquired some goose bumps because of the cold. Even Chen was shivering and he was wearing a sweater.

“I’ll check the air conditioning, maybe something’s faulty with it,” her mother said, and Min Jee nodded.

When her mother left however, Min Jee instantly pointed at the box, “It’s because of that.”

“You can’t be serious,” Chen said with an incredulous tone.                            

“I am,” Min Jee said, “The symbol we found is in the shape of a snowflake, I mean what are the odds?”

“It could just be a coincidence.”

“Or not. I did tell you about the levitating act I had the other day.” Min Jee said with a certain conviction.

“Yeah,” Chen said dragging out the word, “I don’t know, if what you’re saying is all true then this is just getting weirder and weirder.”

“And that is why we have to keep going.” Min Jee replied, a shiver running down her spine from the temperature that was just decreasing in the house. Her mother shouted a while later that she would call an electrician to check on the air conditioning.

Chen nodded before he glanced at the slip of paper on the table and then at Min Jee with a look of inquiry, “Minseok then?”

“Yup.”

*

*

*

“I should start having you guys pay me for making me do this,” Minseok said from behind the library counter, but nonetheless took the piece of paper.

“You won’t,” Min Jee said cheerfully, “I know you.”

“Yeah, sadly enough.”

Chen snorted, and Min Jee shot him a glare.

“So anything?” Min Jee questioned.

Minseok rolled his eyes, “It took me almost an hour figuring what it said on the box, you’re going to have to give me at least some time. I’ll call you up when I know.”

Min Jee sighed, having no choice but to wait, “Fine…”

The two exchanged expressions between each other before Minseok simply raised his eyebrows and looked at the exit, indicating what he meant.

Min Jee rolled her eyes with a huff, and grabbed Chen’s hand, dragging him with her, “We’ll be back later then!”

“Take your time.” Minseok called back.

Once she and Chen stood outside the library, he looked at her with a confused expression.

“So why were we just kicked out?”

“Minseok hates it when I am by him when he works. He says that I cause too much trouble—he isn’t totally off, but I’m getting better.”

Chen snorted and Min Jee shot him a glare, “Anyways I’m going.”

“Without me?” Chen asked in disbelief.

Min Jee just raised an eyebrow, “You want to come?”

“Sure, it’s not as if I have anything better to do.”

Min Jee snorted, “Your loss.”

*

*

*

Min Jee succeeded in making Chen a pack mule and she knew the instant that she dictated him to grab a cart when they entered the supermarket, he regretted coming with her. That and the fact he kept whining as he continued to push the cart around the store as she picked up items for her mom.

“Isn’t this about equality, why do I end up carrying all these bags anyways?” Chen droned on, but nonetheless placed the bags in the truck of his car without much problem.

“Are you done?” Min Jee asked, leaning against the cart.

“If I break my back because of this, I’m suing you.”

“Yes because toilet paper is especially heavy.”

Chen closed the truck with a single push of his hand, and turned to her. “Of course.”

She sighed and wondered to herself how she managed to spend almost a week so far with Chen and not have the urge to throw him off a cliff just yet. Granted, Chen was surprisingly a person who was easy enough to get along with. He was the type of person who never felt any awkward silences and would continue on obliviously and happily, which wasn’t a bad thing for the most