Well you built up a world of magic,                                                                                                                                  

Because your real life is tragic.

- Paramore

The next day, Sungjong did not stop by his residence. It was someone else instead who did. Someone Myungsoo would consider a friend but did not really look forward to see.

“Yah, hyung,” Myungsoo half-exclaimed, expecting Sungjong’s small figure but was greeted with a much bigger built. “What brings you here? Would you like some tea?”

“No,” Sunggyu said rather seriously. “I won’t be long. Just warning you that apparently hunters have sniffed our existence. We’ve seen quite a number nearby.”

Myungsoo went instantly silent.

“You’ve met one already?” the fatherly figure asked instinctively. Seeing his dongsaeng scrambling to find some words, he quickly managed to predict what had happened.  “Did you invite him in for a tea?”

Myungsoo could do nothing but reflexively looked away. Kim Sunggyu was seriously not the clan leader for nothing.

“Well, I don’t really mind, to be honest,” he said nonchalantly. Myungsoo could swear he heard a hint of amusement in his voice, as if Sunggyu was teasing him. “You are the ‘face’ of our clan after all. And knowing you, you yourself must have spent too much time alone that even a hunter interests you.”

Myungsoo was really a man of few words. But the clan leader was not. He had always been successful in getting close to his clansmen, no matter how . Not that Sunggyu was so talkative. It was probably just the fact that he had a prominent feel of authority in spite of his deceptively child-like  –even hamster-like, according to those closest to him— face.

“I know what I’m doing.” Myungsoo replied, merely because he hated how much the leader had seen through him.

“Sure you do,” Sunggyu said. Again, the smaller lad heard that half-sarcastic, half-teasing tone in his voice. “Keep in mind at all times that it’s a hunter you’re dealing with, though.”

Of all sorcerers to find out about his attraction to the hunter, why must it be him? Myungsoo inwardly swore. Good thing he did not appear mad. But if it was Sunggyu —even if he was not mad— a few other magicians were sure to know as well soon, some of which were bound to be mad. Or like what Sunggyu did today, in which case was actually worse.

“Okay. Going now,” Sunggyu declared, much to Myungsoo’s relief. “But now that you say it, I’m interested to know what kind of hunter had won the heart of our ‘face’.” It was a way of saying ‘Haha I’ll be randomly spying on you from now onwards’ a la the leader of the Infinite Clan. This time Sunggyu did nothing to hide his amusement. “Better not do anything inappropriate, okay?”

It was very late and there was barely anything visible in the dark and gradually snowing mountain when Myungsoo spotted his favorite hunter outside his chalet.

“Any luck today?” inquired the magician.

“I actually saw something bird-like today,” Sungjong reported, beaming with obvious eagerness. “It was definitely not a bird though. That witch apparently is a first-class, she clearly can shape-shift. You see, contrary to popular belief, not many spell-casters could do that.”

Myungsoo struggled to maintain his calm composure, knowing what, or who, exactly the fairly effeminate hunter witnessed. “How surprising.”

“You really didn’t see anything out-of-place today? I was sure it flew from somewhere on the mountain.”

“I’m afraid I have mostly been staying indoor today,” he answered, trying not to sound suspicious.

“Well, alright. Be careful though. That witch is most likely lurking somewhere nearby.” And so the brownish-haired hunter left hastily. Myungsoo could swear he had never felt so close to the end of him.