Chapter 2 

CHAPTER 2

‘Home’

The vehicle stopped at the car park in front of a huge entrance to an old Joseon Dynasty Palace. If Seulgi was not mistaken, she thinks this place is called The East Palace.

What in the world are they doing here, Seulgi thought to herself. The driver, Yuri, and the slightly snobbish beauty, Irene, unbuckled their seatbelt and told her to get out from the car. Still perplexed, she loyally abides them and follow suit. The main gate entrance was close and there was only one guard outside in his white uniform and a navy blue cap, feeding a – bobcat.

“Han-nim,” Yuri greeted the guard with a small wave, before bending and pats the cat gently, “Did the other two arrive yet?

“Yes,” the guard nodded on ahead, where two headlights streak flashing all four of them. The 1959 Cadillac car parked just beside theirs, and a tall boy with short curly brown hair came out from the driver seat, followed by a straight, long, black haired girl, with eyes looking uninterested in everything, yet managed to appear very striking at the same time.

“Thought you guys would arrive first,” Irene spoke with a smirk plastered on her face, “and where’s your kid? Don’t tell me you didn’t manage to—“

“Yah ! Wake up !”

Seulgi shuddered a little, surprised at the sudden harsh tone of the long-hair girl. She rapped the window countless time and soon, a sleepy looking girl, looking younger than Seulgi, sluggishly comes out from the car, rubbing her eyes, while looking half confuse on what is going on. Seulgi did not blame her for acting so. She was starting to get drowsy now, but at the same time, she is wondering what the hell is going on.

The other three walked towards them and the two greeted the guard, while the kid, Seulgi named, stares blankly at everyone, but smiled at the cat.

“So, all of us is here then,” the tall guy said cheerfully, flashing a smile at Seulgi, in which she replied with a nonchalant gaze. “So what are we waiting for, Mr K is already waiting for us.”

The gate open to reveal a huge empty hall and all six of them hastily walked inside, the bobcat following suit, while the guard bid goodnight and close the gate once more. They walk in silence, except for the guy, who was humming in a joyful manner towards an unknown tune. They walk past a shrine and beside it was a path leading to a faint red colour of an archway. Vines and small white flowers entangled in the curve of the archway making it look more enchanting at the same time, but then, they halt in their steps.

It was so sudden to Seulgi that she accidentally hit the appalling beauty, Irene, from behind, only to be given a death glare from those two jade eyes, while Seulgi continuously bowed her head down in apology.

“This is the barrier,” Yuri explained, her eyes darts between Seulgi and the kid, “this is what separates us with the rest. No other mortal could pass throughout this archway, unless—they are one of us.”

One of us?

What does that suppose to mean?

Are they in some illegal association or something?

And what can even pass the archway? A few metres ahead and it was already a dead end. Yuri must be slightly cuckoo in the head.

As if reading Seulgi’s mind, Yuri demonstrates. She reached out her left hand and put it into the archway. Both Seulgi and the kid turned wide eye upon what they saw, as half of Yuri’s hand is vanished. Poof

“Can we skip this thing already?” the black hair girl looking bored again, “Let me go in first.”

The next thing Seulgi knew, the black hair girl walk straight into the archway and—poof. The girl literally vanished too. What kind of black magic is this? Seeing this incident, Seulgi’s mind bugged that this thing happening right now was supposed to be scary, but her heart was calm as a cucumber although great curiosity of what’s inside the archway came upon herself.

“Don’t be afraid,” the guy assured the two of them with another smile, “What is store inside is going to make your jaw-drop.”

“Huh!?” the kid turned to look at the guy with a horrified face. “J-Jaw drop??”

“He means, the place inside will be epic,” Irene explained in a slight frustrating tone, “So let’s not waste more time and get inside all of you.”

Seulgi witness three of them entered the archway with much ease, and it was now her turn and she was somehow a little bit giddy and slightly nervous. She stood for quite a while, pondering, what in the world is going to happen to her, when a smooth voice of Irene interfered from behind, “What are you still waiting for? Get in.”

Without her concession, her legs suddenly walk forward and Seulgi slightly yelps at her state. Her right leg stepped in, followed by the whole of her. And for a nano-second, she felt a slight chill shudder within her while she enters, and then she was on the other inside.

It really was a breath taking sight.

It looks like a huge nature park, but added on with baronial and Corinthian like buildings with statues and ancient like architectures spread widely in front of her. It was beautiful. Words couldn’t describe how Seulgi felt about upon the sight. On her right side, there was a handsome building with a nicely crafted handle which its door was open wide in a welcoming way.

“I suppose you’re liking what you see,” Irene passed her while flashing a smile. The first smile she’d shown upon Seulgi, making her more uncompelled to say anything as her insides did a somersault. “Stop gaping and come inside.”

A jazz music could be heard as Seulgi and Irene entered the building. Seulgi presume this was some sort of the main office as this must be an important building since it was the first building they entered. They were immediately greeted in a spacious carpeted room. A statue of a man in robes holding a lightning bold on the further left of the room, whilst another statue slightly posing in a grand way, while holding a wine glass.

All of them were already in the room, gathered in front of a table, piled with papers, a dusty looking radio, playing the jazz tune, and rows of empty wine glass. Behind the table was a man, eyes closed enjoying the tune, while his fingers in the air, swinging left to right. The man only opens his eyes when Seulgi and Irene gathered together with the others.

“All is here I presume,” the man revealed a friendly smile as he sit up straight from his armchair. The man has a tough appearence with strong body-like features but wi