Aut viam inveniam aut faciam

I will either find a way or make one.

He had been going to that castle every day for a week. Himchan refused to see him. So, all Junhong could really do was wait until he changed his mind. He would stand among the large, vivacious trees and bushes and either read or throw stones against one of the windows until either Himchan or his terrifying beast of a lion would chase him off. It was a tiresome cycle, but he refused to give up. If Himchan was really the only family that he had left, then there was no way he was putting this shining opportunity to waste.

Perhaps Himchan was like he was. Alone, unsure and stuck in a glass box of solitude. What if his parents were dead, too, and he himself could only count the days since their untimely departure. He seemed bitter and on edge the moment Junhong mentioned family, so obviously that seemed to be a touchy subject. But if that lion was really his familiar, then that meant that he could learn something from his mysterious cousin. All he had to do was get close enough to Himchan in order to actually, really talk to him. Of course, that was quite difficult when there was a three hundred pound lion after him.

However, he hatched an idea. It wasn’t the most legal thing that he could do, but it would get him in nonetheless. On the third week of his so-called stakeout, instead of sitting in the gardens and waiting for the front doors to open, Junhong scaled the enormous palace of a house and found an open window. He used his hands to hoist himself up and into the stone walls of the castle. When he finally managed to get inside -- after quite a few tries -- he became quite displeased with the dust on his hands. Upon further inspection, the window sill seemed to be covered in it. With one of his fingers he found it peculiar to discover that the powder was… Salt? That seemed to be counterproductive. If Himchan was a magician himself, then didn’t salt keep magic out?

Whatever. He’d concern himself with that later. Right now, he was to find Himchan whilst simultaneously exploring the castle. It’s often a once in a lifetime chance to have full inspection of a real, ancient castle. He was nothing short of stoked.

The room itself that he intruded seemed to be a storeroom. There were boxes stacked upon each other with hastily written words on them, and amongst said cardboard towers were all sorts of those cliche protection objects. Amulets, different herbs and even circles drawn in chalk littered the walls. The amulets were made of brass, brushed pewter and all other sorts of metals and they hung on expensive woven black cords. All of them had a different sigil on them, presumably doing different things.

Just what was he trying to keep out?
 

———

The castle was massive, no doubt. Tapestries hung high from the walls and illustrated the same handful of coats of arms. They were embroidered with pure skill and finesse that machines just couldn’t compete with. Among all of the cliche castle garb, there lacked a few things. Sure, there were crackling stone walls and a chilled stone floor, but the place as a whole was without weapons. Wouldn’t there be swords or staffs or spears proudly displayed amongst all of the fancy rugs on the walls? There were no suits of armour, either. Actually, as a whole… The castle seemed fairly bland. It was spotless, no doubt, but that also reflected in the interior decor.

As he traversed the long castle corridors and admired the beautiful dated architecture, a quiet sobbing echoed off of the high ceilings of the castle. It took him awhile to find the source as the castle itself seemed to be built to be a maze, but the closer he got to those soft sobs the more pronounced and louder they became. And, as he got ever nearer a slight purring could be heard. That was when Junhong knew; it was Himchan. Suddenly he got a burst of motivation and a surge of curiosity as he began peeking through key holes of different large, wooden doors. When he finally got to the source of the sorrowful noises, he found himself quite unprepared for what lay on the other side. Though he wasn’t sure just what he was expecting in the first place.

Himchan sat in a room that clearly wasn’t his own. He was kneeling on the floor with his head in his hands as small whimpers escaped through his lips. His lion was at his side, curled around him like a mother lioness would do for her cubs, and was purring quiet and comfortingly into his ear. In front of him lay a large, expertly crafted bed with what looked to be a feathered mattress and an abundance of fluffy pillows. Around the room were different chairs, sofas, and other furniture, all either a pale pink or stark white. Clothes were draped upon said chairs as if the room’s occupant was preparing for another day. Yet there seemed to be no occupant. Strangely enough, there seemed to be no other person in the castle. It was just Himchan… All alone.

And that’s when it seemed have to clicked. Himchan really didn’t have anyone else.

Junhong took a deep breath and braced himself before he turned the knob and pushed the door open. As soon as the large wooden door creaked open, Himchan stood, taking a defensive stance, and his lioness stepped in front of him. “What are you doing in here?!” He demanded, looking to the windows on each wall; both of the sills were covered in a thick layer of salt. “There’s no possible way you should’ve been able to get in.”

“Don’t worry,” Junhong took a step towards the pair as the lion began to growl at him. “I’m alone, too. I don’t have anybody else either.” He laughed rather nervously, unsure of how well his next statement would be received. “Except for, well, you.”

For a moment, Himchan’s expression softened and his lion hesitated, but as fleeting as it was, it was still a sight to see. As his brows knitted and the look on his face hardened, Junhong couldn’t help but think about how hollow his face looked. Did he not have enough money to eat?

“How are you so sure we’re related?” He snapped, fists clenching and unclenching.

“Easy,” Junhong breathed, a small smile rising to his lips. “You’re Himchan Kim, aren’t you? You live in Ireland, don’t you? You’re the exact person who used to send my family letters before they died.”

A stretch of silence took over as the two made unwavering eye contact. It seemed as if Himchan was searching for some hint of dishonesty, just a small tinge of a lie, yet there was nothing and Junhong knew damn well there was nothing. Everything he had said was true. Letters would arrive in the bright red mailbox at the end of their long driveway all the way from a far off land called Ireland. The letters would be carefully written in a neat, illustrious cursive. They would tell of adventures in a little town, escapades in a large, ancient castle. Seeing the sender of those letters, in the flesh, it all slipped into place. Himchan really was the only family that Junhong had left.

Finally, Himchan sighed. “You’re a handful, aren’t you?” He let out a dry laugh. “How am I related to a handful?”

Junhong laughed and took a step forward, but the lioness refused to be forgotten and stepped between him and Himchan. Instead of risking death and fighting with her, he instead decided to scale the room. A book lay on a desk in the far corner, and immediately caught his interest. He made his way towards it, feeling Himchan’s eyes burning into his back. The moment that he placed an outstretched hand onto the book’s cover, the other was practically on top of him, grabbing his wrist.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He hissed, squeezing Junhong’s wrist between his fingers.

Junhong remained stoic, and merely asked, “Where is everyone?”

That was when Himchan broke down. Tears began to fall from his eyes as fell to his knees, “They left…” He uttered, wiping at his eyes. “They all abandoned me here. Not one of them even said goodbye to me.” His voice trembled as he beat the ground helplessly with his fists.

Junhong kneeled in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright,” he hummed, keeping his tone even. “My parents didn’t say goodbye to me, either.”

‘We’ll see you soon, Junhong,’ his mother had said, ‘We’ll see you soon.’