Minseok launched himself towards the visage of the man, his rage blinding him to all else. Kim Junmyeon laughing, joyful-- his happiness fueling Minseok’s rage.

Yixing managed to stand between the two men, catching Minseok before he could assault his uncle. Minseok had a vague idea that Lu Han was there too, helping to hold him back.

“My, my, your temper is really something.” Junmyeon whistled, not bothering to take a step backwards to avoid any potential attack.

“How are you here?” Minseok hissed, struggling to break free of the hands that held him back.

“Sir, please calm down,” Yixing plead.

“Your guess is as good as mine, old boy.” Junmyeon shrugged. “I’m very happy to be home, if it makes you feel better.”

It didn’t make Minseok feel better. The anger was overpowering, then the waves of anguish that always followed. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes while Yixing urged him to remain calm. Wave after wave of strong emotion spurring him to assault his relative.

“Minseok, please, it’s okay.”

A voice softer than Yixing’s, closer if that was possible. It was Lu Han and for some inexplicable reason it gave Minseok pause. He turned his head to look at Lu Han in surprise, uncertain why a few words from him took the edge off.

Lu Han looked worried, his brow furrowed. Minseok had a sudden urge to ask him to speak, to say something, to make it better. But why? Only a day ago… (had it been that long?) he had attacked Lu Han during a similar episode. Yet, it was Lu Han who had pinned him down and held him until his rage had dissipated. What was going on? How weak could he be in front of this person? Why did a few words soothe him?

“I’m happy you are okay. I was so worried when I woke up--” Luhan rambled.

“Let me go. I’m fine,” Minseok said with an even tone, interrupting Lu Han. He had to be calm now. He had to stop Lu Han’s effect on him, it was too worrying.

Yixing sensed the normalcy returning to his master and let go of his arm, Lu Han followed suit a few seconds later. Both men stepped back a few feet, giving Minseok space.

Now free, Minseok straightened his posture, smoothing a hand down his wrinkled clothing to right his appearance.

“I can’t help but disapprove with what you’ve done with the ballroom. Minseok, this was your grandmother’s pride and joy. She would faint if she were to see it now,” Junmyeon admonished. He wandered around the ballroom, glancing at the machine and the worktables.

Minseok ignored the comment. He walked towards Junmyeon, staying a few steps behind his uncle as he toured the space. “Where were you last? Jongdae said you were in Joseon during the first literati purge but left. How did you get here?”

It was the first time any of his ancestors had returned. It was as much nonsensical as it was shocking.

Junmyeon hummed in agreement. “That I was, but I dare say I left before you arrived. Nasty, being charged with treason.” He paused in front of the diagram Minseok left splayed open on the larger worktable. Bending over to look at it closer, he continued explaining his latest whereabouts. “I was in two thousand seventeen last, talking to you actually.” Junmyeon spun on his heels and looked towards Lu Han. “Well, one of you. And my, you do have a rather interesting well of knowledge.”

“Me?” Lu Han asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes, you,” Junmyeon confirmed. “Shall we discuss it over tea? I am positively famished.”

Minseok nodded, feeling a tad bit parched himself.

“Imagine a maple tree in autumn. Every leaf that falls to the ground brings the tree closer to dormancy. Now exchange those leaves for incarnations of a person, and that is what is happening.” They were seated in Minseok’s study, a dying fire flickering in the hearth. Junmyeon had taken it upon himself to explain the situation to Lu Han yet again -- because clearly (his words) Minseok hadn’t done a very good job of it. Despite Minseok’s protests, Junmyeon promised Lu Han needed to understand before he could possibly divulge how he had arrived at this place and time.

“Each leaf goes to a different time and place but is relatively weak away from the tree, shriveling up now they are no longer attached.  The wind blows, scattering the leaves in an infinitely confusing order. Once all the leaves are gone from the branches dormancy sets in for the tree. The tree, in this case, happens to be the person in their own place and time. Once we are fragmented beyond recognition, our leaves so to speak scattered, we disappear from where we should be rooted - our present.”

Minseok sipped on his tea, observing Lu Han as he took in the information. He nodded furiously. “I think I understand now! But how did it happen? The leaves falling - no, I mean, the split?”

“Easy. Someone meddled with the very order of things, causing an eternal summer to change to a slow and painful autumn,” Junmyeon answered. “Starting the march towards dormancy for the entire family.”

“The man who I must kill?” Lu Han blurted out, looking at Minseok.

Minseok steadied his hand from shaking. He knew Junmyeon was giving him a questioning look. “Perhaps.”

“Oh-ho, you plan on murdering the instigator? Well, you are far more aggressive than I thought,” Junmyeon butted in.

“Do you have other ideas on how to stop it?” Minseok countered. “You must know something, considering you are here. The prodigal tree, Kim Junmyeon,” he added dryly.

Lu Han snorted at his joke. Minseok couldn’t help but smile at the reaction. Even Junmyeon laughed.

“We need to go to the exact time that our family was pushed into autumn and stop it from happening, though I dare say murder may be a bit of a strong method given the circumstances.” Junmyeon set his teacup on the walnut end table.

“You know when it started?” Minseok sat on the edge of his seat, excited.

“Indeed. As you well know time is not as linear as people would like to think. The event was before but also after, a very confusing thing for most people.” Junmyeon waved his hand dismissively in the air. “Lu Han came to understand because he was the one who put an end to it. It just took me some good many years to finally meet him and then return to tell you. Of course, right now it is only a concept of an end, but an end that has already happened to some versions and in some places.”

“Who is it?!” Minseok insisted. “Who was the one who cursed us?!”

Junmyeon stared at Minseok for a few seconds before answering. “It was you, my dear boy, the moment you started on that machine of yours. You opened the path all because you thought it had already begun. So, you see, the only way to end this is to stop you from building that machine, which Lu Han did. Or will do. Or has done depending on the time and place. You understand, I hope.”

Minseok stiffened. “There is no possible way that I-”

Junmyeon held his hand up to stop him. “It is true. Though of course you think you were ending the madness in all actuality you were starting it.”

It was impossible, Minseok thought. How could he have started something that had begun generations ago? Sure, time was not as linear as most people assumed it was. But, could he really have brought upon a curse by trying to break it?! Ludicrous!

“How do I stop it?” Lu Han asked quietly, earning looks from both members of the Kim family.

“A sensible question!” Junmyeon snapped his fingers. “You, my dear boy, will lure our poor, lonely, half mad-- society's words, not mine -- youngest Kim out of his forbidding mansion and into the world at large before he can start on his machine.” Junmyeon smiled widely, making Minseok’s skin crawl. “You are going to make him trust you, fall in love with you, and only then will he give up on all this machine nonsense and get on with his life.”

“It isn’t nonsense!” Minseok protested before stopping himself. “Wait, did you say fall in love?”

“Yes, I did.” Junmyeon looked smugly between Lu Han and Minseok. “It seems that once you give up being a miserly madman and take a few tumbles with Lu Han here you gain a good deal of sense.”

Minseok’s cheeks flamed. Tumbles?!

“Remember, Minseok, you started it. It is your gentlemanly duty to end it. Well, younger you started it, but you understand.”

“How?” Was Lu Han really asking this calmly? Minseok felt sick.

“That machine of yours has calibrations. Thankfully the last time I spoke to you,” Junmyeon looked to Lu Han. “You were able to provide me the correct ones. So off you both go to ten years ago. Work your magic and this nightmare will be over.”

“Can’t I just go back and not build the machine?” Minseok grasped at straws, anything to get out of what Junmyeon was suggesting.

“Afraid not. Left to your own devices,” Junmyeon stopped to laugh at his pun before continuing. “You won’t dare to stop --even after this conversation. You are a headstrong and suspicious man, Minseok.  You need to learn how to live again and Lu Han is going to help you do that. Once you trust him, once you understand, then you will stop.”

Minseok dared to glance at Lu Han, to lock eyes with him. Fall in love? Give up the machine? Sure, they were engaged but that was a matter of convenience! Love?! Love?!!!

A mad world had just become that much more maddening.