[September 30th, 1853]

Needless to say, Byun Baekhyun was more than slightly surprised when a tall, dark haired stranger suddenly appeared in his living room, stumbling around and holding his head as if he was drunk.

“Holy ,” the stranger muttered, clutching the arm of a chair near him. “It really be like that sometimes.”

The phrases the stranger uttered were strange to Byun Baekhyun. The way the stranger dressed was peculiar as well.

The stranger wore a dark black jacket of sorts, with a strange flap off of the back and white lettering proclaiming ‘anti social social club’ on the back.

Mr. Byun found this strange and nonsensical as well. Everything about this man was strange, from the way his ears stuck out to his weird clothing to his strange utterances.

“Pardon me, sir,” Mr. Byun demanded, ditching his reading in his armchair as he stood up. “What are you doing in my commons? How did you end up here? You are sending me into such a strange confusion, I cannot even fathom a realistic thought.”

The stranger looked at Mr. Byun strangely, as if he was the one who had just appeared in his den.

“What did you just say?” the stranger said.

“What are you doing in my commons?” Byun repeated. “For what are you called, sir? I would call you my good sir, but I do not know if you are a good sir, or a man looking for trouble. For I am a man of sense, poise, and rationality, and am not looking for any such nonsense.”

The man sighed, trying to make sense of Byun’s musings. “Can you not talk so much? Where am I? What time is it?”

“It is evening, sir. After dinner. Have you eaten? Yerim has made us a wonderful dinner. Asparagus and breadcrumbs, roast chicken - which I caught myself, I may add - venison pie, and an assortment of pastries and jellies.”

“I’m not hungry, and I don’t understand what you’re saying. What I am picking up sounds totally gross, though. What’s the date?”

“September 30th, 1853.”

This made Byun confused. For what sensical man would not know the date? For surely, this man was uneducated. Uneducated enough to not be able to speak properly and to wander into random men’s households.

Like the stranger, Byun did not understand much of what he said, but he knew enough to know that the last statement the man made was an insult, directed to him and Yerim. But Byun was a man of sense, and was not going to jog an argument over something so trivial.

“Holy ,” the man muttered, glancing down at appeared to be a pocket-watch attached to his wrist. “This thing really does work,” the man glanced back up at Byun, peering at him curiously, in such a way that it made Byun a little uncomfortable. “What did you say your name was?”

“I did not say, sir,” Byun told him. “And nay, nay did you. You did not tell me whether you are a good sir or not. For if I am not to know who you are, for what am I to let you know who I am?”

“I am Park Chanyeol,” the stranger spoke slowly and loudly, as if Byun did not understand the language entirely. For surely, they were speaking the same language, just in different ways. It was like in those books Byun had read about New France. The people there spoke the same language as the settlers from France, but a different variation. The differences were subtle, yes, but there. Enough that a man from New France and a man from France could understand each other, but with slight difficulty and apparent differences. “And you are?”

“Mister Byun Baekhyun. Now please, entertain me fairly and answer my now age old question. Are you, or are you not, a good sir? Do you come with ill intent? For you are not welcome in my abode if you wish ill.”

“I’m a...good sir.” Park said, with a trace of questioning and uncertainty on his lips.

“Oh, joyous!” Byun exclaimed, clapping his hands. “My good sir, for you are now a guest in my abode, I must find you out. Please, take a seat,” Byun rushed over to Park, placing his hands on Park’s arms and guiding him down into a chair. “I assure you, my good sir, you could not have chosen a better commons to appear in. For I am one of the most wealthiest men in the county - no, this country, this continent, this planet - and you will not find a more humble commons. These chairs are some of Europe’s finest, and the fire is one of the warmest we have seen in many days. For we need it, with the chill now running through the air. That means winter is coming, and with winter means disease. My poor Mister Oh Sehun does not always fair well in health, and I am afraid that he may not survive the winter. Albeit, my mother always told me that with bad comes good. So, if Mister Oh was to pass this winter, the good would be that it would be one less mouth to feed. But I assume his meat would not taste much good.” Byun paused to laugh, but Park did not find it very funny, and instead gave Byun one of those curious and confused glances again. “That was supposed to be funny.” Byun muttered. “Anyhow, I happen to possess one of the largest libraries in this country. I will be back in a moment, but please, my good sir, feel free to browse my assortment of books. Anything you wish to learn or read about is contained within those walls, I assure you. I do not know where you have come from, for I do not recognize your speech or clothing or habits, but I assume you have travelled far, and must be very fatigued from your journey. I shall have Yerim fetch you something to eat, and perhaps something to drink, for you appear faint. Perhaps reading is not in your best interest at the moment, as we must not lose you, now. Oh my, shall I fetch a doctor as well? I shall have to fetch one soon, as Mister Oh will fall ill soon, as per every year.”

“You uttered the same phrase this past year,” a new voice chimed in, and both Byun and Park turned to see a tall man, a man taller than Byun, but not as tall as Park, making his way down the stairs, his hand clutched tightly around the banister. “and the year before that. You should learn, Byun, that winter alone cannot take me out. Nay, sir, it will take much more than that for me to pass on.”

“Mister Oh!” Byun exclaimed, releasing Park. “I was just speaking to our guest, Mister Park, about you. And then I was off to fetch our good sir something to eat. For surely, Yerim has some left over.”

“My sir, I believe she does,” Oh agreed. “For when did Mister Park arrive?”

“Only a few moments ago, sir, nay, not too long ago. He appeared right there, right before my own two eyes. A strange occurrence, yes, one I have never seen before, and neither one I have ever read about before.”

“That is quite a strange occurrence. I fear your eyes may be deceiving you; my sir, have you gone mad? For surely you must have let this man in through the door. For only ghosts may travel through walls. Where do you think you are; Wuthering Heights?”

Both Oh and Byun laughed at that, but Park still seemed lost and confused; out of place.

“That sounds familiar.” Park said.

“For surely it is, if you’re a fan of that ratbag.” Byun shot, and Oh laughed again, losing Park even more. “Now, if you will excuse me, my good sirs, I will go fetch Mister Park something to eat. He has travelled long, and if not fatigued dead will surely starve to.”

Byun exited the commons, leaving no one but Park and Oh there.

“Are you really dying?” Park asked, twisting around in his chair.

Oh gasped, a hand over his heart. “How rude!” he snapped. “And no. It is nothing but a small case of tuberculosis. Nothing to worry about, my sir. If anyone here should be questioning the other, it surely is not you, but I. How did you get here, sir? Has Byun really gone mad? I would not be surprised at such news, for I have seen it coming for quite some time.”

“No, he hasn’t gone mad.” Park reassured, settling back into the chair. “I really did appear there. Look, it’s a thing you wouldn’t understand. Think of, like, A Christmas Carol. I-”

“Are you saying you are a ghost, sir?”

“No, no. The ghosts travel to the past and the future, right? Like me. Using this-” Park paused to gesture to the pocket watch strapped to his wrist. “I can move from past and present.”

Oh was at a loss for words at the stranger’s strange device and claim. Luckily, he was saved by Byun leading Yerim, who clutched a tray, into the commons.

“For you, my sir,” Byun said as Yeri handed Park the tray, whisking away afterwards. “She does not converse much, especially with strangers. She fears them, as I her. Please eat up, even if you are orf chump. I do not want to see you anymore ill than you are now.”

“Listen to this man’s vazey claim!” Oh exclaimed, ing an arm out and pointing at Park. “He’s as mad as you are! You have all gone mad!”

“Tell me,” Byun demanded, and Park related the same claim to him, moving the tray away with disgust at the assortment of ‘food’ laid upon it. Byun pondered Park’s claim for a moment, and then gestured him up. “We do not tolerate hornswogglers in this abode, Mister Park. If you wish to stay, I insist you must show me this ‘time travel’ device of yours.”

“Fine then,” Park said, holding out his arm. “Hold onto to me. I’ll take you back to my time.”

“Oh, joyous!” Byun cheered, and turned and waved farewell to Oh as Park turned a dial on his wrist-pocket watch, twisting the two away.