This wasn't part of the plan, Ara thought to herself.

She didn't expect the Chairlady to join them in the car, why didn't Mingi tell her anything? Neither did she expect Mingi to loop his hand around hers in affectionate fashion, he flashed another smile at her but his eyes were definitely on edge. "This is my mom, Ara and we're dropping her off while we're on our way to the party," he explained.

"I hope you don't mind, Araminta," Chairlady Song said. "I thought I'd come along and the driver can drop me off at the airport before you two go and enjoy yourselves,"

"Oh that's completely fine!" said Ara merrily. "It's so nice to meet you,"

Chairlady Song chuckled, "I heard about you from Mingi, he already told me a great deal,"

"He did?" Ara shot Mingi a look.

"Yes, you two met while he was in Singapore and he wanted to make sure you had a great time during your visit here. Keep an eye on him for me will you?" and she winked, like Ara was supposed to catch anything that meant (she didn't). "And I hope you like the dress Mingi chose for you, my son has undeniably good taste in fashion."

"O-of course, ma'am!" she exclaimed. "Like mother like son," and she followed up with a giggle.

She also noticed Yunho was no longer in the car with them. Probably already at Rocco's, she figured; which was better that way, otherwise she'd have to face the mortifying embarassment of the charade she was putting on. In the car, they exchanged a few more rounds of small talk, about family (which Ara obviously made up about her family lodge in Amsterdam, her two beloved Yorkshire terriers Fuffy and Adavone and of her parents real estate empire), Paris fashion week and other things that flew over her mind. 

"Have a good time my darlings!" Chairlady Song waved them goodbye as she left for the airport. 

Immediately, Mingi gave a heavy sigh of relief. His body slumped onto the leather seat, as if he had been holding his breath the entire time. "Thank god she's gone,"

"You shoud have given me a head's up that your mom was coming," Ara muttered. "I didn't even know a thing about real estate."

"Sorry, she insisted on giving you a 'surprise' whatever that meant," Mingi rolled his eyes. "Probably thinks you're my girlfriend or something,"

Upon hearing that Ara cleared , "Well played, Song Mingi," her fingers drummed anxiously on her knees. She and Mingi wore matching attire, him fitted in a wine red suit and the pocketwatch Rocco had given a day earlier - conveniently fastened inside his jacket, and he was fiddling with it now. "So...we're going to do this for real huh?" she said abruptly. 

He stared at her, "Y-yeah, are you thinking about backing out?"

"No," she replied. 

He nodded solemnly and his gaze wandered. "Is, er, Yunho here with us?"

Ara shook her head. "Probably went to Rocco's first," and she wondered if there was anything else to say. "I'm sorry he doesn't remember you, he feels really bad about it," Yunho had tried to force himself to recognize Mingi's face, his voice - anything but to no avail since yesterday. Ara could detect that helpless look on his face whenever he saw Mingi now, she couldn't imagine what the feeling felt like; when someone was so sure of your existence in their life, and yet you couldn't reciprocate that same feelings or even memories. The faerie ring that contained his memories on Ara's finger seemed to glint in response to that, most definitely a trick of the light.

"Did he tell you to say that to me?" asked Mingi, his expression shifted between sour and disappointed. "It's not his fault, I just want this all to end. Eight years he went through all this..."

"You said you two were - are best friends, and you told me he disappeared the day he wanted to tell you something about his stepmom. Have you found out what it was?" Now they knew that his stepmom was in fact, an evil faerie, that had shed some light but also complicated the situation. 

"Probably that she's a homewrecking witch," Mingi sniped. "But I just don't get it. What would she gain from all this? Yunho's been stuck as a ghost for so long, he doesn't remember anything and his dad's still alive and as far as I've heard from my mom, he's still Adamas' rightful chairman," he paused. "Do faeries want stuff like companies?"

Ara shrugged, "Who doesn't want money?" but she was thinking about it too. "Maybe there's a contract? Any way you can find out?"

Mingi thought about it, "Hold on, I can give it a try," and he whipped out his phone. "Hello? Eric, there's something I want you to do - yes, the Chairlady knows about this..."

And Ara sat quietly as she observed Mingi taking the call. His hair was no longer bright red, and had faded to a more earthy orange tone (which suited him nonetheless). His features were angular and undeniably, gorgeous in the way how his cheekbones were defined by the melting sunlight of nearing dusk, he reminded her of those marble statues of Greed gods in museums. But of course, Yunho had his own charm and was equally handsome, Ara noted to herself. 

And why did I think of that? She wondered fleetingly.

With an end of Mingi's call. they had arrived at the entrance of Aurora Square. They stepped out the car, with Mingi getting the door for Ara, much to her amusement. He took big breaths, looking up at the peachy sky, hands in his pockets as he tapped anxiously on his foot. 

"You nervous?" Ara asked under her breath. 

"No," Mingi sputtered. 

"Don't lie,"

"...maybe a tad?"

"Ok," and she looped her arm around Mingi's, like how he did back in the car. The latter stared, bewildered. "We can do this, besides, how often is it to get a chance to attend a faerie party in Faerieland?" she said with confidence, with hope that that energy would transcend into Mingi too. It seemed to work, somewhat. "Relax, whatever goes down later, we got each other's backs," and she winked.

Together, they marched hand-in-hand into Aurora Square.

Yunho saw Ara wave cheerfully as she and Mingi approached him, who had been waiting absently at the fountain. 

He noticed their arms were hooked around each other, them in elegant matching red, strutting across the cobblestoned square - almost in prim fashion that numerous onlookers spared them a glance from the cafes, nodding in approval and interest. Something seemed to twist in Yunho's stomach upon seeing that, he wasn't sure how to describe it. He chose not to dwell on it anyway.

"They look rather compatible, don't you think?" Rocco emerged at his left, making Yunho jump in surprise. The elfman had not been there before. He knew he was referring to Ara and Mingi. "Fiercely pretty and strikingly handsome, complementary I suppose."

Yunho said nothing and bit the inside of his cheek, avoiding eye contact.

But Rocco was observant enough, "Ah," he sounded, very much bemused. "I sense a bit of...jealousy perhaps?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Yunho said in defense. 

"Or is it despondency?" he waved his hand airily. "But what would I know, of course about such things. Right on time!" Swiftly, Rocco had acted like the exchange between Yunho never happened and went on to greet Ara and Mingi. "You two look stunning, is that tulle?" he raved over Ara dress. 

"I suppose we're following your lead now?" Ara swatted him away. "I hope his royal faerie highness doesn't mind latecomers?"

"So how do revels like this work anyway?" Mingi asked while he adjusted his collar, Yunho guessed it was an act to calm down his nerves. "Aren't they worried any of the guests might get lost or wander off? Get eaten by some dragon?"

Rocco chortled, "During the revel tonight, they'll serve the guests enchanted food and drinks - so that whatever they do or experience tonight will only be a dream when they wake up at dawn, in the comfort on their homes," they ventured into twisting lanes, away from the magic shoplots and glitzy diners, into a more secluded area of the plac that seemed to be hidden in plain sight. Surrounded by a thicker fog coming from nowhere, there was a stillness in the air Yunho didn't understand. He looked around, there didn't seem to be anyone else there besides them. 

"Hmm, it should be somewhere around here," Rocco remarked, checking the area as he crouched on the grass, feeling the earth with his fingers. 

"What is he doing?" Yunho whispered to Ara, when in fact Mingi couldn't hear him. 

Ara replied with a shrug, or was it a shiver? "Where's Jongho when you need some context on faerie magic?"

"Aha!" suddenly Rocco exclaimed, very much pleased with himself. "This should be right." 

Carefully, he traced the ring of mushrooms that had grown not too far away from them. Ara recognized that from the casual things Jongho had pointed out before. A faerie ring, best avoided according to superstition because it means they were here for something. Now she knew why - to get in and out.

A portal opened with a shimmer of golden light, and all of them stepped through it - letting the world dissolve from behind.