Announcement: So, apparently, I've been making a major mistake throughout the story. A german AFF user, Navi_7769 has very kindly informed me that "The Fairytale Club" is not supposed to be translated into "Das Märchen Club", but rather, it shall be translated into "Der Märchenclub." I apologize for the confusion, I only relied on google translate that time when I was deciding the title, haha.  Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do with the poster and trailer (takes too much time to fix them), but at least, I've changed all "Das Märchen Club" words in this story.  Again, thank you and sorry for the confusion.

Chapter 29

[Monster]

“Kwon Yuri and Lee Sunny are missing.”

Kibum’s words were as straight-forward as ever. Jessica digested the information as she drew a long breath in. Unfortunate incidents had almost been a routine for her lately, but that didn’t mean the news did not surprise her. She masked her building anxiety with as much poise as she could muster. Pursuing her lips together, she then asked back, “Since when?”

“This morning. Last night. Don’t know the exact time. But the Kwon and Lee House are in rampage at the moment. Lee Hyukjae, especially.”

Jessica sighed. As if Yoona’s disappearance was not worrisome enough. She shuddered at the thought that her turn to be missing might have been inching closer. It was not a pleasant deliberation, so she pushed it to the back of her mind and spoke of something else. “How could it happen? Sunny’s family has always been the most protective one. Sunny herself is always surrounded by bodyguards. How?”

Kibum shrugged. He slowly sipped his black coffee. These past few mornings, he began his day with Jessica in that coffee shop before they continued their search on Im Yoona. Kibum slowly put his cup back and stared at Jessica’s inquiring eyes for a brief moment before the words rolled out of his mouth again, “That puzzles me too. Sunny is a cautious woman. She doesn’t let her guards off that easily.”

“That means…whoever the killer is… he or she is a very capable one. I don’t understand. Do they possess magic or anything?”

Kibum chuckled. “Look at yourself. Talking about magic.”

“I’m desperate lately,” Jessica said with a sigh. “Nothing makes sense anymore.”

“Yeah,” Kibum agreed. “Nothing ever does lately.”

“What is this? I found it in your bag.”

Donghae had just come back from the restaurant’s rest room, only to find a demanding Heechul, holding a piece of paper on his hand. Heechul’s eyes were red due to the lack of sleep, but it was not the only obvious thing Donghae could see from his eyes. There were also a suppressed anger and disappointment on Heechul’s dark eyes and Donghae could understand the reason behind it.

But as understanding as he was, Donghae tried to avoid the real problem. “You’re running through my things?”

“I just feel that you’ve been acting weird since this morning. You even told me to just call our search off today. That was so not you. I figured you must have been hiding things from me, and I was right.”

Donghae exhaled a sigh and extended his hand as a silent demand for Heechul to return the paper. Though grunting, Heechul returned the crumpled paper back to its owner.

“You must have read what’s written on it, mustn’t you? Then you should understand why I need to do this. Alone,” insisted Donghae.

Heechul grunted. “When did you receive it?”

Donghae glanced at the paper he now had on his hands. It was a paper, previously sent in an envelope to his address that morning. It was a message from whoever had kidnapped Yoona. The message –like Yoona’s other threat letters – was formed through letters cut from various magazines and newspaper. It only carried a short message, but it was the only clue he might have to find Yoona:

If you want to have Yoona back, come to the Presidential Suite of the Westin Chosun Hotel.

10 pm.

Come alone, or the consequence will be severe.

Agitation filled his sense again and it was not until Heechul softly tapped on his shoulder that Donghae realized he still owed Heechul the answer.

“This morning,” Donghae answered curtly, hoping that Heechul would not bombard him with more questions. What he wished for did not come true though.

“Why was it sent to you?”

“I don’t know, Hyung. I don’t know. Perhaps this kidnapper wants something from me. And he’s using Yoona to get his aim. I don’t know. But whatever the reason is, it’s between me and that man,” Donghae stated firmly.

Heechul’s eyes narrowed down. He debated with himself for a moment, only to come up seconds later with a rhetorical question, “You’re not…thinking of going there alone, are you?”

Donghae let out another sigh come. “It’s what he wants. What can I do about it?”

Drumming his fingers on the table of the restaurant, Heechul allowed Donghae’s unanswered question to create time for him to think. Heechul knew that it was Yoona’s life at stake and that one wrong movement could lead to fatal conclusion. In the end, it was the kidnapper who had the upper hand, and complying with him might have been the wisest idea. But on the other hand, he did not even want to imagine what would happen to both Yoona and Donghae if the matter was handled the way the kidnapper wanted it. It was a situation out of his control, he knew.

“We should…tell the police about it,” Heechul said, though with much hesitance.

Donghae looked back at him as if Heechul was out of his mind. Shaking his head, the younger man replied, “We can’t. You know we can’t.”

“We’ll tell the police to move secretly,” Heechul argued, slightly more sure about his own plan then. “They must have handled this kind of case a lot of time. They will know what to do.”

“I’m not taking the risk, Hyung.”

“The risk is not only yours to bear, Hae. I’m thinking not only of Yoona’s safety, but yours too.”

The first time that Donghae knew Heechul was through Yoona. Even since their first meeting, Heechul had proven himself to be quite the eccentric man. Rumors were also proven to be true –that the oldest heir of the Kim empires was the temperamental, unapproachable, man. But those rumors, in Donghae’s opinion, did not do complete justice to Heechul. Kim Heechul, beneath all those labels, was truly one of the most misunderstood people Donghae had ever met.

Heechul was never the type to sugarcoat things; he was always the blunt type. And despite the sharpness of his words, he always meant good.

Donghae trusted Heechul very much.

Never once Donghae doubted that Heechul cared about him as much as he cared about Yoona. Heechul was important to Donghae. And if Heechul wanted to protect him, Donghae had the exact reciprocal feeling.

“I won’t let you get into danger, Hyung.”

Snorting in disbelief, Heechul retorted back, “As if I will allow you to go through the danger alone.”

“Hyung –“

“I’m not a kid, Hae. We’re both grown-up men and we know the consequence of our actions.”

“You certainly don’t,” challenged Donghae. “Calling the police there won’t –“

“Fine,” Heechul cut Donghae’s speech before it was finished. “No police. But I’m not letting you go there alone, and that’s final.”

“Hyung, please –“

“We’ll be fine,” assured Heechul as he patted Donghae on the shoulder. “Besides, I think you’ll need extra hand to beat up whoever dared to kidnap Yoona.”

Defeated, Donghae had no other choice but to mutter, “Alright, Hyung.”

“Seriously, where are those two guys?”

Kibum watched with mild interest at Jessica’s impatience as she ended the unanswered call. In an unspoken agreement to find Im Yoona, Kibum was always paired with Jessica and they basically covered the day shift, while Donghae and Heechul covered the night shift. Kibum could bet on his fortune though that Heechul and Donghae did not care whether it was day or night shift when it came to searching for Yoona.

The four of them –Jessica, Kibum, Heechul, and Donghae– had agreed to gather at dusk to share whatever information they might have on Yoona. It was already dark outside the café and the other two guys were supposed to be there already. But Jessica and Kibum had waited for almost an hour from the agreed time and it didn’t seem like the other two would show up anytime soon.