End of Spring, 2012.

“I’m baaaccckkk!!!”

Eunhye delightfully walked inside the house along with Ingook. She was just sent by Dongwon to find out about an Irish art collector who had a company here, in Seoul.

“Oh, hai Uee… What are you doing?” She saw Uee sat on the couch in the living room.

Uee turned her head and stared at Eunhye for a few seconds without saying anything.

“O~kay then… Forget that I ask. I can see what you are doing, you don’t need to tell me.” Eunhye slumped to the couch in front of Uee while she raised her eyebrows to Ingook.

“Oi… Yesterday was your birthday, huh? Happy Birthday then.” Ingook tried to make a conversation with her and confidently sat beside Uee who was still rubbing her bow with silk cloth.

“Mind your own business.” She hissed and abruptly stood up, leaving both of them alone.

“Geez, I can never understand that girl’s personality.”

Eunhye couldn’t agree more with her brother. It had been 4 years since they all gathered in this house. All of them here received a letter from the one who was being called as Prof. Lee Jungha. Eunhye admitted that she didn’t even remember having an acquaintance named as such. She tried searching the Internet but this guy seemed to be very mysterious or maybe very shy because there was not even a single picture she could find. She thought that perhaps he was one of her client of past work. But then again, she had so many clients from her past work she might’ve had forget one or more. The letter sounded really promising, so she and Ingook decided to accept the offer mentioned in the letter to stay at the house. Besides, she was also tired of living the life like she was before. Perhaps, it was for the better, Eunhye thought.

Most of people in the house were actually quite decent. She first met with Seungwon and Dongwon, whom she thought to be the owner. Her first impression of them was decent, what with their polite greetings and such. The others, not so much. Uee couldn’t be seen most of that time, Hoya was too hyperactive, Simon was such a nerd, and Key…

Even the name of the boy could make Eunhye’s blood boiled. She really hated, no, loathed the boy. That bragging about being a magnificent fashion designer and stylist and also his wishy-washy attitude about almost everything made Eunhye had to suppressed her anger whenever she was in the house. At least Uee didn’t even try to bother her. But Key… He seemed like stalking Eunhye 24/7 just to find a way to make her suffered.

“Nuna.”

Eunhye snapped back to reality when Ingook called her. He swirled a name card with his right hand.

“Yes?”

“Are you sure you can handle the situation?”

“Relax, Ingook. You’re going with me, right?”

“Where do you guys want to go?”

Both Eunhye and Ingook turned their heads to the bottom stairs. Dongwon approached them from the stairs and sat himself down beside Ingook.

“I’ve managed to get to the inside of the Irish Company you told me yesterday. And after a few convo with the Director’s secretary, it seems the person you were looking for is in Ireland.”

Dongwon crooked a smile.

“Just as I thought.” He said. He then took out his notebook and started writing something.

“The Director, Mr. Dubhglas Anderson, have you met him before?”

“I visited his company in Seoul a few times, but he is always not in his office. He seems busy handling a project with the Ministry of CST here. The secretary said that there would be an art exhibition in order to introduce arts in a whole new perspective. I heard that the Ministry of CST had called him and other collectors to create the event. What I’m sure of is that he is one hell of an art collector. It is said that he had a gallery just to put all of his collection.”

“He’s a freak alright.” Ingook mumbled.

“Did you manage to arrange an appointment with this guy?”

Eunhye sighed and slumped her shoulder to the couch.

“None. The secretary is a one hell of a woman. She was asking too many questions to me but I managed to dodge it. You said that my job was only to find info about his whereabouts, right? So, I practically had no reason when I asked to his secretary. I was going to drag Ingook to charm the secretary to find Doubhglas’s exact location.”

Dongwon nodded and seemed to think about something.

“What exactly does our client wants anyway?” Asked Ingook to Dongwon. But Dongwon continued writing something and only smiled.

“Dubhglas… do you know the meaning of that name is dark water?”

“Huh?”

Dongwon suddenly stood up and pointed Ingook with his small notebook.

“Keep arranging that meeting with him. And if the secretary asks, tell her you are interested in The Maltese Falcon.”

“The Maltese Falcon? What is that?” Asked Eunhye cluelessly.

“The statue? Our client wants that statue?” It was Ingook who spoke.

“For now, just say that to the secretary. Ah, here is your fake business card. From now on, use this to get closer to the person.”

“Okay then, but I need you to tell me everything after I arrange a meeting with him.”

Dongwon raised his thumb to Ingook before he went to his office upstairs.

“So we’re going to steal a statue, huh?” Ingook scoffed.

“You know about this… Maltese Falcon?”

Ingook shrugged.

“Just a bit. It is a statuette of a bird and it was featured in a 1941 classic detective movie in America. It is said that the owner of this statue until now remains unidentified. Well, at least ordinary people don’t have a clue about it.”

“So, the owner of the statue is this Dubhglas, huh? What is it about this statue anyway?” Asked Eunhye while searching something about the statue through her smart