“What?” Jiaheng looked up at him. Jong In leaned on the table, coming face to face with him.

“I need to talk to you,” he said more deliberately. He looked over at Luhan. “Without your little friend.” Luhan smiled and put his hand up.

“That’s okay! I’ll just be over there,” he pointed to the bakery counter. “I’ll get us some sweets for later,” he got up out of the chair, and made his way over to the confection counter. Jong In then took his seat across from him.

He seemed a bit thinner than the last time he saw him. His jawline was well defined, he had piercing eyes. Jiaheng’s lips tingled from the memory of his kiss. He looked down at his coffee.

“You may not know this, but I was put in charge of Zitao’s will.” Jiaheng’s eyes grew wide. Will? He had totally forgotten. Zitao had been a millionaire. He was living in his mansion, after all.

“I didn’t.” he said. Jong In put his tongue in his cheek.

“I haven’t opened it yet. I’d like you to be there with me.” He said. Jiaheng raised an eyebrow.

“Why?” he asked. Jong In looked down, and back up.

“I want you to see it for yourself.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t want you to just take my word on it.” Jiaheng nodded.

“When?” he asked. Jong In took out a planner from his pocket and flipped through the pages.

“Tomorrow at three.” He said, looking back up at him. He nodded.

“Fine then. Come by the house.” Jong In’s face became puzzled.

“The house?” he asked. Jiaheng nodded.

“Yes, the house. You know where it is, don’t you?” he asked. Jong In nodded.

“Of course, everyone does.” Jiaheng nodded.

“At three then.”

*****

Jiaheng laughed as he ran down the hallway. His shirt wet from the water gun, he slid down the hall and ran down the stairs, almost tripping. He came out from a corner and sprayed him straight in the face.

“Ack!” Jiaheng sputtered and tried to shield his face. He pulled out his own gun and sprayed him in the face.

“Uuumph!” he was tacked and brought to the ground in a barrage of kisses.

“Stop!” Jiaheng squealed, playfully shoving at him.

“Jiaheng,” he looked back up into his loving eyes.

“Zitao,” tears stung at his eyes as he awoke. The dream had been so real. He rubbed his head, looking over at his alarm clock. It was noon. He ran out of bed, falling over his shoes in his rush to the calendar.

‘,’ he thought. He had the meeting with Jong In today. He went over to the closet and picked out some slacks and a dress shirt. He had never been to a reading of a will. He was quite nervous.

He jolted as a knock came to his door, and Luhan peeped his head in. “Hey!” he said, coming in.

“Hi.” Jiaheng adjusted his shirt. “What do you think it will say in there?” he asked. “In the will?” Luhan cocked his head.

“About money?” he asked. Jiaheng shook his head.

“No, about the house. This is my home. I got rid of my old apartment. Where will I go?” he asked. Luhan sighed.

“We’ll just have to see when Mr. Kim gets here.” Luhan said, sitting next to him on the bed.

“This is the house where Zitao and I made a home, I don’t know if I could just leave. And where would I go?” he asked. “And what about you?” Luhan shrugged.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Jiaheng nodded.

*****

Come three o’clock on the dot, Jong In was let into the house and led into the study by Luhan. He was seated across from Jiaheng. They sat there for a few minutes in silence.

“So,” Jiaheng started, twiddling his thumbs.

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” asked Jong In, taking out his briefcase and setting it on the desk. Jiaheng silently nodded as he unlocked the case and withdrew some papers from it.  

He put on a pair of dark framed glasses, and began to read:

‘To whom it may concern, which I doubt is anyone,’ he began. Jiaheng lifted his hand to his face to stifle a giggle. He continued:

‘This is the last will and testament of Huang Zitao. As you may know, I have a vast amount of wealth. Too bad for you, I’m not going to share a dime. The charities and organizations that have been hounding me can forget about it, they won’t see a single penny.

As for my estate, it shall be left as is. I have someone taking care of it, so don’t it up. That means you, Li Jiaheng.’ He looked over at him. Jiaheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. His emotions were split, and it showed on his face. He looked quite constipated, to be honest. Jong In cleared his throat.

‘There is a note somewhere in this house, several actually, and I want you to find them.’ Jong In’s face contorted into confusion. ‘There are several things I couldn’t tell you in life, but you deserve to know them. While I was still kicking, I hid them around the house. You’re good at cleaning, perhaps you’ll find them.’ Jiaheng’s mouth hung open. A scavenger hunt? From beyond the grave? Was Zitao kidding him right now?

‘Each piece you find will bring you closer to the truth I was too cowardly to tell you in life, as well as the deed to the house, and the password to the bank account. Life is never easy, and we must work hard for what we have. Also, this way, my pet, they can never say that you didn’t work for what you have.

You have a month to find everything, before the house is demolished, and my assets liquidated and handed over to the state.’ Jong In looked up.

“One month?" He asked. Jong In nodded. “How easy does, did he think this was going to be for me?” he asked. Jong In shrugged and put the paper back in his briefcase. As he got up to leave, Jiaheng shot up from the desk and grabbed his arm.

“Wait!” he cried. Jong In turned to him.

“Where would I even start?” he asked. “I don’t know where to look, I didn’t even know he made this, what do I do?” he asked. Jong In shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s not my fortune to be found, why should I help?” he asked coldly, and left. Jiaheng sighed. So damn difficult. Just like Zitao.

How was he to hunt for a dead man’s notes?  And what could he have been hiding? He turned and ran to get Luhan.

END OF PART 4