Your sad story that can’t come true

The closer you go, the more you’ll hurt

 

    There are things that regular people take for granted. Take for example those little black fluffy creatures living in the crevices of old abandoned houses. Or the bus that only comes around at midnight to help stranded passengers. They do exist but people of today are too modern to notice.

    Yi Xing's current companion is somehow one of those, forgotten by society so they almost have limited means to live by. But they're the only one who can help with his current dilemma.

     His map has been faulty ever since the changing ceremony, he hasn't the slightest idea what's wrong with it. An old mapmaker has told him to seek the help of these creatures who knows things about magical maps and would be glad to fix his for a hefty amount.

    He has a collection of antique road maps that he doesn't have any use of and the old mapmaker told him it would be good enough compensation for the job. And so here he is with a two-headed gnome tinkering on his map and tsk-ing at all the wrong things humans have done to the world.

    He watches as they pull tools from their bags, fascinated by how a small bag can carry huge things. He hasn't been acquainted with them for a long time. But he recalls seeing them a few times when he was a child. His father, a collector of odd things usually calls for them when some of his collections look off.

    Yi Xing doesn't remember much about his father only that the entire Lu Household seems to be frightened and to detest him at the same time.

    "The detector is going haywire, we believe someone's manipulating it from the outside..."

     "Outside?"

     "You didn't think you were the only one who owns a map like this, do you? Magical things are always done in pairs. One is a sacrifice to the gods. Yours is a god-owned map..."

    Yi Xing is more than surprised by what the gnome said. He has only discovered how it worked when his cousin started his journey. This discovery is overwhelming.

    "As is all the other magical things that you have in this house..." The gnome continued, looking around the house greedily.

    "I wonder how you've acquired them..." The look on the gnome's twin faces brings forth Yi Xing's protective instincts. These things are the only proof he has that

his father existed. He'll fight anyone who's greedy enough to take them away from him.

    "I don't believe that's any of your business. I'm paying enough for repairs, I prefer you stick to that..." Yi Xing commanded. He has always had a mild temper but every now and then when the situation calls for it, he'd display a certain air of authority. A trait he most likely acquired from his father, his grandfather told him.

    The gnome clears his throat. "Would you happen to know who owns the other map... We're pretty sure someone, human, is tampering it. We can make repairs to repel whatever it is that they're doing. This is temporary though, it can only last for

three human hours. We can't do anything unless you find out who's sabotaging you..."

    "Sabotage?"

    "Is it too ghastly to believe, human? An acquaintance trying to pretend whoever it is making the journey to succeed? Your kind has been doing that for years. We're not sure how someone like you ever managed to survive... Liminal being that you Are..." The last few words were mumbled. The left head sneering at nothing in particular, it's always been the right head that has done the talking.

    "What did you say about me?"

    "It's not something you can pay for. Our job is done, we don't want to make your acquaintance again..."

    The gnomes disappeared leaving a very bad odor Yi Xing knows he'll have to live with for a few days not unless he hires a spiritual cleaning lady. He would've immediately done so if only not for the traumatizing experience he had with one before.

    He cringes at the thought.

    The dots have appeared on the map again, they're making good progress. Yi Xing guesses they'd arrive at their destination before the map fails to function again. He knows of only one place that could have the other map. Lu Han and he share most things. If his guess is right, he's dreading what else he would find out when he returns to the main house.

~0~

    It's been a few days since Min Seok promised to help Lu Han, about the same time that he has reprimanded himself questioning his sanity. He doesn't know anything about this Lu Han person only that he's Yi Xing's cousin and he's oddly promised to marry him. He doesn't have any qualms about it finding out in senior high school that he was never interested in the girls in his class but would be willing to do things for the male instructor who leads the boy's dance club.

    What he's more worried about is the implication that his help would follow. His betrothed is an attractive fellow; he's not going to deny that. It's just unfortunate that he doesn't get swayed by good looks alone.

    The situation looks desperate and as much as he wants to lead a quiet life, he knows that his life has been a tangled mess ever since he picked up that hong bao.

    So he decided if he's going to want to win this, whatever it is, he wouldn't want to go in blind. He'll ask for help from someone who he thinks is extremely familiar with the Lu's.

    His aunt probably knows more about this than he gives her credit. He has to know what was inside the package that she has sent him for the tea ceremony. The reaction that he saw from the Lady of the Lu Household makes him curious.

    The only other problem he has is how to bring the subject up. His aunt seems to be quite intent in keeping everything from him. He’ll try, answers are needed for him to be able to start.

    If not, Wednesday is a good day to visit. He’s sure he’ll be able to get answers directly from the source.