Zazm leaned forward on the table, resting his chin on one hand as he glanced toward Myeong-hwa with that same mischievous glint in his eye. "So… how about sharing the story of your legendary friendship?"
Myeong-hwa blinked. "Legendary?"
Zazm nodded, his tone playful but calculated. "Of course. You two seem like total opposites. It's kind of fascinating. I mean, how does a serious guy like him"—he tilted his head toward Min-Seok—"manage to survive next to someone as chaotic as you for so long?"
Min-Seok's expression twitched, his jaw tightening ever so slightly.
But before he could cut in, Myeong-hwa grinned like she'd just been handed the microphone on karaoke night. "You want that story? Sure. But only because I'm planning on ordering way more stuff—and you are paying, right?"
Zazm raised a brow and chuckled as he pulled out his sleek, black card. With an exaggerated wave, he said, "I'm not some cheap man."
Myeong-hwa clapped her hands once in approval. "That's the spirit! I like you already."
Min-Seok sighed, his eyes narrowing at Zazm. He muttered under his breath, "He's too comfortable."
Jennie, who had been quietly sipping her drink, chuckled into her cup. 'He's not just comfortable,' she thought. 'He's laying out a chessboard.'
Myeong-hwa leaned forward on her elbows, eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, where do I begin? Ah, yes—the legendary tale of how Min-Seok and I became partners in crime!"
Min-Seok looked like he wanted to deny every word before it was even said.
"We were six," she started, dramatically swirling her iced tea. "I had just transferred schools. New girl, full of energy, full of… shits and giggles."
Zazm nodded as though he'd predicted it.
"I may or may not have filled the principal's office with balloons on the first day," she said nonchalantly.
"You absolutely did," Min-Seok muttered.
"And Min-Seok here?" she pointed a thumb at him proudly. "He tried to rat me out!"
"I didn't try, I did!" Min-Seok shot back, glaring at her.
"But," Myeong-hwa continued, ignoring him, "when I was about to get scolded, I faked tears. Full-on, soap opera performance."
Zazm tried to hold in a laugh, while Jennie looked both horrified and amused.
"The principal thought he was bullying me."
Zazm lost it, laughing into his hand.
Min-Seok groaned and leaned back. "It was the worst day of my life."
"But then," Myeong-hwa said with a sweet smile, "he helped me clean up the balloons."
Zazm's laughter softened into a grin. "Aw, so he's always been the knight in shining armor."
"I wasn't helping," Min-Seok snapped. "I was making sure she didn't get away with anything else!"
Myeong-hwa stuck her tongue out. "And yet, we've been inseparable ever since."
Zazm smiled as he leaned back. "Now that," he said, "is truly legendary."
But as he sipped his coffee, his mind wasn't on the story—it was on every expression Min-Seok made. Every slip of irritation. Every protective glance. He was learning.
And as Myeong-hwa called the waiter for round two of snacks, Jennie leaned in just enough to whisper to Zazm.
"Hey why do you keep making small talks?"
Zazm smirked as he subtly pointed at them and told Jennie, "Observe."
Jennie quiet down thinking what he meant by observe.
"Now," Zazm started, "I've already asked alot of questions so isn't that only fair that you a few questions aswell?"
"How old are both of you?" Min-Seok asked.
Zazm caught off guard by the question, answered in the same chill voice, "Me? Well probably somewhere between 1 and 100 and Jennie...." He paused taking a sip of his drink.
"She's somewhere between 1 -1000, I mean you never ask a woman her age do you now." Zazm finished as his smile widened.
Jennie slammed her cup on the table, her face slightly red,"Don't you dare drag me into this...."
Min-Seok raised a brow, "Do you take us for fools?"
Zazm tilted his head in confusion, "Pardon?"
"Do play dumb, we already know you're just toying with us getting what you want while keeping everything about you concealed." Min-Seok finished his voice sharp and pericing.
Zazm's smile dissappered replaced by an expression of surprise as he had just been seen through.
He leaned back on his chair his smile still gone, "I'm 19 and Jennie over here is 20."
"How does two of you have enough money? These aren't all the things some youngsters can afford."
Zazm let out a sigh, "I'm just a rich spoiled kid my parents are rich and I waste their money."
Zazm tilted his head toward Jennie his same mischievous energy returned, pointing at her with both hands like she was a celebrity caught in the wild.
"She's the real deal," he said proudly. "An artist and a magician. She's pretty famous, you know."
Jennie, still slightly ruffled from being aged several centuries earlier, raised a brow at him. "You're throwing my resume at strangers now?"
Myeong-hwa leaned in, eyes sparkling with interest. "Wait, wait—magician? Like card tricks and rabbits in hats?"
Jennie gave a small, sheepish smile. "Sort of. Illusions, performances... visual stuff mostly."
Myeong-hwa gasped dramatically and and clutched Min-Seok's arm. "She's like a real-life stage boss!"
"Illusionist," Jennie corrected gently.
"Stage boss sounds cooler," Myeong-hwa insisted.
Meanwhile, Min-Seok hadn't looked away from Zazm. His arms were crossed, posture rigid. "So that's the story? You're rich, she's talented, and both of you just... wander into schools in foreign countries?"
Zazm clicked his tongue and leaned forward again. "You're a tough one, Min-Seok. But I like that. Really. You're smart. Skeptical. You don't just take people at their word."
Min-Seok's gaze narrowed further. "That's not a compliment, coming from someone like you."
Zazm's grin widened. "I wasn't trying to compliment you. I'm just saying... you're not wrong."
Jennie glanced between the two. The tension between them was growing thicker than the steam from their coffees.
"But you're also not entirely right," Zazm added smoothly, placing his cup down. "If we were a threat, would we be this obvious? Sitting here. Laughing. Drinking overpriced lattes?"
Myeong-hwa, raising her own cup with two hands like a kid at a tea party, nodded. "He does have a point. Villains don't usually pay for snacks."
Zazm smiled at her. "Thank you."
"But," she added, tilting her head, "you are hiding something."
Zazm chuckled at that, wagging a finger. "Everyone's hiding something, Myeong-hwa."
Jennie gave a short laugh, shaking her head. "That's... not helping your case."
Min-Seok leaned forward, fingers tapping the table slowly. "Then let's not dance around it anymore. Why exactly are you two in Seoul?"
Zazm paused. His smile didn't waver—but his eyes sharpened.
Jennie felt it too. The tone had shifted again. No more jokes.
Zazm finally answered, voice calm but laced with something unreadable. "We're looking for something important. Or rather... someone."
Myeong-hwa blinked. "Ooh. That sounds cryptic."
"Everything about him is cryptic," Min-Seok muttered.
Zazm met his gaze head-on now. No grin. Just steady focus.
"And sometimes, the best way to find what you're looking for... is to sit at the same table as it."
Jennie blinked. That was a clue—an intentional one.
Myeong-hwa froze mid-sip. Min-Seok's hand, resting on the table, subtly curled into a fist.
As the last few crumbs of snacks were picked off the table, Myeong-hwa stood up, stretching dramatically.
"Well, this was... weird," she said with a cheeky grin. "I hope we never meet again—except maybe in a more explosive setting."
Min-Seok gave a sharp exhale through his nose and turned to Zazm with a firm glare. "I mean this seriously—I hope we don't cross paths again."
Zazm only smiled, relaxed and amused as ever, raising two fingers in a lazy wave.
He look at them go as his smile turned slightly creepy and his eyes turned dark, he spoke in a low tone his voice barely above a whisper, "We'll meet again, very soon...."
The two childhood friends turned and exited the cafe, the little bell above the door chiming as it shut behind them.
A few moments of silence passed.
Then, the Zazm and Jennie still seated at the table suddenly stood up. Not rushed. Not alert. Calm. As if they had simply finished a normal conversation.
Zazm turned toward the corner booth near the window and gave a quick nod. Jennie mirrored the motion and the two quietly walked inside the boot at the back.
And there, sitting deep in the shadows of the booth, were the real Zazm and Jennie.
Zazm was leaned back with his legs crossed, arms folded, a relaxed expression on his face. The sunlight hit his earring just right, letting it gleam like a flicker of mischief. Jennie sat opposite him, sipping her coffee with that soft, knowing smile.
As the illusions reached them, they shimmered faintly for just a second—then vanished mid-step, fading into thin air like mist in morning light.
Jennie set her cup down and exhaled. "They didn't even notice."
Zazm smirked. "Of course not. You're good."
Jennie tilted her head. "We could've just walked up to them directly."
Zazm shrugged. "Where's the fun in that?"
Jennie shook her head with a smile, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear as her pendant flickered for a moment. "You could've warned me though."
"You caught on. You always do." Zazm glanced at the door where Min-Seok and Myeong-hwa had left. "They're not normal. They're not stupid either. That was our first and last easy conversation."
Jennie's smile faded a little. "What now?"
Zazm laughed quietly, then leaned forward, elbows on the table. "They were already starting to pull away the moment things got uncomfortable. If we pushed more, they would've bolted before we got a proper read."
Jennie swirled her coffee in the cup, her tone thoughtful. "Min-Seok… he was already suspicious the second you smiled. He reminds me of a watchdog, loyal but sharp. And Myeong-hwa—"
Zazm finished her sentence. "—plays dumb, but her eyes don't lie. She was analyzing us the whole time."
"Like she was expecting us to mess up," Jennie added. "She plays the fool so well that most people wouldn't notice the way she watches."
Zazm nodded slowly, proud. "Exactly why I had to test them. See how they respond when cornered, but also… see if they care about each other."
Jennie gave a sideways glance. "And?"
"They passed," Zazm said with a slight grin. "Min-Seok tried to keep her away, even when annoyed. And Myeong-hwa? She made sure he didn't lose his temper."
Jennie leaned back. "So now what? We wait?"
"No." Zazm's expression turned serious. "Now we leave breadcrumbs. Let them think we're gone. But they'll come looking—curiosity's already seeded."
Jennie hummed. "And if they don't?"
Zazm smiled like he'd already accounted for that too. "Then I'll give them a reason to."
---
The evening sun was beginning to dip below the skyline, casting long shadows across the busy streets of Seoul as Myeong-hwa and Min-Seok walked side by side. The sounds of traffic and chatter filled the air, but their focus was elsewhere.
"I'm telling you," Min-Seok muttered, his hands jammed deep into his pockets, "those two are hiding something. No one acts that smooth without a reason. That guy especially—Zazm or whatever—he's too good at making people talk."
Myeong-hwa, bouncing a little on her heels, hummed playfully. "Well, maybe they're just naturally weird? Like tourists with too much money?"
Min-Seok shook his head, his brow furrowed. "No. You saw how he steered the conversation. He's not normal. Neither is that girl, Jennie. They knew exactly what they were doing."
Myeong-hwa was about to reply when she suddenly stopped walking. Before Min-Seok could get another word out, she quickly placed her fingers over his lips.
"Shh," she whispered. "Let me think."
Min-Seok froze on the spot.
His eyes widened a little at the sudden contact. A faint pink color dusted his cheeks as he stiffly stood there, not moving a muscle. His mind, which was full of suspicions a moment ago, went completely blank.
Myeong-hwa tapped her finger against his lips lightly before pulling her hand back, looking up at the sky as if pondering some great mystery. Min-Seok coughed awkwardly, glancing away, trying to regain his composure.
As they continued walking in a more relaxed silence, a memory suddenly floated into Min-Seok's mind — a memory of how it all began.
---
It was a spring festival day. The streets were filled with children running around, cotton candy stands, colorful paper lanterns, and bright music playing from nearby speakers.
A younger Min-Seok, maybe around 8 years old, was sitting stiffly on a bench clutching a balloon. His parents had brought him here to "have fun"—a concept he was not very familiar with. He wasn't the type to run wild like the other kids. He preferred quiet corners, and things that made sense.
And then—
Chaos.
A tiny whirlwind in the shape of a little girl with a lopsided ponytail and a huge mischievous grin crashed right into him.
"Tag! You're it!" she yelled before darting away into the crowd.
Min-Seok just sat there, stunned, staring at the spot where the girl had been.
Before he could react, she zipped back, grabbing his hand.
"Come on! You're supposed to chase me!" she said, laughing brightly.
"I don't play tag," young Min-Seok said stubbornly.
"Then starting today, you do!" she declared with all the authority a 7-year-old could muster.
Against all logic and reason, he found himself being dragged into the throng of children, running, laughing, and—for the first time in what felt like forever—smiling.
That wild, chaotic girl was Myeong-hwa.
They were complete opposites from the start:
Where he was quiet, she was loud.
Where he thought everything through, she acted on impulse.
Where he worried about rules, she made her own.
And yet, they fit together perfectly, like two mismatched puzzle pieces that somehow still completed the picture.
Over time, their bond only grew stronger.
She teased him mercilessly, pulling him out of his shell.
He kept her grounded, pulling her back when she went too far.
Their families, both warm and supportive, would often joke that it was fate that such different kids found each other. Even now, years later, their friendship remained unbreakable, a strange yet beautiful dance of chaos and order.
---
Myeong-hwa finally turned to Min-Seok, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "You know... even if they're suspicious, it could be kinda fun to mess with them a little more, right?"
Min-Seok sighed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Only you would think of that right now."
But despite his words, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
No matter how crazy things got, he knew — if he was with Myeong-hwa, he could handle anything.
And somewhere, lurking not too far behind them, hidden under careful illusions, two figures watched them quietly: Zazm and Jennie, already setting the next phase of their plan into motion.
---
The light poured in faintly from the stained-glass windows, casting shimmering colors across the marble floor. Three thrones sat at the far end of the grand hall — and on them sat Zazm, Jennie, and Jahanox, each draped in their usual presence: Zazm leaning lazily, Jennie sitting properly with her hands folded, and Jahanox silent, sharp, his chin resting on his knuckles.
Jennie tilted her head slightly, breaking the long silence. "Where's Caspian and Kiyomasa?" she asked, her voice soft but curious.
Jahanox didn't move for a moment. Then he shifted, resting his other arm across the throne.
"They're training," he said. "I had some free time, so I sat down here for a bit."
Zazm smirked, tapping his fingers against the armrest.
"Shouldn't you be there training them yourself, wise old man?"
Jahanox snorted quietly through his nose, almost amused.
"They've already grown. I don't need to hold their hands anymore."
He glanced sideways at Zazm, eyes gleaming.
"Unlike someone else."
Zazm scoffed, sitting up straighter.
"Hah. Says the guy who disappeared half the time during my training days."
Jennie covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Before Zazm could launch another retort, Jahanox interrupted, his voice suddenly sharper.
"Speaking of training... you haven't seen our new arena, have you?"
Zazm's eyes lit up instantly.
"You guys made something new?! Where?! Show me!"
He half-rose from his seat in excitement, his body practically buzzing.
Jahanox lifted a hand casually, palm outward.
"Sit down, idiot. I'm not showing you yet."
Zazm fell back into his throne with a loud thump, groaning dramatically.
"Why not?!"
Jahanox smirked faintly. "Because if you see it now, you'll go insane."
Jennie blinked, sitting up straighter.
"Go insane?" she repeated. "What do you mean by that?"
Jahanox leaned back lazily. "You'll understand when you see it," he said, voice cool and unreadable. "But not now."
Zazm crossed his arms, pouting slightly.
"Tch. You're no fun."
The air settled into a comfortable silence for a beat. Then Jahanox's tone shifted, growing a bit more serious.
"So?" he asked, glancing at Zazm. "How's the plan with the new Catalysts going?"
Zazm tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling for a second before answering.
"Everything's in motion. I'll make my move in a few days."
Jahanox nodded in approval, then turned his attention toward Jennie. His sharp eyes studied her, almost calculating.
He pointed at her casually.
"And would you mind... leaving her behind?" he said, addressing Zazm.
Zazm narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Leave her behind? For what?"
Jennie raised an eyebrow too, feeling the tension shift slightly.
Jahanox shrugged lightly. "I want to test something."
Jennie leaned forward a little, voice calm but curious. "What exactly?"
Jahanox's lips curved slightly into a mysterious smile.
"I'll have to see first."
The three of them sat in a suspended moment — Jennie waiting, Jahanox watching, Zazm thinking.
Then finally Zazm spoke, a little reluctant. "Is it important right now?" he asked flatly.
Jahanox's answer came instantly. "Yes."
Zazm let out a long, exaggerated sigh, running a hand through his dark hair.
"Fine, fine," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "You can take her. I'll manage."
Jennie shot him a sideways glance. "What's gonna happen?" she said mockingly.
Zazm smirked lazily. "You'll be fine. Probably."
Jahanox gave a slight nod of thanks toward Zazm, then turned to Jennie.
"Come with me," he said.
Jennie got up from her throne, her pendant shimmering slightly as she moved.
She glanced once more at Zazm, who gave her a playful salute before vanishing — his body dissolving into shimmering threads of light.
Jennie gave a small huff of amusement and followed Jahanox into the shadows of the towering hall.
The giant doors closed with a soft, final thud, leaving behind nothing but silence... and the feeling that things were about to shift.
The deeper they walked, the thicker the darkness around them grew. The once grand stone hallways slowly melted into walls of swirling shadow — it was hard to tell where the floor ended and the ceiling began.
Jennie followed closely behind Jahanox, clutching her glowing pendant lightly.
She frowned slightly and asked, "Where are we going?"
Jahanox didn't answer immediately. He kept walking a few more steps into the shadows — until suddenly, he stopped and turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
"I've been thinking," he said quietly.
Jennie tilted her head, curious. "Thinking about what?"
Jahanox crossed his arms, his voice low and steady.
"All of the Catalysts… they have extraordinary powers. Powers that aren't always what they seem at first."
He paused before continuing, "Some powers… can only be truly discovered by Catalysts themselves."
Jennie nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, Zazm told me something similar," she said, recalling his words.
"He said I'd have to find my own limits. But he also said my powers are pretty simple. Illusion and Invisibility isn't exactly hard to understand, you know?"
Jahanox shook his head slowly. "That's where you're wrong."
Jennie blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"
Jahanox's eyes narrowed slightly, calculating.
"I've been training Caspian and Kiyomasa for a while now," he said.
And I trained alongside Zazm when we were in highschool. I've seen enough to know… powers evolve. Sometimes, they evolve wildly beyond what you first expect."
Jennie leaned in slightly, genuinely intrigued.
"So… what more could my invisibility even do?"
Jahanox put his hand thoughtfully under his chin, tapping a finger. "There are a few possibilities," he said.
"But the most likely one is... you might be able to phase through things while you're invisible."
Jennie's eyes widened in complete shock.
"Wait—what?! Phase through things?! Like—through walls?!"
Jahanox nodded. "Yes. It's not a completely different power. It would be a derived form of your invisibility."
Jennie shook her head, still stunned. "But wouldn't Zazm have noticed something like that already?"
Jahanox smiled slightly.
"Maybe. But remember — when you go invisible now, you can still touch things, pick them up, move them, right?"
Jennie nodded, following carefully.
"That means your body remains physically intact. You only become invisible to the eye — your atoms, your matter, still exist in normal space," Jahanox explained.
Jennie frowned. "So what would happen if...?"
Jahanox continued, voice steady and sure.
"In theory, if you could make your atoms phase along with your invisibility... you could pass through solid objects. Because your physical form would temporarily cease to interact with matter."
Jennie's mouth dropped open in amazement.
"That's... that's genius!" she said, eyes sparkling. "That could actually work!"
Jahanox gave a small, approving nod. "There's only one way to find out."
"What do I do?"
Without a word, Jahanox raised his hand. A thick wall of pure dark energy materialized before them, swirling like smoke made solid.
"Try to go invisible first," Jahanox instructed calmly.
"Then focus on your atoms. Imagine them becoming so light, so nonexistent, that you simply pass through."
Jennie nodded seriously. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly.
She tried once — nothing.
Twice — she bumped against the dark wall.
Third time—
Suddenly, with a whoosh, her body flickered — and she collapsed downward through the ground with a shriek.
"Jennie!" Jahanox barked, lunging forward instinctively.
He barely missed grabbing her hand as she vanished through the solid stone like it was water.
He cursed under his breath realizing his mistake, "Fuck FUCKK I WAS TOO CARELESS...."
He said quickly looking around trying to think what to do, if she can't interact with matter ofcourse she can't stand on the ground too and...
His brain quickly drifted off to that if she goes unconscious from the fear of falling the invisiblitly would go off and she'll suffocate and die.
She was falling — and fast.
Panic flashed across Jahanox's usually calm face.
He knew: if she kept falling, if she phased back inside solid ground, she could suffocate before he ever found her again.
There was no time to think.
Jahanox clenched his jaw tightly and immediately summoned the shadows around him — dark tendrils from the Shadow Realm burst out, wrapping around his body like armor.
Without hesitation, he dove into the darkness after her.
The fall was terrifying — endless and pitch black — but he forced himself deeper, pushing the shadows harder, chasing after her blurred figure.
Below, he caught sight of her — Jennie, still screaming, tumbling downward.
"Hold on!" Jahanox growled through gritted teeth.
He poured everything he had into speed, the shadows around him writhing violently.
Just as Jennie's figure began to flicker — her invisibility starting to wear off — Jahanox reached her.
With one powerful lunge, he grabbed her arm.
Jennie clung to him instinctively, sobbing slightly from fear.
Jahanox didn't stop — he immediately twisted the shadows upward, fighting against the crushing weight of the ground around them.
It felt like dragging themselves through quicksand, but little by little, he pulled them both back toward the surface.
With a final roar of effort, they broke free — stumbling onto solid ground, the last wisps of shadow melting away around them.
Jahanox collapsed onto his back, chest heaving from exhaustion.
Jennie landed beside him, gasping for air.
Her eyes, wide with disbelief, turned toward him.
He looked so different in that moment.
The tired rise and fall of his chest.
The messy way his hair fell over his forehead.
The way the faint marks of shadows still clung to his clothes.
He had saved her — no hesitation, no second thought.
He risked everything. Jennie's heart skipped a beat.
And just like that...
She fell.
She fell in love with him — right there, lying on the cold stone floor, his arm stretched protectively toward her even while he was half-conscious.
Jennie quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks burn.
'No, no, no,' she thought frantically. 'Don't let him see. Don't let him know.'
Jahanox, true to form, didn't notice a thing.
He just exhaled tiredly and muttered,
"We were both seconds away from becoming fossils."
Jennie giggled softly behind her hand, still red-faced, pretending it was from relief.
She clutched her pendant tightly, secretly stealing another glance at him.
In her heart, she knew — things had changed forever.
_____________________________