Chapter 15: The Snail bride’s Restaurant

Moo-young

It took six weeks for me to feel comfortable allowing Rose to leave the apartment. Shin-ju and I had kept a close eye on her and Yun to make sure there weren’t any negative side effects of their bond. I had planned a visit to the snail bride’s restaurant as a reward for Rose not complaining about being apartment bound.

After talking to Dr. Kim, her rehabilitation doctor, it was safe for Rose to use her mobility aid. The wheelchair would be in the car in case she needed it as a precaution. Four days later we met outside the snail bride’s restaurant and Rose was out of breath, but proud of how far she had walked.

We walked into the restaurant and the Snail Bride had a look of recognition when she saw Rose, Hong-ju and myself. She caught herself before leading the way to our private room. I stayed with Rose so Yeon, Ji-ah, Hong-ju and Yun could go ahead.

The only obstacle we faced was the step into the room, this was overcome with Hong-ju and I working together. It was no longer awkward between us, although I did wonder how long it would be before it was brought up. I pushed this thought aside to focus on being present with everyone in the room.

Our drinks arrived while we were waiting for the food, I heard a small giggle from the other end of the table, so I glanced to see Rose and Yun sharing a cute moment. A soft laugh escaped my lips, which caught the attention of Yeon with him raising one of his eyebrows. “Rose has become healthier compared to when I first saw her.”

It wasn’t long before the door opened allowing Bok Hye Ja to place our food on the table. She lingered on Hong-ju and Rose’s faces longer than everyone else letting me know her memories from 1938/39 were clear. It had been 73 years since she had last seen Hong-ju and it was touching to see them reconnect.

Bok Hye Ja had pulled all the stops with our food and drink. From the corner of my eye I saw Rose’s head began to droop and learn forward more than normal. I was able to catch her before she fell and hurt herself. This was the signal to end the meal because it would be more comfortable for her to sleep in her own bed.

Yeon returned with her wheelchair, so we made sure to not wake her up while putting her into it. On the way out I noticed a head of teal hair looking in our direction, I made a mental note to remember as I was focusing on my sister. Yeon went to pay but Hong-ju had beaten him to it, “this is my way of thanking rose for bringing me back to Korea.”

Poppy

Half an hour had passed since I had placed the markers on the target, when the Boss called me down to her underground office. My anxiety always acted up every time I was called upon by the Boss, so a few deep breaths were required before knocking on her door.

A cultivated Australian accent called out “Come in”, she was sitting at her desk reviewing paperwork. I was directed to sit down and she asked “how did it go?” “none of their group noticed me placing the curse markers, which is a good sign although I was surprised Cheon Moo-young didn’t notice anything amiss.”

Her face gave nothing away of what she was thinking, “it makes sense with the intel gathered on” she paused before saying “Lady Roseia.” The boss looked like she had a sour taste in her mouth.

“We knew her health was poor since her attack six months ago, so the way all the group members focused on her, instead of their surroundings is an advantage for your plan.” Hearing this brought a dark smile to her face “good point Captain Poppy, the next stage can begin. On your way out please let Big Tuna know I want to see him.”

Sofia

The pleasure from the slow torture my sworn enemy would be receiving in the foreseeable future made me cackle like a witch. My current grudge had been held for 50 years, which was nothing for a Sagittarius. A loud and heavy knock sounded against my office door, “come in.” There was a reason why I normally don’t oversee the soldiers as they are rough and lack decorum. Big Tuna was the exception due to his power of projection, it’s the key to stage two of my plan.

None of the soldiers or associates were allowed to sit in my presence and he wasn’t exempt from this rule. “How do you walk anywhere without anyone hearing your footsteps?” He opened his mouth to answer but I raised my hand to stop him. “It was a rhetorical question.” He was rough around the edges but he knew how to follow the rules.

“Stage one has been completed so it’s time for you to fulfil your role, while the upper family members and I go on ahead.” A slight nod of his head showed he understood my instructions, so I raised my left hand to dismiss him. A notification from my phone from a secure group chat asking for clarification on recent news and I replied operation 1923 is a go. Pulling out my enchanted mirror from the desk drawer, I resumed my surveillance.

Previous
Chapter 14: Synced up

Next
Chapter 16: The Folk Village