Surprise!

Inside the car, Kang Jinha stared outside the window in a daze, emptying his mind in an attempt to reduce the gnawing sense of discomfort. 

It all ended up for naught, however, when the family chauffeur began to engage him in a conversation, "Kang Jinha-ssi, do you have somewhere else to go right now? The thing is, Director Kwon has instructed me to bring you back to the villa he has just purchased this morning. He said that you will be living there while your grandmother is still being hospitalized. Don't worry, all of your stuff has been moved to the new place. If you still lack something, feel free to tell me and I will get them for you…" the more he spoke, the more embarrassed he became, especially when Kang Jinha remained silent with nary a fluctuation on his face. 

After thinking for a few moments, the driver decided to add a few more words, his tone cautious, 

"Please don't misunderstand, Kang Jinha-ssi. Director Kwon doesn't really look like it, but he's actually a very kind and attentive person. He's worried about you living alone, so he arranged for you to live in his villa. He also doesn't want you to tire yourself, so he instructed me to move your belongings beforehand. If he offends you with this sudden arrangement, let me apologize on his behalf."

Kang Jinha nearly wanted to laugh at the other person's careful demeanor, but he simply could not raise the corners of his lips.

Would he misunderstand Kwon Minhyuk's action? Of course not. 

He knew very well what kind of person his cousin was. He belonged to the 'talk less do more' type. Moreover, perhaps due to the nature of his work, he was used to giving out orders and expecting others to execute them, thus to people who were not familiar with him, his actions might come off as forceful and self-centered, leaving no room for resistance. 

Kang Jinha recalled a similar instance happening in the previous lifetime. It occurred soon after his grandmother's funeral, also the period when he was the most sensitive and unstable.

Kwon Minhyuk had also arranged for him to move into a new place without any prior notice, and as expected, he exploded like a bristling cat with its fur all puffed up. 

That very same night, Kang Jinha stormed into the villa and broke into a huge argument with his cousin before dragging all his suitcases out without looking back. He detested these people who barged into his life and turned it upside down. He truly wished they could just leave him alone!

Alas, facts had proven that letting him return to the old house, the place where his grandma had died all alone, was not beneficial for his mental health. It took him less than five days to break down, both physically and psychologically, and when he came to later, he found himself in the hospital with a very gloomy Kwon Minhyuk beside him, threatening in a low and somber tone,

"If you still insist on not moving out, I will sell that house and raze it to the ground."

"You dare…!" Kang Jinha gritted out, so furious that his entire body was shaking uncontrollably. 

Alas, he never stood a chance against the other man to begin with, thus he had no choice but move into the villa as soon as he was discharged.

This episode became the first step for their strained relationship, which continued to get worse and worse with each passing year. 

As the memories played out inside his mind, a self-deprecating and mocking look flashed in his beautiful blue eyes. 

At the same moment, the beautiful glow of the sunset slanted into the car, yet for some inexplicable reason, the spot Kang Jinha was sitting remained dark as if his entire person was forever shrouded in the shadows. 

The grim aura surrounding him gave the family chauffeur's heart a jolt, and he couldn't help but call out, "Kang Jinha-ssi…?"

Snapping out of his reverie, Kang Jinha shook his head to pull back his wandering mind. "I'm sorry… Ahjussi, I was lost in thought for a moment. Sure, I have no problem with this arrangement," he remarked as he met the driver's eyes through the front view mirror, trying his best to convey his sincerity. "Thank you so much for helping me move my belongings. I have no plans after this, so let's go back."

Kang Jinha-ssi was truly different from any youngsters he had met before, the driver found himself thinking as he gazed into those serene blue eyes. 

His entire person seemed to be cloaked in an air of melancholy. Not only that, his speech always carried a deliberate slowness as though he needed to arrange his thoughts properly first before voicing them aloud. It was not annoying, however. On the contrary, it allowed him to convey his point across with clarity, lending him an oddly convincing and persuasive aura. 

Despite wanting to say a few more good words about Director Kwon, the driver found himself subconsciously trusting Kang Jinha's words, which put his heart at ease. Even his mood lightened by a few degrees, and his favorability of the blue-eyed young man increased leaps and bounds. 

Strange… the driver wondered. Is it because the other person is a Guide?

Being the private chauffeur of the Kwon Family for years, it went without a doubt that the man had undergone some special training and possessed impeccable work ethics. He was not supposed to let his guard down easily, or it might lead to some unthinkable consequences. 

Sure, Kang Jinha was a close relative of Director Kwon, but he was, after all, a person the driver had only met today, so it was unusual for him to develop such great fondness for the young man. 

Nonetheless, the driver did not think too much about it. It was common knowledge that Guides always exuded a calming and soothing presence, not only to Espers but also non-awakened people. Their existence was often dubbed as 'walking tranquilizer'. 

Therefore, he simply chalked up the little oddity to the young man being a Guide. 

On the other hand, Kang Jinha didn't have the slightest idea of the thoughts running in the chauffeur Ahjussi's mind. He simply shrank to the corner and tried to reduce his presence as much as possible, looking more ill at ease than the other person. It was fortunate that the driver no longer spoke for the rest of the journey, granting him a sliver of relief.

Around forty minutes later, the car smoothly drove into a familiar residential complex. 

After crossing the security gate, many luxury villas soon came into view. They were strategically distanced by tall and lush trees, turning it into a completely personal property. All of them were designed beautifully, each with their own personal flair and aesthetics. 

The exquisite scenery flashed past Kang Jinha's eyes like a roll of old movie, and he couldn't help but feel a little complicated inside. The urge to run away and hide bubbled up again, but at the same time, there was also a hint of joy and expectations for coming back to a familiar place. 

His subconscious reaction was so apparent that he could not even fool himself.

As it turns out, I have long since considered this place my 'home'...

The car drove for a few more minutes before turning into a two-story villa with a minimalist design, which was dominated by ashy blue and white. "We've arrived, Kang Jinha-ssi," the chauffeur announced after the car stopped. 

Kang Jinha was quick to open the door by himself before the other person could do it again for him. With a slightly helpless look, the family chauffeur had no choice but to turn away and lead him to the front door. "This is the combination code, and also, there's a master key card which will be given to you later by Director Kwon…" He explained to Kang Jinha how to access the front door before excusing himself with a polite bow, "I live in the back building, so you can come directly to me if you need anything, Kang Jinha-ssi. The same goes with the cook, the servants, the housekeeper, and the gardener…"

Seeing that Kang Jinha's expression became more and more blank as if his mind had wandered elsewhere, the driver cleared his throat with some awkwardness, "Then, I will take my leave first."

Only then did Kang Jinha snap back to his senses and bow to the driver, watching as the middle-aged man took another path leading to the back building.

He, on the other hand, turned to the door and pushed it open. A familiar hallway and shoe cabinet greeted him, causing his breath to hitch lightly in his throat. 

I'm back, he clenched his fists as a myriad of turbulent emotions flooded his chest. After five years, I'm finally back…

Kang Jinha was lost in the spiral of memories as he switched out his worn out sneakers with a brand new pair of indoor slippers. He was so out of it that he did not even notice the existence of leather shoes and high heels which were not supposed to be there. With his mind and soul not attached to his body, he walked through the front hallway as though floating and then—

BANG!

"Surprise!" 

Colorful confetti rained down on him, and Kang Jinha froze on the spot, stunned silly. 

In front of him were none other than Oh Yoonji and Kwon Minhyuk who had claimed to be in an important meeting. The mother and son pair were still clad in formal business suits, but there was an additional cone hat on top of their heads, the kind that came with an elastic string secured under the chin, which utterly ruined their professional image. 

The ever domineering and powerful Director Kwon's face was currently as dark as the bottom of the pot, looking as though he was questioning his life decision which led him to this moment, but he still faithfully held onto a cute confetti popper in his grasp. Even a blind could tell that he was being coerced into this.

The main culprit, on the other hand, flashed a brilliant beam as she exclaimed in excitement, "We are late by a day but… happy 19th birthday, Jinha-ya!"