Everything Restored

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Eric

We had no idea if anyone saw us entering the room, but we'd be idiots if we thought they didn't. Eyes were on us the moment we walked into the ballroom, the chances that even a few weren't watching us sneak inside were slim. We had to move quickly.

Seojoon pulled his blazer off and threw it on a nearby desk. The room looked like an office and library in one. Bookshelves lined the walls to our right, a large mahogany desk seated on the left was littered with papers and opened books. Everything was either brown or red, and the dust coating the shelves had probably been resting there for a few decades.

With Seojoon's suspenders pulled taught, tie loose around his neck and white shirt unbuttoned at his collar, I found it difficult to focus on the books.

"How the hell are we going to find it in here?" Seojoon pulled random books from the shelves, leafing through them and shoving them back into place, only to repeat it on the next row.

Dust lifted and I had to sneeze in the crook of my arm a few times before responding. "I doubt he typed a novel. It has to be more personal right? A journal or diary..."

Seojoon stopped his efforts and started to look at the spines instead. "Now you're using your head sunshine."

"Don't call me that." I growled back.

The two of us broke off into different parts of the room to look through the dozen bookcases, pulling out anything that might have caught our interest. We had no idea what we were looking for. A clock on the wall nearby ticked in my ear, reminding me we were running out of time. If anyone caught us in here looking through their things, we were as good as dead.

"Got anything?" Seojoon asked.

"Nothing."

We moved around the room for another five minutes before we heard a noise outside. Both of us froze and stared at the door, waiting for it to open. When it didn't, Seojoon rushed over to me. "Another four minutes then we're out of here."

"Have you checked the desk?" I whispered while listening to the loud beating of my heart.

Instead of answering, Seojoon rushed over to it and pulled the drawers open. He rifled through while I looked at the books behind the desk and noticed something. "Joon, look."

When he turned to me, I pointed to the shelf and arched an eyebrow. "No dust. As if someone's taken it out recently."

"Genius." Seojoon smiled at me, and yet again I wasn't sure how to speak as he moved to stand in front of me to pull out the book.

It was leatherbound, twined in a thin rope that was tied at the front. Seojoon unfurled it and looked inside, brow furrowed and lips downturned. "I can't understand it?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's not in a language I know." Seojoon turned the journal to me and I stared back at unknown words.

"Do you think this is it?"

"I can't imagine it's any other book. We don't have enough time to keep looking anyway. It's been almost ten minutes, the fact that we've been in here that long is a miracle itself."

Seojoon shoved the book under his blazer and went to pick it up but stopped when a loud knock came from the door.

"Shit." I whispered.

The sound of my heart flooded my ears as I stared at the handle, watching it turn but remain closed. It seemed Seojoon was smart enough to lock it when we walked into the room.