Promise

31: Double Take

"What's going on out here?" Wooyoung questioned with a yawn, lazily walking down the stairs to the main part of the warehouse.

He was met with a peculiar sight, being that a fold-out table was set up in the area between the dark corner and the living space. Four fold-out chairs placed around it, being occupied by San, whose back was to the stairs, Yeosang, Mingi, and Yunho whose back was to the dark corner, in that order. Even stranger, it seemed like they were playing a card game, more than likely poker since Wooyoung noticed the stacks of poker chips around each of the four's playing space. But it didn't seem like they had been touched from how neat the stacks were, and the fact that everyone had an even amount.

"They claimed they were practicing, but I think it was just their excuse of taking a break." Hongjoong, who was stood in the door corner answered Wooyoung. He looked up from his stacks of documents before him, dark circles under his eyes.

He must've stayed up last night even when he promised Seonghwa he wouldn't.

"Practicing for what?" Wooyoung questioned further, walking past the table in Hongjoong's direction, not before taking a peek at the cards in San's hand and snickering.

He's definitely losing this round.

"Well, since we're going to a place that's essentially based around gambling and card games, I thought it'd be best to figure out which of us was the best at playing so we could have the best undercover operation." Hongjoong explained slowly, seemingly having a hard time putting his words together. He shook his head, heavily leaning into his hands that rested on the table. "I'm being led in circles with this junk, and my mind is elsewhere."

Wooyoung hummed, standing on the opposite side of the table from Hongjoong, picking up a few loose papers here and there to take quick glances at them. Nothing popped out immediately at him, so he put everything down.

"What's on your mind?" Wooyoung asked, lowering his voice as to try to keep this conversation more private, not that there really was a point anyway.

"I looked into that thing you wanted me to, and the thing Seonghwa had as well." Hongjoong said with a sigh, his head falling forward, his stance weak. "It was so weird, I felt such a strong pull to those items. Almost like how I did almost a century ago when Yung was still here. It just doesn't make sense that these places would've had such things, and both of them at that. I'm honestly unsure about what we might discover when we go to this final place, and...never mind. I do not want to say anything until our plans are finalized." Hongjoong lifted his head, showing Wooyoung a sad smile. "Please do not worry, I will be fine. Thank you though, for noticing that box and thinking to bring it back to me."

"Yeah...sure." Wooyoung responded, not sure how he should respond given the aura Hongjoong was giving off. "Was...there anything inside it?"

"No." Hongjoong chuckled, shaking his head. "That's part of the reason to why my head hurts. I opened the box with a small key I found in the model pirate ship...which is too strange to be a coincidence. Inside the box wasn't anything though, except an indent in the base of it. The indent happened to fit the coin Seonghwa found. So now, it's like that puzzle is complete. But I don't know what that means, which bothers me. And as much as it bothers me, and I can't get it off my mind, I'm trying not to worry about it to ensure that we can focus on the more important matters at hand right now."

"Sorry for asking so many questions, but can I see it?" Wooyoung stated with a breath that sounded like a hesitant laugh. He reached up to scratch the back of his neck, glancing over to the side when a bit of a ruckus was made a the table. Then he just did a head count and became confused. "Also, where is Seonghwa and Jongho?"