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When the knocking and persistent ringing of the doorbell ceased, a noise made up of clanging metal, heavy boots on gravel, and deep faraway voices drifted into the stately home's halls. The rain was pitter-pattering gently with a breeze almost non-existent. All traces of the previous storm had vanished, and the sun was glistening high in the sky like a shiny, golden coin. Sunbeams shone through the kitchen window and warmed Jeongguk from his place on the stool. Wide eyes and parted lips, he resembled a deer caught in headlights.
After a moment of shared silence, Jimin hesitantly hopped from his seat and edged towards the kitchen's threshold, pausing to peer around the corner and scan the front door.
Jeongguk twisted the stool around and grabbed his crutches. With a quiet gulp, he said, "We're not expecting anyone, are we?" He stretched his neck and tried to glimpse the front door. "How could they have gotten through the gate?"
Recollection crossed Jimin's face, with a tinge of panic. "We forgot to close it when hyungs left yesterday."
A shrill noise of unoiled wheels, a clatter of metal that made Jeongguk jolt, and three more hard knocks. Jimin looked back at his fiancé, eyebrows pulled together, then sidled anxiously towards the front door. Swallowing a lump of nerves, Jeongguk gingerly sprang from the stool and steadied himself on his crutches. He spared a glance at the living room's open doorway. It was ghost quiet except for the faint singing of The Little Mermaid. Had Yoongi heard the commotion from outside? There was no indication he had. Jeongguk guessed - and hoped - the boy had fallen asleep.
Hobbling ahead, Jeongguk stopped at the kitchen's doorway and peeked past the architrave just in time to see Jimin unhook the silver chain and yank open the front door with sudden confidence.
A thickset man with high cheekbones, dusky eyes and greasy swept-back hair stepped into view. The sleeves of his blue coveralls were rolled up, and sweat trickled down his neck. Jeongguk could see the tail of an inky tattoo peeking out near the bicep.
"Sorry we're late," he grinned, a twinkle of a silver tooth. "The boys and I had trouble getting up that hill about a half-mile back, thunder and all. Dreadful weather, eh?"
The smile he wore seemed too out-of-place for his stout build, like Santa's jolly smile on a hardened criminal. Jeongguk saw Jimin smiling back, but he seemed utterly confused.
"Yes, dreadful," Jimin agreed. His words were tight. The man chuckled and thrust a clipboard and blue fountain pen forward.
