M21's eyes were wide. "Are you serious?" he demanded.
Tao nodded energetically. "Yeah! I am!"
M21 blinked, his brain trying to process what he had just heard. "Unbelievable," he muttered. He continued walking forward, his hand twisting the knob to Frankenstein's office.
Tao frowned as the door opened. "Why? What's so unbelievable? She's a great catch, and it was bound to happen at some point. I can only wonder who the lucky guy is."
"What lucky guy?"
Both M21 and Tao jumped in response to the question. But Tao immediately smiled. "Boss! What's up?"
Frankenstein sighed, removing his glasses and placing them down. "Nothing much. I just finished up with the last of the paperwork. It really seemed to pile up on me during that last trip to the werewolf territory."
M21 glanced at the files neatly stacked away, and he grinned in faint amusement. Yes, that seemed to be the one thing Frankenstein was never able to defeat with his fists and Dark Spear. If he could, he would, and Dark Spear would have become a raging paper file.
Tao nodded energetically. "Yeah, I even heard that the werewolves will be coming for a short visit. Just Lunark and Kentas with Muzaka, right?"
Frankenstein nodded as he withdrew a handkerchief, cleaning his glasses. "Right. Today in fact. They have expressed their desire to be here. It was only a matter of time until Muzaka decided to barge in and make himself at home." Setting his glasses back down, he rubbed his forehead. "Even after all these years, he still doesn't understand the proper meaning of 'house call.' I'll have to make it clear to him that he can't just drop in out of the blue without a warning."
Tao brightened up. "Perfect! I want to ask Lunark a few things too." At M21's exasperated groan, Tao elbowed him. "Oh c'mon! Don't act like you aren't curious either!"
Frankenstein regarded them with mild interest. "Curious about what?"
"About Lunark and her man!" Tao exclaimed. "You see, we heard from another werewolf that Lunark and some guy were spotted being a bit cozy, if you know what I mean." Here, he elbowed M21 teasingly, causing M21 to roll his eyes.
"I mean, it surely isn't Kentas that she was with," Tao continued. "He would have been recognized instantly." He shrugged. "Anyway, we'll just take those documents from you Boss, and we will-"
"Wait."
Both M21 and Tao froze at the order. For some reason, chills went down their spines.
Frankenstein leaned forward, hands folded as his gaze grew sharp. Tao and M21 simultaneously gulped, and both checked the room for any sign of a threat. Was there a bug somewhere? Or did they accidentally spill something that might have stained the floor? Was it the Master?
"Who was the guy?"
Both M21 and Tao blinked, confused. "Eh?" Tao started.
"The man that Lunark is seeing. Who is he?"
M21 nudged Tao forward, which earned him a betrayed look from the hacker. But at this point, M21 was willing to bet that whatever had Frankenstein displaying such a creepy energy had to do with whatever message Tao was about to deliver.
"I...we don't know," Tao concluded. "The werewolf guy never said."
Frankenstein was silent.
Tao swallowed, nearly backing into M21. "So, yeah...we will be going."
"Stop."
This time, M21 and Tao outright cringed as they glanced at their Boss. Frankenstein had not moved. In fact, nothing about him seemed to have changed. Except for the dark aura leaking out of him.
"Do you remember who told you about this?"
Tao gulped. "Uh, yeah."
"He was kinda hard to forget," M21 commented wryly.
Frankenstein nodded. "Good. Then find your source. Inquire a bit more about Lunark and her...man."
Tao frowned. "Couldn't we just ask Lunark herself?"
Frankenstein smiled, though it was not a pleasant one by all means. It reminded them of that time when Frankenstein had 'dismissed' the KSA agents for putting Shinwoo in danger. "Now that would be a bit intrusive, don't you think?"
But inquiring someone else about it wasn't? Tao and M21 wisely decided to keep that comment to themselves.
"Just ask the source for a more detailed report about...the man." The creepy energy in the room intensified, and it nearly sent Tao and M21 staggering back.
Tao and M21 nodded rapidly. "Sure thing Boss! Find the man and inquire about Lunark's man! Got it!" Tao chirped before shoving M21 out the door as they scurried out of the office. They didn't even bother asking why Frankenstein would be so interested in finding out about a mysterious man.
"I was waiting for death to come," M21 gasped as they sprinted (no, they were not running, but elegantly gliding) down the halls. "What the heck has got him so worked up?"
"I know!" Tao exclaimed. "Maybe the guy she's seeing is a threat!"
"He's certainly a threat to our well-being! He's the very reason we are sent on this odd quest!"
As expected, the werewolves had visited. But as the day grew long, the commotion of the household was diminished somewhat. Muzaka had headed out with the children and the Master a short while ago. M21 and Tao had made themselves scarce a long time ago, and Frankenstein wondered if he had come across as a bit too strong when addressing them in his office. However, he reasoned with himself that he had merely been curious, and he just wanted to know the facts before any rumors were spread.
But with most of the household out, that left Frankenstein with some time to gather information on his own.
Approaching Lunark from behind, he noted with faint amusement how the female werewolf detected his presence quickly, yet she remained disinterested. Leaning against the wall, he folded his arms casually.
"I hear you are seeing someone," Frankenstein commented. "Who is he?"
Hm, might not have been as subtle as he should have been, but he saw no reason to beat around the bush.
Surprisingly, Lunark chuckled. "Oh really? Is it that obvious?"
"If word came back to me, then yes, it must have been obvious. So who is he?"
The mirth in Lunark's eyes diminished somewhat as she shot him a look, one of confusion. "You wish to know who he is?"
"Well, he's gotta be somebody of interest, but not too noticeable to be easily identified," he stated.
This time, she turned to fully face him, wide-eyed as she realized he was serious. "Why...why should you be asking?" She raised an eyebrow. "Is this a joke? Because you're not very good at it."
"Why would I joke about this?" He shrugged. "I just want to know who he is."
Lunark raised an eyebrow, and he saw the gears working in her head as she made sense of her own thoughts. Finally, a small smile crept on her face. She sighed, leaning back casually. "They told me you could be pretty dense for a smart guy," she muttered, shaking her head. "I don't think you should know if you can't figure it out yourself."
Now, Frankenstein was frowning. And no, it was not just because of the 'dense' comment. He just wondered who the 'they' were. "Why not?"
"Because when you realize that the answer is so obvious, you will want to kill yourself before you die from the sheer mortification of being a scientist and not making sense of something so blatantly simple."
"I won't hurt the other guy, if that is what you are worried about."
Lunark blinked. "Why would you feel the need to hurt him…?" she trailed off. "The other guy?" she demanded, repeating his words. "And what does that mean? Are you insinuating that I am seeing someone else while…" she trailed off once more in exasperation. "You are hopeless." She placed her hands on her hips, staring up at him. "Is this about something else?"
Frankenstein shifted. "Is there something else?"
"I don't know. You tell me," she retorted. "If there is 'something' then there are a few things that need to be resolved. It's not so bad if I am with someone. Don't you have a lover as well?" She smirked. "Your 'crazy lover'?"
Frankenstein's eyes narrowed.
"So...even if I were seeing a man, you can hardly hold it against me."
"So you are seeing another man."
"Jealous?"
"Answer me," Frankenstein huffed. "Simple 'yes' or 'no' will do."
She frowned. Wow. He did seem serious about this. Was he this oblivious? How many more obvious hints did she have to drop? "What? You don't trust me?" She smirked. "What did I do to earn your distrust?"
"Hm, how about when you tried to kill me?"
"Well, that's how all the best relationships start out."
"Relationship?"
"Oh stop, we're moving a bit too fast here. Besides, according to you, I am seeing someone."
"So you are with someone."
Lunark hummed, her hand drifting up to tug on his shirt collar teasingly. "Why don't you verify your facts?" She leaned back, her eyes twinkling with barely controlled mirth. "This will be amusing to see."
M21 looked around the area wildly, his expression frantic. Then, as if a gift from God Himself, he found the very werewolf he was looking for.
"Hey! You!" he shouted, running forward with all the speed he could muster. "Stop!" Gritting his teeth, he contacted Tao. "I found the target. He's heading outside! But he's with civilians." Argh, forget the civilians. They weren't important now!
"Got it." A flurry of electric static later, and M21 saw Tao leaping from the rooftops, running at full speed.
"STOP!" Tao shouted.
"We have questions!" M21 yelled. Finally, he nearly slammed into their startled target. M21 gripped the werewolf's shirt desperately. "Tell us about Lunark's man!"
"Let go of me wolf-pup!"
But M21 was persistent, even as their valuable 'witness' struggled. "Her man! Who is she seeing!?"
If it were possible, Frankenstein's frown became even darker. "What?" he asked, exasperated.
Tao squirmed uncomfortably in the seat. "Well...you know...he said they were...holding hands and...kissing."
Frankenstein frowned. "Kissing?" He leaned back, folding his hands. "How?"
"I don't know!" Tao squeaked. "I wasn't the one who witnessed it! Right M?" he looked desperately at his companion. "We weren't there! We're just repeating what we were told!"
M21 nodded rapidly, also looking uncomfortable. "We even have notes!" M21 frantically dug out wades of paper, holding them up for Frankenstein to see.
Frankenstein merely sighed. "Fine. Then where did they kiss?"
"Uh," Tao started, going over his notes. He squinted. "What's this?" he muttered. "I can't even read my own handwriting…oh! Well it had finished raining, and they were outside beneath a tree-"
"I meant, where did Lunark kiss the man? Was it on the cheek?"
Tao stuttered and turned pink. "Um...I-I don't know," he stammered.
"What part about gathering intel did you two not understand?"
"Boss! I'm not just going to ask someone to recall witnessing someone else kissing another person! That's just embarrassing-"
"On the lips," M21 interjected quickly upon seeing the dark expression on Frankenstein's face. "I mean, where else would they kiss?"
Tao nodded, relieved to be released from the hot seat. "Yeah, and the guy said that the other guy-"
"Which guy?" Frankenstein asked.
"Lunark's guy! Our witness guy said that Lunark's guy was actually a nice looking guy. Like darn good looking nice. He said that the man would make the females swoon and the men ride into a murderous rage because he's apparently so good looking!"
M21 mumbled. "Don't forget the cuddling."
"Right!" Tao exclaimed. "The cuddling! Our witness said they were cuddling!"
Frankenstein frowned. "How?"
Tao blinked. "H-how what?"
"How were they cuddling?" He looked pointedly at Tao and M21.
The hacker and werewolf glanced at each other. Tao scooted forward awkwardly, placing his stiff arm around M21, pulling him close.
M21 huffed and shoved Tao away, sending the hacker falling out of his seat with a 'yipe.' "She might as well have sat on his lap," M21 stated. "That type of cuddling."
"Really?" Frankenstein asked.
M21 nodded. "Yep. The witness said they might as well have been newlyweds with all the cuddling and hand-holding." He raised an eyebrow, his tone sarcastic. "Do you want us to play that out too?"
"I'll pass," Frankenstein stated.
"Oh!" Tao exclaimed, scrambling up. "Remember when the witness said that Lunark began to adjust the guy's tie on his shirt? Apparently, the dude was sharply dressed, as if looking nice was a regular thing for him. Our witness said there wasn't even any space between them!"
"They had their arms around each other and everything," M21 commented.
"And who was your source?"
Tao and M21 blinked at the question. "Our...our source?"
"Yes. Give me your witness. Your source."
M21 and Tao traded glances. "Uh, you see…" M21 started. "Our source wants to remain anonymous…"
Frankenstein's glare darkened.
"It was Muzaka!" Tao squeaked, hiding behind his chair. "Muzaka was our source! I give! It was the werewolf Lord! You know we love you Boss, and we would never lie to you! We even had to interrupt his day off with Sir Raizel and the children because we were so ever loyal to you and wanted to perform our duty!"
M21 looked at him fearfully. "You know we love you Boss, right?"
The 'don't shoot the messenger' quote was now desperately being applied.
Frankenstein folded his hands thoughtfully. He said nothing for a while, lost in thought. Then, he glanced up and just noticed that M21 looked ready to spring from his seat like a jack-in-the-box, while Tao was using his seat as a shield.
"Why are you guys cowering like that? I'm not going to snap."
Both M21 and Tao visibly relaxed. "So...you're not going to hurt Lunark's guy?"
"Can't hurt him if I don't know who he is," Frankenstein muttered.
M21 and Tao gulped.
"By any chance," Frankenstein started. "Did Muzaka ever tell you when he saw all this?" Hm, maybe he could find out when and where this had taken place, and then he could visit the scene and find out just who this mystery man was. Sharply dressed and hot, was he? Well, Frankenstein doubted that the suit Lunark's 'man' had on was as good as his own! His suits were all specially tailored and expensive!
Tao flipped through his notebook while still hiding behind his chair. "Um...it was right after that big rainstorm when we accompanied Sir Raizel to visit Muzaka. We had been cooped up in the werewolf lab for days! Everyone was eager to get outside."
Frankenstein nodded thoughtfully. Alright. He remembered that horrendous rainstorm. So that meant that it had happened during the afternoon. But he had been with Lunark all day during that time! When did she have the opportunity to see…?
Frankenstein froze, eyes wide.
Frankenstein stormed onto the balcony, his blue-eyed gaze sharp as he frowned. He strode over to the lone figure sitting calmly in one of the chairs, reading a magazine. The werewolf woman did not even look up as he approached her, but her lips did twitch in faint amusement.
"Lunark," he started, his tone low. His voice nearly trembled as he tried to keep his emotions in check.
"Yes?" She flipped a page of the magazine, not tearing her gaze from the paper.
"Thursday, 2 p.m.," he started. "Walking in the woods. Do you remember that?"
She finally glanced up at him carelessly, her eyes twinkling. "Yes."
When did she become so casual around him? Usually, he was the one disinterested, and she was the one on edge.
"I remember the event," he continued. "But I can not recall kissing you."
Lunark simply smiled in amusement. "Oh really? You forgot?"
"Not even an inkling."
She hummed, dropping her magazine on the small table near her chair. "That's unfortunate. Maybe your 'sources' got the information wrong."
"I remember the cuddling," he said, stepping forward. "And the hand-holding." He was now standing right in front of her. "But strangely, I cannot remember kissing you." He placed his hands on the armrest of the chair, keeping Lunark in place. "It really is odd, because I am not one to forget."
She leaned back in her seat, eyeing him. "Hm, maybe you should check your intel again."
"Or maybe," he said, leaning forward. Their faces were inches apart, and he noticed with satisfaction how her cheeks were turning pink. A devilish smirk came across his face as he whispered in her ear. "You should refresh my memory."