"What if someone goes there and steals it?"

JD rubbed his palms together after dropping his luggage on Calerdawn's five-story hotel rooftop with basic telekinetic magic.

"As we planned earlier, once we get to the hotel room," JD held out a hotel card key from his luggage and slipped it into a pocket. "You're gonna shapeshift into a staff and get the luggage."

"But how will you sneak in, brother? Many people are patrolling on the ground floor."

"...How did you know that?"

"Clairvoyance!"

"Advanced magic," JD mumbled, then shook his head. "I'm surprised you can still use some of your magic without being physically here."

"Your eyes right now are my eyes."

"That's a huge help."

"You think I'll tell you everything I see with my magic?"

JD raised a brow, "...Won't you?"

A giggle resounded in JD's head, prompting him to roll his eyes,

"Of course, I will. I was only teasing."

"Sure."

"I'm not lying! Moreover, why do you need to sneak in if you have a room there?"

JD's grip on the tree nearby tightened as his eyes partially closed. "...It's not mine."

Silence followed, and JD shook his head violently.

"I didn't steal it! It was a spare key given to me by the owner."

"...I did not say anything."

"You were just holding back." With no response, JD sighed. "Anyway, this shouldn't be too hard."

"Mhm! Because brother is cool!"

JD shook his head and smiled slightly. He'd most likely receive more if he actively denied Andrew's compliments. Deciding to end it there, JD pushed himself out of the woods connected to Tamethe and strode towards the building.

"H-head on?"

As he reached the entrance where the granite tiles of the staircases begin, a noise of awe resounded from his head. It was the first time Andrew had laid his eyes on a high-end hotel, or any hotel for that matter, and the shimmering beads on the tiles to the glass walls with golden signages to the even more glamorous interior beyond the glass doors and walls were sightings that neither of them would've thought possible centuries ago.

Fortunately, many people gathered in the lobby and the dining area connected to it due to the time of day. Breakfast.

Sliding his hands in his pockets, JD's chin remained up as the glass doors opened. A security guard bowed his head at JD's entry, but his focus quickly turned to other people making a fuss in the lobby.

Someone's voice by the reception desk grew loud, demanding a mistake had been made by some of the organizers, forcing the idea that they had made a prior reservation and eventually requiring more and more staff to calm them down.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be so hard."

"Humans are weird...."

"Excuse me, sir."

JD ignored it, knowing full well he was the one a staff from the reception was calling. He could feel Andrew's panic inside him, which was harder to ignore.

"Sir." The staff's hand reached JD's shoulder, who stopped at contact. "You forgot to sign your entry."

JD turned his head to face the young-looking man in the same uniform as the ones walking around with clipboards in their hands.

"I didn't know that new rule has been implemented," JD answered knowingly, his face expressionless and devoid of interest.

The stern look perked the staff a bit, but he stayed firm. "Yes. It didn't take effect until yesterday. Don't worry, sir. All you need is to input your log today."

"Are you new here?"

"Ah, y-yes, sir."

The young, new staff's head rolled in a panic. This gentleman he stopped might be one of the VIPs in the hotel who had their rooms paid for every month without the resident visiting much at all. Recalling the lecture he received the other day, he froze. Their manager had strictly informed them to stay clear of the VIPs' paths whenever they came.

"Have you memorized any important names logged in the hotel?"

"Yes, sir." His voice came as a whisper as he pursed his lips right after.

"Hmph." JD's voice rang cold, almost like one wrong word, and the staff could lose his job right off the bat. "You'd do well to know their features."

"Right. My apologies for disturbing you." The staff bowed his upper body.

Meanwhile, inside JD's head, Andrew had been quiet, perhaps anticipating what would come next or what was happening.

JD turned on his back. "Freyda."

"Pardon?" A list of the surnames of the VIPs flashed to the staff's mind, and he recognized the name immediately. "Ah, yes! Sir Charles, was it?"

"Charles? Who's Charles?"

"Yes. Now please get out of my way."

Just like that, JD reached the elevators without further ado. But he didn't celebrate yet, nor did he respond to any of Andrew's questions about Charles Freyda or the magic of the elevators.

"How many more are there?"

"Hm? None. It's clear."

JD took a deep breath and internally thanked Garnet for putting luck on their side this time. He knew he'd lost touch since retiring from his previous occupation, but his travels after quitting his job and memories as the Gemini god had made him somewhat softer. He used to be more violent, cold, and merciless with everyone that got in his way during missions.

He shook his head briefly and pursed his lips as the elevator doors opened to the fifth floor. Stepping out silently and carefully walking down the carpeted floors, JD pushed the recollections of his past as John away.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

It wasn't that it didn't matter anymore. But it didn't matter as much as his life with Andrew did. Or at least, it was what he convinced himself to believe in staying mentally strong. Especially after that time, all the people at the inn turned into mindless dolls. And that was only last night.

JD wouldn't admit it, but even as he recalled his memories as the older Gemini god, it didn't help the feeling of helplessness in him. The inability to save the people from Zalden's mind control kept repeating in his mind whenever he thought about Zalden or anyone from Abarly, reminding him even more of failing to save Andrew and himself in the past.

But unknown to him, Andrew had felt some uneasiness from JD.

JD took out the card key and had a scanner from a door scan its contents. A satisfying beep sound came from the scanner, and JD pushed the unlocked door open.

As he locked the door and walked in a few steps, he knelt on one knee and faced the tiled floors. Wordless, he felt something inside him pull away, and as he peeked ahead, the shoes he lent Andrew appeared.

Once Andrew's soul had fully come out, his body reappeared. JD's palms landed on the floor later on, supporting his weight.

"Brother!"

He could fall on the cold floor for all he cared, but Andrew didn't allow it. Andrew sat close to him, and his head dropped to the edge of Andrew's lap.

JD sighed and chuckled. "Sorry. I didn't think using this inborn magic for hours would be quite draining."

"That's not true."

"Look, my magic capabilities are average at best, so that's not surprising."

"...You're drained because of something else."

"Why else would I be? It's really just that."

Andrew buried his fingers in JD's hair, leaning his body close. His voice was low, and a tinge of sadness and hurt lingered in its softness.

"Don't lie to me, brother."

JD didn't reply, his eyes pressed on Andrew's lap widening, then shrinking back after a short silence. He switched around, his eyes facing Andrew's, whose hair draped over JD's forehead.

He tried to hide it during the quick infiltration, but he should've known Andrew would figure it out at some point. Unlike Charles, whose inborn magic was to sense magic usage when the intention was malicious, Andrew's magic detection magic was beyond everyone else's in Julisie. Using it, he could see the distinct differences between any magic, able to identify what was really done.

"Magic detection, huh." JD smiled. "What made you turn it on?"

Andrew's fingers slid to JD's cheeks, eyes partially closed, looking back at his brother. His voice remained soft. "Your heart was tensed, and your soul troubled by something."

JD looked at him apologetically. "Sorry for not telling you. I..."

"It's okay." Andrew lowered his head further. "You're exhausted because you used three different magic simultaneously."

"You got me." JD chuckled. "Do you know which ones?"

"Mhm. When you entered the building, you cast an invisible screen on yourself—magic to lose your presence. That's why no one took notice of you."

Charles never detected magic usage from JD because he never had evil intentions when casting this magic that he used all the time. But Andrew could catch any magical usage nearby.

JD held Andrew's hands that slid to his shoulders, an apologetic smile still on his face.

"It's similar to the magic only you used back in Paradise. The one you use all the time whenever other gods approach me. That's why everyone always seemed to forget you're right there."

"...I didn't know you knew that." JD closed his eyes. "You're so cautious."

"I have to be. People gather around me constantly—I can't let my guard down unless I'm alone with you." He replied so softly it was barely audible. "And you're so sneaky."

JD squeezed Andrew's hands and chuckled. "Perhaps my previous body used it so much that it was branded to my soul. Since I developed that magic at an early age."

It was the real reason JD's past occupation as an agent worked so well for him. No one ever figured it out. Or at least no one thought it was magic and regarded JD as someone with little to no presence, making him the perfect model agent.

"The other magic you used was when that young man approached you. The reason he must've felt threatened or scared—magic that swallows the space around your target."

"That one's something I got when I was a teenager." JD's face showed a slight disgust at the recollection. "Did you figure out what it does?"

"Mhm."

JD opened his eyes and smiled a little. "As expected of you."

Andrew blushed a little but said nothing of it. "It's more of a psychological magic."

"It is."

"You make the target feel as though they're alone—it's just them against you. But they wouldn't know it was magic because of your natural ability to intimidate others." A sense of pride clung to the last part of what Andrew said.

"I'm sorry for hiding a lot of things from you."

"It's okay."

He said that, but the softness of his voice was the result of suppressing his tears, and the gentle hold of his hands on JD's face was the result of stopping his quivering.

"I'm sorry for ignoring your questions earlier, too."

Andrew couldn't take it anymore but didn't want to show his hurt physically. JD using different magic spells at the same time wasn't what was unnatural, but the fact that his heart and soul had been anxious in the midst of it. And Andrew knew he shouldn't add to his brother's worries.

He dropped his head to the side of JD's, his lips touching one of JD's temples. The kiss was tender, like a passing wind, and long, like a promise of eternity.

"You drained yourself because you used three spells while dealing with something affecting your mental state. Am I mistaken?"

JD closed his eyes and shook his head lightly.

"You're right."

"Can you tell me what's troubling you?" Andrew's fingers tightened on JD's chin. "Please?"

JD shifted his position, his eyes facing the other way, and Andrew's eyes were stuck with JD's messy hair.

"I..." JD pursed his lips briefly. His voice was low, but with their distance, Andrew heard him just right. "I felt threatened."

"By?"

"...Zalden."

"You mentioned that name before, too. What exactly is it?"

"It's a mobile elixir business. I haven't told you how I ended up in the forest yet, but basically...."

Amidst his straightforward explanation, Andrew said nothing. JD ended his story of when he was left bewildered after the mayor of Abarly ordered him out.

"I'm such a weakling, aren't I?" JD whispered, his voice starting to crack. "If it were you in that position, it would've ended differently."

Andrew didn't reply nor move, but his silent and steady breathing behind JD's head contradicted JD's breathing.

"I said subduing Zalden somehow could help us uncover the truth, and I do think so."

"Mhm."

"I really think so," JD said again as if failing to convince himself. "But the truth is, I want to see the CEO again. The last time I saw him, he was too far, and I couldn't sense anything from him. Even so, I want to try again, closer this time. Preferably face to face with him."

Andrew still said nothing, but one of his hands had moved to brush JD's hair, and his head rose from leaning on his knee, some of his locks now gracing JD's side profile.

JD laughed dryly. "This sounds crazy, but a part of me can't help but feel or think that... he's a reincarnation of Aven."

"What does he look like?" The disbelief in Andrew's soft tone flew right to JD's ears, but he continued and explained the CEO's appearance. "Hm. Why do you think he is a reincarnation like us?"

"As I said earlier, his actions are weird. Normally, human behavior is as complicated as it gets, but something about him talking to his men about wanting to capture me, then ordering Abarly's people to throw me out didn't make sense."

"It's contradictory."

"Exactly. I don't get what he really wants." JD shifted so that his eyes were on Andrew's again. "I know you want to know the truth about our death—I do, too. Yet, here I am being distracted with such thoughts that don't even really make sense either."

Andrew smiled. "I don't find it nonsensical. It's worth a chance." Andrew helped JD sit up and snuggled to his back right after. "Thank you for telling me."

"So, what do we focus on now?" JD mumbled.

"I have an idea." Andrew clutched the scarf around his neck. "We need to gather information about their members and perhaps capture one. Then, I can analyze and process their face, body type, voice, and speech patterns."

"So, you can infiltrate Zalden's place."

"And help you sneak in, too."

JD chuckled. "Sounds like a plan." Then he leaned over to Andrew slightly, a look of melancholy occupying his eyes. "Thank you for listening, Drew."

"Always."

After a brief silence of comfort, Andrew suddenly perked up.

"Right! Your luggage!"

But before anything else, the door made a beeping noise, catching their attention and drawing their thoughts to a sudden stop.

The door opened, and a dirty blonde man entered with his eyes closed and frustration all over his face. He turned around and locked the door, but his hazel eyes enlarged as soon as he turned again and lifted his eyelids.

"Charles...!"

"JD!" Charles pointed, then his gaze and finger jumped in Andrew's direction. "And... another JD?"

"Ah! So, he's Charles Freyda!" Andrew voiced out in shock. "Did I pronounce his surname right?"

JD stood up quickly, one arm shielding Andrew from Charles, whose expression exhibited so much bewilderment.

Not only were there two of JD, but something about him—his face—seemed different than when he last saw him yesterday. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, but when JD's blue eyes shone, Charles knew what was different and what his glowing eyes meant.

While JD's sudden magic activation had no real malicious intent, Charles' passive inborn magic still sensed it. Still, realizing that JD might hurt him didn't sink in immediately.

"JD, your eyes-"

JD used a speed boost spell on impulse, and with his target caught off guard, JD got to a stance. Swiftly, one of his legs flew into the air. The bridge of his foot struck Charles below his jaw, snapping his head to the other side.

Due to the impact of the hit, Charles fell off balance and lost consciousness.