10 The haunted house

The coppery sun disappeared beyond the vast horizon, painting the skies in deep gloomy blue paving way for a night embellished with moon and stars. The countless wisteria wines that swayed under the chilling breeze, tangled themselves with the grumpy old trees in the courtyard and murmured about the girl who returned home, after years of seclusion.

"Yes. She is home." They sang together.

While the entire imperial city was illuminated by the fancy festive lights, Ming Yue stood before a dark gothic mansion, with a perturbed mind that surged like an ocean on a full moon night.

The Wisteria garden- the ancestral home of the Wan family was her home as much it was for Wan Yi Jun, the only true blood heir of the warrior clan.

The acres of land that was secured by high walls protected the Wan family's ancestral home -a traditional courtyard house for the family members and a gothic mansion for the guests.

However, the dim moon light that sieved through the thick canopy of trees, shaded the grandeur mansion in a colour of unknown fear.

"Is this your house?" Ming Yue asked in a astonished tone as she stood drenched at the doorstep of the old spooky mansion.

The eeriness in the silent air was sharp enough to crawl into the skin and it was capable of sending chills to someone who visits this haunted house once the night falls.

"It's more like my great grandfather's." Wan Yi Jun replied and pressed the password of the giant wooden door which happened to be a recent addition to the security system of the mansion.

The Wisteria gardens witnessed the growth of generations of Wan family's mighty pedigree, like a proud mother. However as the last living member, the days Wan Yi Jun spent in his ancestral home was only for a mere amount of his life.

"Ah, you must be the young master of this house," She acknowledged in a fake elated tone, only to tease him by reminding his clumsiness. " No wonder you didn't know how to turn off the valves."

"I used to be the 'young master' of this place," Wan Yi Jun corrected her resolutely and opened the giant front door with a loud creak sound, that pierced deep into their bare ears.

"But not anymore." He muttered under his breath and turned to face the girl who stood quavering under the chilling weather. Even though water droplets dripped from her body, her bare face showed no trace of discomfort, but a goofy attitude.

"What happened? Did they kick you out?" Her question was sudden and somehow Wan Yi Jun felt a naïve teasing tone in her voice, like a school kid taunting his or her classmate to get into a fight.

"I'm not young anymore." He retaliated in the same tone with a smug hung upon the corners of his mouth, making him lethally enchanting,

"I'm the master of the house. So come inside," He invited her to the mansion and took the lead.

"Yes, yes...you are the master." Ming Yue agreed with a faint sneer as she stared at Wan Yi Jun. Her obsidian eyes grazed over his towering figure elegantly leaning on the door frame, memories surging inside her head.

Fifteen years ago, he stood at the same spot with an emotionless face, watching her getting dragged out of this house.

That was the moment she tasted betrayal for the first time in her life, that too someone she believed as her own family.

The times passed like water under the bridge and she has been through pain and agony, but nothing hurt more than Wan Yi Jun's emotionless face that was deeply engraved in her memory.

"Please, come inside." Wan Yi Jun's voice broke the trail of her thoughts and shoved her back into reality.

"Hmm." She sighed and followed him into the mansion where she lost everything that she once held precious.

The place once she considered as 'home'.

Wan Yi Jun, who was already inside the living room, switched on the lights, illuminating the entire place in bright white light in a glimpse.

Apart from the white cloth that covered the furniture, the dark grandeur living room of Wisteria gardens appeared the same as it did in his memory.

He was also returned home after fifteen years of exile.

He sauntered towards the couch in the middle of the room and grabbed the white sheets that covered it. However, just as he picked up the sheet, the dust particles settled on it rose up into the air.

"Haachoooo!!!!" Wan Yi Jun sneezed as he carelessly moved one of the white sheets, struggling against the whiff of mold and dust. "They didn't clean- Hachoo!!!!"

He sneezed again as the dust flew all around him.

Ming Yue, who just entered the living room, studied the man who was sneezing head off in the middle of the dust.

Watching his actions, she unknowingly touched her neck and sighed heavily.

Wan Yi Jun may be one of the intelligent police officers, but the moment he stepped inside the wisteria gardens with her, he acted like an idiot.

Does it take an IQ of 135 to figure out that dust will fly around, if you recklessly pull off a furniture cover? Absolutely no.

"Master, what are you doing?" Ming Yue sounded annoyed when she saw him with teary eyes and a red nose.

Though the entire living room looked regal and elegant, it was true that the room wasn't cleaned properly. On the other hand, Wan Yi Jun who was pissed off and embarrassed by the condition of his house. If he did stay at the office for one more day, the mansion must have been renovated and cleaned according to his wishes.

"Why are you doing this? Where are your butlers and maids?" Ming Yue glanced around and asked him. It did seem like Wan Yi Jun was on the verge of exploding as his face turned into a shade of crimson, due to the continuous sneezing.

"There is no- Hachoo" He covered his mouth to stifle a sneeze that tickled his nose.

"What?" She moved closer, pretending that she didn't hear him.

However, whether it is because of the situation or the unknown bonding that he felt towards the girl, Wan Yi Jun didn't care about the words that left his mouth.

"Are you blind?" He snapped back at her as if they were known for long time. "If there were maids and butlers, do you think this place would look like-Haaaa" Just as his handsome face scrunched up for another sneeze, Ming Yue acted lunged abruptly and grabbed his arm to turn him towards her.

Even before Wan Yi Jun could comprehend what was happening, Ming Yue's slender fingers extended to his nose and left a pinch, nearly startling him out of his wits.

Whether it's because of the startlement or by her strong stinging pinch, his sneeze got stifled, leaving a "pop" sound on his ear drums.

Once he regained his bearings, Wan Yi Jun gaped agape at the gorgeous face that was staring back at him, with a hue of ridicule.

"You alright?" She casually asked when her eyes caught the sight of his dumbfounded expression.

In his twenty nine years of life, Wan Yi Jun has never been treated so brusquely by anyone other than a haughty girl who loved teasing and taunting him during his childhood.

And for some reasons, he felt that the girl who stood before him was the same person whom he has been searching all these years.

"Tzuki!!!!" His lips unknowingly stumbled upon a name that was so precious to him.