Il Ji woke up the next morning feeling calm and refreshed. He rolled out of bed and walked downstairs.
He had given himself some extra time to sleep. He turned the coffee on and made some eggs. At about 8:15, he walked back upstairs and gently woke his sister.
"Come on, Laila, we have a party to go to."
As she rubbed her eyes and came out from her bed, he smelled her hair. "Alright Laila, you're going to want to take a shower this morning. You should hurry. I already made breakfast."
Hearing that, she zipped off.
She did NOT want to go to one of Adele's parties without first satisfying her stomach.
Ten minutes later, she was dressed and downstairs, eating her fill. Once she finished, she asked the preeminent question on her mind.
"Big brother, what's in the cart?"
"What, you haven't opened it yet?" He teased.
She crossed her little arms. "I don't open something early unless it already belongs to me."
"I guess you missed out then." Il Ji replied. "It's a gift for you from Old Man Addlesby."
She immediately ran and tore off the top. Then she started crying. "He did this… For me?"
She saw her favorite puzzle.
It was Mr. Addlesby's old shop sign. An old clock with three hands pointed in various different ways.
If you solved the puzzle in the back, it would tell the proper time. But if you moved just one piece out of place, it would instantly show nine different hands that were pointing in all the wrong directions.
The words that used to show a brown, "Puzzle! Emporium" now showed a golden, "Lucky!"
Il Ji did have to agree that it well fit his shop theme.
"Can we put it up? Please please please?"
"Well, if we do we'll be late, but… Might as well, right?"
"Yaaaaaay!!" She clapped her hands together.
Il Ji took the screws holding the old sign in place out. Them, he screwed the new holder for the sign in and screwed the sign to the fastener.
Once he completed the job, it had only taken him about 15 minutes. Unfortunately, he was already late to Adele's party.
"Alright Laila, let's go outside and see how it looks. Grab your stuff, though- we're going to Adele's."
She quickly grabbed her stuff and walked outside. Il Ji locked the door behind her and admired the new door sign.
It was truly wonderful.
Breaking himself away from the sight, he encouraged his sister to do the same.
The two walked hand in hand towards Adele's Antique Shop.
Right before they entered, Il Ji looked at the time. It was 9:10. He was definitely late. He opened the door.
Walking to the back room, he was surprised to see everyone gone. Just then, a small voice came from behind him.
"Hey, Il Ji. They told me to wait for you here." Minata Ru was standing by the coffee machine. "Hi, Laila." She added.
"Where'd they go?" Il Ji responded.
"It's pretty exciting, actually. One of Adele's antiques just so happened to be the key to a small realm. It's an unexplored small world that only goes ten miles in every direction."
"The world is full of butterflies, and they're completely peaceful. She even had some researcher friends look into it. Here, this is for you."
She handed him a small booklet. "This is the Chrono Federation's complete bestiary on butterflies as of last week. Adele had them made for us."
"I'll go lock the door so no one follows us."
Il Ji flipped one by one through the pages, only sparing a single glance for each page. In less than a minute, he had completed the book.
It was just then that Minata Ru appeared.
"Where's the entrance?" Il Ji asked her.
The lady pointed to a small wardrobe on the other side of the room. A small butterfly figurine stood atop it.
Opening the double doors, Minata Ru showed the glowing blue portal that had appeared inside the small closet.
Shrugging her shoulders, she jumped in head first.
Il Ji looked to Laila. "Want me to throw you?"
"Yes, PLEEEASSE!"
He picked her up and began to swing her back and forth like a battering ram. When she had enough velocity, he simply let go.
"Protect your head!" he yelled from behind her.
The matter settled, he stepped through the portal to check in on her.