Chris idly rapped his pen on the desk, one hand holding his phone up to his ear as he waited for his call to connect. He usually wasn't the one to contact Hyejin, it was always her that sent the first call, and he was almost afraid she wouldn't pick up. He needed her to answer, damn it, and she had information he wanted right now and she wouldn't be calling until another few days. He had just yesterday endured the embarrassment of her harassing him over visiting Autumn in the hospital, she wasn't too quick to torture him.

"Yah! Do you know what time it is over here, brat?" He heard as the line connected and he smiled. Hyejin could never pass up a good phone call, could she.

"Yes, it's 4:30 am. Don't act like you haven't called me at worse, Noona," Chris taunted over the line, smirking as he heard the grumble of reply back.

"That was ONE TIME, give me a break!"

"More like five, and somehow they were always during finals week. You knew what you were doing."

There was a deathly silence before Hyejin replied in her coldest tone, "This better be for a good reason or Umma is going to be hearing about why you called me at 4 am. And don't think I don't know you've talked about those past calls to her, I've gotten chewed out plenty."

Chris rolled his eyes but then took a deep breath. This was going to be the tricky part of the call and he counted to five mentally, eyes squeezed shut before he finally said what he'd been practicing before he'd called her. "I just want a list of some of the herbs used in Muism usually, some sticks of that incense you know I like. Maybe even some dried versions of the stuff if you can? I know seeds won't make it over the line, but I want to try working with some of the stuff I can't grow here. Even if it isn't potent, it's better than nothing."

There was another round of silence, but instead of ice this time he only got a very cautious, "Are you practicing muism again Chris?"

"No! Well. Not anything spiritual. Just the herbalism we were taught, I've.. I've wanted to try it again. The incense is just for me to focus, you know it helps me get into that head space. And I can't get that type here."

"Well, I guess I can. Except, what am I getting from this Chris? That's a big order to fill and as you know I am a very busy person."

He sighed, knowing that Hyejin was smirking on the phone. He loved her, but it was always something of a fiasco asking something from her. At least he had a bargaining tool this time.

"That raspberry tea, if you send me what I asked, I'll send you some in return."

"You already send me that, I have some still you know."

"Not a lot. I know how fast you go through tea and when I last sent that tin. You're low, if not completely out, and I know you bluff over the phone so I don't believe for a second that you still have some. And I don't have to send any of that, I can sell it. You know I have some very big fans of that tea and it'd just be a shame if they all got it before I could send some to you..."

"...Okay but I want chocolate too. The good stuff that you know I can't get here. And some spicy cheetos, they're ridiculously expensive over here."

"Deal if you send back some chocopies."

Hyejin hummed for a second over the line, considering. "Consider it done. But Chris.. why do you want to practice all of a sudden? You all but.. well. You know."

He winced at the question, it had been coming but even then he didn't want it. Chris considered not answering at all but Hyejin was good to him. She deserved it at least.

"There's someone I want to protect," He said quietly, "And I need the supplies for it."

There was a small intake of breath from Hyejin and he wondered if she would push further but there was nothing else. Finally she just said, "I hope it's for good cause. Noona worries about you."

"It is, I promise."

"If you say so. I'd love to chat more, but I really do need to sleep. I'll talk to later and say hi to Umma for you."

"Okay, thank you. Love you." He said quietly, sitting up and putting the pen back in its holder.

"Love you too."

Hyejin hung up and Chris stared at his phone, before stretching and going to start dinner. He'd have work to do in the upcoming days.