14 Master Mu's Shrine

Before going, they wanted to meet the manager of Villa Rosa but they did not. They just left a calling card to the waiter. "We're interested to book this place for my daughter's wedding. I want to meet your manager." said Shane. "We're very sorry for the inconvenience Sir, but the manager is currently out." the waiter said apologetically to the couple. "Is that so? I'll just leave my calling card and please tell your manager our request." he said. "I'll be glad to Sir." the waiter smiled at them. They smiled also knowing how hospitable they are.

Shane put his arms around Michele's waist. They looked so loving and so young. The waiter was so shocked when they told him it's for their daughter. He thought that they were a couple on a date. They paid their bill and waited for receipt.

"I can't wait to put this on my blog." Michele was so delighted. She's also a blogger; a food blogger to boot. Shane just smiled at her. He thought he was found out. He sighed for the relief he felt.

"Something's wrong?" Michele asked when she noticed Shane's sighing.

"N-no.. There's nothing. Don't mind me." he said with a slight panic on his voice.

"If you say so." she just said not minding it.

After a while, the receipt arrived and they prepared to leave.

Mich as always is busy with her phone. She's writing in her blog about Villa Rosa.

Shane went to their car and drove towards her. Mich got inside the car and immediately headed towards Master Mu's shrine.

Mich and Shane arrived at an almost rundown shrine. They thought that they were lost. When they asked a passerby to confirm, it showed that they aren't. When they were visiting the shrine before, it has two majestic pillars, standing side by side with each other. The cemented stairs were clean and no molds. They even counted it. It had 80 in total. But now, the two pillars were broken and the stairs had cracks, grass and even molds in it. It looked like unattended. They ascended to the top to see that the whole shrine blasted.

They looked at each other.

"What should we do now?" Mich asked worriedly.

"We should just head back." Shane suggested while rubbing his wife's shoulder to comfort her. Mich just nodded.

They descended to the foot of the rundown shrine.

"I wonder if Master Mu's alright?" Shane asked a question.

"Yeah. Should we try asking the locals?" Mich suggested.

"Hmm..mm.." Shane answered and they entered the car. They drove towards the nearest convenience store around.

They began asking about Master Mu's shrine.

One woman they asked said, "It was caught on fire. Well, it served him right! That old scum deserved to die!" her tone had an obvious anger with it. They were puzzled by the woman's answer. "Why? What Master Mu did?" Mich asked suddenly. The woman looked at the couple with a puzzled face.

"You are not from here are you?" the woman asked them. This time, Shane answered.

"No, we are from the other district. We came here to ask his advice over something."

The woman snorted.

"Ha! You are also blinded by that old scum?" the woman continued to ask them without any hint of answering their inquiries.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That old scum is a fake shrine master. That's why, that shrine was burned by the locals along with him. They were so angry with him because he molested his apprentices! Not only that, he extorted money from the local government. He's the worst scum!" the woman said it with anger and disdain.

"Is that so?" they really could not believe it.

They thought that Master Mu was a kind person. From what they've remembered, Master Mu was always smiling. He had a reverened aura with him. One can feel at peace whenever he spoke like a good listener and advisor.

"Yes! That's how it is." the woman said it with conviction.

"Thank you auntie. We should get going." The two of them boarded the car once more and headed back.

"Now, we can't ask Master Mu's advice." said Mich with disappointment in her tone."What should we do now?"

"How about we set it on the same date with our anniversary?" Shane suggested while smiling at her.

"I wonder about that." Mich pondered her husband's suggestion. "I should call Misha and ask her." she then looked up Misha's number in her phone.