Chapter Two

The moment Yuri stepped into their dormitory, she found Sooyoung seated on the couch in front of the fireplace, munching on some chips like always. From her current position, Yuri could see her friend was reading a book that lay on her lap.

Yuri approached the shikshin hunter from behind and without any warning, she placed her palm on Sooyoung’s shoulder firmly, startling the engrossed hunter. Sooyoung jumped up in shock, causing her bag of chips fell to the ground in process.

“Yah! Kwon Yuri!” Sooyoung threw the book aside and quickly picked up the bag of potato chips. “Can you walk with noise next time? You scared me seriously!”

“I’m sorry then.” She stuck out her tongue playfully before plopping herself on the couch, sitting next to Sooyoung. “What are you reading? And where’s Yoona?” Surprisingly, the shikshin duo who always stuck around together was missing one.

“She tried to sneak into Tiffany’s room, so I knocked her out and threw her into her room.”

“You what?!”

“I knocked her out,” She pointed at the fireplace before them, “With one of the woods there. But don’t worry, I’ve make sure there is no bump on her head.” Sooyoung threw a few pieces of potato chips into and munched noisily.

Yuri felt her jaw dropping. “Sooyoung, you’re rough!” Yes, she did asked Sooyoung to stop Yoona from going near Tiffany, but she did not mean it THAT way. And how was being knocked out sounded safe and sound to her!

“Good guys are always mistaken as villains when they attempt to save the victims. I’m sure Yoona will be thankful when she knows she is still alive and kicking.”

……… Okay, she was speechless.

“What are you reading by the way?” Yuri decided to change the topic of their conversation before she became mute from speechless. She peeked at the book which was back on Sooyoung’s lap again.

“Oh, you mean this?” Sooyoung picked up the book and passed it to Yuri. “I found this in the library when I was bored the other day. It contains the history’s records of a lost kingdom, which is rather interesting. I haven’t had the chance to read it until today.”

Yuri flipped through the pages and browsed through the content, “What kingdom was that?”

“Hmm…” Sooyoung swallowed the chips in . “Well, according to the book, it said there was a kingdom named Runical around 500 years ago. They seemed to be the only party, other than Wideon, who controlled magical powers.”

“Magical powers…” Yuri repeated that two words specifically. “Is it the same kind as what the Wideon use when they are still around?”

Sooyoung shrugged and shook her head. “I’m not too sure about that. The records on Runical are very little. They are kind of secretive I guess? But I think I read somewhere in the book where it stated the people from Runical saved humans from some incurable diseases before. So I’m concluding Runical and Wideon possessed different types of skills.”

Yuri nodded in understanding. From what she remembered, Wideon specialized in offensive magic. She, personally, had never read from anywhere where it stated the sorcerers from Wideon healed anyone before. “So where is Runical now?” If the people from Runical are capable of saving people, does that mean they have the ability to turn mutated victims back into humans?

Sooyoung shrugged again, “The book which you’re holding now said they vanished into thin air over one night. No one knew where they had gone to, but the historians believed they were wiped out by the other clans or something. There are no evidences to prove that though.”

Aish… Back to square one. So that means they still have to depend on themselves to find the solutions to save the mutated humans, asides from killing them.

“Oh yeah, you want the book?” Sooyoung asked. “I’ve finished most of it, you can take it if you want.”

“Oh, sure.” This kingdom sounds interesting anyway, doesn’t hurt her to read it through. “I will return it to the library for you once I am done with it.”

Sooyoung pulled the bottom of her eye and stuck out her tongue lazily, “That goes without saying!” She stood up from the couch, “I’m going to head for bed now, you should rest early too.” And with that, Sooyoung left the foyer and climbed up the stairs, going into her room which is on the second floor.

“Runical…” Yuri whispered to no one in particular. She looked at the book in her hands, “It will be great if you are still around.”

*

Just like what Yuri mentioned, Tiffany was back to her usual self after having a good rest the previous night. While she was in the kitchen preparing the breakfast, Yoona appeared at the entrance of it, with one of her hands rubbing the back of her head. When she saw Tiffany standing in front of the stove, she approached her immediately.

“Fany unnie!” Yoona called out, “Good morning! Making breakfast?”

“Good morning!” Tiffany returned her a pleasant smile. Her eyes curved nicely into the shape of crescents that are mesmerizing enough to attract anyone. “You want any?”

“Yeah, of course! Double of your portions, thank you!” Yoona replied cheerfully when she thought of the foods she was going to have later. She momentary forgot the injury on her head, and whined softly when she accidentally pressed too hard on the spot where Sooyoung hit.

Tiffany noticed her weird reaction, “What’s wrong?”

“Huh?” Yoona looked blankly at Tiffany, she didn’t catch her words.

Tiffany pointed at the hand which was rubbing the back of Yoona’s head with her chin.

“Oh!” The cheerful face immediately turned sour. Yoona pouted at Tiffany, “Unnie! Sooyoung raid on me last night! I was out until this morning! You got to hold justice for me!”

Tiffany flipped the egg in the pan before answering her, “Why did she do that?”

“You looked upset last night… I was going to check on you, but Yuri unnie forbid me. So I tried to sneak into your room when she was with the headmaster, who knew Sooyoung would attack and knock me out!”

Oh… so that was the reason.

Tiffany chuckled, “She is probably helping you.”

“Unnie, you won’t do anything to me if I visit you last night, right?” Yoona asked with utmost innocence written on her face.

What a question! Tiffany hesitated in dilemma. She could not promise whether she would do anything to Yoona if she visited last night. It is hard to predict one’s action when he or she is in a bad mood, isn’t it? However, looking at Yoona’s innocent face right now, somehow… she couldn’t really bring herself to be harsh on this little sister of hers.

She flashed a tender smile at her, “Of course I won’t.” Perhaps she should try to control her temper in the future and be nice to the others.

“That’s right, I know you won’t!” Yoona gave Tiffany a light hug from behind before running to dining table and settled down behind it.

“Food! I smell food!” A familiar voice echoed through the hallway and entered the duo’s ears while they were chatting away.

Tiffany and Yoona stopped their conversation and stared into one another’s eyes for a second or longer. Yoona sent some eye signals to Tiffany before turning away and pretended to do her stuffs.

“Tiffany! What are you making?” As soon as the tall hunter entered the kitchen, she saw Tiffany standing in front of the stove. Without a second thought, she hopped towards the hunter and stood behind her happily.

“Omelettes.” Tiffany replied coldly. She did not bother to glance at Sooyoung.

Uh… Sooyoung could feel her hair standing. She thought Yuri said Tiffany would be fine in the morning? And this was what she meant by fine?!

Gosh, Kwon Yuri, you are so going to get it from me later!

Yoona laughed softly to herself. It was rare to see Sooyoung being so scared of anyone, not even when they were in a mission would she revealed such a frightened expression. Tiffany was just way too awesome!

“Morning guys, what are you all doing?”

“Good morning Yuri unnie.” Yoona greeted Yuri before turning back to the magazine which she randomly picked up from the counter just now.

“Good morning Yoona.” Yuri greeted back as she walked towards Tiffany and Sooyoung. “Fany, you’re making breakfast? Can I get one too?”

“Yeah, sure, of course.” Tiffany returned Yuri with a warmth smile. Her attitude was completely different from the one when she replied to Sooyoung’s question. “I’m making omelettes, are you okay with it? Or do you want something else?”

“Nope, omelettes are fine, thanks a lot.” Yuri opened the fridge and took out a bottle of milk. “Milk for you, Fany?”

“Yup, thanks!”

“What about you, Yoona?”

“Thanks unnie! Grab me a big cup!” Yoona drew a big circle with her arms.

Yuri couldn’t help but laughed at Yoona’s childish action. “Yoona-ah, you’re turning 20 this year, stop acting like a kid! And seriously, I wonder where all your foods gone to… you eat as though you starve for hundreds or thousands of years, but you don’t gain fats at all!”

“Unnie, there’s a term called high metabolism………”

Sooyoung stared at the three women who were chatting happily before her in confusion. Something seemed wrong… very, very wrong! “Yah! Why are you guys treating me so differently!” The omelettes… and the milk… none of them included her share!

“That’s your punishment for bullying our Yoona.” Tiffany answered her question with a sweet smile. It was so sweet that Sooyoung could clearly see the endangering daggers hidden behind that dazzling smile.

Sooyoung felt her hair standing again. Tiffany was the last person she ever wanted to deal with. Not only had she seen cases where people offended Tiffany were punished in a terrible way… She, herself, also had bad experience with her. Though it wasn’t as serious as what those erts from the I.T. Department received, she didn’t want to go through that ever again!

She turned to Yuri, who was sitting on the chair next to Yoona. “Yah! Kwon Yuri! You’re the one who asked me to stop Yoona from going near Tiffany!”

Yuri looked at her with creased brows, “But that is way too rough…”

“And it still hurts now…” Yoona continued after Yuri and pouted at Sooyoung. Her hand was still rubbing the back of her head.

Tiffany walked towards one of the cabinets and pulled out a box of cereals from it. “You can have this for breakfast.” She stuffed the box into Sooyoung’s hands before returning to the stove to continue her cooking.

“Yah! You guys are ganging up on me now!?”

“This is your punishment.” Tiffany replied her with a cold tone again.

Yeah right, punishment… so much for being a kind person who only wanted to save her partner from the devil’s claws! Sooyoung held the box of cereals tightly to her chest and stomped out of the kitchen with a hurtful face.

“Unnie…” Yoona pulled Yuri’s sleeves. “I think we have gone too far…”

Yuri scratched her head with the hint of sheepishness hanging on the corners of her lips, “I thought so too.” She looked at Tiffany, who was serving the omelettes onto three empty plates. “Fany-ah, I think you are too harsh to her.”

“So you’re saying it is my fault now?” Tiffany questioned with her soft, yet threatening, voice.

Yuri shook her head and denied immediately. Aish! She shouldn’t have played along when Yoona signaled her with her eyes! “I… I shall check on Sooyoung!” As soon as Yuri finished her sentence, Tiffany stopped her.

“Sit down.” She commanded.

“Eh?”

Tiffany squinted at her partner and repeated her words, “I said, SIT DOWN.” Cold sweats broke out from her forehead. Yuri quickly sat still and followed as instructed. She looked at Tiffany nervously as the latter walked to their table and placed their breakfasts on it. “Finish them before they become cold.”

Yuri nodded with no complains, Yoona did the same as well.

Instead of sitting down with them, Tiffany returned to the stove and prepared another omelette and some toasts. After she was done with everything, she placed them on a tray and took it out of the kitchen.

She stopped at the entrance briefly, “Don’t worry about Sooyoung, I’ll take these to her.” Then, she left.

Yoona put down her utensils immediately after Tiffany disappeared from the corner. “I know Fany unnie isn’t scary like what everyone said!”

“Uh… well, maybe…” Yuri didn’t know how to reply the younger girl, if she had seen the other side of Tiffany’s, perhaps she would share a different conclusion.

“All of you are just toooooo exaggerated! Fany unnie is the nicest person I’ve ever met. She is really nice, kind and caring if you have observed enough. You all should really learn to appreciate her!”

“I did not say she was bad…” Though Yuri had to agree with Yoona on that, still… they could not deny the fact that Tiffany could be scary at times, especially when she was in a bad mood.

“But the way everybody treats her… how they avoid her whenever they see her, with fear on their faces, it is just too unfair to Fany unnie.” Yoona frowned when she recalled those scenes. “I know Fany unnie may be a little scary. I’ve even seen cases where she punished those men who peeped on her with those offensive eyes, but that’s because they went too overboard with their disgusting desires. If you know Fany unnie well enough, you will know she doesn’t really go around dealing with people. Even to those who always check her out, as long as there is a limit, she will usually let them off.”

Yuri lowered her utensils suddenly and stared deeply into Yoona’s eyes, “You sure understand Tiffany well, don’t you?”

“I know what you’re thinking unnie,” Yoona took Yuri’s hand and gave a gentle squeeze to it. “I don’t feel anything for Fany unnie. I only see her as a good unnie who takes good care of me. I won’t take her away from you, so don’t worry!”

“Wha––What?!” She looked at Yoona with an unbelievable expression plastered on her face. “Yoona, not you too?!”

Why is everyone saying she and Tiffany are together?

Yoona showed her a confusing look. “Isn’t it obvious?” Almost everyone knew that they were couple.

“Ugh… Forget it.” She is not going to explain whatever she told Hyuk-Jun to everyone. “Finish up your breakfast quickly! Or else that good unnie of yours is going to punish us!”