Chapter Thirty-Four

This was her first time ever, touching this steel-made equipment in her hands. Jessica nibbled on her bottom lip nervously as she placed it above the stove just like how she always saw Yuri do when she prepared meals for them.

“Let’s see…”

She randomly picked up a bottle which contained golden-colored liquid and examined it.

This sure looked like the one Yuri always used, but what was the exact procedure again? Jessica turned her head back, trying to seek a little help from the shikshin who was sitting behind the dining table waiting for her. But Sooyoung seemed to be so into her dreamland of food that she failed to notice the pitiful pout on Jessica’s face.

Looks like she had to figure out the way herself then.

Jessica returned her gaze to the frying pan. Well, well, well, nothing would bring her down so easily! No one was born knowing how to walk, likewise, no one would know how to cook if they never bothered to give themselves a chance to try it out. Jessica might not have done this before, but that doesn’t mean she was going to give it up just because she was new to cooking.

Channeling her determination, Jessica reached for the switch and turned the knob till it hit the end. She then grabbed the bottle of vegetable oil, twisted its cap open and poured its content onto the pan.

That hard-headed girl back at home would probably lecture her again if she found out what she was doing.

A bitter smile naturally found its way to Jessica’s face as she reminisced.

It had been years since she had last seen that girl. She was the only one, other than her father, who cared for her truthfully.

Although Jessica had to admit, that girl could be quite irritating sometimes with her flexibilities…… Hmm? Was that a spark?

Jessica blinked her eyes several times, re-affirming herself that her eyes were not playing trick on her.

Fi… fire?

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

She let out an extremely high pitched scream instantly.

The day-dreaming Sooyoung was forced to withdraw from her dreamland of food. She dug her ears in annoyance and was about to reprimand Jessica for screaming when her eyes captured the little orangish flames on the stove.

“YAH!!! JESSICAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!” Sooyoung screamed along with her, completely forgotten that she wanted to scold the blonde. “WATER! WATER!!!! GET THE WATER!!!!!!!!!” She rose from her seat and dashed towards the flustered Jessica.

Seeing Sooyoung was approaching, Jessica quickly ran behind her and hid herself from the burning flames. “I’M SCARED!!!” Jessica buried her face onto Sooyoung’s back, grabbing the latter’s shirt as tightly as she could, as if afraid that Sooyoung would throw her into the fire.

“Yah! You should have told me beforehand that you CAN’T cook!” Now that she was closer to the stove, Sooyoung finally found out why the fire was there.

The pan was overflowing with oil!

Sooyoung tried to reach for the rag hanging on the top, but Jessica’s grip on her back was stopping her to. “Yah! Jessica! I can’t put out the fire if you keep holding onto me!”

“BUT THE FIRE IS SCARY!” Instead of loosening her grip, Jessica grabbed her even tighter.

“All of us will be burned into ashes if you don’t release me!” Her words fell on deaf ears. Jessica simply refused to let go of Sooyoung. “Jessica!!!”

“Sica! What’s wrong? What’s with all the screaming?” Yuri rushed into the pantry in the nick of time. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw the small fire at the stove. “What the––”

Before anyone realized it, Jessica already released Sooyoung and dashed into Yuri’s embrace.

“Yuri! Help! The fire is scary!” Jessica hugged Yuri tightly on her waist and buried her face deeply onto Yuri’s chest.

Finally… She was relieved.

Jessica heaved out a deep breath as she hugged Yuri even tighter.

There was this sense of security she found in Yuri which Sooyoung didn’t have and it certainly made her feel much safer than when she hid behind Sooyoung.

Yuri wrapped her arm around Jessica’s body almost naturally. She glared at the tall girl who was staring at them as though they were aliens. “Choi Sooyoung! What are you waiting for? Quickly, put out the fire!”

“Uh…” Sooyoung sluggishly turned away from the lovely (?) couple and wetted the rag under the tap water.

Something seems so wrong with Yuri and Jessica…

The fire was put out within seconds after Sooyoung slapped the wet rag onto that small fire on the stove. Luckily nothing was damaged, all they had to do was clean up the place and it would be usable again.

“Yah! Choi Sooyoung! Even if you are desperate for food, you shouldn’t make Sica cook for you! Don’t you know she is a patient? You should be the one making breakfast for her!”

They were now sitting around the pantry’s table, with Sooyoung alone sitting on the opposite side of Yuri and Jessica. Jessica had obviously not recovered from the fire incident. Her face looked a little pale and Yuri was busy comforting her by her back and reprimanding Sooyoung at the same time.

Okay, this is weird. She smells something fishy between these two.

“Yah, Sooyoung, are you listening to me?”

“Huh?” Yuri’s reprimand snapped Sooyoung out of her thoughts. She looked at Yuri with a blank expression, “Yes?”

Yuri felt like throwing a punch to Sooyoung’s head if wasn’t for Jessica sitting beside her. “If I see you making Jessica cook breakfast for you again,” Yuri held up her hand and balled it into a fist slowly, and tightly, in front of Sooyoung’s face. “You are going to get it from me.”

Sooyoung arched an eyebrow and nodded absentmindedly, “Okay…”

Yuri frowned at her reaction. She thought Sooyoung would argue with her. Anyways. “Where’s Yoona?” It was unusual not to see her hanging around Sooyoung.

“She’s still sleeping.” Sooyoung replied with a shrug. It was indeed unusual to see Yoona still in bed at this point of time.

She probably couldn’t sleep well ‘cause of Fany… Yuri thought to herself. She sighed and rose from her seat. “I’m going to make breakfast.” She turned to Jessica. “You want some milk Sica? I’ll make it warm for you.”

Jessica nodded with a sweet smile despite the pale look she wore on her face. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Yuri ruffled her hair and returned a smile. She proceeded on to the fridge, ignoring the presence of the tall shikshin sitting right on the opposite side.

“Yah! What about me!?”

Yuri shot her an indifferent stare, “You look perfectly fine to me. Get the milk yourself.”

……… ……… ………?!

She got it! She knew where the fishy part came from! So Yoona was actually right about Yuri’s biasness towards Jessica! And her biasness wasn’t just a tinge of biasness, it was as if Jessica was the only living soul in her eyes!

Oh my gawd! Sooyoung face-palmed herself mentally. What the hell is going on?!

*

The others were still having breakfast in the pantry when Tiffany slipped past them silently and went to the I.T. department. As she was making her way across the office, she could sense those intruding gazes fixed upon her even without turning her head back to face them. She ignored them all, obviously. Her reason to be here was to get the I.T. genius to do some important things for her, rather than creating a fight with these sickos.

“Wheeeeee!”

Tiffany heard an annoying whistling from her right. But she chose to ignore it and kept on walking.

“Look who’s here! The Tiffany-oh-so-great-hunter who claimed that she will never step in here again––”

Before anyone had the chance to react, Tiffany already disappeared from her position and was pinning the guy, who was mocking her from before, down on the table. One of her blade was stuck into his table with its edge just a millimeter away from his nose.

“I see you haven’t learned from your previous punishment.” Tiffany threatened to pull her blade towards his nose.

The guy was too scared to move away or even yell for help.

Tiffany let out a scoff. This was the reason she hated to step into the I.T. department so much. Sickening people! Tiffany withdrew her blade and left for the small office at the back. She knocked it twice and opened it without waiting for the owner’s reply.

“I’ve a request to ask of you.” Tiffany said as soon as she entered the room, startling the I.T. genius who was unprepared for her arrival. She closed the door behind her and grabbed a seat behind his table. “I need you to come out with a program which is able to nullify magic in our protection system as soon as possible. And also, if possible, create a device that is able to immune magic and suitable for the hunters to bring along with them during their mission.”

“Nullify and immune magic?” Kyuhyun asked. He thought he heard her wrongly. “How am I supposed to come out with an immunizing magic system and device? And what is it for?” Magic does not exist in this world anymore, he can’t just build it out of nowhere.

“Sorcerers.” Tiffany’s eyebrows naturally drew into a frown. “I suspect sorcerers are still alive and are involve in the mutation. I need you to create these devices to protect ourselves from them. And I know that such devices do exist in the past, but I don’t have their details.”

“Sorcerers…” Kyuhyun pressed his lips into a straight line. His expression revealed a tinge of unwillingness. “Tiffany, how did you get the idea that they are alive? What if you’re wrong? We will just be wasting our time on useless stuffs.”

“Kyuhyun, I’m sure you know what kind of a person I am. I never make unnecessary decision.” Tiffany bit on her lower lip subconsciously, showing Kyuhyun a pitiful-like face. “I know it is hard for you to believe my words, but please trust me this time. I will explain when I have more evidences.”

Kyuhyun noticed her action and became soft-hearted immediately, but he was surprised at the same time.

Knowing Tiffany for so many years, indifferent, cold, and calm, were the only words which he would use to describe Tiffany’s appearance. This was definitely his first time seeing Tiffany showing the ‘weaker’ side of her.

Kyuhyun shrugged to himself and replied, “Alright, I shall believe you then. But has the headmaster been informed about this?” Well, the researchers did mention that Magic was detected in the mutants’ flesh, maybe Tiffany hit on the jackpot.

Tiffany rose from her seat. “I’m gonna go over to him right after this. Start with your research now and don’t drag any further! This is urgent.” She ordered him and stormed out of the room right after.

Uh… Kyuhyun scratched his head helplessly. Okay, he must be seeing things when he thought he saw Tiffany biting on her lip! Seriously, as a demanding and scary person like her, he must be crazy to even think that Tiffany would actually do such a cute thing!

Kyuhyun heaved out a sigh and got up from his seat. He walked to his door and surveyed the room, observing those co-workers who are busy with their computers.

They really have to be busy this time.

He clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention, “Everyone! Meet me in our I.T. conference room in ten minutes’ time. This is an urgent matter, so don’t be late!”

Nullify magic huh… It may be unfamiliar to them, but as their I.T. genius, there is no way he can’t produce it!

*

A few of the hunters and Hyuk-Jun gathered in the conference room. They were sitting around the long conference table, listening to Tiffany attentively. Right after Tiffany left the I.T. department, she found Hyuk-Jun in his office. After a brief talk, Hyuk-Jun called all the members of Hunter S, who were in the headquarters, to the conference room to discuss about the mutations and…

“Sorcerers.” Wooyoung highlighted the key word which was mentioned in Tiffany’s sentence. “So you’re saying Satron is innocent and the real mastermind behind these mutation incidents is the supposed dead Wideon?”

Tiffany shot an annoyed glare at him. Though she knew Wooyoung only asked because he was really in doubt, the way he spoke never failed to irritate her still. She turned to the rest of people in the room. “I did not say Satron is innocent.” Tiffany repeated herself with a stern tone. “I’m saying sorcerers are definitely part of this activity.”

“Proof?” Wooyoung asked. He folded his arms across his chest and returned her an intriguing look.

Tiffany sneered at him, “Wait till you die under their magic and that will be your proof.”

“A-hem!” Hyuk-Jun interrupted them before the situation reached its .

Wooyoung and Tiffany, the problematic hunters in Aurales, it really made people wondered why and how these two best friends became enemies.

Tiffany was brought back to Aurales by Wooyoung’s master and naturally, Wooyoung became Tiffany’s first friend in Aurales. Hyuk-Jun remembered they were very close back then, despite the fact that Tiffany always showed her cold side to everyone, whenever she was with Wooyoung, smiles never left her face.

If Hyuk-Jun hadn’t remembered wrongly, the both of them only became like this after the outbreak of mutants three years ago. They seemed to be always fighting over every issue that was brought up during meeting and no, Hyuk-Jun could see that it was not a form of competition.

They were provoking one another for who knew what reason.

“Alright guys, though Tiffany is making an assumption here, but she may be right. Remember, we do have reports indicating that magical powers were found in the mutants’ flesh. We missed out the possibility of sorcerers behind this incident because we thought they do not exist anymore. But what if they are ones who are out there, waiting for us?” Hyuk-Jun squinted and observed the hunters. “They could eliminate us easily if we don’t get ourselves prepared.” He gave a short pause before continuing, “Tiffany had already spoken to our I.T. colleagues, they are working on devices to immune magic right now. Meanwhile, I want all of you to do the research yourselves. Find out ways to resist Magic without the help of accessory. This is important, if our guys couldn’t manage to produce the devices in time, we may suffer.” Magic was common in the past, but a mystery to those who lived in the present. None of them had seen Magic before, let alone knowing what a Magiccould do to them. If the hunters did not prepare themselves beforehand, the sorcerers – supposing they really exist – might put them down in an instant.

And if that really happened, the world is doomed.

The hunters left one by one after the meeting ended. Tiffany was pulled back by Yuri, who was worried for her sudden disappearance from her room this morning.

“Fany-ah, did you really visit the I.T. this morning?”

Sooyoung paused in her track when she heard the question. She spun around and acted casually as she strolled back to the duo.

She was as curious if Tiffany really went to the I.T. department this morning.

Tiffany folded her arms and shot her a weird look, “Yes, and why?”

“I thought you didn’t like that place.” Yuri scratched her head, “You could have asked me, you know. And you skipped your breakfast too.”

“I’m not hungry.” Tiffany replied coldly. She recalled the scene when she almost stepped into the pantry this morning. Yuri was chatting with Jessica, who was wearing Yuri’s clothes, so happily together as though they are the world in each other’s eyes. She noticed Sooyoung was present too, but the poor shikshin looked as if she was a light bulb and was sadly ignored by the other two.

Well, why would she be a wrecker and spoil their mood?

Sooyoung stepped back timidly when she noticed Tiffany clutching her fist. She had no idea why but, Tiffany seemed to be in a very bad mood now. Just then, the corner of her eyes noticed a figure standing right outside the meeting room.

Wooyoung?

Sooyoung was surprised. The male hunter seemed to be in deep thought and did not notice her gaze. He was staring at a particular direction…… Sooyoung followed his gaze and realized he was staring at Tiffany.

Huh?

Okay, this is weird. Wooyoung is staring at Tiffany. Yes, she can understand this. But what’s with that um… affectionate look?

Perhaps because Sooyoung’s stare was too intense, it didn’t take Wooyoung too long to notice the shikshin hunter’s observation. Shifting his gaze to her, he smiled at her politely with a slight nod.

Sooyoung nodded back at him, but the guy didn’t manage to see it since he already turned his back at her and left the scene.

Weirdo.