“Okay. Can you explain to me what the hell is that liquid and what is the effect on the victim?” My voice came out much calmer than I would have expected. But deep inside, I could feel it. Fear. I was scared. I wasn’t scared to die, no. But I felt this responsibility to protect my clan from the horror of Byakko. If I were to die alone, that would be a completely different story, but I could not imagine the loss of billions of people should a Third World War happened. Before this news, I already knew Byun Baekhyun was a psycho bastard who did not have an ounce of humanity inside him, but this had taken the word ‘madness’ into a whole new context.

                  “We have no idea what exactly it is, but one drop would kill – or roast, or whatever it is – the victim, as heard in the video,” Joonmyun explained kindly. “And with the body of our source, Byun Baekhyun also sent a very nice message with dead flowers, written in blood. He said: it’s ready. It’s an all-out war declaration, Sena! We can no longer sit back and watch this continue. Byun Baekhyun and his army of Byakko must be stopped at whatever cost. Else the world will be left in chaos and ruins.”

                  “I know,” I clenched my fists. “I know…” was my only whisper. I tried to think of a solution, but none came. It was only then, that I felt a gentle, but firm grasp on my shoulder. Luhan nodded in shared understanding and voiced out his opinion, “As you said, it’s no longer a war of clans, but a world issue. Have you informed the United Nation of this development? Do you have any plan in mind to stop him, or have you come to seek solution with our help?”

                  Joonmyun wasn’t the slightest bit offended because Luhan had spoken in a very careful tone so as not to insult the leader of Genbu. He raised his hand to stop Taeil and Kun from attacking. “No, I do not. Frankly this news came out as a shock to me, and coupled with Sena’s kidnapping a few days ago, I had too much at hands and very little time to find a solution.”

                  I knew what he wanted. Kim Joonmyun wanted to keep his reputation in front of the four clans and the United Nations. I wasn’t even surprised. I should have known. I knew him better than anyone else. Human had weakness each to their own and to Joonmyun – as he was reminded again and again – it was his greed and ambition. Power. I suddenly felt much more composed with the thought itself. There was nothing wrong with greed and ambition, of course, as long as it didn’t blind him like it did to my Grandfather.

                  “Does Wu Yi Fan know? Have you tried to contact him?”

                  He shook his head in all honesty. He could never lie to me, anyway. I tapped the table with a thought forming in my head. It wasn’t hard to see where this conversation was going to, and at the same time, I wanted to shield Joonmyun away from others so that they would not know what he was planning for all along. After decades of absence, Genbu finally took the initiative, and it was truly refreshing. “Then what are we waiting for? Two of us should go for a trip to visit him, don’t you think?”

                  Luhan let out a meek sound of protest.

24 May 2018

Cherkasy, Russia

Suzakku’s headquarter

                  Suzakku was hailed in history as the strongest and largest clan of the Four Great Clans. Whispers said that even if the world collapsed, the children of Phoenix would never cease to exist, because that was their greatest ability: death and rebirth. They were as amicable as they were fierce, but not passive like Genbu, peaceful like Seiryuu or ferocious like Byakko. Suzakku had the kind of charisma that made them seem almost untouchable. This, perhaps, was one of the many reasons why Byun Baekhyun never tried to screw them over.

                  Suzakku’s claws extended over Europe, Africa and parts of America. There were thirty thousand people under their clan and one hundred talents at their beck. Unlike the other clans, their Elites only comprised of seven fighters, led by two very strong warriors, Winwin and Jungkook. Their names were about as famous as Jongin and Sehun in our clan, because they were the youngest trainees to be officially called ‘Warriors’ at the age of fourteen.

                  “Nervous, aye?” Joonmyun nudged me with a smile and I threw him a playful glare. We were seated side-by-side in his car. He had a house in Russia, one he recently bought just for this trip. I never quite understood his need of a lavish lifestyle, but when one had that much money, nothing was ever enough. I, too, had foolishly purchased boats and luxury yachts when I was feeling it, so I did not have the right to judge what he did. Money could be tempting as the devil himself.

                  “Are you?” I challenged back and opened the window to enjoy a breathe of fresh air. Unlike Joonmyun who spent most of his time in Singapore and Thailand, I was not used to the hot weather of summer. The sun was blinding and the humidity wasn’t helping. Soon, I was slumping back onto the leather seat in surrender and let out a strange sound akin to that of a dying whale. The weather was unforgiving. I hated heat, and I decided that not purchasing a house here was a good decision.

                  “Perhaps,” He gave me a small smile and stuck his hand out of the window. “Hey, Sena. Remember when we used to drive along the beach of Phuket?”                       

                  I laughed and nodded. When I was seventeen, we ran away for a short escape. That was before my coronation. The trip became infamous because his parents almost flipped the entire Southeast Asian to search for our whereabouts. It was a ten-day trip cut short to five days instead. We enjoyed our short moment of freedom and victory before we were ushered back into our own headquarter. There was no shame in recalling that incident now.

                  “This is supposed to be a political meeting – and an urgent one, on top of that. Don’t get distracted, Joonmyun!” I warned him playfully and he gave out a light snort. On rare days, he behaved like a child, and it was as adorable as it could get. I didn’t have much to complain about. This situation was very serious and it needed our attentions, but as we drove by, I couldn’t help but felt soothed by Joonmyun’s presence. He made everything seemed so light-hearted.

                  “Come on, Sweetheart. This is a two-hour car ride and it can’t be any more boring. Don’t be so uptight and relax, alright? Surely we don’t want you tongue-tied meeting a fifteen year-old child, hm?” He didn’t bother tuning to the music because he preferred us talking than singing. I gazed down at my tights and suddenly regretted wearing an overly casual flowery skirt for this important meeting. The thought of a fifteen year-old clad in suit and dressing better than me was horrifying, but Joonmyun only wore denim tops and jeans today – and yet, he still managed to look like he was going for a magazine photoshoot.

                  “When we were fifteen, we were hardly seen as children, Bae,” I humourlessly retorted. “When we were fifteen, you got me so wasted I couldn’t even remember my own name after that.”

                  “I had when I was fifteen,” He confessed truthfully like it was an everyday matter. Gone was the serious leader Joonmyun. His image of an intelligent, slimy man was completely overshadowed by this ignorant, cheerful youth. He was twenty-five, and he still behaved like a teenager sometimes. At his words, I cringed in disgust and hit his arm forcefully with a string of curses I learnt over the year by this very man, “Stop! Too much information. I don’t need to know about your life; how many girls you’ve bedded and whether or not you have HIV.”

                  “Darling, you wound me. There weren’t that many girls and I do not have any illness, okay?” He feigned innocence and looked at the rear mirror. We were driving around town and finally arrived at the city center. Both of us were silenced by the skyscraper in front of us. The picture of it was like the legend of Babylon Tower in the bible: the tip of it truly touched the sky. It was an astonishing sight. The entire building was made of glass, but one could tell it wouldn’t so physically fragile for it to be fit for the Suzakku leader.

                   The car stopped across the building. “So this is it, then? Our one-shot chance?”

                  “So it seems,” Joonmyun reverted back to the serious man I knew to be and grimly nodded. If any of us should be afraid, it ought to be me. Suzakku and Seiryuu’s relationship was worse than Byakko and Genbu’s. There wasn’t a day when our former leaders weren’t at cold war with each other. I had yet to talk to Wu Yi Fan, but I sure as hell wouldn’t encourage a fight when we needed him in this dire situation. I wouldn’t be so childish to step that low at this very moment. “You don’t look very well, Dear. You need pills to chill or uh, Jongin?”

                  He sounded unsure when he asked, and I wouldn’t blame him. He didn’t know much since he left the headquarter anyway. I grimaced and shook my head. I should have told him somehow, because in the past, there was never a secret between us. But we recently got very busy with our clans’ matters and phone calls became increasingly rare. Him, with his own coronation and leader’s protocol and me, dealing with the Grandfather’s issue. Neither of us could blame the other for that.

                  “None of those. I am not that weak,” I protested and he laughed despite of my glare. “It’s over, by the way,” I light-heartedly commented and looked at him with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. He must have noticed – he always did. “Jongin and I, it’s over, once and for all. We are nothing but master and her protector now. Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

                  He looked relieved for a moment, then troubled as he pressed a few commands on the touch screen. The car was now unlocked. The clock was ticking at 15:16 local time. We didn’t have much time before our meeting with Wu Yi Fan. Joonmyun didn’t look like he was in a rush, as he thoughtfully reached out to pat my cheeks – and none too gently, either, “I’m glad you got your wakeup call. Don’t mope around and give me that kind of sad puppy look. That is so-not-you. The Sena I know is one hell of a fierce lady, and she always knows what is best for her.”

                  “You sound cheesy as , but okay. I will take that, coming from you,” I gave him a light slap to return the favour and we both looked at each other with a challenging smirk. Moments shared, words spoken. I couldn’t feel any more relieved that at least Joonmyun saw me as who I was, and not as if I was made of glass. I might have weak moments, but I didn’t appreciate being looked down upon with pity. I never took it well when people thought they could pity me.

                  “Now, shall we?” He raised his eyebrow and opened his door. I nodded and opened mine, as we both stepped out of the car at the same time. Jongin, Sehun, Taeil and Kun were more than ready. My protectors looked at me with cocked eyebrows, unsure of what to make out of our long-winded conversation just now, but I shrugged it off calmly as we walked together, arm-in-arm into the Suzakku’s headquarter. “Pity our engagement was broken off. We would have looked nice together.”

                  I snickered at our reflection on the surface of the glass door and nudged him playfully, “You lost a good match, Kim Joonmyun.”

                  “And so did you,” He chuckled and led me inside. The securities didn’t stop us. I figured out they had been notified prior to our arrival. The receptionist was a gorgeous brunette with deep-blue eyes. She came out of her booth and stared at us with utmost respect and admiration, and it was evident now how underdressed we were compared to the other guests of Suzakku. She did not seem to mind as she gave out her brightest smile and spoke meticulously,

                  “Welcome to the headquarter, Lady of Seiryuu and Lord of Genbu. Our master is waiting for you in the 104^th floor. It is our honour to have you here and I would now his honoured guests into the meeting space. Please follow me.”