The building had a silver tint on it, but the inside was adorned in gold colour. It looked professional and neat, and I disliked it immediately. Everything just seemed so proper and impeccable – something I did not really encourage for my own nest. There was a billiard pool near the glass window with the scenery of green-lush forest and crowded, but peaceful city. It was surrounded by shallow pool leading to a fireplace in the middle of the spacious room. There was a minimalist desk and U-shaped lounge and Wu Yi Fan standing with a frown, hands folded, watching the crowd beneath him like a King to his subjects.

            “Lord of Suzakku,” I was very careful in my greeting, calling out to him with his formal title.

            “Lord of Suzakku,” Joonmyun repeated after me with a bright, calculated smile. He didn’t seem pressured at the very least. We stood at the entrance as the receptionist brunette left us in the room with that one man without his protectors. It was highly unusual, as even the most confident Byun Baekhyun would try to keep both Taehyung and Daehyun by his side at all times. I stole a glance at Sehun and Jongin, both wore a confused, but guarded frown.

            Wu Yi Fan was fifteen – something I found hard to believe because he was considered gigantic for someone his age. He was fair, but not in a way Jongin or Joonmyun was. His beauty was akin to Sehun’s – almost inhumane; too cold and unapproachable for my liking. His eyes were exactly shaped like a phoenix: sharp, smart and scheming. He turned to the front and faced us with a hint of a mocking smile. He didn’t look fifteen. In fact, had we not known, he would have resembled a twenty-year old with that unsmiling face.

            “The Dragon Lady and Thief of Throne, eh?” His voice was deep and low, and so irresistibly y. I found myself staring for longer than I should, and judging by his indifferent reaction, he must be used to a handful of admirers – considering his good look, charm and status. Two years ago, we met in the coronation of Kim Minseok in Singapore, and even then, something about him was not quite humane. I felt shivers ran down my skin as I continued staring. “The two of you are quite the pair. Paparazzi and scandals and all the glitz; do they tire you?”

            It was the most unexpected question upon our arrival. He didn’t invite us to sit, and neither of us moved an inch away from our spots. I was unsure of what to make of the situation, because his question was bizarre and invasive, and not to mention, badly timed. I glanced at Joonmyun. He didn’t seem too pleased but not angry, either. I took a deep breathe and calmed myself, replying with a steady voice that masked off my anxiety, “The throne was Joonmyun’s to begin.”

            “Hm,” His eyes narrowed at me and I flinched. He had the kind of ability to stare and look deep into your soul, reading all your sins and judge you with it. I hated it. “That wasn’t the question, but I am willing to overlook that.” I wanted to retort, but Joonmyun held my hand and squeezed it tightly in warning. Wu Yi Fan was a control freak. He reminded me so much of Christian Grey – intimidating, tall, handsome. Maybe he would have a of bringing young girls back to bed them like Mr. Grey did.

            “Come and sit, Lady Yoon and Lord Kim. Have a chat with me,” He looked at the gold watch on his right hand and smiled. He was a left-hand, then, and they were known to be more meticulous and intelligent – if the assumption was proven correct. “Would you like anything to drink – tea, coffee, soft drink, water? Alcohol, perhaps?”

            It was hard to hide a grimace when he acted odd one second and cosy next. I could not comprehend what he was trying to do, and if he knew the dire situation we were in. Still, Joonmyun, being the more patient of us two, sat down on the the couch, close enough to look directly at Yi Fan’s face. His hands still tightly grasped mine – not that I minded. It gave me the strength to calm down and think clearly. “Water. Please. And Joonmyun? Black coffee, as always?” He nodded.

            Yi Fan looked entertained and bored at the same time. Amused, then bored, as if none of us were able to wipe off that frown away from his face. Sooner or later, that ugly scowl would ruin his pretty face and set in permanently. I pitied his future partner – whoever it was because their marriage seemed bleak in my point of view. Yi Fan didn’t press on the topic and sat straight on the chair like a royalty, “I have heard of your kidnapping. Condolences to your Grandfather.”

            “You don’t have to be, Lord Wu. I’m rather glad he’s off to hell now,” I sourly remarked and once again, Joonmyun’s eyes seemed to dance in amusement.

            “My condolences goes not for you, Lady Yoon,” He stared down at me again, and it was not just his height, but also his pressing aura. I was not usually so easy to back down from a fight, especially provoked, but something about this young man was frightening. My tongue was tied and my hands sweaty. “It goes for the rest of your clan and the countries under Seiryuu.” Was he implying I was not a good leader as Grandfather was? “Us, Suzakku, has a tradition of sending off the souls to ashes, like phoenix, so they would be reborn as a better person, regardless of the sins they have committed.”

            I sighed in relief. Wu Yi Fan was the second man to have ever intimidated me to such extend, and the only one alive now that Grandfather was dead. Seiryuu had a tradition similar to that. We sent off the souls to the sea, because our clan was closely associated to water as the Water Dragon, but that pitiful-excuse-of-a-Grandfather did not deserve such honour after what he had done.  I chose to keep my mouth shut this time so that Yi Fan would have no more reason to talk back to me. He frightened me because his eyes were similar to Grandfather. It was weird knowing that both of us were distant cousin, related by some twisted relationship between our Grandfathers.

            A knock came from the door, breaking the silence between us. Yi Fan’s eyebrows were knotted together, confused at first. When an ash-haired girl came in with a tray of glasses and light snacks, he let out an angry hiss. I looked at the sudden tension between the newcomer and her leader and noticed that it was the first genuine reaction that made him look humane. Perhaps he wasn’t such a tight- after all. The two seemed to have forgotten there were guests in the room as they stared at each other heatedly.

            The girl was pretty. Very, very pretty. She looked like a mix of Chinese and Korean, and bore a bit of resemblance to Yoon Sohee. But unlike Sohee, this girl did not look like she was here for a flattery. Her eyes were blazing blue with hints of purple on them. There were defiant streaks in her gaze at Yi Fan, but timidness from her posture. It was obvious that she was afraid, but she would not give up unless forced to. She looked young, with a hint of a smile on her fair face, and the kind of look that pulled people – guys and girls alike – in.

            “What are you doing here, Ahreum?” Yi Fan glared at her and grasped onto her wrist tightly after she put the tray onto the table. Her hand shook a little, her gaze faltered in doubt. “Where is Winwin? I told him to watch after you, didn’t I? What happened to Jungkook and Jin? Insolent fools!” He cursed under his breath and stopped only when she looked at him like a deer caught in the spotlight. “What now? Don’t give me that look, Ahreum! It’s not going to work every damn time…!”

            “But Kris-gege…!” The girl – Ahreum – grimaced at the pain on her wrist and Yi Fan immediately loosened his hold, but his hand was still wrapped around that pale wrist of hers. She knelt down and stared up with those adorable doe eyes, and I could tell then and there that she had had him wrapped around her fingers, obeying at every will of her call. She continued with hurried sentences, “It isn’t Cheng-ge’s fault. I ran away from him. You wouldn’t even let me come with you.”

            “I told you not to call him by that name!” Yi Fan scolded her, though it was obvious from his expression that he didn’t want to. The two were completely absorbed in their own conversation, oblivious to the spectators enjoying the little drama in front of them. He looked torn between scolding her or spoiling her, but ultimately decided that the twelve year-old girl was already doted on almost too excessively by the people in his clan. “Now get out of this room, Ahreum. I have important people to entertain.”

            Ahreum pouted and looked at us. Her eyes settled on me, and she immediately gasped, and it was then, that Yi Fan decided that the twelve year-old had had enough fun and dragged her out by the arm. She was wailing about a picture and Yi Fan hissed at her to be quiet, but she kept on fussing until both figures disappeared behind the door. Joonmyun and I looked at each other. His eyes darted back and forth and he tilted his head thoughtfully, “The two of you bear very close resemblance to each other. Is she another long-lost family member of yours?”

            It was a possibility. Not long after, Yi Fan came back with a composed look. He didn’t look so happy after the interruption – not that he was all rainbow and sunshine before. He sat down, sipped on his green tea, and stared at us with an ambiguous stare, “So? We’re not gonna fool around for hours, are we? What business do you have here, Seiryuu and Genbu?”

            I could sense he was getting more and more irritated. As usual, Joonmyun explained while I kept quiet. He went on from the part where Byun Baekhyun developed his biological weapon to the war declaration of a possible Third World War. He was careful to leave out the bits and parts of my Grandfather’s involvement with that psycho bastard, but judging from Yi Fan’s unamused expression, he must have known. Not that I would expect anything less from him anyway.

            “So you are asking for my cooperation to crush that Byun family?” Yi Fan quirked his eyebrows and pondered for a moment. He sipped his tea again – something he seemed to do whenever he got nervous. “Makes sense. I’ve been waiting for months to get head-on with that mice.”

            Byun Baekhyun was hardly a mice. And I didn’t expect him to be so easily persuaded after his quirky behaviour earlier. Yi Fan threw us a cold smile, “Don’t look at me like that. I won’t make it difficult for the lots of you if you are reasonable to me. I know that I am too young to be trusted, but you came to me despite of the prejudice. You too, Yoon Sena, as much as I dislike your clan to the core after our Grandfathers’ feud.”

            It was official. Wu Yi Fan’s mood swing was more terrifying than Jongin’s and Joonmyun’s combined.   

            “Okay, we have a deal, alright? Now excuse me, I have another matter to deal with.”

            It was clear that by ‘matter’, he meant the girl from earlier on. Curiosity got the better part of me and I swallowed down a smirk. It was interesting to watch others got embroidered in a love drama, but it sure as hell didn’t feel as good when it happened to me. I glanced at both my protectors, both of them peering at me with a small smile. Joonmyun stood up and I followed. Yi Fan extended a handshake with again, a very ambiguous smile that masked off his feelings from my observant eyes.

            “Mission crush-Byun-Baekhyun commence, then?” Joonmyun’s goofy smile returned. He tapped Yi Fan’s hands fearlessly, while my hand lingered no longer than a split second after we touched.

            Yi Fan nodded, “I will send twenty thousand soldiers in three days. Now excuse me.”

***

            The twelve year-old girl pounded Yi Fan’s chest in disappointment. He could only watch the shattered pieces of a picture on the floor and the blood stain on them. There were only two of them in the room. Had the other Elites been here, Ahreum would be confined and even beheaded for behaving so barbarically. But Yi Fan didn’t care if she was rude or impolite to him. All he cared about was her well-being. She was born weak and fragile because of her bloodline, shielded away from the world so no one would learn of her existence. In this entire world, she was the only one he cherished.

            “You lied to me!” She cried loudly onto his arms, trembling at his touch. The young girl had no idea what love was, while the fifteen year-old had a pretty vivid idea what it was. “You told me my family are dead. You told me…! She is my cousin! I want to go back with her! I want to go back to Seiryuu. I don’t want to stay with you anymore!” She pulled away and tried to leave, but his grip on her tightened and she fell down yet again into his welcoming embrace, “Let me go, Yi Fan! Let me go!”

            “No!” He demanded authoritively. She hated it when he used that tone on her, but the girl needed to understand her importance on the four clans and her importance to him. Wu Yi Fan would never let her go, not in this lifetime and the next ones. He planned on keeping her for a long, long time, which was why he rejected Winwin and Jungkook’s idea to tie her down by making her an Elite. They would not understand what she was to him, anyway. “Listen to me: you will never leave my headquarter! Not ever! Do you understand?”

            She whimpered like a wounded puppy and he hated to be seen as the bad guy here.

            “I asked you a question. Do you understand, Yoon Ahreum?”

            Silence.

            “Yes.”