"I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to decline that,” I said almost immediately, turning around to stand up from the bar and awkwardly walking away, the boys behind me with stares being shared around them walked away as well, following behind me, but the bouncy jumps with us told me Zina was following us too.

“Oh c’mon!” she pounced beside me, giving me a giant smile that reminded me more of a smirk. “It will be fun. It's nothing serious, I just want to see what you are capable of.”

I continued walking, irritation slowly building inside me. I realized that the boys were silent, and I knew that they weren't comfortable enough to speak with Zina being here. It had always been like this, they didn't like to speak with other Wielders present, and they tried avoiding so all the time. Sometimes they couldn't stay silent, but it didn't mean they wanted to say anything. I searched around me for something to take as an excuse. I didn't trust Zina after I knew about her Wielding genes. She had been my friend, enough to grow some trust between us, but now? I don't think I trust her anymore.

“There is nowhere to battle anyways,” I tried to reason, dodging her eye-roll. “Look around you, we are in a bar and it's stuffed with people. Normal people.”

“That's okay,” she scoffed as if I’m being ridiculous, which I know I wasn't. “We have the rooftop. This clubhouse belongs to my uncle and I’m sure he won't mind.”

“What even is your rank? Are you sure you want to battle me? A fifth rank?” although I wasn't arrogant in nature, I tried playing by their rules. Everyone in the Wielding society knows fifth ranked Wielders are the strongest, and I’m sure Zina knows that fact as well. I didn't think she’d want to battle with me knowing that. Surprisingly, Zina snorted.

“I know you are a fifth rank, I’m not an idiot,” she paused to give me a pleasant smile. “I’m a third rank, I’m not the one who’s going to battle you.”

I paused.

“What? Then who?” I turned to her incredulously, eyes wide, and I could tell the boys around me were stiffening and turning to look at her as well. She didn't pay them heed, her attention focused solely on me as if they didn't exist. It bothered me greatly that none of the Wielders gave them a single stare, unless they were interested in having them, I wondered when they’d get to live normally.

“My brothers. I’ve called them before to pick me because, this party . But I think I’m starting to get entertained. I’ve never guessed in a billion year that you’d be a Wielder. We have known each other since when? And I’ve never thought you’d turn out to be like me. I had thought we were so different despite our similarities,” Zina was blabbering by now, but I could tell her excitement was genuine.

“Your brothers?” that's probably the only thing that I had caught from the entire lecture she was spouting unceremoniously. “How many of them, exactly?”

“Only two. They're twins and both a fourth rank,” she grinned then, especially after she glimpsed over my stupefied expression. “You are a fifth ranked Wielder so it's only fair both of them fight with you.”

“What are you gonna do then?” I asked, wanting to find some sort of a loophole so that I can escape this situation. It was obvious my warriors weren't liking this idea as well with their frowns.

“I’ll watch, of course,” she answered as if it was so obvious, and that I’m an idiot. I was about to snort from my nose in annoyance, when Kyungsoo’s voice was heard behind us.

“What's going on here?” he asked roughly, Sora no longer hanging off his arms and nowhere to be found. Zina gave him a mere stare, and then turned to me with a beam.

“Great! Another one! The more, the merrier.”

“You want all of them to participate?” I stared at her as if she lost her head, and she burst into a delightful peel of laughter. I furrowed my eyebrows in anger. I didn't care that she wasn't mocking me, she still felt like it.

“Oh, my, Hani. You sure are new in this,” she cracked a few more laughs before clearing , a small smile still lingering on her face. “You get to choose who you want to participate. We can work out with choosing all of them if you wanted.”

I turned to the boys with a helpless look, and Joonmyeon looked as if he didn't care if he wanted to participate or not (obviously because he knows he will kick , I was quite worried about this mindset). The others looked hesitant as well, torn between agreeing because it’ll turn out to be too easy, and declining because there might be a huge trick they’ll be presented with the minute they start. Finally, Baekhyun stepped forward with a scowl; although his cheeks were a little pink for some odd reason.

“I’ll do it,” he announced loudly, looking at me alone, not caring that Zina was raising an eyebrow up.

“Alone?” I widened my eyes. I knew the fact two of her brothers will be battling with only me, makes it only fair if I used two cards. But now, that Baekhyun had volunteered, I was flabbergasted.

“Sure, I can do it with only my pinky,” he raised his chin cockily, but the sheer redness spreading in his cheeks told me he was only embarrassed, and that was probably his way to cope with it. Behind Baekhyun, Kai was leaning against Kyungsoo’s left ear and explaining everything to him with whispers. Seconds later, Kyungsoo stood beside Baekhyun with a mild smirk.

“Count me in,” he turned to Baekhyun then with a pointed look. “You wouldn't mind, would you?”

“He wanted to brag to Hani and the rest what he could do by himself,” Sehun snickered as if everything was alright with bunnies and rainbows. “You just ruined all of his glory.”

I turned to Zina while blocking out the boys’s rant. I raised an eyebrow at her. I know she told me a winner will get a card, but I’m not sure her cards are interesting enough for me to claim. As a fifth ranked Wielder, I need fifth ranked warriors to be at par with my aura. I’m not sure what I would do with a fourth ranked warrior if I did win. Seeing my reluctance, Zina beamed at me again, looping her arm around one of my mine and hopping up and down in burning excitement.

“Oh, please, please. I really want to watch a battle with you and my brothers. We haven't been allowed to study in a school of Wielding and I have never stumbled upon a fifth ranked Wielder outside my family. I’ve always wanted to see how strong they are. I've heard only stories, and I’m sure my brothers won't be a hassle to you,” her round eyes and childlike innocent was clear in her eyes, and I haven't seen her for a long time now. The match was friendly, as she told me, and I was sure my warriors will win. I don't think her intentions were bad as well, and even if they were, I don't think she believed them to be the Twelve Majestic yet, and I believed in them enough to think they could win it so easily. I stared at the boys and found them all staring back at me, waiting for me to agree.

“It's your call. What do you want to do?” the minute I said that, the boys all turned to Zina, shocking her slightly with their hard eyes suddenly protruding her.

“Do you have a card strong enough to give Hani for when we win? We will not accept a forth ranked card.”

“W-what..” she was surprised by Xiumin’s piercing words, I could tell; but that didn't stop the anger within her. Knowing that I was the one who gave them the green light to do what they desired, made her slightly hesitant to voice that anger.

“Do you or do you not?” Xiumin pressed, and Zina raised a finger as in ‘wait for a second.’ And started typing in her phone that had materialized out of nowhere. We all looked down at the small device and the monstrous speed she had used in punching the buttons, before a peep resonated along the loud place. She lifted her head up at us with a grin, raising a peace sign.

“My brothers told me they had found a fifth ranked card a few months back that have no use to them. They're ready to hand it over if you win,” she glanced at me when she said that, but Xiumin was the one who answered.

“Alright. When are they coming?”

-

“It's freezing in here,” I hummed thoroughly the minute I was past the doors of the rooftop. Zina, who was behind me pounced up and down and closed the door, leaving a small space for when her brothers arrive.

“Here,” I heard Baekhyun mutter, and I turned to him to catch the heat in his cheeks from previous excitement flare once more as he came closer. He folded the sleeves of his jacket to reveal more of his milky wrists, before he started rubbing his hands together. A soft beam of a white yellowish light sizzled alive around his palms, circling his entire hands all the way to his wrists. With the light still gleaming and radiating heat, he held my hands in his. Immediately, warmth traveled from him to me, all the way down to my toes.

“Ooh, its utterly warm,” I smiled at him, despite the redness that spread in my cheeks as well, through the unexpected generosity he was showing. He just tutted and looked away, our hands still attached. From the way he turned to look at his brothers, his neck and ears were exposed to me, and they too; were glowing red. I couldn't help but snicker.

“They will be coming soon,” Zina chirped, turning around to give u