"Jung Juno, eyes on the front," Ms. Song says.

I suddenly straighten up, a bit embarrassed, and mutter a soft apology. I hear a few snickers around me. Nothing I'm not used to.

“As I was saying, as far as elemental powers go, fire reigns supreme," Ms. Jihyo discusses in our Magical Theory class. "Fire is a dangerous element, but it also warms and illuminates, a symbol of hope and passion to some," she continues, and I hold back a scoff.

I hate fire. A symbol of hope? Don’t make me laugh. If the only thing fire would do is to roast s'mores then yes, fire is hope all right. 

But it isn't.

To me, fire is nothing but a thief who stole my family away from me, a deliverer of pain and death.

A few years ago, I was just a normal teenager living with my not-so-normal family - composing of my parents and a younger brother – who were all noblessen or magi.

Noblesse. The nobility. In this case, sorcerers. They say a person can have as much as two to three abilities, but both are very rare cases.

I was very close to my family, and them being magi were not a secret to me.

My father can summon objects, while my mother can sense danger - a simple but very useful magic. They said these abilities usually appear at a very young age, and so my younger brother, Chanyoung, received his fire manipulation abilities at age five. I was 16 then, and it seemed an age where my parents have concluded that I possess none of these said abilities and was simply human, which I honestly had no qualms about.

I'd like it if my life were simple, and I believed that having my family is enough.

On the other hand, my brother Chanyoung's fire abilities awakened at the age of 5 seemed a bit too early for a magus, especially for a seemingly-magnificent but definitely dangerous magic like fire. I knew deep inside my parents were worried that a very young boy possesses such a rare ability, and despite not having these abilities, I understood how it must be horrifying to think about others who may want this fire ability for themselves.

With that in my mind, I was quite a protective sister to Chanyoung. After my school I would always make sure to be by his side whenever he wants to go play outside with his friends. I never stopped him from interacting with others though, I knew these kids were probably harmless.

But then I was wrong - people with evil intent will always find a way.

One night during dinner, Chanyoung was excitedly showing off a candy he received from a child he befriended on our way home. We passed by a crying child as he seemed separated from his own parents. Chanyoung couldn't let it pass that we won't help this child and so we did. It took quite some time but when we did find the child's parents, the child gave Chanyoung a candy as thanks and my brother was delighted, especially since he has such a sweet tooth.

Chanyoung unwrapped the candy and revealed a bright red one, I sense my mother suspiciously observing it. As my brother was about to put it in his mouth I sense my mother suddenly tenses up. My father and I exchange confused gazes but before we could ask what's wrong, my mother rushes to stop my little brother from eating the said candy.

"Chanyoung, no! Spit it out!" My mother desperately screamed.

However, it was too late.

Chanyoung's fire magic went berserk and set everything and everyone on fire, like a bomb explosion. The scene of just flames was the last thing I remembered from tha