edelweiss - &team

25

With impeccable timing, as Harua burst out the door to see the three standing there still like statues, a gold flash was seen and the four who had popped by Korea reappeared. The sight of Yixiang and Fuma clutching steaming Korean street food was enough to raise Maki's spirits and like a child, he ran up to have a bite.

As the others got used to the new location, evidently very disoriented, Harua remarked, "I see you reunited with Junwon and Yejun." "Nothing we couldn't handle," Yudai replied, though he looked visibly winded. "Junwon and Yejun?" Fuma whistled, eyes dropping to the ground, deep in thought. "Well, we got to meet Hikaru," Riki added nonchalantly.

"Wow, that sounded busy, how was your day?" Yudai asked casually as he rubbed his neck.

"Not good, you?" Yixiang shot back.

"Sorry to interrupt your lovely chit-chat, but I know what he's doing, at least, I think I figured it out," Fuma announced as Maki went to town on the food he held.

"What? Wait, before anything, you guys should come in, it's freezing," Harua said.

Once they piled into the toasty warm lodge, and got comfortable, Fuma continued, "I've thought about it. First Hayate, then we get Hikaru, then Junwon and Yejun on the same day? It's so interesting. He could have them killing humans, Junwon and Hikaru could probably wipe out Osaka or something in a day if they tried hard enough. And Hayate could have incinerated a city in minutes. He's trying to distract us."

"In that case, he's doing a bloody good job," Maki glowered.

"So you think he's gonna kill humans while they attempt to kill us?' Riki wrinkled his nose.

"We'll just kill them before that then," Yixiang declared in an airy tone.

"Another thing," Euijoo brought out the cards to show them. Intrigued, they all turned the cards over, studying the details and the words. Then, Riki sucked in a breath, "Yejun and Junwon are on the cards now."

Junwon's card was Greed, decorated with white blurs and Yejun's card was Sloth, filled with blue circles. Death was creative but not an artist, it appears.

"The seven deadly sins huh. That asshole has always been a cliche dramatic fucker," Yudai bit venomously.

"Seven immortals. I could think of a few he'd go for," Harua murmured, his eyes squeezed shut.

"What an inconvenient number," Jo joked, evidently trying to lighten the mood.

"Seven is doable," Yixiang's eyes flashed with determination, "The other humans would be a pain in the ass but it's doable."

Yudai scowled, an expression unusual for him, "But I hate that we can't do anything to the humans that are possessed. That fucker sure is smart."

"Wait, seriously though. If Maki can beat up people, why can't we hurt humans...if they're possessed?" Fuma thought out loud, his tone joking but perhaps actually considering.

"Yeah, surely Yuma has run someone over with his reckless driving."

"I'll run you over with my-"

Maki held his hands up, "In my case, they have always initiated it! I'm simply acting in self defence."

Yudai looked baffled. "You've sent five people to the ER, countless to the nurse's office, someone lost a finger and you nearly got expelled for gang fights in two different schools."

"For the record, it was always me against an entire gang."

"Great!" Yixiang clapped his hands, "That means we can also beat the shit out of humans-"

"Yixiang," Euijoo's tone was icy cold and serious, "Please. This is serious. Remember, if we break this promise, we could die."

Yixiang's eyes met Euijoo's liquid, pleading ones. "Okay, okay," Yixiang said slowly, carefully tearing his gaze away.

"Let's focus on something we can do, okay?" Harua quickly steered the conversation in a different direction, "The cards are obviously linked to their powers. Hayate and his fire. Hikaru and his energy."

"Hayate's card is so dull. Is it because..." Jo trailed off, but his question was easy to guess.

"What I don't get is the sins," Maki frowned, "Wrath is understandable, but Gluttony? Sloth? It's almost nonsensical."

Straightening, Riki said, "Death left us a cute little time-based note. He said something about...events?"

Fuma nodded along, "The appearance of each new immortal would trigger an event, he said."

"We've met four already," Yuma hugged his knees tightly, "Does that mean one main event would happen, or a few?"

"I think...he might be trying to rush the events, perhaps to get back at us for the Hayate incident."

"And the game? He previously mentioned a game. Is it related to the cards?" Yudai asked as he crossed his arms.

Uncertain, Euijoo plucked one of the cards up, then said,"Maybe it's a game of survival. There's seven of them. There's nine of us. Hayate is dead. Maybe we..." His chilling words died in his throat, so he stopped. They all fell silent, the addition into the mess they were already in a lot to digest. Then, Yuma said, "Harua, does the tv work?"

Taken aback by the unexpected question, Harua looked over his shoulder to stare at the old-fashioned television he had placed in the corner of the room, a keep-sake from the previous decades, it seemed. He nodded, and lightly tapped the side and it switched on.

"Can we get the news?" Yuma said, leaning forward to get a better look at the screen. "Are you getting something?" Fuma asked as Harua fiddled with the dials. Yuma bit his lip, not confirming Fuma's suspicion until the news page finally flashed. They all watched with bated breaths, wondering if something devastating would appear like it did the last time they were gathered before a television screen. But as the reporter spoke on, all the news was regular and pleasant.

"I just, I-" Yuma stammered, unable to shake the bad feeling he had.

"It's okay," Yudai soothed, "We trust your instincts. It's been a long day, we should rest up."

"We can have a sleepover," Maki cheered and threw his hands in the air, Riki mirrored his excitement and the duo went off to raid the storage for any blankets and pillows.

Euijoo started to nod off, his face pale. Eventually he dropped off to sleep in between Fuma and Yixiang. As the others started to simmer down and relax, Yuma stayed staring at the television, gripping the blanket Harua draped over him tightly in his fists.

"Something bad is going to happen," Yuma whispered, as Harua extinguished the last lamp and the darkness outside took over.