Siblings

The bright but freezing morning made everyone reluctant to leave their cozy blankets. Duncan, the only one awake, stood with hands on his hips, staring at his friends sprawled out like living corpses.

"Damn! I had the sweetest dream last night," he muttered, yawning and ruffling his own hair.

With full enthusiasm, he launched into the impossible mission of waking the lazy bunch. "Hey, Erik… I made you some food, yo!" he teased, his voice dripping with fake sweetness.

No reaction. Erik slept like a rock. Duncan leaned in, patting his cheek lightly. "Eriiik…" he called again, a bit louder.

Still nothing. Duncan's patience snapped. "ERIK, YOU JERK! GET UP NOW!" His yell echoed, practically shaking the walls.

Erik jolted upright like a zombie, eyes foggy, mouth gaping in a yawn. "Ngh… what's up?" he mumbled before his head crashed back into the pillow.

Duncan blinked, stunned. "Hey… I was gonna ask you to help wake the oth—"

Zzzzz…

Erik's snores kicked in again. Duncan sighed long and hard.

"You little…" His eyes darted to a bucket of icy water in the corner. A wicked grin spread across his face. He grabbed it, creeping toward his sleeping friends, and—

SPLASH!!!

"Ta-da! Sacred water from the earth's gut! Hahaha! Feel that!" Panic erupted.

"AAARRGGHH!! SO COLD!!!"

Erik, Sylvaine, Rainer, and Lirien shot up, shivering violently.

"DUNCAAAN!!" Sylvaine's usually soft voice turned into a stepmother catching her kid smashing her favorite plate.

Rainer, half-awake, stared at Duncan, water dripping from his hair like he'd just crawled out of a frozen lake. "What… did I… do last night?"

Lirien froze in bed, blinking slowly. "I'm… dead… this is hell, right?"

Duncan laughed triumphantly, clutching his stomach at their zombie-like reactions. "Take that! Punishment for you lazy morning slugs!"

But before he could bolt, Erik rose with a menacing glare. "Duncan… ready for your karma?"

Sylvaine, Rainer, and Lirien exchanged looks, nodding in sync.

"Wait, why y'all looking at me like that? This… a joke, right?" Duncan backed up.

Too late.

SPLASH!!!

A bucket of even colder water drenched him. Duncan stood frozen, water dripping from his hair to his toes. Erik patted his shoulder with a smug grin.

"Feel it, bro. Sacred water, revenge edition."

After the chaotic, water-soaked morning, they changed and huddled by the fire. But as things calmed, something felt off.

Duncan scanned the room. "Hold up. Something's missing."

Sylvaine squinted, counting heads. "Yeah… where's Kael?"

Rainer shrugged. "Bet he woke up early and dipped. Let's talk about someone who matters."

All eyes turned to one corner.

There, curled up like a ball, Shazmeen slept soundly. But that wasn't the shocker. She was wrapped in a blanket—and Kael's coat.

Rainer pointed dramatically. "GUYS. WHAT WENT DOWN LAST NIGHT?!"

Lirien covered her mouth, stifling laughter. "Oh my god… she's sleeping like a PANGOLIN!"

Sylvaine tilted her head, staring at Shazmeen's tight cocoon. "How's she so comfy… and that's KAEL'S COAT?!"

Erik narrowed his eyes, piecing it together. "Wait… so Kael gave her that? When? Why? WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?!"

Shazmeen stirred, pulling Kael's coat tighter with a faint smile. "Ugh… so warm…" she mumbled, still asleep.

Silence.

Then—

"WOOOOOOO!!"

Chaos exploded.

Lirien dropped to the floor, laughing. "SHE FEELS WARM! I CAN'T HAHAHA!!"

Rainer slapped his forehead. "No way… no way…"

Sylvaine nodded firmly. "Yup. We need answers. WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?"

Erik leaned close to Shazmeen's sleeping face. "If we whisper in her ear, maybe she'll—"

Her eyes snapped open.

Erik froze.

Shazmeen, half-awake, yawned and mumbled innocently, "Kael… five more minutes…"

The room went dead.

Then—"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

"WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?!" Duncan leapt back, smacking his head on the wall and crashing down, eyes wide.

"BROOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Rainer collapsed, clutching his chest like a heart-attack victim.

"THIS REAL?! NOT A HALLUCINATION, RIGHT?!" Erik half-stood, gripping his head, teetering between hysteria and madness.

Lirien nearly choked on her tea, coughing as her face turned red. Sylvaine covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with shock and glee.

Shazmeen, still groggy, started to process. Loud noises. Five pairs of eyes staring like she'd committed the crime of the century. Something warm on her.

She looked down… and saw Kael's coat.

"…"

One.

Two.

Three seconds.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

She bolted upright, face flaming. "W-WHY ARE YOU ALL STARING LIKE THAT?!"

Amid the escalating chaos, Shazmeen, still blushing, tried burying herself in the blanket, wishing she could vanish.

No escape.

"Okay, everyone chill…" Lirien tried calming things, though her grin betrayed her.

Erik, trembling, stared at Shazmeen. "We need to know… is this true love?"

Shazmeen chucked a pillow at him. "SHUT UP!!!"

"Look, she's mad 'cause she's shy! That means she's hiding something!!" Rainer pointed, eyes gleaming like a detective.

"Exactly! Only the guilty deny this hard!!!" Duncan shouted, pumped.

Shazmeen grabbed an empty glass, eyes blazing. "One more word, and this flies at your faces."

Her threat only fueled them.

"SHAZMEEN'S BLUSHING, FOLKS! BIG SIGN!!!" Lirien laughed, clutching her stomach, while Sylvaine leaned on the wall, savoring the drama. "Swear, this beats any romance novel I've read."

But they forgot one thing.

Kael could walk in any second.

And like perfect fate, the door creaked open. There stood Kael, holding firewood, looking confused.

"…Why are you all staring at me like that?"

THE ROOM FROZE.

Shazmeen tensed, her face turning lobster-red.

Rainer's eyes darted between Kael and Shazmeen. Duncan clapped both hands over his mouth, eyes popping with excitement.

Lirien bit her lip, barely holding in laughter.

Sylvaine smirked knowingly.

Kael stared them down, ice-cold.

Until—

Duncan bellowed, "KAEL, YOU GOTTA HEAR WHAT SHE SAID WHEN SHE WOKE UP!"

Shazmeen panicked. "DON'T!!!"

Too late.

Duncan, fearless, mimicked Shazmeen in a soft, lovey tone. "Kael… five more minutes~"

DEAD SILENCE.

Kael blinked once.

"…What?"

Shazmeen hurled a pillow at Duncan. "YOU'RE DEAD TODAY!!!"

Rainer collapsed, roaring with laughter. Erik exploded, face red from cackling. Lirien gasped for air.

Kael stood still, then glanced at Shazmeen with a slight squint.

Shazmeen, desperate to disappear, buried her face, praying the ground would swallow her.

Then… Kael cracked a faint smirk.

"Tch, you're dreaming too much."

"You're so full of yourself, jerk!" Shazmeen snapped, face tomato-red.

Rainer clung to the wall. "Man, what a plot twist!"

"You… Duncan, right? Your mouth's too loud for a guy," Kael said, voice deeper, calmer, but somehow scarier.

Everyone shut up. Kael sighed, set the firewood down, and shot Duncan a piercing look—like a husband shielding his wife from gossip.

"Wanna wake up to a burned bed tonight?"

Duncan stepped back. "N-No, sir, I'm good with my bed as is."

Amid the madness, Shazmeen stared at Kael, full of questions.

Silence returned.

Then Sylvaine whispered, "Wow… they're gazing like a couple caught sneaking around."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Shazmeen shrieked, hiding under the blanket.

"YOU'RE ALL INSANE!!!"

Kael just smirked faintly. Without a word, he tugged the blanket off her face.

Shazmeen froze. Kael looked at her casually and said, low and steady, "If you're still sleepy, go back to bed. But don't forget, we're leaving soon."

Shazmeen wanted to die. "W-WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SAYING?!"

Kael shrugged. "Just reminding you. 'Cause, you know…" His icy stare silenced the room, wiping the smirks off everyone's faces.

"You all done?"

His flat tone carried a chilling weight, scarier than a midnight monster.

Duncan, usually the loudest, went mute like a kid caught stealing. Erik gulped. "Uh, yeah… we're done… no more talking."

Rainer nodded fast. "Yup! Just kidding! No bad vibes here!"

Sylvaine covered her mouth, but Kael's glance killed her grin.

Shazmeen, still under the blanket, felt his cold aura without looking. Kael said nothing more, staring them down before walking past like it was nothing.

He paused by Shazmeen.

"Get up."

It sounded like an order, not a request.

Shazmeen squirmed under the blanket. "I'm still sleepy…"

Kael didn't react. Just stood there. That silence was terrifying. The room held its breath, waiting.

Without warning, Kael bent down, grabbed her blanket, and yanked it off.

"W-WOAH!!!" Shazmeen flailed, grabbing for it, but Kael tossed it to Duncan.

"We're short on time."

Shazmeen's eyes widened. "Kael, you jerk!!"

Kael stared flatly. "I was nice enough to let you sleep longer. Keep lazing, and I'll drag you out another way."

Shazmeen tensed. "Another way…?"

Kael didn't answer. Just looked.

She knew—he wasn't bluffing. Duncan, Erik, Rainer, and Sylvaine quietly backed off.

Lirien covered her mouth, eyes sparkling like she was watching peak drama.

Kael sighed.

"Fine."

Before Shazmeen could react, Kael leaned in, grabbed her waist, and hoisted her up.

"—?!?!"

The room erupted.

Shazmeen jolted. "K-KAEL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Kael stayed calm, carrying her like she weighed nothing.

"YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS, RIGHT?!"

Duncan nearly fell laughing. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!!"

Rainer shook his head. "BRO… HE ACTUALLY DID IT…"

Sylvaine whistled. "Romantic… in the most savage way."

Kael walked out casually, Shazmeen still squirming.

"KAEL! PUT ME DOWN!"

"Quiet."

His light tone made carrying a screaming girl look effortless.

He strolled out, set her down in the dining room, and left her blushing, staring at her tea to avoid her friends' prying eyes.

Kael ate calmly, unbothered.

Lirien propped her chin on her hands, smirking at them. "So… how's it feel waking up with Kael nearby?"

Shazmeen nearly spilled her tea. "W-WHAT?!"

She wanted to vanish. Kael sipped his tea, expressionless.

---

In northern Hikani Island, a fierce wind howled, carrying bone-chilling cold. The gray sky loomed over a hidden cave behind a steep cliff, far from traveled paths. Dim torchlight flickered, casting shadows on ancient carvings lining the walls.

Inside, Ensha and Exile stood by an old wooden table cluttered with maps, notes, and odd items. Ensha, with long black hair and a cunning glint in her sharp eyes, stared at a map, arms crossed. Exile, tall and cloaked, twirled a small dagger, his calm demeanor unsettling.

"Duncan's the easiest target," Ensha said, voice low and confident. "Careless, distractible, and food-obsessed. We can lure him out quietly."

Exile nodded. "But we gotta keep the others clueless. If Shazmeen or Kael sniff anything, we're screwed."

Ensha smirked. "That's why we play it smart. I've got a plan to throw them off."

She pulled a parchment from the pile and showed Exile. "I've got someone in the underground market spreading rumors about a secret restaurant on Hikani. Exclusive, rare dishes—stuff Duncan can't resist. We'll bait him there."

Exile chuckled. "Once he bites, we split him from the group. One of us—or a grunt—tags along. Make it look natural."

Ensha's eyes gleamed. "Then we drag him to our hideout on the north cliffs. No one'll find him."

Exile paused. "After we nab him, what's the move? Ransom?"

Ensha grinned slyly. "Duncan's just a tool. We want Shazmeen and her crew. If they're dumb enough to rescue him, we've got the upper hand. Trap them or trade him for something bigger."

Exile crossed his arms. "Then we can't let them suspect a setup. They need to think Duncan's really in danger. I can rig an illusion—make him look half-dead."

Ensha nodded. "And we'll use the black market to hype the rumors. Duncan'll think it's a golden chance he can't miss."

Exile sighed. "Alright, we roll with it. Snag Duncan, stash him, and wait for Shazmeen's move. If they show up sloppy, it's our win."

They locked eyes, then Ensha said, "Two days to prep. Duncan won't know what hit him 'til it's too late."

That night, Hikani's wind roared louder, whispering trouble. In the town's underground market, shadowy traders buzzed with talk of the secret restaurant, spreading fast among thrill-seekers.

In the cave, Ensha and Exile watched their plan unfold with cunning glares. A market spy returned with news.

"Rumors are blowing up. People are asking about the restaurant—some are even hunting it down," he reported.

Ensha tapped the table. "Good. But we need more than rumors. We gotta make sure whoever shows up doesn't leave the same."

Exile grinned wickedly. "I've got subtle poison—slow-acting, messes with their control. They'll come on their own, and by the time they realize, it's over."

Ensha raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How's it work?"

"Simple. Doesn't kill fast—just triggers unbearable hunger pangs. They'll crave something only our restaurant can provide."

Ensha smiled, satisfied. "So they come 'cause they *need* to. Better than a trap—it's manipulation."

Exile nodded. "Once they're in, doors lock. A faint mist speeds up the poison, weakens them. Then we take what we want."

Ensha laughed coldly. "And if anyone tries to investigate or save them, we've got a bigger trap waiting. Not just one—we'll bag more."

Exile carved the map with his dagger. "We start spreading the poison tonight. Tomorrow, we watch them fall."

Ensha's grin widened. "They won't know what hit 'em 'til it's too late."