𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄

43; 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘂𝘀 (𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴)

J E O N   W O N W O O

all i wanted was protection from fukuro mafia. all we wanted was a real home to live in. when did it get here? we're not keeping track of our daily activities, and now we're all surprised of what we had become after 2 months and 3 days.

one of us became more open; jihoon now properly answers the personal questions he gets. he previously snarls, scoffs or insults the person who asks him a personal question, because he wanted nobody to crack his shell open. he wanted to keep everything to himself, but now he's slowly being more open to everyone. but, then again, he still scowls before answering any question.

one of us became more responsible. jeonghan was a good person: caring, fun, and positive. but, he makes a bad leader since he only wants to have fun, and he addresses problems only with a laugh. never a proper solution. but now, he's able to take responsibility when things go down, like when joshua was almost poisoned. but, he's still filled with fun and jokes.

one of us became stronger. chan, upon using his ability, faints. he was also not able to win any fight, hand to hand, spar with a staff, name it—he really can't win. but, now, with the help of seungcheol (i must say, he's a good leader), chan can use his ability continuously, and his chance of winning in fights is higher. he's still a hormonal teenager, though.

me? i'm sure it's pretty safe to say that i became more knowledgable. that's about it.

"wonwoo." minghao says, stopping me from entering the car entrusted to me. "i have something to tell you."

i turn around and face him. "what is it?"

"my fire ability can either be used with skin contact, or without skin contact. but the latter option is hard to control. try to set the building on fire without contact, you might put all of seoul on fire. so, i suggest you use the oher choice i gave you, okay? for safety." minghao uses the ability that he has right now, telekenesis, to raise my arm. "using the option of setting things on fire without contact requires total concentration and many affirmations in your head. try to make fire with your hand."

red and orange flames were on my right hand. "there."

"see? that's easier. with skin contact. from your body. never, ever use the second choice. alright?" minghao gives me some sort of motivational pat on the back, before i got in the car and drove away. this is my first time driving, but everything's going pretty smoothly. this is a good start.

i'm going to pretend to be a construction worker for this plan to work. and it sucks.

"you, what's the deal?! bring those buckets of paint on 12th floor right now or you're fired!" the person who seems like the employer shouts at me. if i had my gravity control ability with me right now, this carrying thing would be easier. "that's right, faster!"

i decide to use the newly made fire exit stairs. this is the perfect place to cause a fire, that's the reason. the elevator wouldn't work right now, too. plus, if i put the elevator on fire, i might get stuck in there and die.

i use minghao's ability on my feet. so, as i walk up the stairs, i was leaving a trail of raging fire behind me.

when i reach the twelfth floor, i turn off my ability, because seeing my feet on fire equals alarming them. if that happens, the plan will fail. they'll be alarmed in the time that i did not want them to be alarmed.

"here's the four buckets of paint."

the man i assume as the architect turns around and smiles at me. "thank you! hey, the paint's here!" he leaves me unattended. i'm not quite sure how to go—

"THE FIRE EXIT STAIRS IS ON FIRE!" i hear someone exlcaim. everything is going smooth and fast, don't you think? i could leave this place sooner and just hang out in joshua's mini library in his room.

i recall the statement of the person who noticed the mess i made: 'the fire exit stairs is on fire!' and i think, how ironic. but maybe that person didn't intend on doing that at all, maybe they were panicking.

i discreetly set the twelfth floor on fire using my feet.

no. i meant: i set the twelfth floor on fire using my feet when nobody was looking. this ability is pretty flashy to use and adding an adjective like 'discreetly' clearly doesn't go well with it.

the architect was trying to be the hero of the day, leading the other construction workers into another way out. i don't follow him though, while he was busy, i set the ceiling on fire and the ceiling collapses. lucky architect, not a piece of the ceiling fell on him.

then, i walk down the fire exit stairs to go to the eleventh floor and set it on fire as well. everyone saw, but they probably just thought that my clothing was on fire and i transferred it to nearby objects. they blamed me, yes, but can they do anything about it? i was on fire. touch me and they die.

but, also, i was saving them from pledis mafia's dirty work. if pledis mafia gets a big scandal or a big problem, they're involved and they're one of the people pledis mafia could blame, make up a story on. or, what if one of these workers find out the secret that pledis is actually a mafia? they're in huge trouble.

i just put a lot of pledis mafia's money on fire. i hope pledis mafia gives up soon, when they realize how much money they lost.

i'm glad this ability also included being unable to get any type of burn. i was walking with a neutral face, but i'm on fire—i probably look very amazing right now, making them ponder as to why i do. i like seeing amazing things myself, and thinking about how those amazing things work.

soon, i was sure that half the building was on fire. i prepared to leave, but i wasn't sure if i should go outisde looking like this. my construction worker jumpsuit was ruined and my feet were on fire.

i was near the exit point, and i couldn't help but smile at my achievement. i finished a mission all alone, followed everything on the plan, and got away with it.

or so i thought.

"you have the same ability as minghao, huh?" i hear the architect's voice, after i felt his hand grasp my wrist. did he just say minghao?! "does seventeen like flashy types of abilities? the fight with fukuro mafia wasn't enough for you guys, huh?"

his grip tightens. i look at my hand in worry of it being already blue, but in my horror, it was something worse. i try to break free from his grasp, but he was strong, and he had the upperhand. i couldn't use minghao's fire ability, flabbergasted.

i could only watch my skin break like glass.