An image of a fire flashed in her mind followed by a pair of slanted red eyes.
"Please excuse my father," a voice snapped her senses back into reality. "He gets excited easily."
Saki's eyes fell on a large hand insolently offered. "Hunter," the voice said.
She raised her eyebrow, turning to her older brother.
"This is Mr. Wang," Satoshi quickly taking over the conversation to ease the awkwardness. "He is the owner of China's HULI Corporation. The one beside him is his son, Hunter. They are our dinner guests."
"I see," Saki replied, opting to stay polite despite starting to feel uncomfortable. "I didn't know we were having guests tonight."
"Dad invited them over," Satoshi explained. "He and Asami are already waiting in the VIP room. Shall we?" He gestured for Saki to go ahead, staying behind to walk alongside the Wangs.
Saki walked past a waiter, holding a tray with a wine glass. Subtly, after an irrational compulsion gripped her, she clearly saw the wine glass tipping over and splashing over the carpeted hall.
"Are you alright?"
Saki turned to see the wine glass in Hunter's hand. Not a single drop was spilled.
"Watch where you're going."
Saki rolled her eyes, leaving Hunter with a curious smile on his face.
——
Inside the room, Saki greeted her uncle with a hug before settling down beside him. A few seconds later, Satoshi and the Wangs entered the room. Sadao Homura cordially greeted them and invited them to sit beside him.
Saki was about to stand up to offer her seat to Satoshi. It was, afer all, customary that the only son be seated at the father's right hand. So when her uncle held her hand to stop her, she was very surprised.
"Satoshi, sit beside Hunter," Sadao said. "Saki will sit beside me tonight."
She looked at her uncle, then to her cousins, raising an eyebrow, before she slid back down to her seat.
Saki leaned over to Asami, who was seated between her and Satoshi.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
Asami gave her a smile and patted her knee, ignoring her question.
"Something's up," Saki murmured, more to herself. Everyone is acting so strange!
Sadao then began to introduce Saki to the Wangs, who told him that they had already met in the lobby prior to entering the restaurant. With the formalities done, the two old men chatted while Satoshi ordered for the food to be served.
It's been a while since Saki saw her uncle. She saw that the old man hasn't changed much at all, except for the increasing number of white hairs and and the growing bald spot on the top of his head. She smiled affectionately, remembering the hat she bought for him as a souvenir from Ulaanbaatar. It should suit him perfectly.
Saki observed her uncle's guests as they ate dinner. The old Mr. Wang must be around the same age as her uncle. However, their similarities end there. Mr. Wang has an air of gentle nobility around him. His actions were very cultured and refined; a complete opposite of the brash, hulky bear that is her uncle.
Her eyes moved to the younger Wang, Hunter, who was talking to Satoshi about something business-related.
Saki noted that while the older man seems to have this kind, benevolent charm, the younger, on the other hand, has an overbearingly arrogant aura. She wondered if he ever had military training. His manner doesn't seem to match the relaxed atmosphere of the evening.
"It seems young master Wang has caught my baby sister's eye," Asami suddenly whispered on Saki's ear, snapping her out of her reverie.
"What are you talking about?" Saki replied, glaring at her sister. She leaned over. "Ne, oneechan, you think this guy has a chance against me in a fight?"
Asami smiled mischievously. "Not on the fight I have in mind."
Ignoring her sister's allusion, Saki continued, "I bet I can take him."
"I'm sure you can," she replied, laughing.
Hunter suddenly glanced at them. Quickly, Saki looked down and picked at the food on her plate. However, the moment his eyes left her, she found herself staring at him again, this time with an attempt to assess him more deeply if there indeed happens to come a chance that they'd fight.
His annoyingly masculine jaw would probably shatter after about three hits. She would briefly regret breaking that aquiline nose. She considered it for a moment, and concluded that she might not really regret it at all. His height would be a little bit problematic, though. She would have to devise a way to bring him down a little lower.
"Miss Asami," Mr. Wang said, turning to her older sister. "I heard you are a Miko. You must be very powerful."
"Oh not really, Mr. Wang," Asami replied, cheerfully. "I only tend to the Shinto shrine built by our ancestors. Being a Miko nowadays is more like a shrine attendant rather than the powerful shaman of old times."
"But are you allowed to get married, though?"
Saki gave Mr. Wang a knowing glance. She could see where this is going. After all, her sister is a real beauty. However, Saki doesn't seem sure if she approves of the prospect of having Hunter as her sister's husband.
Her wandering thoughts were interrupted as she heard her name. Mr. Wang was asking her something she didn't really hear.
"I'm sorry," she said. "What were you saying, sir?"
"Your uncle told me that you are an archaeologist," Mr. Wang said. "My son is an antique collector and he also has some interest in archaeology. Maybe you two can find something in common."
Saki's eyebrow shot up again.
"Didn't you mention that you have a number of antique vases that need dating?" Satoshi asked Hunter. "Saki can help you with that."
"Me?"
"That's right. Why don't you show him around the university tomorrow?" Asami chipped in enthusiastically.
"Good idea!" Sadao agreed. "Hunter can come pick Saki up tomorrow afternoon. Please take good care of our Saki. It's a good opportunity for the two of you to get better acquainted with each other."
"Can we do it in the morning, though? I'm promised the boys I'd take them out for a ride tomorrow afternoon."
"You can bring Hunter with you, then," Sadao replied. "The earlier they get to know him, the better."
"Can't he meet them at another time? Maybe when he's with Asami?"
"No, it has to be you, Saki."
"It has to be me, what? I just need to date some vases, right? I don't really have the time to babysit young master Wang."
It took her a moment to catch the change, but Sadao quickly shed his gentle manner.
"You forget yourself, young lady."
An awkward silence surrounded the room.
It was old Mr. Wang who broke the silence. "It's alright Master Sadao," he said. Then he turned to the surprised Saki. "I'm sorry, my Lady. Perhaps it is our fault for not being clear with our intentions. Maybe it's time we get to the heart of the matter."
And for the first time since that evening, Saki felt a chill run down her spine and her heartbeat became uncharacteristically unsteady. Her instincts are strangely telling her to run. But there was something in Sadao's manner that overrode her rebellious nature. She decided to finally listen.
"I don't feel like I'll want to hear this but you are right, Uncle. I have been impolite."
"You see, my Lady," Mr. Wang began. "While we thoroughly enjoy the hospitality of the Homura, it was not the reason why we came." He turns to Sadao, as if appealing for support.
Sadao clears his throat, uncomfortably. "You do know of the covenant of the fire?" he asked.
"Yeah," Saki groaned. "You've been telling us that damn boring old story since --" Saki's eyes went wide. "NO."
Her heart dropped. She looked at Hunter with growing horror.
"I surmise you have now come to a conclusion. You are right. You know your covenant. Then you must know who the Wangs really are."
——
The steady rhythm of the fountain, which has always calmed her down is strangely discordant. She looked at it for a moment longer, until she decided that something else would be needed to calm her after her meltdown at the dinner table.
"You okay?"
She turned to see her cousins walking over to her side, their eyes with concern. She could never get used to how eerie the two looked when they begin to act in sync.
If one looks at them individually, they could see immediately that the two are siblings. But once Asami and Satoshi are hand-in-hand, they begin to act like they are connected to only one mind. They say twins have a tendency to act similar to each other. However, these two take it to a whole different level.
She squeezed in between them. "I told you not to stand so close together. You're making me feel like I'm getting cross-eyed and it's giving me a headache."
The three stood by the driveway, waiting for their car to arrive. A few moments later, a black and white McLaren Senna GTR stopped in front of them and from the driver's side emerged Hunter, who walked over to the passenger side and opened the door.
"Get in," he said.
Saki looked turned to her cousins, who were both looking at her. She then turned to Hunter.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked, pointing a finger to herself.
"Get in. I'll drive you home."
Just then, Saki's red Lamborghini Huracan EVO drove up the driveway and parked in front of the McLaren. Saki walked past Hunter, resisting the urge to punch his smug face. She decided to pay him back instead for this night's humiliation and maybe wipe that overconfident look off his face.
"Sure, you can take me home," she said over her shoulder. "That is, if you can keep up."
With that, she got on the severely overpowered V10 purring its challenge to any taker, looked at Hunter once more, and as she saw him trying hard to stay impassive, she smiled sweetly as she slammed the door to his face.
The twins can barely contain their laughter as Hunter is left struggling to maintain his dignity while wiping the Huracan's dust off his face.