Carina dragged the black drape curtains open. The sunlight entered the dark-interior bedroom. A server was following behind her. "Rise and Shine JJ!" She shouted, smiling, absorbing her bright surroundings.
His adopted brother's room had always been the darkest. The young man's favorite color was black. The only thing that isn't dark colored in his room was the wall, ceiling, and the multi-colored led lights attached to his computer desktop. Even his clothing was all dark-colored.
But her smile began to fade when she realized everything in the room was all over the place. Clothes on the floor, sketch materials on the center table, instant cup noodles in front of his gaming set up and crumpled pieces of paper surrounding the full trash can.
A young sleepy man groaned on his pillow in response. He took the covers and hid under them, blocking the light that the open window emits.
Carina walked closer to his bed, pulling the blankets off of him immediately. Then quickly picks up the litter she can manage to carry afterward. The server that was following her took the trash she was holding on to the process and placed it in the trash bag that she managed to get just a few minutes seconds ago. "JJ, you need to wake up. It's your first day. I need to send you to the art school before I get my beauty rest. I had a long night." She reminded, going back to the lazy man laying, who was laying down on his stomach. She gently shook him with her soft hands.
"Nuna..." He groaned in protest once again, his left arm covering his ears when he realized that the covers were too far from his reach. In a minute, Carina saw something on Julian's arms. She immediately held it and analyzed what was written on his skin. Casually trying to brush the thing off to check if it was real or not. But no matter how hard she does, it wasn't being erased. Instead, it just started to look red from so much friction from her rubbing.
"Mr. Jeon Julian! When did you get those tattoos?" She shouted, standing up, and placing both of her hands on her waist.
After hearing those words, as if he was suddenly hit by lightning, Julian jolted up and tried to hide his arm behind him.
"Nuna! I-" He was about to start explaining when he suddenly realized that Carina was wearing only a silk robe, her long wet red hair was flowing down her shoulders. She just got off the shower. He was suddenly dumbfounded as if he couldn't figure out the word coming out of her sister's mouth. Instead, he just felt some knot on his lower abdomen as he was just staring up at her with his sleepy doe eyes. He felt heat rising in his body, when he realized that he was being greeted by his morning wood.
"Hey! Julian! Are you even listening to me?" Carina snapped a finger in front of his face.
Julian stood up covering what needed to be covered with his hands since he was shirtless. And then started walking towards the bathroom, simultaneously bowing to Carina, murmuring words like 'Yes Nuna, 'I heard you Nuna.' and 'I'm sorry Nuna.' before locking himself in the bathroom.
Carina just stared at the closed door stupidly, not sure how fast everything his adopted brother just got away from her scolding. "Jeon Julian, we're not done yet! Wear something gold-colored and don't let me down on your first day in Art school!" She reminded him before going out of the young man's room, to get ready as well.
Julian washed his face with cold water when he heard his bedroom door being shut. He sighed and bit his lip in frustration before staring at his reflection in the mirror.
No. No. No. That's weird.
He mentally reminded himself.
Lilith walked towards the big courtyard in front of their mansion. She stopped and stared at the big banner situated at the center of the house. Red-colored signage with the spider lily flower embroidered on it, and the word 'Vercetti Gang.' was written on it too.
"Home sweet home." She murmured to herself. She isn't always home because of her job, so she always watches the house she misses every time before going inside. She continued walking towards the house where two men were guarding the wide-opened main door.
The guard bow to acknowledge her arrival when a man in a red suit casually walked out of the opening. "Am I still high or is my little sister here?" He asked one of the guards, fixing his sunglasses to pretend that he was checking if his visions were clear. Lilith made a grumpy face at him as he moves closer to his only brother. Huxley recognized her reaction and chuckled. "I'm just kidding, Lili. Hug your sunshine." Huxley explained, opening his arms wide for the young lady. Lilith smiled at him and did not miss a beat to run and hug him.
After a second or two of holding each other, they started walking inside the house. Huxley's arm was draped over Lilith's shoulders. "Have you eaten?" His brother asked looking down at her. He held her chin with his long forefinger and point the finger, checking the fresh bruises his sister has on her face.
She nodded lazily. "Carina took us for breakfast." She finally spoke.
"Hmm. Carina huh? How's it working for her? Is she starting to boss you around?" He asked as they sat on the kitchen table, motioning one server to give him a first aid kit.
"No. I think me and Nathalie will always be privileged. I never felt like she was my boss at all." She explained.
Lilith and Nathalie started working for her when they were still eighteen. Carina and Huxley were twenty years old at that time. They were all living in the same neighborhood when they were young, except for Nathalie who just moved to this city to land a job when she was also eighteen. Huxley and Carina used to have a really good relationship with each other, but when they were both pressured to run their family's gangs, they started to get so competitive towards each other.
Now five years had passed and they still loathe each other so much.
Huxley gently patted the bruises her sister got with a cotton ball soaked with alcohol. Lilith didn't even make a pained expression and was just dreamily staring at Huxley's chin, slowly blinking her eyes. Huxley observed that and smiled. "I think you had a long night, love." He said, finishing up to clean the left bruises on her face.
She just simply nodded and yawned. "We took down the Underwood Casino. I think it took us less than three hours." She said, leaning back on the comfortable cushioned seat.
Huxley sat in front of her, after pulling out a chair for him to sit on. "Mr. Song's Casino?" He asked, fixing the first aid kit back in its place.
"Yeah. He has been running an illegal export of party drugs from the Republican City and had been feeding his female guests with it for prostitution. She borrowed the money he used from Carina. He was in debt for three months." Lilith explained, resting her head back on the chair. Huxley just nodded, understanding how Mr. Song dug his own grave.
The Coterie City sure runs on drugs and all kinds of illegal activities, but it's strictly exclusive to the city only. Getting transactions on the borders out of the mafia land is already prohibited by the law that the mafia leaders constructed. Huxley's gang, 'Vercetti', and Carina's, 'Montana Cartel' is the most powerful gangs in the mafia land, so both of them are the most familiar with the protocols people should abide by. Once a citizen turned away from what is right to do, they are already considered criminals, and the people who catch them aren't policemen. It's the assassins. The police's only job is to investigate and clean up the mess after every mission. A lot of similar acts such as forced prostitution, rape, disloyalty towards a Mafia leader, robbery, or murder without purpose, are all prohibited in the city. All its punishments lead to death. Other than that, drugs, strip clubs, and gambling are all legal.
"Lilith, why did you become an assassin?" Huxley sighed, holding her sister's hands in his. "I know I've been so overprotective over you, and taught you to be a fighter because of what happened to mom and dad, but can't you just be a normal art student and run your galleries in the future or anything that's not related to my job?" He asked out of concern.
"Hux. You know the reason why I'm doing this right?" She answered, sitting up straight. "And I don't want to go to art school. There are more men I need to ignore there." She added, rolling her eyes.
"Then why don't you just work for our gang? Not an assassin, my secretary perhaps." He suggested.
"Hux, I love this house so much because you're here. But at the same time, I also hate it. This is the house where mom and dad were murdered by mom's paramour himself... In front of my own eyes. I would never sleep peacefully in this house. Working for our gang means staying in this house. And I still can't do that." She reminded her older brother.
She was fifteen at that time. She was hiding under the bed of their parents when it happened. She didn't know what to do. Huxley was away, attending his arnis class. When he arrived home, he just found Lilith crying outside of the house with the police and their servers. Huxley blamed himself for not being around his sister on the most traumatic event that turned her sister's life upside down. She started to be eager on learning how to fight instead of drawing, she started being rude to the male workers of his brother and then slowly turned herself into an alcoholic just to get proper sleep since she often gets nightmares and flashbacks of what had happened before. Lilith has had this condition of seeing things so vividly ever since she was young; that once her brain stored a memorable image, either if it's good or bad, she would often dream of it. So drowning herself in alcohol or killing people to get her dog-tired, is the only way for her unconscious to calm down.
"So, you just choose to work for my enemy?" Huxley teased, not pressing the topic any further since he knows that Lilith won't listen to him anyway.
"Then do you want me to work for small gangs then? Or the police?" His sister teased back, which made Huxley look at her in disappointment.
"Are you planning to ruin my image? What would people think if they found out that my only family is working for ass-kissing people?" He spat out, slightly offended.
Ass-kissing people wasn't hyperbole. It was the truth. Only Mafia leaders have power in the city. Policemen need to be bribed by them to survive on a daily.
"That's what I was trying to tell you, Hux. Working for Carina is the only job that will work for us because I get to hide my own identity and it won't ruin your reputation ever." She once again explained.
Huxley sighed in defeat while looking at his watch. He stood up and held Lilith's shoulders with both hands. "Okay fine. Whatever works well for you. Just promise me not to get seriously hurt and don't get too drunk while on a mission. I didn't raise you as a fighter to go home with bruises on your face. You're now a woman, Lilith. Take care of yourself more." His brother added, with concern in his eyes. With that, he kissed his sister on the forehead before pulling away. "You should go to bed now. Remember to be in Dionysus with Carina later tonight. We can't miss that party." He reminded.
Lilith was fighting her sleepiness as she pouted at Huxley. "But you'll be meeting her today in the art school. Why don't you just personally tell her?" She complained. Huxley just gave her an expression that depicts the question, 'do I need to answer that?'.
Lilith stood up, surrendering. "Okay fine, I'll call her." She gave Huxley a quick hug before moving towards the staircase. "I love you." She said in a lazy tone before striding the stairs like a zombie.
"I love you too, Lili," Huxley replied, chuckling while shaking his head.
"What did I tell you about tattoos Julian? I told you it's okay to get them as long as you ask for my permission first. And also, why are you snacking on instant food? We have a personal chef at home. You can just ask them for whatever food you want to have." Julian just stared outside the window, nodding to whatever Carina was saying as he patiently waits for her to stop the nagging, which he knows will continue until they arrive at school.
Carina met Julian when he was still five. Carina was eight at that time. They were both naïve about each other's existence that day, but her family and his family were riding the same train on the way to the countryside for a vacation. A certain war was happening between the Coterie and the Republican City at that time. The fight seems to be concluded on how much the fighters and soldiers of each city will be assassinating. So the Republican's target that day was the train they were riding.
It was bombed. Carina's parents were left by their guards because the number one rule of her parents was; in case there were circumstances like that that occurred, the guard's number one job is to take Carina to a safe place since she was the only one who will be taking over the family's gang.
When Carina and her guards were about to run away from the bloody scene, she saw a little boy crying inside a train compartment. He halted the guards and asked them to take the boy with them. The boy resisted going and only asked for them to take him to his parents. Carina took banana milk out of her small bag and offered it to the little guy. At that moment, that was the only thing she thought she should do.
"If you come with me, there will be more of these on the place where we will go to." She assured the young boy. The crying boy stopped and wiped his tears away, before taking the banana milk from the older girl's hand.
"Will my parents follow us?" He innocently asked the girl. Carina knew that his parents won't make it but she just lied and nodded at him, taking his small hands.
Carina didn't have any special reason for why she did that. All she knew was that it was the right thing to do. It's like fate pushed her to do it. It's just the right gut feeling to follow. Her parents survived the attack and agreed to adopt the young man. Although they run a gang, they were the nicest people to know.
Julian retained his Korean family name because they didn't want Julian to forget about his parents. He adjusted to the new family environment smoothly, and made Carina his shoulder to lean on, as the both of them were growing up. When Carina's parents decided to pass the legacy to her five years ago, she started feeling like she would also be fully responsible for Julian. So here she is now, sending his adopted little brother on his first day in Art School.
When they arrived at the school, it was like a celebrity arrival. There were photographers surrounding the red-carpeted entrance of the university, and guards holding the screaming audience back so they to not reach the two siblings walking side by side. The two of them walked so casually to the entrance. Female students were screaming Julian's name and he just politely bow to them while smiling shyly. On the other hand, male students were trying their best not to shout Carina's name, because they might get shot by her instantly, just because of them being so noisy.
Carina has this power to be so enchanting to the male species, but at the same time, she embodies the same power of shutting them up by just her mere existence.
When they arrived at the school's lounge, the principal greeted them. "Miss Carina." He acknowledged.
"Mr. Bang." She returned the acknowledgment. "I'm sure you now know. This is my little brother, Jeon Julian." She motioned her hand toward the young man beside her.
Mr. Bang bowed to him. "Ah- yes. Mr. Jeon Julian. I think you will be our top student this year." He complimented, offering his hands. Julian politely shook hands with him.
"You can just call me JJ, principal." He corrected.
Mr. Bang smiled nervously, looking at Carina for approval. Carina just chuckled. "Yeah, call him JJ. Do whatever makes my brother comfortable." She confirmed, giving him a knowing glare.
"Alright, JJ." He smiled, nodding at his sister. He motioned his hands toward another young man behind him.
The two didn't know that a blonde man was behind the principal all the while. He was wearing a black suit as well, his height a little shorter than Julian's.
"This is another new student. I'd like the two of you to become acquainted, JJ. Since only the two of you are the new ones this school year... He will also major in Graphic Designing. I hope the two of you will get along well." The principal introduced.
The young blonde man bowed to them before offering his hand to Julian. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Jaxon... Jaxon Park." He said, radiating a confident but cute smile.