Boss

I intend to get the five or seven people Master Leao had asked me to select as soon as possible. I already have Jane and Katie in mind so I just need to look for two more people at least.

I rushed to the dorm as I had told Jane. I met her waiting on my bunk. She was the only one in the room as none of my roommates are in the room at that time.

"Let's go to the rooftop" I requested.

It was twilight. Students have finished every activity for the day and are making preparations for dinner. The view from the rooftop is grandiose. The students walking around the school, the high buildings around the school, and the bushes beyond the school building.

"It is beautiful. Isn't it?" Jane asked.

"What's that" I replied.

"The view from this place. The serenity. The sky, those few stars, the wind, and everything. They are beautiful, aren't they?" Jane asked as the wind blew her hair over her face.

"They are," I said. "It's the serenity that bothers me though."

"I'm sure you brought me here for a reason. What is the problem now? What did Master Leao say?" Jane asked.

"If what Master Leao said is true. Then I guess there's a problem. Before I tell you about that though. You said something about your feeling that your energy was sapped away during my fight with Rio just before I left to see Master Leao."

"It's nothing serious and I guess it's just my feeling. No one has said anything about it since then. Don't worry about that" Jane shrugged it off.

Jane could be saying the truth that it's only a feeling now. I still want to find out how that energy works and how I can activate it again. It all still seems weird after all.

"We will be going on an excursion soon," I said to Jane. "Master Leao said so"

"That is good news. You haven't told me the problem yet" Jane said.

I explained everything Master Leao told me to her in detail, not leaving out a thing. The news was surprising to Jane as much as it was to me.

"So you are looking for seven people now," Jane said.

"Or five" I replied. "I have you already and Katie will most likely accept. That is three of us. We need two more people...the thing is, we can't go around asking people if they will join us" I said.

"Master Leao would not like this to spread. It won't be good for us too. So it is best if we keep the number low and ask people we are sure that they will accept. It is best if they are in the martial arts class too" I said.

"Let's go look for Katie first," Jane said.

It was getting dark already. At this time, most students are either in the restaurant getting dinner or heading to their dorm. Only a few students stay outside their dorms at night.

"Where do you think she will be?" I asked Jane.

"I don't know," I said, "maybe in the restaurant or her dorm."

"She loves to be alone, so she might be in the martial arts hall since Master Leao must have left there," Jane said.

We decided to split up. I would check for her in the restaurant and Jane will check her dorm. If she is not in either of the places, then we would both check the martial arts hall.

Just before I got to the restaurant, I met Rio. That was the first time I was seeing him since our fight. After all, I have been asleep for a week. He must have thought that I'd forgotten about the deal.

"Hey Rio" I called.

"Mase! You are awake now?" he asked.

It was surprising that Rio has dropped his arrogance. He was smiling and talking like we are close buddies.

"I hope you haven't forgotten the deal," I said and walked off.

I searched for Katie everywhere in the restaurant but could not find anyone like her. After searching the restaurant, and checking the surrounding for her, I decided to go to the martial arts hall as Jane and I had agreed.

I found Jane and Katie waiting for me at the martial arts hall. They seem to be getting closer now. I decided that we go back to the rooftop since anyone could enter the martial arts hall at any time.

The rooftop is the best place to have secret talks. It is unlikely that someone will come there and you don't have to be scared of being overheard.

When we got to the rooftop, I explained everything to Katie as I had done to Jane previously. Jane seem to trust her now, so I did. She also didn't need convincing as she accepted immediately.

That makes it three of us. We need two more. I don't have other friends in the school aside from Jane and then Katie. I'm sure Jane doesn't have another friend either. Katie has always been a loner, so it is also unlikely that she has a friend.

"So who do you guys think we could select again?" I asked though I'm not positive that they have anyone in mind. "Remember it has to be someone that you trust and one that can keep secrets" I added.

"As for me," Jane said "I don't think I know anyone that I can trust except you two. Maybe we should just scout randomly"

"I don't know what you guys will feel about this person," Katie said and we asked her to tell us who the person is.

"It is not like I trust him but he is a strong one and it will be nice if we have him on our side. The person I'm talking about is Rio." Katie said.

"I don't like that guy and I can't trust him either. He can do anything" Jane said and I could not agree more with her.

"That guy is a bully, he is arrogant. Honestly, I don't think he is a good option" I supported Jane.

"I know we can't trust him but we can trust our strength to deal with him if anything goes wrong. I doubt he'll leak it to the school. I suggest that we meet him and discuss it with him better. We don't even know him that much yet" Katie said.

After arguing it out a bit more, we agreed to meet Rio and tell him a few things about it first. We won't give him the full details, so we can see how he's going to react.

We found Rio on his way to the martial arts hall. We asked to see him and he obeyed. I have to say, he has changed somehow. The boys that follow him around before are no longer following him and he doesn't have that air of arrogance around him any longer.

When we got to the martial arts hall, we searched to make sure no one was hiding in the darkness. After checking and ensuring that it was free, we sat down on a mattress and Rio was the first to speak.

"I've always been made to believe that I am the best and that I can have whatever thing I want. That was how my parents taught me. I'm sorry for every trouble I've caused all of you. The fight made me realize that my belief was wrong" Rio said.

"You could have killed me that day due to the power you were feeling but I noticed that you fought it and saved me. I'm not going to back down from the deal. I accept you as my boss. You are a good person and worth following" he said.

Rio stood up and walked toward me. I watched on wondering what he was going to do.

"Please be my boss," Rio said as he knelt on one knee and bowed slightly.