Insignia and Families

~

Sian

~

I was just going back to class when I saw Seok around the corner, he was whistling a soft tune and by the looks of it he was waiting for someone outside our classroom.

"Yo, Seok!" I chirped, and he turned to look at me, his eyes wide in startle. Which changed to one of amusement pretty soon.

I acted as if I didn't see his glance linger on my frame before meeting my eyes, I seriously refrained from ever acting the clever one, being the fool helped a lot.

"Sian, I hadn't been expecting to see you this soon."

The guy was handsome, and I had yet to understand him. Ruya might not be interested in knowing his colleagues but I was, I did not want to be surprised later on. So obviously I had asked around. And from their point, Seok was a vampire, from a very famous clan of Jung.

He sided with Jashuen Xergo and was known to be an outgoing and social person. He was currently interested in doing major in combat and music, two very different interests.

"I came here for my class, painting." I explained, "Are you waiting here for someone?"

He nodded, "Yes I was waiting for Jashuen, I think he does the same class as you."

"Oh," I blinked, "by any chance is Jashuen Xergo another blonde in your group?"

Seok laughed, "Yes, it is actually very peculiar how we all are blonds, it is a running joke around here, although we don't mind as much."

I grinned, "Then let's meet up in free time, I want to go to the arcade again." Well it was partially true, I hated arcades, the only reason I ever went there was for gaining information. And when I went with Ruya, that was to distract him from his brooding.

Last time I just went with Seok and his group to really know more about them, I knew they weren't just a bunch of fools with blond hair, they had this refined edge to them which others rarely possessed. They were very confident, it showed.

"We can go there, but aren't you a bit wary of me?" He looked skeptical.

"Why would I be weary of you?" I acted innocent, tilting my head.

"Well because I am a vampire, I am sure you must have heard around, because... humans don't really socialize with us."

Well he was right, but I was not really a normal human. "But I did last time and I don't really care, the rules say you can't kill me, so what's the point of fear."

Seok grinned, his eyes smiling with mirth, "I like you, so give me your number, I will keep in touch."

Oh right, the last time I had just enjoyed my day and left, no number exchange had happened. "This is my number," I flashed him my phone's screen, and he copied it down on his call log.

"I will call you whenever I get free time, let's enjoy together, but by any change, will your friend come around as well?"

"Friend you mean Ruya?"

He nodded sheepishly.

Why were they so interested in Ruya anyway, I knew they had no inkling about his mafia heritage, then why were they so curious about him.

"Am I not enough of a friend?" I asked with a pout.

Seok shook his head as if saying I was being silly, "I am just asking, because he was there the last time, you are his best friend right?"

"Right, but it feels like you all want him to come with you more rather than me," I knew I wasn't jealous or anything, but it did sting and I wasn't sure if I should be this affected by it, when I knew there was something going on here which could be dangerous for Ruya.

"Aww, you are cute as well," he rubbed my cheeks together making baby face at me. And I flinched back, thinking how smooth his hands were even if he did combat classes.

"I am not a baby," I scowled, in a way he would find cute, and he did, his big smile indicating his affection.

"I know, but you are cute," he said, patting my head.

I flushed, looking away, I wasn't one to easily get wooed by anyone, but Seok really had this way of unabashed flirting, where he spoke what he was thinking very easily. While I may act outgoing and all flexible, I was a very reserved person.

I was sure even Ruya didn't know the real me. It wasn't as if I acted all the time, but I was on alert always. It had become a habit now.

All people saw in me was either the Mafia killer or the bubbly spirited Sian. They didn't see the third persona I held within, one which was suffering.

"So you want me to deliver this parcel for you?" I asked, pointing at the brown packaging held in his hands.

"Oh," he said as if reminded, "if you can than it would be great, I don't have any classes yet, but waiting around here might be boring."

I chuckled, "True."

I noticed that two girls chatting very loudly entered the class, so it must be time for me to go in as well.

"I think I should get going."

"Sure, I-"

Seok was cut short as the same two girls came rushing out in a haste, apologizing and closing the door in hurry. They looked flustered.

"I didn't know they were together," one mumbled to the other.

"Same, but it wasn't odd, he did pick a fight with the fairies, must have backup for being that confident."

"But Jashuen Xergo doesn't gets involved."

"Hmm... that is correct."

"Excuse me," Seok called for attention and when the girls realized who he was, they became pale, all the blood draining from their faces.

"W-We don't know anything," one of the girl muttered, clearly very uncomfortable to be in the same space as Seok, which wasn't surprising, since Seok did have a very good reputation of being scary when angry. I had heard that as well.

"I just want to know what happened, is everything all right?"

They both looked at each other, somewhat relieved and then decided to be honest with us, "We just saw Ruya Seraun being intimate with Jashuen Xergo, but we won't talk so you don't have to worry about it, we will not spread rumors."

I choked, "What?" I was so amused that my voice came out shrill. "Ruya Seraun, my friend?"

The girls nodded and with one look at Seok, they hurried away, probably scared that they may have gotten involved in something they shouldn't have.

"Can't be," I muttered, staring at Seok who was just as intrigued as me. "Ruya is straight as a ruler." How the hell he ended up in an intimate situation with another guy? And that too with Jashuen Xergo?

So that blond must really be Jashuen Xergo. I did recall that Ruya was staring after him a lot, it had been a thing since the first day.

Ruya hated being fond with guys, or even girls at that, as much as he bragged about his confidence and social reverence among his female fans, I knew he really wasn't comfortable with anyone touching him. He didn't even let me touch him, even though he thought of me as his sworn brother.

"So we cannot really disturb them now can we?" Seok suggested, playing the cupid.

"You can leave then, I will just walk in a little later. I will make sure to deliver him your package."

He smiled, coming a bit closer to me, so that he was standing face to face with me.

I mentally wondered what he was on about but physically I barely judged his shift.

"Will you help me out with something?"

"Yeah?"

He hesitated and I knew it would be a difficult task.

"I want you to deliver another parcel to Gigi, you remember him right, he told me he had met you two the other day in the cafe."

"Ah yes, he did, I remember him, he is hard to ignore."

Well I did research on Gigi as well, he was another Vampire who studied in some technical field in the eastern block. He didn't do combat but he was exceptionally good at it. He was older than Seok and had earned himself the nickname 'Grumpy punisher' for if someone on their side defied the rules, he would carry out the punishment on them.

He was also the least sociable person on the campus.

"What is the parcel?" I asked, "and even if I do deliver it, I am sure you can as well."

Seok chuckled nervously, diverting his eyes from me, "You see, he and I had this fight about something, so he is ignoring me and all the people I am sending this parcel with, but he couldn't ignore you, I am sure about it."

"Are you two together?" I was sure there was something there, because Gigi had been extra close to this Seok guy even in the arcade.

"Kind of, but not really, he keeps running away from me but at the same time also keeps close to me."

I grinned, "Well you are flirty, maybe he is just uncomfortable."

Seok laughed, "Maybe, he never tells me the reason really."

I nodded, feeling a bit down that Seok already had someone, but he surely acted as if he didn't. Well I cursed myself, why was I even considering him anyway, he was a vampire. It won't work.

I sighed mentally, that is why I never got attached to anyone, which I had a habit of doing a lot. I at times forgot I was a mafia, and with Ruya in the picture, I knew my life was going to be tough.

Ruya may seem naive at first, but he really wasn't, he just tended to ignore the facts for his own comforts. He also had a talent for being impulsive. And if he became the Mafia leader, he would act out a lot, I knew he wouldn't be able to handle the dark business.

"I will deliver this, but where?" I asked, keeping a small package in my pockets, which was for Gigi.

"He will be at the cafe by 4, can you make it? I can take it back if you want, it is just a personal thing."

Even if he didn't really mean it, Seok did seem to show genuine care and worry.

"Don't worry, I have an appointment with someone by 5, but I can do this for you, in return you give me a lavish treat."

He chuckled, "If that is what you wish for, then I will see you soon."

--

I did enter the classroom with the rest and found Ruya sitting on the seat next to mine, his head hung low as if he was in deep thought.

While Jashuen in the front looked rather smug, closed off, though smug.

I slid next to Ruya and waited for him to approach me first, if he was hostile, he would just shrink back to himself even more and that would not be good.

The parcel I had to give Jashuen Xergo would have to wait, since Mr. Picasso came soon and started lecturing in a hurry, about some new collection of paints we had to buy before the next week.

I nudged Ruya when he didn't start taking notes soon enough. His eyebrows were screwed together, so he must really be bothered by something.

"What happened while I was gone."

Ruya blushed but then tried to control his reaction to his best, which was nothing really, I knew he was transparent to read at times.

"What?" so he tried to take the innocent approach, not bad for a learner.

"You just look spooked out, did anyone harm you? Threaten you?" I was careful to be as quiet as I could.

He shook his head, "Nothing happened, I just... was thinking about something."

Yeah right, his lips were redder and more plum, even his neck had marks on them, it was interesting to see, but I had to be careful, Jashuen Xergo seemed like a shady character to me, not at all trust worthy.

"Alright, but tell me if something bothers you," I told Ruya firmly, I wasn't going to force him into tell me anything, because he looked bothered as it is.

--

~

Ruya

~

It was strange when Sian did not bother me more than once, he even gave a package to Jashuen which he told me was delivered by Seok and he was just passing it on.

What stranger thing happened was that his phone buzzed with a message from Seok, I noticed and it said something about how thankful he was and whatnot.

I did not know what was the deal with Sian and Seok, but it seemed to me like they were beginning to become friends.

The entire day after the painting class, I was aloof from Sian and he actually did not bother me.

When it came to the end of our classes at four, Sian surprised me when he said he had to deliver something to Gigi, whom I assumed was the cafe guy with platinum blond hair.

I was happy that Sian was in a better mood since the early morning, but it was still bothering.

And when Sian left, without me since I was too tired to move, I was left alone by the fountain square, the space less crowded and more comforting.

The day was still frosty but not as much as it could have been.

I had time till five, since we were meeting Wang, so I just sat ideally by, waiting and watching the sky. The clouds just rumbling along with an eerie resound.

"Want to eat ice cream?" I heard a voice come from the front and wasn't surprised to find Blen sitting there. His hand full with two cups of vanilla. He often came here, he had told us before. He found this place peaceful.

"How did your classes go," I asked with a small smile and took the cup he handed to me.

"They... they were nice."

I looked up from the cup, "What happened, is something wrong?"

He frowned, "Not really but why do you smell like a vampire?"

I shifted about timidly, "I met one, we became friends and... talked."

"Oh? But that doesn't makes your whole body reek with vampire hormones. Should I be worried? Were you forced into something?"

I didn't want Blen to worry, because really, Jashuen and I were starting our friendship anew, I wanted to forget all about the strangeness of my sudden lust for him that time. I also wanted to forgot that he was the one who instigated the whole scenario. "Nothing bad happened, his scent must be stronger."

Blen didn't believe me but he also didn't force me to speak any further about it.

"Then let me tell you a story of my new classmate..."

--

An hour passed just like that and Sian came back to me on time, so Blen excused himself and left us.

"Where does Wang live?"

Sian shrugged, "Mark called me a minute back, said Wang has to leave again so he would meet us in our dorm, which would be on his way."

So we went back to our dorm and waited a few minutes with Mark sitting on the couch, the lobby being his second home.

He was reading a magazine of some kind and giggling at the pictures like a kid, it wasn't late when we realized he was reading comedy stories about celebrities of North.

Suddenly the entrance door to our lobby burst open and Wang came in with a smirk. "Mark my man, who do we have here."

Mark grumbled something beneath his breath and casually threw the magazine away on the table, "You are late, it is already 6, do you know how bad of an image it creates on our potential new members?"

Wang rolled his eyes, "Sorry, got stuck with some project." And when his eyes landed on us, he pleasantly greeted us with a smile, "Pleasure to meet you both again, how may I help you."

"We want to join your side," Sian told him, it was clear that Wang knew already.

"Then I would be straight to the point, we will need a weapon in return, the most valuable one you have, it is our part of contract."

Sian didn't seem very pleased with it, "Our weapon isn't something we can just give away. Weapons are important, and I am sure you will be using it if you want to, and that is not done."

"But it is better than selling your blood or becoming a slave."

"Fine," Sian huffed, "And what else, do we call you master or something?"

Mark started to laugh as Wang snickered, "No, no, we will just settle with a weapon, and you will be marked by an insignia of mine."

"Will it hurt?" I asked, knowing that I wasn't a tattoo person.

"A bit, since it would be a permanent one."

Both me and Sian looked at him as if he had gone crazy, "Why would anyone do it if they hate marking up their bodies."

"That's the thing," he said with a tired sigh, coming to sit next to Mark, "choosing a side is a big deal, it's like you will be marked for life, you don't just chose any trinity member, you chose a family. What do you guys know about the system?"

"Nothing much. Really."

Wang grinned at me, making me nervous, "Then we will give you a brief of what you really should know, and since you have grasped a few concepts here, it would be easier to understand what I am about to say."

I gulped, things were suddenly looking too complicated.

--

~

Sian

~

I should have known things wouldn't be as simple as we were told. This whole system of trinity and the importance given to them was overwhelming. People actually feared the trinity or their direct subordinates as if they were gods.

Mark was sitting next to Wang, his focus on me as Wang started to explain. I felt like he knew I wasn't just a regular human, he always had this keen stare on me whenever we met. Only Ruya was left out of the equation, so that was a relief.

Because I was good at keeping my cool.

"Night crawlers are actually a bunch of creatures who work in hierarchy just like us humans, but their order is strictly ruled by one family who heads the entire continent. Our world has five continents right," he asked, his main focus on Ruya.

I saw Ruya nodding.

"So these five continents are all governed by five different families, and these families stay hidden behind a mask they call Night Government."

"You are talking about only the night crawlers here right?" Ruya asked.

"Yes, we humans don't have family system, we are more democratic," he paused for long.

"Please continue," I urged, knowing that Wang was purposefully pausing to let Ruya catch-up, but Ruya was a smart kid and I didn't want to waste my time on this, Gigi had asked me to meet him for some reason, and I knew I had to. He looked serious. Well more than the last time I met him.

"So our continent's night crawler population is ruled by the Bane family, you can say they have been ruling for long, just like the other families of the other continents. Their reigning period is soon going to be over so they are looking for other family candidates who could take over."

Ah, so maybe now I knew where this was going, and it sounded bad.

"So you see, each family who runs for candidate has to have a figure head, you know a person who can represent their family?" Wang laid it out thoughtfully, "so the figure head can generally be anyone, male or female doesn't matter. Usually the figure head is a person who has got a good academic background and a passionate followership. So where do you think they start from, obviously the figure heads requires a certificate from the best academy and which academy is the best in our continent, any guesses?"

I could feel Ruya tensing up, so he was finally figuring it out, well I had known a few things but I hadn't been too sure, the mafia weren't really involved in such deeper politics of the night crawlers. We generally stayed away from this, because there were higher chances of getting murdered by some assassin sent by a family. Meddling with the clans meant sighing your own death contract.

"Rynderg is the best academy currently isn't it?" Ruya asked with a slight stutter, which only came when he was nervous.

"Congratulations, you are very right," Wang said playfully, "the people studying in this academy are all figure heads of their families or clans you can say. I am hunter so I am not a figure head, so almost half of the people I have, who are night crawlers are all figure heads, they want to create their own followership but the academy only allows three trinity members. Thus they have me, and so they chose my side and form their own smaller groups within. But Rose is a figure head, she has a clan and she has a huge crowd for herself. That is why people are saying her family may be the next on throne."

"What about Jashuen Xergo?" I asked, and Ruya spun to look at me so fast I was sure his neck would crack.

Mark who had been looking at me all this time, turned to Ruya now, his interests renewed, "Let's be simple here, nobody knows why Jashuen became a trinity figure, unlike Wang who was asked my people to become one so that they could form smaller groups under him, Jashuen had been a trinity before even Wang and Rose. So we just assume he is a clan head and a figure head, nobody has seen his clan but the name Xergo is famous, they were known to be assassins."

"So I could only assume that the people who join him aren't figure heads or even the people under Rose aren't." Ruya was trying his best to catch up.

"Yes," Mark mumbled, "If you join Wang's side you would be choosing to stay an outsider and nobody would mess up with you over politics, but if you join Rose or even Jashuen, the price of it being a thing, then you are actually showing support for their family, meaning your parents, siblings, everyone shows support for the clan you chose."

"That is a lot," Ruya whispered to himself.

--

~

Ruya

~

Jashuen hadn't told me about such things, only the price we had to pay, but he did say he only lets in loyal followers.

"And if one wants to change the side they chose, what then?"

Wang took up the conversation, "People choose Rose because if her clan becomes the main ruling family, their own families would be benefited but if they want to come to my side or on Jashuen's, then they can, nothing is stopping them from changing sides. Obviously unless Rose has dirt on them and they are stuck with her, or Jashuen refuses them."

"So that is why the permanent tattoo is needed," I said, only to see them nod.

"Yes, an insignia signifies that you supported the family or the clan you chose, but if the family you chose doesn't becomes the ruling family, then you wouldn't be favored as much by the society, mainly the night crawler society."

"How many times can one change sides?" I asked him.

"Well, two time, not more than that. Otherwise you would be considered trash, no family would take you in. Loyalty is a big thing in this night world."

Loyalty.

Jashuen wanted the people to be loyal to him didn't he, that is why he rejected anyone who he though wouldn't be loyal to him.

"With my insignia you won't be harmed, you could return back to your home and never get involved with any night crawler ever," Wang tried explaining, "but once you have the mark of Rose or Jashuen's, then things would be different, they would be able to physically hurt you or even kill you if you disobeyed."

"But the Academy says, no killing, what about the rules?"

"That means nothing, because once on a family's side, you will be considered a pawn of that family, Academy rules wouldn't apply to you. The academy rules over students, not pawns."

"Shit, then that is a faux statement," I said angrily. "What if the student doesn't wants to chose any side?"

"Then the student has to leave, the academy may seem fair but it isn't. The chairman of this academy is himself a government's man, which means he works under the ruling families, and thus he cannot mess with them. The night crawlers rule here, humans like us just survive."

"Can I get some time to think about it?" I asked him.

He sighed, getting up, "I know it is difficult but you have to chose fast, because if you don't then you would be asked to leave or Rose might tie you up and put on her insignia herself. I am not even joking."

"She can force people?" I was startled.

"Yes, she can do that. Night crawlers play dirty if you don't know yet."

--

After the heavy walk back to our rooms, I fell on the bed with a heavy sign. The day's events making me restless.

Sian was the same, maybe even more worried than me.

Yuho wasn't here yet so we had some time to ourselves. "What are you thinking."

"I am thinking that we shouldn't be here, if they know about us, things would change drastically."

"You are right about that, but then father wants me here, what can we do."

"Maybe if we make him understand the problem then..."

I snorted, "As if he would understand me, his greed blinds him."

Our talk was cut short when Sian's phone rang.

Sian groaned, "I totally forgot about him."

"What, who?"

"Gigi, he had called to meet me for some talk, I don't know, he looked serious."

"Wasn't he the first time as well? And since when did you became friends with them?"

"Since that arcade day."

I nodded as he slipped on his shoes and left the room saying he would be back soon.

I pouted, why did my life get this complicated, just because I was born?

I started to sleep for a while but then a vision of Jashuen's bloody lips assaulted me.

Great.

Sitting back on the bed I frowned at the wall. Wondering if I really loved blood just because or if I was some vampire product. You never know.

I bit my own lips to produce blood and tasted a bit of it, but it was nothing special.

So taking out my phone I messaged Sian.

'Bring vampire blood sample with you when you return, I want to test something.'

I clicked it shut and fell back on my bed, I needed human blood as well but Sian was a human, so his blood would do. I needed to see if I was some kind of vampire blood sucker or maybe the normal human blood sucker.

It had been weird and I was getting worried.

I blinked when a message came back from Sian.

'Why the hell do you even need it?! And you think a vampire would just give it away like nothing

>:( it has something to do with Jashuen Xergo right?'

So he must have figured out something was up. I replied sullenly, nothing could stay hidden from him.

"No, okay so maybe, please just do as I say, it has me worried, I forgot to tell you with all this information rush."

His reply this time was instant. 'Ok, but you owe me >:('

I smiled.

'Thank you Sian :)'

And I closed my eyes with worry back again. I didn't think it was a great idea to reveal the locket Jashuen had given me so I simply put it in my pocket, I had yet to wear it. But it burned still, as if I was doing something wrong. Getting involved with him, even as friends was not a safe thing to do. I saw it now. This Academy was dangerous, full of traps.