Code of Jinge: His Mafia Code

7.0

SEVEN

HER AND HIS PROPOSALS

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Sicily’s POV

I was shaking as I walked in the alley towards the ceremony hall. Good that my knees weren't giving out even when they badly feel wobbly. The occasion was open to the public. And may I tell you that the public was mostly Yakuza. Gosh! I never had been exposed to large audiences before. I even refused vehemently when I was chosen to speak in front of the whole students during our Intramural and now I will be in the spotlight today? I’ll just pray to the highest, hoping for the guidance that I will not end up making a riot during the ritual because I’m pretty good at it. It’s in my blood.

*Sigh

“Are you ok, Nee-san?” Kiko, one of my mistresses asked me. Renei-chan and Kiko-chan were ushering me towards the hall. We passed through those men in their old traditional clothes. I can't even name those clothes aside from their color difference. The Yakuza elders were wearing the black ones girded with white fabric, the blue ones, according to Renei were the Kyodais and Shatei or little brothers and senior brothers of the clan, the red ones were the officials of the YG clan. I think everyone was dressed for the occasion. They have their samurais with them while giving respect to me as they bowed down when I passed by.

“I think I’m nervous,” I silently muttered as I carefully walked with them. The kimono was quite disturbing for me. It had its very comfy effect but I think I am not used to wearing this kind. It makes me sick…added with how red were my lips now. I’m sure that I will throw all lipstick in the world once I’m done with this ceremony. The scalp was screaming mercy for release from the tight grip of those pins on my head. It made my eye squint and the impending headache wasn’t helping me at all.

We reached the very door of the hall and it was opened by two men. I heaved a deep sigh out from nervousness. Inhale, exhale, inhale... My heart was pounding on my chest and I can barely hear the things, Renei-chan was saying to me. I just nodded blankly and went inside the hall.

Oh my gosh…

'This is bad! This is bad!' I keep on chanting inside my head when all of my brain cells froze the moment I entered the hall, there were masses of people gathering. All eyes on me, I gulped in nervousness again. Stage fright. It’s slowly killing me.

The silence was all over the place as I sat on one of the futons with my mistresses beside me. I was facing seven men, sitting in the futon in their red kimonos. I blinked when I spotted two familiar faces among the men in front of me. Jared and the Elder Tahil. The first one wore an encouraging smile while the latter maintained his serious facade. I slightly bowed to them.

“And now we will witness our Nee-san pledge all of her loyalties and respect to the Yamaguchi-Gumi Head- Master Dragon.” One man in traditional clothes had spoken, Masta his name. I noticed his delighted expression as he eyed me. Weirdo. His voice resonated around the wide hall. For a moment there I thought I was alone in the room for the deafening silence that follows. The people looked at me blankly as if my presence wasn't needed there. I returned my eyes to Jared but my gaze was locked to the only person who was smiling at me. He sat beside Jared, his long braided hair might be out of place but it looks good on him. He had this face...too feminine to be a man but too rough to be a girl too. I could feel the hot rush on my cheeks when the guy gives me a wink. Omo!

Masta then instructed me to start the offering to the boss.

As if a cue, I immediately stood up and reached for the bottle of wine and a single cup in a tray which was handed to me by Renei-chan.

With a tray in my hand, I slowly walked forward to a certain person whom I will soon marry. I pressed my lips so hard to hide its trembling. Gosh! My every action here was monitored by everyone and it was scaring the hell out of me.

Breathe Sicily…

I placed the tray in front of him and poured the rice wine into the cup. My hands were constantly shaking which led me into thinking that I might have developed symptoms of tremor. I sat down as I offered it to him and bowed myself to the floor. This shows humility before him according to what had been taught to me. Go to the Oyabun, pour a cup of Sake, offer it to him, bowed down to show humility before him. When he drinks it, he will give the other half to you and you have to drink it too which will then end the ritual; completing the code.

'Yes drink it now… I want to end this.' I said to myself biting my lower lip, failing to notice all the shocked faces from the audience and the seven men. I wasn’t able to hear my mistresses calling me frantically in a hushed tone.

I still have my face down on the floor when I heard the man clear his throat.

'Is he done? Well, this is not so bad'

I looked up just to see him smiling at me. I unconsciously bit my lower lip as I watched his cheeky eyes.

He’s cute

“As much as I wanted to marry you, but I can’t. You’re the clan’s Nee-san and that means you will be the boss's wife.”

“Eh?” I stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re not Dragon?”

He shook his head. “I’m Arvin,” He smiled again. I wanted to drown myself with his smile but I’m in the middle of making a riot.

I nervously roamed my eyes to the other men in front of me and there he was. I could tell that’s Dragon. Glaaarrrriiing at me!

What should I do?

He stood up with his hands in his pocket, wearing a deep frown on his forehead.

He got weird hairstyle, lots of bling…ekkkkk!

He stared at me.

Fierce eyes too…

I gulped countless times when he began to stride towards me. His footsteps were echoing around and I suspected if it was just my heart making the loudest thump thump thumps. He wasn't breaking his gaze on me and I was rooted on my spot.

I suddenly felt afraid when everyone else seemed scared at the silence before us. I stood up, eyeing the exit then back to the dragon. He picked up the bottle of wine as I continued stupidly staring at him until he was an inch away from me.

He drank from the bottle of wine, not breaking off his bone-chilling stare on me, and without further hullaballoos, he unceremoniously reached for my head and claimed my lips to his. The inner me was beyond taken aback, trying to push him but he pulled me closer to him. I noticed how he roughly forces the remaining alcohol in his mouth on me.

“hmppppppppppjhvfasljdxvjhfjasd!!!!!!!!” I didn't even hear the disturbance of the crowds, the collective gasping among them as I was busy screaming bloody murder inside my head!!! We had our lips locked!!!! Anyone get me a knife! I will kill him! Kill’im!!!!

I was frantically flailing my arms on the air wanting to break apart our effing mouths but he pressed his lips more onto me making some tongue movements! Gosh! He forced the liquor from his mouth into mine, I groaned not in disgust to my surprise, but because I am ready to bloody ax murder someone. Nevertheless, he had his ways of bending me that I unconsciously gulped down the liquor from his mouth and the kiss was halted all at once.

I stared at him with wide eyes while he had his cold eyes darted on me. I could tell all of the people were shocked. The silence was so earsplitting that I found myself muttering words.

“How dare you,” my voice shaking.

“Dumb.” he shot back.

“Excuse me?” I wanted to retaliate but the jerk was leaving the hall together with his men.

I have rooted on my spot again and just stood there not knowing what to do next. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Sicily-shi, you fine?” Jared faced me; I just nodded to him for a moment. “The ceremony has ended, you need to rest...”

I just agreed and left the hall with my mistresses tailing behind me. I was so occupied with what happened during the ritual. I felt embarrassed by my action. IT’S NOT MY FAULT! AND I WAS HARASSED!

I didn’t know Arvin wasn’t Dragon. I was just hint-guessing to be exact, that the Oyabun was somewhat like him, like Arvin. I only heard that Dragon was someone with ear accessories and a necklace. No one ever told me who Dragon was. Well, I got my eyes glued on the first person I spotted that was wearing the ear piercings and necklaces. I didn’t know that this JD was more outrageous when it comes to his fashion. I should have noticed that JD was the only one not wearing the traditional clothes. He had his weird hairstyle and a very suffocating aura you may add. Oh yes, a jerk harasser too!

I was in my room again and this time, alone.

The two mistresses were summoned to be in the disciplinary action office. They will pay the price for the failure of the ritual and for not training me well.

I was fidgeting my fingers out of nervousness thinking all of the words from Renei-chan before they left the room.

“You are directly insulting our boss,” There was a hint of anger in her voice. Kiko was just silent but I could tell she was annoyed too.

“I didn’t do anything.” I reasoned out.

“What you did was an insult, Nee-san. You’re proposing to Arvin when in fact you’re intended to marry the head of the clan.” Kiko voiced out.

I fell silent that time. I didn’t know that I was proposing to somebody else.

“I screwed up, neh?” I said in the Korean language.

For the space of days of my stay here, I’ve been conversing in English just to connect with all the people I may encounter here. It was kinda tiring when all you hear were a Japanese conversation among the people here.

“But it was daebak back there.”I swung my attention to the door just to see the deep-voiced fellow.

“You speak Korean?” I incredulously asked.

“Yeah. I got a headquarter in North Korea. Gotta need to learn the basic.” He shrugged his shoulder.

“Omo! You should always be here with me. I’m kinda tired of conversing in English. I don’t understand a thing about your language here.” I pouted at him.

“Do you want me to tutor you?” he asked.

“Well if you could spare me some time,” I said while reaching for my aching scalp. I had changed into comfortable shirts after taking a shower.

“Alright.”

“Really?”

"Or I could teach you instead. You know, Jared sucks." Someone interjected and came unannounced inside her room. Sicily slightly gasped when the person in red kimono came to hug her tight. "You smell good,"

Sicily could say the same to the guy who winked at her during the ceremony.

"I thought you already left with your father?" Jared said in a serious tone.

"I will. Just wanna see JD's girl here. That was so funny back there. You give us some nice laughs. Can we do it again?"

"Nabi. It's not something to be laughed at."

"I know but we gotta have some nice laughs once in a while right?" he leaned down to Sicily's ears. "You know it's been boring here lately. It's the same old thing. Guns, deaths, drugs-,"

"Omo?" Sicily asked aghast.

"She's kidding, neesan." Jared pointed out in a firm tone as if to tell Nabi something.

Nabi glanced at Jared before smiling goofily. "But now you're here, you can spread cupcakes and rainbows. But it would help if you learn some few skills."

"What skill?"

Nabi's smile disappeared. "Learn how to kill and learn how not to be killed."

Sicily waited for the goofy smile to appear on his face. Although she was distracted by his appearance up-close. Nabi was so beautiful to be a man or was it only her imagination. Nevertheless, the smile didn't come at all and that sent chills to her spine.

"We are happy to see you again...but we are not happy to see you here. Quit if he wanted you to quit. This isn't a place of romance where you can throw cupcakes and rainbow shits to the enemy."

"Nabi, that's enough." Jared grabbed Nabi's shoulder but the latter won't budge.

"Why Jared? Are you appalled to show her all bullshits could happen anytime here?"

Sicily wanted to ask something if not for the sudden loud explosion not far from them and then the exchange of gunshots. She screamed while instinctively covering her eyes before looking up at the two. It awed her that neither the two of the men budged with the sudden chaos outside.

Nabi eyed Jared before he calmly placed a hand on Sicily's shoulder. "Welcome back, kitten,"

'Welcome back?' Sicily thought curiously but another gunshot made her duck down while covering her ears again. She noticed Jared and Nabi faced the door when someone barged in. The next thing that follow almost made her faint. The bodies slammed down the floor after being shot by Nabi himself.

Sicily could hear her breathing while her eyes flickered on the red pool of blood outside her door. Before she registered everything on her mind, darkness embraced her wholeness, losing her consciousness.