Code of Jinge: His Mafia Code

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Sicily's Pov

“Are you going to Busan this break? ” I turned to Luhan's direction while tracing my steps to the corridor of the school building. The guy stood a little taller than me that whenever we converse, my neck hurt with cringing. His disheveled copper hair pulled mostly backward but some locks fell over his eyes. We both study Chemistry. In his case, he majored in Chemical Engineering while I focused more on Chemistry as a Chemist.

I wanted to be successful in the field so I can contribute to society. I believe I can invent something for the growing problem of different diseases like Aids and the like. And I dreamed to have the orphanage where I came from, to expand more and cater to many homeless children or those orphans like me. I saw most of the students were heading in the same direction as we are, excited chattering among them could be heard and beaming on things they would do for the whole school break. I caught listening to their plans on nightclubbing or going to KTV bars. Yes, today was our last day in school for this semester.

“I can't,” I answered while fixing the loose strands of my hair behind my ear, not minding to slow down my pace, heading to the school gate as we made it out the corridor jammed pack with hurrying students. Luhan apologized to the girl he got bumped with while quickening his steps towards me.

“Why not so?” he asked, his brows slightly meeting at the center. Every semester break, it became my tradition to go back to the orphanage and visit my fellow orphans there. I wouldn't even miss a single break from not visiting my hometown.

“Sicily!” A woman came charging towards our direction never minding the poor students who she literally either get bumped or forced to make way for this big ball of energy emanating from her. I rolled my eyes when I could see the glowing exhilaration on her face. Here we go. “Let’s go nightclubbing!” Jessica jumped happily as she grabbed my left arm, stopping me that instant from pacing towards the gate of the school. Her heels created a tick tick tick sound on the pavement when she jumped with her left and right legs. The skinny jeans didn't hide the long and lean legs she possessed and her effort to pull off a perfect bun to make her cheeks appear a little puffy was of no use.

Despite her perfect but rather lean body of 23" on waist and chest girth of 33", Jess' cheeks were always puffy that earned her the praises of 'live Barbie' in the school. She's a cutie pie sweetheart but she could be transformed into a frightening woman when it comes to the presentation of cases. A daughter of the famous prosecutor and a Judge in our country and a direct heiress of Prosecutor Firm, it's not a question if she took up studies of Law. I saw her one time when their department had a monthly simulation of case presentations in the court. She was playing as the prosecutor in the case of murder. Jess might have been a real bubbly, devil may care attitude but inside that simulation court, she was badass.

"Yeah. We should hang out for real sometimes," Luhan turned to me wearing the same crazy spirit as Jess.

“Uhm, I have things to do,” I answered, peeling off her grip to mine and looking up to see her big ball of energy-depleting to one notch. I don’t have to explain why I shouldn't join them since they already knew my reasons. For over three years of being together, they should have known that my priority was my study and clubbing wasn't my thing. It was crazy to think sometimes that the three of us met on one of our minor subjects in Humanity and then we clicked. From then on, we made effort in taking up the same period as the rest of our minor subjects.

“Pissed off,” she murmured.

"Darn it." Luhan just laughed at Jess, looking at her puffy cheeks.

“Damn those assignments and encyclopedias and books of any sorts!” she shoots a dagger look on the book I was carefully holding in my arms.

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“Why aren't you going to Busan anyway?” Jessica later asked.

“Money issue,” then I told them about the school project. Besides, I always buy kinds of stuff for the orphans every time I went to Busan for visit. Going there empty-handed would disappoint those children for sure. Especially Suzy whose lovelies to new pair of shoes, pink bows, and dresses. I thrust a spoonful of egg pudding on my mouth having its smooth texture glide between my tongue and teeth. We were in our favorite Cafe, Moonchin. The servers are cos-playing characters from anime like Maidsama. I love the story between Misaki and Takumi. The three of us were situated beside the entrance door, where we have an overlooking view of the people passing by in hurried footsteps. It was already six and the wind sent chilling effect to the people outside. They blow foggy exhale when they were breathing. It was only October but I can feel the small ices falling into my nape and it wasn’t even snowing yet.

“Take my black card then. You can use it since I have so many spares.” Jessica offered while staring at me as if trying to will something inside my brain to just say yes. She and Luhan would always do this every time my allowances ran up.

“Not happening, Jess.” I'm pretty sure they saw how my face hardened to the offer.

“But Sic-.”

“Jess, just don't, okay?”

The busy servers and the animated conversation between the customers reigned for a while. Jess reached for her caramel soy milk while I focused my attention on the unfinished pudding on my platter. The silence might be unnerving for Luhan when he broke the ice.

“Or you can come with me. My grandmom is planning to have a month of the cruise with us and she was very fond of having visitors. She’s kind and I know you’ll get along well...what?”

My inquiring look might have stopped him. Why would I go to meet his family? Family meeting in Korea either means you are a girlfriend or you are a fiancee to the guy. It won't be an issue if Jessica would tag along because that would mean, we are with Luhan as friends.

“O-or Jessica can come with us.” He said instead-but Jessica seemed to love the idea when she nodded, saving him for unknown embarrassment...

“You guys should go and have some fun. I’ll be fine.” I assured them as they had their shoulders slumped. They looked at each other with a silent conversation in their eyes. If our situation was reversed, I might have been as persistent as them because enjoying vacations while one of my friends needed my help won't settle score to me. So to comfort them I said, “But I’ll be demanding my souvenirs from both of you, 'kay?”

"I'm bringing the Caribbean to you, Tokki," Luhan said, his eyes flashed with unnamed resolve there.

"And how would you do that?" I asked, with rising humor from inside of my stomach.

"Uhhh..." His eyes wander off from me then to Jess who had her hands folded under her chin, waiting for his next words. After a while, his cheeks tinted with pale pink after meeting my eyes again.

"For Pete's sake, Luhan. Why not add snatching the moon and offer it to Sicily's feet for added drama?" Jess shook her head, sipping her soy milk again. "Let it out or you'll burst into a supernova."

"Let it out what?" I asked but none of them answered me.

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It has been three days since the start of the break. Sicily stayed in her apartment that time frame, spending most of it reading books. Five hours of reading on Kleypas' work made her stomach protest angrily. Breakfast had slipped off her mind near the book's c****x. She decided to run on the fridge, opening it and letting the foggy chill lick into her skin. Her face turned sour upon the enthusiastic greeting of the single clubhouse bread in a small platter. She clicked her tongue for the bread can’t satiate her. So with a glance at her wristwatch, she grabbed her wallet from the kitchen counter after closing the fridge.

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Sicily was scanning all of her goods wrapped in plastic after getting out from the convenience store just located nearby her apartment. When she checked all of it, she smiled contentedly. She fixed her hooded jacket as the cold wind slowly crept on her skin like tiny ants. The traffic lights signaled for a go-to for all the pedestrians waiting on the other side of the road. Her feet started to be traced on the crossing lanes when someone caught her eyes in the corner of a noodle shop. A woman in her forties dressed in a clean but old jacket, with her 10-year-old daughter singing a song in the middle of the store walkway for pedestrians or customers. Some passersby just threw a glance at them and proceeded walking. The girl had a very promising voice. Sicily gently smiled, waving the idea of returning to her apartment immediately because her hands began to shake a little for the chill. A mother and a daughter who both strove to make a living. She wished to experience that...to have a mother who would do her best to make a living for her family, for her daughter. She would choose that set of sleeping on the street with her mother rather than sleeping in the apartment alone. Spending most of her childhood and going through all school recitals without parents who would proudly beam at their children on the stage and take pictures together, she would love to stick with them even if it means empty stomachs and cold nights on the streets. She believed that a person didn't only live with bread alone…but with love also. Love from their parents makes her heart grow warm. As the mother met the eyes of her child, her throat ache, and there came tiny beads of tears running across her cheeks but instantly wiped it out after realizing that she was in a public. She then approached the kid and placed the groceries in front of them while she reached for her jacket taking it off.

The mother and daughter looked at the bag of groceries in the box for coin donations then to the extended hand of the lady.

"Here, it's cold," she offered.

The daughter looked at her mother as if asking her permission if she can accept it. The mother nodded.

"Thank you," came a soft reply from the kid.

Sicily placed her hand on top of the kid, leveling her eyes to her when she crouched down. "Good voice you have there-"

"Ara." The mother filled in.

"-Ara. Be a good girl to your mother, 'kay?"

Ara's eyes lit up before nodding. Sicily stood up and traced her steps towards the street, crossing it after a go signal Not a great distance, Sicily mindfully grabbed her growling stomach and reached for a coin. She strode to the one selling some street foods. She paid for one stick of fish cake and grabbed a bite enthusiastically.

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“Call Raiyan Hyun, tell him to gather the girls.”

“All five of them, Elder?”

The Elder nodded, glancing at the outside of his car seemingly thinking of the scene outside. He had his hands carefully placed on his old staff, showing the ring he bore on his left index finger which signifies high authority in the underground. Aware of the call that his assistant made, the elder's finger twitched from his shaft.

“We will be there first thing tomorrow. Make sure to present them to us.” Key instructed on the phone, turning his attention to the Elder in the bowed head after the call. “The order is relayed, Elder.”

“Then it shall be done.” The elder responded. They drove off to their destination, passing several people on the street. The elder’s countenance remained unreadable throughout the travel as thoughts were flitting on his subconscious.