Code of Jinge: His Mafia Code

4.0

THE CHOICE IS MADE

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Sicily’s POV

We dreaded this day to come. One of us will be traveling with the elder to Japan and my heartbeat constricted my breath for drumming so hard in my chest. I glanced at the rest of the girls and as expected, they have anxious faces. The typical face who might run away any moment from now.

“Good morning, girls.” The governor greeted us with a smile on his face. But we can't reciprocate it for the kind of mood we are in. Our attention was on the white envelope in his hands. I wonder what is it.

We were situated here in the mini-conference hall of the convent and I’ve noticed men were posting outside the convent as if guarding some important treasure inside the hall. The elder kept his silent demeanor as usual as well as Key who kind of observed us like we were bottled insects in a laboratory experiment.

“Here in my hand is the decision of the panel coming from Japan. One of you has been chosen unanimously and will be coming with the Elder and Key today.”

I gulped nervously, my hands were sweating with cold beads as he began opening the envelope. His eyes transfixed then glanced at us once it was opened. He looked at me particularly then began speaking. Oh god.

“Sunny,” the girl stiffened as she looked at the governor. “Girls…” then he addressed us. The rest of us stared at Sunny who was on the verge of crying. Her eyes watered with suppressed indignant. Was she chosen? “You may leave now.” The four of us nodded while our eyes locked with Sunny's pleading one. Sheri's eyes were clouded as it was coated with a thin line of tears and Hannah had her right arm when she almost fell on her steps. We slowly trudged our way to the door when the Elder had spoken.

“Girls may leave the room…except you Sicily Mondragon,” The Elder interjected. I was instantly rooted in my tracks and slowly turning my head to them. The other girls did the same. Did I hear my name?

“You are chosen, Miss Mondragon,” Key confirmed by the silent order from the Elder. I didn't even notice the befuddled look on the gov's face while scanning the paper on his hand before he glanced at the elder. But what surprised me was the fact that I hadn't released the bitter bile on my throat just yet. My eyes drifted to Sunny who wasn't even half glad that she was let off the hook. I heard my breathing on my ears and the inaudible voices of the rest of the girls. My mind screaming murder.

No way…no way, no way!!!

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Returning to my room, I contemplated why I was chosen instead of those four gorgeous women. Why me? I have nothing to brag to be the chosen one or more likely to say, I haven't done any evil act to end with this kind of fate. I may not be someone to be more particular in ways on how should I fall in love or how should I end up with my life partner. But this circumstance was way out of my league. It wasn't my whole idea of falling in love. I stood up tempted to just run away like hell.

I was practically pulling my hair in billion directions. Maybe I was just dreaming. That must be it. I should wake up now!

A knock on my door snatched me from the crazy thoughts that befall me. I pinched my cheeks once, twice…it hurts. Confirmed: Sicily’s not dreaming.

Mother superior came in with a gentle smile on her face and sat at the edge of my bed.

“How are you, Sicily? The girls are asking if you're alright,” Superior Magdalene didn't have to ask further because clearly, my face registered my thoughts on how am I sparing this.

"I sent them away, "I said fiddling on the tuck of my gray shirt. " I don't want them to worry,"

“I am sorry, dear,” she hugged me.

“What did I do to deserve this, mother superior? Am I a bad person?” I asked with a trembling voice registering on my ears.

“Of course not. But remember, everything happens for a reason.” she entangled me and wiped the tears away from my cheeks. Those were my words to the girls and it was thrown back at me like a curveball.

“It's funny how that sounds so weird,” I said.

“Elder Tahil supported us throughout those years. He never left us alone when we badly needed someone to help this charity stand up during those devouring trials. He never asked for something in return only this time. Only now.” She explained which felt like a force of reasoning. All those years I live with my mother-superior, she wasn't one to give us a way for a price or anything.

This highly organized crime syndicate was supporting our charity…yes we knew about it yesterday because these facts were shoved to us by Key. Those people with filthy life backgrounds can't do something good like supporting some poor charity as we have in our town because they sucked on this thing. But how?

“Is there any other way to repay them to keep the charity operating?” I wiped the tears on my cheeks again, gently pushing myself from her. “he should be asking for something logical like making us serve on him throughout our lives, work with him, or something. Why asked us or me in this case, to marry his grandson? He’s stepping on both of our rights to choose.”

Mother superior fell silent.

“Why must he be involved for his grandson’s damn future wif-“I suddenly clamped my mouth for blurting all those filthy words in front of a holy woman. “Forgive me, mother superior,”

I shut my mouth and sloppily planted myself on the bed. Mother superior heaved a deep sigh again. I like the idea of compromising my situation to the Elder. I don’t want to be in Japan. I don’t want to meet his grandson. I don’t want to see any tomorrow if my eyes will see the sunrise in that place. I’ve heard many abominations from that place and the Yakuza instigated the troubles there. I have dreams to finish my studies and help the community as a Chemist. If I marry young, how can I jiggle my studies and...my family life. It felt strange to have it out of my mind. Family? Never had experienced one. Well, I have family here in an orphanage but the mere thought of having my own was like trying to read Petroglyph. I’m the type of person to look ahead in the future, picturing it out solidly in my mind, making it my goal of reaching it. But I realized, I wasn't graphing an image of my own family. A man to marry and a child to nurture. Maybe I can borrow Lyka's sketch of the man from yakuza to start with? Baldhead, fat bellies, tattoos, samurai, the smell...ack. Never mind!

Oh, screw this. If I will go against the will of Elder, the charity will be dragged down. Those poor orphans will face the cold nights with an empty stomach. That will be bitter fate. I know the feeling.

“I will accept it,” I said, facepalming my countenance to hide the threatening tears again.

"Sicily..."

"I can do this...at least for the orphans." I let a shaky breath, looking at the troubled superior. She reached for my head and caressed it. "You've grown so well, child."

"Yep." I let a small smile, trying not to be choked with bitter bile that was always happily joining the nervous thumping on my heart.

“You can be a beautiful bride, Sicily. Make this new stage of life a wholesome journey and I will pray that may you have all the patience and charity in your heart as you are going to unite with another one’s life. Make every moment counts.” she blessed me as she warmly embraced me.

“And that bastard is very lucky indeed for having me…” I instantly bit my tongue smiling sheepishly. I'm not a cussing kind of a girl but somehow I can be excused for now.“Sorry.”

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The private plane of the Elder could cater two hundred passengers but I only counted less than thirty heads. We were all sitting in the VIP with ten men at the back and the rest in the front seats. The men weren't talking to one another as if giving the Elder the chance to finish his call to somebody. As I am trying my very hardest to sit comfortably on the seat, I can’t help but remember all the teary faces of the four girls in the convent. They felt sorry for me and even offered me some practical techniques on how to escape from the grip of that yakuza leader as if I could do that.

If I ever escaped, the charity will gonna have to pay. Many scholars will suffer and the adopted children will be homeless again. I can’t possibly let that happen. No freaking way.

“Are you feeling fine, Miss Mondragon?” Suddenly Key asked me. He was actually beside me while holding his ledger or journal I'm not sure.

“Just a little dizzy,” I sheepishly said and to my surprise, he wrote it down. He then called the doctor on board and asked him to attend to me.

Then the doctor asked me some freaking several questions about how am I feeling and all what-not.

“Temperature…hmmm” he would nod, after pulling back the thermometer from my mouth. “Eyes…”

“Hey, I’m fine-”

He then proceeded on lifting my arms and inspect the pulse on my wrist.

"You don't have to do-"

He stared into my eyes to inspect them.

“Stop it!” I suddenly yell to his face which made him flinch. I then cross my arms furrowing my brows.

I wanted to smack him straight in the face for so acting like I have a terminal disease.

“I said I am fine,” I sternly said to the doctor.

“Leave her alone, doctor.” The elder approached us and instantly, the doctor walked his way on his seat. I felt slightly sorry for him. Tsk! Blame my mood on the circumstance, minus all of these men who were sitting near my seat. Their tattoos and weapons were enough to give a heart attack to a healthy person.

“I hope you’re fine, dear.” He smiled at me as he settled on the seat in front. I blinked twice in response. I thought he just knew a few words for he didn't talk much. And to tell you, the aura was quite different now that he was here in front of me. What happened to that old scary and unsmiling geezer?

“My grandson’s studying too… he’s a wonderful man and a very smart guy.” He began talking with a glimpse of pride in his eyes. “Girl like you must be attracted to a smart guy, yes?” I just nodded unconsciously not agreeing with everything he says. A little bit, I could tell that this old grand loves his grandson. Studying? That means the grandson isn’t old. Yeah right, I still have baldy, fat bellies, tattoos on the list. Don't forget the foul smells too.

“Why me?” I asked out of the topic. He looked at me momentarily.

“There are a lot of inevitable reasons for that and you don’t have to know for now. We could learn it along the way of the journey.”

“And I don’t think I could keep up with this new path in my life. I’m a great respecter of law and I uphold equal rights of humans in the eyes of Law and the Supreme Being. ” I looked outside wearing a furrow on my forehead. “Yakuza doesn’t honor the law and it’s a very organized group but a pack of law-breakers.”

All men boarded on the plane whipped their heads in our direction. And so they were listening to us? I swear I saw one of them was gripping his sword-thingy.

Shiverssssss.

If I’ll be careless with my words, I’m pretty sure to be beheaded any moment.

“Er… I mean-”

“Yeah, yakuza composed of misfits and delinquents. Some were criminals, some were from an elite families. The boss dragon came from the elite family” He said. “He is my grandson and he has been declared the fifth Oyabun of the Yamaguchi-Gumi yakuza clan. You will be Anisan of the clan, the boss’ wife.”

Delinquents? Criminals? Even if I haven’t seen him yet, my thoughts pumped up some reasons to file for a divorce already.

I did my research last night about the clan of Yamaguchi Gumi. I don't want to be thrown in a den of hyenas without knowing their territory first. It was the largest syndicate since mid 20 century. They had their big contention with the second-largest yakuza group- Somiyoshi. The war between these gigantic groups of syndicates resulted in the loss of many lives which were not related to any Yakuza clan. This powerful gang has been proliferating not just in the whole of Japan but has been establishing its counterparts across the globe. The Yakuza family wars were broadcast many times in the world news, CNN, and BNC, and I never care about it. As long as they don't come to Korea and declare mafia war on us, it's okay. I don't care...not until now. This better be a joke. Yeah, I wanted to file a divorce now. I will call Jessica, her father is a Judge. They can help me. Er…did I miss something? Oh yes, I’m not married yet. I guess I have to wait for our marriage to take place and then-

“Anisan,” the elder addressed me which caught me from my inner monologue. “If you’re thinking of some legal separation or something like divorce, you should dodge the idea. We, from the clan, value our vows to the boss. Your engagement to the boss is one of our valued vows which will be formalized two days after we arrived in Kyushu. And the ceremony will be opened to all of our sworn brothers to witness your allegiance to J-dragon, the boss. “

“Did I hear you mention a dragon?” I was pretty sure that I sounded horrified. The name itself wasn't worthy of any existence. Fear started to crawl on my spine. Am I engaging in a real dragon or what? And how the hell did this grand extract the very contents of my mind? Was he some kind of freaking psychic?

“Anisan, loyalty, and respect are the way of our lives. We give these to the boss and it's not an option for you. It will be your duty to uphold the codes of Jinge. ”

“Codes of jinge,” I repeated recalling my Webster dictionary on my drawer. Maybe it could give me the meaning of the word.

“Yes, Anisan. The codes of jinge,” He repeated, smiling at me.

I pouted and muttered, “Code of jinge… can I eat it? Is it some kind of a Japanese delicacy?”

Unexpectedly, everybody laughed at me including the granny. I smiled. At least I could pull off some witty remarks to them without losing my head.