♞

"GO TAKE MY BROTHER to the clinic," Marcus says. And even though Cj didn't want to take any orders from him, Cj nods his head and helps Max stand from where he's seated before they could finally leave the Great Hall.

     As the students were watching the Barons and the Dukes standing in front of the gaffer who dared throw his water at Max, the gaffer practically stumbles back in terror from the thought of what's about to happen to him.

     "Now, shall we throw hot tea at you too?" Brave asks with a menacing grin.

     "Y-You can't hurt me! Not in front of all these people. BND doesn't even have a custom," the gaffer defends, almost making the two brotherhoods laugh.

     Despite that, the gaffer was somehow right. The brotherhoods have to uphold the White Uniform Protection Code, and that means they cannot target any of the white uniforms without any valid reason.

     Sadly for them, valid reasons can mean a lot of things, and one of those things were—

     "I can't hurt you?" Master Joker asks as he takes a step closer to the gaffer. "Oh I can, don't worry about that, but my little toy won't like it so let's do something else instead, something that all of us can enjoy."

     The gaffer didn't know what the baron was talking about, but then his eyes widened from shock when he heard the sound of a Jack-in-a-box. The gaffer slowly turns around to check what it was, but when he found the box on top of their lunch table, the gaffer instantly falls to the ground. 

     "N-No..."

     The students started stomping their feet as they wait for the sound to stop. And when the music finally stopped playing, Jack pops out of the box, literally making the student flinch.

     Jokers' underlings - the Jacks - started standing from their seats one by one. And as the gaffer tried to think of a way to make his escape, Hans then approaches him too and leans towards him before saying, "Now white uniform...let's play."

...

The nurse was done applying gel and cold compress on Max's back that was completely red because of the hot water. Thankfully it was only a first-degree burn. It also helped because Max was wearing his white uniform so it protected him from the boiling water. If you don't remember, their uniform is even bulletproof.

     When the nurse finally left the room, Max wears his uniform back so he could cover himself. While he was buttoning his shirt, Cj - who's standing beside the bed with his arms crossed - looks at Max and tells him, "Why didn't you just pull or push me away like a normal person would? You could have easily just done that."

     When Max heard of what Cj had to say, he couldn't help but laugh. "A thank you would have been nice. And besides, if I pushed you out of the way then the students behind you would have been hurt instead. That would have been more troublesome," he answers, and Cj sighs and doesn't say anything about it anymore.

     When Max finally finished putting his shirt on, he looks at Cj and takes a deep breath. "What that white uniform did was horrible. Even I think it was over the top. If he really did hit you on your face then J.S High would have been in another scandal," Max says, and this time, Cj chuckled.

     "So you were more concerned about that?"

     "Well that's not really true, but then it's not really false either," Max answers, and the two started laughing together.

     As the laughter simmers down, Max pulls out his necklace and takes another deep breath before looking back at Cj. "You asked me earlier if I have advice for you. Do you still want to hear it?"

    Cj was surprised by the sudden question because he wasn't expecting Max to bring it up this soon, but he takes a deep breath and crosses his arms anyway before saying, "Alright. Let's hear it."

    The room becomes quiet for a second until Max finally decides to speak his mind. "Since you're a truthful person then let me be honest with you, Count. Students hate you because of how cruel you treat them. They hate you to the point where they'd want to throw hot water at you," Max says, but Cj doesn't answer him just yet because he wanted Max to finish.

     "I wanted to listen to your story earlier because I wanted to understand your nature, but it seems like I didn't get anything. What happened to Alessandra still doesn't justify what you've been doing. Your violence has caused a lot of pain and trauma to other students. Your customs are cruel and unjust, and the only pride you have is your underlings," Max brutally explains.

     He continues to stare at the leader with a serious expression before finally asking the question that he has been dying to ask for a long time now. "Why would you do all that to others? What makes you think you can do such a thing just because you have a terrible past?" 

     The room becomes quiet again. After hearing what he has to say, Cj stares at Max with a blank expression, almost like he was trying to sink it all in. But seconds after that, Cj started laughing like he heard one of the greatest jokes ever made in his life. The reaction was unexpected, but all Max could do was look at the Cigarettes' leader with confusion. When Cj finally composed himself, he looks back at Max and suddenly grins, instantly making the hair on Max's skin stand.

     "You're quite amusing," he tells Max as he wipes the tears on his eyes after laughing so much. "Did I somehow give you the impression that I was nice, little Maxy? Did you think that what I'm doing is some sort of coping mechanism? What are you, my psychologist?"

     "W-What?" Max asks in confusion, making Cj look at him like he was stupid.

     "I'm doing what I'm doing for Alessandra and nothing more. That's why I told you that there is no reason for you to pity me. What I'm doing isn't for you or for anyone. It's for my own selfish satisfaction, so don't get the wrong idea," Cj explains.

     "What I'm doing outside has nothing to do with what I'm doing in J.S high. So if you're wondering why I'm treating white uniforms like shit then let me tell you," Cj pauses and walks closer to Max's bed. With a sadistic grin on his face, he leans towards Max and whispers, "It's because it's fun."

     Max's entire body freezes, and right after hearing Cj's answer, he was slapped back to reality. Max was one of the perfect examples of Cj's cruelty. He was stepped on and almost beaten to death by this exact same person who he thought could change.

     This made Max realize that Cj was someone who no one could ever change because there was nothing to change at all. This was Cj's true nature. He's been like this ever since they met so why is Max still so surprised.

     "I'm not like MJ. I don't start something and chicken out in the middle of it. And to correct your ignorance, my custom isn't cruel. Students know the consequences of our Tobacco deal, but they still agree to our terms. I don't force anyone Sinclaire. What happens to them was their choice," Cj explains further as he grabs hold of Max's necklace.

     "They become our homeboy, and if things go to shit, we become theirs. It's nothing personal. If I can stomach the fact that you used my own brotherhood to beat me up in the middle of the Great Hall then they can stomach the fact that I can do the same to them."

     Max gulps and immediately snatches his necklace from Cj's hand, making Cj chuckle. And as Cj takes a step away from Max, he looks directly at Max's eyes again and seriously says, "People gamble, and they know the consequences if they lose. That is the beauty of my custom. You don't need a sad backstory for that; you only need a bunch of white uniforms who will be brave enough to take a bite of it. If you still don't know that then you wasted your time. You learned absolutely nothing from me."

     Cj reaches out and pats Max's head this time like he was a kid. "I told you, didn't I? Play with fire, and I'll show you ashes..." he finishes before finally walking towards the door to make his exit.

     "Make no mistakes Sinclaire, there will never be a time where I will bow to you. I know your capabilities, but you will never get me to stand beside you if you can't even understand the purpose of my brotherhood. Don't fit me into your own narrative. I'm not an honorable and just hero like Krist and Hans, and that will never change," Cj says without even looking back at Max.

     When he finally reaches the exit, he grabs the doorknob and opens the door. Before taking his leave, he looks over his shoulder and finishes, "Thanks for blocking me earlier, though it was a stupid move regardless of your reason. If you're fine now then head back to the Great Hall. There's still a lot of work to be done."

     Cj finally heads out and slams the door shut, leaving Max entirely speechless.

     Max takes a deep breath and massages his temple. He really did encounter such a complicated man. And the fact that he's known what type of man Cj is from the very beginning makes it even worse. To think that for a second he even thought that there was something about Cj that was worth rooting for.

     Apparently what you see is what you get when it comes to the leader of Cigarettes. Now he's contemplating on whether or not he could even conquer the other brotherhoods. If Cj is already as complex as this then what more for Siren, Joon, and Viktor?

     "I feel like I'm back to square one," Max whispers underneath his breath before lying back on the bed, regretting it a little because he almost forgot he has a mild burn on his back.

     As he was trying to think of a game plan on what he has to do to make the counts his protectors, the door to his room suddenly opened. Max sits up and looks at the door to check who the visitor is. When he saw who it was, a smile automatically appears on his face.

     "Guys," Max says with a relieved tone.

     His friends, Ari, Felix, and Ervin, enter his room, Felix looking especially worried after witnessing his friend getting splashed by hot water earlier.

     "My god Max, can you stop making us worry?!" Felix says, running to Max to give him a hug.

     Max chuckles and pats Felix's head before looking back at Ari and Ervin. "Please tell me Jokers and BND didn't just throw hot water at the guy's face," Max says, almost making Ari and Ervin laugh.

     "Don't worry, they made the Jacks handle everything," Ervin explains, making Max sigh even though he wasn't entirely sure if that was a good idea either.

     "Anyway, I was surprised by what you did. Why'd you block Cj like that? I'm still bitter with how your relationship is going you know?" Ari surprisingly says. "Did you magically forget what he did to you? He literally beat you up right in front of us and he hasn't apologized since. What is this, a new form of a toxic relationship?"

     The mention of Cj's name made Max sigh, making the three friends look at each other, instantly guessing that something was up.

     "It's not like that," Max says. "My relationship with Cj is like a mutual understanding between business partners. I benefit from him, and he benefits from me. There's nothing else about it."

     "So does that mean...you're not going to be able to conquer Cigarettes?" Felix asks this time, making Max sigh again.

     "If you still don't know that then you wasted your time. You learned absolutely nothing from me. That's what he said, and somehow that made me feel heavy inside. Did I waste my time with Cj? Of course not, I got my inheritance back because of him. But was that it? Regarding my relationship with him in J.S High...there's literally nothing there," Max says with a sad expression.

     Ari takes a deep breath as well and takes a seat on the edge of the bed where Max was. He then grabs hold of Max's hand and tells him, "Alright, since you're so conflicted, let's think back to everything that happened. Did you not learn anything from that asshole? Like...isn't there something that you realized?"

    Max looks up and stares at the ceiling, almost looking hopeless.

     "I...honestly don't know."

      "Come on Max, think about it. After everything that happened with you and Cj, I'm pretty sure he doesn't entirely hate you. But then again he might not entirely like you either, but that's not the point. How he acts and how he thinks...what did you realize?" Felix then asks.

     Max touches his chin and sincerely thinks about it. He was so focused that he was literally rewinding everything that happened between them and Cigarettes.

     "Cj was different from Jokers and BND. Krist showed me the flaws of the system and how such flaws made Jokers the laughing stock of the school. Hans taught me how to honor and bring pride to our House. They showed me the reality of how others see J.S High," Max explains.

     "And Cj? What did you find in Cj or Cigarettes?" Ervin asks next.

     Max was thinking hard again, but he grunts and takes a pillow before burying his face in it. "I don't know!" Max shouts, his face muffled. He then looks back at his friends and continues, "All I know is that Cigarettes are a bunch of bullies who torture white uniforms for fun. If I learned something from that then I'm an idiot."

     "No, that can't be it," Ari says, not convinced that that's all there is to it. "Let's think of it this way. What's the difference between Jokers and Cigarettes. Jokers did their customs because of Krist's anger and pain that was rooted in what his father and mother did to him, right? Then Cj...what's his intentions?"

    "That's the point, Ari. He has no intentions whatsoever. He's just an asshole and he's cruel to the white uniforms. He ruins the brotherhood's reputation and—" Max suddenly stops and pauses for a second, making the three look at him with curiosity.

     Seconds after that, Max's eyes widened from shock like he realized something that he should have already realized before.

     "That's it! Max suddenly shouts, almost making the three flinch.

     "What's it?" Ari asks while looking back at Max with furrowed brows.

     "You see, we always look at Cigarettes in a perspective that makes them the villains, and then we always make the white uniforms the victims, but that's not always the case. Cj told me that their custom isn't entirely cruel. If I remember, there was a story that a white uniform made a deal with them and told them to beat someone up. Cigarettes did just that and then they did it for him too. That was the deal," Max explains, surprising his friends because they really weren't expecting him to be able to think of something like that.

     "So it's always been an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, right? They're like a twisted genie. If you wish to get something, you lose something in return. Is that what you're trying to say?" Ervin clarifies.

     Max nods his head and looks at his friends excitedly. "I know what I have to do now. I know how I'll be able to conquer Cigarettes."

- END -