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MAX STARES AT HIMSELF in the mirror. He reaches out for the brooch that his uncle gave him, making him remember his embarrassing encounter with Viktor. He wanted to remove it out of shame, but he didn't have the guts to do so. Instead, he pulls out his necklace with the L initial and takes a deep breath, as if he's going to make the most difficult decision of his life.

    "I'm not worthy to wear you," he says, finally removing it.

    "Yet," he immediately adds before putting the necklace back in its jewelry box.

     After his encounter with Viktor, Max realized that he acted too ambitious for wearing the necklace. He knew that the only time he'll be able to wear it is when he isn't afraid to wear it anymore. He'll wear that necklace and proudly put it on with pride instead of hiding it inside his shirt. And when that time comes, he'll be ready to face Viktor as an equal.

     "Max? Can we talk?" Marcus asks from outside of Max's room.

     Max immediately puts the jewelry box inside the drawer before saying, "Come in."

     Marcus opens the door and spots Max standing in front of a full-body mirror. "You haven't changed your clothes yet?" He asks when he sees his brother still wearing his complete uniform.

     "What do you need?" Max asks instead even though he already has a hunch on why Marcus wanted to talk to him. It's obvious that it will be about his encounter with Viktor and the rest of the royals.

     Marcus takes a deep breath and stands behind his brother. "I heard you joined the Omega Society," he says instead, surprising Max because that wasn't what he was expecting him to say.

     Max turns around and faces Marcus with a furrowed brow. "What?" He asks, and Marcus approaches him and suddenly reaches out for the buckle on the belt that's across his chest. While he removes it for him, Marcus explains, "I heard from someone that you're planning to join the Omega Society."

     "Who is this someone that you're referring to?" Max asks, and Marcus slowly pulls the belt off of Max. He then looks straight at his eyes and says, "That's not important. What's important is that you're planning to join a club that is—"

    "You can't talk me out of it. I'm planning to join that club whether you like it or not," Max insists, snatching his belt from Marcus's hand and moving away from him.

    Marcus looks back at Max who's facing the mirror again. "I'm not planning to talk you out of it. I just wanted to say that you have to work hard if you want to be able to recruit new members. Alpha and Beta Society are clubs that have the most recruits out of all the clubs in J.S High, so if you don't want your club to dissolve, I suggest you do things differently."

     "Let me guess, that someone who told you about me wanting to join the Omega Society is the same someone who told you about the club's situation," Max assumes as he unbuttons his coat.

     "That someone does not concern you." 

     Max looks straight at his eyes with suspicion upon hearing his answer. "Is it because it's Ari? The gaffer who's very friendly with a serf like me on the first day, and at the same time is the same guy who just so happens to know we're siblings. Is he that someone?"

     Marcus doesn't say anything anymore, so Max takes his coat off and drops it on the floor before looking at his brother to address his initial suggestion. "Then what am I supposed to do? How will I do things differently, when I don't even know the norm?"

     "How?" Marcus asks, walking close to pat his brother's head. "I can't tell you how. I can't tell you anything. You have to figure it out on your own little brother. But then again, you're Maximilian Leigh Sinclaire. You can do anything if you put your mind into it."

     Max looks at his brother with confusion, but after a second, he chuckles to himself and says, "Someone told me the exact same thing. But thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

     Marcus smiles and nods his head, making Max smile too. Marcus might not say it, but Max knew why he was really here. He didn't mention it to not step on Max's ego any further than what Viktor did, but Marcus wanted to comfort him in his own little way.

     "Anyway, good luck with your club. Clubs are one of the biggest sources of merit points. If you can strengthen your club, you will have a stable source of points. And I don't know if this will encourage you or not, but I'm proud that you decided to join the Omega Society. A lot of students look down on them, but we brotherhoods rely on the omegas just as much as the other societies. I hope you think about that," Marcus says with determination, making Max see him more as a respected brotherhood member than a goofy older brother.

     "Well, that's all that I have to say. Dinner's ready," Marcus finishes, walking towards the door to take his leave. As soon as he grabs the doorknob, Max clenches his fist and immediately tells him, "I know you're being thoughtful for my sake since it seems like you're not planning to mention what happened with the royals earlier, but I just want to tell you that I won't let it happen again. I won't worry you anymore. I promise you that."

    Marcus doesn't answer, but he smiles and finally leaves the room. Because even if Max didn't say it, he saw the determination in Max's eyes, and that determination will no doubt lead him to endless victories.

...

"Okay, the first thing we have to do is print some fliers. But before that, let's head to the booths in the courtyard to see what we can do about it. Payton is already waiting for us there," Felix says as he and Max walk their way down the corridors of the Hall of Terra.

     They head to the courtyard where the other booths are placed. Different tents are all lined up, and music can be heard in different directions. Each club is preparing different things, but the loudest and most flashy ones are from the tents at the back, which are from the Alpha, Beta, and Omega Societies.

     "The presentation is on Friday but they're already this prepared," Felix comments as they walk past Chess Club that placed human-sized chess pieces on their booth.

     "Well, more members mean more budget. More budget means more activities, equipment, and any other things that they'll need to help rank themselves up," Max says as they head to where the societies are.

    Dozens of students were at the Alpha's booth. They have a large television at the back showing videos of brotherhood battles that happened during the past years. There are also pictures displayed of past club members who are surprisingly in brotherhoods now. One famous ex-member though was...

     "Leo Underwood. The only third-year student in BND. He was a member of the Alpha Society before he got recruited to be a Rose, and later on, became an official member of the brotherhood. They're the only club here that managed to have someone become a brotherhood member at the House of Kings. It's actually very impressive," Felix explains, surprising Max.

     "Then they're tough competition. They'll use Leo Underwood's name until it rots. Maybe even use the slogan, 'you too can be a Duke like Leo Underwood'! Isn't that right?" Max says with a sarcastic tone, making Felix laugh out loud.

     The two then walk past the Beta Society who has different kinds of weapons displayed. Compared to Alpha Society's loud booth, Beta society has a more relaxed and serious atmosphere.

     "And here we are. Home sweet home," Felix says as they arrive at Omega Society's booth where Payton is assembling a foldable table.

     "Please don't tell me we're going to put mops and brooms on display?" Max genuinely asks as he and Felix approach Payton.

     Payton stands as soon as they approach him. "Good, you're here. Help me with this table so we can place the brochures," he tells them, and Max looks at him with disbelief and says, "Brochures? What is this, a traveling agency? Freshmen students won't even walk past this booth with how bland it is."

     Payton couldn't even react to what Max said because deep down he knew he was right. So instead of getting mad, Payton adjusts his glasses and says, "Fine, since we already made a deal about you joining the club if you get to recruit someone, let's put you in charge. What do you suggest we do?"

     "But please do consider our budget Max. We barely have enough credits to ask for a bigger room, so getting materials might be a problem," Felix then adds.

     Max takes a deep breath and crosses his arms, thinking of different ways that can help them. He glances at Alpha's booth, and then at Beta's. And right after that, he remembered Marcus's words of encouragement last night.

     "A lot of students look down on them, but we brotherhoods rely on the omegas just as much as the other societies." Those were the words that Marcus uttered to him last night. And through that, Max instantly got an idea that might just work.

     "Payton, can you tell me the exact goals and duties of the Omega Society?" Max asks.

     Payton got startled by the sudden question, but he composes himself and says, "Well, the sole duty of this society is to clean the mess created by the different brotherhoods of this house. Not just after battles, but after they perform their customs as well."

     "Clean the mess, and cleaning the mess isn't always literal, right?" Max asks, and Payton and Felix look at him confusingly since it's always been literal to them. So Max moves closer to them and explains, "Brotherhoods need us just as much as they need the other societies, and the reason isn't because we're good at sweeping and mopping the floors. It's because brotherhoods don't always make a mess in a way that this club has portrayed."

    "What are you implying?" Payton asks with his arms crossed.

    Max looks around at the other booths before looking back at Payton and Felix. "We're going to incorporate the brotherhood customs."

    "What?!" Felix and Payton shout in unison, making almost all the students near them look their way.

    Payton, who almost took out his inhaler, grabs Max's arm and pulls him close to him. "Are you crazy? Why the hell are we going to do that? What does incorporating brotherhood customs have to do with our club?"

     "Everything! You said it yourself. The duty of the Omega Society is to clean the mess after they perform their customs. People have always thought that mess means literally dirt, but I don't think that's the case. Imagine this: Jokers get their target. After pranking him for an entire day, what do we do?" Max asks, and Felix and Payton look at each other before answering in unison, "We clean?"

     "Wrong!" Max shouts, hitting both of their heads. "This is the problem. You guys have degraded the meaning of this club into literal janitors. You see if Jokers are done with their custom..." Max pauses and grabs hold of Felix and Payton's shoulder and whispers, "We make sure there's no evidence so they won't get caught."

     "W-What?" Payton asks from shock.

     Max lets go of the two and grins. "Our rules bend because of brotherhood customs, but there are things that may go overboard, and that's when we come in. A student might get badly injured, so as 'cleaners' we take care of the CCTV cameras, the witnesses, the blood, everything. We have to show the freshman students how dangerous being in this club is. That's why brotherhoods need us."

    Felix and Payton were left speechless. They never thought it in that way before. All they're been doing is mopping and picking up trash. Their purpose never changed.

     "A-Alright, if that's the case, how are we going to showcase the customs? We barely have enough budgets to rent a t.v like Alpha Society," Payton says with a nervous look.

     Max stares at their empty booth. Seconds later, he smirks and mumbles to himself, "Marcus wants different? Then I'll fucking give him different."

     "Max?" Felix calls out, and Max immediately looks back at the two of them and says, "Get me newspapers, garbage bags, and some red paint. We're going to put on a show no one will ever forget." 

- END -