♞

Max and his friends were walking their way towards the Great Hall to grab their lunch. The white uniforms couldn't help but look at Max's way - who was standing in the middle of their formation - because of the news that got released last night.

    Everyone couldn't believe that Max admitted to everything that was stated in that article. Usually, during those types of situations, the heirs would keep quiet about it, or even just left the news to die down, but Max purposely made the situation bigger. You can call it a boss move, which is why others couldn't help but be amazed by what he did.

     "He's seriously gone mad," one student whispers.

     Most of the time Max would just let it go, but somehow, things were different now. He approaches the white uniform who dared comment about him and grinned in his direction, making the student look flustered.

     "Gone mad you say?" Max asks.

     The white uniform was a dweller too. If Max was still a serf, he could have answered back at him, but the white uniform remained quiet. He knew better than to pick a fight with Max, especially after what happened yesterday.

     Max was about to touch the student, but then Ari grabs hold of his hand and tells him, "Forget about him. Let's go."

     The white uniform gulps, and Max lowly chuckles and leaves. And as he walks away, Ervin glares at him, and the white uniform finally runs away from the scene.

     As soon as the three friends arrive at the Great Hall, students continue to look at Max like he's some kind of animal in a zoo. Thankfully, Marcus - who was already there with the rest of the members of BND and Jokers - immediately stands from his seat and shouts, "Max!" And that alone finally made everyone stop looking.

     Max and his friends approach their usual table as Marcus happily smiles at his brother. Hans and the others didn't quite understand what happened between them, but their glad that the old Marcus was finally back.

     "Well look who we have here. It's our little toy who made a huge buzz last night," Krist says as Max, Ari, Ervin, and Felix sat in their usual seats.

     "Your face was seriously everywhere. I almost got jealous," Red adds, and the others couldn't help but nod their heads in agreement.

     "Really? I already tried to keep it low-key. You should be thankful that I didn't hold a press conference," Max sarcastically says, and then Brave, who was stuffing his mouth with chips that he stole from Rome, points his finger at Max and says, "Now that is what I'd love to see," making the others laugh.

    "Maybe you should make a fake article about yourself too Red since you love being in the spotlight so much," Krist then teases, making Red glare at him and defend, "I do not!"

    Max couldn't help but smile as he watches his friends eat and play around like usual. Even though it was a bit of a mess a couple of days ago, at least now this was back to normal.

    As the waiters start serving them their food, Max looks back at his two protectors and sincerely tells them, "Thank you...by the way...for battling Cigarettes on my behalf. If it weren't for you guys, he wouldn't have made a deal with me."

     "Please, don't make us vomit," Khian jokingly says before smiling at Max, accepting his gratitude since Marcus messaged everyone last night about what happened between Cj and Max at the clinic, and about the deal that they made with each other. They're just glad that everything went according to plan after that.

     "Don't sweat it, Max. Besides, wasn't this your plan anyway?" Toni then reminds him.

     "I told Jokers to battle Cigarettes to provoke Cj, I didn't mean Jokers and BND," Max clarifies, making the dukes chuckle since they basically forced Master Joker to let them battle with them.

     "Cj was never going to make a deal with you, but us provoking him sure did the job," Krist explains.

     "And don't worry, we didn't entirely do it just for you. It's for everything else that Cj did to us and to the other students. We wanted to at least give him a taste of his own medicine," Hans adds.

     Max nods his head in understanding, but whatever the reason may be, he's still thankful. What they did opened up an opportunity for Max, and that small opportunity could lead him to bigger doors in the future.

     "Though I highly doubt that he'll be affected by that. With his attitude, I'm sure he'll be upset by it for a couple of hours but eventually move on right after. That's how fucked up he is," Krist tells them as he stares at the food that was served to them.

     Felix, who also started eating, swallows the food inside his mouth first before asking, "Then what would make him lose his composure? I'm sure what Max did would be enough."

    "That's where you're wrong. Like I said Cj would be upset for a couple of hours but that won't be enough to break him. What we did to him is barely even a kick," Krist clarifies to them.

     Hans, who took a bite of his pasta, looks at Felix and the others and adds, "Cj has been through actual hell. His family is very powerful because they're like the mafia of the business world. He was raised in such a cruel environment that nothing we can do could possibly break him."

     "Then he's made of steel?" Ari asks this time, joining in on the conversation as well.

     "More like molded," Marcus then answers. "His family needed the perfect sons, and their forceful ways turned him rebellious. He's not scared to take risks, and he's not the kind to just give in when the going gets rough. But despite that, Cj follows the rules of J.S high by heart, and those who follow the flawed rules of this system are very terrifying people."

     "Like Viktor," Brave comments.

     "So everything that you guys did was for nothing? Cj won't help Max after all?" Ervin then asks, and this time, it was Arjun who shook his head to answer for them.

     "Oh no, he'll help him alright. He'll even walk on all fours like a dog if Max asked him to, but that won't be enough to break him. For Cj, everything is just a game. He gets bored easily, so things that don't go his way aren't much of a problem. As long as it's fun, he'll continue playing along," Arjun explains further, making Ervin, Ari, and Felix look at each other with worry on their faces.

     Max, who has been listening intently, takes a sip of his tea and comments, "Thank god he's not the king then. At this point, I don't care if he gives me his crown brooch. All I need is to get my rights to the company back." He then looks back at the balcony where the Kings and the Princes are. And as he was staring at them, he notices that Viktor was nowhere to be found.

     "Where the hell is he?" Max asks, staring at Kim Hee-joon who was eating with the Hot Wingmen instead of Viktor.

     The others looked at the balcony too and instantly realize who Max was referring to.

     "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that last night," Marcus - who's sitting beside Khian - says while pointing at the balcony where the Royals are. "Viktor didn't come to school yesterday too. No one knows the exact reason why though, and honestly, we don't really care."

     Max furrows his brows in confusion. He doesn't entirely know why Viktor would be absent, but deep down he knew that it's none of his business. After all, Viktor is also an heir with an entirely different set of problems too.

     "Anyway, we should plan something in case Cj tries to cross us. We shouldn't let-"

     Just as Krist was about to suggest something to the group, the doors of the Great Hall opens, revealing the Counts, Cigarettes, and their strongest underlings, the Ashes. Though they're the winners from yesterday's brotherhood battle, no one really paid much attention to them, not until they notice something.

     "Holy shit..." Ari says from shock, making everyone else look back at the infamous brotherhood.

     As the seven members of Cigarettes and the four Ashes walk in the middle of the Hall, Max couldn't help but smile in satisfaction as he stares at the dog collars that each member was wearing. Max could have laughed, but all the members walked with pride, like being a homeboy for the first time wasn't something that they should be ashamed of, and that kind of attitude almost made Max stand up and clap to them.

     "Well, it's official. Cj really is as crazy as Viktor; maybe even more," Krist casually says as he continues eating lunch while Cigarettes walk toward them.

     The white uniforms couldn't help but whisper at each other until Cigarettes finally reached Max's table.

     Max stares at their leader. There was no hint of anger in Cj's eyes like what Max expected, so Max didn't try to provoke him. Like what Krist and the others said, Cj will definitely help him, but he might play with him, and Max will be at the losing end.

     "Master..." Cj says, and that single word alone made everyone in the Great Hall stop talking. "How may we be of service to you?"

     Everyone was quiet as they watch Cj look at Max with his head down and his hand on his chest. It was a strange sight, but unlike the time Jokers and BND bowed to him, this felt different. It was clear that Cj was doing it to mock him.

     But even though the mockery was obvious, Max wasn't bothered by it. He can bow for whatever reason he likes because Max only wants one thing from him, and that's to be able to get to talk to his father.

     Of course, maybe a little fun wouldn't hurt.

     "Perfect, you're here. I've been waiting for you," Max says, standing from his seat. His protectors watch him closely and alert themselves, but they don't stop him. If things go bad, they'll be ready.

     Max approaches Cj and touches the collar that he's wearing. "It suits you," he tells him.

     Cj chuckles and moves even closer to Max before tilting his head to the side so Max could have a better look at the collar. "I'm pleased that you like it."

    Max lets go and then looks at the rest of the members of Cigarettes. He wanted to dismiss them, but then he had an idea that made him smile like a child who's given the opportunity to buy any toy that he wanted. "You know what, there is something that you can do for me."

     "What is it, master?" A member of Cigarettes - who's clearly covered in tattoos and piercings - asks Max.

     Everyone listens intently, even the royals who were at the balcony. Max could ask anything from the Counts, but what Max said next made everyone open their eyes from shock.

     With a smirk on his face, Max commands, "Beat your leader up until he starts bleeding."

     The already silent Great Hall becomes even quieter. It was as if everyone stopped breathing as soon as they heard of the request. A mere white uniform asked a brotherhood to beat up their leader like it was nothing. It almost made the royals laugh.

     BND and Jokers on the other hand didn't react. At this point, the other white uniforms expected them to stop Max, but no one said a word. They continued eating their lunch like it was nothing. 

     Even Felix, Ari, and Ervin didn't react either. After what Cj did to Max, this was only fair. Back then, the three of them begged him to stop beating Max up, but Cj didn't listen and only made things worse for them.

     They thought it was perfect revenge, but was it really the right thing to do? Was this really the act that they see as fair?

     "Well?" Max asks with his right eyebrow raised.

     The members of Cigarettes look at each other. In all honesty, Max thought that they'd protest, but with no hint of hesitation, two members walk towards Cj and grab both of his arms. And then the man covered in tattoos and piercings - whose name is Anthony Rockefeller - walks in front of Cj and suddenly punches him in the gut.

     The action was so fast that some of the white uniforms even dropped the spoon that they're holding because of shock.

     The quiet Great Hall was now filled with the sound that came from Anthony's strong punches. Afterward, the two Cigarettes who were holding onto Cj drops him on the floor. Soon after that, his members circle around him and start kicking him, like the strong punches weren't already enough.

     Most of the white uniforms couldn't help but look away. They knew how Cj is and how terrible his brotherhood is, but somehow, they couldn't watch. The only ones who were really paying attention were Max, who watched with no expression on his face, and their underlings, the Ashes and the Lighters. Cj wanted them to watch everything closely, and so they did.

     After a couple more kicks, Max raises his hand, and the members of Cigarettes immediately move away from their leader, making the white uniforms gasp as they saw blood oozing out of Cj's nose and mouth.

     Max doesn't react, but then he moves away from Cj and tells him, "I gotta hand it to you Cj, Cigarettes really is the most terrifying brotherhood in this House."

     Cj, who's bleeding on the ground, wipes the blood on his mouth with the back of his hand, making the blood smudge up to his cheeks. His entire body trembled because of the intense pain, but Cj shakes it off. He slowly looks up at Max and manages to smile at him, his teeth red because of the blood. "What else can we do for you, master Sinclaire?"

     Max looks down and immediately says, "Let's see..."

     "Crawl towards me and kiss my boot."

     The white uniforms couldn't help but gulp in terror as they watch Max stand there with an expressionless face. He was completely emotionless, almost like he had no soul left in him.

     Max wasn't the serf that first came here anymore. He knew that acting weak won't be enough to conquer Cigarettes, or even the rest of the brotherhood that he has left to conquer too, especially the royals. Max needs to start showing them why he's the most powerful heir in the world and not someone who they can easily step on.

     Cj chuckles at the request, but then he licks the blood off his lips and actually crawls towards Max. It was at that moment where Krist and the others finally looked at the Counts' leader. They couldn't believe that Cj was actually going to do it.

     Everyone watches in shock as Cj crawls towards Max. As soon as he reaches Max's left boot, he doesn't hesitate and kneels lower to give it a kiss. But just when his lips were about to touch it, Max mercilessly kicks Cj on the face, making him stumble back.

     The white uniform gasps, but Max wasn't done with him. He walks towards Cj and steps on his stomach, grabbing his dog collar and pulling it towards him so Cj's face could only be inches away from his.

     "You did well homeboy," Max says as his intimidating eyes pierce right through Cj. "Sadly, I don't like people who do well. I like people who'd go insane and would crawl on the floor, their elbows and knees bleeding, just to get what they want. You haven't bled enough my dear Count," Max says, repeating the same words that Cj told him before when he beat Max up in front of his friends.

    Max moves away from Cj, instantly making Cj start coughing, the blood dripping on the floor as he forces himself to stand despite his current state. 

     Krist, who was now watching, grips on his spoon as he looks at Cj with pity in his eyes. "Don't move..." Krist says in a soft tone, "For god's sake don't fucking move anymore Charles."

     But Krist couldn't say it louder for Cj to actually hear it because Cj still stood straight like the Count that he is. Despite how much his legs were already trembling, he looks at Max's eyes with no amount of fear and walks closer to him again, his balance failing him with every step he took. "Y-You're good...really good..." He says with a grin even though he was already covered in bruises and blood.

     Max laughs and pats Cj's cheeks before standing and looking back at the members of Cigarettes. "Impressive. Looks like he's still got some strength in him. Alright then, beat him up again. And this time... don't stop until something breaks."

    Cigarettes didn't hesitate as they approach their bleeding leader, beating him up like how their master asked them to.

     It was at that moment where BND and Jokers were supposed to stop Max, but for some reason, none of them - even Ari, Felix, and Ervin - could move from where they were seated. The white uniforms and the brotherhoods could only watch as they realize something horrifying.

     Viktor wasn't absent at all.

     He was here.

     He was Max.

     And it was a realization that terrified them greatly.

- END -