Viktor wasn’t so nobody. In the underworld, he had quite the influence as amongst regular humans which was why everyone now knew the Shadow Reapers weren’t just another wannabe gang.
Of course, Viktor refrained from ever provoking awakened or actual gangs, he just underestimated West because of age. He didn’t know he was the real deal and now he had paid the price for it.
West walked through the site casually with hands in his pockets.
Aria spotted him almost imdiately and made her way over, with a softening expression the mont she reached him.
"You handled it," she stated.
"Obviously."
She smiled sweetly before stepping closer and kissing him right there.
"I never doubted you," she said while resting her forehead briefly against his. "Now leave the rest to . I’ll take care of it."
West chuckled quietly.
"Yeah."
She pulled back, turning slightly as she began explaining the updates; the structural changes, the added reinforcents and the implentation of the new tech.
"The materials of that reinforced tech are not enough to cover the entirely of the base so we’ll implent it in these key areas..."
West listened and nodded, only voicing his thoughts on certain aspects.
—
Later that day, West returned ho with the city lights outside his window sparkling like fireflies as night settled in.
He dropped onto the couch, letting out a quiet exhale.
His phone suddenly buzzed a few seconds later. He glanced at it casually and noticed that it was from an unknown number.
A single ssage appeared on his screen:
~ Help son ~
West frowned slightly.
"...Hmm?"
He stared at it for a mont before scoffing lightly.
It was probably a spam or a prank ssage. Either way, he didn’t bother responding. He tossed the phone aside and leaned back.
Later that night, he still sent a quick ssage to his father just in case.
"Everything good?"
The reply ca not long after.
"Yeah, all good. Why?"
West stared at the response for a mont before nodding slightly.
"Nothing. Just checking."
That confird that it was definitely a prank ssage so West shrugged it off completely.
...
...
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high, sculpted ceiling of a dining, cascading over a long marble dining table that seed to stretch endlessly across the room.
The walls were adorned with elegant paintings while tall glass windows revealed a lush garden outside, trimd to perfection.
Everything about the space whispered luxury and at the center of it all sat Renzhi’s family.
Renzhi occupied the head of the table with a calm but commanding presence even in silence. To his right sat Lianhua and across from them were their children.
i sat with her shoulders slightly relaxed and her plate barely touched with one hand resting on the table while the other held her phone beneath the edge. Her fingers moving rapidly across the screen and her expression changed every few seconds. She occasionally chuckled and even blushed sotis.
Rin, on the other hand, had no such restraint.
She leaned forward in her seat with her fork gesturing mid-air as she spoke, unfiltered.
"I’m telling you, Blair is so annoying!" Rin groaned while rolling her eyes dramatically. "Like who even does she think she is? Acting all bossy like she runs the whole class—ugh, I can’t stand her! She is such a bitch!"
A maid quietly stepped forward, refilling her glass with juice before retreating silently, as if trained to exist without ever interrupting the atmosphere.
Lianhua glanced at Rin. "Watch your language, Rin."
Rin scoffed lightly, waving it off without hesitation.
"What? It’s true!" she shrugged. "And don’t even get started on her sister. i knows exactly who I’m talking about."
She turned toward i, pointing her fork slightly.
"Her big sister was in your class, right? You’ve seen how much of a bitch she is too."
Lianhua’s gaze sharpened just a little. "Rin."
"Okay, okay—rude person," Rin corrected lazily, though the sarcasm was obvious. "But seriously, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, right i?"
There was no response.
Rin blinked. "i?"
Still no response...
i’s eyes were glued to her phone with her fingers moving quickly and her lips curling slightly as if she was holding back a smile. A soft huff of amusent escaped her without her even realizing.
Rin narrowed her eyes.
"i!"
i finally snapped out of whatever world she had been lost in. "Huh? Yeah, yeah."
Rin leaned back, unimpressed.
"’Yeah, yeah’ what? I’ve been talking this whole ti!"
i nodded absentmindedly.
"Mm-hmm," she was already back on her phone almost a second later.
Rin stared at her before slowly turning to look at Eric.
"...You seeing this?"
Eric who was seated quietly at the side, shrugged while taking another bite of his food. At thirteen, he carried himself with a laid-back calm that made him seem older than he was. He didn’t complain or argue, he just observed.
"She’s been like that all evening," he said casually. "Probably sothing interesting."
Rin gasped dramatically.
"Sothing interesting? On her phone? Nah, this is suspicious."
She leaned forward again with her eyes narrowing like a detective onto a case.
"iiiiii."
No response.
"I!"
i jumped slightly this ti, blinking up.
"What?!"
Rin pointed accusingly.
"What the hell is so fascinating about that phone?"
i froze for half a second before shrugging. "Oh... nothing."
But the faint blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her imdiately.
Rin’s eyes widened.
"No way..."
She slowly rose from her seat.
"You—"
Her voice dropped into a whisper filled with excitent.
"You have a boyfriend, don’t you?!"
i’s eyes widened.
"Rin, sit down—"
Rin suddenly sprung forward and snatched the phone right out of i’s hand before bolting.
"RIN!"
The entire dining room transford from composed elegance to chaos in seconds.
Rin darted around the table, laughing as she held the phone up.
"Let’s see, let’s see—!"
i chased after her, flustered.
"Give it back!"
Rin glanced at the screen before freezing.
"...Oh my God."
She turned around slowly with a look of pure disbelief.
"So it’s true."
She looked back at the phone and then back at i.
"Wow."
A grin spread across her face.
"Is that his profile picture?"
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