The next day, Eden arrived at school, feeling a strange sense of unease. Something about this place still felt off, but he had no choice but to endure it.
As he walked through the hallways, he once again ran into the same group of boys from the other day—Ryan, Seth, and a few others. Their eyes immediately locked onto him, and before Eden could say anything, Ryan stepped forward.
"Leave it. Don't say a word," Ryan muttered, his voice low but firm. "He's one of us."
Seth raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "This kid? A member of our gang?"
Another boy scoffed. "I don't care who he is, but we can't touch him. Joshua knows everything."
With that, they walked away, their conversation leaving Eden more confused than before. He had merely been listening while casually sucking on a lollipop, yet their words stuck in his mind.
What the hell is going on? he wondered.
---
Later that day, Eden stepped into the classroom. He noticed Joshua sitting near the window and beside him was someone new—Snake.
Snake turned toward Eden with a smirk, his sharp eyes scanning him.
"Who are you?" Snake asked. "And what exactly is your skill that got you into our gang?"
Joshua, sitting beside him, remained silent. His hands fidgeted nervously, a fake smile barely masking his unease.
Eden frowned. He didn't like how this guy was looking at him.
"What's with that look?" Snake sneered. "I asked you a question—"
Before he could finish, Eden's fist flew straight into his face. It wasn't a powerful punch, but enough to leave a scratch on Snake's cheek.
The room fell silent.
Snake slowly turned his head back to Eden, his expression darkening. Without hesitation, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.
"You little—" he growled, lunging toward Eden.
But just before the blade could reach him, Joshua grabbed Snake's arm, stopping him.
"Don't!" Joshua pleaded. "If something happens to him, Thomas will kill us. Even Raphael won't be able to protect us!"
Snake's eyes flickered with fury, his grip tightening on the knife before he finally pulled back.
Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room, rage burning in his eyes.
Eden, still standing his ground, exhaled sharply and turned to Joshua.
Joshua hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice. "You idiot... do you even know what kind of gang you just joined?"
Eden narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Joshua took a deep breath.
"Hellfire," he whispered. "The gang you just joined... isn't just any gang. It's one of the most feared groups in this school. And its vice president..." He looked Eden dead in the eyes.
"...is Snake."
Eden's heart sank. He could feel his body tense up as a realization hit him.
He was in way deeper than he had ever imagined.
---
Somewhere far from the chaos of the school hallways, Raphael sat across from Miguel, the mayor's son.
Miguel looked like the perfect example of a responsible, well-mannered young man. His sharp, handsome features made him stand out, and his composed demeanor suggested someone who was above petty street fights.
Raphael, however, wasn't fooled. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"You told me before that you're done with all this. That you don't get involved in fights anymore." His voice was sharp. "Then why the hell did you order an attack on the school?"
Miguel didn't react much—he simply blinked, then let out a short, amused laugh.
"Are you feeling okay, Raphael?" he asked in a teasing tone. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Raphael wasn't in the mood for games. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper and slammed it on the table in front of Miguel.
"Read this," he ordered.
Miguel picked up the paper and unfolded it lazily. His eyes flickered with a hint of surprise as he read through the contents.
For the first time, his confident expression faltered just slightly.
Still, he shrugged and tossed the paper back onto the table. "Look," he said with a sigh. "My father may be the mayor, but I just want a normal life. I left the gang a long time ago—after the last big fight. I don't know anything about this."
Raphael's glare hardened. "The name on this paper isn't yours, Miguel." He tapped the document with his finger. "It says Vincent. So if it's not you, then who else could it be?"
Miguel sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. "If Vincent's involved, then I'm guessing it's my sister."
That caught Raphael off guard.
"Your sister?"
Miguel nodded. "She's been taking over certain things in the underground scene. If she ordered this attack, I can't do anything about it."
Raphael clenched his fists. "Then at least tell her to back off."
Miguel leaned back, his expression unreadable. Then, in a calm but final tone, he said:
"I'd rather not get dragged into this again, Raphael. So don't involve me."
A tense silence filled the room. Raphael's grip on the table tightened.
Miguel suddenly smirked and leaned forward.
"You better know Enabella… what happened last time."
Raphael's body tensed.
Miguel's voice dropped, carrying an eerie amusement.
"She's flying around like she's the only gangster in this city. But maybe she forgot... someone still exists who's better than her. Someone who could eat her alive for breakfast."
Miguel chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"Last time, she realized it. That's why she's doing all this madness now. She knows she's not untouchable. So if you can kill her, go ahead. But it won't be that easy for you."
Raphael's breathing became heavy. His fists clenched tighter, his nails digging into his palm. His gang. His people. He wouldn't let them fall into chaos.
His voice was cold when he finally spoke.
"Maybe whoever she is, I don't care." His eyes burned with determination. "I will protect my gang."
Miguel simply smiled.
----
End of chapter 9