Kingston sat in the Hawthorn common room, a loose weight on his shoulders he couldn't name. He toyed with the coin in his fingers. While his thoughts ran in circles around one person: Jujube. She annoyed him more than anyone ever had. The way she didn't flinch, the way she answered him like he was nothing — it made his temper ricochet. For the first time, he felt the grip of power slipping. His reputation mattered. Losing control over how people saw him felt like losing a piece of himself.
Grey appeared in the doorway as if from nowhere, pausing when he saw Kingston hunched on the couch. "You back?" he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. Kingston didn't answer right away; he was too deep in thought. Grey clapped a hand on his shoulder and waited. Kingston finally looked up. "Oh. You're here."
"You okay? You look… off." Grey studied him. Kingston tightened his jaw. "That girl is weird."
Grey raised an eyebrow. "The one from the police station?" Kingston flinched at the mention but nodded. Grey grinned, amused at King's discomfort. "Weird someone like you got taken in. That's new."
King stared at the floor. "And she talks to me like I'm nothing. Like she's looking down on me. I can't— I can't make her break."
Grey laughed, low and curious. "First time I've seen you like this. She must be something else." He shrugged. "Maybe you're trying the wrong moves. People usually fold for you, They always do what you want."
King's face hardened. "Not her. I don't understand her at all. She has this blank look on her face at all times it makes you want to rip off her mask and see what she is holding behind it."
"Then try a different play." Grey leaned forward, conspiratorial. "Use what you're best at. Make her fall for you, then humiliate her."
King's eyes went cold for a beat, then a slow, dangerous smile creased his face. The idea landed.
"A love trap?" King tossed the coin up that he had been flipping in his fingers. "You are a genius." King chuckled.
Grey smiled faintly. "But let me tell you, the dean already made it the student council's duty to keep you away from the new students. I'm not sure how you're going to pull this off," he said.
King chuckled, leaning back. "How hard do you think it is to get a student's phone number?" he asked, pulling out his phone. He dialed a number and placed it against his ear.
Within seconds, the receiver picked up. "Hello, Mr. King. How may I help you?"
"I need you to send me the contact information of one of the scholarship students this year," King said calmly.
"Okay. What's the name of the student?" the man asked.
"Jujube," King replied.
"Alright, I'll send it now," the man said before the line cut off.
--
Jujube was scanning items at the grocery store again when the door chimed open. She didn't bother looking up; she had already seen Sora walk in from the corner of her eye. She pretended not to notice as he went straight for the beer section, grabbed a few cans, and placed them on the counter.
Sora gave her a brief glance. There was a cut on her cheek, a split on her lip, His gaze flicked down to her face. She had bruises too, faint but visible.
"Looks like it was a bad first day," he said.
"Twelve dollars," she replied flatly, ignoring his words.
He handed her fifteen. As she was about to return his three dollars in change, he placed a juice box on the counter.
"Drink this," he said.
Jujube gave him a dead look, picked up the juice, and tossed it straight into the trash. Sora's expression didn't falter. He looked her dead in the eyes, and she didn't back down. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"You won't survive with that attitude," he said.
"Mind your business," she shot back and looked down again, ringing the next item. Sora pikced his things and turned to leave.
A few minutes later, Abby limped into the store. Her foot was still wrapped, but she'd forced herself to come. She'd seen Sora leave and rushed over, worry written all over her face.
"Did he come here? What did he say? Did he threaten you?" she asked rapidly, until her words stopped midair when she noticed the bruises on Jujube's face. Her face went pale. "Did…" she began, her voice trembling.
"It wasn't him," Jujube said quickly, her tone calm but clear. She wasn't talking about Sora.
"Then what happened to you?" Abby pressed. Jujube looked at her briefly, silent.
Abby frowned. "Those bastards from the academy did this? Are they animals?" she hissed.
"They're picking on you because you're like this. It's making me so worried," Abby said.
"It's okay," Jujube said softly. "You get well." She forced a small smile. "I'll handle it."
"Oh, my sweet girl, how can I leave you among those people?" Abby whispered. "What if they hurt you more?"
"Got a text," Jujube interrupted gently, her words coming in pieces. "They will fix… if I stay low."
Abby frowned. "He wants you to keep a low profile? Why? Has he lost his mind?"
Jujube shook her head, then seemed to remember something. "I have something," she said, walking around the counter. She reached for her bag from the shelf and pulled out an envelope.
"Pay the rent," she said, holding it out.
"I can't. This is yours," Abby said, pushing the envelope back toward her.
"I don't need," Jujube replied simply, as if the money was nothing but an inconvenience.
"But how can I just take it?" Abby's voice trembled.
"Return it later," Jujube said without looking up.
Abby's eyes filled with tears. In a sudden burst of emotion, she threw her arms around Jujube. Jujube stiffened for a moment — she wasn't much of a touching person — but she stayed still, inhaling the faint scent of Abby's perfume as the older woman sobbed against her.
"Ju, you're my little lucky charm. How can I ever thank you enough?" Abby cried.
Jujube swallowed, her throat tightening as she rubbed Abby's back gently. "No thank you," she said softly.
Outside, Sora was just about to push open the store door when he noticed something strange. A few figures were loitering in the distance, watching the shop. He slowed his pace, squinting. The men didn't look like locals — their posture, their black cars, everything about them felt wrong.
He was about to step closer when, suddenly, the men got into their cars and drove off in a hurry. Still, Sora's gut told him they hadn't gone far.
"Whose men were they?" he thought, narrowing his eyes. There was no way a new gang had formed in this area; the territory had been quiet for too long. Which meant these men were from somewhere else. Somewhere important.
He pushed open the door at last, stepping inside. Abby and Jujube were still at the counter. Abby glanced up, saw him, and scoffed under her breath.
"Did I ruin the moment, ladies?" Sora said lazily, grabbing a pack of bandages from the shelf.
"Why are you coming here over and over again?" Abby snapped.
"Pay me up, and I won't appear here again," he replied, smirking.
Abby stared at him for a second, then turned to Jujube, who was already avoiding her eyes. Abby's expression hardened. "Fine. I'll pay you," she said, her voice steady.
Sora raised an eyebrow, a little surprised at her sudden confidence.
Abby reached for the envelope Jujube had given her earlier. She lifted it, holding it out with a sharp glare. "Here's your money. Now don't show your face around here again. Do you understand?"
Sora caught the envelope as she threw it at him, but it slipped from his hand and burst open when it hit the floor. Hundred-dollar bills scattered across the tiles.
Sora froze, staring at the money. Then his gaze lifted to Abby. "Where did you get this?" he asked quietly.
"None of your concern," Abby snapped.
His eyes shifted to Jujube, her bruised face, her lowered gaze, her still posture, and then to the door outside. His jaw tightened as his mind pieced together a scenario he didn't like.