Concealed Knight

JU HACHI

As they arrived at the Knight's place, servants immediately approached the Sir. "Call the House of Jin's Physician!" Raiden announced as he ascended the stairs through his room. "This instance!" Raiden shouted, causing everyone to tremble in fear.

He laid the maiden in his bed; as his butler fixed the drip stand beside the bed, Raiden felt a lump on his throat; without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and dialed Giovanni's number. "Are you free this night?" He instantly questioned Giovanni as soon as he picked up, "Up for a drink, Rai?" Giovanni playfully asked.

Raiden let out a deep breath; he then heard laughter in the background; a grin formed on his lips in a second. "The gang's there, right?" Raiden started, "They're here, but as usual, we're not complete." Raiden sighed in frustration; their circle of friends never gather at an occasion complete ever since they had their titles bestowed on them. They got together in their student days.

"Who's there?" Raiden raised a question with curiosity, who may have shown up at this time? "Ohh, don't get me started, Raiden, just the usual old pals." Giovanni retorted with irritation in his voice.

Raiden chuckled, "I suppose, it's the usual, Samuel, Yeong, Maximilliano, Theodore, and you." Giovanni laughed sarcastically. "You are mistaken, Theodore's not here, I guess he's enjoying his lovey-dovey life now," Giovanni added.

"You're coming here?" A voice interrupted, which was revealed to be Yeong. "The phone's on speaker, everyone can hear you, Rai." Samuel continued.

"You guys really are something." Raiden retorted, "But, of course, we are something Raiden Jin!" Giovanni responded, shouting.

"Get your ass here, Raiden, we know what happened today, it won't hurt drinking a few," Maximilliano stated. The other line went silent, with Raiden ending the call with a simple sigh. "I understand,"

Raiden went to his shower and took a quick bath as he fixed himself; he went to his walk-in closet and changed into a white statement tee and khaki trousers, he paired it with white sneakers, he had his brooch placed in his pocket. People in the Hierarchy must always have their brooches and pins with them at all times.

He gazed at Kerstein's face and held a sigh; he went towards the hall where the physician and his servants together with his butler were. They instantly bowed towards the Sir. "Take care of Kerstein, I'm heading out." The Sir announced then went to where his car was parked. "I have received your order, Sir Jin,"

He started the car and drove to The Hub. It was their headquarters, a hideout in terms of them. It was a three-story house that can suit all their needs; Theodore was the one who suggested the idea of them having their own house; it is where they can hide and release all their worries. It was situated near the outskirts of Ylury; it was in the Middle of the woods, where no can find them, a private property.

It was an hour's drive from where he was; with Raiden frustrated, he drove there as cops chased him. He arrived there after a while. He headed towards their bar and saw Giovanni sitting on the couch; Yeong was at the counter, acting as the bartender, Samuel was carrying a new set of rum, and Maximilliano was carrying a bucket of ice. He laughed at what he was witnessing; it was like it was prepared for him.

"A lovesick boy is in the house!" Giovanni announced on top of his lungs, making everyone crack up. "This event was specially prepared for you, Rai!" Giovanni added as he gestured, putting his arm across Raiden's shoulder.

"Theodore sent us foods, he said that he had files stuck with him, he's gonna work until he drops. That man's a workaholic." Maximilliano commented. Raiden just shrugged it off. They then sat facing each other and started drinking. "I'm a douche, I left her at my residence asleep and weary, I can't even bother to look at her face." Raiden started, which made the group's face turn sour. 

"I look like a fool, right?" Raiden continued. "Overall, yes, you are the most frustrated here when it comes to love and stuff, being bitter, and throwing hate comments. We told you already, Rai. Love can make someone go mad." Giovanni preached. He was stating facts that made Raiden feel a lump. 

"Just look at Theodore, he was madly in love with that Low Born, now look at him, getting all excited looking all proud and happy." Giovanni continued. Everyone cracked in laughter. "I get that everyone's jealous, we're not getting any younger, get yourself a girl to indulge in your daily activities," Samuel stated, making everyone look at him. 

"You got someone, Samuel?" Maximilliano asked; everyone eyed both of them as if they were playing ping pong. Samuel lowered his head in embarrassment; everyone heaved a sigh. "What's the deal with you, Raiden?" In a severe tone, Yeong interrogated.

"She found out..." Raiden muttered. "I just figured out that Kerstein and I had an ill-fated relationship." He uttered.

"Father once told me about it, that in his pride days, he was in charge of a case that made his stomach agitate. It was about a Middle Born man, who had skills of a hundred men, he told me that he was so good at using swords that made the people in the Hierarchy inferior to the man's skills. I saw the man once at an exhibition, with the citizen's support, he made his own training center, to keep everyone protected and calm at all times." He narrated to them, as everyone was drinking, they were also engrossed in the topic. "I admired the said man, I even watched videos of him, I copied his stance and how he wields blades, he was a living legend for me." He continued.

"What happened?" Samuel raised a question. "He was wronged, as some People in the Hierarchy felt betrayed, they pulled strings behind and made it look like instead of the Middle Born mad training future warriors and soldier, they made it look like he was extorting money from his students. His family begged to differ and wanted to reveal the truth, but the evidence was seen, I don't know what they did, yet in that time, the impossible was made possible."

Everyone was uneasy in their seats; Giovanni poured himself a drink and drank it up with silence. "To sum it all up, the man was your idol and was wronged in your father's case and that man was Kerstein's father, right?" As if Giovanni read my mind, he summarized and guessed just what I have said. The gang's face was all tensed up. "You are really a douche, you shouldn't have left your residence you fool, once she wakes up, you should do all the explaining, you're digging yourself a grave." Yeong reacted.

Samuel and Maximilliano grabbed Raiden and threw him out of the house, with the other following. "Don't come back here until all your problems are solved!" Giovanni yelled in the distance as they shut the door loud. "I will," Raiden brushed his hair up and hopped to his car, driving back to the House of Jin's Residence with no choices left.