Chapter 42: To The Flamboyant Vermillion Tiger Sect??
"I'll do anything."
"What can you do?"
"I..." She lowered her gaze momentarily. "You said that you chose us for a reason, right? Then you must have something in mind, Young Master."
"I have some ideas, I suppose."
"I'll do it."
"Anything?"
"Anything."
"How about betraying your clients?"
"Betraying...?"
"Their trust, or more than that."
"That..." Jun pressed her lips together. "That would depend on the client."
"The nice ones get protected, while the not-so-nice ones are okay to betray?" The Young Master smiled.
"Something like that." She chuckled.
"That's why you're not good enough." His tone had suddenly turned cold. "You're too soft."
"But you said that you loved-"
"It seems like you are mistaken, Jun." The Young Master's eyes narrowed. Cold eyes filled with boredom. "If you want me, then there's only me. If you're unable to cast everything else away, then I don't want you."
"But-"
"There are no buts allowed. This is what I'm proposing. You're free to decline. To find another way to get more."
Just when the Young Master was about to turn away, her hand pulled on his sleeve.
"I'll... I'll do it."
"Do what?"
"Anything."
The Young Master let out a sigh.
"This is going in circles. Just forget about it."
"No! I apologize if I seemed unsure earlier, Young Master. But I-"
Jun's words were interrupted as her body was pulled to the Young Master's. Her eyes were wide with surprise as her ear stuck to his chest. The next second, she felt the firm grip he had over her bottom tighten, and her feet left the ground as she was lifted up.
The Young Master had slightly arched his back as he lifted her up, her body grinding against his until they were at eye level. Her hands lay on his neck. The Young Master stepped forward.
Every hair on her body stood on end. She shook and trembled, as her bottom was lowered onto the bridge's edge. Suddenly, the sound of the water flowing below the bridge had become much easier to hear. The weak flow of a dry spring had turned incredibly powerful. Violent waves descended upon and collided with the canal's edges.
Jun had her back to it.
"I thought Rika was the only one scared of the bridge." The Young Master whispered at the trembling Jun who clung to his clothes desperately.
She tried to get off the precarious edge, to get her feet back onto the ground. He didn't let her.
"Too soft..." The Young Master whispered with a smile as his hand moved towards her neck. "How do you plan on changing your life this way?"
Jun grabbed the hand at her neck with everything she had. The hand wasn't strangling her. In fact, there was practically no pressure exerted. The sounds of the water and waves grew even louder. She wanted to scream, but found herself unable to. His hand moved slowly. Jun couldn't stop it. Couldn't fight against it. She was slowly, and gently, being pushed over the edge.
"P-please..." Jun begged with a whisper. She felt like she could cry at any moment.
"You act like I want to be by your side, but that's not the case. I offered you the chance to be at mine. To be at a Young Master's side... And not simply for a night. That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone like you, isn't it? Despite that, you're fucking it up. Maybe you just don't deserve more. Wanting it isn't enough. Rika understands that. You want me to help you. You want me to save your sister from the life you've been living... Why would I? Why would I do that to someone unable to-"
The Young Master cut his words short. His hand stopped moving. He silently watched, as Jun clenched her teeth and,
'That's right. Someone like me doesn't... Someone like me...!'
The sound of the waves! The fear of falling! The stories of people drowning to their death!
Her heart rate, which had already been elevated for a while, went through the roof!
If there was one thing that Lei loved more than anything, it was gambling. The rush, the thrill, the possibilities... There was nothing quite like it.
And as the grip she had over his wrist started loosening, he felt a sudden rush.
'For my sister's sake... For the sake of a new life... For mine! I'm willing to...!'
The trembling Jun arched her back, and the Young Master's eyes widened.
'I'll bet everything... On this one chance!'
Her shaking hands slowly let go of the Young Master's wrist, and he felt an increase in weight!
Her heart was beating faster than ever, her head was over the edge, and her arms fell to her sides!
The violent waves! A fall to her death! The Young Master felt such a thrill, such heat!
The way her back was arched, the way her arms hung in the air, the way her hair dangled below her head at the howling wind's whims...
Both knew.
If he were to let go now, if he were to step back, if he were to even...!
With her eyes shut and her teeth clenched, she remained until,
Twitch-
The firm grasp that his hand had on her neck... She couldn't feel anymore.
Her eyes shot open. Falling. Imminent death.
But just as that information reached her brain, just before she could scream or move,
'Looks like I was wrong...'
A hand gently assisted the back of her head, and another her lower back.
The Young Master pulled her closer.
The shivers and the trembling didn't stop. Jun gulped but found her throat too dry. Panting, she looked into his eyes with her mouth opened slightly. The Young Master wasn't, but she could tell that he was breathing more heavily than before.
'I was wrong...'
"Was that..." She whispered between breathes. "Too soft for you?"
'About which one I might fall in love with.'
She pulled him closer, shivering as the distance decreased.
"Jun..."
"Young Master..."
Just as her lips were about to meet hit, Jun noticed beyond the Young Master...
"Oh" The Young Master turned around slightly. "Rika."
"What a pervert... Watching silently." Jun's hands did not leave the Young Master's body.
"I didn't want to interrupt! How am I the pervert here? In the middle of the street!" A blushing Rika shouted.
***
"No but seriously... Why us, Young Master?" Rika asked as the three walked.
"Mm... is it even important?"
"It is, Young Master." Jun answered, her eyes burning.
"Mm... I guess it's because..." The Young Master thought silently for a bit. "You reminded me of my... Teacher? Yeah. Let's say teacher."
'The Young Master's teacher? Us??'
"Who was it...?" Jun asked timidly.
"She was..."
'THE YOUNG MASTER'S TEACHER IS A SHE??'
"An exotic dancer, let's say?"
"An exotic dancer? What's that?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Of course, Young Master!"
"Mmm... Well, I guess it's... Um... Huh."
'The Young Master is having trouble telling us?!
"There was a time... When I was kind of scared... Just kind of. Kind of scared of talking to women. But seeing and talking to the stripp... Exotic dancers rid me of that. Seeing them smile and dance for me kind of... Anyways, that's where I met the person who taught me the most." The Young Master scratched his head, clearly embarrassed. "Now that I think about it.... Sun might need a bit of that. Though he's still young so..." He mumbled to himself.
"I'd like to hear more about that." An enthusiastic Jun said, before turning around towards Rika, who had fallen behind.
'The Young Master was once scared of talking to women...? I would have never guessed... And he cares about his brother... That's just... That's just...' Rika was unable to take a step forward, as she covered her blushing face with both her hands. 'So cute! So endearing!'
"Anyways," The Young Master scratched his head again. "It's here, right?"
They nodded.
"I'll come find you in... Let's say a week. Keep your eyes open and your ears ready. If you hear about someone particularily strong who isn't from here, or who isn't usually on this side of the Jade City, tell me about it."
Two minutes later, they parted ways.
And thirty minutes later,
"What... What do you think you're doing?" An enraged Martial Artist asked, his face covered by bulging veins.
"Taking a piss. Drank too much, you see? Haha." The seemingly drunk man clothed in black answered.
"That's.... That's not what I'm asking, you little shit."
"Huh?"
"Why are you taking a piss..." It took everything from the Martial Artist not to attack right there and then. "On our Sect's walls? On the Flamboyant Vermillion Tiger Sect's walls??"
"Oh... Is it?" The man looked around stupidly. "I couldn't tell. Since it's night and all. Sorry."
He apologized, but didn't stop peeing.
The Martial Artist's rage grew.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone