New Character: Daniel 

The Consigliere

(Refer to character intro page for ranking)

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  "You're one of us. Why're you after TOP?" The Dragon asked coldly, his low voice echoing all over the musky passage.

  This abandoned tunnel had been a drug den and a homeless shelter for decades. It's once beautiful arched brick walls were now covered in graffiti. The floor was littered with hypodermic needles, broken bottles and sewage. Even the poorest of the poor avoid the tunnel now, choosing to set up their camps elsewhere. Everyone in Itaewon knows that the tunnel is one of the many places 'claimed' by the family. The Mafia.

  Jiyong's team of untouchables isn't along today. Leaned by the side of the tunnel was the other Caporegime of the family. His name is Soo Hyuk, as his closest friends and the people in the police bereau knew him as, but others simply heard of him as Ghost, the family's mole in the legal authorities. Traditionally the Mafia would promote two of their best made men, two of their most experienced, their most loyal, as the Caporeigmes. The Caporegimes would then compete with one another for the position of the Underboss, which career lifespan last over a term of 8 years. In some cases the competition was friendly and for the general welfare of the family, but in other cases it may turn bloodily ugly, corrupted by the caporegimes' own ambitions or simply the desire to protect their own lives in case their fellow Capo turns savage for the promotion.

  Soo Hyuk kicked himself off the wall, a cigeratte caught between his lips as one of his untouchables rushed forward to light it. He stepped closer to the situation, where Jiyong was interrogating the contract killer. There is a mole in the family who foiled their shipment the other time and now there's someone after one of Jiyong's men. The two event do not seem like seperate cases. The shipment case was under Soo Hyuk and this attempt is obviously an aggression against Jiyong. It seems like the war between the two Capos have started, with the ceremony to choose the next Underboss less than months away. 

  The assassin has a small black scorpion tatooed in between his fingers, a symbol of an official made men in the Mafia. Plus, the way he refused to talk and his taunting look is obviously training received from their own organisation. He is no doubt another mole.

  "C'mon, stop asking him questions. You think you're a cop now?" Ghost called out lazily, swiftly pulling out his pistol and shooting a bullet straight into the tied up assassin's arm. "Open your mouth or the next one's going into your head." 

  The atmosphere in the tunnel grew tense with the Ghost's interference. Seungri, Youngbae, Daesung and Seunghyun have all discretly placed their hands on the boot of their gun in their blazer, ready for any sudden situation. Only their leader remained calm and unmoving, and upon that, Soo Hyuk stepped closer to his old friend.

  The ghost nudged his head towards the direction of the grunting assassin, his eyes locked with Jiyong's the whole time. 

  "It's your guy, isn't it?" He smirked.

  "He almost killed Seunghyun hyung." Jiyong replied flatly, unintimidated.

  Soo Hyuk only laughed. "You could've staged it, Jiyong, to make it seems like I'm the one behind it."

  "I never suspected you, Soo Hyuk." Jiyong said plainly.

  The words wiped the smile off Ghost's face, dissolving the last mask he has. He growled in a low voice. "Don't pretend you never had. We both wanted the position, you know that."

  "I know." The Dragon said nonchalently. "But I know you won't resort to these tactics to get it. You know I wouldn't either, don't you? I'll find out who's behind this."

  "How would I know if you're lying?" Soo Hyuk demanded.

  "He's not." A voice called out from behind. The dozen of gang members turned around to see Daniel, the family's consigliere walking up towards them. Daniel spared a glance at the captured one and then turned quickly back to the two Caporeigmes, who bowed their heads.

  "The family's tattooist just called in. Someone had stolen the plate used for tattooing official members." Daniel said, pointing back at the assassin, who snarled. "Which means this trash is a fake. He's never one of us to begin with. Jiyong's right, Soo Hyuk, there's a third party trying to stir things up." 

  Soo Hyuk looked at Jiyong and then back to the Consigliere again. 

  "Keep the affairs quiet before it reaches the Don." Daniel said. "For now, silence the spare if he wouldn't be useful."

  Upon finishing, the Consigliere turned to leave. He doesn't meddle in the conflicts of the family usually in the first place. The Ghost tilted his head towards the now useless assassin, and the Dragon, getting the signal, pulled out his pistol and swiftly shot the man in the head.

  "Stay behind and clean up." Soo Hyuk commanded his two untouchables, allowing the other team to depart. 

  [DARA]

  "Call me when you reached home, okay?" Bom mumbled.

  She's probably still mad about what happened at the club. The weekend has passed like a blast and its time for me to get back to Gram's place. Bom stood by the gates, her feet tucked in her white, flufy bunny slippers and wearing a pink checkered pyjamas, with a toothbrush stuck in . 

  There was a sound of someone locking the gates of an apartment nearby

  "Stop fussing and get more sleep." I waved her away, when suddenly, an arm slithered around my shoulder, making me jumped.

  I snapped my head to the side to see a guy in his early 20s. Who is he even? He smirked at me and then turned to Bom, and I noticed that his hair is frizzy and brown. 

  Frizzy and Brown??

  THAT GANGSTER THAT GRAMS WAS FEEDING???

  "So this new girl's your friend?" The street boy said slickly. 

  "Leave er uhlone, Donghae." Bom said, her words muffled by her toothbrush. "Dara, this is Donghae, my good for notheen neighbour."

  I laughed hoarsely, trying to struggle away from his iron grasp. Does Bom even know what he does???

  This person looked like some big shot from the Traids!

  "We've met before." Donghae said casually, nudging me on the shoulder. "Haven't we, new friend?"

  Okay now that's creepy. We barely even know each other!!

  "Bye Bom." I said quickly, turning around to leave. GAH, the more distance I put between us, the better!

  My steps were quick and I reached the lift without a backward glance. Alas, both of the working lifts were floors away from this level. Afraid that Mr Donghae would follow, I opted for the stairs.

  I was sweating buckets when I reached the first floor, but at least I thought it was worth it. Until...

  "What's up."

  A finger tapped me on my shoulder and I shrieked a little. Donghae tilted his face a little, wearing a bemused expression.

  "How did you get down here?" I muttered in shock.

  "The lift." He shrugged lazily. "Avoiding me?"

  GAHH, which person would expose another person just like that???

  Without answering him, I continued walking, this time with my pacing quickened. I clutched my sling bag tight to myself, determined to put as much distance as possible between us, but he still caught up with me. GAHH! Stay away from meee!!!

  "C'mon, its Dara isn't it? I know your grandmother and your best friend! Doesn't that help me in my chances of ever becoming your friend?" Donghae said, blocking my way and looking up at me with a pair of puppy eyes. Gosh, isn't he persuasive.

  Two girls passed by our path on the pavement, looking at Donghae with  heart shaped emoticons shooting out of their eyes. Donghae smiled, revealing his set of enlightening white teeth, and waved lazily at the girls. EW, WHAT A FLIRT. I had to summon my inner spiritual energy to not roll my eyes at this guy, seriously. 

  "Why're you following me, anyway?" I asked. Does he not have any stuff to do on a Sunday afternoon?

  "I'm not following you, I'm walking you home, midget." He winked. 

  MIDGET?????

  I avoided speaking to him for the entire 10 minutes walk home, insisting on walking just a step or two ahead of him. I was speedwalking and he's merely strolling casually behind me, whistling some tune. Nonetheless he didn't seem to have problems keeping up with my pace. We call this the 'Short legs problem'.

  Reaching the front porch, I quickly unlocked the door and went in, attempting to swiftly shut him outside. Instead, Donghae put his palm on the door to prevent me from closing it.

  "I'm safely home now so you can really just-" I began, but Donghae poked his head out from behind the door.

  "HEY GRANNY!" He yelled cheerfully, ignoring my groans.

  Behind me, Grams, who's cooking by the kitchen, hurried out with a spatula in her hand at the familiar voice.

  "Dino!" She called out, sounding pleasantly surprised. "Come in! I was just making lunch!"

  "Yes, free food." Donghae cheered under his breath before looking up at my not-so-pleasantly-surprised face and grinned. "COMING, GRANNY!"

  I threw my hands up in the air and let him in. This is hopeless. He's the mega-flirt leader of the Traids!!!

  But apparently, the heavens must've thought that I would like more surprises, because sitting by the kitchen counter is that kid SONG MINO.

  THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.

  "Why're you still here?" I asked the little git, who had waved two fingers in the air at me, smiling lazily. 

  "To see you, ofcourse." Mino answered smoothly without looking up. How dare this child- I give up. I'll just lock myself in the bedroom and starve until they're all gone.

  "Hey hyung." I heard Mino greet Donghae behind me. 

  "So, have you decided to attend the open book ceremony for the Traids or the Mafia?" Donghae asked.

  Open book Ceremony?

  "What's that?" I asked, unable to help myself. Hmm, since I'm now Jiyong's PA, there's a very valid reason for me to be curious about the happenings in his... clan.

  "It's a biennial event where associates are chosen to become a soldier. An official member of an organisation." Donghae answered.

  "I picked the Mafia already hyung, sorry." Mino replied Donghae's question apologetically. 

   Rotten kid. How can you think of joining these stuff knowing that underground organisations are illegal?

  I'm washing my hands off this.

  I got up to my room, texted Bom, took a shower before flopping myself onto the bed. I couldn't sleep because the boys were making a huge ruckus downstairs. 

  They left at 2pm and it was only then when I let myself doze off. My bed vibrated once and I groaned and roll over, thinking that its my stomach. It vibrated again for another 2 times before I slammed my hand around the bed, patting to locate my phone which must've been the source. My fingers felt its cold surface under the pillow and drew it out. In a daze, I opened a quarter of my eyes to see three unread messages.

Time received: 2.20pm

Sender: ALERT ALERT

The mart. Now.

  ALERT ALERT? Isn't that the name that I saved for Kwon Jiyong?

  I shot up immediately, dread filling my soul as I read the second message.

Time received: 2.34pm

Sender: ALERT ALERT

What did I say about answering me?

 Oh no oh no its almost 3 now!!!

Time received: 2.45pm

Sender: ALERT ALERT

You're screwed, Park Dara.

  "GAHHH!" I screamed out loud, jumping out of bed immediately to grab my wallet and cardigan hung on the chair before sprinting out of the house at top speed. 

  By the time I reached the huge mart, I was a panting pile of mess. I scanned through the crowd like a mad woman before my eyes settled themselves on a guy in a loose-collar button up shirt that certainly does not look very happy. Gulping, I rushed up to him.

  The Capo checked the watch on his wrist upon seeing me running to him for my dear life, and then folded his arms.

  "Not bad, you're only 40 minutes late." He mused sarcastically, his eyes glancing at my messy hair and crumpled clothing.

  "I was sleeping! I'm sorry!" I apologised, unable to look him in the eyes after that couch encounter in the hotel. GAHHH.

  "Forget it." He said uncaringly. "I have a mission for you today."

  "What is it?" I asked, looking up.

  A curt smile appeared on Jiyong's lips. 

  "Grab a trolley." He commanded.

  Are we going to shop for groceries? I'm not bad at that! Seems like an easy job. There was a stray trolley somewhere and I took it back to him.

  "What's the task?" I chirped. Maybe being a PA isn't that bad of a job!

  The Capo went behind me and put his hands on my shoulder. Leaning down, he whispered my first mission.

  "I want you to pick out every, single, thing in this mart that is yellow."

  And with that my jaw dropped. Jiyong merely smiled and started strolling infront of me, ignoring the look of disbelief on my face. Is he toying with me?

  THIS MART IS FREAKING COLOSSAL.