Warning: long chapter

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Haru, I like you,” confessed Youngjae.  Haru stood still.  She didn’t know how to react.  Youngjae helped her out a lot.  He helped her make new friends.  He made sure that people stopped bullying her at school.  He treated her like no one other than her family treated her before. 

“Will you go out with me?”  Haru looked up and saw his pleading eyes and nodded.  This was the least she could do to repay him for all of the times he helped her.  Not to mention, Haru had some feelings for the boy as well.  Youngjae had a huge smile on his face and he hugged Haru. 

“Thank you Haru!”  Haru smiled and was oblivious of what was coming to her later. 

-

Lay stood outside of the school’s library, receiving weird flirty glances from the nearby Fangirls.  He cringed and looked away when one of the girl who caked a ton of makeup on her face winked at him.  Those types of girls always disgusted him.  They only fell in love with him for his looks and wealth.  He sometimes wished that he lived a lower class life so he didn’t receive this much attention.  But then he would miss the life he was given if he became a lower class citizen.  Anyways, Lay still disliked most of the girls who were overly fond of him.  Let’s just say, he would choose Haru over them any day.  In in his eyes, Haru was way better than anyone else.  Why does he like her so much?  Who knows?  The only thing that is correct about the sudden interest Lay has for her is when his heart flutters whenever Haru starts to open up to him.  And today, he was planning to have the girl tell him her story. 

“Sorry Lay,” Haru panted as she ran up to him,” You do not know how many people I had to dodge in the halls.  Seriously, why do girls surround Kai when he’s drinking out of a water fountain?”  Lay chuckled and grabbed Haru’s hand.  The both of them walked into the empty library. 

“So what have you learned so far?” asked Lay as they sat down at a table.” 

“Well,” Haru started,” Gangs usually form when they are little kids.  They are usually abandoned by their parents and will join other children to live with them.  Some gangs through are passed down through generations to continue their own legacy.  Even though people classify gangs as violent disobedient children who ruin everything, that’s only partly true.  There are different types of gangs.  Gangs tend to work differently.  They either sell weapons, tend to the sick, sell foods, or fight to defend their territory of course.  The most common trait gangsters have is the ability to sense things normal people can’t see.  Their senses are more enhanced since they have to listen to see if an attacker is coming.  They can easily sink into the shadows so they aren’t seen in public.  If gangsters are in public, they try to blend in with the people around them.  But in their neighborhoods, they have a certain style they follow and it depends on the gang. 

The upper class tends to send people into the different territories to take money away from them, which makes the lower class even poorer.  Even though they are poor, they have something more valuable than money.”  Haru paused and looked at Lay.  The boy was confused. 

“How is something more valuable than money?” he asked. 

“Territory is their own type of money.  They still have jobs outside but a gang’s wealth is determined by how much land they have.” 

“What’s so important about territories?”

“It also determines your gang’s status and popularity.  Which makes gangs fight for them.” 

“How?” 

“If a gang wants to take over another gang’s territory, then they have to fight them.  If the attacking gang wins, then they get the territory and the losing team has to go find somewhere else to live.  You’re lucky if the winning gang is nice and lets you keep some of your original territory.”

“What if the defending side wins?” Lay asked again. 

“Then the attacking gangs surrenders and leaves,” Haru answered simply before finishing the draft of the essay.  “That’s basically all there is to gangs.” 

“How do you know all of this stuff?” Lay questioned, awed by how much the girl knew. 

“I studied different subjects so I can get college scholarships,” she lied.  Lay nodded and looked at his watch.  His eyes went wide. 

“Wow it’s already an hour since the end of school,” he stated and Haru nodded. 

“Here.”  Haru handed Lay the draft of the project and grabbed her stuff.  “You can revise it and type it up.”  Before she was about to leave, Lay grabbed her hand.  He remembered what to do because of his long conversation with Tao. 

Tao- walk her home

Lay- Why?

Tao- It shows that you’re a man

“Let me walk you home,” Lay said as he put on his backpack,” It’s the least thing I can do since you practically did the whole project in one day.”  Haru nodded and shifted nervously when Lay wasn’t looking.  She got guilty and looked at her shoes. 

“I should take him into a safer neighborhood and disappear,” Haru thought as they started walking out of the school,” Then he won’t know about me being a gangster and he will be safe.” 

-

“You must live in a nice neighborhood,” stated Lay as the both of them walked into a lovely middle class neighborhood, too innocen