42. Novum Principio

 

Novum Principio: "New Beginning"

 

 

 

"They've given me power once more..."

 

 

It is time to face a novum principio.

 

 

"... but this time, I'll do things my way."

 

 

 

= = = Soundtrack: BoA - Hurricane Venus = = =

 

 

CLING!

 

"Haiyah!"

 

Kai-yah's eyes widened as he tried to dodge the slash attack with my knife that I did to his right side, and he suceeded before trying to attack me using HIS knife. Of course, I had managed to dodge it too. When both our knives had a chance to come in contact again, we both smirked at each other, before putting pressure on our hands to try and push the other backward.

 

I was already about to fall back when a voice cut in through all of our movements.

 

"Yah, you two lovebirds still aren't done training?"

 

Sehun-sshi, who insisted that he is older than me and that I call him Oppa [which I think I'll be doing later on], joked as he entered the training area of one of the warehouses that the ReapedSouls have in possession. I just smiled at the distraction he had managed to create before tackling Kai-yah to the ground, straddling the area between his chest and abdomen and placing the knife near his throat.

 

"Whoah! I thought you were better than that, boy. Looks like you have a soft spot for girls." Chanyeol-sshi, another one who insisted that I call him Oppa, said jokingly as he went inside the room after Sehun-sshi, followed by both D.O.-sshi and Baekhyun-sshi who were laughing at the position we were in.

 

At that, both Kai-yah and I laughed as well before I let him pull himself to a sitting position.

 

"Not really. She's the only girl I have a soft spot for." He said before placing a kiss on the tip of my nose, which just made me chuckle.

 

"It's amazing that you could already train just a week and a day after you had been shot." D.O.-sshi said, and in reply I shrugged my shoulder.

 

"Let me guess, Shirin-ah. The shrug means 'I guess I'm just cool like that.', right?" Baekhyun-sshi, asked me in a teasing tone before breaking out into a laugh. I laughed too.

 

"Oh yeah, before I forget, Suho Hyung is coming back later on from the suburbs. He told us on the phone earlier and we thought that it might be good to pass it along to you." Sehun-sshi said with a snap of his fingers, and I nodded in understanding.

 

"So, what's going on? I remembered Seunghyun-sshi telling me last night that he's compiling all-girl subgroups or something...?" I asked in confusion, remembering what Seunghyun-sshi told me after he gave permission to Kai-yah's temporary joining in the ReapedSouls brotherhood.

 

"Remember, Kai-sshi. You have been accepted here because of Shirin-ah. So, while you are building your own solid group to go against the SkullBeaters, you must let me compile all-female subgroups for her. You understand?"

 

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. Seunghyun-sshi has been really happy that you decided to come back to the ReapedSouls, even if it was just because of Kai-sshi that you did it. So, he's gonna fix up an all-female brotherhood for you." Baekhyun-sshi said, and not quite getting it, an eyebrow of mine instinctively rose. 

 

"The female subgroups under the alliance of the ReapedSouls will be placed under your control very soon. So, most probably, you'll be handling a sisterhood, Shirin-ah." D.O.-sshi added, and at that, I completely understood.

 

That Song Seunghyun... what had ran in his head for him to allow me to build a sisterhood?

 

I had already pushed him and his brother away a lot of times already because of what they did to me, but he kept on being nice. Despite the fact that I had switched loyalty to another brotherhood, he still took me back without any complaints. He still trusted me despite the crap I gave him, not to mention that I had pointed my gun to him once too. It was heartwarming for me to be given this kind of love... and I knew in myself that I've forgiven my Oppa already.

 

"Wait a minute, is Seunghyun-sshi around here?" I asked the boys, who just nodded.

 

"Yep. He's in the office." Said Chanyeol-sshi, making me nod and break out into a run to express my gratitude to Seunghyun-sshi... 

 

...but I quickly backtracked and pecked Kai-yah on the cheeks first before going away.

 

= = =

 

"Seunghyun-sshi!"

 

Seunghyun, Chanho, and Changjo looked immediately at the door of the warehouse office slamming open and revealing an ecstatic Shirin. Everything happened so quickly that the next moment that Seunghyun had a chance to catch his thoughts, Shirin already wrapped her arms around his frame.

 

Everyone in the room was shocked.

 

"I forgive you, Seunghyun Oppa. I forgive you already."

 

= = =

 

I thought that he was going to push me away when I felt a hand brush through my hair, and a chuckle by my ear. When I pulled back, Seunghyun Oppa was smiling at me. When I looked towards the standing Chanho Oppa, I felt another tug on my heart and said some more things.

 

"You too, Chanho Oppa. I forgive you too."

 

The next moment, I found myself above ground and spinning in the air... only to be crushed in Chanho Oppa's embrace as I was brought down. I felt something wet on the side of my face and I can't help but tear up too as I realized what it was.

 

Chanho Oppa's tears.

 

"We're really sorry that you had to experience all of that, Shirin-ah. But I'm so glad you had forgiven us." He said while pulling back, only to trap me in a hug again. When I pulled back, I brushed away the tears in his eyes.

 

"I guess it's the happy reunion now, huh?" Changjo-yah remarked as I went towards him and hugged him as well. When he finally released me, I asked them where the Lee cousins were.

 

They haven't even answered my question yet when two people appeared by the doorframe.

 

"You were looking for us, Shirin-ah?"

 

I immediately went to the door and glomped both Sunny-sshi and Taemin-ah standing there, my eyes closing as they both hugged me back. Not long after, Sunny-sshi pulled out of my embrace, leaving me in the male Lee's arms.

 

"Whoah. What brought this on?" Taemin-ah before as he placed his lips on the base of my neck and inhaled deeply. I pulled back before answering.

 

"I've been bonked on the head and I've learned to forgive the ReapedSouls after the kindness I've experienced in spite of all the crap I gave you."

 

"Well, it's about time, then! I've missed the Song Sister a lot!" Sunny-sshi remarked, and remembering the things I've found out with Younghae Halmoni, I couldn't help but laugh.

 

"Funny enough, Sunny-sshi, I am not the sibling of the Song Brothers, but I'm a Song myself." I said, which made Seunghyun Oppa and Chanho Oppa look at each other knowingly.

 

"Wait a minute. You know already?" Chanho Oppa asked me, and I nodded.

 

"I coincidentally met my grandmother when Kai-yah was trying to hide me from you guys." I told them in a quick explanation, and smiled at the pleasantly surprised expressions that I got with my simple statement.

 

"Now that THAT'S been settled, I've been wanting to talk to you about the female subgroups that I've compiled to be under you. Many of them had requested that you be their leader because they have seen how you move inside the brotherhood back then. A lot of them are older than you, but they respect you like it's the opposite." Seunghyun Oppa cut in, which made everyone smile.

 

"They'll be coming in with Suho Hyung later from the suburbs, and and Jaejoong Hyung from the Kim Corp building." Chanho Oppa said.

 

"But there's five of them who want to meet you personally, you see..." Changjo-yah added.

 

Chuckles from everyone echoed in the room before I excused myself to go back to Kai-yah, just as their discussion for the restocking up of the weapon supplies in Daegu came up.

 

= = =

 

"Annyeonghaseyo, we are F[x], one of the sisterhood alliances of the ReapedSouls. We're honored to meet you"

 

Five female voices reached my ears as I stood in front of two groups of people, one composed entirely of guys, and another fully made up of girls. I smiled at them before nodding and stating my introduction as well.

 

"Annyeonghaseyo, girls. I'm Song Shirin. But I'd like to clarify that I only have the same surname as your leaders, and it doesn't mean that I'm their biological sister." I said, before spying a look at Kai-yah standing beside me, who just gave me a playful smile.

 

"Waaahhh, she's really pretty up close..."

 

"Is she really a dongsaeng? 'Cause she's too lethal to be one."

 

"I bet I wouldn't stand ten seconds in an arena with her around..."

 

"Gosh, she looks sooo cool..."

 

"She's really phenomenal for someone so young."

 

The remarks of the young ladies caused me to send a slight chuckle out of my frame, and I couldn't help but just fall for the girls' charms... even if they're all my Unnies.

 

"Well, too bad, girls. We all had our moments with Shirin-ah already before you..." Baekhyun-sshi, I mean Baekhyun Oppa, teased the Unnies before looking at the other boys knowingly... sending them into a fit of laughs afterwards.

 

When they had composed themselves, they gave their introductions.

 

"Annyeonghaseyo, we're EXO-K, one of the brotherhood alliances of the ReapedSouls based in Korea."

 

"Changkamanyo. There's still another base for your group?" I asked them in curiosity, and the only one that I still haven't recognized much, Suho-sshi, answered for them.

 

"Yeah. There's also an EXO brotherhood alliance of the ReapedSouls based in China. They're the ones more on the weaponry and management works, and they're called EXO-M. If ever you get sent to China to check up on the ReapedSouls works, they can help you."

 

"Oh, and before I forget, I'm Kim Joonmyeon, known as Suho in the brotherhood, and current head of EXO-K. I'm an oppa to you, as what I've found through Jaejoong Hyung and the Song Brothers, so it would be nice if you can call me accordingly." He added with a smile, which merited him a smile from me as well.

 

"Could you please introduce yourselves one by one, F[x]? I want to know you by name, so that I could address you properly, too. I guess I'm your dongsaeng then." I said, and according to the remarks I heard earlier, they had given me their names.

 

"Choi Jinri. I'm called Sulli in the sisterhood."

 

"Song Qian. I'm Chinese, but I'm based here in Korea. You can call me Victoria or Vicky."

 

"Amber Josephine Liu. I might look like a guy, but trust me, I'm a lady. Just call me Amber."

 

"I'm Jung Soojung. You can call me Krystal if you want to."

 

"Park Sunyoung. I'm known as Luna around, and I'm Park Chanyeol's younger sister, so call me when he messes up." The last one, Luna Unnie, said before cocking her head towards Chanyeol-sshi's direction, where the mentioned man just rolled his eyes, earning him a few laughs from everybody.

 

"So, I've been told by the Song Brothers that we'll be adopting Kai-sshi in EXO-K so that he could have a starting brotherhood. We're more than happy to take him in. It's been quite a few years since EXO-K helped him outlast his childhood bullies." Suho-sshi [oops, I meant Suho Oppa] stated before going to where Kai-yah was and extending a hand for a high-five.

 

"Alright, then. Since we're all complete now... We'll begin our first ever joint training between EXO-K and F[x] now. Let's see what everybody can do."