In the morning as Caesar who was wearing a black top, blue jeans and white sneakers was kneeling behind Eyo and zipping his bag, Rai had finished tying his shoelaces and stood on his feet.
"Alright. I'm done." Rai said.
"And so am I." Caesar replied as she closed the last zipper..
Caesar then stood on her feet and Eyo turned around to gaze at her.
"I've packed everything you'll need for your new school." Caesar said to her brothers as Rai stood beside Eyo, "Its a big city. A two to three days journey before you arrive.
You'll meet new friends... See new things.
The school will provide most of the stuff, but-"
"I saved a little extra just in case you get hungry or see something you want to buy." Caesar said as she pulled out two small envelopes and handed one envelope to each brother.
Rai opened his envelope and stared at it while Caesar nervously stood.
"Sis... This... This is great." Rai said as he raised his head with a slight grin.
"Listen, i know it's not much... But..." Caesar said as she turned her face away while her ears dropped, "I just wish I could-"
Before she could finish, both boys rushed toward her and wrapped their arms around her.
"It's more than enough, sis." Rai said while smiling.
"Yeah, it is." Eyo said, " Thank you, Caesar."
Caesar stunned at first, smiled warmly at them and ruffled their hair.
Suddenly the blare of a bus horn cut through the morning air, causing Caesar and the boys to turn to the direction of the sound.
"That's your ride." Caesar said to them, "Go on now, or you'll be late."
Rai and Eyo grabbed their belongings and rushed toward the door, however Rai stopped and glanced at Caesar.
"I'll miss you, sis." Rai said with a smile.
"Me too!" Eyo also said with a smile.
"I'll miss you both. Now go." Caesar replied, "You don't want to miss your chance, now do you?"
The boys opened the door and ran towards the bus while Caesar watched them from their house.
After they left, Caesar's ears drooped as she tilted her head down.
"New school, huh? New city as well. Both getting scholarship to one of the most prestigious schools in all of Neo-earth is still a shocker to me." Caesar said to herself, "Guess it runs in the blood. If only..."
Caesar recalled the faces of her parents and continued speaking to herself.
"If they were here, they would have made sure Rai and Eyo lost their chances just like me. But am I sure I made the right choice?
Their safety is hanging on a thread with the Mizukais. I can't be there for them if there is something sudden happens or if the Mizukais decides to send their guys.
With how powerful they are, it is obvious they have eyes in Kingas city as well, and..."
"Gosh, what am I thinking? I should be happy for them." Caesar said as she covered her face with her palm.
Caesar turned around and took notice of the time on the clock which made her eyes widen in fear.
"Shit! I'm late for work!" Caesar said as she rushed out the door.
Elsewhere, within a white colored duplex, Balland stood in front of a holographic board with both arms crossed, staring at the overshadowed faces in suits.
"You once told me that if I need help again, I should contact you and you will answer." Balland said, "I do need your help but it is not for me, but for my employee, Caesar.... Caesar Moon.
She was coerced by the Mizukais into paying a five million yon debt she doesn't owe and now she has been thrown into EBW under the threat of her brothers being sold.
I came to you because just like the Mizukais, you are among the most powerful families in Neo-earth. Among the families that control everything from businesses to the media to the courts just like the Mizukais but you are also among the few families that can put them in their place."
"Ah. The Mizukais again." A feminine voice among the faces said, "That family is a troublesome bunch."
"Balland, we despise the Mizukais but you of all people should know we don't just hand out help to anyone." A deep masculine voice among the faces sounded.
"Oh, she is worthy. I can vouch for her." Balland replied, "Otherwise I wouldn't have come to you."
"Then let us see for ourselves." Another masculine voice among the voices sounded from the hologram, "We will give her a whole year. A whole year to prove herself .
If she can prove that she can survive this limited period and show she is not a damsel in distress... That she can thrive and grow in a place like EBW then we will step in."
After hearing their verdict, Balland nodded his head.
Later in the afternoon, Caesar entered her house, exhausted yet sad and irritated as she walked towards her couch and fell on it.
"Damn it all." Caesar said within.
A flashback takes place earlier as Caesar was working in a restaurant called Golden sons, as she had just delivered two dishes on the table for a human couple.
"Here is what you ordered." Caesar said to them with a smile.
"Thank you, waitress." The woman said to Caesar.
"And here is a reward... A generous offer." The man said to Caesar as he placed a few yon notes into Caesar's pocket.
"Thank you for the generosity." Caesar said as she bowed her head.
"Caesar." A masculine voice called.
Caesar turned to the direction of the sound and saw a fair skinned man with long yellow hair and green eyes, wearing a black top with yellow accents, blue jeans and black shoes.
"John Jowls?" Caesar said within, "What does he want now?"
"Sir?" Caesar said to John.
"A minute. Outside." John said as he turned his back and walked away.
Caesar immediately followed after him and walked through the back exit of the restaurant.
As they both stood outside the restaurant, John crossed his arms and turned his face away as it seemed he was trying to avoid Caesar's gaze.
"Is something wrong?" Caesar asked.
"No... There is nothing wrong." John replied, "It's just that...."
"You're fired." John said as he finally met Caesar's gaze.
Caesar stared at him for a moment in silence and confusion before she slightly tilted her head.
"What?"
"Look, I don't want to do this. I didn't want to do this but the others... I'm simply a co-owner of the restaurant." John said.
"I don't understand. What's going on? Why am I fired? Is it something I did wrong?" Caesar asked, "I didn't have a fight with anyone. I've behaved myself for-"
"It's not what you did here but what you did elsewhere." John cuts in.
"I'm afraid I still don't follow." Caesar said.
"Caesar... You've been a wonderful worker for the past few weeks, but... My partners and I stumbled across your debut match in EBW."
Hearing those words, Caesar's eyes widened and her ears drooped.
"I-I can explain."
"It doesn't matter. The decision has already been made. Majority carried the vote. They want you out." John replied, "You may not have done any of the ero... Stuff... Yet. But one day, you will. Whether it is in your next match or in upper match after that, you will, and my partners... They are not comfortable with an ero-wrestler working in their restaurant.
They believe it sends a wrong image."
"Sir, please give me a chance to explain." Caesar said, "I-"
"I've already told you that it doesn't matter your explanation." John cuts in again, "My partners don't want you here.
They don't want a whore who uses her body to hide behind a wrestling ring."
Hearing those words come out of John's mouth, silence hung in the air for some time before Caesar's expression shifted to a cold visage.
"Whore?" Caesar asked with a flat and cold tone as she stepped forward, "Using my body? You're funny."
Despite Caesar's emotionless demeanor, the pressure radiating from her made John step back instinctively.
"Yeah, you're right, John. I am an ero-wrestler." Caesar said as she was till walking forward, "Yeah, you're also right, I did participate in that EBW match... But it wasn't by choice but rather circumstances.
At least I knew what I was getting into."
Seeing that Caesar was still walking, John continued to step backwards in fear.
"You know, when I got into this 'restaurant', I was expecting only to be serving food but that wasn't the only thing going on." Caesar continued, "In here, I have been groped and been called names that I don't even want to repeat.
How many times have I been grabbed by my ass and smacked there, John? How many times? And each time I react, you... Instead of defending your worker from harassment, you tell me to apologize because it's a customer.
I'm not even the only one who goes through this crap. Every guy and gal back there goes through it and when it is reported, you tell us to live with it because it is a customer.
Remember Daekin? The new guy? How many days did he stay? Oh that's right... Three days. Why? Because a female groped him by the dick, saying she was flirting even when he made it clear he was uncomfortable, and what did you do? The same as usual, 'becausethecustomerisalwaysright'.
I don't even to go deep into last week's incident about Josh and how that female customer told him that she wants to see how he looks without his clothes so that she can put his cock in her mouth and make his toes curl. Bear in mind that Josh was engaged that week."
"So tell me..." Caesar said as John's back hit the wall, "What right do you have to judge me?"
"What right do you and your 'partners' have to label me when you sell us out to line up your pockets?" Caesar asked as she stood closer towards John.
"Uhm... Caesar... Uh... You're making a scene here." John nervously said.
Caesar stared at John for a while before her eyes narrowed.
Caesar then glanced at her name tag and tore it off.
"Be sure to burn it." Caesar said as she dropped the tag on the ground, "Humph."
After the remembrance, Caesar stared at the ceiling.
"Damn. Looks like I gotta find another work for this Saturday, huh?" Caesar said to herself, "Even though John was a spineless hypocrite and I'm glad I'm no longer part of that restaurant... Gosh, it's going to be hard to find another job.
The boss of that car wash job I applied for hasn't even called me yet.
Damn it. Why is my life so hard?"
Suddenly, Caesar's phone buzzed and as she glanced at it, she saw the person calling was Balland which led her to answer the call.
"Hello, sir." Caesar said.
"Caesar, good afternoon. I hope I'm not disturbing you?" Balland asked.
"Nope! Not at all." Caesar answered.
"Good. Tomorrow, I need you to meet me in the bakery." Balland said.
"Tomorrow? Bakery? But tomorrow is Sunday... You'll be closed just like today." Caesar replied.
"I know. Thats why I want you there." Balland said, "I told you I will give you the details of how I'll help you, right? This is the perfect chance for me to do it."
Caesar stayed quiet for a while then sighed.
"Fine. Sure. I'll come tomorrow." Caesar said.
"Good. I'll be waiting." Balland replied.
Balland then cut the call and Caesar dropped her phone and stared at the ceiling.
While Caesar was staring at the ceiling, her face turned blank.
"I didn't even ask the time."