Chapter 14
"I'm already 15 minutes late and this is what I'm going to catch." Introductory sermon by the only Founder of the clan, Uno, while looking around at the officers in front of him, "Nono, Otso, can't you really control the members without me? Or are you tired of your positions ?"
"Don't talk to us like that, Uno." Otso's answer with annoyance, "I'm even fresh from the airport, from Manila. I came straight here because I know you're going to be late."
"We are performing our positions well, Boss. The newbies are just really rude these days." Nono's reasoning.
"Really? Are those newbies in front of you?" Uno gave a low but disgusted response and for a moment Nono and Otso exchanged glances then continued, "Primera has been in the clan for two years while Anonymous has been in the clan for 3 months. Is that your newbie?"
Silence prevailed throughout the hut and the tension prevailed again. No one wanted to speak and almost all the members bowed to avoid Uno's disgusted look.
Rhea sighed as she bowed down while Marjorie was still giggling while staring at Rhea. As if she wanted to sprint to her and rubbed her face on the floor.
"Team Leaders! Sais and Juviler! Don't you have any action to take? Your pets' heads are enflatting!" Uno angrily continued in a high tone.
Even though their heads were focused on the floor, Sais and Juviler exchanged glances for a moment. Sais was about to speak when Juviler suddenly elbowed her. The girl frowned and accidentally raised her gaze to Uno who had been looking pointedly at the two of them.
The girl blinked involuntarily and bowed again.
"Boss Uno, can I speak?" Sais tried to be calm but the nervousness she felt prevailed, "We would like to end this problem by terminating one of them."
After she uttered the word terminate, all eyes went to her, especially Almira and Jc who were obviously not happy because of their frown.
The young woman felt a cold hand firmly hold her arm so she turned behind her and saw Jc's frowning face looking at her. Young man showing disapproval.
"No worries. Primera won't be terminated." Sais whispered to the young man with a reassuring smile and a playful wink.
"What, Lil_ron? Do you need any special orders from me?" Uno responded sarcastically.
"Are we just going to terminate without a proper trial?" Lil_ron dared to answer looking at Uno.
"Let's go through counseling to be fair." Juviler added, obviously having second thoughts, then glanced at Uno to see his reaction.
"All officers, outside." Uno ordered, "Princebeybe, Primera, Four and Anonymous, out."
The officers of the hut came out one by one, followed by the name mentioned by Uno. But the lack of reaction of Almira and Jc, who were just watching them go out, stole his attention.
"Four." Uno's approached him.
"For the counseling to be fair, I will stay here. It might even be said that the counseling was taken sides." Four explained defensively.
"Not as an officer. But involved in this problem." Uno argued in a serious tone.
"Are you serious, Boss Uno?" Four protested right away.
"Can you just cooperate without complaining?" Uno replied.
Four frowned for a moment as he looked the Founder in the eyes and then angrily obeyed his order.
"What, babygirl? Special mention?" Uno called out Almira, who was trying to avoid his look.
"I agree with what Four–" She was cut off.
The girl bowed as she said this but Uno's voice raised her up before she could finish her statement.
"Out!"
"Why are you so angry!?" Almira immediately looked up at Uno and matched his high voice.
"The weather is cold. I want to warm up." The young man justified with a mischievous wink.
"Then throw yourself in the oven!" The girl replied philosophically then turned her back and walked out of the hut.
"What kind of answer is that, Almira Antopina!?" The young man shouted in annoyance as he followed the girl.
"Shutting down your corny lines, Lorenz Gabito!" The young woman answered while continuing to walk without looking at the young man who was following her.
=================================
All the officers are in the garden of the park including Rhea, Ceejay, Marjorie and Jc. This is their chosen place for counseling. From left to right, Marjorie, Ceejay, Rhea and Jc sit next to each other on the bench. While the officers were standing in front of them.
"In your group messages, I know you four have a problem. Especially Primera and Anonymous." Uno started in a calm tone to calm down the two who were in conflict, then he looked at Rhea, "You were the first to insult, Prim. What really is the problem?"
The girl swallowed and clasped her hands together as she stood up. Uno and Rhea met each other's eyes but before the girl could begin to explain, Nono interjected.
"Just a reminder. We respect the speaker. There is no overlap to understand each other." Nono reminded then looked at Rhea and nodded with a smile, "You can speak."
She nervously pressed her own hand together as she began to speak, "Everyone probably knows that Princebeybe is courting me.." The young woman hesitated. Confused if she should continue the topic she started, "B-but the clan doesn't know that we are already in a relationship."
After her statement, all eyes went to Rhea, especially Ceejay who smiled at Rhea, while Almira's eyes widened in surprise as Jc's eyebrows met in surprise.
"Lier! You're not even including his name in your signature!" Marjorie protested.
Rhea fixed her deadly gaze on her and their hot gazes met. And before Rhea could insult, Lil_ron became alert.
"Anonymous, she's not done yet." Lil_ron's weak but emphatic voice.
Marjorie's only response was to frown and keep her mouth shut.
"I have been telling her to distance herself from Princebeybe for a long time. But she still have the nerve to flirt with my boyfriend." Rhea continued.
Marjorie frowned and snubbed the girl.
"Can't you really stay away from Anonymous, Princebeybe?" Nono asked Princebeybe.
Ceejay's eyebrows immediately met, "I have no reason to stay away from my friend."
"You too, Anonymous. There must be a limit to your closeness with Princebeybe because he already has a girlfriend." Lil_ron commented more.
A flat smirk floated on Marjorie's face then met the young man's gaze, "Is the closeness between Primera and Four have no limits?"
Everyone moved their gaze to Jc, who at that time had his arms crossed and looking down while listening to them. There was no sign of reaction on the young man's face except for his half smile along with a nod.
"Just a moment." Uno intervened again, "We know that the problem of the four of you is very personal. After all, you can fix it privately." Uno looked around while speaking to study the reaction of the four, "But since the clan is already affected, we will intervene if you allow."
The four nodded almost in unison as their minds focused on something else even though they were still looking at Uno. When Uno took his eyes off Rhea, the girl sat down again.
"Four," Uno said when he looked at Jc, "What is your status with Primera?"
Jc immediately looked up at Uno and let out a smirk, "Is that a serious question, Boss? Funny to hear"
"Can you just answer?" The Founder replied again.
Jc's response was a short laugh then continued, "Primera and I have been friends for two years now you're going to make it an issue?"
"You haven't answered the question yet." Uno's tone became serious which caused Jc's smirk to disappear from his face.
"A serious answer? I don't like Primera and we don't have a relationship period." Jc answered strongly.
"Why do you have to sleep in the same room with her?" Ceejay immediately scolded Jc. Heard in its tone the restrained annoyance.
"If you're a decent man, can your conscience handle sending a beautiful girl home late at night?" Jc's argument.
The hot and intense gaze of the two young men returned again. Poker but Jc's look is calm while Ceejay's face is frowned upon.
"Hey, beautiful girl." Lil_ron teased Rhea with a smile.
Rhea replied with a sarcastic smile then looked in another direction.
"Okay. The court has to decide." Almira's statement calmed the hot gaze of Jc and Ceejay.
The officers immediately gathered in front of the four who were sitting. Turned away from them to prevent them from reading what they were talking about.
"Even me. When Musaii sleeps in the same room with his boy best friend. I'm really uncomfortable." Nono explained in a low voice. Only the officers will be able to hear.
"So you don't trust Musaii?" Otso immediately scolded.
"I trust her, but I don't trust any boy who is with her." Nono answered.
"It's like you said that Four can't be trusted." Otso added.
"Great. For the duration of Primera and Four's friendship, are we still thinking like this?" Almira joined the conversation.
"She already has a boyfriend, right? So there are limitations." Lil_ron added more.
"The same should be applied Princebeybe and Anonymous." Sais has also joined the conversation.
"Anonymous is flirtatious, so the couple in our clan are in trouble." Otso's reasoning.
"What do you think, Boss Uno?" Juviler asked their founder who was deep in thought.
"I've made up my mind." Uno said then faced the four accused who were sitting.
The officers faced the four almost at the same time. Even though they were bored and annoyed, they turned their attention to the officers facing them.
"It is possible that one of you will be terminated." Lil_ron started and looked at Marjorie, "Anonymous, this is not the first time you have had an enemy in the clan and got into trouble."
Marjorie just raised an eyebrow at the Terminator and looked in another direction. Showing that she is not interested in what he has to say. The young man just ignored that and turned to Rhea.
"Primera, you know that trash talk is not allowed in sending group messages but you did it five times. You can also be terminated." Continued by Lil_ron.
Rhea's answer was only a half-smile then she nodded. But before Lil_ron could continue what he had to say, Jc complained again.
"Seriously? Are you going to terminate him for a light offense?" Protesting by Jc.
"I've made up my mind." Uno immediately answered before Lil_ron could answer.
"All right. When Primera is terminated, I will also quit." Jc threatened.
All their shocked reactions turned to Jc. Especially Rhea, whose eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open.
"Hey.." Almira added.
"Seriously, man?" Juviler also joined.
"Oh okay. You're going to have a farewell party because you've been terminated." Uno immediately said and looked around at the four.
They all focused on Uno. Looking forward to the continuation of his statement that was deliberately cut off.
"Anonymous." Continued by Uno.
Jc grinned hugely as he looked at Uno, "I thought I was going to have a farewell party."
Juviler and Nono were very happy as they walked to where Jc was.
"What are you. We can't handle it when a Four is gone in the clan." Juviler joked while wrapping his arm around Jc's neck.
"BUT!"
The smile that was going on suddenly disappeared when Uno spoke again in a high tone. Reason for them to once again turn their attention to their Founder.
"There really is, Boss?" Juviler asked as his eyebrows met.
"Naturally. There is a condition." Uno answered.
Jc's smile slowly disappeared when he and Uno looked at each other while Uno looked at him seriously. The Founder briefly glanced at Rhea who was looking at him and was waiting for what he would say and then looked back at Jc.
"Fine. You don't have to say." Jc responded.
"What's the condition?" Juviler is still curious.
A sincere smile appeared on Jc's face when he looked at Rhea then replied, "For the peace of Primera and Princebeybe's relationship, I will distance myself from Primera."
Rhea frowned as she snorted as she turned to Uno, "Really, Boss Uno?"
"That's my condition. I hope you will respect it." Uno said in a calm tone.
"It's unfair!" Marjorie complained in a high and annoyed tone, "Almost all the officers are Primera's friends, so they are on sides!"
"The second time you got involved in trouble, we gave you a warning but you didn't listen so you are terminated." The Founder explained in a low tone.
"You can leave, Anonymous." Lil_ron added more.
Marjorie frowned as she scrambled to her feet and turned her back on them. But before he could even step, Ceejay immediately approached her.
"Marjorie," Ceejay called the girl, "We're still textmates, aren't we?"
The girl's smile reached her ears, "Of course."
The young man also smiled at her, "Be careful."
"You also." The young woman gave an attractive smile and winked, then she completely turned around and walked away from them.
"The counseling is over. Everyone go back to the hut." Uno ordered in a high tone of voice.
"There's still EB, Boss? It's almost 9." Nono said.
"Naturally. Because we can't bond when you don't know the newbies." He explained.
Their Founder walked first while Juviler, Nono and Jc followed behind him, and Sais, Otso, Lil_ron and Almira followed behind the three.
"Jc," Rhea softly called the young man.
Jc stopped walking when he heard the girl's voice, as well as the two young men at the same time.
"When is the condition effective? Nothing was mentioned." Juviler shouted at their Founder who was ahead of them.
Uno stopped walking and turned in their direction. He saw Rhea and Jc watching him, waiting for his reaction or what he would say.
"Tomorrow." Uno answered then turned away from them.
"Alright, we'll go first." Juviler spoke then removed his arm wrapped around Jc's neck then turned his back on them.
"You two, go back to the hut immediately." Nono reminded and then followed Juviler.
The two just smiled as they watched the officers leave.
"Regarding what you did earlier," Rhea began, seeming to have second thoughts and Jc turned to her, "You shouldn't have done that."
"I have confidence in Uno. That he will not determine a member when he knows he is a good one." Jc explained in a sincere tone with a smile.
Earlier the young woman was looking at the young man's face, now she was bending down when their eyes met then she put her hands together, "The condition?"
"I have to fulfill. I might actually be terminated." Jc explained and his voice suddenly became serious.
"But we're still friends, aren't we?" The girl asked hesitantly.
"Of course." Then the young man carefully put his hand on the girl's head then messed her hair, "You can go to the party house if you miss me."
The girl looked up at the young man and saw a joking smile on his face and the girl only answered it with a lazy smile.
"Your smile seemed to disagree." The young man commented then removed his hand from the girl's head.
"I'm still annoyed with him." The girl replied and looked at the ground again.
"In an argument, it doesn't matter who is first or who is at fault. The important thing is that you both value your relationship. This is accompanied by a decrease in pride." The young man explained.
The girl looked up at the young man again and smiled sincerely. The young man was the same with her.
"Wow. Deeply pulled." The intervention of the only officer who they thought had left.
The two turned to where the voice came from and saw her with her arms crossed with a sarcastic smile.
"Almira?"
"Crush mate?"
They almost exclaimed at the same time.
"I thought you had returned to the hut?" Added by Jc.
"You just thought that." Her answer.
"Then go back." The young man ordered.
"Yes. Let's go back." She answered with emphasis on the last word then dragged Jc to walk.
"Wait. We are still talking." Jc still protested.
"My handsome cousin just finished the counseling." She reminded.
"I know. The condition is still effective tomorrow." The young man stated but Almira tightened her grip on the young man's hand.
The young man had no choice but to frown as they walked away from Rhea. He stopped protesting and just followed his cousin.
Rhea just smiled as she watched the image of them moving away.