Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 1-3) ✓

49 | A Painful Reminder

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MAX WAS STILL WITH BND when Ari, Felix, and Ervin arrived at the Great Hall. They all went to their usual table, which was now a bit more cramped up since Jokers decided to join them. Of course, it's still pretty strange, but the three just got used to it.

     "Please don't tell me BND will start joining us down here once Max wins," Felix says as the three take their seats while waiters serve them their lunch.

     "Let's not assume it for now. Max may have improved, but we can't forget the fact that the other contestant who will be participating trained for a year too. We can't pretend as if Max will just miraculously beat them all with no effort," Ari says.

     "Why do you always have to be so pessimistic?" Felix says with an annoyed expression.

      "I'm not being pessimistic. I'm being realistic. Max isn't some kind of god, and as much as we admire him and his skills, he's not the best person in the world. We shouldn't be fooling ourselves. Max is just one person," Ari tells them, explaining the harsh reality about their friend.

     "He's right though," Ervin then agrees, and Felix finally lets it go.

      The three starts eating without Max while the students in the Great Hall continue to be as rowdy as they are every time they're eating lunch. But as some students run around the hall like kids, the first brotherhood finally appears.

     Ervin, who got ready to take a bite of his pasta, immediately stands from his seat with the rest of the Jacks to bow to their brotherhood, Jokers.

     Krist and the rest of the members of Jokers enter the hall while the other students ignore them. But as they were walking in the middle of the aisle, one of the white uniforms whose been running around the hall accidentally slams himself on Krist, finally making everyone stop what they were doing.

     Ari and his friends expected that the student would apologize, but to their surprise, he fixes his uniform and glares at Krist before running away. The action almost made Felix spit on his food.

     "Did he just—"

     The students who saw what happened started laughing while Jokers stood in the middle of the hall.

     Like what Krist was worrying about, the white uniforms have started to look down on his brotherhood ever since they lost to Max. Of course, Krist doesn't hold a grudge against Max, but that event affected his brotherhood greatly. 

     They were once feared, but now they're just literal clowns in their eyes. And it seems like them moving down from the balconies made the white uniforms think that they're somehow equal to them now.

    "How dare you..." Brave was about to chase after the white uniform who glared at their leader, but Krist immediately stops Brave and says, "Don't. Max's competition is tomorrow. We don't want to cause him any trouble."

     "But—"

     "I'm hungry," Rome - their youngest - immediately says so Brave could just let it go.

     Brave takes a deep breath and nods his head in defeat. Then Jokers continue to walk their way to their seats as their underlings take their seats one by one.

     Ervin continues to stand as he waits for Jokers to arrive at their table. But as they were walking, another shameless student - who's, unfortunately, a third-year gaffer - suddenly says, "Where's their bitch? Don't tell me they left him sore at the rooftop again."

     The surrounding students laugh as Jokers try to ignore them, but the student dared to continue.

     "Can't believe they made him our representative for Brains & Brawn when all that guy has is his asshole and pretty face. What's he gonna do, seduce the judges?" The white uniform then asks.