The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 18

| Chapter Eighteen — Newbies |
| 📍 Berchtesgaden, Germany |

"Cerise and Carmine? Ahh, I would've never guessed."

"You would've never guessed?" A chuckle runs up the throat of who repeats the words, "Cerise and Carmine have been at each others throats for years. But, if you put it that way, I do suppose their official battle has just begun."

A hum, "Should we be greedy?"

"Greedy, ma'am?"

"What I'm saying is, I'd love to join," There's a pout on the face of who sighs, dark hair falling in front of her face, "I'd hate to just sit on the sidelines after having done so for so long."

"Jihyo sunbae," A hand is placed on the woman's desk— dark, yet, curious eyes meeting her own, "Are you sure we should wrap ourselves up in a story that never planned for us to be characters?"

Jihyo grins, "There, there now, Quanrui."

Quanrui sighs, "Ma'am, I told you I preferred to be called Ricky."

Jihyo's happy expression remains, "My apologies, dear." She hums, flicking one of her freshly manicured nails on the sharp tip of her pen, "Run along and round up the others will you?" She asks, "Park Gunwook, Hanbin-ah, Jongseong.... Collect anyone who has the brains and ability for a fight." She tells Ricky, tilting her head with a chuckle just a moment later, "Which shouldn't be hard since that's all Cardinal offers, now isn't it?"

"Most definitely." Ricky nods, bowing slightly towards his leader before turning around. He peeks his head between the crack of the door just before he departs, "Cardinal looks to you, ma'am." He says, running the tip of his finger along the rose burned into the skin of his wrist, as if to remind Jihyo of his loyalty, "We won't disappoint you."

"I'm glad, Ricky-ssi." Jihyo leans forward, clasped hands on her desk, "I'm looking forward to having some fun with the new leaders."

Carmine and Cerise's relationship had always been bad. A lot of people knew that.

They were each other's worst enemies and had nobody to blame but one another ever since the death of Minghao's parents.

Carmine's leader had been thrown in prison, and Cerise's had both been murdered in cold blood.

It was so interesting— Their never ending feud.

With Cardinal already on the move to push into a fight that wasn't their's, it was only a matter of time before another gang dove their way in— a gory, unnerving, terrifying team who had some of the most horrid members of all time.

Carnelian.