CHAPTER 18: and the varia welcomed a new member

Stepping out of the sleek limousine, Byakuran brushes his white locks backward. His purple eyes sweep the passing students as he carelessly extends his hands.

"Ah, good morning, Byakuran," the familiar voice of the student council president greets.

Byakuran smiled as he passively receives his school bag and a freshly bought cup of hot chocolate. "Good morning~" he hums before taking a sip of his drink.

With practiced ease, Byakuran ignores the whispers and envious glances at his drive. "Have a nice day, young master," the assistant bade with a bow, watching the whitehead get further away. They waited for him to step into the school's ground before getting back in the limousine.

"Eye-catching as always, Chouku-san," Sakakibara laughs as he nods at the white head in greetings. "If you continue like this, I fear for my fame," he jokes, brushing his bangs back to reveal his smooth forehead. His eyes met those of some underclassmen on the side, and he winked, sending the pack of younger girls in a fangirling frenzy.

Gakushu rolled his eyes. "As things stand, you're the only one nurturing a fan club, Ren," he reminded as he led the way up the stairs.

"Aha, touché."

Byakuran gave the two teens by his side a sidelong glance, and his eyes narrowed in a blend of distaste and passive acceptance. They were a mild reminder of his Wreaths, only not as loyal, strong, obedient, or attached. He licked his upper lip off the hot chocolate. He supposed they were bearable enough.

They reached the third floor. Byakuran finished his drink. As he passed the entry to their class, he dumped the empty paper cup in the trashcan and took out a pack of marshmallows with 50% less sugar out. Those were bought specifically for the morning because: "too much sugar so early will give you cavities, Ran-chan!"— or so his brother said.

Either way, he'd just eat twice as many marshmallows to make up for the 50% sugar that was lost in the process.

It had already been a week since his brother's suspension. The rainy season behind them and outdoor swimming classes resuming did not mean much to Byakuran. Sunny weather like today's reminded him of Deisy and his rabbit doll full of stitches, Bubu.

He closed his eyes, leaning his face against the palm of his hand as he silently brushed the violet tattoo under his eye with the tip of his finger.

Although it was only mid-June, the break was now mere weeks away, and thoughts of his Wreaths kept coming and going. Maybe it was because he had never been away from them or Shoichi for so long after regaining his 'memories' or perhaps it was the visit to the zoo and the animal reminiscent of their Asura boxes, Byakuran missed them. Only a very little, tiny, tiny bit.

Not that he'd tell them.

The bell rang announcing the beginning of the first term, homeroom, and Byakuran uncaringly finished his 50% less sugar marshmallows pack. He spied their homeroom, a woman with a cold and severe face entering the class, and with the elegance only the White Spell faction's Boss could have, he retrieved his second pack of white treats and tore it open.

He noticed the way the woman's eyebrow twitched and how she gripped her files tighter. He remarked how some of his classmates stiffened, and with the relish only the strong possessed, he brought one of those sugary sweets to his lips. His eyes narrowed.

One of the few things Byakuran liked about Kunugigaoka was the blind reverence they had for those above. As Byakuran himself toppled all if not most of the school, he loved it.

Byakuran did not have a God complex.

After all, that would be insulting himself, he was once a God, and the number of people who considered him a Deity or a Divine Apostle was not scarce.

Morning classes went by slowly with a two-hour course on geopolitics following homeroom and another hour and a half of traditional literature before their final morning class— advanced calculus before lunch break.

"—Which reminds me, we plan on dropping by the school's library for some self-study after classes. Since most of the student council work is done and over with and midterms are coming," Sakakibara explained as he twirled some pasta around his fork. With grace and while always showing off his best profile, he brought the pasta to his lips— no sauce dripping or dirtying his clothing and napkin. It was a talent in itself.

"I won't be joining you. I have to work on some last-minute document the Chairman handed over during recess," Gakushu cut as he filled his glass with water. His purple eyes were slightly narrowed as he mentioned his father, a blend of exasperation and distaste mostly swimming in his irises.

Ren pouted, handsomely, of course, before brushing his hair back and shrugging his shoulder in defeat. "Ah, the joy of being president," he sighed.

Byakuran mutely nodded— though he handed over most of the paperwork to Shoichi or Kikyo when he was a Boss, but details here again.

"Will you need any help?" Sakakibara asked, a genuine, friendly smile on his lips as he asked his friend. "We can also keep you a seat," he casually added, as if getting a seat in the library was easy.

Getting a seat in the library was like going to the auction house. The number of places was limited, and access was granted following a plethora of criteria. Some of them being your place on the waiting list, naturally, but it mainly depended on where you stood on the power pyramid.

As members of A-class and the student council, not to mention part of the famous and infamous Virtuosi, Gakushu and Sakakibara had free passes to such privileges.

"Nah, it's okay," the strawberry blond dismissed with a helpless shake of his head. "I think my— father wants to talk," he spat with an eye roll.

"Mmm, well, if you ever change your mind, I guess," the secretary reminded, a wry smile on his lips before he slid his gaze and attention back to Byakuran in front of him. "Well, you weren't there when we took the tickets, but what's one more person?" he rhetorically asked, lightly chuckling.

Byakuran swore he saw some girls swoon at Sakakibara's low chuckle. With pride, he reminded himself that no one could ever reach Kikyo's level of worship for him— not even Gokudera and his exuberant displays. Sakakibara's fangirls were nothing.

"Will you join us?"

Byakuran swallowed his mango-flavored yogurt, licking his upper lip, he hummed. He was about to deny the offer. There was no use in studying in such a place but thinking about how his brother was swamped with Varia-related work and how he wanted him to get friends, Byakuran backtracked.

"Sure."

::

Koro's eyebrow twitched, as did the not-so-perfect-anymore smile on his lips.

"As I said, it was an accident," he reiterated, his voice stable, yet the people on the other side of the screen could easily hear the annoyance lingering in his tone. The Takaoka report was coming to bite him in the butt, and he did not like it.

"Ushishishi, that's what says you, Yu~" the natural blond retorted as he hugged his stomach in laughter. Doubling over himself and hitting the armrest with surprisingly controlled strength, he seemed to find the situation hi-la-ri-ous.

Koro's lips noticeably jerked upward in a refrained annoyed expression. He loudly exhaled, trying to control his face as he leaned in the fauteuil of his office.

Belphegor's laughter gained another octave at his motion, sending him in another fit of it.

"Now, now, don't laugh too much, Bel," Lussuria tried to control from beside the blond. A hand rested right above his mouth as he, too, tried not to chuckle and cackle. "Yucca-chan will be sa—" he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Probably encouraged by Lussuria's laugh, Belphegor's cackle intensified.

Koro pinched the space between his eyebrows in exasperation. His smile slipped, and he deadpanned at the duo— surprisingly enough, two Varia executives feared and renowned throughout the Underworld for their murdering craze and sadistic display of violence.

Koro was sorry, but the only thing he saw in the teen blond and fake green head were idiots. Maybe loveable sometimes, but fools nonetheless.

"Why— why did you even call me?" he muttered, half-exhausted, quarter-indulgent, and quarter-amused (mildly, of course).

His answer was a cacophony of cackle and laughter. It went on for a second or two before a large, round, unidentified shape really occupied the entirety of his screen.

Koro blinked his purple eyes. He did not wear contacts these days, so his eyes were their natural color.

What?

He did not voice his question, but the way one of his eyebrows rose while the other lowered was enough to show his perplexed mood.

"OoooOoooh," the childish voice of a boy who hadn't undergone puberty reached Koro's ears through his headphones. "You're—" there was a pause, and Koro began to discern a pair of eyes at the bottom of the screen. They squinted, seeming deep in thought, yet the pupils and irises remained as blank as ever. "not the white cheese fairy's brother," he muttered.

Suddenly, Koro recognized the boy as Fran— or Francis, but Fran was easier for everyone, so Fran it was.

"Then, are you the white cheese fairy?" the boy whispered, voice unwavering and serious, or blank depending on the point of view. "But, your hair is an ugly yellow, like the stupid prin—"

Koro saw a dagger flying through Fran's face, followed by a dull thump. Probably the blade embedding itself in the wall, unsurprisingly.

"Kaching! Don't dodge you shitty frog!" Belphegor barked, his laughter halting when he heard the word 'stupid' precede the unfinished 'prince.'

Koro emotionlessly observed as Belphegor took out a dozen of knives from his Varia coat. They dangled at his fingertips for a second. The next, they blindly charged at Fran.

Koro felt saddened that Fran, nine-year-old this year, was already acclimatized to the mafia. At least he retained his innate persona, which meant the Underworld hadn't truly changed him, courtesy to Mukuro and the Kokuyo Gang.

"Fran?" Koro finally uttered after watching the boy taunt the teen and the knives flying about yet never knocking off the monitor or webcam. "Wasn't he supposed to be with Mukuro?" he questioned, bringing his attention to Lussuria, the only adult, literally.

The Sun Guardian shrugged, a broad grin painting his lips. "Aha~ Well, Squalo-chan thought it was time to initiate Fran-chan here to what it meant to be Varia Quality," he cooed, hand to his cheek in an attempt to act cute.

Koro was unfazed by Lussuria's antics, as he did not react to Bel and Fran's squabble, long desensitized to them. "And Mukuro agreed?"

"Ara~ Now, now Yucca-chan, don't be such a tease~" the man reprimanded with an exaggerated pout of his lips. Behind him, Belphegor and Fran finally stopped running around with Fran trapped in one of Bel's deadlocks. "Of course, Mukuro didn't agree!" and Lussuria laughed.   

During a split second, Koro wondered why he even asked the question. After all, even in the future, Bel and Squalo abducted the teen into joining the Varia.

"Master fought bravely before falling," Fran added in the background, his face a deadpan as he brought his hand together as if to pray for his master's soul to rest in peace.

"Shishishi, this prince totally kicked his butt!" Bel boasted, brushing his bangs and flashing a smug grin at the camera.

"Yeah," was Koro's eloquent answer.

Lussuria very tenderly pushed Bel's face aside, leaving his gracious visage to overtake the screen. "A-ny-ways! Fran is now part of the family, yay!" he cheered, taking a party popper out of nowhere and sprinkling confetti everywhere.

"Kaching! It's temporary!" Bel reminded, swatting the confetti and Luss aside.

"Fortunately," came Fran's blazé answer.

Koro wryly laughed. Since Bel and Luss were the ones to call, it probably meant that Fran was doing his apprenticeship under either of them— or both.

"Now, now, Bel, let's not doubt the child's abilities," Lussuria lightly admonished. He brushed his hair back, rearranging his messy bangs before tilting his head back at the camera.

"Tsk."

"Ah~ Bel is rebelling, mama Luss~" Koro jocked, hand covering his mouth in schadenfreude as he watched the Sun Guardian gently hit the back of the teen's head.

"Do not fear, Yucca-chan, I'll watch over him for you~" Lussuria cooed back, he probably winked as he blew him a kiss, but Koro didn't see it behind the thick shades that covered the man's eyes.

"Aww, thanks Luss, I knew I could count on you."

"Of course, that's a given, Yucca-chan!"

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