2 months later
{Raven}
It was time for recruitment at this time in early May. Me, Jane and some other Inoue group members of our age and older were all gathered in one of the training halls at the headquarters. This happened every year at the same day when we'd recruit new people from different groups and the few that had the powers of the Inoue family but didn't join the group yet. Vince wasn't with us since only the ones with the Inoue gifted powers were allowed to guide newcomers. To be honest I didn't enjoy being here on a rainy day like this because I'd rather train more.
After we returned home with the dagger I had had a long conversation with my aunt, the head of the group, about how careless I acted and what dangers I could've caused for everyone if the dagger got into the wrong hands. Luckily, she had promised to not tell my older brother since he was on the other side of the world right now. Him knowing that I screwed up was even worse than being told to self reflect... I could not show weakness in front of him if I wanted him to respect me.
But that wasn't the matter right now so I tried to push the thought back and prepare for all the newcomers with their annoying questions and weak abilities. It was seriously such a nasty work showing them around, explaining everything and if they didn't have fighting experience the training was energy draining.
"Do you think he will show up?" Jane pulled me out of my thoughts when she sat down next to me on the side benches of the hall.
"Who the hell are you talking about. Be more specific." I said back but made enough space for her to sit.
"The guy we met in Germany, the one that threatened you to death." She giggled knowing she hit a nerve as I gave her a death glare.
"That guy must be suicidal if he dares setting a foot in this building. He probably wouldn't even get through all the paper work to be allowed to join the group." I spoke my thoughts out loud, doubting that they'd let any random person join our group. And if I ever saw that brat again... I'd make sure to pay him back.
"He really was an odd one, don't you think?" Jane continued getting lost in her memories and I stared at her for a second and shook my head with a sigh. If even Jane thought he was odd there had to be some truth to it.
"He's an arrogant brat if you ask me."
"Yeah, but he was completely fearless and how he dodged your punsh was kinda fascinating. And don't you think it's odd that he used make up to make him look more shabby?" Her eyes sparkled with interest but I didn't want to think about it. The fact that I hadn't been able to catch him was embarrassing enough.
"Wait, so that actually was make up?" I wondered loudly when remembering how the guy had said this to me. Honestly, I was pretty sure he had been lying to deny the fact that he was ugly but if Jane noticed it it had to be true.
"Yeah, I noticed immediately when I brought him inside. I've seen people doing this before but I still don't get it." She signed and shrugged before getting up to stretch her arms.
"The newbies will come in any minute so you better be nice to them or I'll tell your aunt." She threatened with a sweet smile and punshed my shoulder a little too hardly to be friendly. I couldn't be angry at her for that though because I always did the same.
Just as Jane predicted, 5 minutes later about 30 people, mostly young ones in their 20s like us walked into the hall. Some of them where shyly looking around, some were blooming with joy and other's did already know this place. It was the same every year although this year there were a little less applicants. That was definitely a good thing though because it meant less work.
"Welcome to the LA Inoue headquarters. If I'm not mistaken you should have already received a presentation about how all of this works half an hour ago." The loud voice of Mr. Gray echoed through the hall and all the people attentively listened and nodded.
"I am here to assign all of you a valued member of our family that will show you around and be responsible for your training for the first month. After that you are free to join classes for close combat, IT, business and more so you'll have enough time to decide what you'll do within the group. We have 33 applicants and 17 guides and so we'll have groups of three and one group of two. The decision is made per coincidence." He finished his little speech and started handing out random pieces of paper to each guide.
I was the last to take one so I'd be in the group with only two people. Begrudgingly, I read the name written on it and proceeded to yell for whoever that person was.
"Rune Smith! Rune Smith get your ass here!" I yelled and earned the side eye from Mr. Gray when someone was already on their way through the crowd. I wasn't gonna lie at first I thought it was a girl when I first noticed the shining blond hair that was tied up in a bun at the back of the person's head. I needed to blink a few times to realize that this indeed was a boy. He was smaller that me and his face had unique soft features with well shaped lips, a pointy nose and a dark brown eye color. However, his jawline was rather sharp and the messy curtain bangs weren't neatly styled like most girls would do it.
I didn't notice how I stared for a bit too long until the guy called Rune introduced himself.
"Hello Raven, so that's how we meet again." his pink lips curled up into a grin looking like he was about to laugh when realization hit me in shock. That voice... it couldn't be...
"You!" I shouted and jumped back from him feeling like he used some witch craft to change his looks like this. Even his clothing was so different from before. Instead of a shabby hoodie he was wearing a dark blue sweater over a white blouse combined with wide ripped Jean's and a coat. That prick!
"Raven, what is the problem this time?" I heard Mr. Gray creeping up behind my back as he grabbed my shoulder.
"I want to switch groups." I demanded but as usual the Mister just made a tired face.
"You can't switch groups."
"But it's the guy from 2 months ago!" I pleaded expecting to finally get a reaction when the man started scanning Rune from foot to toe. He raised an eye brow for a moment.
"I said I wanted to join your group and here I am. Since I got through the paper work you can be assured that I am in no way trying to harm your group." he voiced out with confidence showing no sign of lying.
"You still threatened a member of the leading family. But because Raven did worse to you we decided to let it slide for now. Inoue group needs more young talented people. Raven, get yourself together and forget about the past, he is our junior now so you'll take care of him." The man then said leaving no room for compromise and when I turned around he was already walking away.
God damn, how was he so calm about this?!
"Lets start all over. My name is Rune Smith, nice to meet you." That brat really thought I'd shake his hand when he played nice, huh? I glared at him but regained my calm and posture.
"I'll make sure you are kicked out if here, bastard. Don't think I'll forget what happend." I coldly said and turned around to leave the hall. He immediately was by my side and walked with his attention on me still as calm and with that smile.
"I won't forget what happened either Raven Inoue, because I probably won't be able to tolerate your toxic behaviour forever." he answered making my fists clench for a second. No, I would't let myself get triggered by him so easily. There was plenty of time during training that I could pay him back and make him shut up. Doing something without thinking again could end up in my aunt scolding me again.
"I guess you'll have to deal with that for the next month." I said back and slammed the door in front of us open so he could barely dodge it.
"Seriously though, things would be easier if you wouldn't be so angry all the time." He smoothly switched to the other side next to me and fixed his hair a little. It annoyed me how much he resembled a girl.
"Shut up, we met two times. How do you know what I am like? You haven't even seen me angry." I proceeded to walk into an elevator and Rune followed me closely then standing on the opposite side. That way we were forced to look at other and neither broke eye contact.
"Yeah that's probably true. But I really want to join your group so I think it'd benefit both of us if we started of on good terms, don't you think?" He tilted his head slightly and raised an eyebrow making his eye make up more visible.
"How could I be in good terms with a guy that held me a dagger to the throat and looks like a weak little girl, yet is so arrogant he deserves getting punshed across the face?" I raised my eyebrow too and crossed my arms.
For a moment Rune was quiet and his smile faded a bit.
"Hm yeah sure I guess you have a point." he now averted his eyes and continued to stay quiet until we reached the upper floor.
I wouldn't feel bad about this... he provoked it. I suppressed the possibility of feeling a bit guilty when I lead Rune into the large cafeteria with several different eating areas next to a cantine as well as a cafe and a small convenience store, all on this side of the building's forth floor.
"Whatever, you probably came inside through the entrance hall and you've already seen part of the training area on the second floor. Here we have the cafeteria for any kind of food and also on this floor is a library with computers and some of the classrooms and office rooms for the group members working in the IT sector." I mumbled down the same old phrase as every year and pointed at all the stuff I was talking about.
"You'll get a company card that you can use to buy stuff as soon as your lessons start in a month. Until then you'll need to pay with your cash, unless you have none. Then you should leave" I added and turned around to see if he was listening.
"Thanks." Rune looked around himself.
"For actually showing me around although I held a knife to your throat." he added but I couldn't notice any sarcasm in his voice.
"I'll get in trouble otherwise so don't think I do this because I want to." I answered with a duh face and didn't wait for him to say anything but continued to walk along the window front from which you could look down at the streets covered in umbrellas. Why did I even talk to him?
"Raven!" Rune was quick to catch up to me.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry." He remarked out of nowhere and stared deep into my eyes making me confused for a second.
"What for? Stop acting weird." I turned away and walked faster than before so he almost had to run.
"For what you said, hey slow down." He hurried after me but I didn't intend on continuing this conversation. This guy got on my nerves.
"I realized that I shouldn't judge you for acting the way you do because I indeed did all these things to you so you have every right to be mad." He explained himself without noticing that what he said was the greater offense. I had enough of this. How could a single person push my limits like that?
We had just entered the hallways that were usually empty and I abruptly came to a hold with him behind me.
"Are you trying to say that I am mad at you for merely threatening to kill me? I could easily kill you any second but I had mercy on you the first time we met. You're not the one who is dangerous here, I am. So be fucking grateful that you're still alive and drop that nice act." I stepped closer to him but he wouldn't back of... so he still thought I was some kind of pushover?
"Then... what can I do so you're not angry anymore?" Rune almost whispered but kept his eyes on me just like in the elevator. He had no fear, did he?
"Fuck off and never come back." I spat and flicked his forehead hardly. For a second he stumbled back and then touched the red spot on his skin with his hand.
"Ouch." was the only thing he said.
"What? Are you mad now?" I tried provoking him, expecting the guy to finally lose his calm as I saw his eyes narrowing and his lips being pressed together.
"N- no, I'm usually not getting mad at people over this." His voice sounded pressed and he closed his eyes for a few seconds before clenching his fists.
"It sure looks differently though." I remarked sassily seeing how he attempted to hold back his anger.
"N- no it just really..." he wobbled from one side to the other and blinked a few times.
"...hurts." The moment he finished his sentence Rune suddenly collapsed on the floor, his head landing on his arm.
I needed a few seconds to understand what had just happened right now so I only stood there frozen for a moment.
That was until I finally realized that I had flicked him with my gifted force ability like I usually did because people with that power had stronger muscle so a single hit like that felt normal to them... but I forgot that this dude did not have the Inoue gifted abilities.
"I knocked him unconscious." Saying this out loud felt funny and I couldn't stop a small laugh from escaping my lips. All this time Rune had been annoying me and a single finger flick knocked him out. How ridiculous.
"Hey, wake up, weakling." I squatted down and shook him a few times.
{Rune}
Letting him flick my head like this surely wasn't one of my best decisions but when I realized what happened I already was on the edge of falling unconscious. Raven really was hard to handle and I didn't know if I could ever get him to get along with me... I didn't even know if I wanted to get along with him because of how difficult he was. Why didn't I get another senior?!
Oh, I really wished to punch him back right now and I could imagine a hundred things I could say to make him go crazy. However, I would never do that even if there was nothing on the line because I'd most definitely regret it later. I hated being indebted to someone because I did them wrong which was also why I apologized to him. I meant that apology but of course he didn't accept it.
Suddenly, I heard the dull sound of Raven's voice when I slowly came back to my senses. I was laying on my back probably still on the floor and the other was squatting next to me. He had my face cupped in his hands and his ear was close to my nose... he must have checked if I was still breathing. How lovely, I thought ironically.
"Get off me, big guy." I exclaimed emotionlessly but feeling highly uncomfortable because of how close he was. I had never let people close apart from my family and my ex girlfriend. And even then I didn't like hugging them most of the time. If it wasn't for my dazed state I might have pushed him off immediately.
Raven turned his head, immediately letting go of my face and getting off me. I could still feel the warmth of his skin on the side of my face but the pain in my head let me forget about that quickly. It wasn't that bad but I was really not good at handling that kind of pain. I once even fainted on a street simply because I sprained my ankle.
"Stop laying around on the floor and get up." Raven said but not as pissed as before. His black and red hair strands were covering part of his eyes and his face was turned away so I couldn't really see what he was looking like at the moment. The fact that he did not apologize didn't surprise me much... his ego was too big to admit that he made a mistake so forcing him would only make things worse.
On wobbly knees with a slighty blurry view I got up but stumbled back and fell again, this time on my butt.
I noticed Raven's body instantly turning toward me.
"I can do this myself, don't worry about me." I assured him and again tried to get up, this time having success.
"I wasn't trying to help you." Raven mumbled but I could barely make out his voice to be honest.
"I think I'll leave for now. I'll find my way through the rest of the building." I smiled at him and quickly waved my hand as a good bye before leaving to the other direction where we came from.
"Hey wait! We're not finished!" Raven yelled after me but I didn't listen but kept walking as straight as my body allowed me to.
There was no guarantee I wouldn't collapse again any second so I had to make it out of this building or somewhere I was alone. This day was already weird enough as it was.
Noticing how I lost my hearing for longer periods of time I decided to just go into the men's toilets and lock myself into a cabin to calm down.
I sat down on the floor and leaned my head against the wall to calm my breathing. Hitting one's head like this surely wasn't a funny thing but it was not the first time this happened to me so I was rather sure I'd be fine. The thought of collapsing again in front of people, especially in front of Raven was something I strongly disliked even though I knew it was stupid but I just couldn't change it.
I really enjoyed helping others, listening to others and hated hurting people but I struggled showing my weak sides to others, even to my sister. It made me feel like they'd think I was weak or that they had to be careful and I hated that. I also hated when people felt responsible for me which is why I told Raven I was fine. It's not like he would have done anything in the first place but if I wasn't well because of him he most likely would get in trouble.
And also... I didn't believe it had been Raven's motive to knock me unconscious so he probably felt uncomfortable about it. That's why I shouldn't make it worse... and I had no right to judge him without knowing anything about that guy.
I sat like this for another half an hour before all the symptoms had pretty much faded so I could get up and leave the bathroom to get me something with lots of sugar from the small convenience store in the building that Raven had shown me.
This definitely was a difficult start to get behind the mysteries of my families massacre but it was a beginning.