_Lavalee Flamelinne Hanazono's Point of View_
We've been here for five months now and a lot happened.
In almost two weeks, I'd be turning eighteen which means I'll have to do my duties as the Lady of the Hanazaki Palace.
I joined the underground games and won consecutively then during the announcement of my new status ranking, I admitted that I lost my rights as a Lady of the Hanazaki Palace.
Nii-sama was looking at me intently and suddenly, lots of red dots pointed at me before a council member pointed out that I may have been demoted from my rank, I won the Underground Games and had already undergone the Palace Punishments, hence, I have regained my title.
This time I'm not just some Lady of the Hanazaki Palace, I am Lady Venus of the Hanazaki Mafia Palace and Lady Flame to the Hanazaki Yakuza Empire.
Even though I lost my status, I gained a higher status.
Those red dots were from assassins who are tasked to assassinate me since I'm assassinating other assassins too.
Currently, I'm watching the preparations for the garden. Ethan and Elijah asked for our help for the surprise they are planning for Chelsea and Irene.
I sent the two a diversion that I hope would work but I already have a hunch that it won't.
"Hey," I looked back and I saw Jace
"Hey, you're not busy?" I asked him and he shook his head
"No assignment or investigation?" I queried and he crossed his arms and leaned on the wall beside me
"You know that's confidential." He told me with narrowing eyes
"But I helped you solve one," I reminded him and sipped from my champagne
"Still my work's confidential and that was because you're stubborn," he said
I was watching the preparations on the garden from the huge glass here in the second floor so I was a little startled when I saw Irene and Chelsea running up here.
I looked at Jess from the glass and she shook her head meaning the girls saw the preparation already.
It was supposedly a surprise for the two but it seems that our diversions didn't work that well.
I expected it actually, knowing that it's Irene and Chelsea working on the project they can finish it within a day and unfortunately they arrived too early, we must've underestimated them too much for giving them 24 hours.
I placed the glass of champagne on the small table and looked at Jace who walked downstairs.
"Lavalee! Come with us." Chelsea and Irene both pulled me inside my room.
"Uh? Hey, what's up?" I asked and they looked at me
"Do you know anything about Jess' plan?" Chelsea asked and I tilted my head on her
"Plan? You mean the plan for your dates with Ethan and Elijah?" I clarified
"Yes," Irene replied
"Yeah, they asked for my permission." I answered, earning skeptical look from them
"What? You allowed those idiots?" Irene asked in disbelief
"Why shouldn't I?" I asked them
"Because we're bounded by rules of our world?" Irene asked me so I looked at her like she's kidding
Irene never wanted to get reminded of the fact that we're bounded by the law of the underground, so why is she bringing that up now?
Oh, wait.
I think I know why. These girls.
"They asked for my permission and besides I gave them Aunt Irina and Aunt Christine's numbers so there's no problem with your parents." I said nonchalantly and they looked at me in disbelief
"I'm serious, you know?" I said and crossed my arms
"Lavalee!" they complained
"What? If you're worried that I allowed them to court you without your parent's consent, look I already fixed it, okay?" I said trying to calm them down
They both sighed and sat on my bed.
They seemed unpleased with what Jess and I did.
But why?
I can obviously see that they also developed some feelings for the two so why are they being like this?
Is it because I meddled with the process?
Or is it because they knew about the damn consequences?
"Whatever," they said looking defeated
"Hey, what's the matter? Is it because I meddled?" I asked them when I noticed that they're still unsure.
I know it's not it, but I don't want them to worry about it.
"Hey, aren't your parents' approvals enough? If it's because I meddled then I'm sorry." I asked and sat between them, they looked at me and hugged me
Jess entered my room too and she looked confused seeing the two hugging me so she locked the door and sat on the chair near my vanity table.
"Problem?" she asked and I looked at her and then motioned to the two.
"What's wrong?" I asked them and suddenly I heard Chelsea's sob
"Chelsea…" my voice faltered while hearing her sobs.
It's heartbreaking because we grew up together, we're tightly knitted even if we did grow up in different countries.
I'm not used to seeing nor hearing her cry because she's the most demure and she's the type of person who chooses to hide her negative emotions under an emotionless face.
"Please be selfish.." she sobbed and removed her eyeglasses and buried her head on my shoulder
What?
"Chelsea…" Even Jess sat beside Chelsea to calm her down
"Chelsea… Hey, what's the matter?" I asked her while hugging her
"Lavalee," she said and looked up so Jess wiped her tears
"What? Will you cry too? " I asked Irene who's looking at us with accusing eyes.
"No, I'll scold you," she said and averted her gaze
"What? Why? Irene… " I asked confused because her eyes were so sad
I'm so not used to seeing them like this.
I'm used to seeing Chelsea and Irene being flexible enough to remove the tension when it's unintentionally lit up.
I let go of Chelsea first and Jess who hugged her.
"How about you?" she asked so I smiled and hugged her
"What do you mean? What about me?" I asked while smiling
"You'll get hurt, you'll be punished again," I lost my smile because of that
She knew.
They knew.
I get it now.
They knew what is happening, what I'd been doing.
I suddenly realized that no secrets can be kept forever but this is too early to be revealed.
I'm not yet satisfied with what I'd done and I'm sure now that they know they'll keep their guards up and contain their selves again.
"I'm fine. I want all of you to be happy, Irene." I answered
She suddenly pushed me while looking at me as if she's hurt, she also looked angry, and when he faced me again, there were tears in his eyes.
"That's the problem with you, Lav! You're goddamn selfless! Please, just this once be fucking selfish, Lavalee." She said and pointed at me
I stood up and was about to walk up to her but she shook her head at me
"Irene…" I said while trying to walk to her but she kept on shaking her head and walking backward as I walk forward.
"Why, Lav? Why do you tend to sacrifice yourself just so that others can be free? Have you ever thought of yourself, huh, Lavalee? " she asked and looked at me while sobbing
"I did, Irene," I replied and sat on the bed
"Really, Lav? Then why the fuck are you like this? Why do you seem to live only to help? Lavalee…" she cried and I wanted to hug her so I stood up and hugged her.
It's painful for me to know that I'm hurting them with what I've been doing behind their backs.
I didn't mean to hurt them, I just want to lessen their burden but instead, it seems like I made it worse.
"Irene, I'm doing this because this is my happiness," I replied then pulled her to sit on my bed
"Why did you let her, Jess?" I heard Chelsea asking Jess
"Because I want her to be happy. Our happiness is what makes Lavalee happy, I can't take that away from her." I heard Jess reply so I looked at her and she smiled at me while caressing Chelsea
"Why are you... why... why..." Chelsea was sobbing so hard that she can't form her sentences anymore
"Because you are my family, Chelsea," I told her
"That doesn't make sense, Lavalee! Do you think we didn't know you were punished?" Irene scolded me.
"I realized earlier," I answered as I hugged Irene
"But you are being punished because of us, Lav. How can I be happy when I know that being happy makes you difficult? " Chelsea asked and cried
"Then think of it that I'm happy that you are happy, don't think of the pain, Chels," I replied
"But Lavalee..." Their voice was breaking and tears are slowly forming in my eyes
"Be happy for me, please? It's all I could ask for." I said and hugged them
Jess smiled at me and I can see tears forming in her eyes
"Lavalee knew what happened between me and Bryle." Jess said and the two looked at her
"She knew how Bryle thought I was cheating, she was there, she was the reason why Bryle couldn't trace nor contact me for two years." Jess said and smiled at me
"But you know why Lavalee allowed him near me when in fact she was the one who blocked him out of my life? Because she knew Bryle made me happy, she knew that I love Bryle and that it was all a misunderstanding, she didn't want me to explain to someone with a closed mind so she blocked Bryle out for him to realize and find out the truth himself and he did." Jess said and hugged the two
"I want the two of you to know that no matter what Lavalee did? Even if it did hurt us, she did that to make us stronger, to help us recover so don't be sad if she sacrifices for us because that's who she is. That's what makes her happy." Jess said and tears fell from my eyes
"Sorry," I told them and we hugged each other
This is us, we quarrel, we have misunderstandings but we will always stand strong, like a family.
"Don't keep secrets from us anymore, ah?" Irene told me and I nodded.
After that, they left to go to their rooms to be presentable for their dates.
I checked my phone when I heard it ring.
From: Dreice the Complicated
Mom asked you to join dinner. Are you free?
I changed his contact name since I've proven he isn't gay.
To: Dreice the Complicated
Yeah, sure.
After that, I went to my bathroom to take a bath, I fed Mnemosyne first of course.
I wore a blue hanging blouse and high-waisted black pants and black converse. I brought my phone, wallet, and keys in my small sling bag. I combed my hair and applied a little foundation and lip tint.
To: Dreice the Complicated
Why did she invite me for dinner?
After I sent it, I went to Mnemosyne and tapped her head.
"I'll be home tonight, Baby Mne," I said and she roared softly
I stood up and locked my room, Mnemosyne has her mini bathroom and comfort room from the veranda so she can just jump from the veranda to there and then back to the veranda.
I checked the time and it's already 4 PM.
I saw Jess in the hallways and she raised her brow at me.
"Where are you going?" she asked
"Dreice's Mom invited me for dinner," I answered and took my phone out.
'She wants to meet you.' He replied
"Meeting the parents when you're not even official," Irene said and that's when I noticed that she's already here
"It's not like that." I rolled my eyes at her
"Jess, because you don't have a date," she glared at me while I smiled meaningfully at the two
"You feed Mne," I said
"Okay, the pin's Lavalee, right?" she asked and I nodded
I went downstairs, I brought Chelsea to where she'll be meeting Ethan, and brought Irene to where she'll be having a date with Elijah before I went to the garage where Jace is waiting for me.
"Let's go," I said and rode his car
If I remember correctly the town of St. Anne in the province of Victoria is a two to three hours drive from here so it's likely that we'll arrive around 7 PM.
"How did your Mom know about me?" I asked him
"She knew my assignment," He said
"I thought it's confidential?" I asked
"Uncle informs her," He answered
"Uncle?" I asked him confusedly
"Lagresch Crime Division Police Chief Teodoro Vargaz," he answered
"Your mother's brother?" I asked and he nodded
"Do you have other relatives? Cousins? Aunts?" I asked him
"Uncle's wife and son died years ago." He said
"Oh, so he's your only relative?" I asked
"He's our only relative that I know." He said