# Chapter 35
Looking at the menu, there were delicious-looking desserts listed befitting a dessert café. They had the basics like coffee and beverages, plus a wide variety including cakes, waffles, ice cream, and chocolates with impressive visuals.
What caught my eye first was the Real Strawberry Frappuccino, topped with lots of fresh strawberries on whipped cream. I don’t usually drink coffee, and ades are too sour. Hmm. The strawberry frappuccino looked the most appealing, likely to be sweet.
But the price… 10,000 won? What kind of café drink costs 10,000 won? I checked other items to be sure, and only the Americano was somewhat reasonable at 7,000 won, while everything else easily exceeded 10,000 won. Not to mention the desserts.
Do they sprinkle gold dust on everything here? Insane. Are you kidding me?
“…Strawberry frappuccino.”
After hesitating for a long time, I muttered timidly with a slight tremor, since I refused to pay for an Americano no matter what.
“Strawberry?”
Oh Eundo quickly questioned.
I looked up from the menu and saw his face strangely tensing. Why?
“How do you feel about strawberries…?”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, I just wondered if I was mistaken.”
“Huh?”
After tilting his head in confusion, he soon called over the waiter and ordered. Six iced Americanos and one strawberry frappuccino. Then a few desserts as well.
“Apex. You could have given us a chance to choose too.”
“If you’re that unhappy, buy your own.”
“No, that’s fine.”
Kim Sara, apparently not pleased that everyone except me got Americanos, briefly protested but quickly agreed to Oh Eundo’s words. Well, in situations like this, you should just accept what’s given and keep quiet. That’s because compared to regular cafés, this place was extremely, extremely expensive. Looking around, it seemed to be such a high-end café that they didn’t even offer takeout or have a cashier at the counter. To begin with, isn’t it unusual to have formal waiters in a café?
“On Wooju, Kim Sara, and Devil executives. Any idea why I bothered calling all of you here?”
Gulp. I swallowed needlessly.
Oh Eundo looked around at everyone carefully, finally fixing his gaze on me as he spoke, and he definitely looked very serious.
“Listen carefully, this is important. The future is about to undergo dramatic changes.”
I wanted to ask, “Did you really have to use that anime-like dialogue about ‘dramatic changes’?” Hah… I already feel the cringe setting in. In contrast, everyone except me had intensely tense expressions at the Choigang Apex’s words. Honestly, I’m nervous. Usually, in situations like this, scenarios where I want to kill myself from embarrassment tend to unfold.
Please don’t say anything crazy, Oh Eundo.
“Gu Haejin. You know the current state of the hierarchical world, right?”
“Huh? Um, roughly, I guess?”
Really just roughly.
“Focus, Devil, Choigang, Coup d’état. These four major factions have naturally kept each other in check since their establishment last year, but knowingly or unknowingly, they’ve maintained a balance while coexisting. Eventually, if one side shakes, the other sides will gradually shake too. You know that well, don’t you?”
“I suppose so?”
“But that’s become reality. The balance was broken long ago, and one of the four major factions has already started to shake. No, is it almost on the verge of collapse?”
Oh Eundo was talking about Devil.
Similarly, Jung Ion, who caught on to this, seemed to think we were being disrespected and almost stood up abruptly but stopped at my cold gaze. Just stay still for a bit. I readily admitted it. There was nothing wrong in what Oh Eundo said.
“That’s right. It’s the worst.”
Even now, traitors keep emerging, and Devil has lost its influence as one of the four major factions in a short time. As I mentioned before, the rank 2 position is barely being maintained solely by my name, “Thousand-Year Prince Gu Haejin.” This started happening after Jang Seoldam disappeared.
“Both Kim Pyeonghwa and I think there’s just one thing that caused the severe damage to Devil.”
“Right.”
“It’s obvious that bastard Jang Seoldam is directly responsible, but the starting point was right after the news about your terminal illness spread.”
It felt like my head had been hit with a blunt object.
That’s right. That was the root of all the incidents. After the incorrect information about my terminal illness was known to gangs nationwide, immediately afterward, both the situation with Coup d’état and Jang Seoldam’s whereabouts changed. Fuck. Why had I forgotten something so obvious until now? The fact that Jang Seoldam disappeared was actually all because of that.
It’s so unfair. I don’t have a terminal illness!
“So the thing about my terminal illness is all a misundersta—”
“So you’re saying it’s our Apex’s fault for being sick?”
Just as I was about to explain again, Amin, who had been silently listening to everything without saying a word, spoke for the first time. There was a murderous intent in his stoic eyes, as if he was quite angry. Startled by the suddenly chilling atmosphere, I looked at him. Oh Eundo stared at Amin blankly and then smirked.
“Do you want to die?”
“…If that’s not what you meant, then fine.”
Though he was smiling, Oh Eundo’s eyes were indescribably cold in that moment. It seemed like he meant “How dare you speak to me like that?” Fortunately, Amin quickly accepted this, but the silence continued like walking on thin ice.
Around that time, the drinks and desserts we ordered arrived. A 10,000 won strawberry frappuccino was placed in front of me. The whipped cream piled like a mountain with fresh strawberries on top was drizzled generously with strawberry syrup in a pretty glass. It was a distinctively beautiful pink color that stood out among the six brownish Americanos.
First, I put one of the prominently placed strawberries in the center into my mouth. A sweet taste filled my mouth. Despite not being in season, it was delicious. I picked up another one to eat. Mmm… so good.
“What trump card are you thinking of?”
“Huh? Trump card?”
What does that mean? I slightly puckered my lips with the strawberry in my mouth.
“Yeah. Since Devil has suffered the most damage, I’m curious if you, as its Apex, have any breakthrough in mind.”
“What about you, Oh Eundo?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. If you went out of your way to bring me here, and not just me but also had your executives and our executives come along, don’t you have something in mind?”
“Hmph. Sharp as ever.”
After taking a sip of his Americano, Oh Eundo fell silent for a moment.
“Choigang has collapsed too.”
“……”
On Wooju quietly closed his eyes, and Kim Sara cursed. The Devil members just kept their mouths shut. A heavy gloom settled over us. I had expected it to some extent, but hearing it directly from the Apex, Oh Eundo, was different. In a way, only I, as an outsider, could maintain composure.
“I said earlier, if one side shakes, the other side shakes too. If you guys at rank 2 are in such a state, how do you think we at rank 3 are doing?”
“……”
“Even rank 1 Focus is shaking at this point.”
A self-deprecating laugh escaped from Oh Eundo.
“Gu Haejin. As you might have guessed, it’s Coup d’état. Jang Seoldam is going to make a move. August 1st is showtime, he said? Then what else could it be?”
“That…”
“Right. The Second Nationwide School Gang War.”
I coughed. Strangely, a headache like something stabbing my brain came over me.
The Second Nationwide School Gang War.
Fuck. What the hell is that? By this point, I was fuming with anger. Nationwide School Gang War! Damn it. Another bizarre term has popped up. Give it a rest already, you damn gang kids! …Ah. I’m tired. While listening to the conversation, I had eaten almost all the fresh strawberries and was now stirring the remaining frappuccino’s whipped cream vigorously before taking a big gulp. Strawberry, will you increase my resistance?
Even then, I didn’t realize something was going wrong.
“So it’s finally happening.”
“Ugh. So fucking annoying!”
“Like father, like son—these Coup d’état bastards are living up to their name. Damn it.”
“Crazy bastards….”
“Shit.”
The executive members each made a comment.
Fuck. What are they saying? I was listening with my ears, but my head couldn’t understand it well. I’d been sweating and feeling dizzy for a while now. The headache was getting worse and worse. My whole body was itchy. Cough, cough— The coughing increased. Ah, what is this? Really…. I frowned. Did I get indigestion again?
“So, Gu Haejin, I have a proposal for you.”
“…Huff. Is that your trump card?”
I took a deep breath internally and responded to Oh Eundo’s words as if nothing was wrong. He nodded quietly at my words. What is it?
“Let’s form an alliance—Choigang and Devil.”
CRASH!
Oh Eundo, what are you suddenly saying?! Before I could react, Kim Sara jumped up, pushing the table noisily. He was in such a hurry that he even forgot to use the title “Apex.” The others also froze at Oh Eundo’s absurd proposal. Even On Wooju and Shin Amin, who had maintained their composure throughout, seemed genuinely surprised this time. In contrast, Oh Eundo was excessively calm.
“Why an alliance?”
“Apex… an alliance seems a bit…”
Even On Wooju was trying to dissuade him. Oh Eundo frowned as if he couldn’t understand these reactions. Kim Sara was raging wildly.
“That’s right, fuck. How can you tell us to team up with those Devil guys!”
“Shit. You think you’re the only ones who feel bad? Why should we form an alliance with a lower-ranked faction? Are you crazy?!”
“Of course it’s ridiculous!”
“What the hell, you bastards?! Want to re-establish the rankings right here, right now?!”
“Come at me, Kim Sara, you little shit. I’ll make you feel in your bones what happens when you dare defy a Number Two.”
“Argh~! AAAAUGH. FUUUCK!!”
It looked like another big fight was about to break out.
My head felt like it was going to explode. The itchiness got worse, and I was so dizzy that my mind was clouded. Forget the alliance or whatever, I was about to collapse and die first. Fuck. What’s an alliance anyway? Why make such a fuss over something so trivial? If you want to do it, just do it, or don’t. Or just shut up. Damn it.
“Sunbae Sara, stop making a racket. This is something for the Apexes to resolve.”
“Aren’t you bothered at all? I fucking hate this!”
“I’m not thrilled either, but you’re being too loud.”
“Fuck. You cold-blooded bastard.”
“Still, you’re my Number Two, though.”
“Tsk.”
Though grumbling, Kim Sara followed On Wooju’s words better than expected. With Kim Sara seated again, the trio also quieted down. But they all still looked displeased, clearly not liking the situation.
“If you have another way to solve this situation besides an alliance, then speak up.”
No one could refute Oh Eundo’s words.
That’s how dire the situation was for Devil and Choigang—not good enough to be picky. Now, only one person’s decision remained: mine, the Apex of Devil. Oh Eundo asked with a slightly trembling voice, as if hoping for my approval.
“What do you think, Gu Haejin…?”
“……”
“Don’t you want to form an alliance with us?”
“…Do it.”
“What?”
“I said do it. Alliance… huff… do whatever you want….”
“Gu Haejin?”
“……”
“…What’s wrong with you?”
It was too painful. I could barely open my eyes. The coughing continued, and my head hurt so much that I couldn’t even think. My body, now drenched in sweat, felt itchy and stinging as if something was rising up. I felt like I was going to throw up terribly.
Haa… Haa… I was having trouble breathing, as if experiencing respiratory distress. My complexion turned pale, and my lips lost their color.
Gu Haejin? Gu Haejin?! …….
Oh Eundo’s voice kept sounding jumbled and dizzy.
Apex, what’s wrong?! …Apex!! Thousand-Year Prince!…… Various voices buzzed in my ears before turning into a high-pitched ringing sound like tinnitus.
I blinked several times to try to regain consciousness. Once. Twice. Three times…. If there was one thing visible through my blurry vision, it was the strawberry frappuccino I had nearly finished.
That’s when it dawned on me.
Gu Haejin’s profile.
Dislikes…. Ah.
“…Strawberry.”
Reason: Has had a near-death experience due to an allergy.
Then it was a complete blackout.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
