|Philophobia| N.C.T 2020

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Hi! I'd like to inform people that I have an Instagram. The username is winwinobsessed. (Real creative am I right?)

The SM Rookies.

A gang that prepared it's members to enter the SM Underworld, as it was called. All headed by one man, with various gangs reporting to him.

Before any gang member could enter the Underworld, they first had to survive in the Rookies, and be remarkable enough to be selected for 'debut'.

Jiyeong was the leader of the Rookies, having been a member the longest, since everyone before her had debuted. She was known for being discreet, and unnoticed. Hell, she'd heard that since she had become the leader, the Rookies were basically a ghost, connected to no crimes, untraceable.

Protected

Just how she wanted it.

Jiyeong demanded the utmost loyalty from her members. If they couldn't be loyal to the Rookies, then they sure as hell weren't going to be loyal to their eventual gang, and to the Underworld as a whole.

Jiyeong observed Minjun, as they went up the filthy stone stairs. Watching how his shoulders curved in, and his eyes scanned side to side in the stairwell.

"Is someone going to jump out and kill us?" Jiyeong asked him, noting how the boy froze.

"N-no." He said, attempting to sound confidant, but was betrayed by the stutter.

"What's the matter then." Jiyeong asked, trying to infuse genuine concern into her voice.

"Daehyun." Minjun said. "She hasn't responded to any of the callings, and no one's seen her."

"Oh!" Shotaro said excitedly. "Her family forced her to go on vacation."

Jiyeong glanced back at the boy. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Shotaro's eyebrows drew together. "She said she was going to. I don't know why she didn't."

"We should worry about that later." Sungchan suggested. "Let's meet the rest of the gang."

Jiyeong nodded at Sungchan, silently thanking him for the distraction, something for her to do before she was consumed with worrying about why Daehyun had gone, and why she hadn't told anyone but Shotaro that she was going on vacation.

Wang Jiyeong was not very trusting of people. It was an unfortunate side effect of her upbringing. Or lack-there-of. People had to earn her trust, and Daehyun was a newer person in the Rookies, having joined only the month before.

"Hey, Jiyeong." Called a voice.

Jiyeong's eyes traveled from the stairs, to the open doorway of the next floor, where a girl with purple hair was standing, a big smile on her face.

Gwan Jangmi, Minjun's girlfriend, and the brains behind the gang.

Jangmi looked like she was better suited for model lifestyle, with her wide smile, kind eyes, and cheery, silly attitude, but most people saw those things, and labeled her. They failed to see the wicked smart glint in her eyes, and the way that she took in everything. Even when it seemed like she was being ditzy, and zoning out, she was aware, and she seemed to never forget anything.

"Hey, Mimi." Jiyeong said softly. "Are the others here?"

Jangmi scowled, and nodded. "They're complaining about the building. Jihoon said that the other gangs have their own houses, and Sungho thinks that we're being wimps."

As Jiyeong entered the room, listening to Jangmi, her eyes went to the two mentioned boys, who had heard Jangmi, and were now looking at Jiyeong with fear.

"So," Jiyeong started, sternly looking at the two members. "Do you two fancy a prison sentence?"

Sungho, who was notorious for not thinking things through, glanced at Jihoon, who just wanted to cause mischief and get money. The two both looked back at their leader, and shook their heads.

"I choose that we operate like this for a very important reason." Jiyeong began. "It is harder for the police to figure out where we are going to be if we keep moving. It has nothing to do with us being 'wimps'."

Sungho flinched a little bit. Jiyeong glared at him and continued. "It's about being smart. We have not debuted into the Underworld yet, therefore, we have no backing or support from the Founder. We survive on our own until we debut."

"But why do we have to meet in buildings that smell like a portable toilet?" Jihoon complained.

Jiyeong pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a little bit of irritation at the boy's words. I swear he is spoiled rotten by his family. She thought. He just wants to be in a posh house, and be waited on by other people. Finally she said, "That's what the police expect. They think that gangs are narcissists that enjoy showing off. They'll look through the big houses, and take the other gangs first. They won't expect a gang that hides in run down houses. They don't expect a gang to hide in the shadows."

She looked at Jihoon and smiled, without joy. "When you debut, feel free to flaunt your illegal riches and scream for the police to raid you. But when you are under my leadership-"

Jiyeong stopped, looking from Jihoon, to Sungho, to Jangmi and Minjun, to Shotaro and Sungchan. Her gang.

"It's my job to protect my family. And I will do that."