The Grey Storm

14

Rundown E&E business
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Elijah looked at Isamiona's face, it cleared up after the surgery. Caressing her cheek again, but shakily still remembering how her skin use to be much darker and healthier. He always loved her skin, how it shine in the sun with a golden glaze. Now it's just a sickly pale and giving him concerns about her well-being. All Elijah can do is wonder: what happened to his Blue Butterfly after their brothers' funerals?

Yearning for that same child from years ago. Touching the bow of the the ribbon by her neck. Moving the scarf away to see her hair, it has been long since he last saw her blue hair. She stopped him, slapping his hand away. Seeing the metallic colour that look like bones on her back of her hand, so something must really have happened back then. "You very touchy lately,"

"Can't a brother show brotherly affection to his Amestia?"

"The status of your business is more interesting than useless rambling." Isamiona changed the topic, fixing her kedaat stepping away from him which made him frown but he scratched his cheek nervously. "You saw?" she hummed putting on black cotton gloves, taking a sip of her coffee. "Don't think of going to CSI, it won't look good. Yet CSR, isn't highly recommended, but will uplift the business."

"You know business?"

"I did Business Studies, Business Management and Economic Science as subjects for seven years now." shrugging obviously while fixing her kedaat again, "Got any tips?" Elijah smiled, Isamiona looked at him knowing his intentions of what is he trying to do. But gave the dying man his wish, "Come on, it's been weeks and you haven't been your chatty self."

"So?"

"So? I miss you talking my head off hours, you're different before—" he paused for a moment looking at her as his facial expression changed, she knew where he was heading off and placing the now cold coffee down on its matching red coloured saucer. "What was it like there? In Clinthar?" shrugging lazily folding her hands on her lap, looking at the plain black dress she wore. "What do you think?"

"I heard rumours," he looked at her as his face paled, feeling sick to his stomach as his heart beated rapidly. Wanting to know if it was all true, if his dear brothers' deaths happened inside a place worse than being with their estranged father. "O. . .Of harsh conditions, mistreatment and forced labours." Isamiona froze, her face paled clenching her praying beads in her hands. "Brainwashing the kids with false military training to use them in terrorist wars." giving out a loud, hard, sarcastic—dry laugh which sounded forced, shaking her head chuckling to herself. "I would like to read the books that you're reading, dear Boona. Tell you what? I'll give you a few starters to begin with,"

"So an Entertainment company? Great choice, but not Iseul's cup of tea." taking the Xenzo lens from her left eye, blinking to see she was back in the living room. Placing the digital lens into a pouch, "I'm surprised that its even on media platforms already, any clients?"

"Well. . .an incomplete girl group, couple of actors, dancers, solo acts and incomplete boy group."

"How did this all start?" Elijah and Ethan shrugged looking at each other, "Well, it all started in university where we wanted to make a company where Iseul isn't familiar with, arts."

"But we kinda lost it when a new revenge plan came along, to be a rival tech company." noting the things they said as Isamiona looked over information about the company, but remembered something. "How much is your allowance?"

"What?" both boys looked at her, "How much does Iseul give you on a monthly bases?"

"Hundred thousand?" going through digital papers on the table, "Eüya stated one point five million, we're not broke."

"How do you know?"

"At the cafe, I saw hesitation. The Korean brothers were too laxed. While you two are stressing, you doing two jobs a day to keep you up float." scratching her palm in thought, Elijah and Ethan looked at her as the silence filling the room as they waited for her to speak on. "I'll do it,"

"Do what?" while she was in a dazed, "I'll do your entertainment company, I'll rub in his face. Since you're both cowards," she huffed, taking a cigarette out as Elijah lit her cigarette for her. "You smoke?" Ethan asked folding his arms watching her, she exhaled and sighed. "Only when it's business," she tossed a tiny ball as it burst into a digital screen, tapping in the address of her brothers' company.

Looking at the company's photo of the building, "This won't do, it needs to look like a magical Disneyland for trainees and people who want to do art."

"It's all we could afford, it was a bankrupt call centre." Elijah explained as Isamiona looked around the holographic screen,"We retrenched their employees, they are on their final year training." Ethan added as Isamiona nodded, "Anything major events or auditions?"

"We need a show to get that, since Father isn't interested, he's not lending a line." Ethan injected, Isamiona smirked. "Since I'm willing to help, but what is or was your mission?"

"To treat clients equally and with no slave contract or a leash, using a little tech to boost production. What do you got in plan?" tapping her chin in deep thoughts, it will be hard since they're not full Koreans and are foreigners. There will be Koreans that will either treat them like stupid imps or do not support this idea, because it will flip over Korea's entire system of entertainment companies in whole. "I got connections,"

"How?" showing the ring that her grandmother gave her. A gold band with a large square shape black diamond, tilting it to the light as a golden lion symbol appeared on it stating the Rosemary's family's high status as the guys gasped. "Holy shit!"

"How? Not even Father was that close to getting it!" Isamiona shrugged lazily rubbing the ring with empty pride and a sad smile, "All was needed to endure the witch and show loyalty. Now. . .what's my outcome of this? Since I'm seventy percent owner of this business?"

"Anything you want, to rub it in Iseul's face or take over the company fully. All we want someone to be Manager while we get a tech company running."

"As rival and opponent to Iseul?" Ethan and Elijah nodded enthusiastically, seeing that her brothers were really passionate about this and Isamiona sighed. "Fine, I'll get my connections to string along. What do you think?"

"Tu lui fais confiance?" (Do you trust her?)

"Da," Ethan looked his phone and sighed knowing Elijah always been a sucker for Isamiona, "Eleven days from now. I want calls,"

"Since it's June, by September the company will look renew after my renovation." Elijah smirked, Isamiona snorted. "Well Syra, looks like we got a partnership." Elijah's phone suddenly rang as he answered, turning away slightly. "Nikovor here," he said, thickening his russian accent. The mood dropped to intense one, his body stiffened. "Da, I'll be there now." (Yes) he got up and looked at them, "Seychas ya dolzhen idit, do svidaniya." (Now I have to go, goodbye) he left in a hurry, Isamiona looked at Ethan with a cocked brow who shook his head confused.