Falling

Brain.

Yuna

The silence that followed my dad's words was suffocating, the weight of them settling over the room like a storm cloud. I felt like I was caught in the eye of it, unable to move, unable to speak. My mind raced, struggling to grasp what I'd just heard. Beauty with a brain. Weapons. Loyalty.

I glanced over at Shine, his face expressionless, though his jaw was clenched tight. He looked like he was bracing himself for something. I wasn't sure what, but it felt like a moment of reckoning—like everything was about to change.

My dad cleared his throat, snapping me out of my trance. "We're not saying you'll earn it anytime soon, Yuna," he added, as though reading my mind. "But you need to understand what's at stake here. The black tattoo is a mark of supreme trust, of raw power, and it's something earned by those who show not just their loyalty, but their capability."

He paused, his gaze flicking to Shine, then back to me. "You're already a part of this world now, Yuna. Whether you like it or not. So don't be naïve about it."

I swallowed hard. A part of this world. How could I ever be ready for this? How could anyone?

Seth, who had been silent up until now, leaned forward slightly. His voice was calm, but there was something sharp in it. "The black tattoo is reserved for the one who can bring the most to this family. Not just in strength, but in mind, in strategy. Someone who can think several steps ahead, who can lead when the time comes." His eyes met mine, and I felt a flicker of something cold. "That's not something any of us take lightly."

I looked at him, trying to read his expression, but he had that same cold, calculating look that I had grown used to seeing. But now, it felt different. More ominous.

"I know this is a lot to process, Yuna," Shine said quietly, breaking the heavy silence. He was still sitting beside me, his hand gently squeezing mine, though there was tension in the way he held me. "But you need to understand what you're getting into."

I turned to him, my heart racing. "Shine... what do you mean? Why are you telling me all of this?"

He hesitated, his fingers tightening around mine as if he was unsure how much to reveal. "Because, Yuna, it's not just about being in the family anymore. It's about surviving in it. The choices you make from here on out... they will shape everything."

I could see the truth in his eyes. Everything he was saying, everything my dad had said, it was starting to make sense in a way that terrified me. This wasn't just about being part of some powerful family. This was about navigating a world of danger, of blood, of loyalty. And it wasn't something you could just walk away from.

I looked around at everyone in the room, trying to make sense of it all. My family, the Luces, even the silent figures standing in the shadows—all of them connected by something I couldn't quite understand yet. But I could feel it. The weight of their expectations, the pressure of a future I hadn't even started to build.

"Yuna," my dad said, his voice softer now, though there was still an edge to it. "This is your legacy. Whether you want it or not."

"Dad—" I began, my voice trembling as I tried to find the right words, to make sense of everything crashing down on me.

"You can't say no, Yuna," my dad interrupted, his tone firm, commanding. The finality in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "This is who you are now. You don't have a choice."

I felt my chest tighten, a knot forming in my throat. No choice? Was I really just expected to accept this world, this life? The weight of his words felt like chains wrapping around my wrists, holding me down, suffocating me.