Chapter 109: Making A Movment
"You want us to be models ?" Aki repeated. "Didn’t realize you thought so highly of us." She blushed, then narrowed her eyes slightly. "But if this is about satisfying some kind of fetish, you’ve got the wrong idea."
Max couldn’t help but laugh. Did these kids really think that small?
"Let me ask you something," he said, tone shifting. "Why didn’t you team up with Dipter? And how did you survive this long without an alliance?"
Aki’s expression changed, not offended, but frustrated. Max recognized the look. She wasn’t mad at him, she was disappointed in herself.
"I told you already," she said quietly. "Some of the girls couldn’t protect themselves. They went looking for boyfriends from other schools just to feel safe. Either that... or get forced into something worse."
She exhaled hard. "The reason we did what we did is simple, turns out money solves a lot of problems. You throw enough cash around, people stop paying attention. So we found ways to make it."
The more Max listened, the more he understood. This world had changed. The rules he used to live by didn’t carry the same weight anymore.
He’d once believed blood bonds, his brotherhood with the White Tiger Gang, were stronger than anything. Stronger than fear. Stronger than greed. Back then, money was just something you earned . But loyalty? Loyalty was a choice. A promise. Something you owned .
That’s why Max lived by one rule: he controlled his life. Not anyone else.
"It’s good that you think like that," Max said. "But just so we’re clear, when I said models , I didn’t mean it like that ."
He leaned forward.
"You said it yourself, your girls have social accounts, right? The ones you use to bait those creeps?"
Aki nodded slowly.
"So tell me... how many followers do you have?"
The girls exchanged a glance.
"I’ve got about 12,000," one of them said.
The girl still hanging onto Jay’s arm chimed in.
"I’ve got around a hundred thousand," she said, smiling sweetly. "I post a lot of skateboarding stuff. Do you like skateboarding, hun?"
Jay blinked, unsure if she was being genuine or just trying to charm him into free protection. At this point, he couldn’t tell what was real and what was strategy.
"I can smell her shampoo... it’s so sweet," Jay muttered without thinking.
The second the words left his mouth, his face went bright red.
Max raised a brow, trying not to laugh. "Alright, if we stay here any longer, this guy’s gonna pass out from blushing."
He turned back to Aki. "How about you? What’s your follower count?"
"About 250,000, give or take," Aki said coolly. "I started all of this, so most of it links back to me."
Exactly what Max had expected.
Even just walking in here, he could tell from how they carried themselves, their style, their confidence, the way they took control of a room. He’d even searched the school name earlier, and the first thing that popped up wasn’t the school itself... it was Aki.
"Alright," Max said. "I already mentioned the two conditions for joining us. But now here’s what I want specifically from you. You’re going to model Billion Bloodline clothing."
He pulled out his phone. "I’ve set up a tag for our online shop. You post with the tag. People see it. They start placing orders."
One of the girls scoffed. "What if the clothes are ugly?"
Max didn’t flinch. "Doesn’t matter. You all have massive followings. Once people start seeing your posts, they’ll buy it. Wear it. Copy it."
He leaned in slightly. "Do you really think fashion is about what looks good ?"
The girls looked at each other, then answered in unison.
"Yeah!"
Max smirked. "Maybe when you’re older. But at your age? It’s not about what looks good. It’s about what’s popular . What’s trending. What everyone else is posting."
He sat back. "Soon, every girl in your group will be wearing the same thing, posting the same photos. That’s how a brand becomes a movement ."
"Soon, it’ll create a wave," Max said. "And the Billion Bloodline will be known, at least all over this area."
"Doesn’t that go against your whole idea, though?" Aki asked. "You said wearing the uniform would protect us. But if random people start wearing it..."
"That’s the point," Max replied. "If everyone’s wearing it, then no one can tell who’s actually part of Billion Bloodline, except for us. It’s the perfect shield."
Aki didn’t know why, but her heart started to race. She’d never met anyone like Max. The way he talked, so sure of himself, so composed. His plans weren’t just about throwing fists. He was thinking moves ahead, building something bigger.
"Your plan... has holes," she said honestly. "But if all you want is a few photos from us, then you’ve got a deal."
There was one thing Max had that most others didn’t, he could afford to fail . He had the money to take risks and bounce back. But in his eyes, this wasn’t a risk. This was the beginning of something real.
If the Seaton girls could push sales, and he didn’t even have to pay them? Then the brand was already profitable. And it wasn’t just a gang anymore, it was a business.
Max pulled out a sleek business card and handed it to Aki.
"There are two numbers on here," he said. "The first is mine. Text me if anything comes up. I’ll do the same. Clapton High might still come for us, so we need to be ready."
He tapped the second number on the card. "This one’s different. If you ever find yourself in real trouble, serious trouble, just say Max gave you this number. They’ll help you. No matter what."
With that, Max stood up and grabbed Jay by the back of the neck, yanking him out of his seat. Jay, still flustered and dazed, practically got dragged across the floor as the girls finally let go of him.
Aki watched the two of them walk away, Jay still stumbling behind Max like he hadn’t fully recovered from the encounter.
Those two are really interesting... she thought, a small smirk forming on her lips.
I like Dipter’s replacement. Feels like things are about to change around here.
****
Meanwhile, school had just let out.
Outside, a man stood near the gates, blending in with the crowd, except for the strange beret pulled low over his head. He had a phone pressed to his ear, voice low and calm.
"No sign of anyone matching the description, sir," he said.
A pause. Static hummed on the other end.
"Then move to the second most frequented location," the voice instructed. "Head to the gym he always goes to."
The man nodded silently and walked off, disappearing into the flow of students.