Chapter 6: Hearing (2)

“I have one.” 

I cleared my throat but my voice still came out trembling.  I wanted to blame it on the bedtime monster attack on the subway, I really did.

I mean, their lawyers: Charlotte Outano and Hwan Choi.  These guys looked expensive.  I peeked at Hwan’s watch; a three-pointed crown.  I’m not a watch enthusiast but I know that brand is expensive.  But more than the lawyers, it was the fact that the Valentines and Ryus… they were adults.

Like fully capable adults.

With money.  With actual experience in dealing with the world.  With the know-how of doing things like this and the financial power to back up their claims, just like they were doing it now.

I’ll be honest; I was intimidated.  Suddenly, I was a kid again; back in the principal’s office and getting yelled at by my bully’s parents.  That’s what this felt like.

Jesus, I’m only seventeen,.

Maybe if I was a normal kid, I could’ve hidden behind my parent’s back and let them do the talking.  But I’m not a normal kid.  I had to make do with what I had, not what I didn’t have.

“I thought these guys were family.”  I aimed my question at Emyrith, who moved so that he was slightly at my side.  “How come their last names are different.”  Then I added in what I really wanted to say,  “And if I had a family, how come I’ve never heard of them until now.”

Emyrith didn’t fidget, but I saw him share a look with the other lawyers.  It was Charlotte who answered on behalf of the Valentines.

“Up until the 13th century, the Hallows and Valentines had close ties.  Marriages.  Political Alliances.  Adoptions.”  Charlotte began, “One could say they have just a strong a claim on the Hallow Estate as you, Mr. Hallow.”

“As do the Ryus, who were a branch family of the Shins up until the Silla Era.”  Hwan picked right up from where Charlotte left off.  He looked to Emyrith, something of a smile touching his lips, “Perhaps it’ll be faster to begin.  I believe much of your questions can begin once we proceed.”

But Emyrith didn’t begin right away.  Instead, he tossed the question to me, answering my own at the same time. “Just as how I am both executor and arbitrator, there will be many peculiarities surrounding this case.  One such peculiarity is the nature of the parties involved, namely the Valentines and the Ryus.  According to human law, both peculiarities are highly unusual.  However, you must keep in mind that there are powerful men and women who hold power in both human society and ours.  As such, it is not rare to see a blending of the rules to accommodate rare cases such as this.”

“So,”  I carefully kept my eyes away from the Valentines and the Ryus, both of which were glaring daggers at me, “These guys are like… extended family.  Super, duper extended family.”

“Correct.”  Emyrith replied.

“So how come they’re getting something from my parents?  I thought they left it for me.  Not cousins so far removed that they have to give me a history lesson just to prove we’re related.”

Hwan sighed, “Mr. Hallow, I’m afraid the validity of our contest isn’t in question.  It’s already been decided by higher powers.”

“Then–”

Grandma Valentine leaned over and whispered in her lawyer’s ear.

“Emyrith, perhaps the why of this case can be discussed at length with Mr. Hallow in private.  We should be discussing the how.  And might I remind you,”  Charlotte said, relaying Valentine's message, “Your foremost obligation is as arbitrator, not executor.”

Emyrith’s voice turned flat.  “I hardly need reminders of my obligation, Charlotte.”  

“Some of your actions could be viewed as blatant favoritism of Mr. Hallow.”  Hwan’s voice was calm, but his eyes were absolutely predatory.  Searching and looking.

Emyrith bristled, then sighed, “Mr. Hallow, are there any other pressing concerns?”

I licked my lips.  “No.”

I didn’t even remember why I wanted to get that out.  It just felt right somehow.  Just to show that I wasn’t a pushover, I guess.

“Very well.”  Emyrith brought out a piece of paper.  “The Queens of each Court have looked over the request for appeal from each party, the Valentines and the Ryus.  They are valid, henceforth, they will be referred to as the Contestants, the term which will be extended to Mr. Hallow.”

The grandma shot me a smug look from beneath her veil.

I think I hated her.

Furthermore, I was confused.  What Queen and what Court?  Last time I checked, this was America and it was a democracy.

“William Everblack Hallow and Miru Shin appointed me as executor of their Will before the time of their passing.  The Queens have also seen fit to appoint me as arbitrator.  As such, my role is to assess each contestant’s claims, how closely each claim fits into the Will and its execution.”  Emyrith paused, giving everyone a chance to speak.  When no one did, he continued.  “I’ve looked over the Valentine and Ryu’s claims in question.  They have a claim, but not a strong one.  Especially when considering the Will’s original intent.”

“Preposterous.”  That was the first word that came out of Granny Valentine’s lips.

Emyrith paused again, waiting to see if she would continue.

“If intent had anything to do with it, none of us would be here.”  She said, unbothered, somehow speaking to me without ever looking at me, “The fact is, that his Will puts everyone in danger.  What those two left behind must be controlled and managed.”  She looked at everyone, meeting everyone’s eyes.  Especially Emyrith, Charlotte and Hwan as well as Grandpa Ryu.  “We all know what is at stake.”

“Case in point,”  Hwan lifted up a pen, “The Hallow Estate contains knowledge from Miru Shin.  Just as dangerous as the ones belonging to the Hallows.  This knowledge rightfully belongs to the Ryus and other concerned parties.”  After he finished, he looked at Emyrith.

Emyrith waved his hand, “Valid point.  Charlotte?”

“Societal law states that she took on the Hallow name.  Any knowledge, secrets or techniques she divulged belong to the Hallows, and in turn, the Valentines.”  Charlotte countered.

Grandpa Ryu spoke, but in another language.  Korean, I think.  Hwan listened, then translated.

“Unacceptable.”  Hwan said to Charlotte, “The Ryus represent a great number of families in different factions who have invested into the Shin family over the years.  We do not care about the Hallow portion of the inheritance, but the Shin family’s inheritance must be returned.”

“Any room for concessions from the Ryus?”  Emyrith asked.

Hwan shook his head. 

“The Law is the Law”  Charlotte returned.

“If we are going strictly by Societal Law,”  Emyrith said, “Then it is only right that the entirety of the inheritance goes to Mr. Hallow.”

The room went silent.

Granny Valentines shook her head.  “This is why I hate dealing with–”

“Ms. Valentine.”  Charlotte hissed, pronouncing it as mizz.

Granny Valentine crossed her arms, and looked to the side.  I’d never seen an old person pout like that before.

“We all know that is not an option, Emyrith.  Hence, why the contests were lodged and found valid in the first place.”  Charlotte pleaded, giving me a furtive look.

“I’m sorry, but I have loads of questions,”  I cut in, feeling confused and overwhelmed.  Nothing made more than half sense to me, and what half did make sense sounded ridiculous.  “What did my parents leave behind?  Why does it need safekeeping?  Why can’t I just keep it safe?  Just what is so dangerous about it?”

The two lawyers shared a look, then to me then at Emyrith.  Hwan blinked once, slow; then a few more times, rapidly.

“You didn’t tell him?”  Hwan muttered, almost to himself.  Then he closed his eyes, brows gathering as he concentrated.  When the lawyer opened them again, he was staring straight at me.  

“No.”  Emyrith answered solemnly.

Even Granny Valentine’s eyes had gone to the size of saucers.  She wasn’t the only one.  Grandpa Ryu and his granddaughter looked equally horrified.  Hell, even Valentine Jr. had a tough time keeping up his bored guy routine.  

The shock only lasted a few seconds; I saw Granny Valentine’s eyes shift from surprised to neutral to carefully guarded.  She whispered under her breath, which only Charlotte seemed to hear.

“Then it is all the more important that this inheritance be guarded by the families.”  Charlotte surmised.

“Agreed,”  Hwan seconded.  “In case of the Shin property, especially.”

“Then you two are willing to come to a compromise?”  Emyrith suggested.

“...What kind of compromise?”  Charlotte asked.

“I will appoint several neutral third parties to look over the inheritance left behind by William Everblack Hallow and Miru Shin.  A combination of Court and Society members.  We will delineate Hallow and Shin property and dole it out accordingly.”  He returned my glare with a firm look of his own, “There will be a third category, inheritance gathered that belongs to neither.  Mr. Hallow will claim this particular set of inheritance.”

I didn’t need to be a fancy lawyer to know a sucker’s deal when I saw one.  Whatever valuables my parents tucked away, everything that they owned would be given to the Valentines and Ryus.  I’d have whatever was left over; things that they deemed trash.

I wanted to say something.  Anything, but no words came out.  Yeah, understanding it is one thing.  Arguing is another.  Because in the end, my argument came down to this: That it isn’t fair.

But nothing in life is fair.  People like the Valentines and Ryus can come in and take whatever they want, because they were adults with money.  They were the type of people that wanted none of the responsibilities that came with my parent’s death but all the benefits that came from it.  Maybe if I was five again, I wouldn’t have done anything for a situation like this.

Just to know that I had family at all.  That I wasn’t alone.

Turns out, all family is good for, is showing up when there’s something to be had.

Worse, these guys weren’t even family.  Just strangers, who weaseled their way into getting a free payout.  With no risk, no hard work, nothing.  Just…

“You’re just all thieves in suits.”  I said quietly.