As they reached the table and sat, Han-Bi asked them with a smile: " What were you two boys talking about~ " and before Jin could send a witty answer, Sang-Min spoke: " I was telling him about Seung-Ja. Since he's an inner sect disciple, he will soon have to pick a faction too " and Han-Bi nodded thoughtfully.

As he took a spoonful of ramen, Jin looked at Sang-Min who winked, before going further. "Well, Jin is as new as they come, so he doesn't even know anything about factions." Jin nodded. After all, while the topic was diverted, when it came to faction, he wasn't even aware of those. He had just arrived in the sect so it was to be expected. That being said, he only believed in himself and had never joined any groups in his past life. He didn't think there was a need to join another group within the Twenty-Two Suns Pavillion.

He had already joined a faction. At least he believed so. But that wasn't quite the case. The sect was the biggest of the Empire and the strongest one. As such, it had many different kinds of people from all kinds of background and due to this, groups formed. Little by little, they developed and turned into factions.

In fact, most generations of disciples created their own factions. Sometimes they joined older ones later on and as time passed they also became the older ones. It created a stimulating environment of competition within the sect but of course, it never went too far. Everyone was still one single big family and it was in everyone's best interests to keep it this way, retaining their number one position in this Empire.

As he was clueless about all this and the two knew it, Han-Bi decided to explain it to him: " There are factions for every generation of new disciples and since you joined at this time, well, you're now one of us? Does that make sense? " and Jin nodded. While he wasn't their equal, he did indeed join the inner sect before a new wave so technically, he was part of theirs.

Han-Bi continued: " And, you know, we've spent a few years here already so we made cliques and since there are all kinds of competitions just about every month, we ended up teasing the others here and there and it ended up forming factions " and Sang-Min continued: " What she wants to explain is that we compete between groups and help each others within our own groups. For example, Han-Bi is gifted in herbology so if we need advice on growing plants, or even help, we come to her " to which Han-Bi added: " And if it's for sculpting, we go to Sang-Min! "

Jin was quite surprised at what he just heard. While Han-Bi being an herbalist was fine and consistent with her character, he didn't expect Sang-Min to be an artist. The guy didn't seem the type at all but then again, who was he to know what an artist was like? He had always been nothing more than gruff battle maniac. Still, he couldn't help but feel it weird so he was glaring at Sang-Min making him a little unsettled.

Sang-Min coughed a few times as he looked sideways and said: " Why are you looking at me like this? " Han-Bi giggled as she teased him: " He thinks you don't look the type to sculpt~" and then, as if a switch was pushed, Sang-Min got up and exclaimed: " Me not looking like a sculptor?! Jin! How can you not understand the glory of sculpting?! ..." and he went on for a while until Han-Bi decided to stop him from further embarrassing himself publicly. Meanwhile, Jin focused on his plate of pasta.

It was delicious.

After some time, they resumed the conversation. Han-Bi was the one to redirect it towards the important point: " And so, it's better to join a faction " to which Jin acquiesced without much care. Sang-Min was still grumbling about his sculptor's soul so Han-Bi spoke again: " You should join our faction, little brother Jin "

Now that made more sense. Maybe all the helpfulness and closeness they showed up till here was a façade... To bait him into joining their faction? Though he didn't want to be skeptical of them. Though he didn't want to distrust them. He couldn't help but have this thought in mind. And it likely showed on his face as Sang-Min hurried to add: " Oh, don't worry if you don't, you would still be our friend and nothing would change "

It did reassure Jin a little. In the end, while he didn't really want nor planned to join anyone, he decided to humor them a little and go along for now. He was also curious about how those factions worked since it seemed an important part of the sect life. As such, he asked them: " What's your faction like? "

Sang-Min spoke with his mouth full and in-between chewings: " We've got Seung-Ja for one thing " and it seemed like mentioning that should be enough to explain everything. It wasn't for Jin who had no idea who that was. Except for her relationship with the fatty Chong-something.

Han-Bi, understanding, added: " She's number one in our generation. A true little genius~ She's even stronger than dreamy Chong. And younger too " and Sang-Min nodded as he kept eating. Jin didn't think that only one girl, however strong she was, was enough to make joining a faction. In the end, he said: " Is that all? " and both Sang-Min and Han-Bi stopped in their tracks. It seemed they disagreed with the inner thoughts of Jin. To them, having her seemed more than enough.

Han-Bi thought for a moment before she said: " You're quite confident in your battle sense, little brother Shin, right? " to which he nodded. He had a golden pin to prove it and, honestly, there was no need to be over-humble here. He was confident in his battle ability and he had the achievement to back it up.