Satoru stepped inside the dimly lit room, his tall frame casting a long shadow over us. The air was thick with the stench of damp walls and rusted metal. His footsteps echoed against the cold concrete floor, deliberate and slow, like a predator savoring the fear of its prey.
He stopped just a few steps away, his piercing eyes locked onto mine. There was amusement in them, but more than that—there was control. I had seen that look before. It was the same look he gave his enemies before breaking them, the same twisted satisfaction he took in molding someone into a killer.
"If you had simply come back, none of this would have happened," he said, his voice almost gentle, like a father scolding a foolish child. "But because of your defiance, this girl is going to die. How sad."
His gaze shifted to Ayane, who lay tied beside me. Her clothes were torn, her body trembling from exhaustion and injury, but her expression was still defiant.
Then he took a step closer.
And I knew.
He was going to kill her.
Something I could never afford.
I struggled against the ropes, the sharp fibers biting into my skin, but it was useless. My arms were numb, my body weak from blood loss. And yet, none of that mattered.
I wouldn't let this happen.
"Please," I said, my voice hoarse, the taste of defeat burning on my tongue. "I'll come back. I'll do whatever you want. Just leave Ayane out of this."
Satoru smirked. "I know, Ken. That's why she has to die."
He tilted his head slightly, as if explaining something to a child. "As long as she lives, you will never truly be mine. You'll never be able to kill, not completely. You'll always have a reason to hold back. A reason to hesitate. And I can't have that."
He knelt down in front of her, his fingers reaching out.
Her face was set in stone, her body tense. I knew she was scared, but she didn't show it.
His hand moved toward her.
"This," he said, turning his disgusting smirk toward me, "is what happens when you disobey me."
His hand stopped.
And then he laughed.
"Ken," he said, his voice sickeningly sweet. "You love her, don't you?"
Silence filled the room.
His lips curled into a disgusting smile. "How would it feel to watch your girl being violated by her father?"
Everything stopped.
The air was heavy, suffocating.
My breath came out in ragged gasps, my vision darkening at the edges.
"Don't you dare touch her!" I roared, my voice raw, filled with something I had never felt before—pure, unfiltered rage.
Satoru chuckled, his laughter like nails on glass. "But what can you do, Ken? Kill me?"
He took a step closer to Ayane.
And something inside me snapped.
I don't know how it happened.
The ropes that had bound me so tightly—ropes designed to hold a monster like me—shattered like fragile threads.
Before I even realized it, my body moved on its own.
One moment, I was on the ground. The next, I had my father by the throat.
I slammed him against the wall so hard the entire room shook. Dust fell from the ceiling, the air filled with the sound of impact.
For the first time, the smugness vanished from his face.
For the first time, I saw something in his eyes.
Surprise.
I tightened my grip, my knuckles turning white. My heart was pounding against my ribs, my breath uneven, my body shaking with rage.
"You," I growled, my voice lower, darker than I had ever heard it before, "will never touch her."
Satoru grinned. Blood dripped from his lip, but he didn't seem to care.
"You've finally done it," he whispered, his voice filled with something close to admiration. "You've finally let go."
I clenched my jaw.
This wasn't over.
My breath was ragged, my body screaming in pain. The ropes that had cut into my wrists now lay in frayed strands at my feet. But even though I was free, my strength was rapidly fading. The injuries from my fight with Ayane, the blood loss, the exhaustion—I couldn't hold out for long.
I had to escape.
But first, I had to get Ayane out of here.
She was still bound, her clothes barely covering her bruised body. I staggered toward her, every step a struggle, and ripped the ropes apart with the last of my strength. Her hands were cold, her body trembling slightly, but her eyes—those sharp, unwavering eyes—stared straight into mine.
"Run," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'll distract him. Get out while you can."
She didn't move.
"Ayane," I tried again, but she only clenched her fists.
"You're doing it again," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "You're trying to leave me behind."
I froze.
Her fingers gripped my wrist. "This time, I won't let you."
I knew we couldn't win against him. Not now. But if we could get out of this room, if we could escape now, then maybe—
"You think you can run from me?"
The deep, mocking voice sent a chill down my spine.
Satoru had recovered from my attack. He rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck as he took a slow step forward. His eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was something else beneath it—excitement.
"That was good, Ken," he said. "For a moment, I almost thought you had the strength to kill me." He raised his hands, flexing them like a predator testing its claws. "But you hesitated. That's why you'll never win."
He lunged.
I barely had time to react before his fist crashed into my stomach.
The impact sent me flying back. My body hit the wall, the breath knocked out of my lungs. Pain exploded in my ribs, but I forced myself to stay on my feet. If I went down now, it was over.
Ayane moved.
I caught a glimpse of her dashing toward Satoru, her knife glinting in the dim light. She struck fast, aiming for his side—
But he was faster.
His hand caught her wrist effortlessly.
"You've gotten strong, girl," he mused, twisting her arm back. "But not enough."
I saw the pain flash across Ayane's face, but she didn't scream. She gritted her teeth, her free hand striking toward his throat—
He let go.
She stumbled forward, off balance, and in that split second, he moved.
His elbow slammed into her stomach.
"Ayane!"
She gasped, her knees buckling as she collapsed to the ground.
Rage surged through me.
I didn't think.
I moved.
My fist shot toward his face, but he blocked it easily, twisting my arm behind my back and slamming me into the wall.
"Pathetic," he whispered into my ear.
Pain flared through my shoulder.
But in that moment, I saw it.
A chance.
My fingers curled around the loose brick in the wall. With all my strength, I ripped it free and slammed it into his head.
Satoru staggered back, cursing.
"Now!" I shouted.
Ayane didn't hesitate.
She kicked Satoru's knee, throwing him off balance, then drove her knife downward. He dodged at the last second, the blade grazing his arm, but that was enough.
We ran.
We didn't look back.
My body was barely holding together, every step sending fresh waves of agony through me. But I didn't stop.
Ayane's hand found mine as we sprinted down the dark corridor.
Behind us, Satoru's voice echoed through the halls.
"You can run, Ken," he called out, amusement lacing his words. "But I will always find you."
I clenched my jaw and tightened my grip on Ayane's hand.
Not this time.