Sera froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes widened, and her pulse pounded in her ears. Tears welled up, then streamed down her face as her legs gave out, sending her trembling to the ground.
"Aiden… I thought… I thought you were going to kill me…" Sera stammered between sobs.
Seeing her small body shaking with such raw emotion shattered something inside him. The gun fell from his hand, and he rushed to her side. Aiden knelt before her, truly broken, and gently wiped her trembling tears with his thumb, his eyes filled with regret.
"Sera… No… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it… I was just kidding. Please, don't cry…"
He pulled her into a tight embrace, feeling her tremors, her racing heart, like a small bird trapped in a terrifying cage.
"I… I'm a fool," Aiden whispered brokenly into her ear. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think about how you'd react. I never imagined you'd be so scared of me."
Sera, her eyes still tearful, whispered in a broken voice, "But I… I really thought you'd kill me… Please, don't joke like that again."
Aiden pulled back slightly, wiping her tears with the palm of his hand, then gently ran his fingers through a strand of hair stuck to her wet cheek. He leaned in slowly, pressing a soft, trembling kiss to her lips—brief yet warm, a sincere apology.
Then, his deep voice regaining its usual calm, he said, "I brought you here… because I wanted to train you. To defend yourself, to use a weapon… so you'd never be weak again, no matter what. Even if I disappear, I want you to protect yourself, understand?"
Sera looked at him, still showing traces of shock in her eyes, but she felt the warmth of his intentions. He pulled her back into another hug, then smiled and said in a hushed voice, "Sera… you're truly strange. You cry in seconds, then return to being as beautiful as you were… strange, but in your own way."
A Shadowy Den
Inside the dilapidated room, the walls were cracked, covered in dark, damp stains, and the lamp dangling from the ceiling swayed faintly, as if on its last breath. In the corner, on a wall covered with old newspaper clippings, photos of Sera were strung together with red threads, connecting them like a spiderweb tracking every move. One photo showed her with Arin. Next to it, another photo of Aiden had a rusty knife plunged into his face, its blade bisecting the smile he once wore.
"And who is this new man?" a man's voice murmured softly, a twisted smile on his face. "Is he another passerby in her play?"
He picked up Arin's photo and hung it below the thread.
At that moment, a violent knock rattled the door.
"Open the door, quickly!" a familiar female voice demanded.
The door creaked open cautiously. Luna tossed her hat to the ground and sank heavily into the cold metal chair. "Did you think I'd stay a prisoner? I'm their weapon; they can't afford to lose me, even if I betrayed them… even if I broke all their rules."
"I expected as much…" the man said with a disoriented smile. "The jungle doesn't release its prey easily."
Luna looked at the wall where the photos were hung, approaching them as if viewing a chaotic work of art. "You're an artist… your photos are beautiful, a mix of obsession and discipline… that's what makes a killer special."
The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I was going to be a star, my face on magazine covers… but life had another path for me… Killing gave me a different kind of fame."
Arin's Confrontation
Meanwhile, inside a house, Arin sat at the breakfast table with his mother. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the clinking of a spoon against a cup. The drawn curtains completely blocked out the light, as if they wanted nothing to be seen.
"Today… your father is coming," his mother said, her voice formal and devoid of warmth.
Arin looked up at her coolly. "And what do you want me to do? Greet him with applause? Or paint a family portrait and send it to hell?" He stood up nervously, pushing his chair back forcefully. "Instead of keeping secrets, why don't you try telling him the truth? My brother… he lived in hell because of both of you. You abandoned him like burnt paper." He took a step closer, his voice sharpening. "I'm the one who will break the silence, just so you know."
Training in the Woods
In the forest, Aiden looked at Sera, who was still wiping away the last of her tears. "So… now that you've finished your crying fit, shall we begin?" His tone blended teasing with sorrow, but his eyes held a faint warmth, and a tremor of slight disappointment. "I thought you trusted me, truly…"
Sera, blushing and broken, avoided his gaze, whispering as she looked at the ground, "Fool… I do trust you, but… after everything I've lived through—the crime, the kidnapping… just being near a scene like that is enough to trigger trauma inside me."
Aiden nodded slowly, then stood, extending his hand steadily towards her. "Come on… let's begin, little one. Even if I disappear suddenly, you'll have to protect yourself."
Sera reached out and clung to his hand, rising, trying to gather her courage from the wreckage of her trembling heart. Aiden carefully handed her the weapon. "First lesson… never hesitate to pull the trigger… when you're facing someone merciless."
He stood behind her, enveloping her body with his arms, his hands holding her trembling hands on the gun. His voice was soft, reassuring, flowing gently into her confused ears.
"Now… hold it, Sera. Extend your arm well… and spread your feet shoulder-width apart. Don't be afraid… I'm here… with you."
His arms were warm around her, and the rhythm of his breathing brushed lightly against her neck. But her eyes… filled with tears. Her lips trembled as she spoke.
"I don't want to… I don't want to learn to hold it…" Sera said in a broken voice. "You said you'd be my impenetrable wall… You said you'd protect me… So why should I learn to kill?"
She turned to him, her eyes blazing with tears, love, and refusal. "And never say something like disappearing suddenly… Because you'll always be with me… won't you?"
Before he could answer, she threw herself into his embrace. She held him tightly, as if trying to shut out the world behind his back. As for him… he didn't utter a word. Only his heartbeats answered, strong, rapid… like war drums pounding in his chest, but it wasn't a war against her, but for her.
Arin's Encounter
At that same moment… far from the forest, Arin… was driving his new car, the streetlights reflecting on its smooth surface. His eyes were fixed on the road, but his mind was elsewhere… heading to the old city. To the starting point. To the cemetery where Aiden was buried before being reborn in the shadows.
Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a motorcycle approaching from behind, its roaring speed as if pursuing him.
"…That's not a normal pass-by," Arin murmured.
He sped up, but the motorcycle was determined to catch him. In a sudden move, it cut him off, blocking his path. Arin slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a violent halt.
Arin got out of his car, his gaze fixed on the man who dismounted from the motorcycle, his helmet still obscuring his features. But something in his posture, in his presence, stirred a memory…
"So, since it's our first meeting… how about we get acquainted?" Arin said with a sarcastic smile.
The man didn't respond with words… Instead, he pulled out a gleaming knife and raised it towards Arin.
"You can call me… Zero One," the man said, his voice distorted behind the helmet.
Arin began to laugh, a light but sarcastic chuckle. "A stylish name… but you picked the wrong person." He lunged forward, batting the knife away with his left hand and punching the helmet with his right. The man stumbled back half a step, but Arin gave him no chance, snatching the knife from his hand and kicking him to the ground. He threw it far away, into the darkness.
He approached him, panting, and looked down with disdain.
"That's right, I'm a doctor, 01… but don't for a moment think I'm foolish enough to let you stab me. And I saw you spying on me… from the beginning." Then he smiled contemptuously. "But don't worry… we'll meet again. I have more important things to do than waste my time with scum like you."
He turned, leaving the man on the ground, dust rising around them. Another motorcycle's sound faded… far away, into the darkness.