Chapter 15: The Predator's Ambush
The morning sun felt cold against Ren's bandaged face as he stepped out. "Bye, Hana! Take your rest!" he called out, his voice still a bit muffled. As he walked toward the Tier 2 sector, his mind was racing.
What happened last night? he wondered, staring at the palm of his hand. That warmth... that golden spark. It felt like my very soul was flowing into the medicine. Whatever it was, it saved Hana from the pain. I can't let her suffer like that again.
Ren reached the restaurant earlier than usual, but the atmosphere was already heavy. The group of five senior waiters—the bullies—were standing by the staff entrance, blocking his way. The owner hadn't arrived yet.
"Hey, kid," the leader said, stepping forward and shoving Ren against the brick wall. "How dare you ignore us yesterday? You think because you're Go's 'friend' you're special?"
Ren looked down, trying to keep his remaining eye focused on the ground. "I'm sorry, brothers. I just want to work. Please let me pass."
One of the bullies raised his hand, ready to deliver a stinging slap to Ren's wounded face, when the sound of a car engine made them freeze. The owner stepped out, eyes narrowing as he saw the commotion.
"What's going on here?" the owner barked.
The bullies instantly changed their expressions. "Sir! We caught this kid trying to sneak into your private office! We were just... questioning him."
The owner looked at Ren's trembling form and then at the bullies. "Do you have proof?"
The bullies went silent, looking at their feet. The owner sighed. "Back to work, all of you! If I catch any of you touching Ren again, you're fired on the spot. Clear?"
The day proceeded with a tense silence. Ren worked twice as hard as anyone else, his shirt drenched in sweat as he hauled heavy crates and served tables with a polite bow. The owner watched from a distance, looking impressed by the boy's resilience.
But the bullies were only waiting for their moment.
During the afternoon break, Ren headed to the staff restroom to wash the blood that had started seeping through his bandages again. As he stepped out of the stall, he found the exit blocked. All five of them were there.
The leader was holding a heavy aluminum baseball bat, tapping it rhythmically against his palm.
"The boss isn't here to save you now, pirate," the leader hissed. "Because of you, we got yelled at. It's time you paid the price."
Without warning, the leader swung the bat.
CRACK.
The metal collided with Ren's jaw—the same side that was already broken. Ren's head snapped back, a spray of blood hitting the tiled wall. He collapsed to the floor, his vision spinning into a whirlpool of red and black.
"Hold him down!" the leader roared.
The other four jumped on Ren, pinning his arms and legs to the cold floor. The leader stood over him, raising the bat high. "Let's see if that other eye still works after this!"
The first kick landed in Ren's ribs, followed by another. Ren curled into a ball, his breath hitching, his mind screaming in agony. But deep within his chest, that same golden heat from last night began to pulse... faster and hotter than before.