Chapter 60: Secrets and Stained Hands
Mina scrambled back on her bed, her heart thumping against her ribs like a trapped bird. "It's nothing, Lai! Just... just leave it!"
"If it's nothing, then why are you acting like you've seen a ghost?" Lai didn't wait for an answer. He lunged forward, his longer reach making it easy to snatch the tablet from Mina's trembling hands.
He looked at the screen, and his eyebrows shot up. It was a high-resolution image of Ren—the same cold, piercing eyes and messy hair.
"Who is this guy?" Lai asked, his voice turning serious.
Mina looked away, her face flushing a deep shade of crimson. "I... I don't know."
"Don't lie to me, Mina. Tell me who he is."
Mina stayed silent for a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you... but promise me you won't tell Dad. Please."
Lai sat on the edge of the bed, his expression softening. "I won't tell him. I promise. Now, who is he and why are you hiding his picture?"
"He's... he's Dad's new student," Mina whispered.
"Wait, just for that you were so scared?" Lai asked, confused.
"No... he's also the one who saved my life," Mina added, her voice filled with a strange mix of gratitude and something more.
Lai's eyes widened, then a slow, mischievous smirk spread across his face. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Oh... I see. So my little sister has a crush on the hero, huh?"
Mina jumped as if she'd been electrocuted. "No! It's not like that! I don't... I don't like him!"
Lai laughed, standing up and tossing the tablet back onto the bed. "Your reaction says everything, Mina. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell Dad that you're mooning over his student."
Mina gave a small, shy smile as Lai walked out of the room. For the first time in days, the heavy weight in her chest felt a little lighter.
Ren's Apartment
The atmosphere here was far different. The room was cold, and Hana was sitting on the floor, distracted by the light snowfall visible through the window. She was trying to catch the flakes against the glass, her movements slow and dreamy.
Ren walked into the room, his footsteps heavy. He looked exhausted, the adrenaline from the school incident finally fading.
"Ren! You're back!" Hana turned around, a smile forming on her face. "What did the teacher say? Is everything okay?"
As Ren approached, Hana's eyes fell on his right hand. There was a dark, crusty residue on his knuckles—dried blood that he hadn't bothered to wash off. She gasped, grabbing his hand with her small, bandaged ones.
"Ren! You're hurt! What happened?"
Ren looked down at his hand, then back at his sister. He gently guided her to sit on the bed. "I'm not hurt, Hana. This isn't my blood."
Hana froze, her eyes widening. "Then... whose is it?"
"It belongs to the Math teacher," Ren said, his voice flat and honest. "The one who slapped you."
Hana's breath hitched. "What... what did you do?"
"I didn't kill her," Ren said, though his tone was devoid of any mercy. "She's alive. But I don't think she'll be using that hand to hit anyone ever again. Some of her facial bones are broken, too."
Hana stared at him, her face a mask of pure shock. "Ren... you... you did that for me?"