Meanwhile on Willow's side ~
They were in a deserted corridor, right outside the bathroom. Actually, that was where they all ambushed him when he came out.
There were shady men in black surrounding him. They formed a circle around Willow, making it impossible for him to make a run for it. Even if he were to hit one of them to create an opening, he highly doubted that his feeble hit would make them budge or the others would just let him leave. After all, he wasn't an action protagonist who could defeats small fries like this leisurely.
Biting his lip, he stood there, helpless. Well, rather than waiting here fruitlessly, might as well try to talk to them.
"Who are you guys? Why are you surrounding me?"
The burliest one replied stoically, "We were paid to keep you here till evening."
"Paid?" Willow muttered in a confused manner. Why would someone pay them to do this to him? He didn't wrong anyone, did he? Maybe it was the old Willow's doing...
But still, it didn't make sense. It'd been almost one and a half months since he transmigrated. If the old Willow did have some enemy who'd go as far as to pay thugs to kidnap him, he would've heard about them in that one and a half month.
His confusion was evident on his face as he wondered about other possible answers. However, none of them were suitable and at some point, reached dead ends. There was simply no reasonable explanation why someone might do this to him.
The men just stood there like statues, not bothering with whatever he was doing. He doubted that any of them would bat an eye even if he was to say 'Harry did you put your name in the goblet of fire,' with a Dumbledore 'calm' voice. But as soon as he came near to any of them and wasn't in the middle, they would silently move him back there.
Seems like he won't be getting out of here anytime soon. Sighing, he accepted his fate. Not knowing what else to do in his boredom, he continued his futile 'Who's behind this?' thinking.
Maybe it's someone close to him? Since they aren't doing anything to harm him, it seems like the person behind this doesn't hate him. They're just stopping him from returning.
Wait, was it his useless sister's doing? Is that idiot trying the 'hero saves the beauty' trope again? It did look like that. After all, when he wouldn't return, Charlie would search for him.
But she always told him what she was doing, though. Agh, why couldn't he reach a plausible answer for once! The more he thought about it, the more confusing it got.
Well, what good is thinking about it? Not like he can get out of this anyway. Even if he were to offer them more money, he knew it would be useless. After all, isn't that what always happens?
The MC tried to give them more money, but they refuse, upholding their 'honour code' or something.