"Stop leaving your trash all over the floor!"
The culprit turned her head to face him.
"Ah, shut up already! Can't you just clean it up?"
Ren glared at Emery, clenching his jaw. She was lounging on his couch, a smug smile glued on her face.
Pest was the first thing that came to Ren's mind. Buzzing around his life like a wasp, with her sharp words and stinging glares, it was like Emery seemed hell-bent on making herself a permanent fixture in the Takashi residence.
"What?! I believe this is my house! Say that again and you can get the hell out!"
"..."
"Don't think that you can just ignore me!"
Ren's yell finally got Emery to turn her head around, her eyes glittered under her long eyelashes, reflecting a cold stare.
"We're watching anime right now, so can you keep it down?"
"I swear to god—"
"Stop fighting!"
Natsuki and Hazuki's twin plea interrupted Ren's thoughts.
The two were seated on the floor, clutching each other as if they were lifelines.
Ren sighed, rubbing his temples in annoyance as Emery stuck her tongue out at him.
"See, even the little princesses agree with me. You're being way too loud."
"Yeah, yeah, shut up" he muttered, rolling his eyes as he got up and made his way into the kitchen to begin preheating the stove.
In case you hadn't noticed by now, Ren and Emery at this point were completely used to each other's presence. For lack of better words, the two were practically living together.
To make sure Emery didn't oversleep, each morning Ren would wake up early and go over to her place to grab her. On days when he was in a good mood, sometimes he would even make her breakfast while she finished getting herself ready.
During school, they would brainstorm different tactics for Emery to use to win over Kaito, and then put them into practice. Unfortunately, none had gone the way they had wanted so far.
After school, they commonly would meet back up at Ren's place for dinner. In the beginning, the cooking was done at Emery's place, but the terrible situation ongoing in her kitchen quickly convinced Ren to begin cooking in his own kitchen.
Eventually, it reached a point where Emery was at Ren's condo every single day she could be. It alarmed Ren at first, as he didn't want her finding out anything about his job, but after a bit, he realized she wasn't very attentive, and his worries slowly subsided.
Unexpectedly, his sisters were quite open to accepting Emery, and Emery, for her part, wasn't overly curious about them. At first, Emery would leave right after his sisters would get home from their nights out, but later she began watching TV, reading manga, taking naps, plotting how to win over Kaito... And the time she spent in the Takashi residence slowly grew longer...
All it took was two weeks… and by the time Ren had noticed, things had become like this.
And of all days, today was the day that they set their final plan into action, or in other words…
"Operation: Chocolate Confectionery Part One"
The task seemed simple enough. Buy a set of premade chocolate from the grocery store, melt it, pour it into a mold, let it cool, and Ta-Da! But in the hands of these two clowns, even the most straightforward task would turn into a struggle.
Fast forward a couple of hours…
"Seriously, how did you manage to burn the chocolate?" Ren asked incredulously as Emery held up a pan filled with blackened, smoky remnants of what used to be sweet milk chocolate.
"I don't know! You said low heat!" Emery defended herself.
"Low heat doesn't mean 'blast it on max and forget about it for twenty minutes'!" Ren rolled his eyes and immediately ran the smoking pan under the faucet. The kitchen filled with a hissing sound as the pan cooled down, leaving behind a charred mess.
"I didn't see you stopping me!"
"Because I thought you knew the difference between 'low' and 'high!'" Ren retorted, grabbing another bar of chocolate from the counter. "Let's try this again."
… and it wasn't going very well. The only thing Ren had gained of any use so far was the notion that Emery hadn't been lying: she really was bad at cooking.
They tried again. And again. And again. With each attempt, the kitchen grew messier as scattered wrappers and spilled chocolate began to cover the countertop.
After another couple of hours of kitchen mishaps and constant bickering, the pair found themselves staring at their last bar of chocolate. Chocolate dripped from the counter onto the hardwood floor beneath them, and sugar clung to their school uniforms like a layer of frost.
"Alright…" Ren began, clutching the final bar tightly in his hands as if it were a golden ticket, "This is our last shot. Let's not screw this up…"
"…"
"Right…" Emery responded, her voice barely audible over the soft hum of the kitchen appliances. Her twintails were a sticky mess, and there was a smudge of chocolate under her cheek. Even so, she appeared as determined as ever.
"Look, I know you want this to feel genuine, but I really think you should let me handle the melting and cooling—"
"N-No! I-I got this! I won't fail this time!"
"You said that last time."
"Shut up!"
"But I—"
"No buts!" Emery interrupted. "This is a matter of my pride now! I won't just let you take over and fix everything!"
Ren frowned, considering his options. He knew that she was stubborn and wouldn't back down easily. As he looked into her piercing eyes, he realized he couldn't force her to step aside. Not when she was so resolute.
"Alright," Ren finally conceded, backing away from the stove. "Have at it then."
Emery shot him a triumphant glance before turning her attention back to the chocolate in the fresh pan. With a concentrated gaze, she slowly adjusted the heat on the stove to low.
"See? I got this," Emery said, mixing in a little butter to help smoothen the melting process. She never left her post, her eyes fixated on the stove as if willing the chocolate not to burn this time.
The next few minutes felt more like hours as the tension in the room escalated to an almost unbearable level. The silence was only broken by the faint sound of their hurried breaths and the occasional clanging of utensils.
Finally, the once-solid chocolate became a smooth, velvety liquid. Emery carefully lifted the pan off the stove and poured the melted chocolate into the star-shaped molds they'd picked up at the store earlier that day.
"As soon as it is filled, place it in the fridge… quickly!" Ren instructed in hushed whispers.
With a nod, Emery took the mold and promptly walked towards their refrigerator, setting it inside on an empty shelf and slowly shutting the door.
"Did we... did we do it?" Emery asked, turning to Ren with an expectant gaze.
"We did... it seems," Ren replied, surprising himself as much as he was surprising her. A slow smile spread on Emery's face, one that matched the relief reflecting in her eyes.
"Yes!" she shouted, jumping up and down like an excited child as she celebrated their victory.
As Emery rejoiced, Ren leaned against the counter, letting out a light sigh. In the end, he was just glad that it was done and over with.
Slowly but surely, the little demon had tired herself out until she too was leaning against the counter adjacent to him.
"Do you... do you think it'll turn out alright?" Emery asked, her slight apprehension reverberating in her soft voice.
"It should turn out fine."
"But... but what if it doesn't?"
"Believe me, there's nothing left to screw up here, you have nothing to worry about…"
Ren paused momentarily before continuing.
"You know Emery," he said, not unkindly, but with an undeniable edge to his voice. "You should go home and get some rest. You can come back tomorrow morning to pick up the chocolate."
Emery seemed to hesitate, her eyes appearing almost glossy with reluctance. She glanced at the clock and back at him, biting her lower lip in an obvious show of conflict.
She started to say something before she seemed to swallow her words. She then shook her head, her twintails bouncing slightly with the movement as she headed towards the door.
"See you tomorrow then."
She said it in a cold tone that failed to reach her eyes.
Ren chose not to comment on it. Instead, simply nodded, watching her disappear through the doorway and out of sight.
With Emery gone, the condo succumbed back into silence. He leaned over the counter, staring at the closed front door where her figure had disappeared. Something gnawed at him. A feeling that he couldn't shake off but also couldn't place entirely. It was something about the way she had acted just now.
The slight hesitation, the reluctance in how she left…
The sound of two bedroom doors opening snapped him back to reality. Hazuki and Natsuki walked in, the sight immediately catching their attention. The kitchen was a mess, melting chocolate smeared over the counters, a thin layer of cocoa powder dusting the floor, and an odd-looking pan sitting awkwardly in the sink.
The two stared back at him.
"Don't ask."
***
"Don't push it too far, just act like it's no big deal. And don't suddenly get all worked up… just stay cool and act natural."
"I know, stay relaxed, right? Relax… relax–"
"Alright! Everybody back to your seats! Class is about to begin!"
"Eek!"
Emery got startled by the voice of the algebra teacher. Amongst the students rushing back to their seats, she remained standing, her face flushed. Ren motioned for her to sit down as she scrambled back to her seat, tripping over a bag in the process.
Although he knew she would be nervous, he never expected her to be this nervous. Emery grabbed hold of her desk, her back arching as though she had a stomach ache, her feet shaking violently, and her face turning pale white while looking like something out of a nightmare.
Ren couldn't help but stare at her panicked expression, drawing a few odd glares from the classmates sitting around him. He shrugged them off, shifting his gaze back to the front of the classroom as Ms. Yoko continued blabbering on about yesterday's news.
The class went by in a blur, everyone else too excited about the imminent arrival of the break period to get anything of substance done. Ren kept glancing at Emery throughout the whole thing, watching as she fidgeted in her seat and glanced down at the paper bag that contained the meticulously crafted chocolates too many times to count.
"Alright, alright! Remember to study for Monday's quiz!"
And with that, finally, the bell rang, leading right into:
"Operation: Chocolate Confectionary Part Two"
Ren would set up a lunch date between him and Kaito. By casually inviting Emery, she could happily have lunch with Kaito, and use the opportunity to give him the chocolate. Perfect, right?
As the classroom erupted into chatter, Ren subtly rose from his seat and weaved through the sea of students. He cleared his throat, attracting Kaito's attention. "You wanna grab some lunch?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
Kaito looked at him, his green eyes curiously studying Ren's face before a slow, knowing grin spread across his blond features. "Might as well," he responded, the eagerness in his voice not quite matching the playfulness twinkling in his eyes.
Before they could inch closer to the door, a cheerful voice interrupted them. "Wait up!" Akari called out, her wavy brown hair bouncing as she rushed to catch up. "I want to join too!" beaming at them with her usual sunny smile.
"Akari?"
The cheerful brunette was met with a moment's pause as the two boys exchanged glances. Kaito's smirk broadened, a knowing glint in his eyes that Ren wished he could wipe out. Taking a deep breath, Ren managed to pull off a casual shrug in response and muttered, "Sure, the more the merrier."
Before the trio started heading towards the cafeteria, Ren subtly glanced back at Emery. She was still at her seat, her gaze fixated on her bag. This wasn't part of the plan. But before he could think of a solution to have her join them, Akari was already calling out to her.
"Em! Why don't you come to eat with us too?"
Emery hesitated, her wide eyes flicking from Akari's inviting grin to the paper bag she clutched. To Ren's relief, she smiled and got up from her desk.
"O-okay…!"
On that note, lunch would go better than expected. The plan, despite needing to be improvised at times, would go off without a hitch. Now, not only did Emery get the chance to talk with Kaito, but he also got the chance to talk with Akari! It really had been an impeccable plan!
Even with the initial success though, Ren knew that the plan was about to enter the most difficult phase: "Operation Deliver the Chocolates," which could result in everything going downhill if it failed.
Speaking of Akari…
"Hey, give me a second, I'm going to the bathroom."
She had left to use the restroom, leaving the three of them remaining at the table. Ren, seeing an opportunity to get Emery and Kaito alone, decided to follow suit.
"Ah, you know, I kind of need to go too...I'll be back in a minute."
He watched as the lunch table fell awkwardly silent as the two of them left, praying that Emery would break the silence and take the opportunity to give him the chocolate.
Once he was a safe distance away, or in other words, 'far enough so they wouldn't notice he was eavesdropping,' he sat at the chair of an open table and began to watch intently.
Ren watched from his seat as Emery fumbled with the paper bag in her hands.
She thrust the bag forward, holding her breath as Kaito looked down at it. His eyes widened, a moment of confusion passing over his face before he looked back up at Emery. She couldn't meet his gaze; her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as she nervously fiddled with her hair.
"Uh... These are for you," she managed to whisper.
"Ooh! Chocolate? What's this for?"
"Oh... it's..." Emery stuttered. Her face was crimson now, and her hands were shaking slightly.
"…um—"
"Yo Makoto!"
Before she could explain, a loud voice echoed across the cafeteria. It was Tsukasa, a member of the unified basketball team, leaning at the entrance with a basketball tucked under his arm.
"C'mon man hurry up, club practice is about to start! Coach will have our asses if we're late!"
Kaito glanced over at Tsukasa and then back to Emery. His eyes rested on the bag of chocolates again, his eyebrows furrowed for a second before understanding lit up his face. His head darted back to Emery's blushing face, a teasing grin adorning his features.
"Yeah, yeah give me a second!... well, thanks for these! I'll be sure to enjoy them later!"
He grabbed the bag from her hands and stuffed it into his backpack pocket, completely oblivious to the way Emery's face was rapidly changing colors.
"Tell Ren and Akari that I had to leave when they get back!"
Before she could even collect her thoughts to protest further, Kaito was already halfway across the cafeteria, waving back at her as Tsukasa clapped him on the back. Emery sat there, her mouth slightly open and her face a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
Ren watched the entire scene unfold from his distant perch, his eyes wide in surprise. He hadn't expected Tsukasa to interrupt at such a critical moment. He stood at the threshold of feeling disappointed and relieved. Though "Operation Deliver the Chocolates" seemed to be a partial success, Emery's feelings still hadn't reached Kaito.
Heaving a sigh, Ren pushed himself off the chair and made his way back to the table.
"Emery...?"
"..."
She didn't respond to his calls. She sat still, her eyes squinting small like a kitten that had just finished eating. She remained like that until her neck became cherry red in color and her ears became bright red. It was not easy to tell, but upon closer inspection, one could see that she was smiling.
"H, hey... Emery, what's wrong?"
"Hmph! Wrong? The one who's looking wrong is you! Why do you look so stunned? You should be happy for me!"
"... Happy? For you?"
After hearing this unexpected statement, it was Ren's turn to become silent for a moment. Happy for what exactly?
"Emery, he didn't even give you a chance to explain."
Her smile faltered for a moment, and she glanced away. "That doesn't matter! He accepted them, didn't he?"
"You don't get it. Sure, he accepted your chocolates but-"
Emery interrupted him with an indignant huff. "But nothing! He accepted them! That's... that's progress, right?"
"Was your goal just to give him the chocolate and nothing more? Aren't you supposed to use an opportunity like this to tell him why you were giving them to him?"
Ren watched as Emery's smile disappeared and she looked down at her hands. He could tell that she was starting to understand what he was trying to say. Her expression became cold as she got up from her seat and began to head for the door.
"Hey, w-wait! Where are you going!?"
"I'm going home."
"Huh!? What do you mean 'going home?' It's the middle of the day!"
"…"
No response.
At that moment, Akari had reappeared from the bathroom. She took a confused glance at Ren as she realized that their table was now empty.
"Ren?" Akari yelled, her face filled with concern, "What happened?"
"…"
***
"SKYLAR, give me an overview of the target."
"Kevin Mendoza, age 25, Sephorian junior minister of infrastructure. He appears to have risen through the ranks quickly due to his impressive intelligence and negotiating skills. He is currently stationed at the Mesa building downtown due to the failure of a levy on the south side of Oceanview."
"Mesa building?"
"Correct. It is approximately 2.7 miles from your current location."
Ren recalled having visited the building once with his father when he was little. It was large, nothing compared to that in the capital city where he once lived, but still large nonetheless.
"Any details on his security?" Ren asked, the hum of his suit's internal systems echoing in his ears as he slowly scaled the side of a high-rise.
"Five bodyguards, all well-trained, two personal and three from a provided local force," SKYLAR responded, her monotone voice cutting through the gusts that howled around him. "As well as CCTV and biometric security measures throughout the building."
"Hmpf, sounds like a party," Ren muttered under his breath, his icy blue eyes narrowed in concentration as he continued his ascent. He could feel the chill of the night air through the thin material of his suit, the artificial fibers already adapting and hardening to insulate him. "Any blind spots in their security?"
SKYLAR processed the question for a moment before answering, "There's a service entrance on the North side of the building. It connects directly to the basement parking lot which is currently under renovation. It's not monitored by their security systems."
"Sounds like our way in," Ren quipped as he reached the roof of the high-rise, taking a moment to survey the city lights that sparkled like stardust against the velvet Sephoria night.
The wind roared in his ears as he leaped from the rooftop and free-fell towards a neighboring building, his hands reaching out to grip an outcropping ledge.
The material of his suit stiffened further and took the brunt of the impact as he landed, absorbing the shock that would have shattered any normal person's bones. He rolled into a crouch before sprinting towards the building's ledge. The world blurred as he leaped again, soaring over the yawning abyss between him and the next building in his path.
As he neared the Mesa building, the immensity of it was undeniable - glass windows reflected the moon's bright glow, forming a maze of shimmering lights while its sheer size was enough to put the Empire State Building to shame.
"SKYLAR, pinpoint Mendoza's current location in the building for me."
"Kevin Mendoza is currently located on the fifteenth floor," SKYLAR responded, her voice a soft echo in Ren's ears. "He appears to be descending at a rapid rate of speed, moving towards the basement parking lot stated previously. It appears he is attempting to exit the building."
"Exit?" Ren's brows furrowed, momentarily thrown off guard. "Does he know we're coming?"
"Unclear," SKYLAR answered as Ren cut across rooftops, his feet barely touching the surface before he was airborne once again. "It could be the end of his working period considering the time."
"Would his security detachment follow him out of the building?"
"The local force is likely to remain within the premises, therefore Minister Mendoza is likely down to his two personal bodyguards."
"Perfect. The fewer the better," Ren muttered as he jumped from the last building and landed in front of the Mesa building's basement parking garage with a large metal thump.
The basement was dim, echoing with the distant hum of electricity. Ren made his way through the chain of parked cars, their glossy surfaces reflecting the occasional flicker of the overhead lights. With a final step, he found himself at the entrance of the parking garage's elevator, lit with an odd pale light.
He watched and readied himself for combat as the elevator doors slowly opened, revealing Mendoza and his two guards armed with assault weapons.
"Gah!"
Surprise registered briefly in Mendoza's eyes as he took in the sight of the robotic assassin. But it was quickly replaced by a fearful and hurried expression as he yelled orders to his guards and began to flee. The guards immediately moved forward, weapons at the ready.
"Let's dance."
The guards fired shots simultaneously, their semi-automatics echoing in the confined space. Ren moved swiftly, dodging some bullets with his reflexes while tanking any others that made contact, the bullets ricocheting off with metallic pings causing sparks to fly in all directions.
In a blur of movements, Ren closed the gap between them, kicking one guard in the chest with such force that he was sent sprawling backward into a parked car. The guard's gun clattered on the concrete floor, its owner too winded to reach for it.
The other guard, who had tried to reload, saw his opportunity and swung his rifle violently at Ren like a club, connecting with the back of his head.
Ren barely flinched as his suit's armor absorbed the brunt of the blow. The guard's eyes widened in shock, but he had little time to register what happened. With a swift reaction, he activated his wrist blade and sliced through the thick skin of the guard's legs. The guard screamed in agony before quickly being silenced by a strong kick to his skull.
Mendoza had managed to put some distance between himself and Ren, bolting towards the exit of the parking garage. His feet pounded against concrete, echoing loudly in the emptiness as he dashed out through the exit.
Ren swiftly approached from behind, running at full speed until he was within striking distance.
Just then, an array of red glowing shuriken filled the air. They whirred with a high-pitched sound, streaking through the night sky like comets. Mendoza's face became a mask of terror as they hit him. They came fast and precise, one after the other, piercing through his flesh before circling back around him like boomerangs.
"Wait, what the hell was that!?"
Ren, having been completely thrown off guard, slowed his strides, watching cautiously while frantically trying to identify the source of the shuriken. As he threw his glance up into the sky, he saw the glow of a ruby contrail piercing through the darkness as it zipped around.
With an immense crash that shook the ground under Ren's feet, the source of the contrail landed right before him. Dust and debris clouded his vision momentarily before it cleared with a gust of wind, revealing an imposing silhouette in a striking red metallic suit similar to his own.
Without any thought, Ren activated his directed-energy machine gun and fired toward the figure in an attempt to defend himself.
The figure deftly dodged, twisting its body in an elegant, fluid motion that seemed impossible for that of metal armor. The energy bullets whizzed past, leaving behind subtle particles of blue light that soon faded into black.
In retaliation, a volley of crimson shuriken returned, their edges illuminated with a blood-red glow. The deadly projectiles cut through the air with an enchanting hum.
Ren wasn't quick enough to evade them all. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as one shuriken grazed the metal off his arm, another shaving off his knee panel.
He watched in horror as one more headed straight for his helmet. His mind raced, his heart pounded in his ears, the backdrop of the night sky merging into one indistinguishable blur as he braced for the impact.
The sound of energy on metal rang out like a death knell as the shuriken impaled itself onto his helmet. There was a moment of deafening silence before shards of nanotech peppered his face, creating a sharp pain that erupted from his left eye, blinding him temporarily.
Ren staggered, stumbling back with a moan of agony, clutching his face as he tumbled onto a pile of debris. The red figure, seemingly observing him with eerie calmness, slowly started to advance towards him. Their steps were measured and deliberate, sending tremors through the ground that matched the pounding in Ren's skull.
"Who are you?" The red figure's inquiry echoed through the empty lot, the sharpness of its metallic voice cut through the sudden silence that had fallen.
Ren, still dazed and clutching his half-shattered mask, choked out a response.
"W-what's it to you?"
The figure retorted, the sleek modulation of its helmet giving a distinctly feminine tone, "It is everything to me."
She stepped forward, the brilliant red of her suit radiating under the night sky. With a swift move, she shot out another shuriken, its deadly glow highlighting her stern face as she caught it midair.
"The southern sector is my territory," she declared with steely resolve. "I don't care if you're another one of the Avians like me. We were built to be competitive, to defend ourselves from one another. I don't intend to let you encroach on my turf."
Ren blinked, trying to clear the haze of pain that clouded his vision. He grimaced as he tried to push himself back up, his arm protesting loudly with a metallic screech. His movements faltered under the weight of his half-shattered helmet and the cryptic warnings that echoed in his mind.
The red figure didn't move, her eyes hidden behind the dark visor of her helmet, locked onto him with an intensity that was somehow more unnerving than when she was hurling shuriken.
"Avian?" Ren spat, "What's that?"
"You have the suit, yet you don't know?" The red figure's voice echoed incredulously. Her tone was a disconcerting mix of mockery and curiosity.
She hoisted her shuriken higher, its edge reflecting the faint moonlight red. "We are the chosen ones. People who have been given these suits by The Birdkeeper to fulfill certain... tasks. We're called Avians because we're supposed to be swift, silent, and deadly."
"Swift, silent, deadly," he repeated. His voice was hollow, barely a whisper against the cool night breeze that had started to pick up.
The red figure nodded slowly, her stance still confrontational but tempered with an odd sense of respect. "Exactly," she responded, her voice soft yet stern. "In this business, it's first come first serve. Whoever gets the kill or completes the task gets the check."
"And if you're in my territory, you're cutting into my pay," she finished, malice creeping into her voice as she tightened her grip on the shuriken. "And I don't take kindly to pilferers."
"How the hell was I supposed to know?" Ren shot back, his tone laced with desperate frustration. "I've been dumped headfirst into this world without a damn clue of what's going on!" He gestured wide with his free hand, shards of nanotech glinting in the dim light as they fell from his scalp. "I didn't ask for any of this!"
"None of us did, pretty boy," she responded, the metallic ring to her voice growing colder. "But we accepted his offer, so here we are."
She moved closer, the space between them filled with an intense oscillation of threat and curiosity. The harsh neon lights from a distant signboard reflected off her suit as she towered over Ren, adding a foreboding glow to the standoff.
"Listen here rookie, normally I would have already killed you, but since I have a little pinch of pity for newbies, I will allow you to live just this once."
"But you better not ever cross paths with me again. I will not hesitate to defend my money and my livelihood."
With that, she shot a series of smoke pellets onto the ground. A gray cloud enveloped the area in an instant, obscuring Ren's vision and choking his lungs. He coughed violently, brushing away the smoke with his chipped metal sleeve. As the thick veil of smoke dissipated, he saw the red figure was nowhere to be found. Only the eerie echo of her sharp words lingered under the dull glow of the garage's dim lights.
Despite what had just happened, Ren knew he really had lucked out. He could have been killed right there and then, yet she showed him mercy even after having attacked her first. Even with her cold words, he couldn't have been any more grateful than he was at this very moment.
A problem was beginning to arise, however. His eye was throbbing, giving steady pulses of excruciating pain that ran down his face and echoed through his skull as he deactivated his suit. He gingerly reached up to feel the wound, wincing as his fingers brushed against the tender skin. It was bad. He needed to get medical attention. But how?
A hospital was definitely out of the question. If he went somewhere to get help, there'd be questions. Too many questions. Questions about who he was, how he got hurt, and what the hell was in his eye.
He could attempt to flag somebody down on the street, but that could raise suspicion of what he was just attempting to do. Besides, it would likely end in an ambulance being called anyway.
So, Ren decided on the safest option: patching himself up. It wasn't ideal, but there weren't any other options that could guarantee his identity stayed hidden, so he decided to roll with it.
He limped his way back to the condo, staying in the shadows to avoid any stray eyes. Each step was a symphony of agony, every echo of pain bleaching more color from his already pale complexion.
Upon reaching the condo, Ren slipped in through the backdoor to avoid drawing attention. He could already feel his shoulder starting to swell and stiffen as he moved, courtesy of his brutal encounter. His working eye quickly swept across the dark, cluttered kitchen until he located his first-aid kit.
With gritted teeth, Ren hastily began wrapping the gauze over his afflicted eye, the dampness of blood soaking through the faded white strands. He winced as he applied pressure to staunch the flow.
His fingertips, slick with his own blood, fumbled over the thin strips. He'd bandaged up countless wounds in the past, but with his vision blurred and body trembling from fatigue and pain, it proved a much more arduous task. The smell of steel from his blood was nauseatingly heavy in the small room, mixing with his sweat to create a bitter scent.
With one final loop of a bandage, he breathed out a shallow sigh of relief. His body finally succumbing to the pain and exhaustion, he slid down the kitchen cabinet, his back hitting the cold tiled floor as a wince tugged at his lips.
His body gave a final violent shudder before going still, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he passed out.