In the afternoon, Ren is pedaling down the street after finishing a delivery, his thoughts lingering on what had just happened at the restaurant. His muscles are aching from the heavy lifting Eva had forced on him. Even though he can lighten the objects with telekinesis, the force is just strong enough to ease him in lifting the objects. He still has to use his strength to lift them. Tsk, it's all my fault anyway. I was just too excited and didn't notice that someone was watching me. It's my fault I got caught. It's her nature to use me. I'll just have to be more careful next time, just until I'm strong enough.
He turns at the crossway to the road that passes through the coffee shop where Lina works. As he is pedaling through slowly, thinking, something catches his eye. He goes close and stops across the road to the shop. He sees two thug-looking guys standing at the door, and their menacing forms are towering over someone. His gaze narrows as he looks clearly and realizes who they are after—Lina.
Those thugs are harassing her in broad daylight, and people are just passing by, not wanting to get involved. Lina's face is disturbingly calm, expressionless even, as one of the men grips her arm, yanking her toward him. "Come on, sweetheart, you'll enjoy this," the man says with a grin. "Let's head to the alley. We'll make your day a lot better."
Lina's voice is quiet but firm, "Please, let me go. I Don't do this."
The man's grin widens as his grip tightens, and his partner, equally sleazy, slides his hand down her thigh. "You'll like it, trust me," he mutters, his fingers slowly creeping upward.
"Pl, Please just let me go. Don't..." She says, her voice is a bit robotic.
"Ohh babe, just give us some time. You will feel a lot better in just moments, hehe." One thug smirks.
"No, just let go."
But the thugs just don't listen. The one guy slowly keeps crawling his hand up, touching her thighs.
That movement causes a flicker of shock in Lina's otherwise stoic expression and something inside Ren snaps. Anger. Raw, hot fury floods his veins. His eyes turn red. He doesn't care about people. He doesn't care about their problems. He is no hero. But seeing her like this—seeing her being harassed by someone, being touched. She is his, no one can touch her, never—This sends him over the edge.
His fists clench. He humps down his bike and begins walking toward them, his heart racing, ready to act. But just as he takes a few steps, one of the thugs' phones rings. The man answers the phone and exchange a glance before one of them smirks, releasing Lina's arm. "We'll have fun later, babe," he says, winking at her. "Don't go too far. We'll find you again."
They laugh and saunter off down the street, leaving Lina standing there, her expression back to that eerie calm. Ren stands there, watching them leave, his fists still balled, frustrated that they just walked away. He wants to go to Lina, but something holds him back. They don't talk much—barely at all, really—so what could he even say?
With a heavy heart, Ren turns and walks away, his anger simmering under the surface. After some time, he arrives back at the diner. He walks to the stand, locks his bike, and steps inside, thinking about the thugs, boiling in anger. Just as he enters, Eva's voice cuts through his thoughts.
"Ren, move those boxes inside," she tells him, pointing toward another pile of heavy crates stacked outside. Her tone is as condescending as ever like she's talking to an insect.
"Hurry up. We don't have all day."
Ren looks at her, his eyes staring at her. Really, I just got here, stop being a bitch. He wants to say that, but he can't. He can only think about it but not say it to her, not at least yet.
He doesn't want to do it. He is angry, and his muscles ache, but he has no choice. He just lowers his head, walks over to the boxes, and begins lifting them, each one heavier than the last. One by one, he moves them inside while Eva keeps staring at him with her cold eyes. "Can't you move faster? You're so slow."
His jaw tightens, but he stays silent, bottling his frustration. This bitch keeps talking. He finishes moving in the last crate and, without another word, takes his bag and heads out, the rage still boiling inside him. He heads home, he is too angry and tired, and that bitch just keeps talking, yelling at him. Also, it's time his shift ends as well.
He arrives at his apartment and sits in the kitchen. It's already evening, and it's time she comes back as well. Soon, the apartment gate opens and Lina enters. Ren looks at her. He can see tiredness and frustration in her eyes.
"Hey Lina," he says, his voice low. But she doesn't respond and just heads to her room. Ren sees her go in even without looking at him. He stares at her gate, it's all their fault. Those damn thugs. His blood quickens as he slams his hand on the table. Fuck, if I see those damn thugs again, they are dead.
He stands up and goes to his room. He lies down and falls asleep thinking about the thugs.
The next morning, Ren wakes up early, his mind still buzzing from the previous day. He spends an hour practicing his control over moving small objects around his room with telekinesis, growing more adept with every minute. He knows he's getting stronger, but the memory of the two thugs touching Lina lingers, stoking his anger.
Later, as he's heading out to work, he spots Lina again. She's rushing down the street, clearly late for her shift, her face exhausted and drawn. Ren wants to say something, anything. He thinks about complimenting her, maybe mentioning the waitress dress she wore. But when he sees the weariness etched into her features, the words die in his throat. What's the point? He lets her pass without a word and heads to the restaurant.
When he arrives, there are more boxes stacked outside. The sight of them makes his stomach churn, and sure enough, the second Eva spots him, she barks out her orders. "Move those boxes in, Ren."
Again with this shit. Ren's eyes narrow in anger, but he forces himself to do it. After all, he can't afford to lose this job, no matter how much Eva treats him like dirt. He lifts the boxes, feeling the strain in his arms and back, but each movement is accompanied by the thudding pulse of rage building inside him.
After finishing the task, he heads out for deliveries. He delivers a few orders and is returning. But as he gets close to the diner, something catches his attention. Eva. She's standing outside, arguing with the same two thugs who had harassed Lina the previous day.
"You'll enjoy this too," one of them sneers, reaching for her. "We'll make you feel real good. Who knows, maybe you'll become our regular, huh?"
Eva's face is a mask of defiance. She shouts at them to leave, threatening to call the cops, but the fear in her eyes is unmistakable. Ren watches, and a dark thought slithers through his mind. Yeah, do it. This bitch deserves it. But not from them. I'll be the one to pound that big ass of hers. He smiles grimly at the thought but stays back, unwilling to intervene. It's not his problem.
But as he pedals to the stand, Eva spots him. Her eyes lock onto him, and she calls out, "Hey if you don't leave right now, I'll get Ren to beat the shit out of you. He's strong."
The thugs laugh, looking at Ren up and down with disdain. "Ren? Who the hell is Ren? That scrawny fucker?" One of them sneers, "You gonna beat us up, you little fucker?"
Ren freezes. He doesn't say anything. Why the hell is she involving me in this?
Eva's voice sharpens, dripping with venom. "Come on, Ren beat them up. You're strong, aren't you? If you don't do this, you're fired."
Ren's blood boils. The fuck, this bitch... He clenches his fists, torn between his anger at Eva and his hatred for these thugs. But those fuckers also touched Lina so I might as well do something.
He walks closer, " Hey, let her go now," Ren says, his voice low but firm.
One of the thugs grins and before Ren can react, the thug slaps him across the face. He bends with the impact, it leaves his cheek burning, and again, the other thug kicks him hard in the stomach. Ren crumples to the ground, gasping for air.
"Stay out of this, you little shit. You wanna die?" one of the thugs growls.
But, before things escalate further, a few muscular guys from the restaurant come rushing out. The thugs glance at them, cursing under their breath, and take off running down the street.
"Just you wait bitch, we will get you."
Ren struggles to stand, clutching his side, and Eva glares at him with disgust. "You're useless, you know that? Absolutely useless."
Her words cut deep, but the fury inside him is worse. Useless? You involved me, and now I'm the useless one? He clenches his fists, his mind spinning with dark thoughts.
Ren glares at Eva, his mind boiling with rage and frustration. He slowly stands, holding his burning stomach as his thoughts turn darker.
Useless... I'm useless? You bitch, You think you're so high and mighty. You involved me in this, and I'm useless. Just you wait. I'm going to make you regret ever crossing me. I'll make sure to be rough, to show you what real power is. I'll enjoy making you scream, I'll pound that bitch ass of yours until you're begging for mercy. You're going to wish you'd never crossed me."
The anger pulses through him as he stares at Eva, her face a mix of smugness and irritation. "Just you wait," he thinks, his eyes narrowing. "I'll make sure to pay you back a hundred times over. I'll enjoy every second of it."
With a final glare, he turns and heads inside, his mind consumed with thoughts of revenge and the promise of a reckoning.