The apartment was empty now, stripped bare. The once familiar, worn walls seemed to sigh in silence as the hefty men, standing with their arms crossed, admired their handiwork. They had done it efficiently, as if they'd done it a thousand times before, emptying every corner of the place without hesitation.
Mako stood there, the bitter weight of their presence pressing down on him. Mei, standing beside him, glanced up at him with wide eyes. She knew, just as he did, what was coming. The thought settled on them both like a cold gust of wind.
"They want us to leave."
Mako looked at her, his heart heavy with the knowledge that she was realizing it too. The hopelessness of the moment settled over him like a fog. He couldn't leave. Not like this. He couldn't let everything they'd fought for, everything they had left, be taken from them without a fight.
"Mako, let's leave now," Mei urged softly, her hand reaching out to him. Her voice was full of worry, but there was a certain finality in it that made him hesitate. She had already given up, already resigned herself to their fate.
But Mako was different. He had never been the one to give up, not for as long as he could remember. No, not now. Not when they had been through too much. He shook her arm off, his fingers stiff with defiance.
"You go outside," he said, his voice trembling but strong. He turned then, addressing Bu, the leader of the men. "I'd like to talk to you, man to man."
At that, Bu burst into a deep, rumbling laugh, his massive frame shaking with amusement. The sound was harsh, like the growl of an animal. Mako could feel the mocking weight of the laughter settle in his chest.
"Mako." Mei's voice was soft, full of warning. But he ignored her, his eyes locked on Bu. He was determined to make one last attempt, to plead his case like a man with nothing left to lose.
"I believe you're a reasonable man," Mako said, his words slow, deliberate. "Let's discuss this amicably. There has to be another way."
But Bu wasn't in the mood for reason. His face darkened, the humor draining from his expression in an instant. His voice dropped, thick and menacing. "Alright, enough talk, boy."
He took a step toward Mako, his movements smooth and sure, a predator circling its prey. Mako could feel the weight of the man's presence before Bu even laid a hand on him.
"Time to leave," Bu growled, his tone final.
Mako's chest tightened with anger. His body trembled—not just with the fear of what was coming, but with the surge of frustration, the bitter knowledge that he had fought so hard for so little, and now, it was all slipping away.
"No!" Mako's voice cracked with the rawness of it all. He stepped forward, his fists clenched. "I paid for this apartment with my own blood, sweat, and tears. You think I'm just going to walk away?"
Mei's voice was softer, pleading. "Mako, let's go. Please." Her hand touched his arm, but he shrugged it off, his eyes locked on Bu.
But before he could brace himself for another word, Bu was upon him. The force with which Bu slapped him across the face was unimaginable. The sound of it—loud, sharp—echoed through the empty space, like a gunshot.
Mako staggered back, the world spinning around him. The pain exploded through his head, a hot, red flame that rushed to every corner of his body. His knees buckled, and he fell back against the wall. Stars swam before his eyes, and for a moment, he thought he might lose consciousness.
It was foolish, delusional even, to think he could stand up to Bu, to this hulking, ruthless man. There was no way. The size difference alone was enough to tell him that. And Mako, weak, underfed, malnourished—he had no chance.
Bu stood over him, towering like a storm cloud. "Now, will you leave?" His voice was thick with mockery, every syllable dripping with superiority.
Mako, his mouth filled with blood, managed only a muffled "No."
But before Bu could do anything further, Mei jumped in between them, throwing herself in front of Mako as if she could protect him. The sight of her, so small and fragile against Bu's vastness, made Mako's heart ache with a new kind of helplessness.
"Please," Mei cried, her voice shaking. "Please don't hurt him."
Bu paused, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the desperate girl. Something in him shifted, and for a moment, Mako thought he might actually step back.
Bu's expression softened, just slightly. He turned, spitting on the floor in disgust. "Get him out of here," he muttered, his voice thick with distaste. "But don't make me regret it."
Mei quickly grabbed Mako's hand, pulling him out of the apartment, the sharp pain in his head making every step harder than the last.
Outside, the world felt too bright, too harsh. The street was quiet, the sunlight unforgiving. Their belongings, once carefully arranged in their tiny home, now lay haphazardly on the pavement, tossed carelessly by the men inside.
Mako's eyes narrowed as he looked at the mess, the disarray. "Damn fools," he muttered, his voice low and bitter. "Can't even move it in one place for us."
He could see Mr. Orji sitting on a bench, the man puffing away at a cigarette as though nothing had happened, brooding in his own miserable way.
Mako walked over to him, his movements slow and deliberate. He bent his head slightly, trying his best to keep his voice steady despite the rage simmering just beneath the surface.
"I know you've made up your mind on us," Mako said, his voice low. "But please, is there anything we can do? Anything at all?"
Mr. Orji shook his head, his lips twisting in a dismissive sneer. "No, there isn't." He paused, letting the words sink in, before adding, "Except, of course, if you've changed your mind about what I asked the other time."
Mako froze. The cold hand of revulsion gripped his heart, and he recoiled instinctively.
He knew exactly what Orji meant— He had once asked for Mei in exchange for clearing their debt. Mako could still feel the weight of that offer, the disgust, the shame.
"I can't do that, Mr. Orji," Mako said, his voice thick with restraint. "Isn't there any other way?"
Mr. Orji snorted, flicking the cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his heel. "Then I'm afraid this conversation is over," he said, turning away from Mako with finality. He walked toward the building, unlocking the door with a careless motion, before disappearing inside.
Mako stood there, his chest heaving with the weight of his helplessness, staring at the closed door for a long moment.
Mei had sat down on the curb, her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. It tore Mako apart to see her like this. She had grown up too fast, been forced to carry burdens that no child should bear. And all he wanted was to give her a chance to breathe, to let her live without fear, without pain.
"I'll get us somewhere to stay," Mako said, his voice louder than he felt, forcing the words out, as if by sheer will he could make it true. He turned to Mei, taking her face gently in his hands. "I'll find somewhere for us to stay tomorrow, I promise."
"And I'll get a better-paying job. Then you can go back to school," he added, his heart aching with the need to make that promise, even though he knew the path ahead was full of uncertainty.
Mei's sobs were quiet now, her eyes dull as she looked at him, but she nodded anyway, her small hands gripping his.
"Do you understand?" Mako asked, his voice softer now.
Mei nodded, her gaze avoiding his. But Mako knew. He knew she didn't believe him. And in that moment, neither did he.
***
The next morning, Mako did what he could. He found a cheap motel for them to stay in, a temporary place to lay their heads. It was small, cold, but it was something. It would cost them days of food, but Mako didn't care. The only thing that mattered now was getting Mei out of harm's way. Finding a way out of this mess.
When he tucked Mei into bed, her exhausted body curled beneath the thin sheets, he left in search of a lawyer.
He found one quickly enough, a shabby office with peeling paint on the door. Inside was Mr. Daniels, a short, pudgy man with a belly that bulged over his belt like a balloon. He greeted Mako with a sympathetic smile.
"I too have faced undue bullying from certain people," Mr. Daniels said, his voice full of understanding. "I know what it's like to want justice."
Mako felt a flicker of hope as he listened. "Thank you so much, sir," he said quietly, grateful for the first person who seemed to be on his side.
Mr. Daniels clasped his hands together. "You're welcome, Mako. But there's just one small matter to discuss," he added with a grim smile. "The fee."
Mako smiled faintly, the realization settling in. Justice, after all, never came free.