The cell door creaked open, and the light coming from the torches in the corridor made Raja flinch, his body instinctively curling tighter against the cold, damp wall. He squinted against the brightness, his mind hazy from hunger and exhaustion.The figure that stepped inside wasn’t Jake. This time, it was someone far more dangerous.Father.The man’s imposing presence filled the room, his sharp, calculating eyes scanning the space. He paused, his gaze settling on Raja’s frail, battered form. Raja immediately hissed, like a tiger cub planning to devour a rhinoceros. His mouth instinctively growl as he look at Father with pure rage. He wanted to kill him, right here— right now. He's the reason for all the suffering Raja experienced! “It seems like the rat the I deemed to be useless has evolved into a tiger cub,” Father said, his voice smooth and cold. “You've managed to survive.” he crouched and look at Raja with eyes as if looking into a very valuable thing in an auction.Raja didn’t
The sterileroom corridor was cold, silent except for the faint hum of fluorescent lights overhead. Raja and father are walking in the center, his muscles taut, his breathing steady and arrived at one of the rooms in the basement. Father loomed before him, his presence commanding, as always, but today there was something else—a sense of finality in the air, like the conclusion of a long, drawn-out game.“You’ve come far, Raja,” Father began, his voice calm, almost gentle. “But before you can truly become the weapon I’ve crafted, there is one final test.”Raja’s eyes narrowed, his instincts flaring with unease. He had faced countless trials, endured unspeakable pain, and survived horrors that would have broken anyone else. Yet this… this felt different.Father gestured toward the room and they entered it. Two guards stepped forward, dragging a pair of figures into the light. Raja’s breath hitched.It was them.His parents.Raja’s heart pounded in his chest, a wild, erratic beat that bet
The infirmary was once again steeped in tension, the air heavy with unresolved conflict. Raja sat upright now, his body trembling from both the lingering pain of his injuries and the storm of emotions raging within him. It seemed like the injury had gotten the best of him, and his fragility made him blurt out his most hidden emotions that he had never imagined letting out unless he were to die. Tales stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his face a mask of indifference.“You weren’t there,” Raja said again, his voice sharp but laced with exhaustion. “You left me all alone. You promised you’d come back.”Tales didn’t flinch by his remarks. His gaze was steady, cold, and void of any remorse. Raja don't know if it's because his body is battered from Father's torture but his chest tightened even more upon seeing Tales eyes."You said that you'd come back. You promised. But you're just like them, you abandoned me."Tales’ jaw tightened, but his face remained impassive. “I did what I had
The grand dining hall of the mansion was eerily quiet, the weight of the decision hanging over everyone present. Members of the organization sat around the massive table, their eyes nervously flickering toward Raja, who was at the head of the table with an air of authority that demanded silence. The glow of the chandelier above cast long shadows.Claren, sitting near Raja, gave Raja a cautious look, his brow furrowed. Tales lingered in the back, his posture relaxed, but his eyes sharp as ever, scanning the room, unreadable.'This guy must be a freak. Holding a meeting when he's not healed yet.' Tales murmured in his mind. After the last of the silverware was cleared and the faint clinking of glasses settled into silence, Raja look at them and clasped his hands above the table."I’ve decided," he began, his tone low but firm, "to sever ties with Father."Silence. The words hung in the air, thick with unspoken meaning. No one moved, no one spoke. The members of the organization shifte
'Why am I still here?' Tales thought bitterly, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames of the fire. The warmth should have been comforting, but it felt suffocating, like it was burning away the last of his defenses. He gripped the armrest of his chair, enough to make his knuckles white. 'I should leave. I should have left minutes ago. This isn't right!' He stole a glance at Raja, whose forehead rested against his shoulder. Tales could feel Raja’s uneven breaths, the tremor in his body as if holding himself together was becoming too much. 'This isn’t fair,' Tales thought, anger bubbling beneath his skin. Not at Raja—never at him—but at the universe, at himself. 'Why does he have to speak at me like that? Like I’m the only thing holding him together even though I’m the one who broke him?'The silence was deafening, broken only by the crackle of the fire. Tales clenched his fists, willing himself to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come. They were stucked in his throat,
'How do you even begin to tell someone the truth when it’s uglier than anything they’ve imagined?'Tales was scared. His past is nothing but an utter pit of agony and dirt. He couldn't even dare to remember it. Much less say it out loud, informing Raja. But here he is.Raja leaned forward slightly, his presence overwhelming even in his stillness. “Please,” he urged softly, his voice steady but thick with emotion. “I’m not going anywhere.”Tales’ lips parted, but no words came out. The room felt too small and the air too heavy. He wanted to run, to escape the unbearable pressure of Raja’s gaze, but his body betrayed him. He stayed rooted to the spot, unable to move.'He deserves the truth,' Tales thought bitterly. 'Even if it makes him hate me more than he already does. Even if he'll stare at me with scrutiny.'Tales leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his voice steady but tinged with bitterness as he began. “My life before this... it wasn’t much. My mother was a drunk. A
Raja’s grip tightened around him, his mind caught between the agony of knowing and the fury of what had been done. They hurt him. They broke him. And they’re still out there. Freely roaming around!Tales shifted, his fingers still gripping Raja’s shirt like a lifeline. “Raja…” his voice was weak, exhausted. “Shut it.”Raja’s jaw clenched, his breath heavy with barely contained rage. “Tell me their names, Tales,” he demanded, his voice low but seething. “Every single one of them.”Tales hesitated, his throat tightening. “It won’t change anything,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Raja leaned forward, his hands gripping the sides of Tales’ face, forcing him to look at him. “It is not over,” he growled. “You think they get to just disappear into the world after what they did to you? After what they took from you?” His voice shook with fury. “No, Tales. It’s not over until they’ve paid for it.”Then, just as Raja opened his mouth to swear vengeance, Tales’ voice cut through the
The fire burned low, casting dancing shadows against the walls, but neither of them moved. The air between them was filled with heavy tension, charged with something neither of them wanted to name.Tales still hadn’t pulled away.Raja’s breath was restrictedly shallow, his heart pounding against his ribs. He had expected disgust, rejection—anything but this unbearable stillness, this heat between them that neither seemed willing to break.Tales’ fingers twitched where they rested on his lap. His lips were slightly parted, his breaths uneven.Raja swallowed hard. “Tales…” His voice was rough, strained, barely above a whisper.Tales lifted his gaze and met his intense stare, and that was all it took.Raja moved first, or maybe they moved at the same time. It didn’t matter. Their mouths crashed together in a desperate, clumsy kiss, full of anger, regret, and something deeper—something neither of them could name.Tales’ hands gripped Raja’s shoulders, not pushing away, not pulling closer—
The tension was thick, suffocating, pressing down on the factory like a weight no one could lift off.Tales gripped his knife tightly, his breathing steady but his pulse drumming loudly in his ears. Ria stood just behind him, eyes darting between Raja and Jake. Curious of what their relationship is and what kind of people are they. The tension in the air intensifies even more as sharp as a blade.Raja’s smirk had long since vanished, replaced with something colder. His fingers twitched at his sides, itching to move, to strike. He look at Jake with much disdain. Jake stood at the entrance, his stance relaxed but his presence undeniable. Unshaken. Like he had expected this moment. And they way his lips curled for a smirk, it looks like he was excited of the way this activity unfolded.And then—Jake sighed. “Don't look at me like that, you too. Aren't you happy to see me?” his head turned towards Tales direction and give him a playful look. "Didn't you miss me, my love?"Tales immediat
The air around them shifted.It was like the world had gone silent for a brief moment before the storm.Tales gripped the phone whom he immediately snatched away from Raja, staring at the image on the screen. Ria—bound, bruised, with her eyes showing exhaustion yet with defiance. She wasn’t broken. Not yet.However they'll do anything to make her submit.And that was enough to make Tales' blood run cold.He turned to Raja, eyes asking for his opinion—no... A help. And looks like, Raja will honor his request. The barely restrained fury. The dark promise of violence lurking behind his unreadable expression.They immediately called the suspect to ask for their location or what they want however, no on pick up the call that made them feel even shitter. Then—Raja’s phone vibrated.A message.> Unknown: Stop calling for information. Let Tales save the girl.Tales' entire body went rigid. His jaw clenched as his fingers tightened around the phone.Another text.> Unknown: Don’t look so pis
The air was laced with the scent of blood and smoke as Raja and Tales stepped out of the ruined hideout. Their boots left behind dark footprints, but neither of them looked back. Raja immediately called Claren to ask for a clean up of the area. Authorities might suspect and investigate them. He can no longer be complacent now that he's planning to cut ties with father."Alright. On the way."Now, it was done.The past had been confronted. The ghosts had been silenced.But at what cost?Tales' hands were still trembling, the weight of the knife lingering in his grip even though he had already wiped it clean. His body felt light, almost numb, like he was drifting between reality and something else. He didn't feel any remorse yet the emotions he felt now is so deep that he can't really ignore it.Raja walked beside him, silent, his presence a steady force against the storm inside Tales’ chest.For a long time, neither of them spoke. The surroundings around them felt unnaturally quiet, as
“Raja.”A voice.Familiar. Firm.He stopped.Slowly, he turned.Tales stood a few feet away. His face was tense, his eyes locked onto Raja like he was trying to read him. His breathing was steady, but there was something behind it—something controlled, like he was forcing himself to stay calm. Raja on the other hand was surprised. But he chooses not to let Tales' know through his expression.Raja raised an eyebrow. “You followed me.”Tales stepped closer. “I’m not an idiot.” and walked slowly towards where Raja and Clein is. Tales’ gaze flicked to Raja’s hands—his sleeves, stained with blood. His expression darkened. “You found them.”Raja didn’t answer because it's obvious.Tales clenched his fists. “You killed them.”Raja shrugged. “Of course, I did.”Tales stared at him, his throat bobbing. He don't know what to feel. He's thankful but at the same time he's uneasy. “I never asked you to do this.”Raja let out a quiet laugh, one without humor. “You didn’t have to.”Silence. Tales f
Raja stood in the alley, surrounded by bodies. The air smelled like blood, thick and full of tension. The fight had been quick—too easy. They had begged, made excuses, tried to run. For Raja, it didn’t matter.They were dead now.He rolled his shoulders, wiping the back of his hand against his cheek. A smudge of blood smeared across his skin, but he didn’t care. His focus was elsewhere."In order for me to locate them, tell me your location."Raja can't believe what he was hearing. Apparently, Zaden thinks that he's a fool. Wow?! Licking father's ass made his head got bigger, huh?"Where are you?" Zaden's voice was indifferent, accompanied by the faint clacking of a keyboard in the background.Raja smirked slightly. "Close."More typing. "That's not an answer.""Don't need to answer if you already know," Raja muttered, his tone just as flat.A brief silence as if proving Raja's words. Then, Zaden continued. "You're near the location. Their boss is hiding in an old gambling den—still a
Raja moved through the crowd, his pace slow, unhurried to avoid being notice. But inside, his blood was boiling. His hands itched to wrap around the throats of the men walking ahead, completely unaware that death was already watching them.Then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. His eyes flicked down as he be look at the screen. Zaden.He answered without breaking stride. “What did you find out?"Zaden’s voice is still professional and cold. “Right. You told me to dig into the gangs operating around Tales’ hometown. See if any of them were involved in… well, you didn’t give me details, but I assumed it was bad.” A pause. “I found something.”Raja’s grip on the phone tightened as if he had been waiting for this moment. “They were known as the Crows. They ran the underground trade in that area. Small-time, but brutal. They sold people off for slavery in illegal auctions , extorted businesses, took what they wanted. Word is, a woman with a gambling problem sold her own kid to them.”Raj
That voice—He turned, eyes widening slightly.Ria.She stood a few feet away, her expression shifting from disbelief to relief.“Tales!” She hurried toward him, looking him over like she couldn’t believe her own eyes. She immediately wrap his slender arms towards Tales' body out of excitement.Tales stiffened. “Ria?”Ria clench his teeth. She don't know what to say to Tales but one thing she knows is that she doesn't want to let go of Tales. She look up as if to touch his face, then hesitated, her brows furrowing. “I’ve been looking for you!”Tales blinked. “Looking for me?”'Why would she look for me when I clearly told her that I'm moving out?'Raja, who had been silent until now, tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze settling on the woman in front of them. He don't what he's feeling but he's sure it's not happiness. He's not happy in the slightest to see this woman.Ria finally seemed to notice him, her eyes flickering to Raja.And then… narrowing slightly.Her entire posture s
The sun hung lazily in the sky as Raja and Tales drive through the road, their pace was neither fast not slow. The world they passed by bustled with life—vendors shouting, children laughing, the scent of street food filling the air.Tales leaned against the window, watching the scenery shift from clean roads to rougher neighborhoods. He exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against his thigh.Raja, on the other hand, was anything but tense.He drove with one hand on the wheel, the other casually resting on Tales’ knee.Tales glanced at him. “Hands. Off.”Raja just chuckled and didn't take his hands off. Instead his fingers enveloped to Tales' fingers too. Tales had already guessed where they were going. The familiar roads and infrastructure give away hints. And as much as he didn’t want to set foot in that house again, he didn’t resist when Raja tugged him along.Surprisingly, Tales didn’t hate it.He's being insufferably clingy.He leaned into Tales’ space with every opportunity he got li
The tension in the dining hall had evolve into something heavier— anticipation to achieve freedom but dreadful to the chance that they'll not survive. However, the decision had been made. They would all follow Raja and severe ties with Father. But now came the true test of their resolve.But before Raja could begin discussing strategies, an uneasy voice broke the silence.“Um…”All eyes turned toward Liam, one of the younger members of Unit 1. He was usually quiet, never one to speak up in these meetings. His fingers fidgeted against the rim of his cup indicating how frightened he is but at the same time, he wants to know. His face was slightly pale, as if he had been holding in his question for too long.“Liam?” Raja prompted, raising an eyebrow.Liam hesitated, clearly regretting speaking up after meeting Raja's cold gaze. He swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact. “I—uh—about the… the six punishments…” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck.Raja’s eyes na