(18+ Warning: Graphic violence, blood, bullying, disturbing scenes)
Vrrr— Vrrr—
Rick's phone buzzed violently on the café table.
He glanced at the caller ID—and the color drained from his face.
"Shit… guys, hold on. I need to take this."
He stepped aside, shoulders tense, voice thin with panic.
"Yeah? …What?! No—don't move. I'm coming."
He hung up with a shaking hand.
Lucy quickly rushed toward him.
"Rick? You look pale. What happened?"
"I'm fine," he lied, forcing a smile.
"But I need to go. Something came up at my club."
Claut frowned.
"We can postpone. It's fine."
Rick shook his head hard.
"No. You two go. I'll catch up some other time."
Lucy hesitated.
"You sure…? You look scared."
Out of nowhere, Rick pulled a red rose from his bag and bit it dramatically.
"Are you worried about me, m'lady?" he said with ridiculous flair.
Lucy stared at him in disgust.
"Take your cringe and go."
She grabbed Claut's sleeve.
"Let's go."
Claut gave Rick one last look.
"If anything happens, call me. Understand?"
Rick nodded and ran.
Petals on the Path
Claut and Lucy walked down a path scattered with falling petals—soft, pink, gentle.
The contrast against yesterday's darkness felt unreal.
Silence stretched between them.
But their hearts were anything but quiet.
Lucy finally breathed out,
"Is it… already spring?"
Claut slowed, watching the drifting petals.
"Yes. Flowers bloom even after the coldest winter.
They return to remind us… darkness never wins forever."
Lucy looked at him, eyes softening.
He talks like he's been hurt more than he lets on…
"What?" Claut asked, noticing her stare.
"N-Nothing!" she blushed.
"It's just… you see the world differently.
People look for advantage.
You look for meaning."
A pinch hit Claut's chest—something he hadn't felt since the day his mother died.
Lucy smiled.
"Anyway—this is it! Our gaming café!"
Claut coughed.
"Ahem… Are you even a girl?"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?"
He laughed.
A real one.
Inside the Game Paradise
The café exploded with sound—VR machines buzzing, keyboards clicking, kids yelling over FPS matches.
Lucy's eyes sparkled.
"This place is… huge."
"Want to try VR shooting?" Claut asked.
"Yes!!"
They ran from game to game—
shooting, racing, laughing,
escaping the world they both secretly hated.
For a while, they weren't victims.
Weren't broken.
Weren't running from anything.
Just two teenagers… having fun.
Then Lucy grabbed his hand.
"Let's go! Karaoke time!"
She pulled him like a kid dragging her favorite toy.
Claut let himself smile again.
The Shadow That Arrives
But happiness never lasts.
A gang of twenty high school boys blocked the hallway.
Massive. Smirking.
Baseball bats crackling against their palms.
Their leader stepped forward, eyes sharp like razor blades.
"Well, well… look at these two little lovebirds."
Laughter erupted behind him.
"Rich bird and poor bird. Cute."
BAM! BAM! BAM!
A boy slammed his bat on the wall.
"Let's clip their wings today."
Lucy froze.
"You… What are you doing here?"
Claut's expression chilled.
"You know him?"
Lucy swallowed hard.
"He's… Mia's brother. Russell."
Russell grinned, stepping close.
"Say that again, you poor trash."
He grabbed Lucy's hair—
—but Claut's voice cut the air.
"Let her go."
Russell smirked.
"Oh? The rich boy wants to act tough?"
He slammed Lucy's head into the wall.
CRACK.
Her body collapsed instantly.
Something inside Claut snapped.
Claut's Rage Unleashed
Claut grabbed Russell by the collar and hammered his fists into the boy's face.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
Blood smeared the wall.
Teeth flew.
Russell stumbled, half-conscious.
"You motherf—" Claut growled, voice low, deadly.
"I warned your sister.
Touch her again… and I'll break every bone in your body."
Russell spat blood—and grinned.
"You forgot something… your nerd friend."
Claut froze.
"What… did you do to Rick?"
Russell wiped his mouth and laughed.
Meanwhile: Rick's Nightmare
Rick burst into the Barcelona fan club room.
"Guys?! What happened?! Why did you call?!"
Two of his friends were on the floor, shaking.
"R-Rick… we're sorry… we were scared…"
"What are you talking about—"
A cold voice echoed behind him.
"Well, well… look who ran into our net."
Rick turned.
Mia leaned against the wall, smiling like a devil.
Russell beside her, bat resting on his shoulder.
"You nerds are predictable," Mia laughed.
"You cling to your stupid club like it's your home."
Russell stepped forward.
"Now… tell me where that rich bastard is—
the one who touched my sister."
Rick shook his head.
"I—I don't know—"
CRACK.
The bat smashed into his arm.
Bone shattered.
"AHHHHHHH!!"
Russell leaned down.
"I really hate liars."
More punches.
More kicks.
Rick's blood splattered across the Messi posters.
His clubmates sobbed, helpless.
"Rick, please!" his friend screamed.
"Just tell them! Please! I don't want to die!"
Rick trembled, tears and blood mixing.
"H-He's at the game zone… w-with Lucy…"
Russell smirked.
"Good boy."
Back to Claut
Russell swaggered closer, licking blood from his lip.
"Your little nerd friend is with us.
Your little lovebird is with me."
He leaned close enough for Claut to smell the blood on his breath.
"Touch me again…
and both of them die."
Claut went still.
Silent.
Breathing like a monster waking up.
Russell snapped his fingers.
"Boys."
Bats rose.
Then—
BAM.
BAM.
BAM.
Blood splattered across the arcade floor.
Claut took every hit, unmoving—
eyes burning with something worse than anger.
Something deadly.
End of Chapter 9