Echoes of Legacy

"Bound by Fear?"

As Jack, Rimmy, and Mayumi re-entered the hall, Ayumu took the mic, his voice cold and commanding. "Students of the board members," he began, "you are obliged to come to the surgery room tomorrow. Your parents have signed the treaty of obedience for three lifetimes. You will work for our headquarters no matter what. If you try to resist, we will kill you using the machine we're going to implant in your bodies. Don't even think about escaping; you won't be able to. We are locking you down right now."

The words sent a wave of shock through the room. Mayumi, Asahi, Gaku, Jun, and Norio stood frozen as guards moved swiftly toward them. Panic set in as the guards arrested the students. Norio, defiant and unwilling to submit, lashed out, punching and kicking the guards who tried to restrain him.

"Stop!" Ren's voice cut through the commotion. He signaled for Norio to cease, and reluctantly, Norio backed down, though his expression was one of frustration and rage.

Jack, watching in disbelief, felt a surge of anger rise within him. He couldn't stay silent any longer. He leaped onto the stage, facing Ayumu with fury in his eyes. "What are you doing? Why?" Jack's voice trembled with rage.

Before Ayumu could respond, Ren stormed onto the stage, his face dark with anger. Without a word, he slapped Jack across the face, the impact so hard that blood trickled from Jack's mouth. The slap stunned Jack, his mind reeling. He looked at Ren in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"Don't you dare argue," Ren growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Ayumu, watching the scene unfold, smirked. "What a surprising sight, Ren. You... you slapped him for real?" His voice dripped with amusement as if he enjoyed watching the conflict between them.

Jack, his face red and his fever worsening, felt his body giving in. His vision blurred as he stumbled, falling forward and collapsing onto Ayumu's shoulder. "Are you okay?" Ayumu asked, his voice taunting.

Jack forced a weak smile. "Yes," he muttered, though he felt anything but fine.

Ayumu returned to the mic, his voice calm yet authoritative. "Alright, everyone. We'll take a 20-minute break. We'll be back soon."

The room was thick with tension as the students processed what had just happened, many too stunned to speak.

In the dimly lit rest room, Dr. Michaela calmly injected a few syringes into Jack's arm. His body jolted slightly as the medicine took effect, and slowly, he opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he saw Ren sitting beside him, his usual composed demeanor masking any concern he might have felt.

Jack blinked a few times, his emotions overwhelming him, and as his vision cleared, he felt tears welling up. His face flushed red again, not from the fever this time, but from the emotional weight pressing on him. Ren noticed and raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but curious, "What now?"

Jack swallowed hard, his voice shaky and thick with tears. "You've changed a lot, uncle. You never used to slap me like that... but nowadays, you do it... a lot. Many times. I-I..." His voice cracked, unable to finish his sentence as his emotions spilled over.

Ren, noticing Jack's distress, chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on, Jack. It was just to save you from Ayumu. He could've gotten really serious this time with you, and trust me, you'd have regretted it. A lot."

Jack made a face, clearly unconvinced by Ren's casual explanation. To him, those were just excuses. The slaps hurt more than just physically-they left emotional scars. He couldn't shake the feeling that things had changed between them, and not for the better.

Before Jack could voice his thoughts, the door creaked open, and Ayumu stepped into the room. His cold gaze swept across them both, unreadable as always. Without a word, he motioned for them to return to the hall, his presence commanding immediate obedience.