Bounded by Secrets

"Chains of Fate?"

Mayumi rushed into the cold, tension-filled room, her heart pounding as she tried to stand in the way. "Father, please, don't do this," she protested, her voice shaking.

But Joseph barely acknowledged her, gripping the gun in his trembling hands. Before Mayumi could move closer, Ren stepped in, his gaze cold and unyielding. With a swift, brutal kick, he knocked her to the ground. She gasped as he grabbed her by the hair, dragging her back.

"I'll handle her. You go ahead and shoot him," Ren ordered, his voice firm. In the corner, Norio leaned closer to Jack and whispered, "Should we step in?" Jack shook his head slightly. "Not yet," he replied under his breath, keeping his eyes on Mayumi.

As Joseph raised the gun, his hands quivering, Mayumi, with every ounce of strength, cried out, "No, Dad! Please, don't kill him! Give him a chance!"

Ren yanked her hair harder, trying to silence her, but Mayumi's voice rang through the room, fierce and unbroken. Zeo, unable to bear the pain of her son being executed, abruptly left the room, her heart heavy.

Realizing no one else would protect him, Mayumi took matters into her own hands. With a desperate determination, she took out a small knife and swiftly cut through her hair, freeing herself from Ren's grasp. She stumbled forward, placing herself protectively in front of her brother. "If you're going to kill him," she said, her voice defiant, "then you'll have to kill me first."

Ren, clearly frustrated, aimed his gun and shot her in both knees, causing her to collapse to the ground in agony. But her spirit remained unbroken. Joseph, hesitating as he looked at his son's face for the first time, saw a glimmer of something familiar-a striking resemblance, an undeniable connection.

The young man, though defiant and argumentative, looked every bit his father's son. Slowly, Joseph's resolve softened. He looked at Ren, swallowing hard. "Ren... you've always been there for me. But just this once... can we give him a chance? Change his identity and help him start over?"

Ren sighed, a reluctant smile forming on his lips. "Your choice, Joseph. Though I did waste two good bullets on this girl," he muttered, gesturing to Mayumi with a dismissive wave.

From the floor, Mayumi managed a faint smile of relief, her strength finally fading. Jack, seizing the moment, rushed forward and gently lifted her onto his shoulders, supporting her battered frame. She leaned against him, grateful, as they left the room, the weight of her family's secrets and sacrifices pressing heavily on them both.

---

The boy was bound to a chair by heavy chains in the sterile lab, where Hiroto had assigned Asahi a specific task. Asahi approached, clutching a sharp knife, and the boy, visibly panicked, shook his head in resistance.

"Don't move, or don't complain when I destroy your face," Asahi shouted, his tone icy. But as he came closer, the boy lashed out, managing to kick Asahi off balance. The boy mocked Asahi's expression, mimicking him as he staggered back.

Just then, Jack entered the room and glanced down at Asahi sprawled on the floor. "What's Asahi doing down there?" he asked with a smirk.

Asahi, clearly irritated, shot back sarcastically, "Sleeping," before picking himself up. He quickly grabbed a roll of tape and wrapped it tightly around the boy's mouth. "There, done-no more disturbances."

Jack laughed, picking up a photograph of the boy from his teenage years. "I don't think you'll need to do much, Asahi. He's already changed a lot since this last photo the media had of him. But... that cut on his nose, that's unusual." He leaned in, observing the boy closely, then peeled off the tape.

Asahi shouted in frustration, "Why did you take the noise box off?!"

The boy spat out, "Shut up! And Jack, you're the second person to treat me decently after my little sister, Mayumi."