Bounded by Secrets

"Strings and Shadows"

Ren shut the door to Norio's room with a firm but deliberate motion, the sound echoing faintly in the empty corridor. He glanced at Hiroto, who had been silently observing the tense atmosphere. The younger man's brow furrowed slightly, curiosity etched on his face.

As they walked side by side, the weight of the situation prompted Hiroto to break the silence. "Ren, what's really going on with Norio? The tension between you two is hard to miss."

Ren exhaled deeply, his footsteps measured against the polished floor. "It's his behavior, Hiroto. He's gotten too consumed by things that don't matter-social media, mostly. It's taken over his life. He spends hours glued to his phone, arguing with strangers, chasing likes, obsessing over pointless updates."

Hiroto nodded, his expression thoughtful but reserved. "And music? I've heard he's quite passionate about it."

Ren paused briefly before continuing. "Music, I can overlook. It's his passion, something he's genuinely good at. But social media? It's unnecessary. It's nothing but a distraction, and it's made him lose focus-on his studies, his responsibilities, everything."

Hiroto's gaze sharpened. "And your solution was...?"

"I removed him from every platform," Ren said firmly, his voice steady despite the obvious tension in his words. "No accounts, no access, nothing. He's furious, of course, but he needs to understand the consequences of his actions. Until he does, he'll stay cut off."

Hiroto frowned slightly as they turned a corner, the sound of their footsteps filling the silence. "You think that's the best way to handle this? Taking away something he's so attached to?"

Ren's jaw tightened, but he didn't slow his pace. "It's not about what's easy or pleasant. It's about what's necessary. He needs to realize how much time he's wasting, how much he's letting this addiction control him. It's a punishment, yes, but also a wake-up call. Once he learns his lesson, I'll let him back online. Until then, he needs to suffer the consequences of his choices."

Hiroto glanced at Ren, a hint of concern in his eyes. "Punishment can be effective, but it can also drive a wedge. Are you sure this won't push him further away?"

Ren's stride faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "I'm his father. It's my job to guide him, even if he hates me for it now. I'm not doing this to punish him out of spite; I'm doing it to help him. One day, he'll understand."

Hiroto sighed, his voice softening as they neared the stairwell. "Just be careful, Ren. Lessons like these can be tough, but so can rebuilding trust if it goes too far. Make sure you're ready to catch him when he falls."

Ren didn't respond immediately, the weight of Hiroto's words settling over him. Finally, he nodded, his expression unreadable. "I'll do what I have to. For now, he needs to feel the loss. That's the only way he'll learn."

The two men walked in silence, their shadows stretching along the corridor as they carried the heavy burden of their decisions into the night.

---

---

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the training ground as Norio stood in the center, gripping the heavy practice sword tightly. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he swung the blade according to the rhythmic count he muttered under his breath.

"One... turn right... two... turn left..." he grunted, his movements precise but labored under the sword's weight.

A chuckle broke his concentration, and Norio turned to see Jack leaning casually against a pillar nearby, dressed in his trademark cool attire-untucked shirt, loose jeans, and a confident smirk plastered across his face.