𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 || 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢 𝐀

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟎 : 𝐇𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮

I was imprisoned in a damp, dingy cellar, the air thick with the stench of mold and decay. The darkness was absolute, a heavy blanket that suffocated me, making it impossible to see my own hand in front of my face.

The walls around me seemed to press in, their rough, damp surface a constant reminder of my imprisonment. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance. I strained my ears, trying to pick up any other sound, but there was nothing. I was alone, locked in this damp, dark tomb, with no escape in sight.

Ken walked into the cellar, a tray of food balanced carefully in his hands. At first, I thought he was being kind, that he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security in order to extract some sort of information from me about Toji. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something there that gave me pause. It wasn't kindness, exactly, but rather a deep-seated pity. Ken's eyes seemed to hold a profound sadness, a sense of regret that he was unable to shake.

He placed the tray of food on the floor in front of me, the sound of the metal tray clattering against the cold stone echoing through the cellar. "Eat," he said, his voice low and gravelly. The word was a command, but it was also a plea. Ken's eyes seemed to be begging me to take a bite, to sustain myself, to hold on to hope.

I looked down at the food, my stomach growling with hunger. The tray was laden with a simple but nourishing meal: a bowl of steaming hot soup, a hunk of crusty bread, and a slice of cold meat. My mouth watered at the sight, and I felt a surge of gratitude towards Ken. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as bad as I thought.

Ken sat down in front of me, his eyes locked onto mine with an unnerving intensity. For a moment, he said nothing, his silence hanging in the air like a challenge. Then, in a voice that was both calm and calculated, he dropped the bombshell.

"Ryan is trying to find a priest," he said, his words dripping with malice. "He's going to forcefully marry you in a few days."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. The air seemed to be sucked out of my lungs, and I couldn't breathe. I reached for the glass of water that Ken had brought me earlier, my hands shaking as I lifted it to my lips.

"What?" I choked out, trying to process the horror of what Ken was telling me. "Why would Ryan do that?"

Ken shrugged, his expression indifferent. "He wants to make sure you're under his control. Boss thinks marriage will give him the power to do whatever he wants with you."

I took a sip of water, trying to calm my racing heart. Fear crept in, its icy fingers wrapping around my spine. But I refused to show it. I refused to give Ken the satisfaction of seeing me scared.

"Toji will never let that happen," I said, my voice steady. "He'll find me, and when he does, he'll kill you all."

Ken raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You really think Toji cares about you that much?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "I know he does," I said, my voice firm. "And when he finds me, you'll all be sorry."

Ken's expression softened, and he pulled out his wallet, flipping it open to reveal a small, worn photograph. The picture showed a young girl with a bright smile and sparkling eyes, her hair tied up in pigtails. Ken's eyes clouded over as he gazed at the photo, a deep sigh escaping his lips.

"She's my daughter," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm doing whatever it takes to provide for her, to give her the life she deserves." Ken's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of the man he must have been before he got caught up in this life of crime.

I felt a pang of sympathy for Ken, "Why choose this life, Ken?" I asked, my voice gentle. "You're not like the others. You have a heart. You have a daughter who loves you. Why risk everything for a life of crime?"

Ken's eyes dropped, and he looked away, his jaw clenched in a mixture of pain and regret. "I didn't have a choice," he said, his voice rough. "I was in debt, and I had to pay it off. I got in with the wrong people, and...and it just snowballed from there." Ken's eyes locked onto mine again, and I saw a deep sadness there, a sense of loss and longing. "But I'm trying to make a better life for my daughter," he said. "I'm trying to provide for her, to give her the things she deserves."

Ken's eyes seemed to harden, his expression transforming from one of vulnerability to one of steely determination. He tucked his wallet back into his pocket, the soft click of the leather echoing through the silence. "It doesn't matter who shows up to rescue you," he said, his voice low and even. "Toji, or anyone else. I'm ready to face them."

"This job pays better than anything else I've ever done," he said, his voice dripping with a calculating pragmatism. "And I'm not about to let anyone take that away from me. Not even Toji."

Ken's eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for something, a glimmer of understanding, perhaps. "I'm sure you can understand," he said, his voice low and measured. "Maybe you have someone you love with all your heart, someone who would do anything to protect you."

I nodded slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I do," I said, the words feeling like they were torn from my very soul. "It's just...it's complicated."

Ken's eyes narrowed, his expression curious. "Complicated?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal, but something about Ken's expression, a glimmer of understanding, perhaps, made me continue. "It's just...we have a lot of history," I said, trying to simplify the complex web of emotions that Levi and I shared. "And it's not always easy."

Ken nodded thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving mine. "I think I understand," he said. "You're saying that even if this person cares about you, it's not a guarantee that they'll come for you."

I shook my head, a surge of emotion rising up inside me. "No, that's not what I'm saying," I said, my voice firm. "I'm saying that if he finds out I'm in trouble, he'll find me. No matter what it takes."

Ken's eyes seemed to gleam with a mixture of curiosity and respect. "I see," he said, his voice low. "You're saying that this person would risk everything to save you."

I nodded, feeling a sense of conviction wash over me. "Yes," I said, my voice firm. "I know he would."

Ken nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I hope you're right," he said. "For your sake, I hope you're right."