Chapter 9:

Chapter 9: — “Black eye" — (INTERLUDE)

Shattered Chains


Kael opened the door quietly, his eyes narrowing as they swept across the living room. Sakura sat on the couch, her black eye still fresh and bruised. Her arms were crossed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Even from a distance, Kael could tell she was angry, and scared.

Sakura’s gaze lifted when she heard the door click shut, and she met his eyes with a sharp glare. “You’re late,” she muttered.

Kael’s brow furrowed. “Sakura… what happened to your eye?” His voice was low, but there was a steel edge beneath it.

“I… it’s nothing,” she said quickly, turning her face away. “Don’t worry about it.”

Kael stepped closer, ignoring her refusal. “It’s not nothing. Tell me.”

Sakura swallowed, trying to keep her anger and embarrassment in check. “They… they hit me. Mom and Dad,” she admitted finally, her voice trembling despite the defiance in her tone.

Kael’s fists clenched at his sides. The rage in his chest boiled up instantly. “That’s it,” he growled. “I’m going to them. I’ll—”

Sakura stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “No! Kael, stop!” she shouted, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and fear. “You don’t know what you’re walking into! Every time you try, you just get hurt too!”

Kael’s chest heaved as he glared at her. “I don’t care! I’m not going to let them keep doing this to you… or Hina… or Yui!”

“They’re going to beat you again!” Sakura snapped, stepping closer. “Kael, I don’t care how mad you are. You can’t just walk in there thinking you’ll change anything. You’ll get hurt!”

He froze for a moment, the intensity in her voice cutting through his anger. “I’m not trying to be reckless,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m trying to protect you. All of you.”

Sakura’s eyes softened for just a fraction of a second before hardening again. “Kael, stop pretending you can fight them off. Every time you try, you get beaten. You’re bleeding, your back… everything!”

Kael shook his head, frustrated. “Then what am I supposed to do? Just let them—”

“NO!” Sakura yelled, slamming her hand against the wall. Her black eye throbbed, but her voice didn’t falter. “I won’t let you get hurt because of me. We can’t keep doing this!”

Kael’s fists fell to his sides, the heat of his anger still simmering. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath, struggling to steady himself. “Then… what? We just keep hiding? You keep taking their hits?”

“Better than losing you too!” Sakura shot back, her voice shaking with both fear and fury. She turned away for a moment, muttering under her breath, “I can’t… I can’t lose him too…”

Kael’s anger faltered, replaced by guilt. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I’m not going to leave you alone. I just… I just need to figure out a way that doesn’t end with me getting beaten to hell.”

Sakura looked at him, her black eye glinting in the dim light. She could see the determination and the worry on his face. “Yeah… fine,” she said finally, though her voice still carried the edge of anger. “But… if you try anything stupid, I’ll stop you. Understood?”

Kael nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Understood,” he said. He exhaled, letting some of the fire drain from his chest.

Sakura crossed her arms again but allowed herself a small, fleeting smile. “You’re… impossible,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Kael managed a small smirk despite the lingering anger. “Yeah… but you know I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

Sakura didn’t respond, but she didn’t turn away either. In silence, they stood there for a moment, the unspoken promise hanging in the room. Kael knew he had to be smart from now on, he couldn’t just charge in blindly. But he also couldn’t let his sisters continue to suffer.

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