the Black Letter

Hours or even days had passed since Ren had been locked in the darkness. He didn't know for sure, but in that basement, time was unforgiving. His injured leg throbbed, reminding him of that moment, and the effects of the sedative still left a fog in his mind, but Ren remained seated on the edge of the cot, motionless. He knew he mustn't get upset or restless. Banging on the door or shouting would only use up what little oxygen and energy he had. That wouldn't do him any good at that moment. His only weapon now was patience.

The days passed, days in which Ren thought about what to do, calculating the routines of the guards he could hear in the distance.

But one afternoon, he heard a different sound. The door opened slowly. It wasn't the bang of the guards, but a slow, careful turn. The door opened heavily, letting in a strip of light from the hallway. A slender silhouette slipped inside and quickly closed behind her.

“ Ren? ” whispered a trembling voice. It was Akira. He had slipped away unnoticed, most likely stealing the keys from his father's office or bribing someone, risking his own lineage to descend into hell.

As soon as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that Ren was alive and sitting up. Akira lost her composure and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, burying her face in the collar of his dirty shirt. “ REN!... Thank God, you're alive. ” she sobbed, trembling. Ren, surprised by the intensity of the contact, awkwardly returned the hug, stroking her back to calm her down. “ I'm fine, Akira. Don't worry. ”

After that emotional encounter, Akira separated from him and wiped away her tears. She took out a cloth bag she had hidden under her coat. “ Here.” she said, handing it to him. “ It's clean clothes and other things. It's all I could get without arousing suspicion. Your suit is... ruined. ”

Ren took the bag and thanked her, but as she extended her arm to give it to him, the sleeve of her coat rode up slightly. Then Ren saw it.

On Akira's forearm, there were dark marks. They were bruises.

Someone had grabbed her with brutal force. Her father, Ren thought, and guilt hit him. Akira noticed him looking at her arm and quickly pulled her sleeve down, looking away, embarrassed. Ren wanted to ask, but he bit his tongue. He couldn't say anything now. If he made a scene, they would find out and she would suffer more. He had to swallow it all so as not to ruin her escape plans.

Akira, seeing the deplorable state Ren was in and feeling the weight of her bruises, sat down next to her on the cot. “ Ren... ” she said weakly. “ What if... what if we just give up? ” Ren looked at her confused. “ Let's accept the engagement.” she continued desperately. “ Once and for all. If we get married, maybe they'll stop hurting us... They'll let you go and leave that girl alone. Please, Ren. I can't stand to see you like this. "

Ren refused immediately. “No.” But then he hesitated for a second. The image in his head of the bruises on Akira's arm made him doubt himself. Was he being selfish? Or was his fight for freedom costing her physical integrity?

Akira saw his doubt and took his hand. “ Please. ” Ren closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and hardened his heart and feelings. “ No, Akira. ” Ren said, looking her in the eyes. " They may be our parents, they may have our money and our homes... but freedom is ours. They have no right to take it away from us. If we give up now, we will die while still alive.

And I don't intend to die here... "

Akira begged him with her eyes, causing tears to well up again. “ But they'll destroy you... ”, “ Let them try. ” Akira held his gaze for a moment longer, searching for surrender, but found only a cold stare. Finally, she resigned herself. She lowered her head and nodded. “ You're an idiot... ” she whispered, with a mixture of frustration and admiration. “ The bravest idiot I know. ”

Akira got out of bed. “ I have to leave before they change shifts. ” she said as she walked toward the door, but stopped a few inches away. “ I almost forgot. ” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter. The letter was black, with no stamp or return address. “ An unknown boy gave this to me secretly, although I still don't understand how he got into the mansion. ” Akira explained. “ He said it was important for you to read it. I didn't open it. “ Akira threw the letter to Ren, and it fell onto his knees. ” Take care, Ren. I'll be back when I can. " And with that, Akira left, leaving Ren alone again in the darkness.

Ren turned on the small lamp that Akira had also left him along with the clothes and tore open the black envelope. He took out the paper. He recognized the handwriting.

It was from Tomoki.

"Greetings, Prince:

I am aware of your situation. I know your father has you locked up like an animal. Although I don't entirely like you (and honestly, I detest you for putting her in danger), I am writing this because someone has to tell you the truth. Your father has set all of Shibuya on fire. He has launched a hate campaign against Mio. They call her a lover, a servant, and even trash. The whole city is against her. They are attacking her. You cannot protect her from this problem. So don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'm going to look after Mio from now on. And to stop the press, I'll do what you didn't have the courage to do. I'll ask her to marry me. Publicly. I'll make her my fiancée and take care of her. Stay in your hole, Shinomiya. I'll save her."

Ren finished reading the letter. He became enraged. An uncontrollable, hot, destructive fury rose up in his throat.

He wasn't angry at Tomoki; Tomoki was doing the right thing to save her. He was furious with his father.

He clenched the letter tightly as an expression of pure hatred he had never felt before spread across his face. “ Father... ” Ren growled into the darkness, with a promise of violence. “You've gone too far. You've attacked the woman I love and forced another man to take my place.”

Ren stood up, ignoring the pain in his leg. He no longer wanted to negotiate. He no longer wanted to run away. He wanted war against his father.