Ficool

Chapter 1 - Abandoned Childs

"It's so dark every where" 

(Apex strained his eyes, trying to navigate the suffocating darkness as he cautiously felt his way forward.)

"Ahhhhhh...."

(He fell from a very high height and Scream)

(He shot up from the bed, drenched in sweat, his scream echoing through the silence.)

"Huff, Huff, Huff"

(Heavy breathing)

"Huff, again this dream"

"What the time now ?"

(He turn on the lights, see the wall clock and slides the curtains of windows )

"Early Evening, i think i slept at late afternoon"

""Anyway, let's head up to the terrace for a walk."

(Apex lived on the fourth floor of a modest government building—its topmost level. He had been cast out of his home at a young age, exiled not for rebellion or failure, but for a single, unforgivable flaw: imperfection.

Born into the most prestigious noble family in the country, Apex carried a name synonymous with excellence. His lineage was obsessed with the pursuit of perfection, grooming every child to master at least one or two disciplines to an elite level. This wasn't ambition—it was doctrine.

The family's influence stretched far beyond national borders. Whispers claimed they were wealthy enough to buy out the World Bank, and their legacy was etched into history through countless world records. In fact, they currently held records in nearly every known field, a testament to generations of unmatched talent and relentless discipline.

But Apex was different. And in a family where flawlessness was law, difference was a crime.

For Apex even talentless was very small word to define his natural talent, a basic piano tune and calligraphy alphabet cost's him practice a practice of 17 month compared to his older brother who can copy and master anything just by seeing it, thanks to his natural talent called copy ability, he was referred a genius born in a century as a copy genius. At first his family thinks of execute him but thanks to his grandfather he was kicked out as well as family name was taken from him. Apex at small age started living in government building and do part time job at restaurant to make living now

For Apex, even the word "talentless" felt too generous. His natural aptitude was so lacking that mastering a basic piano tune or a single calligraphy stroke took him seventeen months of relentless practice. In stark contrast, his older brother—hailed as a once-in-a-century prodigy—could replicate and perfect any skill with a single glance, thanks to his innate "Copy Ability." The family called him a genius. They called Apex a disgrace.

At first, the family considered executing him to preserve their legacy. But his grandfather intervened, sparing his life only to strip him of the family name and cast him out.

Since then, Apex has lived alone in a government building, surviving on part-time restaurant work. Now seventeen, he juggles school, labor, and a training regimen so brutal that even the word "super hard work" feels inadequate. He's chasing a goal no one dares to imagine: to reach the absolute pinnacle of hard work, and reclaim his worth through vengeance.

And he's already begun. Apex has shattered two world records once held by his family—one in Mixed Martial Arts, and another in IQ, scoring an unprecedented 250.

But thanks to his family's grip on the media, the world remains blind to his achievements. He is a ghost of greatness, unseen and unheard.

Except by one person. Luha, a twelve-year-old girl abandoned by her own family due to poverty, lives next door. Apex found her on the streets and saw a reflection of his own past in her eyes. He helped her secure a room in the building and a safe job at his restaurant. In a world that refused to acknowledge him, Apex chose to become someone worth acknowledging for her)

"Hmm, did this terrace gate stuck again"

(he pull hard and open the rusted iron door)

"The breeze are nice today as well as got paid leave, a lucky day"

(he notice Luha)

"Hey Luha, the winds are nice today yeah ?"

(he saw two boys of same age and Luha arguing over a manhwa and Luha try to stop them)

"Ahh, brother when did you came, meet them they are my classmate - this brown coat boy name Lihan and white coat one is Bachira and they are arguing over manhwa character"

Apex -"Ok you three enjoy, I should go then"

(I want some piece of peace but i don't think i get that here)

(Apex started to go down stair towards his room, Infront of his room gate he heard a familiar sound)

"Wait what was that sound ? is it coming from roof"

(Apex rushed towards roof as he come closer the sound become clear and loud)

Luha - "Hey stop both of you" 

(Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....she fell on ground as she try to stop Lihan and Bachira from fighting )

Apex -"Luhaaaaaaaaa are you ok"

(Apex reached at roof )

(wait what!! those two kiddo are fighting but what this !!!! white coat brat just hit that brown coat brat with a 1080 kick and brown coat kid defend him with ironfortess)

(Jaw dropping moment for apex)

Apex (thinks) -("It took me an unthinkable amount of effort to learn all this—yet these kids flex it like it's child's play. Guess they've been reading too much manhwa and started believing they're protagonists")

"Hey kiddo, don't make fuss here, if you want to fight then go to your house and do there"

(Bachira and Lihan tuned out the buzzing chaos around them, eyes locked, guards raised. In perfect synchronicity, Lihan unleashed a reverse roundhouse just as Bachira drove in a lefthand - screw punch. The clash left both of them staggering—blood streaming from twin nosebleeds, a brutal tie etched in crimson. )

Apex - "Hey, you!! still not listening to me"

(Both of them still ignore Apex presence)

Luha (shouts) - "Stop both of you"

(As Luha stepped in, trying to interpret the clash and bring it to a halt, she was met with a harsh shove. Her small frame hit the ground hard—dust rising around her like a silent cry)

(Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...)

Apex - "Luha!!!!!!"

"You should not crosses the line kiddos"

(Apex stepped forward, a wild grin carved across his face. Both hands buried in the pockets of his coat, he walked toward the kids with a calm that felt more dangerous than rage)

(Both kids were locked in, blind to the outside world—fully immersed in their fight, as if they'd slipped into a pure flow state. But that trance began to fracture. A suffocating aura crept in, thick as smoke and sharp as steel. The atmosphere grew so dense, so charged, their legs refused to move. It wasn't fear—it was gravity, rewritten by presence.....)

Lihan (thinks) - ("why i can't able move to my legs ? ")

Bachira (thinks) - ("why i started to feel suffocation ?")

(Both fighters turned to their right in perfect sync—and froze. What they saw wasn't a boy. It was a living monster, walking toward them with a devil's smile carved into his face. Apex. And just behind him, Luha lay on the ground, hurt and silent.

In that instant, the fight dissolved. Their eyes met—no words, just a rapid exchange of understanding. Guilt. Fear. Regret. They turned to Luha and bowed their heads, offering quiet apologies with voices they couldn't find.)

Lihan and Bachira - "we are extremely sorry Luha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Luha - "Don't talk to me you fools"

(with a angry balloon face)

Apex - "Hey you kiddos, do you know what the hell are you doing here in this government building"

(Apex ask in rude and strong tone)

Lihan and Bachira - "we, we, we, we are really, really, sorry"

(Both of them bows their head down)

Luha - "OMG!!!! Your nose are bleeding, brother please do something !!!!"

(in a fear and caring voice Luha approaches Apex)

Apex- "Ok, don't worry come to my room i have a first aid kid"

(everyone stepped to apex room)

Luha - "wow! brother your room is clean as always where as mine room was rotten"

Lihan - "who is this man Luha and why do you keep calling him brother" (Lihan whispered to Luha) 

Apex- "Kiddo, trust me—you don't want to know who I am," (his voice low and steady) "And Luha… she's like a little sister to me."

Lihan - "Yes sir! " (Lihan reply in a formal tone)

Luha's eyes shimmered as she smiled softly."Why are you being so formal?" (she said, her voice light). "Don't worry brother is not going to punish you."

(Bachira's gaze lingered on Apex, unease prickling beneath his skin). He won't punish us... but from his presence alone, I can tell he could kill us at any moment.

Apex (stepped forward, voice firm but casual.) - "Sit on the floor, kiddos. Luha, help me out a little."

Luha (nodded, her tone light.) - "Oki~ But don't be too rude, brother. They're my classmates and my friends."

Apex(glanced back, unfazed. "I'm not being rude). I just don't want them ruining my bed. You two wait here Luha and I will grab the first aid kit."

Bachira (settled down, his voice calm ) "It's fine, Luha. I'm more comfortable here anyway."

(walking sound )

(Bachira's eyes wandered, quietly taking in the space. - A modest bedroom. A narrow balcony. A hallway that led to a sparse kitchen—barely furnished, just the essentials. Everything felt... intentional. Minimal. Like someone who didn't want distractions.

Then his gaze landed on a door to his right. Locked.

He tilted his head slightly. Why is that one locked? Was there another room? A storage space? Or something else entirely?

His thoughts stirred. Who really is this person? Apex's presence was overwhelming, but the silence of the house whispered something deeper. Something hidden.)

Apex - "Hey kiddo if you done observing, then should i treat you"

(Bachira with a calm look in his face but shaken from inside think) - "when did he come close and how did he know, i don't even move a single part of body"

(Apex started treating Bachira and Luha treat Lihan) 

Apex - "From where did you learn those iron boxing and traditional style taekwondo, kiddos"

Lihan - "we are not kiddo i am Lihan and he is Bachira we are in same class and age as Luha, i had learn boxing from my family and he learn taekwondo from academy"

Apex - "If you don't want to tell then it's Ok for me, but at least don't lie"

(Bachira and Lihan both face turn to pale and thinks how did he caught us)

Lihan - "i am sorry"

Luha - "My brother is genius you know he....."

(Apex put a finger on Luha lips and says - don't bother them telling my story i am not that genius or something)

(Bachira thinks- why he interpret Luha, what does he don't want us to know)

Apex- "Done, your nose bleed stop and other kiddo also"

Bachira - "Thanks for help, can you tell how did you caught we are lying"

Apex - "It's already 7 pm did not you have to go home"

Bachira - "My parents says they send someone to pick me as well as Lihan, we are neighbor, but that person did not arrived yet that why Luha invite us to her house"

Apex - "Why did not you go by yourself or should i drop you"

Bachira - "Yeah our house is at a distance of 5km from school and we can go by ourself through metro many time but today they say not to came by ourself and only came with that person, we didn't even now how that person look's like"

Apex thinks - "something is fishy here"

Apex- "Can you give me your parents phone no"

Lihan - "No! father is probably at construction side and mother working at shop, as you see our family financial condition is not good, they work hard to raise me so i didn't want to give them extra pressure"

Bachira - "Same"

Apex- "so, did your parents or that person know you are here not in school"

Bachira - "No" 

Apex- "It's over, type the number in my phone"

(Bachira typed his mother's phone number into Apex's phone.)

(Apex stepped out onto the balcony, the evening breeze brushing past him as he dialed the number.)

(ringing sound)

(The call connected.)

Apex — "Hello. Is Bachira's mother there?"

Bachira's Mother — "Yes! Who are you? Did Bachira cause some problem?"

Apex — "Kind of. Anyway, weren't you supposed to pick him up? If you don't come, I think he might end up doing something reckless."

Bachira's Mother — "I'm sorry on his behalf. I'll make sure he understands his mistake. But I really can't come to pick him up."

Apex — "Why? Are you stuck at work?"

(A strange silence lingered on the other end. Apex's eyes narrowed slightly.)

(Apex thought—"There's something off here.")

Bachira's Mother — "Yeah… really, I can't come. Neither can his father. But I can send my sister to pick him up."

Apex — "How long will that take?"

Bachira's Mother — "Three and a half hours."

(Apex kept his tone neutral, masking the unease.)

Apex — "Okay."

Bachira's Mother — "Thanks for taking care of Bachira. I'll try to make it fast."

Apex — "We're in the government apartment near the school. Room 11/6. Lihan is also with us."

Bachira's Mother — "Lihan too? Okay, my sister will pick him up as well."

Apex — "Alright then."

(The call ended. Apex lowered the phone slowly, eyes drifting across the horizon.)

(His thoughts churned."She didn't ask my name… or the address again… or if Bachira's okay… or what kind of trouble he caused. Nothing. What kind of parent reacts like that? Don't tell me… it really is what I think? From her voice, she sounded barely 25…")

(Suddenly, Bachira rushed toward Apex and launched an axe kick with his dominant right leg.)

(Apex's left hand shot up, catching the leg mid-air with cold precision. His eyes sharpened into a glare.)

Apex — "What are you trying to do?"

(Bachira flinched under the weight of that gaze, but forced himself to speak.)

Bachira — "Why did you say I caused trouble? I thought you forgave me for the fight."

Apex — "Don't get it wrong. It's the fastest way to make them come. Like when a principal calls your parents saying you caused trouble—it triggers urgency. Human psychology."

Bachira — "But still…"

(Apex released his leg. Bachira lowered his head.)

Apex — "Don't worry. When they arrive, I'll tell them I was joking."

Apex — "Your mother's sister is coming to pick you and Lihan up."

Bachira — "What aunty?! We've been separated from her for a long time…"

Lihan — "Bachira, why did you rush over like that?"

Luha — "Brother, what happened during the call?"

(Both of them noticed the upset look on Bachira's face. Apex caught the shift and stepped in to ease the tension.)

Apex — "Luha, what are you planning to eat for tomorrow morning?"

Luha — "I haven't prepared anything yet… so I don't know. Even the fruits and veggies you gave me two days ago are almost gone. It's the end of the month, and I don't have much money left. I think I can only manage noodles for the next three days."

(Apex gently patted her head.)

Apex — "Don't worry. I'm here."

(Apex pulled a quiet psychological move—when your own problems loom large, other people's struggles fade into the background.)

Apex — "I've got some extra money left this month, so let's order something. I don't feel like cooking."

(Everyone moved to the bedroom. Bachira and Lihan sat cross-legged on the floor, Luha took the chair, and Apex leaned back on the bed.)

Apex — "What do you want to eat? Don't be shy—just say it. You two as well."

Luha — "I'll eat a burger!"

Apex — "What about you two?"

(Bachira and Lihan stayed silent, exchanging uncertain glances.)

Apex — "Ufff… you can pay me back later."

Bachira and Lihan — "Then we'll go for burgers too."

Apex — "Okay."

(Apex ordered four burgers and a serving of Tteokbokki.)

Lihan — "A burger and Tteokbokki? You really eat a lot."

Apex — "Yeah, I'm not a kid like you."

(Luha burst into laughter, nearly falling off her chair.)

Luha — "Don't tease him, brother! And Bachira, why are you sitting with your head down? Did brother scold you?"

Bachira — "Not really."

Apex — "Hey, both of you—introduce yourselves properly. And tell me where you learned Iron Boxing and traditional Taekwondo. Those styles are practically extinct these days."

Lihan — "I'm Lihan, 12 years old, same class as Luha. As you know, my family's financial condition isn't great—my father works in an iron mine, and my mother at a departmental store. We live 5 km from here. I'm pretty good in studies like—top 5 in class. I love reading comics, and that's where I discovered Iron Boxing. I kept reading that comic to understand its forms and techniques… and learned it from there."

(Apex blinked, slightly surprised. Learning from a comic? Then again, it made sense—they were arguing about an action comic earlier. Still, Lihan's physique was good. He had the body to make it work does he had a great body??.)

Bachira — "I'm Bachira, also 12, same class as Lihan and Luha. My family's situation is similar—father in the iron mine, mother at the store. Lihan and I are neighbors, and our parents were childhood friends and classmates. I'm top 2 in class. My hobby is observing… and I've watched tons of old movies. That's where I picked up Taekwondo."

(Apex's thoughts paused.)"Their parents were childhood friends and classmates…"

Apex — "So who's top 1 in your class then?"

Luha — "Who else but me, brother!"

(Luha puffed up with pride, her posture straight and confident.)

Apex — "Yeah… at least you're worth disturbing my whole night to tutor."

Lihan — "Wait—you're the mentor Luha always talks about?"

(Luha yelped and leapt toward Lihan, trying to cover his mouth with both hands.)

Apex — "Heyy!!! Luha!"

(Apex reached out and gently separated them, shaking his head with a faint smile.)

Apex — "What are you doing, Luha? And Lihan—what were you talking about? Finish the story."

Luha — "NOOOO!!!!!"

(Luha's face flushed red with embarrassment.)

Apex — "Okay! Now I'm interested. Tell me, Lihan."

(Luha groaned, covered her face, and jumped onto the bed, burying herself in the blanket.)

(In Apex phone a notification pop up -- he checked and reply back)

Lihan — "Well… when the teacher teaches a new concept or chapter and she makes a mistake in a question, she always says—'If my mentor were doing this, he'd make more than a thousand mistakes compared to me.' Sometimes I feel like I should be the one teaching him, not the other way around. And then she starts laughing like—HaaaaaHaaaa HaaaaHaaa…!"

(Apex turned to Luha with a wide grin, clearly amused.)

Apex — "Really, Luha? Well… she's not wrong. I've made a lot of mistakes."

Luha — "Sorry, brother… I didn't mean to make fun of you."

(Luha shot a death glare at Lihan, who quickly looked away.)

Apex — "It's okay. Little sisters are always like this."

(Suddenly, the house bell rang.)

Apex — "I think the food's here."

(He walked to the door and opened it. The sound of the door creaking echoed softly.)

(Standing outside was a young woman.)

Apex — "Thanks for the quick delivery. I've already made the payment online."

(He began to close the door.)

The Girl — "Hey, wait! I'm not the delivery person. I'm Bachira's aunt—his mother sent me."

(Bachira's ears perked up at the voice. He rushed to the door.)

Bachira — "Aunt Tama!"

Tama — "Long time no see, Bachira. You've grown a lot."

Apex — "Let's talk inside."

Tama — "Do we really need to talk?"

Apex — "I think so. And I ordered food for everyone, so lets kids grab dinner before go."

Tama — "Okay then… but make it quick."

Apex — "Why are you in such a hurry?"

(A mysterious silence hung in the air for a few seconds.)

Tama — "I have work to take care of."

Apex — "so… you're the person who was supposed to pick them up from the beginning."

(Tama's eyes widened, stunned.)

Tama — "How did you know? Even the kids didn't know that."

Apex — "Let's talk about it inside. By the way, why did you bring the food?"

(Apex already knew the answer—but he asked anyway.)

(Footsteps echoed as they walked inside.)

Tama — "I met the delivery guy in front of the building. Coincidentally, he was asking for the same address… so I brought the food with me."

(They sat down on the floor. Apex's gaze sharpened slightly.)Apex thought—"Lying. There's only one delivery person assigned to this area, and he knows every room by heart. She was the one asking for the address. So why lie?"

5 min before - Apex got msg from delivery person who tell him whole story 

Tama — "You've got a clean and nice room."

(Apex served burgers to the kids and handed one to Tama. He picked up the Tteokbokki for himself.)

Tama — "A burger for me? Did you actually know I was coming this fast?"

Apex — "Yeah."

(A lie. He'd ordered it for himself.)

Tama — "You're cool and smart. I think I've seen you somewhere before."

(Apex suddenly coughed, caught off guard.)

(He regained his composure.)

Apex — "Sorry."

Tama(with a teasing smile) — "What happened? Did I hit a nerve?"

Apex — "Yeah."

Tama — "You're straightforward. Just my type."

(Apex's expression turned cold and calm.)

Apex — "But you're not my type. You seem old—what's your age?"

Tama — "You're rude. I'm 21."

(Apex paused, thinking for a moment.)

Apex — "Can I see a picture of you with Bachira?"

(Tama, mid-bite into her burger, pulled out her phone and showed a photo of her with a younger Bachira.)

Apex — "Okay."

(Tama pulled her phone back, glanced at a photo, and smirked.)

Tama — "You really doubt a lot, Mr. World Record Holder of most IQ."

(Apex's gaze remained cold and composed.)

Apex — "Yeah… I think that news about me being the record holder stopped spreading a long before that anyone could even catch it."

Tama — "Exactly. Even if you Google 'person with highest IQ,' your name won't show up. But I remember that night—you broke the record, and I got curious so i took the screenshot of that news but. Next morning, it was gone. Vanished from national and global headlines. I was really shocked but later think of as a spam news."

(Jaw-drop moment. Luha, Bachira, and Lihan stared in disbelief. The person they'd been casually eating with… was a world record holder.)

Luha — "Brother??"

Apex — "We'll talk about it later."

(Apex thought quietly.)"Seems she doesn't know about my MMA career and record…"

Apex — "By the way, what do you do?"

Tama — "It's a secret."

(She giggled. Apex's eyes narrowed slightly—something about that laugh felt off.)

(A notification pinged on Apex's phone. He used the moment—without anyone noticing, he set an alarm for 2 minutes and 30 seconds, matching the ringtone of his phone call. Then he opened WhatsApp and messaged himself: "Lihan, type your father's phone number. I want to confirm something.")

Apex — "Tama, eat some Tteokbokki. Lihan, your parents sent a message."

(He passed the phone to Lihan. Tama continued enjoying her meal.)

(Lihan and Bachira exchanged confused glances, but Lihan took the phone and read the message. He hesitated, then typed in the number and handed it back.)

(The alarm rang.)

Apex — "Sorry, I've got an important call coming in—I need to take it."

Tama — "We're leaving too. Let's go, Bachira and Lihan."

Apex — "Wait for ten minutes. I need to talk to you."

Tama — "We can talk on the phone. Just give me your number."

Apex — "No. Wait for ten minutes. Think of it as payback for the burger."

Tama — "You're rude, you know."

Apex — "Very well."

Tama — "Okay, go pick your call. Your ringtone is the worst."

(Apex stepped outside, closing the door behind him.)

(He dialed the number Lihan had given him. The call rang… but wasn't picked up.)

(He called again. Ringing…)

(Finally, the call connected.)

Lihan's Father — "Hello?"

Apex — "I've picked up your child."

Lihan's Father — "you were a boy i think you were a girl, anyway Okay then. Transfer the money we agreed on."

(Apex stood still. He'd suspected something from the start… but hearing it confirmed still hit harder than expected.)

(He clenched the phone slightly, eyes narrowing as the weight of the truth settled in.)

Apex — "I forgot—can you tell me the amount again?"

Lihan's Father — "Ten million won each."

Apex — "Okay. Can I ask one last question before I transfer the amount?""Why did you sell this child?"

Lihan's Father — "We were a group of four friends—two girls, two boys. All of us came from toxic or abusive families. We ran away and started living together. Eventually, we fell in love and had children at just sixteen. At first, we worked hard—sixteen hours a day—trying to give them a good life. But we couldn't make progress. Five days ago, we met an old classmate at work. He was living in luxury, enjoying his twenties. That's when we decided to sell the kids. Bachira's mother contacted someone who could help us do it."

Apex(in a low voice) — "So you became like your parents in the end."

Apex — "Do you know how much these kids love you? They see their parents as superheroes. They keep saying nonsense like—'My parents are the best' and 'They work so hard.' You should be ashamed. Just because you saw someone else enjoying life, you destroyed your children's happiness. Recheck your decision—and the three people sitting around you."

(The mothers began crying.)

Lihan's Father — "Who are you? And how do you know we're all here?"

Apex — "Tell me what you want. Should I hand over your children?"

Bachira's and Lihan's Mothers — "No! Please save them!"

Apex — "Then call that person and cancel the deal."

Bachira's Father — "They won't cancel it. Please… save our children!"

Apex — "Okay. Prepare 1000 for the taxi—we'll arrive in one hour."

(Apex ended the call.)

(As Apex opened the door to exit the house, Tama stepped out—her hand gripping Luha's neck.)

Luha — "Brother! Run!"

Lihan — "Sorry… I told her about the message."

Tama — "You took too long, so I came to check. And sorry—I overheard your call.""Do you really think you can save those wrecked parents and their kids? Over a hundred people work under me. And the reason is—"

(Tama threw a low kick at Apex.)

(Apex blocked it with ease.)

Apex — "Not bad. But I don't think you're the boss. Also—why are you doing this to your sister?"

Tama — "I'm not her blood-related sibling."

(She slapped Luha.)

Tama — "I'm the boss here. So move aside!"

Apex — "But I have better observation skills than you. You two—run downstairs. Quickly. Just run!"

(Bachira and Lihan bolted down the stairs.)

Tama — "Two of my guards are downstairs, lol!"

Apex — "But the police are downstairs too, lol!"

(Tama threw Luha aside and lunged toward Apex.)

(Apex dashed down the stairs, Tama chasing close behind.)

Apex — "Luha! Go inside and lock the door!"

(Luha quickly obeyed.)

(Apex reached the ground floor—only to see Bachira and Lihan caught by two men in black suits.)

Tama — "Hey guards! Is the police here?"

Guard — "No, ma'am!"

Apex — "Things went well till now, kiddos. Now watch how dangerous your techniques really are."

(Apex spun into a 1080-degree kick, striking both guards simultaneously. They collapsed, blood spilling from their mouths.)

(Bachira and Lihan stared in disbelief.)

Tama — "Seems you know some Taekwondo. But I'm a professional too!"

(Tama leapt from the stairs, aiming a knee strike at Apex. He dodged and countered with a roundhouse kick. She blocked it mid-air but lost balance and crashed to the ground—hard. Unconscious.)

(The guards stirred, but Apex swiftly knocked them out again.)

Apex — "You two—go to my room and bring the broad brown tape."

(Without a word, Bachira and Lihan ran upstairs and returned with the tape.)

(Apex tied up Tama and the two guards.)

(The noise drew a neighbor, who peeked out and asked questions.)

Neighbor — "Who are these people? Why did you tie them up?"

Apex — "They're criminals who came to kidnap kids. Call the police."

(Within ten minutes, the police arrived and took the three into custody. Neighbors praised Apex, but he waved it off.)

Apex — "It was just a luck and coincidence."

(He booked a taxi and left with Luha to drop off Bachira and Lihan.)

(They arrived in twenty minutes. Apex handed over the 1000 and spoke quietly.)

Apex — "Take care."

(The parents kept apologizing to Apex and their children. Apex said nothing, just paid the driver and returned to his building.)

Apex — "What a chaotic day, Luha. I think you were scared. You can sleep in my room tonight. Does your cheek hurt?"

Luha — "No. Thank you for helping them, brother. You're the best."

(Apex smiled and walked toward his room.)

—————————————— END ——————————————

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