The sun began to peek through the window as a burly man untied the ropes holding another man. If anyone else were observing the situation, they would think it was a crime and, ironically, they would be right. Noah sighed as he took a seat. His face looked tired, and his dim eyes watched the man kneeling in front of him. The guy was trembling and didn't dare to lift his head. Noah felt it was enough. It had taken him two whole days, but he had managed to "break him." It was safe: the fat man wouldn't cause any more trouble.
Noah shook his head; he felt a little guilty. Maybe he had gone too far. After all, he didn't like using violence, even though he had a talent for it... The gang he used to be in reminded him of it at every moment, and back then, he felt proud to be recognized by someone, even if they weren't good people. Growing up in a violent and precarious environment, added to his father's abandonment and an addict mother, pushed him to fend for himself from a very young age. For a thirteen-year-old boy with no one to trust, falling into bad ways was common. At least in his community. If he had anything in his favor, it was his physique. Since he was a child, he looked strong and grew bigger than the rest. The gang accepted him with open arms; they wouldn't refuse such useful manpower. Noah adapted quickly. Robberies, selling substances, fights: he lived and observed it all up close. Perhaps too closely. By seventeen, he was already considered a valuable asset. His imposing physique earned him a position close to the boss as one of his guards. There he met Mike, and it was thanks to him that he decided to leave the gang. Noah understood that no one was indispensable and that jail was much scarier than he imagined.
—"Poor Mike..."—he murmured, his gaze lost on the ceiling, trapped in his memories. Although they managed to get him out and he didn't end up serving his sentence, Mike was never the same again. This scared Noah. Mike was a black guy, similar in height and build to him. If he had ended up like that, what would they do to Noah if he ended up in prison? Since then, he became almost paranoid about the idea of going to jail. He left the gang and escaped to another city, where he worked in all sorts of jobs. He even finished high school in night classes at a community school. He avoided any trouble with the police like the plague. Until now... after all, Shiori was asking for too much.
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The sound of footsteps and the key in the lock snapped him out of his thoughts. He blinked a couple of times, trying to fully wake up. The fat man lifted his gaze, trying to turn towards the door. But upon noticing Noah's eyes fixed on him, he let out a muffled shriek and lowered his head again, trembling.
Shiori, arriving with a bag, watched the scene in astonishment. She hesitated before asking:
—"Um... is it done?"—she exclaimed as she handed the bag to Noah—"He won't bother me anymore?"
The young man took out a bento and started to eat, thinking: "Are you kidding me? This fatty doesn't even dare to go to the bathroom unless I order him to."
—"Yes, he won't bother you anymore. I made sure to do what you asked"—he replied as he chewed.
Shiori, although doubtful, sighed in relief. She wouldn't lose her scholarship, there would be no scandal, and no leaks. Those were the key points she had asked Noah for. Although, of course, convincing him had cost her. Just remembering the "method" used made her rub her thighs together...
Noah had no idea what she was thinking; he was busy with the last part of the "training." He left the food in front of the fat man and watched him. Fulfilling Shiori's requirements wasn't simple. They could have called the police and reported him, but Shiori was scared: what if they didn't believe her? What if they took too long? By then, he would have leaked the video, and she would lose her scholarship. Noah, for his part, didn't trust the police; he had seen too many bribes and corruption.
Besides, he was afraid of them. He thought about blackmailing the fat man, but it wasn't a sure thing. If he wanted to avoid future problems, the fastest and cleanest way was to "break him." There wasn't much technical difficulty; it wasn't the first time he had done something like this. His boss assigned him similar jobs all the time. Of course, he had left that life behind and never expected to use violence that way again, but Shiori had been quite "convincing." And the fat man had it coming for getting the police involved in the middle.
Yoshihiro watched the food in front of him but didn't dare to take it. The monster watching him hadn't given his permission. Just remembering the pain of those two days made him want to cry, but the huge guy wouldn't allow it. He still felt the electricity from the taser running through his body every time he opened his mouth.
Noah watched him with a smile. It seemed two days without sleep had been worth it.
—"Good, that's it... that's how I like it, pig. You can eat"—he growled, pushing the bento closer with a kick.
Yoshihiro stretched out a trembling hand, took the food, and devoured it anxiously, almost choking. Two days without eating had been his limit.
Shiori watched the scene with indifference. Although she felt a certain guilt, she said nothing. Whatever Noah had done, it couldn't be undone now. And after all, she had never liked the fat man.
Noah stood up. He was tired and didn't want to stay in that stinking apartment any longer. He approached the man and grabbed him by the hair.
—"Remember... be obedient if you don't want another 'session.' Oh, and give me the videos"—he said before letting him go—"And any backup copies. If a single one remains, the next visit will be for a week."
Yoshihiro trembled before stammering the location of his computer, hard drives, and his cloud password. Noah shrugged and gestured to Shiori. She understood and started searching the apartment.