Chapter 33: The Shattered Promise
Ren stared at the bowl of ramen, the steam rising like a warning signal. "It can't be that bad," he muttered, trying to salvage his pride.
He took a large gulp of the broth. For a split second, his face went neutral. Then, his eyes bulged, and his throat constricted. It tasted like someone had boiled a leather boot in battery acid and sea salt. With a heroic effort, he managed to swallow it, but his stomach immediately began to do somersaults.
"Well?" Hana asked, her arms crossed, waiting for his verdict.
Ren didn't answer. He turned on his heel and bolted for the bathroom. The sounds of him gagging and splashing water on his face echoed through the small apartment. When he finally emerged, wiping his mouth, he saw Hana's door slam shut with a resounding THUD. She was furious.
"Hana, wait! It was just a little too salty!" Ren called out, but there was no response.
He sighed, his shoulders sagging. He walked back to the kitchen to clean up the crime scene. Snow was sitting on the counter, watching him with those unblinking cat eyes. Ren gave her a weak smile and reached for the bowls.
CRASH!
In his haste, the bowl slipped from his soapy fingers. It hit the floor and shattered into a dozen jagged pieces. Ren's heart stopped. It wasn't just any bowl—it was Hana's favorite, the one with the hand-painted flowers she had kept since they were kids.
"No... no, no, no!" Ren hissed, dropping to his knees. He began frantically picking up the shards, his mind racing. Hana is going to kill me. This was the only thing she actually liked in this kitchen.
"Ouch!"
A sharp piece of ceramic sliced deep into his palm. Crimson blood began to ooze out, staining the white floor. Ren gritted his teeth, remembering what Master Kara had said about the Magic Crow path.
I'm supposed to have minor healing abilities, Ren thought, closing his eyes and trying to focus his Vane energy into his palm. He waited for the glow, for the skin to knit back together.
Nothing happened. The wound continued to throb and bleed.
Suddenly, a soft weight landed on his back. Snow had jumped from the shelf, carrying a roll of bandage in her mouth that she had scavenged from the cabinet. She dropped it next to his hand and let out a soft meow.
"Thanks, Snow," Ren whispered, quickly wrapping the bandage around his hand. He swept the broken pieces into the trash, feeling a heavy weight of guilt in his chest. I can't let her go to bed hungry and sad.
Ren stood up, his gaze hardening. He grabbed his high-collared coat. Snow jumped onto his shoulder, her claws lightly digging into the fabric to balance herself.
"Come on, Snow. Let's go find something she actually likes," Ren said, stepping out into the dark, cold streets of Sector 4.