The hallway buzzed with noise as students moved between classes.
Ren walked forward calmly.
Kai beside him.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
"Oi!"
Ren stopped.
He didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Get over here."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…Them."
Ren turned.
The four bullies stood by the lockers, smirking.
Waiting.
Ren walked toward them.
Slow. Calm.
No hesitation.
One of them laughed.
"I heard you told your mommy like a little—"bitch
Ren didn't react.
Another stepped forward.
"…Hey, we're talking to you."
"…Or did you forget what we did to you in the bathroom?"
Silence.
Ren looked at them.
Expression blank.
"…Are you done?" he said calmly.
"I have to get back to class."
That snapped something.
"…Oi."
The leader stepped closer.
"Are you ignoring me?"
Ren's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…I warned you guys."
Kai smirked.
"…Finally."
Ren lifted his hand slightly.
The ring faintly glowing.
"…Olydo."
The air shifted instantly.
Before the bullies could react—
one of them swung a punch.
Ren's hand moved.
Fast.
He caught it.
Effortlessly.
The bully froze.
"…What?"
Something was wrong.
Ren slowly lifted his head.
But his eyes—
weren't the same.
Kai.
"…You talk too much," he said.
Voice slightly different.
Colder.
Sharper.
The bully tried to pull his arm back—
It didn't move.
Kai tightened his grip.
Then—
THUD.
He shoved him back hard.
The guy stumbled and hit the lockers.
The others froze.
"…What the hell—"
Kai stepped forward.
Cracking his neck slightly.
"…Round two," he said.
The second bully rushed in.
Angry.
Kai moved first.
Faster.
Cleaner.
He dodged the punch—
Then hit back.
A sharp strike to the stomach.
The guy dropped instantly.
The hallway went silent.
Students stopped.
Watching.
Ren's body moved like it had done this a thousand times.
Precise.
Controlled.
The third one hesitated.
"…Tch—"
Then attacked anyway.
Kai stepped in—
Grabbed his collar—
And slammed him into the lockers.
BANG.
The last one backed up slightly.
Fear replacing his confidence.
"…You're not the same—"
Kai smiled slightly.
"…Yeah."
He stepped forward again.
"…I'm not."
The bully turned—
And ran.
Silence.
The hallway was completely still now.
Everyone watching.
No one speaking.
Kai exhaled slowly.
"…That felt good."
Then—
The ring flickered.
And suddenly—
Ren was back in control.
He stumbled slightly.
"…!"
His breathing was uneven.
"…What…"
Kai stood beside him again.
"…See?"
A smirk.
"…Told you we should do something."
Ren looked at his hands.
Then at the fallen bullies.
Then around at everyone staring.
For the first time—
They weren't looking at him with pity.
They were scared.
And something inside Ren…
didn't hate that feeling.
To be continued...