Thenma rushed to the other room in his small, dilapidated apartment. His hurried steps caught his sister, Adeline's attention, making her glance up suspiciously from the sofa. "Thenma, what are you doing?" Adeline asked, noticing Thenma with her makeup kit. "Are you covering up bruises with my cushion again?" Adeline anxiously forced Thenma to face her, inspecting the bruises on his face. "I only used a little, Adeline. I'll buy you a new one when I get my paycheck," Thenma said. Adeline gently touched the bruises and outs on his brother's face, saddened by the sight. It wasn't the first time "I don't care about the cushion. Were you beaten at work again?" Adeline's voice was direct, and Thenma's silence gave her away. "What else did those pigs do to you? The bruises from that bastard, Evan, and his friends haven't even healed yet." "I was just slacking off a bit, so they only gave me a warning." Thenma replied. "You call this violence a 'warning?" "That's just how the th

Thenma blinked slowly as his eyes fluttered open. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled his senses, and the ceiling above him was blindingly white. Pain radiated from his ribs and thigh, forcing him to stay still. He realized he was in the hospital, his body aching with every breath. A soft rustle beside him caught his attention. Thenma turned his head slightly and saw Adeline sitting in the chair next to his bed. Her face looked gaunt, her once lively eyes now dull and lifeless. The cuts on her face from Evan’s abuse were faint but still visible, casting a shadow over her usually glowing appearance. Her shoulders were hunched, and her clothes were wrinkled, as though she hadn’t left his side for days. Adeline noticed Thenma was awake and stood up, her movements slow and heavy. She looked at him for a long moment before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "How… how are you feeling?"Thenma’s throat tightened as guilt washed over him. He tried to answer, but the words stuck

Penelope was sprawled across the mattress like she owned the place, dressed in one of Evan’s shirts, her hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes flicked to Thenma as he entered, her expression momentarily startled before it shifted into her usual look of disdain. "Oh, I didn't see ya there," she drawled, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "What are you doing here, Thenma? Did you finally grow a spine, or are you here to get humiliated again?" Thenma stepped further into the room, his jaw tight. "I’m here for Evan. Where is he?" Penelope scoffed, sitting up slightly. "He’s not here, obviously. He’s out at some fancy party with his dad, like you know, he's not an ordinary person with ordinary daily things to do; wake up, survive, then sleep." Penelope still bragging about Evan, forgetting about the evil side of him. No wonder, since they were shared the same devil so they were a perfect match. "What’s the matter, Thenma? Did you really think you could come here and challenge

Thenma walked through the school gates after a week of absence, his heart heavy with grief and anger. The weight of Adeline’s condition—her coma—was crushing him. He had tried to focus on other things, but his mind kept drifting back to his sister, lying motionless in that hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread because of the pills that had nearly destroyed her brain. Every time he thought of her, his desire for revenge burned hotter, fiercer. This wasn’t just about justice anymore. It was personal.Thenma made his way to the main building, keeping his head down as he recalled the events of the past week. Penelope's arrest had been all over his mind. He had envisioned it would ruin her reputation, expose her for the fraud she was. The school's "goddess" who had pretended to be perfect was nothing but a drug dealer in disguise, and he had wanted everyone to know that. Thenma would want to see Penelope's followers turn on her, disgusted by the truth.But when Thenma looked around,

The streets of District 7 buzzed with uneasy energy as Thenma parked his car under the shadow of a flickering streetlamp. The air smelled of rust and oil, mingled with the faint bitterness of smoke. Ahead, the underground casino loomed like a beast of shadows and neon, its muted glow spilling across cracked pavement. [New Objective: Infiltrate the Nightfangs' network] Reve’s voice chimed in his mind, cold and steady as always. “Got it,” Thenma muttered, tugging the hood of his jacket lower over his face. His hands brushed against the small earpiece tucked securely in place. “Start scanning for entry points. We don’t have time for games.” [Analyzing... Front access secured by biometric authentication. Alternative entry detected: Side ventilation shaft. Probability of success: 78%. Risk level: Moderate.] Thenma grimaced. “That doesn’t sound promising.” [Risk mitigation advised. Disguise effectiveness may provide higher success rates.] “Fine,” he muttered, pulling a small fa