THE REN UPGRADE: MONSTERS WITHIN

15: Operation Rebel 1.0

“These entities are beginning to go berserk in my head.”

Ren paced the length and width of his bedroom back at the private quarters. Juno stood with his spine stiff by the door, his expression locked in deep thought.

“It's the dragon,” Juno replied. “I think it's been berserk since the first day.”

Ren threw his hands in the air. Agitation coursed through him in tumultuous waves. “How do you know it's the dragon?” 

“The guardian ninja is not a reckless spirit.” Juno’s face was straight as a ruler. “I reckon it was the dragon behind all the reckless acts you've performed so far.”

Ren’s chest flared hot and he stepped in Juno’s face. “So, now a tiny twerp like you think I'm reckless too?”

Juno held Ren’s gaze without blinking, his jaw ticking. “I know it's not you speaking right now, Young Master. Can you let him have control of his body for a single moment?”

“SHUT IT!” Ren snarled in Juno's face as he swiped his throat in a tight grip. “You dare speak down to me? You think you match up to me because you know some Martial Arts?”

Juno stood still, even though his fingers itched to grab his blade and stab the spirit out of Ren. The dragon was beginning to really get on his nerves. 

“Please,” he murmured, “snap out of it.”

Ren shoved him back with a grunt of frustration and smacked his forehead. “I'm sorry, I don't know how to control this. I thought I mastered enough control during the training.”

Juno nodded as he realized that his young master was back to himself. “You'll get a hang of it,” he assured. “In the meantime, we have other pressing concerns.”

Ren heaved a sigh and plopped down on the couch. “I know. I was supposed to find a wife by now, right.”

Juno observed him quietly for a moment. “Any progress yet?”

“Hana. The one who got shot. I proposed to her.”

Juno’s brows perked up. “And?” 

“I don't think she took it quite well. And then, there's the shootout.” Another sigh wheezed through Ren’s nostrils. He drove his fingers through his hair. “I...I endangered her life. The chances of her accepting me now are almost…non-existent.”

Juno seemed very confused. “Can I ask why you chose her?” He was genuinely curious…because from what he knew, the Blackthorn family were a notorious bunch in the society. “Do you have some kind of romantic relationship with her?”

Ren shook his head. He looked like a lost puppy, slumped on the couch. “Not even the slightest bit. Honestly, the proposal happened on a whim. I…

—I wasn't myself when it happened.”

Juno dropped his head in agitation. Something had to be done about the situation. As the new young Master who would lead the academy, he needed Ren to stay on his toes. He needed him in control all the time. 

The guardian spirit was not a problem. Juno knew it was the dragon he would have to worry about in the future, if he did not find a way around the situation. 

After a long moment of silence, he nodded. “So, we need to get her to cooperate. The coronation is this weekend. In two days. Saturday. We have to wrap everything up before then.”

“I don't know how to do it. I told you, I put her in danger.” 

“It wasn't exactly your fault that she got shot.”

“But technically, it is,” Ren argued firmly.

Juno reached into his cloak and pulled out a mobile phone. “You need a phone,” he said, handing it over to Ren. “And you need to call her. If you have even an iota of hope that this could work, then you need to give it a try.”

He pressed a small piece of paper into Ren's palm. A bunch of digits were scrawled in black ink. Ren stared at it, confused and dumbfounded all at once. 

“Is this—”

“Yes, Young Master. Hana Blackthorn's personal contact.”

“How did you…”

“We have our ways,” Juno added with a small smile. “You will come to understand it all soon.”

After a few moments of panicking, Ren picked up the courage. 

He dialed Hana's number and waited.

She did not pick up after the first few rings—

Not until his fourth try.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"H-Hana, are you there?"

"Mr. Carter," her tone was crisp and snippy. “You better have some decent explanation for me.”

He jumped when he heard her voice, because he had almost given up. 

“Hey…” he cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Uhm, are you good?” 

“You expect me to say it's thanks to you?” Hana snapped. 

“No! I just….” Ren drew circles with his foot on the marble floors.

“Listen, I'm not supposed to be talking to you. Why don't we pretend that conversation never happened—”

“Are you sure you want that?” 

Hana fell silent. Her breathing was loud over the speaker. 

“Sleep on it, Hana. Please,” Ren continued. “I strongly believe this marriage is going to benefit us both, and—”

“You know, I’m not exactly interested in why you want to get married to me,” Hana cut in smoothly.

“What are you interested in?” 

“What’s it going to mean, being your wife?”

Ren thought about the question for a moment. When he opened his mouth to respond, he hoped he would not mess up the sneak peek of a chance. 

“You would get to do whatever you want, actually,” he started slowly, carefully choosing his words. “A marriage of convenience.”

Hana was silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her tone was heavy, resigned. “Mr. Carter, would you really let me cover your story if we get married?”

Ren nodded eagerly. “Sure, if that's what you want.”

Hana narrowed her eyes on the other end of the line. She wasn't sure if she could trust him. That response was too swift.

But her mind was made up. If she was going to escape the clutches of inferiority…both in her family and her workplace—

Then—

She had to stay close to the mysterious Ren Carter. For some weird reason, she felt she would be safer with him—even though she literally caught a bullet in her shoulder the other day.

—but he treated her, and she got healed pretty quickly. 

She cleared her throat, then she asked one final question that had lurked in the back of her mind all this time. “When worse comes to worst, can you protect me?” 

Ren shifted his gaze to Juno, who watched silently. He lifted his shoulders in a clueless shrug. 

“Are you there?” Hana demanded in a sharp tone. “Or you no longer want to get into the business?”

“No, no, of course not. I'm with you.”

“So?”

Ren chewed his lower lip in deep thought. He was torn between coming out plain with the truth, and just making a false promise. After all…he couldn't even protect his sister. 

“Of course,” he replied quietly. “I'll protect you.”

“Great. When's the wedding happening?”

A tiny thrill raced through Ren's heart. And he squeezed his eyes shut. 

He did not know how to feel. It really was happening.