Cherreads

Chapter 2 - Freeloader's Dilemma

[POINTS: 1]

"Fuck," he muttered, staring at the screen floating in front of him. "Not even a free spin?"

The system interface blinked coldly.

[GACHA DRAW – Requires 3 Points]

He had only 1.

"No daily spin, no beginner reward, not even a damn pity counter?"

He exhaled through his nose, frustrated. His thumb hovered near a non-existent money exchange section, but—

"Of course," he scoffed. "That feature's locked too."

[Currency Exchange – Unavailable]

He clenched his fists, knuckles still stained with dried blood.

"So... just 30 points per month," he muttered bitterly. "One spin every three chapters of my life. Great."

With a heavy sigh, he turned away from the translucent screen. The lake he'd been heading toward finally came into view, still, quiet, untouched. He crouched at its edge, dipping his hands into the cold water. It stung against the cuts on his skin, though they were already starting to heal. He splashed his face, scrubbing off the dried blood and dirt.

It helped. A little.

After rinsing his hands, he walked over to the nearest tree and sat under it, letting the silence ground him.

"So... what now?" he murmured aloud.

The immediate panic had passed, and now came the dull weight of decision-making. Stay or leave?

His emotions screamed for escape—get out, don't rely on people who clearly don't want you there. But he forced himself to breathe slowly.

No. That'd be stupid.

Leaving a safe place just because he didn't like who lived there? Because of pride? That wasn't strategy. That was self-sabotage.

"They might not like me," he admitted, voice low, "and maybe they're planning to kick me out eventually… but not today. Not yet at least."

He leaned back against the bark and looked up at the sky through the branches.

"As long as I can hold on to the freeloader status a little longer... there's no point in wandering out there with nothing."

He wasn't being paranoid, just realistic.

This world? It was insane. Dark magicians, vampires, werewolves, aliens... and who knows what other twisted supernatural shit was hiding in the shadows. And that's not even counting the normal part of society, people with too much power, too little empathy, and a knack for cruelty. The human world could be just as dangerous, if not worse.

He might already have healing, sure, but it wasn't Wolverine-level yet. Not even close. No claws. No super-strength. No control over his pheromones. He couldn't fight off an army, or even a group of thugs.

Healing wasn't immunity.

It didn't stop you from being captured. Didn't stop pain. Didn't stop them from breaking you again and again until healing just became part of the torture cycle.

"Akihiro!"

He turned at the shout.

His father was rushing toward him, flanked by two guards and a couple of uniformed police officers. The look on his face was a mix of panic and fury.

By the time Akihiro got to his feet, they were already in front of him.

His father didn't waste a second.

"Why did you run off?! Didn't I tell you not to come here alone?" he snapped, voice sharp with worry barely masked by anger.

"Yeah… sorry," Akihiro muttered, bowing his head.

He was sorry—for coming here alone, at least. It had been reckless.

But also… this was where it happened.

The incident that shattered the fog in his mind and

So he didn't regret coming here.

Seeing him like this, the man fell silent, assuming the boy was still in shock after overhearing their conversation. With a sigh, he turned away. "…Let's go."

"Thank you, officers, for coming," he said to the two uniformed men.

"Just doing our duty," one of them replied.

"It's a pleasure to assist," the other added with a polite nod.

Both knew exactly how to speak when dealing with someone like him. He wasn't ultra rich, no billionaire, but he had enough influence and wealth to open doors most people couldn't even knock on. Building a connection with him wasn't just smart, it was an investment.

As they returned home, Akihiro caught sight of his mother waiting in the hallway. He hesitated for a moment… then quietly turned away and headed to his room without a word. Their relationship wasn't one where words mattered anymore.

Behind closed doors, in the master bedroom, she confronted her husband.

"Why did you bring him back?" she asked coldly, arms crossed.

He sighed and rubbed his temples. "Even if we're planning to get rid of him, it has to be done the right way. You know I'll be stepping into politics soon. I can't afford any scandals. If we're going to distance ourselves, it has to be… legitimate."

She nodded, her expression neutral but firm. "Fine. But send him away soon, far away. You know stress isn't good for the baby, and I won't take any chances."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I'll handle it. He won't be a problem much longer."

***********

Card's suggestions

More Chapters