As Ren prepared to leave the alley, a frantic shout echoed behind him.
"One minute, stop!"
Ren's steps halted. The girl rushed towards him and, without a word, embraced him tightly. Ren remained motionless, showing no reaction.
'No! I shouldn't be so careless,' a sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he mentally reprimanded himself.
He sharply pulled away from her, as if jolted awake from a dream. "What are you doing?" he demanded, a hint of panic in his voice.
The girl lowered her head, her voice soft and shy. "I... I just wanted to thank you."
Ren, flustered and in a hurry, didn't utter another word. He bolted from the alley with the speed of wind. When the girl finally looked up, she saw him disappearing as if swallowed by the air. She quickly pulled out her phone to snap a picture, but only the soles of Ren's shoes were captured in the frame. He was gone.
"What was that all about?" the girl mumbled, a mix of surprise and bewilderment on her face. 'Maybe I shouldn't have done that, but it wasn't intentional.'
Ren ran until he reached his room. This was his rented place. He pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and as it swung open, he was met with a chaotic mess—everything was scattered. Ren slammed the door shut behind him.
He tossed his bag carelessly onto the floor like a lazy student and, without even taking off his shoes, flopped onto his bed. He let out a deep sigh and muttered to himself, 'How could I be so careless? I shouldn't have gotten into that fight there...'
'What if the matter reaches the police and Uncle Zane? No, I shouldn't have done that.'
'But what if I hadn't stopped them? What would have happened to that girl?'
'And when that girl hugged me... was I happy?'
It was the first time a girl had embraced him. The sensation was... a little good, and a little strange.
Ren closed his eyes and whispered softly, "Anyway, I didn't do anything wrong."
He glanced at the calendar. 'I have a lot of work tonight,' he thought.
[Scene Change]
Meanwhile, the girl stood in front of a large house. The address and owner's name were displayed, along with a police sign. She was lost in thought, replaying everything that had happened to her today. 'What would those strangers have done to me if that unknown boy hadn't helped me today?' Suddenly, the address, the house—everything blurred. She collapsed right there.
[Chapter 4 End]