Approximately three hours later....

Kavei sighed heavily, feeling the weariness of the day seep into his bones as he moved toward the faded green door of his small apartment. The peeling paint and faint scratch marks on the frame reminded him of the countless days he'd spent behind it, trying to hold on to the sense of privacy it afforded him. But today, his sanctuary was being disturbed. From outside, he could hear the impatient voices, the relentless ringing of the doorbell mingling with the sharp pounding of fists against the door.

With a resigned expression, he slowly slid the security bolt back, the familiar metallic clank echoing in the silence. He cracked the door just enough to peek through, his gaze steely as he eyed the figures outside. Only half of his face was visible through the narrow opening.

"What do you want?" Kavei's voice carried a note of irritation, his tone intentionally detached.

The man on the other side, his face red with pent-up anger, took a step forward, his eyes boring into Kavei. "Kavei, what do you think you're doing asking us questions outside the house?" His tone was sharp, accusatory, as if the very act of questioning him was a personal affront.

Kavei didn't flinch. He maintained his calm, staring back with unyielding composure. "Well, I don't want to let you both in. What do you want?" His curiosity was piqued despite himself, but he kept his voice flat, unwelcoming.

The woman standing beside the man shifted, her face contorting into an unsettling smile. Her eyes were open wide, unblinking, giving her an eerie appearance as she looked at him. "Kavei-Kun. Kavei-chan. Kavei-san," she cooed, using every honorific as if testing which one might soften him. "We came here to help you pay off your rents," she added, her voice trembling slightly but her expression remaining fixed.

"P-pay my rents?" Kavei echoed, unable to hide the hint of surprise in his voice. The offer was unexpected, to say the least. It didn't make any sense.

The woman reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope, holding it out toward him. She seemed almost eager, her hand extending with insistence. "It has all the money you might need," she said, the corners of her mouth stretching into an even wider smile that made Kavei instinctively step back.

He eyed the envelope suspiciously, every instinct warning him to keep his distance. "I see," he replied, choosing his words carefully. "What do you want me to do with it, though?"

"Kavei-san, take this. Pay off the rents. Leave the house and come back home, please." Her voice took on a pleading edge, but her eyes retained that unsettling wideness, the smile never quite reaching them.

Kavei exhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a brief moment as if gathering his resolve. He slowly pushed the envelope back toward her, his refusal firm. Her smile faltered, the corners of her mouth dipping as her expression turned dark, frustration bleeding into her eyes.

Suddenly, anger sparked in her gaze, and with a burst of impatience, she surged forward, trying to push her way past the door. Behind her, the man moved in tandem, raising a brick he had seemingly been holding out of sight, preparing to use it if necessary to break in by force. But despite their aggressive approach, Kavei remained composed, knowing the door's sturdy security bolt would hold against their desperate attempts.

The escalating commotion quickly drew the attention of the other residents in the apartment building. Doors creaked open, concerned faces peering out into the hallway as murmurs spread among the onlookers. Within moments, the landlady emerged, her brow furrowed in disapproval as she took in the scene. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called the police.

Minutes later, the sound of approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of Inspector Senzaki and his team. The officers moved swiftly, dispersing the agitated couple and restoring order to the chaotic scene.

As the police stepped in, Kavei opened the door fully, finally allowing the officers access to intervene. The couple glared at him, hands outstretched in a last-ditch effort to reach him, their intentions as transparent as the desperation in their eyes.

Inspector Senzaki wasted no time, his eyes narrowing as he turned to Kavei. "Who are they?" he asked, his voice firm, expecting clarity.

"A couple," Kavei replied, keeping his answer simple, yet it was loaded with a tone of detachment.

"Niram-Kun," the inspector pressed, "I know that much. Who are they to you?"

"They are people who adopted me," Kavei replied, his tone neutral, giving nothing away.

"Adopted you?" Inspector Senzaki's eyes widened slightly, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "They seem thirsty for your blood."

"They are," Kavei confirmed with a calmness that was unsettling in its own right.

"Why?" the inspector pressed, his voice low with concern.

"They wish me to come back home," Kavei explained, his tone flat, as if discussing something trivial.

"With them?" the inspector asked, his brows knitting together.

"Yeah. Back to their place," Kavei stated, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"I see," the inspector said, trying to piece together the puzzle. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, Inspector. I just don't want to go back," Kavei asserted, his tone resolute.

"But-" the inspector started, clearly searching for more information.

"They only adopted me," Kavei interrupted, his voice unwavering. "They can't force me to come back. I can choose how I want and who I want to live with."

"Niram?" The man, who had been silent until now, burst out angrily, his face contorted with rage. "You call yourself Niram now? You ungrateful prick!"

Without warning, he lunged forward, his hands reaching for Kavei's throat. Before anyone could intervene, he pinned Kavei to the floor, his grip tightening around his neck. Inspector Senzaki started to move forward, but Kavei raised a hand, signaling him to stop. Despite the violent assault, Kavei's expression remained calm, refusing to show any sign of fear.

"Why?" the man yelled, his voice filled with fury as he bore down on him. "After everything we did for you!"

Kavei's gaze was steady, unfazed. "What did you do for me?"

The question seemed to catch the man off guard. He hesitated, his grip momentarily slackening as he processed Kavei's words.

"What do you mean, what?" the man spat, his grip tightening once more.

"What did you do for me?" Kavei repeated, his tone unwavering. "Did you pay for my food? My tuition fee? My clothes? Any luxury? Books? Exactly what did you do for me?"

The man's face paled, his anger faltering as he struggled to find an answer. Finally, he managed to speak, though his voice was weak. "We... we took you in."

Kavei's gaze hardened. "Well, you also took my house for yourself as well, so we're pretty clear there."

The man's face twisted in anger once more. "Just shut up. We needed the money!"

"What money?" Kavei asked, his voice calm, challenging him to elaborate.

The man's face reddened, shame creeping in as he muttered, "The money the law promised to give us if we adopt you. You got it, didn't you?"

"They might take it back if you don't live with us," the woman chimed in, her voice pleading now, desperation clouding her eyes. "We will be labeled as abusers for the rest of our lives, Kavei!"

Kavei's gaze softened momentarily, though his expression remained resolute. "I will explain it my way. You won't get into trouble, so let go of me. This instant."

The man's grip loosened, and he released Kavei, a mixture of frustration and resignation etched into his face.

As Kavei rose to his feet and entered his room as the police handled the situation from there. He shut the door behind and leaned against the door, taking a deep, steadying breath. His mind replayed the abuse he'd endured, each memory leaving a bitter aftertaste. He slid down the door, resting against it as the weight of the confrontation settled over him.

"Must have left a mark," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible as he closed his eyes, finding solace in the quiet that finally surrounded him.

On Hold: Case Free Arc
Next: Case 02 Arc