“Y-you... Did you do it for me...?”

“...............”

“...............”

“N—”

“You shouldn't have done it!”

“...............”

“You just made things worse! You should just have left me alone! Why are you even trying to protect me?! Do you think I can't do it? What am I supposed to say to your mom?! She told me to take care of you— To protect you but you— You're not even taking care of yourself!”

She snapped huh.

“You said you can't take his harassment anymore yet WHY ARE YOU PURPOSELY PROVOKING HIM?! Can't you just stay away from trouble? Well I hope you do. Because you're not only troubling yourself but others as well!”

“...............”

“Now Mr. Ian will come after you even more. You shouldn't have told him about the camera. You should just have kept quiet! That way—”

“—it would have worked out eventually.”

“!”

“Is that what you're hoping for Lucy?”

“O-Of course...”

“And you think enduring the abuse of others is the answer? You think that's the only way for peace and harmony?”

“Why are you... Of course it is. Violence breeds more violence. Can't everyone just live peacefully with others?”

“Well that's the point... We can't. Each one of us has different desires. It's bound to clash with one another at some point. A fight is inevitable Lucy.”

“Then—”

“—just don't pursue it? Even if it will be the one that will make them happy? Why? For peace? Why? Because peace is happiness? Too bad. We don't all think the same way.”

“...............”

“You desire peace yet you do nothing for it.”

“No! I've been living in peace since then! I've been kind to others. I even try to not disagree with them. I've been avoiding trouble—”

“Did that avoidance deliver you away from trouble? Did you being a ‘Yes girl’ made others coexist peacefully with you?”

“That's not...”

“You didn't put up a boundary Lucy. That's why those people around you don't know when to stop. They don't know what you desire, and so they just keep pushing theirs to you.”

“...............”

“You can never have peace when two parties don't see each other eye to eye. They are not in the same equal ground after all.”

“...............”

“How can you possibly get what you want if you just stand there leaving it in the hands of others? You're letting them decide whether you should get it or not.”

“..............but I have to protect them... I can't be selfish...”

“You're so naive Lucy. You're narrow-minded. Do you really think you can protect them? You left that decision to somebody else's hand. It's not in your hands anymore. They and you are at the mercy of others.”

“!”

Oh hell... I made her cry.

“Thank you for today. Please leave.”

“...............”

*Swoosh*

Lucy rushed out of my room. Her tears are streaming down, her heart hurting. My words pierced right through her heart.

「August 03, 2021 | Tue」

「11:11」

Ohh. I'm bored. Lucy and I are now in an awkward position. Neither she nor I wants to talk with each other.

It's not like I don't wanna talk to her but it's because I hurt her last time. She will be uncomfortable if I suddenly act like nothing happened.

Hm?

Fufufu. Finally. Douche has made a move.

*BAM!*

Three high school delinquents barged into my room with great arrogance. They are obviously looking for something and are ready to destroy this place for it.

“I was expecting someone more challenging. Mr. Ian is such a disappointment.” Let's greet them politely.

“Huh? Are teens nowadays really this arrogant?” The tallest teen says as soon as I greeted him. He is currently wearing an ugly black tank top, blue denim shorts, black sneakers, a white scarf over his mouth, brown hair pulled back neatly, sunglasses on his face, and a black baseball cap covering his head. He looks scary indeed.

“This is what happens if they're spoiled rotten,” says the other one. He's wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with the phrase ‘Dirty rich kids!’ written across his chest. A black cap on his head conceals his red eyes behind thick glasses.

“I'm gonna bash his skull with this pipe.” The third and last one to come inside is a shorty. His clothes are casual, grey sweatpants and a plain t-shirt. It seems like he's not interested in dressing too nicely to appear like an actual teenager but rather a stereotypical gangster type of guy. “Let me tell you boy, we sent a stupid Schadenfreude member to the hospital. Guess what? He's paralyzed below neck. So fuckin' weak.”

“Schadenfreude?”

“So how about we play a game of ‘let me guess who hates you’ boy?” The second one with average height said and cracked his knuckles.

“A game...”

“Yeah..”

“......What happens if I win?”

“If you win... well... it depends,” the tall guy says. He's smiling but that smile is just fake as hell.

“And if I lose...?”

“I dunno. We'll kill you?” The shorty shrugged. He's smiling too but it doesn't reach his eyes.

“Hoy. Don't forget why we came here guys. We've been commissioned, remember?” The one with the t-shirt ‘Dirty rich kids!’ playfully said so.

They're coming closer. They are really relaxed though. Guess this isn't their first time.

“Do you know why we're called here?” The tall guy asked me rhetorically. He's speaking near my face as an attempt to intimidate me.

“Because you guys are bullies?”

“Wrong boy. Wrong.”

“Hahahahaha. You lose one heart. Try again,” the shorty is making an ‘X’ with his short arms.

“Oh. Are you here to peel me an apple?”

“““...............”””

“...............”

“He pisses me off.”

“Same.”

“He's been smiling since we got here. I think he's mocking us.”

The three spoke in the same order they came in.

“Whatever. Hoy. Where's the hard drive?”

“...............”

“Don't look at me with that dumbfounded face. You know what I'm talking about.”

“I have no idea.”

“This piece of shit— I'm talking about the hard drive of your stupid spy camera!” The tall guy is starting to be pissed.

“Tsk tsk tsk. I guess he needs to understand the situation he's in. He's probably retarded.”

“Beat him up hmmp. It's his fault for pissing boss Doccia off,” shorty says.

“Err... I don't suggest that.”

“What? Scared?”

“Fuck around and find out boy.”

“Hahahahahaha. Sigh~ You just have to make things so hard for all of us don't you?”

““““...............”””” We are all staring at each other. The three are talking to each other with their eyes though.

*SWOOSH*

He punches me.

*Spurt~*

Blood gushes out of his hand.

“Aaaaaaaaaagh!” He screams loudly.

“What in the actual fuck?!”

“Goddamnit! What happened?!”

The two rushes to the tall guy.

I was about to dodge when his hand got hit by something moving at high velocity— a bullet.

「Didn't I specifically give an order to stay out of my business?」

「You got hurt master. Your order is now voided.」

「Don't call me master.」

「Roger that milord.」

「No milord as well. But whatever.」

「I will accept any punishment... Anything.」

「It will be a reward for you though.」

「Oh no.」

「Anyway, I don't need any protection. Leave. And I hope you haven't informed the others about me just yet.」

「Well they'll abandon their current tasks to rush here otherwise. It's a critical time for us isn't it, milord?」

「Yes. That's why leave me alone and go back to your work.」

「You're my main duty milord. I am supposed to protect you yet you keep pushing me away with long but meaningless task.」

「They're not meaningless. Anyway, I don't need protection.」

「You got hurt milord.」

「I am fine. Besides, I have her remember. She's been watching me from afar despite her claims that she hates me. I'll be fine Cyanía. Leave. It's an order.」

「...............」

She no longer responded to my text. But I'm certain she read my message.

“You bastard! What did you do?!” The shorty asked me while pulling the tall guy away with the help of the other.

“I-I got shot... My hand! My hand! It's broken... IT'S BROKEN AAAAAAGH!”

“Calm down boss. Calm down. We have to leave—”

Too late for that.

*Swiiiish~*

A silver light slashes towards the second guy.