-[chaper 2] The menace~
The ceremony ended in noise.
Clapping. Cheers. Laughter.
Alex felt none of it.
After the pictures were taken, he handed his certificate to Mr. Max.
"I'll be back," he said flatly. "I need a moment."
Then he walked off.
The restroom was empty. Bright lights. Clean mirrors. Sparkling tiles.
Alex stood at the sink, gripping its edge, staring at his reflection. Pale. Composed. Untouched. Perfect. Almost too perfect.. The memories from when he first stood here came rushing back. How little and scared he was. Everything had felt foreign then. He hated this place. He had counted the days until he could go back home.
Now, standing here again, realizing that day had finally come, felt... strange. He wasn't as excited as he thought he would be.
He inhaled slowly. Exhaled. Washed his face. Fixed his hair.
He turned to leave.
That was when voices echoed in.
Chatters. Laughters. Loud. Thoughtless.
Some lads were talking about something. Something he hadn't heard in a really long while, and wasn't hoping to hear anytime soon, or ever again.
"—It's really a shame we won't see him often now. My fists were really itching to feast on his face."
More laughter followed.
"Dude, that was fire."
"But seriously," another voice said. "What's his deal? Why does he walk around like he owns the place?"
"Guy's a psycho," the first guy replied. "Heard he caused the accident that killed his mom and brother. Been messed up ever since."
A pause.
"Crazy stuff. Serves her right though. Imagine abandoning all of this," flexing his abs and biceps, "to marry that Korean loser. What was she expecting?"
The world tilted.
Alex turned sharply, fists already clenched, and stepped out of the restroom.
The boys froze immediately they saw him.
"What did you say?" His voice was low. Dangerous.
One of them laughed nervously. "Relax, man, we were just talk—"
Alex lunged, about to land a punch, but someone grabbed his wrist, stoping him mid-air.
"Please don't," a calm voice said.
Alex froze, his breathing heavy, pulse raging in his ears. His eyes were empty, distant, like something else had taken over.
He turned, it was the guy from earlier inside the hall.
Their eyes met. Moon shook his head once, subtly, signaling him not to.
The boys scrambled away quickly, muttering apologies that Alex didn't hear.
Alex stared at the hand holding him.
No one touches him. Ever.
For a moment, the room felt smaller. Tighter.
He yanked his wrist free, smoothed his hair and suit, then walked past him without a glance, jaw tight, control regained. Moon just stood there, watching him go.
_____
The ride back home was silent. The city lights blurred past the window as rain began to fall again, light taps against the glass. Mr. Max cleared his throat before speaking.
"Your father called," he said, carefully. "He wants you back in Seoul immediately."
Alex's fingers tightened around his phone.
"How soon..?"
"Tonight. The jet is on its way."
Alex looked down on his palm and exhaled.
"Pull over." He commanded. flat.
Mr. Max hesitated. "Young master..,"
"Now."
The car stopped.
"You and the guards can leave," he said coldly. "I'll drive."
Mr. Max studied him for a moment, then nodded. "We leave by 7:30 PM."
Alex slid into the driver's seat and zoomed off.
_____
Kate's family house was warm and alive. Music played softly. Laughter and chatter echoed through the door. Alex hesitated outside, debating whether to knock or turn around and leave. As if she could feel his presence.
The door opened. And pair of blue eyes met his. He froze.
"You were about to run off again, weren't you?" Kate teased gently.
His shoulders dropped.
"I was nervous," he admitted. "—I'm sorry."
A brief silence.
"So," she said, stepping aside, "are you coming in, or should I go tell my parents you rejected the party they spent hours planning for you and ran away?"
Alex blinked. He looked up at her nervously but then noticed her smile. Relief washed over him. Then he stepped inside.
There was a small cake. Balloons. Red and white wins neatly arranged on the center table. Kate's parents welcomed him with huge smiles on their faces. They were so warm. He laughed and giggled, danced a little. For the first time that day, Alex felt... at peace.
Hours passed quickly. Too quickly. As if time was in a hurry.
____
"Hey," he said softly. "Can we talk, outside?"
Kate nodded and led the way.
The wind was gentle. The rain had stopped completely. Stars dotted the sky, the moon hanging full and bright above the city. It was such a beautiful sight. Kate inhaled sharply, taking in all of its beauty.
"I have to leave," Alex said. His voice soft, gentle
Her smile faded. "—Where..??"
"Seoul. My father wants me back."
She looked down at her hands, then nodded. "Of course he does."
A couple seconds passed. Then she looked back at him.
"How long do we have?" she asked, hope flickering in her eyes
"An hour..??
That hope shattered instantly.
As she stared at him, speechless, he could see her eyes grow glossy, and tear drops began racing down her cheeks.
His chest tightened.
He'd seen this before.
Alex was quite popular even during his early school days. Students were always talking about him. How he was always with a guard, always secluded. Soon, they shifted to his family. Alex always tried to ignore them. Ever since he lost control and almost killed a kid during a fight in elementary school, he had avoided fighting with anyone. He'd often wear headphones to shut out their talk, but on this day, they went too far.
Before Alex could react, someone stepped in and started fighting the kids.
Alex stood in awe as he watched her get beaten. He wondered why she would even try to fight for him when she wasn't strong enough. This act melted his heart, and soon after, they became friends. As they got older, Kate realized she'd developed feelings for him. She gathered the courage one day and told him, but he turned her down. That was the first time he'd seen her cry, it broke his heart. He made a promise to himself—and to her—that she wasn't going to shed a single tear on his behalf again. But here they are.
He gently pulled her into a hug, resting his chin lightly on her head.
"I'm sorry," he said. His voice soft and comforting.
They stayed like that for a while. When she finally pulled back, she wiped her face and forced a small smile.
"It's just Seoul," she said shakily. "It's just a flight away. I can always come visit you."
Alex hummed, nodding along.
It went silent again. A few seconds passed before Alex broke the silence.
"I should get going. My jet is probably here already."
Kate couldn't find her voice to say anything more. She just nodded. They hugged again and Alex said his goodbye. As he drove away, she stood there, watching until the taillights disappeared, tears burning in her throat.
___
Alex got to the house. His stuff was already packed. Everyone was lined up, waiting for him. He walked past them into the bathroom and took a cold shower. He needed a break from all the noise and chaos going on inside his head.
After getting ready, he took one last look at his room. All his memories—everything—erased. Like he was never here. He let out a deep sigh, then walked out.
They got to the jet, and after he was settled in, it took off.