"What happened here exactly?"
The words came from a tall, powerfully built man with blond hair styled into a pompadour as he climbed the stairs with steady steps, staring at the scene before him in disbelief.
His gaze moved to the charred corpse. He bent down slowly, placing his palm on its chest, and closed his eyes for a few seconds" sorry for being late "he whispered
He turn his gaze toward the burnt plastic barrel next to him , touching some of it liquids then putting it near his nose
Sniff
Weak smell of gasoline
He examined the barrel even more noticing another thing the remainings of alcohol cans that were inside the half burnt barrel
" augh " a sound came from his side
The man looked at the source alittle
Then he straightened up and stepped closer to him till he stopped infront of the blond boy leaning his back against the wall, looking utterly miserable" i think i asked a question when i came here , you didnt respond so i thought you were dead "
He didn't give him a chance to even open his eyes
In the next instant, the man with the pompadour drove a brutal kick straight into his face.
The moment the blond opened his eyes in shock and pain, the pompadour-haired man grabbed him by the hair violently.
"you dont look dead now so answer it."
"chiharo…"
The blond whispered weakly, his eyes lifeless—glassy, like a fish's.
"He was—"
"Stop talking."
Chiharo cut him off coldly.
What does this guy want now ?
The blonde thought
"Just move your head. Is he the reason for all this?"
He said it while bending down until they were face to face.
The blond slowly nodded, he know who he meant
"I underestimated him… I turned my back on him. I'm sorry."
"Underestimated him?"
Chiharo kept staring at the blond's face, anger gradually seeping into his expression.
"Ooooh, forgive me… I didn't realize the strongest creature was one of my men."
He smiled—but his face said the exact opposite.
A phone rang.
Ring… Ring… Ring.
Chiharo's expression instantly returned to its usual cold calm.
"Go. Get your injuries treated."
He nodded toward the stairs.
Then he pulled out his phone, glanced briefly at the screen, and answered.
"Boss?"
A calm voice came from the other end.
"Call off all search patrols… He turned himself in to the police."
"…Turned himself in?"
Chiharo repeated quietly, echoing Hanayama's words as his grip tightened around the phone until it cracked under the pressure.
Anger mixed with something close to grief on his face.
After everything that had happened… three of his men had died by that man's hand.
This was all his fault
Everything that has happened now
" if i only killed him that day "
______________________
A week later—
The bus crossed a long bridge under a bright, sunny sky.
A gentle breeze stirred the trees and grass covering the surrounding mountains, giving the place a peaceful calm.
"Poor bastards… being sent to a place like this."
The driver said, looking at the men through the rearview mirror.
"Even my worst enemies—I wouldn't wish this place on them."
A cold reply came from the officer in the seat behind him
"Don't feel sorry for them. These idiots are reaping what they sowed."
"Gaaah! Can you hurry up, old man? We're dying from the heat back here!"
The shout came from the back of the bus.
The officer snapped his head around and yelled,
"Shut up! Where do you think you're going? To a reformatory, not a park! If you can't handle a little heat, you won't survive a single day th—oh…"
The officer froze.
He raised his eyes toward the source of the voice.
A giant of a man sat there, his massive body blocking everyone behind him. He waved his hand, trying to cool himself, his features tense from the heat.
"Huh?" he said in a rough voice, giving him a look.
"What was that, old man? The heat's got my brain boiling—I didn't hear you. Speak up."
He cupped a hand behind his ear.
The officer went stiff.
Sweat poured down his forehead as he quickly averted his gaze.
"N-no… don't worry about it," he muttered.
…Damn it
What the hell are kids eating these days?
He screamed it in his head while swallowing hard.
"The weather's getting hotter… let's hurry, jiji."
The driver nodded and pressed the accelerator without another word.
______________
The bus stopped in front of a massive iron gate set into towering, ancient-looking walls. Rust covered the metal, and the creaking of its hinges echoed with every movement, as if the place itself screamed under its weight and history.
Above the gate hung a metal sign reading "Reformatory," though several letters were missing or eroded by rust.
The gates opened, and the bus drove inside.
Yang didn't know why, but the moment they passed through, he felt an indescribable relief—as if his chest had suddenly opened after a long suffocation.
The bus stopped near a small side door. The driver got out and opened the back door, shouting,
"Everyone out!"
The giant was the first to step down. He stretched his arms upward and inhaled deeply.
"Hoooof! Finally… I was about to die from the stench!"
He shouted it so loudly that half the bus immediately lowered their heads, sniffing their armpits in alarm.
I stepped off the bus, sunlight slamming into my face the slash in the middle of my lips were stitched back , the pitch black skin under my eyes disappeared after sleeping for two days straight, iforced my left eye shut to cover it from the light
My body was wrapped in bandages—layer upon layer—until it looked like I was wearing two full sets of clothes: bandages, and over them, the blue prisoner uniform.
I'm sure of it…
The source of the " stench" is me.
Heh.
"Oi oi ooooi!"
The driver screamed as he stormed back into the bus, yelling like one of his children had died.
"Which one of you… which one of you criminals broke the window?!"he screamed pointing at
...
Seeing no one said anything
He charged toward us so violently that the bus shook beneath his steps.
"Was it you? The one sitting there?"
He fixed me with a sharp glare, his face only inches from mine.
I frowned and turned my head away. His breath reeked of onions and cigarettes.
"Calm down. I was sitting in the front, that's why I got off last."
He seemed convinced and shifted his gaze toward the others—especially the giant who had exited first.
He opened his mouth to yell, but a single look from the giant was enough to make him step back.
"What's wrong, jiji? Don't let these low lives raise your blood pressure. We'll compensate you for the damages."
The policeman said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Jiji muttered curses under his breath and retreated to the driver's seat.
"All right. Line up, everyone."
The policeman began counting the convicts with his finger.
He stopped.
"One missing."
A bald convict raised his hand, tension clear on his face.
"U-um… he's sleeping in the middle left seat."
The moment he finished speaking, everyone turned toward him with sharp, heavy stares.
Idiot.
He'd made the biggest mistake possible… snitching.
He'd be the first whose ass gets stolen.
"Good job."
The policeman said as he climbed onto the bus and walked heavily toward the convict.
The man was sleeping deeply, his head resting comfortably against the window.
How the driver hadn't noticed him—no one knew.
He wore the same blue uniform as the others. Black hair slicked back, with a few strands falling over his forehead. Sharp, rigid features
"Wake uuuuup!!!"
The policeman screamed at the top of his lungs near his ear.
No response.
The policeman bit his lip, veins bulging on his face as he pulled out his baton and raised it—
But before he could strike, the convict's right hand shot up, grabbing the policeman's jaw violently
A clear tattoo was visible beneath his sleeve.
"You're loud…"
He said in a low, cold voice.
"Lower your voice."
He removed his hand from the policeman's mouth and stood up, towering over him.
What stood out most were his eyes—pitch-black, with white pupils that sent chills down the spine.
He stepped off the bus calmly, giving everyone a brief glance…
Except Yang.
He lingered on him a moment longer than necessary.
Yang shrugged
"What?"
The man with the black eyes exhaled slowly and looked away without a word.
________________________________________
The prisoners now stood lined up before a single desk in a wide, empty room. No furniture at all—just the desk, a computer, and scattered papers. On top of the wall behind it hung several framed photographs in golden frames.
Behind the desk sat a man in a formal shirt—the same man whose photo appeared among those on the wall.
He must be the owner of the reformatory… the photos likely of previous owners.
Two policemen stood at his sides. Behind the prisoners stood another officer, a clear handprint mark on his jaw.
"All right, everyone. Welcome to JTS."
The man behind the desk spoke calmly.
"My name is Kano… but you'd do well to call me 'Sir.' I'll be responsible for you during your stay here."
He gestured toward the officer in the back.
The policeman tried to speak, but couldn't his jaw was literally locked in place
He merely bowed awkwardly while standing, then left the room. Moments later, he returned carrying a big box.
"In this box that Mr. Minato is holding,"
Kano continued
"are sets of armbands in four colors."
He opened the box and began explaining:
White:Theft and fraud.
Punishment: five months in prison.
Yellow:Attempted rape or murder.
Punishment: one to two years, depending on the crime
Red:Murder and rape.
Punishment: three years.
Blue:Drug dealing.
Before stating the sentence, he paused, smiling faintly at the prisoners.
"Three years."
Silence fell. Shock spread across their faces.
Three years?
How could drug dealing carry the same sentence as murder?
"Is there a mistake?"
The looks silently asked.
Kano smiled wider.
"Now, I want all of you to remain quiet. I'll call your names one by one… and assign your wristbands."
"First—Yamazaki Yuzuru. Yellow band."
The black-eyed man stepped forward toward the officer holding the box.
Sweat poured down the officer's face as they stood face to face. He avoided eye contact, hastily grabbing a yellow band and handing it over.
Yuzuru took it and fastened it around his wrist.
"Make sure you wear it at all times. If you don't, you'll receive a sticker. Anyone who collects ten stickers spends a week in solitary confinement."
He said it while adjusting his glasses.
"Hashiya Subaru. Yellow band."
…
…
No one stepped forward.
"Hashiya? Hashiya?"
Kano looked toward the officer beside him.
"Where is he?"
"U-um… I-I'm here."
A faint voice answered. Everyone's heads instinctively tilted downward.
In front of the large wooden box stood a short boy—shorter than the box itself.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
A yellow band?
This dwarf?
How?
And is it even allowed to bring a dwarf teenager to a place like this?
Isn't there a special facility for them?
Like… a reformatory for dwarfs? This is not fair at all
He will be turned into a fleshlight in day one
What about me ? Day two maybe ?
I flinch at that thought ' what am i even thinking '
The dwarf took the band and pushed his way to the back, standing beside Yuzuru.
"Daimonji… Daimonji."
Kano repeated the name, making everyone expect another dwarf.
Instead, the massively built boy stepped forward.
"Yoooh, Sir Kano. It's been a long time."
He said, snatching the band from the officer's hand.
"If you've received your bands, head to the back of the room with the others...quietly please"
Kano ignored him completely.
"Next… Yang Ichizo."
He looked straight at me.
"Red band."
He wasn't the only one staring.
Everyone was.
Fear.
Confusion.
Even shock
I stepped forward to take the band ,but my shoulder bumped with Daimonji's. He shot me a sharp hatful glare his lips were quivering and his eyes were teary
Apparently He didnt like being ignored by kano
He's Like a child in a man body
Reminds me of dorian
Oh god i miss that guy
My thoughts were interrupted
"Apologize."he ordered yang , whether he has red or white arm band he didnt care at all
Apologize?
Maybe it was my fault—my mind was on everyone's reactions instead of watching where I was going. But…
I said nothing. Just lightly sniffed my shoulder where he had bumped me
"Ugh…"
My face twisted in disgust.
Then I continued toward the band.
Soft laughter echoed through the room.
Dai turned toward them with a single look—enough to silence everyone instantly
All thought he has the mind of child he understood what my gesture meant...or maybe he just didnt like people laughing at him
he turned back to Yang.
Veins bulged on his face with rage.
"You're dead."
_______________________
The previous chapter was pretty bad, I admit it. Sorry about that.
I just couldn't figure out how to keep him alive to get stronger, so again I'm sorry
From now on, I'll try slowing things down