Taxue

"Taxue!" A sudden pang of anxiety gripped Ren. Without a word to Kiana, he rushed towards his apartment.

The old residential building shared a common corridor. Perhaps due to years of neglect, the corridor lights were out, leaving it pitch black, like a shadowy maw waiting to swallow anyone who dared enter.

About to follow Ren, Kiana paused, turning her head. In a nearby window, a girl had leaned halfway out, peering in their direction.

Seemingly noticing Kiana's gaze, the girl quickly retreated, drawing the curtains. Half a minute later, the light in the room went out.

Turning back, Kiana stepped into the darkened corridor.

Meow!

The shrill cry of a cat echoed again, accompanied by a man's enraged shout.

"Damn beast, get the hell away from me!"

A small orange cat's eyes widened, watching the man's approaching foot.

Thump!

A dull thud echoed. The kick landed on Ren's shoulder, sending him stumbling. The small cat, Taxue, slipped from his arms.

Whimper!

Taxue rolled on the ground, then licked Ren's cheek before arching its back and hissing at the man.

"Well, well, the little brat finally comes home. That damn woman refuses to open the door. Probably dead inside." The man hauled Ren up by his collar. He was tall, but years of heavy drinking had taken their toll. "Where's the key?"

The pain in his shoulder made Ren clench his teeth, but even lifted off the ground, he remained silent.

"Little bastard got some backbone now, huh? I'm your father. Without me, you and your mother would be rotting in a ditch somewhere. This apartment was bought with my money!" Glaring at the unresponsive Ren, the man's rage boiled over. He raised his hand to strike Ren across the face.

Click, clack.

Footsteps approached. The man frowned, squinting in the dim light filtering from the doorway. He recognized the newcomer.

"Oh ho, so that's why the little brat's so late. Kept me waiting, huh? Brought a girl home." He sized Kiana up, his eyes clouding with lust. But alcohol had long dulled his senses. To him, booze was far more appealing than women. After a cursory glance, he returned his attention to Ren.

Slap!

A stinging blow landed on Ren's face. Fury burned in the man's eyes. "So you lied about having no money, huh? Got enough to pick up girls, but nothing for your old man? I should have scraped you off the wall when I had the chance!"

He raised his hand again for another strike, but before it could connect, a firm grip clamped down on his wrist.

Cold blue eyes stared back at him. The enraged man instinctively gulped, his bluster deflating.

He slowly lowered his hand. Only when he completely released Ren did Kiana loosen her grip. Judging by his words, this man was Ren's father. While disgusted by the man's behavior, Kiana knew she was ultimately an outsider.

Interrupted, the man seemed to realize that Kiana wasn't someone to trifle with. He lowered his voice, pleading with Ren. "Little Ren, just give your dad a little more. I promise, this is the last time. I won't come back again."

"I know you're suffering living with that good-for-nothing mother of yours. Don't worry, once I win big, Dad will take you away, okay?" His voice dropped, laced with a hint of pleading. Alcohol and gambling had completely eroded his will. He looked into Ren's eyes, only to be met with deep-seated loathing.

Seemingly reading the meaning in Ren's gaze, the man's expression shifted. He lunged towards Kiana.

"Little brat doesn't understand words, huh? Since you brought someone home, then I'll…"

He didn't finish his sentence. A fist slammed into his face, but this time, it wasn't Kiana. It was Ren.

"This is our family matter." Landing the blow, Ren finally spoke, glancing at Kiana. He gestured for her to leave.

"Oh? Protecting your woman now? Looks like you've really grown up." The man barely reacted to the punch. He knew Ren wasn't strong. This was nothing compared to the beatings he'd received from debt collectors in back alleys. "If you want to protect someone, let's see if you have the guts."

He'd barely finished speaking when another punch landed squarely on his nose. This time, with unexpected force, sending blood gushing down his face.

As the man gritted his teeth, ready to retaliate, a bag was thrown at him. He paused, stunned, then quickly opened the tattered backpack. Inside was a wad of cash – mostly small bills, but enough for several days of debauchery.

"Take the money and get out!"

His fingers trembling with rage, Ren turned and retrieved a rusty steel bar he'd hidden in a nearby trash heap. He advanced on the man, brandishing the makeshift weapon.

Finally realizing Ren was serious, the man flinched, grabbed the backpack, and scurried away.

"..."

Silence.

After a long moment, Ren spoke, "Sorry you had to see that."

Pain flickered in his gray eyes. Kiana suddenly understood why he'd risked going back to retrieve the scattered change. A wave of helplessness washed over her. She wasn't sure how to comfort him. But Ren quickly composed himself, wiping his reddened eyes and regaining his usual demeanor.

He pulled a key from a small, hand-stitched pocket inside his jacket, a pocket seemingly designed specifically for hiding things.

The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit apartment. The living room was dark, the only light filtering from the bedroom doorway, where a woman sat on the bed, intently knitting.

She hadn't reacted to the commotion outside? Confusion flickered in Kiana's eyes.

"That's my mother. She's… deaf and mute." Ren's voice was strained. He flicked on the living room light. Noticing the change, the woman looked up, her face lighting up at the sight of Ren.

"Ah, ah." She put down her knitting, opening her mouth to speak, but only meaningless sounds came out.

"Mom, I'm home. This is my friend." Although he knew his mother couldn't hear, Ren still made the introduction.

Seeing her son bring home a pretty girl, the woman's joy was palpable. She hurried to the kitchen to boil water for tea.

Looking at Ren's forced smile, a pang of sympathy struck Kiana. She gestured to his shoulder. "That must hurt."

"No, it's fine." Ren shook his head, a wry smile touching his lips. "I'm used to it."