Chapter 5 - The Age of Hatred

“Give up on your choice, or your loved ones will pay the price.”

The message keeps echoing in his mind as he starts running.

He didn’t take the time to think.
Only fear.
Pure.
Brutal.

When he reaches his apartment building, his hands are shaking.
His heart slams against his chest.
He takes the stairs two at a time, breath short, mind on fire.

In front of the door, he hesitates for half a second… then throws it open.

— Dad! Mom! Are you okay?!

His voice is so loud that his mother flinches when she sees him rush in.

— Yuta… you scared me! You’re home already. Check the fridge if you’re hungry.
— Mom… where’s Dad?
— In his room, resting. Why do you ask? Is something wrong?

Relief crashes over him like a wave.
He wraps his arms around her, unable to hide his fear.

— No… nothing. Everything’s fine. Sorry for worrying you.
— What do you want for dinner? And go do your homework! she says with a gentle smile.

Yuta regains a bit of calm and goes up to his room.
He opens his notebooks, turns on his computer…

But he can’t focus.
His hand is still trembling.

The message keeps looping in his mind.

He tries to reply. But:

“This user is unavailable. Please try again later.”

— Unavailable…? I’m just sending a message…

He tries calling.
The line cuts immediately.

Only a strange sound, a distant buzzing in the voicemail.

— What is this number…? Arley… if only I could contact her…

He tries again. And again.
Nothing.
Still nothing.

As a precaution, he decides not to tell anyone.
Not his parents.
Not anyone.

Who knows what this threat is capable of?

An hour passes.
Maybe two.
Without him managing to read a single line.

— Yuta! Wake your father, dinner’s ready!

***

Around midnight, Yuta lies down on his bed.
He closes his eyes, but the message digs into his mind like a claw.

What if this person hurts my parents…? Or anyone else…?

The worst scenarios pile up in his head.
His chest tightens.
His breathing falters.

Eventually, he falls asleep, exhausted by the tension of the day.

The next morning, he jolts awake.

— … It’s 10 a.m.?! SHIT!

He rushes out of his room, kisses his parents, and slams the door.

— Don’t wait up for me tonight! I’m working! I love you!

══ ✦ ══

When he arrives at the university, the entire class turns toward him.

— Is everything alright, Yuta? Being late isn’t like you, the professor says.
— Sorry, ma’am… I didn’t hear my alarm.
— It’s fine. Go sit down.

Yuta joins Ren… and a girl he hasn’t seen in a long time.

— Alice? You’re coming to class now?!
— I had nothing better to do, so I came. But it’s still just as boring, she says with a sigh.
— The last time you showed up was three months ago! Ren snickers.
— Shut up, Ren. I didn’t ask for your opinion.

Yuta laughs despite himself.
Finding his normal routine again makes him feel like everything is fine.
Like nothing has changed.

But that illusion only lasts a few days.

One evening, as he leaves work, his phone vibrates.

A new message.
From the same number.

“You should have listened.”

Yuta’s blood runs cold.

He rushes to his motorcycle.
Stops thinking.
Loses all control.

He speeds past every limit, ignores red lights, horns, the wind slashing against his face.

One single thought consumes him:

Get home.
Fast.

In front of his door…

Blood seeps out from beneath the frame.

His hands tremble.
His breath catches.
His heart stops beating.

He opens the door.

And discovers hell.

His parents lie on the floor.
Their blood writes the story the message had promised.

Yuta collapses to his knees.
He calls an ambulance in a broken, shaking, almost inaudible voice.

No words truly come out.
Only…

fear,
sorrow,
and a pure hatred rising within him.

— … I’m… sorry…

His body trembles.
His eyes go empty.

And something inside him breaks.