Holl

"Slap!"

A loud slapping sound echoed from one of the luxurious houses.

"Didn't I tell you not to steal?! You're the mayor's son! You should act with dignity!!!"

The man slapped his son hard, his angry voice filling the room.

"When will you learn manners?! When will you make me proud?!"

"....."

The boy stood there, silent, looking down at the floor.

"Nir! Look at me when I speak to you!!!"

Nir's eyes trembled, and he couldn't lift his face.

His father raised his hand again, preparing to slap him once more.

"I told you to look me in the eye—"

Before he could strike, someone grabbed his wrist.

"Sir, I don't think hitting him is the right way to teach him not to steal."

The man spoke while firmly holding Nir's father's hand.

Nir's father pulled his hand away.

"Are you questioning how I raise my son?"

The man bowed his head slightly.

"I apologize if I spoke out of turn, sir. I didn't mean any offense. If you don't believe me, then feel free to punish me as you see fit."

Nir's father paused for a moment before sighing.

"Fine. What's your idea to stop him from stealing, Deputy Holl?"

Holl was the deputy mayor, a man who had risen to his position through sheer hard work. He was known to work for five days straight without sleep, all for the sake of his duties.

"Don't worry, sir. Just leave his discipline to me. You're a very busy man—don't forget your meeting with Roger."

A flicker of realization crossed Nir's father's face.

"Oh, you're right. I need to go now. Do as you see fit, Holl."

"Understood, sir."

With that, Nir's father left, leaving Nir in Holl's care.

The two exchanged glances.

"Lex again?"

"…Yes…"

Holl sighed quietly.

"I told you not to hang around him."

"B-but he—"

Holl flicked Nir's forehead.

"No excuses. He's a bad kid. Don't play with him."

"O-okay…"

Holl looked at Nir for a moment, then spoke in a softer tone.

"Ahem… I was going for a bike ride. Want to come with me?"

Nir lifted his head, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Yaaay!!!"

Holl rode the bike with Nir sitting behind him.

The cool breeze against his face felt amazing.

Holl glanced at Nir, then, with a small smile, increased the speed.

After a while, they returned to the city.

"Hey, Nir."

Before Nir could leave, Holl stopped him with a grin.

"Listen, don't tell your dad about this, okay? I'm pretty sure he'd fire me if he found out."

"Haha, of course, Uncle Holl!"

Nir turned to leave, but Holl stopped him again.

"Nir, I also want you to promise me something—please don't hang out with that boy, Lex. Okay?"

"…Alright, I promise…."

Holl smiled brightly and patted Nir's head.

"Good. That's what I wanted to hear."

"….."

For a moment, Nir remained silent.

Meanwhile, in a dark alley, a boy was counting stacks of money.

"Hey, idiot, do you think I'm stupid?!"

The boy grabbed another person by the collar.

"I-I'm sorry! This is all I have, Lex! My mother is sick, so I need this money!"

Lex raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smirked.

"Oh? Your mom is sick? That's so sad… Poor Michael, you must be suffering."

He let go of Michael, dropping him to the ground.

"Y-yeah… So please, can I delay my payment just this once?"

Lex grinned slyly.

"Hmm… You need money, right?"

Michael hesitated.

"…What do you mean?"

Lex placed a hand on Michael's shoulder and whispered:

"See that kid over there? That's Nir, the mayor's son. If you want, you could kidnap him and ask his father for ransom. He's filthy rich, after all."

Michael's body tensed up.

"Are you insane?!"

Lex sighed.

"Hmm… Guess you don't love your mother after all. Look, if you want me to stop collecting money from you, just kidnap Nir."

Michael's voice shook.

"B-but what do you get out of this?!"

Lex tapped his chin playfully.

"Hmm… Nothing, really. It's just fun watching people fight for survival. So, what do you say?"

Michael backed away until his back hit the wall.

"N-no way. I'm not crazy enough to do that."

Lex sighed dramatically.

"That's too bad. I'd feel awful if something happened to your mom… You know, like her getting killed or poisoned, for example."

Michael gasped.

"W-why would anyone do that?!"

Lex laughed.

"Oh, I'm just saying! Relax, nothing will happen to her… as long as you do what I say."

A shiver ran down Michael's spine.

"F-fine… What do I have to do?"

Lex's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Alright, listen carefully…."

Nir lay on his bed, thinking.

Should he really stop hanging out with Lex?

As he pondered, his eyes grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.

From that day on, Nir began avoiding Lex whenever he could.

One day, as he was leaving a store, Michael ran up to him in a panic.

"N-Nir! I need your help! Please, come with me!!!"

"What's wrong, Michael? What do you mean?"

Michael grabbed Nir's hand, desperation in his voice.

"Please… My mom collapsed in the alley from exhaustion and illness! I need your help carrying her to the hospital! Please!!!"

"O-okay! I'll help you!"

Without hesitation, Nir rushed toward the alley, eager to help Michael's mother.

"Alright, where is she?"

He looked left and right, searching.

"I'm really sorry…"

"Huh? What did you say—"

Before he could finish, Michael struck Nir from behind, knocking him out.

When Nir woke up, he was in a dark room.

He tried to move, but his hands were tied to the chair he was sitting on.

"W-what the…?"

His head throbbed in pain.

"Ugh… My head… What happened?"

From the shadows, a figure emerged—Michael.

"M-Michael? What's going on? Explain yourself!"

Michael looked anxious and unsettled.

"I-I… Please, just stay quiet."

"What? Did you kidnap me?!"

Michael's face twitched.

"N-no, I just… how do I explain this? I… I'm just doing what's best for me."

"Hah! Michael, this isn't funny! Let me go!"

"N-no… This is for my mom… I'm really sorry."

A wave of unease washed over Nir.

"Hah? And what does that have to do with me?!"

"I-I can't explain… just stay quiet and—"

Suddenly, the window shattered.

Michael and Nir both jumped in fear.

"Don't worry, Nir. It's me."

What? Holl?! But how did he find me?!

Holl charged toward Michael, kicking him away.

"D-Deputy Mayor Holl?! W-what are you doing here?!"

Holl didn't answer—he simply moved to untie Nir.

Michael clenched his teeth.

"Why… Why is this happening?! I just wanted to live with my mother!"

Michael grabbed a metal rod and ran toward Holl, intending to strike.

But Holl… calmly pulled a gun from his pocket.

And shot Michael in the head.

Just like that.

Nir was speechless.

"......"

He left the scene in a daze, his mind clouded.

Seeing someone die in front of him was… strange.

Not because Michael was dead, but because Holl had killed him so easily.

That night, Nir visited Holl's office.

"Excuse me… Can I come in?"

"Yes, come in."

Nir sat down in one of the chairs.

"Holl… When does a criminal deserve to die?"

Holl gave a calm, emotionless response:

"All criminals deserve to die."

Nir's eyes widened.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, every criminal should be killed. However, I can only kill them if they resist. If they try to escape, their fate is death. Even you—if you ever went to jail and tried to escape, your fate would be death. Unfortunately, I don't have the authority to enforce this system."

Nir was speechless.

"B-but—"

"You're still young, Nir. When you grow up, you'll understand."

That night, Nir lay on his bed, unable to sleep.

This was too much for a ten-year-old to bear.