Chapter 158 - Boss

Keifer's POV

"There's Boss!" Percy shouted, pointing at the group of men fighting.

He was referring to Angelo. I don't know where that nickname came from, but it all started when he saved us from a gang fight... again.

Honestly, I only call him Boss when I need something.

"Are we going to help him?" Yuri asked.

"No need. Kuya can handle it," Aries said.

I looked at Angelo. Is that so? He was almost being overwhelmed in the fight.

"Come on… My hands are itching to fight," I said, agreeing with them. Without hesitation, I joined the fight.

They followed me. We didn't know what we were doing, but we already knew how to fight back—though it still wasn't enough.

"What are you doing here?!" Angelo asked angrily.

"Joining your fight!" Percy replied.

"What the fvck?! Go home!" He ordered.

We ignored him and continued fighting. This was my life outside the house. I preferred this over staying home and seeing that man's face.

"Aaarrgghhhh! It hurts!" Percy and Aries screamed.

Angelo was pulling at their eyelashes. As usual, he scolded us for joining his fight. Since Percy and Aries dragged me into this, they got scolded first.

"You guys are so stubborn!" Angelo yelled at them.

Yuri looked at us, and we immediately avoided his gaze. Not because we were afraid, but because—

Shit!

"Why do you always have to fight back?!"

I looked at Yuri, who was also rubbing his neck. Damn, he's fast! He was just holding the other two a moment ago, and now he was already behind us.

"I told you! Fighting won't get you anywhere! Study hard!" he lectured us.

Ugh...

I didn't want to study. I preferred being outside, where I could learn how to fight.

"That's why we can fight while studying!" Percy argued.

He was met with a deadly glare. Angelo was about to say something, but suddenly, a cellphone rang.

We both checked our phones, but only one of us answered.

"...How are you, dear?" Percy asked sweetly.

Dear?

"...Eat properly, okay? Stay away from your male classmates. If they try anything, I'll paralyze them!"

We couldn't help but raise our eyebrows.

Disgusting!

Then, we heard Percy say something that made us cringe even more.

"...Take care! I love you! Ahihi," he said before ending the call.

He was still smiling at his phone. What the hell? I never expected Percy to act like this just because he had a girlfriend. If being in a relationship turns me into that, I don't want a girlfriend.

"You have a girlfriend?" Aries asked.

Percy looked at him seriously. "Sorry, bro..." He even held his shoulder. "...We really have no hope. I like girls."

Aries snapped. "Idiot! I don't like you! And I'm not GAY!"

We were all taken aback by his reaction. Percy's awkwardness just got worse.

Then, for the second time, a phone rang. But this time, it wasn't Percy's.

It was mine.

"Hello?"

["You need to go home... now."]

It was Keigan.

He didn't wait for my response and hung up without explaining. But somehow, I knew… This was about Mom and that man.

I rushed home as fast as I could. The moment I entered, I headed straight for Mom's room. Even from a distance, I could hear loud shouting and the sound of things breaking.

My heart pounded. I felt nervous… scared. Mom!

I ran and slammed the door open.

"...I TOLD YOU! THAT'S MY MONEY!" he shouted while grabbing Mom's hair.

She had bruises and blood on her lips. I couldn't hold back anymore—I lunged at him and pushed him with all my strength.

He let go of Mom, but now I was his target. He slapped me—hard.

Damn it!

"YOU TOO?!" he roared at me.

"K-Kaizer… don't! Keifer!" Mom sobbed.

Her cries only made my anger worse. I didn't want to see her cry again.

Mom!

"I DON'T CARE! GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!"

"That's not yours! That's for the kids! You know that!" Mom argued.

Money. Again?! Is that all that mattered to him? Was he really willing to hurt us just for that? Why is he like this?!

"You only care about money!" I shouted.

"What did you just say?!"

I glared at him.

"...WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"You care more about mon—"

I couldn't even finish my sentence.

A strong punch landed on my face. I stumbled, feeling dizzy. My jaw went numb from the impact.

"KEIFER!" Mom screamed.

"Kaizer! Have mercy on your son!"

"Stay out of this! I've had enough of him!"

I tried to stand up, but my whole body was trembling. Suddenly, he kicked me in the stomach. The force made me feel like throwing up everything inside me.

"Argh!"

"Kaizer, that's enough!"

He kicked me again. Then again. And again. I couldn't even fight back.

"You're just a kid! And yet, you talk back to me?! What do you even have to be proud of?!" he yelled, kicking me repeatedly.

This is it. This was what I had always prepared for—to protect Mom from him. I had joined countless street fights to make myself stronger.

But why? Why couldn't I do anything?

All I could do was take his blows.

Then suddenly, I heard the sound of something breaking.

He stopped.

I looked up and saw him collapse, clutching his head.

Mom!

She rushed to me and tried to help me stand.

"Leave! I'll take care of your dad!"

"N-no! I don't want to, Mom! I won't leave you here!"

"Go!"

"No—MOM!!"

My voice broke as I screamed.

Mom was suddenly attacked by that monster. His face was filled with rage.

I tried to stand up, but my body was trembling too much from his kicks.

"I'm so tired of you, woman!" he shouted and suddenly slammed Mom's head against the wall.

"STOP IT!"

He did it several times until Mom's body collapsed. She opened her eyes and looked at me.

"M-Mom..." I called out to her.

There was no response. I couldn't stand, so I forced myself to crawl toward her.

With every passing second, my heart pounded faster. Please, no! As I got closer, I could see the tears in her eyes.

I gently touched her cheek. "Mom... Please... Answer me."

Blood trickled from her nose. The sight terrified me. I tapped her face, hoping to wake her up, whether she had fainted or was just unconscious.

"Mom! Please!"

But she didn't respond. My tears fell on their own.

This is my fault!

They said she fell down the stairs... The most absurd and foolish cause of death, in my opinion. That was the explanation given by him, and the clueless police and doctors actually believed it.

Internal hemorrhage.

That's what they said killed Mom. But I know the truth. And I feel like it's all my fault. I couldn't even protect her from that monster.

"Brother... Where is Mom?" Keiren asked me.

That was the most painful question Keiren had ever asked me. He had asked it multiple times, but I couldn't bring myself to answer properly.

"She's in a better place now," Keigan replied, forcing a smile.

It was too hard. Too painful.

"Keifer..." Someone called my name.

It was Aries, along with Angelo and their mother.

"I'm so sorry for what happened to your Mom," their mother said gently. "If you need anything, we're always here for you."

I forced a smile and nodded. "Thank you."

Percy's family arrived next. His mother held his one-year-old sister, while his stepbrother, Felix, stood beside her.

"Bro..." Percy said, patting my arm. "...You're probably the only funeral with a salad ready."

Facepalm!

Felix immediately smacked him on the back of the neck. "Your jokes are out of place."

If Percy weren't already like a brother to me, I would have kicked him out myself.

"Be patient with him," his mother said apologetically.

"It's okay. I'm used to it," I replied.

They moved aside, and Yuri's family followed. Yoichi immediately hugged Keiren.

"I'm always here for you, Keiren," she said.

Keiren looked confused and tried to push Yoichi away, but the hug was too tight.

"If you ever need help with your brothers, we're here for you," Aunt Yakito said kindly.

"Thank you," I replied.

Just then, I noticed a man who had just arrived. He wasn't as familiar to me as the other guests, but there was something different about him.

He carried a briefcase and seemed to be looking for someone.

I excused myself from Yuri's family and approached the man. But before I could say anything, the monster—him—also walked up to him.

"Mr. Brian Ryder..." he addressed the man. "...You came early. I wasn't expecting you until next week."

Brian Ryder looked at him. "I needed to speak with your son. Urgently."

Son? Was he referring to me?!

"I understand..." he replied, but he didn't move.

Brian Ryder turned to me. "I need to speak with your son..." He looked back at the man before fixing his gaze on me. "...Alone."

W-why me?!