An Organization

Darkness. That was all I could see, feel, and experience. In fact, darkness was omnipresent. I was the darkness. It was terrifying—extremely terrifying. Not the fear of the dark, but the fear of infinity, of getting lost in it. And then, suddenly, a voice.

"Do you think he will wake up?"

"We believe so, but not without consequences," said another voice.

"As long as he's okay, that's all that matters," said the first voice, tinged with sadness and melancholy.

Then, all of a sudden, I no longer saw darkness but a bright light and a white room. As I regained my senses, I saw a girl—a beautiful girl with magnificent blue eyes and sakura-colored hair. She was simply breathtaking.

"Lia…" I said in a weak voice.

"Ehito! You're awake! It's real, not a dream, right?"

"Yes, it's reality. Don't worry."

"I'm so relieved…"

"But… what happened?" I asked, sitting up in bed.

"After you fought the brother and sister, you fainted. Then the police and emergency services arrived because someone reported hearing a scream. The police were quick to respond. They arrived just after you finished defeating them…" She continued recounting the events while I listened attentively. Then I interrupted her.

"How long have I been here?"

"About ten hours."

"Damn…" I muttered, getting up and pulling out the IV, letting a trickle of blood flow from my arm. I grabbed my folded clothes from the table, went to the next room to change, and headed for the door. Just as I was about to leave, Lia cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"Where are you going? Are you abandoning me again?"

"Lia…"

"What?" she shouted. "I thought you were dead!"

"Lia… why do you worry so much about me?"

"Because I love you!" she said, her voice breaking.

"I see… See you later, Lia."

"Wait, what—?" But I didn't let her finish. I closed the door and walked away, leaving her there, flushed red as she realized what she had just said. Then, in turn, I called a number labeled "Handyman."

"Hello?" a voice answered. "What can I do for you, Master?"

"Gather information on the two people who attacked me yesterday."

"Already done, sir. What should I do with the information?"

"Summarize it and send it to me."

"Right away, Master." Two minutes later, I received a notification from him.

"Thanks, Tilan. I'll handle the rest."

"Do you need reinforcements?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Master," he said before hanging up. Then, I walked over to a motorcycle with a note that read, "Take care, Master." He's really competent, I thought to myself. I put on my helmet, got on the bike, and headed home as fast as possible. Thirty minutes later, I arrived and saw my parents' car parked outside. I took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The living room was empty. I searched every room, but no one was there. Finally, I went down to the basement and saw them all crying over a photo album filled with pictures of me.

"So this is how you welcome me after my recovery?"

"EHI! EHI! EHI!"

"Ehito. Yes, that's my name."

"EHITO!!" they all shouted in unison, jumping into my arms to hug me. After several minutes in this position, I pulled away and asked,

"Are you all okay?"

"Of course, you idiot!" Neia yelled.

"And you, Mom?"

"Yes, I'm fine of course, Ehito." Then, I looked at my father in silence and gestured for him to follow me. Without a word, we left the basement and walked toward the motorcycle. I was about to get on when my father grabbed my arm and told me to sit in the back. I looked at him questioningly, and he pointed at my hand, where the knife wound had reopened. Without hesitation, I climbed onto the backseat, and my father, who had gotten on the motorcycle, started driving toward a massive building. As we arrived, voices greeted us.

"Welcome back, President." But they weren't addressing my father—they were speaking to me. Tilan approached me and said,

"Sir, your office is ready. Allow me to escort you." I followed him. In the elevator, everyone else stepped aside and took another, leaving me alone during the long ascent.

Once inside the office, everyone took their seats, and tension filled the room—it was almost tangible. But the people present were unfazed by it. Then, a voice broke the silence.

"Today, someone committed an unforgivable act by attacking my son."

"Yes, it's disgraceful! They deserve death—the brother and sister both!"

"Yes, sir, let us handle it."

"Silence," I said first. "Those two are part of an organization, which is not unusual. However, I don't believe they were acting under orders. It seems to me that they acted on their own initiative."

"Sir, we must retaliate to set an example for others," Tilan insisted.

"I understand, but I have a better idea. We will implant a business in their world."

"That's out of the question!" my father shouted.

"Why? Share your reasoning, Dad."

"It's too dangerous! You saw what happened to you!" he said angrily.

"What happened to me, huh? That was an exception. I only ended up in the hospital because I lost control of my body."

"And what if it happens again?"

"This time was different. I was protecting someone, and to do so, I had to get hurt. That's why I have this wound."

"And who was this person?" my father asked.

"A girl from my class. I had invited her on a date because we needed to discuss something important. When we left the restaurant, the brother and sister were waiting for us. He tried to attack me, but at one point, he ran toward her and attempted to stab her. I took the attack in her place so she wouldn't be hurt. The fact that she could have died made me lose control—nothing more." Everyone, shocked by this, began murmuring among themselves. Then, Tilan slammed his hand on the table, and silence returned. I spoke again.

"From today onward, I want three men watching over that girl. If they fail to protect her, I will kill them without hesitation."

"Sir, please allow me to ask… why?"

"Because if the organization is aware, they will go after those connected to me—including her."

"Understood, sir. Please forgive my impudence."

"It's nothing," I said. "Anyway, the discussion is over. Now, select the best teenagers. Most of these powerful organizations are composed of minors. If we attack minors, we are guaranteed to end up in prison for a long day ."

"Understood!" they all said in unison and they left the office.

A few days passed, and then the holidays ended. Ehito, who had already seen Lia several times during the break, returned to school with her—surprising everyone, as he had never cared about his appearance before. Now, he arrived well-dressed and with neatly styled hair. Voices whispered all around them as they entered the classroom together.

*****

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