Pulse:vicious cycle

Chapter 5: Denied justice



The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time Jin and Yumi left the school, casting long shadows across the streets. The air felt thick with the weight of the day's events, each step dragging them further from the moment of confrontation and closer to the uncharted terrain of what came next. The tension from the principal's office still clung to Jin like a second skin, the guilt gnawing at him. His sister had stepped in, stood tall in the face of injustice, but it was a burden he hadn't meant to place on her.

Yumi nudged him, her elbow pressing gently against his side. "Don't look so down," she said, her voice a mix of softness and strength.

Jin nodded but couldn't find the words. His gaze dropped to the ground, his feet dragging with the weight of his thoughts. As they walked through the dimly lit streets, the usual hum of the neighborhood felt oddly muffled, as if the world itself had fallen silent in anticipation. The chill in the air seemed to bite at him, but it was nothing compared to the gnawing emptiness inside.

The streetlights flickered as they passed, casting fleeting moments of clarity against the shadows. And then, from the darkened alleyways, they appeared.

Figures emerged from the shadows, their movements deliberate, slow. Five boys stepped into their path, each holding a weapon. Metal pipes, wooden bats tools of intimidation. But it wasn't just the weapons that chilled Jin's bones. It was the faces. The boys were all too familiar.

Jin's stomach twisted as his gaze locked on the tallest one Kenta. His reputation was whispered in the hallways, a reputation forged through violence and cruelty. The smirk on his face said it all.

"Well, well," Kenta drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "If it isn't the school's new 'hero.' Making quite a name for yourself, huh, Jin?"

Yumi's instincts kicked in immediately, stepping in front of Jin. Her eyes narrowed, her posture defensive. "Leave us alone. We don't want any trouble."

Kenta let out a cruel laugh, twirling his pipe lazily between his fingers. "Trouble? Oh no, we're just here for a 'friendly chat.' Right, boys?"

The others laughed in agreement, closing the distance, their eyes glinting with malice. Jin's fists clenched at his sides, his pulse quickening. This wasn't just some idle threat. He could feel the weight of what was coming, the tension in the air thickening like a storm about to break.

"If you've got a problem," Jin said, his voice strained but firm, "take it up with me. Leave her out of this."

Kenta's smirk deepened. "Aw, how noble," he mocked. "But Haruki doesn't like loose ends, and you, Jin, you're starting to be a real pain."

Without warning, one of the boys lunged forward, swinging his bat. Jin barely had time to react, the wood whistling past his ear. He ducked, his body shifting like water as he threw a punch, connecting with the boy's stomach. The impact sent the attacker doubling over in pain, but before Jin could capitalize, another swung a pipe at his side. The blow landed with a sickening thud, and Jin stumbled back, gritting his teeth against the wave of pain.

"Jin!" Yumi's voice rang out, sharp and panicked. She swung her bag at one of the boys, hitting him square in the face. The boy staggered back, cursing, but the others closed in on them, their intent clear.

"Stay out of this!" Kenta barked, his voice a low growl as he glared at her.

The hesitation in the gang's movements was brief, but it was there. They didn't want to hit a girl. But in their haze of anger and bloodlust, one of them made the fatal mistake. With a grunt, he raised his bat and swung it at Yumi's head.

The world seemed to slow, the air thick with dread. The bat connected with a dull thud, and Jin's heart stopped as he watched his sister crumple to the ground. Time shattered around him.

"Yumi!" Jin's roar shattered the silence, his body surging forward, fueled by a primal rage he didn't recognize. He tackled the boy who had hit her, the two of them crashing to the ground. His fists were nothing but a blur as he rained punches down on the stunned attacker, fury clouding his mind.

"Get him off!" one of the other boys shouted, and in an instant, Jin was dragged away. The onslaught came without mercy pipes, bats, fists each blow landed with brutal force, sending shockwaves of agony through his body. His vision blurred, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he didn't give up. He couldn't.

He kicked out, his boot catching one boy in the knee. The sickening crack of bone was a fleeting victory before another blow landed on his ribs. Jin grunted in pain, but he fought back. Elbow to jaw. A punch to the gut. It wasn't enough. For every blow he landed, three more hit him.

Blood dripped from his split lip, his vision swimming with the haze of pain, but still, he refused to drop. The world felt like it was closing in on him, each second dragging him closer to the edge.

"Had enough yet, hero?" Kenta sneered, raising his pipe high.

Jin spat blood, his chest heaving as he glared up at Kenta. "Bastard."

Kenta's smirk faltered, just for a moment, before he swung.

The pipe struck with devastating force, and Jin's body collapsed to the pavement, his world spinning. His body screamed in protest, but even as he lay there, broken and battered, he couldn't bring himself to submit.

But then, something strange happened. The gang hesitated. Kenta looked at his crew, and with a quick nod, the group slowly backed away. The sounds of their retreating footsteps echoed in the street, leaving Jin lying in the darkness, bloodied and defeated.

But his thoughts were already on Yumi. His heart pounded in his chest as he dragged himself to her side. His body screamed with pain, but he didn't care. Not when she was lying there, unconscious, bleeding. His hands trembled as he scooped her into his arms, every movement sending spikes of agony through him, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. Not when she needed him.

The walk to the hospital felt like an eternity, each step a reminder of just how far they had fallen. His legs were shaking, his vision flickering in and out, but Jin pressed on. Yumi needed him.

When they arrived, the nurses rushed to take her, their hands swift and practiced as they whisked her away. Jin collapsed into a chair in the waiting room, his body unable to hold up any longer. He barely registered the passage of time as he sat there, his hands slick with blood, his eyes staring at the empty space before him.

Hours passed, each minute stretching longer than the last. Finally, a doctor emerged, his expression grave but not without a flicker of relief.

"She's stable. A mild concussion and a few stitches, but she'll recover."

Jin's breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse from the relief alone. But the doctor's next words stole that brief moment of peace.

"However," the doctor continued, handing him a bill that made Jin's stomach turn. "The treatment isn't cheap."

Jin stared at the paper, the numbers blurring before his eyes. It was more than he could afford, more than he could ever pay. His hand clenched into a fist, the crumpled bill a symbol of the system that would never help them.

When he tried to report the assault to the police, the response was the same. Indifference. Dismissal.

"It's just a fight between minors?" the officer asked, his tone dripping with apathy.

Jin fought to keep his composure, his voice raw. "They were Haruki's people. Ask anyone at school. They've been harassing me for weeks."

The officer sighed, shaking his head. "Without evidence or witnesses, there's not much we can do."

Jin's jaw tightened, his fists trembling with rage. "So, that's it? They walk away?"

"Unless you have proof, my hands are tied," the officer replied, his tone cold and final.

Jin glared at him, disbelief and fury mixing in his chest. He turned his gaze back to Yumi's room, her fragile form still behind the glass.

If the system wouldn't protect them, Jin thought as his fists clenched, then he would make them.

No matter what it took.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.