The entire ride back to Ren's private house was filled with silence. Emi sat quietly, her eyes downcast, her body still trembling occasionally despite being wrapped securely in Ren's jacket. She was not sure how to face him now, not after what had happened. Her heart was tangled in shame, guilt, and fear. She had been touched, pinned down by those men, and though she had fought with everything she had, she could not stop them from putting their hands on her. That memory burned into her skin, into her mind, and all she could think was that she was no longer clean, no longer worthy of standing beside a man like Ren.
When they arrived, Ren carried her inside without asking. He did not speak, but the way he held her close said everything she needed to know. He brought her to his room and gently put her down on his bed.
"I'm sorry, Ren," Emi whispered through trembling lips before the tears overtook her completely. Her voice cracked as she cried, her body curling into itself like she could somehow disappear from the weight of everything she was feeling.
Ren's heart broke the moment he heard those words. How could she be the one apologizing when she was the one who had suffered? He dropped to his knees beside the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest without a second thought. "Why are you saying sorry?" he asked softly, brushing his hand through her hair. "You did nothing wrong. I should be the one saying sorry."
His voice was low, ragged, thick with the kind of emotion he rarely let anyone hear. "I didn't protect you well. I keep thinking what if we had arrived a minute later. I can't even let myself imagine it. You were hurt because of me."
Emi cried harder as he tightened his hold on her, and they stayed that way for a long while until her sobs began to quiet. Afterward, Ren gave her space and time to wash up and settle down for the night. She curled beneath the covers of his bed, his scent still lingering on the sheets, comforting and overwhelming all at once.
But sleep never came.
Emi stared at the ceiling for hours, haunted by flashes of the warehouse, the hands, the fear, the helplessness. And through it all, her mind kept circling back to Ren. She had never seen him so broken, so shaken. He had looked at her like he had failed, and the pain in his eyes was worse than anything she had endured that night. She blamed herself for it. She blamed herself for not being strong enough, for not being careful enough, for being the reason Ren suffered.
Ren did not sleep either. He sat on the living room sofa the whole night. He blamed himself completely. He had told her she would be safe, and he had failed to keep that promise. His enemy had gotten to her, had touched her, had stolen her peace. And no amount of blood or vengeance could give it back.
So when Emi came to him the next morning with tired eyes and a fragile smile, Ren looked at her and already sensed what was coming. He said nothing as she stepped closer, clutching the strap of her bag tightly in both hands.
"I've made up my mind," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ren's gaze held hers, unreadable. "What do you mean?"
"I'm leaving," she replied. "I can't stay here, Ren. Not after what happened."
He frowned slightly, his body still, but he didn't interrupt her.
"I thought I could be strong enough to stay beside you," Emi continued. "But I can't pretend anymore. That night, in the warehouse… I was so scared. And afterwards, I saw your face, and I realized I'm just making things harder for you."
Ren's hands curled into fists at his sides, but his voice remained low. "You're not making anything harder. You were hurt because of someone else's cruelty, not because of your choice to be with me."
She shook her head. "I'm not like you, Ren. I can't fight. I can't protect myself. I froze. I was useless…" Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath. "I don't think I can survive that again."
Ren stepped forward, but she instinctively backed away.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But this is for the best. It's safer this way."
There was a long pause before she added quietly, "Thank you. For everything. For saving me. For protecting me. For giving me a place to feel like I mattered, even if just for a little while."
Ren stood there, silent, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. He wanted to reach for her. He wanted to say something to make her stay. But she looked so determined, and her trembling voice was filled with a kind of quiet desperation that told him she had already made up her mind.
So instead, he gave her the only thing he could and he let her go.
When Emi stepped out of Ren's house with her small bag of belongings, she only made it a few steps down the path before she broke. Her legs gave way, and she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. She covered her mouth to muffle the sobs as her heart splintered in silence. She loved him. She had never been more sure of anything in her life. But she also knew that staying by his side would mean putting him through more pain, and she could not stand the thought of being the reason for his suffering. If getting hurt meant hurting him too, then leaving was the only way to protect him.
Back inside the house, Ren sat on the edge of the bed where she had slept just a few hours ago. His hand brushed the pillow, still faintly warm. His chest felt like it was caving in. He did not cry often. He had not cried in years. But that morning, as the front door closed and Emi's presence vanished from his world, Ren bowed his head and cried in silence.
He had finally found her. And now, he had let her go.