𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽| 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆

𝒞𝒽𝓅𝒶𝓉ℯ𝓇 5

"Is this why you wouldn't go out with me?" Alex lifted his gaze, his specks of blue blazing. His fist clenched, quivering as a boiling fire pit that rose within him, ready to spill its animosity to whoever came in contact. Not even the sun that gleamed in the sky rivalled it.

Alex questioned Rue's taste in men; why them and not him? She yielded to some stranger's demands, but not his own; she dined with those ruffians, but not a fine and wealthy captain like himself. One view at them through the thin windows where the group once sat made his face sour as his blue eyes glared daggers at them. With a swift kick, he sent their serene moment into a chaotic rapture dispatching many customers to flee.

The captain's attack delivered air ripples, sending the once peaceful atmosphere into an array. Now, the bustling restaurant was left in the mayhem. A gaping hole crashed rubbles of the walls to the ground and produced small gusts of dirt. Shattered glass and plates were laid on the wooden floors or in the cherry booths. The shouts of fleeing passersby and customers produced panic among the hidden workers, a few under the dining hall and kitchen wooden tables. The ceramic plates crackled as the slot of fleeing people stomped, creating further pieces on the ground.

Though the place was rowdy, Alex's cold gaze remained on the woman of his affection, drowning out the noise. "You rather have fun with them instead," though void and empty, the Marine Captain gritted his teeth. His following words made everyone's body stiffen, "You rather act like a whore."

The room temperature dropped with such speed that the glimmer of the sun became useless from the brewing storm. The many employees of the restaurant's eyes widen in disbelief at Alex's words.

The duo of swordsmen's jaws dropped, sweat building up on their foreheads. Zoro's aura darkened while his eyes squinted, a glint of red shining beneath the clothes of his green bandana. His jaw clenched, wrist tightening his hold on the handle of his blade. Yosaku's body jolted at the pressure of the atmosphere, almost choking him at the hostility his friend emitted.

As her two sisters behind the captain remained silent, Laurette gasped at his harsh words; her pupils shook at the man she admired. Well, no, she wondered if he was even worth any admiration. Her mind pondered on it further. Alex, captain of this marine base of Gastonia Island, has not once acknowledged her nor her sisters. Though she was aware of his...attitude towards others, especially women, she thought he would change for the better if he had someone he liked by his side. Now, she contemplated if that theory was nothing but a dream.

However, surprisingly, Rue endured in her stance at her daughter's side. Her eyes revealed nothing, only staring at the captain's form. Her lips were in a thin line; the blood on her sleeves was still dripping its red consistency on the ground. Its drops slapped the broken ceramic, producing a pink hue with the porcelain. Slowly, she whispered something into her daughter's ears.

Aisha nodded furiously, slapping her hands on her ears, shielding them from noise. A sudden curiosity bubble soared within; the child released the pressure from her ears, a slight breeze passing through her fingertips.

Like any other child, Aisha didn't obey her mother's orders.

Noting no reaction from the silver-haired woman, Alex continued, "You should be glad I paid attention to someone like you." He sighed heavily, ranking his fingers through his locks of dark hair. He shut his eyes tight as frustration consumed him at the thought of her hanging out with these hooligans." Usually, women with children aren't my thing, but I made an exception since you are beautiful."

Should she be thankful?! The employees thought to themselves, voices in a whisper with a tinge of anger, watching the drama unfold behind the wooden counters.