As the night descended, Force wrestled with Ohm's words, though his anger towards Book remained steadfast. Meanwhile, Book, carrying the weight of a bruised face and a shattered friendship, began packing his belongings to leave the company house.
On his way out, he crossed paths with Chen, who couldn't ignore the evident injuries.
Chen: (worried) "What happened, Book?"
Book, masking the truth, replied with the same fabricated story he'd told Fluke about an accident during an advertisement shoot.
Chen, skeptical but concerned, asked pointedly, "Was it Force?"
Book: (stammering) "N-no."
Chen, uncertain about Book's response, chose to let it go, offering a ride.
Chen: "Do you want me to drop you off at your home?"
Book, with a forced smile, declined, "No, it's not required." He walked away, leaving Chen conflicted and worried.
Chen, fueled by concern for Book, stormed into the room where Force was.
Chen: (angry) "What the hell, Force?"
Force: (yelling) "What's your problem, Chen?"
Chen, restraining his anger, warned Force fiercely, "How dare you hit Book? He came here to talk to you, and you hit him? He gets traumatized by violence, and you dare to punch him? I don't care about you, but I care about Book! Lay a finger on him, and I swear I'll kill you, Force."
Chen left the room, leaving Ohm, who had entered during the confrontation, bewildered.
Ohm: "What just happened?"
Force: (frustrated) "What's wrong with Chen? Why does he care so much about Book?"
Ohm, playing his cards, revealed, "That's because Chen likes Book."
Force: (shocked) "What?"
Ohm, adding fuel to the fire, elaborated on Chen's feelings for Book, knowing it would stoke Force's jealousy.
Infuriated, Force stormed out without a word, unknowingly deepening the rift in the tangled web of emotions and misunderstandings.
I apologize, everyone. It's not my intention to portray Force negatively, but for the sake of the narrative, I have to. I hope you're enjoying the story, and your comments are highly appreciated. Thank you.