Escape The Villain (Overhaul x Reader)

Chapter 8: Captured

It should've bleed. I should've felt pain and yet neither happened.

Every muscle and fiber in my body weighed me down like led and try as I might, my limbs paid no heed to my commands. Even raising up my head felt like a chore and so all I could do was stare at the ground as they dragged me by my arms from both sides. My mobility might have been leaden but my brain was functioning well enough to know that the stab from the arrow was no more than an injection to dull my muscles. But there was no way in knowing how long this effect would last and that bothered me.

We came to a halt in front of a doubled door, not quite like the rest, with its brass knob curved classically.

The hooded man knocked three times. "Overhaul, we seem to have a little pest scuttling on our grounds. Should we dispose it?"

For a moment there was no reply, leading me to wonder if anyone was truly inside. That was until a booming voice responded, "Bring him in."

Somewhere in the back of my mind, if I could just scour through the gallery of voices I've heard throughout my living years, maybe, just maybe I could discern to whom this voice might belonged to.

They dragged my semi-paralysed body into the room and the doors went shut again. My head hung low and my eyes glued to the ground like a prisoner ready to be executed. I couldn't make out the surrounding for my dangling hair obscured my vision.

"She found our lair because someone lacked the vigilance." Sarcasm laced in his words. I imagined him eyeing the blonde men in annoyance. "She claimed to know Eri and snuck in to find her."

"Hmm Eri." He muttered, introspectively.

Again that voice I couldn't seem to make out. Surely he must hold some significance for it to poke my brain this much.

I didn't realise how much time had passed but what I did realise was that my muscles were coming back to me like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It felt light again. I moved my fingers nimbly to confirm that my agility had returned. His quirk seemed to have worn off. While I could use this opportunity to manoeuvre off from their grips and run, I decided to stick around to see who this man was.

I lifted my head and then realisation struck me.

Oh why didn't I notice this sooner. How stupid can I be to forget the same voice that was capable of quavering my whole being.

My expression mirrored his as we both stared fixedly at each other. Mouth agape, I tried to force out a word, like his name, but I realised I never knew what to call him except the nickname I made up—pomegranate man.

I was sure I said the name in my head but the two men on my sides both whipped their heads to me in such synchronicity that I knew the words had mindlessly slipped out.

"Y/N?" He sounded startled.

Hearing my name from his lips pounded my heart in earnest. His honey eyes wide open. It was unfair that he knew my name and I never knew his.

He—Overhaul, as they called him—donned the same plague masks as the two men. And rancorously, so did the men who robbed the convenience store and stabbed me. It didn't take much thinking to put two and two together but dear God how my gut hates having to come to this conclusion.

"What is the meaning of this?" I asked, though deep down I knew so fucking well what kind of den I walked myself into.

My gaze shifted to the wall where an emblem of what looked like a flower with 8 petals encircling an octagon, was displayed. The hideout, the uniform masks, the prominent logo. If all of this didn't scream yakuza then I don't know what would.

"You," I croaked. "You were behind the robbing? You ordered your men to rob and kill and then had the nerve to wish me a speedy recovery?"

He didn't answer. His face fell back to impassive once more, just like he always did. Even though our relationship fell short of friends, even though our exchanges didn't go beyond profound and our meetings were limited to the convenience store and hospital, there was still some connection between us that I'd like to believe. And part of me felt betrayed. 

Finally he spoke. "I allow my men to roam free so long as it proves beneficial to my organisation. It wasn't upon my order they robbed the store. And it just so happens you were caught in it."

I bit my lip in indignity. There was no iota of empathy behind his expression, just cold and austerity. Maybe I shouldn't have given him the last pomegranate juice in the first place. I hope the drink remains out of stock for the rest of his life.

"I was trapped in the hospital for weeks, bedridden and amidst all that I lost contact with the only person I cared." My wrists shifted within their grasp. "You put me through all of that shit, the least you could do is tell me where Eri is."

He leaned forward, his arms propped on his thighs. "You seem to be so fond of that girl. Why is that so?"

"I am her guardian."

"Are you? Could you say the same to my old man?"

Old man? He means the grandfather right? Is Overhaul related to her?

None of their features aligned no matter how long I studied his face. It was even more odd that her grandfather was nowhere in sight considering how in my speculation, he should have hold authority over the organisation, not the man before me right now.

"I was told that Eri's grandfather had taken her in after what happened and I was led to this place. If I can't meet Eri, then at least let me see the grandfather," I pleaded.

"Oh but you already did."

My brows furrowed as I tried to make sense of his sayings.

"Don't you remember?" He added and a memory of the old man in the hospital flashed through my head.

Oh my god.

I exhaled sharply. Just what in the world was going on. If her grandpa was hospitalised that would mean the custody would be given to Overhaul. And it was plain clear he was a menace. He was the man in charge of the yakuzas who attempted to murder me in broad day light. If such threat was given the authority to take care of a little girl with an immense quirk, who knew what kind of horrors he would do to take advantage of her.

"No... Give her back to me!" I yelled, lunging myself forward only to be held back. "I will never forgive you if you lay a hand on her."

"She doesn't belong to you in the first place. Whatever I do to her does not concern you." He stood up from the couch and stride towards my direction, stopping just a few centimetres before me.

I tilted my chin defiantly despite his tall built shadowing me. My eyes met his glowing ones and I glowered at the sight. How humiliating to even think they were beautiful.

He gravitated forward. "You once told me that there is hope in every villain. Instead of perceiving as evil, you saw goodness in them even if it was mere."

His speech was slow but sharp and I found myself holding my breath to conceal my apprehension.

"Do you still think the same way now?" Rather than rhetorical, he questioned with curiosity.

"My point still stands. There is no reason for me to change my mind, unless you make it so."

Behind the mask, I was sure he gave a small smirk because his eyes changed infinitesimally.

"We'll see how long you can uphold that." He walked away and without turning he spoke again, "Lock her up, Chrono."
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