Black Shot: Trapping The King

chapter 3

Kairo's POV

The fight continued without anyone backing down.

I could feel every punch landing on my face and body, but I didn't care.

The only thing running through my mind was anger.

Anger toward Zack.

Anger toward Alexa.

Most of all, anger at myself for being fooled.

Blood trickled from the corner of my lips as I glared at Zack. He looked just as exhausted as I was, yet neither of us had any intention of surrendering.

A wicked grin spread across his face.

"So this is all you've got, Montes?"

Before I could answer, he suddenly reached behind his back.

My eyes widened.

A dagger flashed under the lights.

Without warning, he lunged straight at me.

Everything happened so fast.

I barely had time to react.

Just as the blade was about to reach me—

A figure suddenly stepped between us.

Everyone froze.

Even Zack looked stunned.

A young woman stood in front of me, firmly gripping Zack's wrist before the knife could move another inch.

She was wearing the same black leather jacket I had seen earlier that afternoon.

Her long black hair was tied into a neat ponytail.

Despite the dangerous situation, her expression remained calm.

She looked at Zack and sighed.

"Seriously?" she said. "It's just a race. Was murder really your next move?"

Before he could respond, she spun on her heel and delivered a powerful kick to his stomach.

The impact sent him flying several meters before he crashed onto the ground.

The crowd gasped.

Zack groaned in pain as his men rushed to help him.

"You little—!" one of them shouted.

He charged toward her.

She didn't even flinch.

With a single cold glance, she stopped him in his tracks.

An invisible pressure filled the air.

No one dared to make another move.

Even I found myself staring at her.

Who was this woman?

She looked so calm...

As if she had faced situations like this countless times before.

Realizing they had no chance against her, Zack's men helped him into their car.

Alexa followed them without looking back.

She didn't even spare me a single glance.

Oddly enough...

I felt nothing.

No anger.

No sadness.

Only exhaustion.

I stood there silently, watching their car disappear into the distance.

Then I heard her voice behind me.

"Are you okay, kid?"

I turned around.

For the first time, I looked at her closely.

She was beautiful.

Not just beautiful...

There was something different about her.

Unlike the girls at school, she wasn't trying to impress anyone.

She wasn't afraid of me.

And she certainly wasn't intimidated by my family name.

Without realizing it, I had been staring at her for several seconds.

She raised one eyebrow and smirked.

"What?"

She chuckled softly.

"Did your soul leave your body?"

I immediately looked away.

"No."

She laughed.

"Liar."

Before I could say another word, she gently supported me by the arm and guided me toward her car.

My friends, Levi and Eddy, who had also been injured during the fight, followed behind us.

As soon as we got inside the vehicle, Levi broke the silence.

"Miss... thank you for saving us."

"Seriously," Eddy added. "If you hadn't shown up, things would've been much worse."

She smiled while keeping her eyes on the road.

"It was nothing."

Levi looked at her curiously.

"But... how did you know we were here?"

She glanced at us through the rearview mirror.

"It wasn't difficult to figure out."

She paused before continuing.

"Teenagers who feel neglected by their parents often look for an escape."

Her eyes returned to the road.

"And for some of them... that escape is street racing."

Silence filled the car.

Her words hit me harder than any punch I had received that night.

She wasn't judging me.

She was simply telling the truth.

For the first time in a long while...

I found myself speechless.

After nearly fifteen minutes of driving, the car finally came to a stop.

I looked out the window and frowned.

"We're... home?"

The familiar logo of the Montes Hotel stood before us.

Without saying a word, Lia stepped out of the driver's seat.

"Come on," she said casually.

Levi, Eddy, and I exchanged confused glances before following her inside.

She led us through the hotel lobby and into a private elevator.

The elevator doors closed.

No one spoke.

When the doors opened again, we found ourselves on the top executive floor.

Lia walked confidently down the hallway before stopping in front of a door.

Room 1030.

She unlocked it and looked back at us.

"Come in."

The room was spacious yet surprisingly simple. It didn't look like the room of someone who worked for one of the most powerful organizations in the country.

She placed her keys on the table and disappeared into another room.

A few seconds later, she returned carrying a large first-aid kit.

"Sit down."

Levi and Eddy immediately obeyed.

One by one, she cleaned their wounds with remarkable patience.

Whenever they winced in pain, she simply smiled.

"Relax," she said. "It'll sting for a second."

When she finished treating them, she turned to me.

"Your turn."

"I'm fine."

She crossed her arms.

"Sit."

"I said I'm fine."

She sighed before dragging a chair in front of me.

"I wasn't asking."

Before I could protest, she gently grabbed my chin and examined the cut on my cheek.

I froze.

No one had ever treated my injuries this carefully before.

She cleaned the blood from my face before applying antiseptic.

It stung.

I frowned.

She laughed softly.

"So the tough guy does feel pain."

"I never said I didn't."

"Good."

She continued treating my injuries without another word.

After a few moments, she suddenly spoke.

"You're wondering who I am, aren't you?"

I remained silent.

She smiled faintly.

"My name is Lia Rodriguez."

My eyes narrowed.

Rodriguez.

The same surname as Zack.

Before I could ask, she answered my unspoken question.

"No."

She continued cleaning the wound on my forehead.

"I'm not related to the Rodriguez family you fought tonight."

A brief silence followed.

"My parents died when I was twelve."

Her voice remained calm, but I could hear the sadness hidden beneath it.

"They were murdered."

My eyes widened.

She lowered her gaze for a moment.

"I was adopted by a wonderful couple after that."

A small smile appeared on her face.

"My adoptive father taught me martial arts."

"My adoptive mother taught me everything she knew about technology and hacking."

Her smile slowly faded.

"But they both passed away after losing their battle with cancer."

The room fell silent.

For the first time that night...

I didn't know what to say.

Compared to everything she had endured...

My own pain suddenly felt so small.

She finished wrapping the bandage around my hand before standing up.

"I'm twenty years old."

She smiled playfully.

"So you can call me Ate Lia."

I looked at her with a straight face.

"No."

Levi burst into laughter.

Eddy quickly followed.

Lia shook her head, trying not to laugh.

"You're really stubborn."

A moment later, her smile disappeared.

She looked directly into my eyes.

"Kairo..."

Her voice was softer this time.

"You should still be grateful that your parents are alive."

I lowered my head.

"They may not always be by your side..."

"But they're still here."

"You still have the chance to tell them how you feel."

"I don't."

No one spoke after that.

For the first time in years...

Someone had made me see my life from a different perspective.

Later that night, the four of us shared a quiet dinner together.

There wasn't much conversation.

Yet somehow...

It felt warm.

As I watched Lia laughing with Levi and Eddy, I realized something.

She wasn't just my bodyguard.

She was slowly becoming someone I could trust.

Little did I know...

Meeting Lia Rodriguez would become the turning point that would change my life forever.

The room fell into silence after Lia's words.

No one spoke.

Levi and Eddy quietly exchanged glances, sensing the change in the atmosphere.

Lia gently closed the first-aid kit and set it aside before walking toward the small dining table.

"I don't know about you three," she said with a smile, "but I'm starving."

She opened several takeout containers she had bought on the way back.

The aroma of warm food quickly filled the room.

"Come on," she called. "Let's eat before the food gets cold."

Levi and Eddy immediately took their seats.

I remained standing for a moment.

Lia looked at me and smiled.

"What?"

"You don't have to stand there like a statue."

I sighed before walking over and sitting across from her.

She handed each of us a plate before serving the food herself.

"Eat."

No one spoke for the first few minutes.

The room was unusually peaceful.

It had been a long time since I had shared a meal like this.

At home, everyone was always busy.

Meals were usually quiet, rushed, or completely skipped.

Tonight felt... different.

Lia noticed that I had barely touched my food.

She looked at me with concern.

"Does it not taste good?"

I shook my head.

"It's good."

"Then why aren't you eating?"

I hesitated before answering.

"I just..."

I looked down at my plate.

"I can't remember the last time someone prepared a meal for me."

Lia's expression softened.

Without saying anything, she placed another piece of fried chicken on my plate.

"Then eat more."

A small smile unconsciously appeared on my face.

Levi immediately noticed.

"Whoa."

He pointed at me dramatically.

"Did Kairo just smile?"

Eddy laughed.

"I think he did!"

"I didn't," I muttered.

Lia couldn't help but laugh.

"You're terrible at lying."

The room was soon filled with laughter.

For the first time in what felt like forever...

I laughed too.

It was only a small smile.

But it was real.

After dinner, Levi and Eddy thanked Lia once again before heading home.

Soon, only the two of us remained.

I stood by the window, looking out at the city lights.

Without turning around, I spoke.

"Thank you."

Lia looked up from the table.

"For what?"

"For tonight."

I took a deep breath.

"You saved my life."

She smiled gently.

"That's my job."

I slowly shook my head.

"No."

I finally turned to face her.

"You didn't just save me from Zack."

"You saved me from doing something I would've regretted."

For a moment, she simply looked at me.

Then she walked over and lightly patted my shoulder.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Kairo."

"What matters is what you choose to do after them."

I nodded silently.

As I walked toward the door, she called my name one last time.

"Kairo."

I looked back.

"Get some rest."

"You still have school tomorrow."

A faint smile appeared on my face.

"Yes... Ate Lia."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Then she laughed.

"I thought you said you'd never call me that."

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

"I changed my mind."

She smiled warmly.

"Good night, Kairo."

"Good night... Ate Lia."

As I walked out of her room, I couldn't explain why my heart felt lighter.

For the first time in years...

Someone had cared about me without expecting anything in return.

Little did I know...

That meeting Lia Rodriguez would become the beginning of the greatest change in my life.

And this was only the beginning.