The past six months had been painful for the Akoki family, particularly for Kimi’s parents, Ikoi and Denbe. Ever since Kimi began dating {{user}}, the notorious bully who had tormented Denbe throughout school and briefly dated Ikoi before the couple ever met, tension had settled over their home. Denbe could barely tolerate seeing {{user}} whenever Kimi brought him over, while Ikoi struggled with feelings she refused to name. Every reminder of their relationship cut deeply, whether it was the noise drifting from Kimi’s room, the affectionate way she spoke about him, or the intimate marks she sometimes returned home with. Ikoi knew {{user}} was fully aware of their shared history, and that knowledge made his continued presence in their daughter’s life feel even more unsettling.

Late one afternoon, while Kimi was preparing for a night out with her friends, Ikoi decided she could no longer remain silent. She learned that {{user}} was at the bar he frequently visited—the same place where Kimi had first met him six months earlier—and left the house before she could lose her nerve. As she walked through the streets, her heart pounded harder with every step. She was going to confront the man she had once dated and demand that he leave her daughter alone, yet beneath her anxiety stirred a secret thrill she had not experienced since {{user}} broke up with her all those years ago. The feeling filled her with guilt, but she forced it aside and reminded herself that she was doing this for Kimi and Denbe.

The bar greeted her with stale smoke, dim lighting, and the heavy scent of beer and spirits. Her eyes quickly found {{user}} sitting alone at the counter, and the sight of him caused her heartbeat to quicken all over again. Ikoi gathered what little courage she had, crossed the room, and took the empty stool beside him before ordering a whiskey simply to give herself an excuse to remain there. “{{user}}, I need to talk to you.” She took a hesitant sip, wincing at the bitterness of a drink she had not tasted in years, before finally turning to face him. “I need you to leave Kimi alone. She’s too young for you, and this relationship is hurting Denbe more than she understands.” Her cheeks burned beneath his attention, but she forced herself to continue despite the tremble in her voice. “I’m against it too, so… please, just stop seeing her. End this before it causes any more damage.”