Heads turned toward the shop entrance as the group reacted to the voice. Two men stood there, framed by the doorway.
En gasped, the names escaping her lips the moment she saw the hulking, thuggish man and the scrawny, timid-looking fellow lingering at his side.
"Sanga, Batz...!?"
"Who are you two? Didn't you see the sign on the door?" the Master cut in.
It was clear they were acquaintances of En. However, the Master sensed an aura about them that suggested they were anything but good company. He threw out a thinly veiled threat for them to leave, but the pair ignored his warning, their eyes fixed on En.
"We heard the news. The Security Force thinks you're the one behind the robbery incident around here, don't they? Life’s tough for a girl with a record, isn’t it, En?"
"How do you know about that...!?"
"People like us have a knack for catching onto information early. Right, Batz? Besides, it’s something you know all too well yourself."
The large man—presumably Sanga—spoke with a provocative, cynical smirk.
Hugo couldn't stand the look of anguish that crossed En’s face. He stepped between them, cutting off Sanga’s line of sight, and addressed him directly.
"Hey, who are you guys? Are you friends of hers?"
"More than just friends. We go way back. Although, she did go and jump ship recently."
"Long-time associates...? En, could these people be..."
"...They’re the crew I used to run with," En answered Melt’s question with a look of pure misery. "Back when I was a thief."
After her confession, En seemed to find a spark of resolve. She raised her head and closed the distance between herself and Sanga. Though he stood a full head taller than her, she clenched her fists and spoke with conviction.
"What are you doing here? Just leave. I already told you I was cutting ties with you, didn't I?"
"Now, now, don't get so prickly. We heard an old friend was being blamed for something she didn't do, so we just came by to check on you. Though I guess our little visit might’ve been quite the surprise for your new friends and your boss."
"How can you lie like that! You just saw an opportunity to try and drag me back, didn't you? Well, I'm not going back! I've decided I'm never going to steal again!"
"That’s a noble sentiment... but look at reality, En. No matter what you say, the past you spent committing crimes with us isn't going anywhere. There are plenty of people who won't care how hard you're working now; they'll just see what you did before and decide you're a villain. Just like that guard earlier."
"......"
Sanga’s words were calculated, designed to pull her back into the memory of their shared crimes. As En fell silent, haunted by the weight of her past, Sanga flashed a wicked grin and reached out a hand toward her.
"You don't belong here. You belong in the gutter with us, right where you started. Come back, En. Let's go back to the way things were. We’ll have a grand old time every single day."
He spoke with a honeyed, tempting tone, preying on En's wavering heart.
However, before she could respond, Hugo grabbed Sanga's arm. He looked the man straight in the eye, his expression unwavering.
"...Knock it off. If you’re really her friend, then stop trying to sabotage all the hard work she’s put in."
"Who the hell are you? You think you're someone special?"
"Hugo Clay. I’m the guy who just became En’s friend. Our history might be short, but I’ve seen the person she is today, and I’m standing by her. Like you said, there might be people who only care about her past, but don't forget that there are people like us here, too."
"...Hah! What a weirdo. Whatever, the mood’s totally shot now. Let's head out, Batz."
"U-Uh, right..."
It wasn't that Hugo had shown outright hostility, but Sanga seemed completely thrown off by his blunt, earnest declaration. Shrugging his shoulders in exasperation, he turned and left the shop with Batz following close behind.
Just before crossing the threshold, Batz stopped and turned back, fidgeting as he called out to En.
"Um, En... Sanga’s way of saying it might have been a bit much, but we really do want you back. If things get too hard, you can always come home. We’ll be waiting. S-See you around..."
Unlike Sanga’s aggressive approach, Batz left behind a lingering, passive sense of welcome before scurrying out into the street.
Once the uninvited guests were gone, Melt let out a huff of indignation.
"What is wrong with those two!? En is working so hard to change her life, and they just come in here and mock her!"
"It's okay, Melt. Thank you for getting angry for me. And Hugo... thank you for sticking up for me."
"It was nothing. But those guys really do have their ears to the ground."
"They might have been watching her," Hugo mused. "From the way they spoke, it felt like they’d actually overheard the argument with Rommelo and the guards."
They knew En was the primary suspect in the robbery incident. They knew it was because of her record, and they knew she was being pressured by the Security Force. It seemed Sanga and his partner were doing more than just keeping their ears to the ground.
While the group shared a growing suspicion that the two men might be connected to the robberies themselves, En, forced to confront the past she hated most, murmured a quiet apology.
"I'm sorry... because of me, I've caused everyone so much trouble..."
"That’s not true!" Melt insisted. "En, you have nothing to do with those robberies, right? Then you don't have to blame yourself for anything!"
"But, I..."
"It’s okay! You have to stay strong! If you haven't done anything wrong, you don't need to feel guilty! I believe in you, En! I know you aren't the kind of person who would ever do something like that!"
"Melt... thank you...!"
Tears welled in En’s eyes as she thanked the friend who refused to let her spirit break.
For the sake of the people who believed in her, she realized she couldn't afford to crumble here. Steeling her resolve, she vowed once more to leave her past behind for good.