Angel Eyes (Side Story)

***Angel Eyes*** is based on the side story of the same name in the original manga.

## Summary

The tale of how Ash and Shorter first met and became friends.

## Plot

At his mansion, Golzine is informed of Ash's recent actions and why he has not been seen lately. He is asked if someone should go secure Ash's release, but Golzine decides against it as going to juvenal detention could be a way for him to learn his lesson and a possible way to break his spirit.

At the juvenal detention center, Shorter Wong is writing a letter to his sister when a guard calls for his attention. After hastily finishing his letter, Shorter follows the guard as he is informed his help will be needed with a new arrival. It is then that Shorter is introduced to Ash Lynx and takes note of his thin build but that his beauty is as scary as it is striking.

Now realizing why his help was needed, Shorter tells the guard that this situation is not as small as he made it seem and points out how Ash will surely be targeted by the other inmates unless he's put in the hospital block. Unfortunately, the hospital block is completely full and that Shorter is his best chance since the Chinese teen has things under control in his block. Shorter is unhappy at the thought of having to watch out for Ash while he's in jail but is warned that it is his best chance of getting out in two months.

With no other choice, Shorter accepts the job and questions what Ash did to be incarcerated. The guard answers that Ash is stated to have killed four people but Shorter isn't sure someone like Ash is capable of harming anyone. He begins showing the fifteen-year-old around while trying to make light conversation but finds Ash continuing to give the cold shoulder. Not long into the tour, two inmates approach the duo and comment on Ash's appearance. Shorter is quick to shut them down and get Ash away. He finishes the tour with the cafeteria and asks if Ash has any questions. To his surprise, Ash asks if his hair was shaved off or if it fell out. Shorter answers that he's growing his hair out since he had obtained a few bald spots from a fight and had to shave his hair off as a result. With everything else out of the way, Shorter shows Ash to his new cell and reveals they will be cellmates for the next few months.

Although Shorter offers genuine help to Ash while they're cellmates and Ash seems off put by the offer, Shorter suddenly realizes he feels like he's met Ash somewhere before. Ash does not think they have met before and points out how he would remember Shorter's lack of hair if they had.

After a week has gone by without any trouble, Shorter finds himself both impressed and terrified at how calm Ash has been despite the increasingly unwanted attention he's been receiving from the other inmates. As they eat, an inmate named Ricardo approaches Ash and tries to initiate an intimate relationship but is interrupted by another inmate, Frankie, who claims Ash belongs to him. The two begin arguing over who has the right over Ash even as Shorter tries to keep them away from the young teen. However, to everyone's shock, Ash calmly gathers his tray and leaves the area. This allows Shorter the chance to get things under control.

With everyone returning to their own blocks and Ash gone, Shorter takes the chance to relax but hears how some of the others are a little disturbed by Ash's personality but mainly his eyes that are said to be the devil's eyes; details from a story about a woman with eyes similar to Ash's that caused numerous men to kill each other until her eyes turned red with blood.

Although his instincts are telling him to stay away from Ash, Shorter finds the teen reading under a tree. Noticing it's the same book Ash came in with, Shorter asks if Ash enjoys the work of Hemmingway. Ash answers that he doesn't, which confuses Shorter, before asking if Shorter is the man in charge given his control over things and that Ricardo and Frankie didn't attempt to fight him. Shorter explains that Frankie had tried to make Shorter his "lady" when he had first arrived but Shorter was able to beat him in a fight and establish himself. When Shorter comments how tough it must be for someone beautiful like Ash, the teen surprises him by stating the real reason people sexually assault others has nothing to do with their looks as it is more about sadistic power over others and acknowledges he is at the bottom of the food chain while in jail.

Even hearing Ash be aware of how vulnerable he is, Shorter still warns him about Ricardo and Frankie and tells him ways of avoiding being caught and, if he is caught, ways to make it end as quickly and quietly as possible. Although Ash thanks him for the advice, Shorter picks up that Ash has possibly gone through such torment numerous times before and is most likely the reason that Ash does not trust others so easily.

One day, Shorter is urgently called on to stop a fight between Frankie and Ricardo as they fight for Ash. Shorter is able to momentarily pause the fight and tries to stop the two and get Ash released. Frankie takes the chance to take Ricardo down and win the fight. Just then, Ash asks Shorter if he is still the property of someone he beats up. Many of the inmates, having heard what he asked, begin laughing at the thought of Ash taking anyone down. Shorter, however, answers seriously that Ash won't belong to anyone he beats.

The inmates become amused at the possibility of seeing Ash fight someone to the point that they allow him to use a weapon to "even things out". Ash is tossed a pool cue and Shorter instantly notices a terrifying atmosphere surround Ash. Frankie urges Ash to make the first move. As Ash aims to stab Frankie, Shorter suddenly calls for him to stop and causes Ash to miss landing a fatal blow. Although Frankie is hurt from the blow, he tries to keep the fight going but is quickly stopped and knocked out by Shorter.

Shorter goes to find Ash as he figures out that the teen must have received special training given how he not only skillfully wielded the cue but was also going for the kill shot. He locates Ash and thanks him for going easy on Frankie but is startled when Ash laughs and states he doesn't know how to go easy on others and it was actually because of Shorter trying to stop him that he slightly pulled back at the last second. With Ash thanking Shorter for teaching him how to go easy on others, Shorter silently admits that this was the first time he ever was this scared of someone.

When Shorter is talking with a friend later, he learns that someone named Arthur is potentially targeting someone in the detention center and may have sent someone to handle the job. Shorter finds this a little amusing but still decides to take caution since Arthur is said to greatly dislike Shorter. Another inmate approaches and informs Shorter that Nico is still going on about Ash having the devil's eyes and other things that have gone on since Ash's arrival. As they walk, they spot Ash flirting with Ricardo.

That night, Shorter lies awake in bed when he suddenly hears Ash get a drink of water. This startles him as he had not heard the younger man get up in the first place and now wonders if Ash may be the supposed hitman Arthur has sent to take him out. Ash teases Shorter's nervous nature before heading to bed. The following day, Shorter is weary from lack of sleep when Ash appears in the library. Shorter realizes that, if Ash is the supposed hitman, the library would be the perfect place for him to take Shorter out since no one goes to the library anymore.

When Shorter spots Ash reading in front of a window on top of a ladder, he suddenly realizes where he's seen him before and rushes out of the library. However, he failed to notice Frankie and his guys hiding around a corner. In his cell, Shorter goes through his things until he locates a card sent by his sister with a picture of an angel who holds a striking similarity to Ash. As he starts making his way back to the library, Shorter finds his path suddenly blocked by Nico who will not let the Chinese man go any further.

In the library, Ash finds himself surrounded by a group of men. When Frankie makes it seem like he has sexual plans for Ash, the teen surprises him in return by asking who sent him and tosses out the name Arthur which instantly sends Frankie into a rage. In the hallway, Shorter has dealt with Rico and his backup and hurries to the library.

Once inside, Shorter is shocked at what he sees when he spots Ash fighting multiple people at once with great skill and ease that Shorter swears makes the fight look staged. He warns Ash when he sees Frankie with a knife. Ash uses a book to take the blade and again questions if Arthur was the one who sent Frankie to kill him. Frankie continues to claim he has no idea who Arthur is. Ash then reveals that he's known Frankie has been watching him since he first arrived but that there was no sexual intent in his gaze.

He pulls the knife from the book and points it at Frankie. Ash gives Frankie the choice of what body part gets mutilated, but this causes Frankie to crack and confess that Arthur promised him his own turf if he managed to kill Ash. Having the information he wanted, Ash lets Frankie go. Once he's gone, Shorter asks Ash when he first realized who Frankie is.

Ash claims to have caught on the first time they met. He explains that, had Frankie really wanted to make Ash his property, he wouldn't have waited a whole week to do it. This was also the reason why he had been flirting with Ricardo so he could judge Frankie's reaction. He then confesses that he hadn't been too sure about Shorter's intentions either, thinking there is always a reason for someone being nice to someone else. Shorter replies that he doesn't like how Ash used Ricardo for his own intentions. Ash argues that he sees nothing wrong with this since Ricardo wanted to have his own way with him and goes on an emotional rant about how he's been through that situation numerous times before and how his feelings had never been taken into consideration. Shorter claims that he understands Ash's emotions but that he shouldn't use others feelings against them as it would make Ash no better than those who have hurt him. With tears streaming down his face, Ash calls Shorter numerous names before running off.

Over the next few days, the inmates began treating Ash with great respect once they had heard what happened in the library. Shorter saw that it made Ash uncomfortable to be treated like he is in charge but at the same time it allowed the two of them to grow closer and talk more, including learning how they both know Arthur. Ash then confides in Shorter how his appearance often causes trouble for him which is why he developed the tactic of using their feelings and motivations against them. Despite this, he voices how he is glad that he was not born a girl since he believes it would have made his life even worse.

Soon, Shorter's sentence ends, and he is given cheers and playful jests as he is leaving. As he is making his way out, he runs into Ash who reveals himself to have gotten hold of the angel card and plans to hang onto it due to Shorter's accidental confession of self-pleasure towards the angel. Although he tries to get the card back, Shorter is happy that he finally got to hear a genuine laugh from Ash and that his appearance when laughing is of true childlike innocence and angelic like.

## Appearances

* Dino Golzine
* Shorter Wong
* Ash Lynx
* Frankie
* Ricardo

## Image Gallery

*Main Article: Angel Eyes (Side\_Story)/Image Gallery*