Protagonist! Please Stay Away from Me 2!-Chapter 39: Tina Promised That She Would Protect Me from Alex

"Why did you do that to me, Tina?" Sharon asked, her voice barely above a whisper as the movie theatre lights flickered on slowly, casting a soft glow across their faces in the nearly empty auditorium. It was a movie about a woman, who got separated from her family when she was just a small kid. Throughout the movie, it showed her growth—her failed romance, her failures in life, and reunion with her parents.

The screen had just faded to black behind them, credits rolling silently while the last scattered patrons gathered their belongings, shuffling out, oblivious to the raw tension crackling between the two women in the back row.

"What do you mean exactly?" Tina replied cautiously, her eyes narrowing slightly under the frame of her hair, her silk shirt rumpled from a day of devoted service that masked deeper turmoil. Every day, she had to repent in order to wash that horrible sin. Even if Sharon didn’t forgive her, she would never leave the silver-haired woman. She would wait until her death for forgiveness.

"Tina, I mean why did you try to punish me so viciously for something I didn’t even do," Sharon said firmly, leaning closer until their knees brushed in the dim aisle seats, her chic off-the-shoulder black cashmere sweater shifting to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of collarbone. "I never liked Alex that way romantically, but you still thought I was chasing him, didn’t you? He is my brother, Tina. And you attacked me out of jealousy which I never earned—never even tried to."

Tina stilled completely for a long, heavy moment, her body freezing as if reliving that brutal night—the bite, her monstrous transformation, the couch wreckage—before she lowered her head in deep shame, hands twisting nervously in her lap.

"I was angry at you, Sharon," she admitted softly, her voice thick with remorse that reverberated through their intricate power dynamic. "I wanted to hurt you."

"Angry?" Sharon pressed, tilting her head with calculated vulnerability, letting her pearl necklace catch the glowing exit lights while she waved her silver hair with her fingers.

"Yes," Tina confessed, eyes remaining downcast as theatre staff swept nearby rows with quiet efficiency. "I was angry at you because... your thoughts—the thoughts about you always seemed to orbit around Alex’s world—his calls, his family dinners, his creepy ’love.’ It consumed him, or so I thought. For that reason alone, I hated you deeply back then."

"You hated me that much?" Sharon asked softly, feigning hurt as she touched Tina’s arm lightly, crossing her long beautiful legs to dangle one strappy black stiletto playfully from her pearl toes, drawing Tina’s gaze despite herself. "Am I that unlikeable?"

Tina nodded with visible difficulty, but then shook her head as her throat bobbing as she swallowed hard. "Yes, I did. It ate me alive—watching you weave into his orbit, even if innocent. Jealousy twisted me into that monster... Sharon, you are not unlikeable. I was just blind."

"And now?" Sharon murmured, her voice a silken leash tightening as Tina’s confession hung heavy in the air.

"I don’t hate you anymore," Tina whispered fiercely, lifting her eyes at last, flashing that confusing mix of hunger and guilt. "Now I... worship you—and I will always worship you. Repent every day." Her hand brushed Sharon’s knee tentatively under the armrest, submission absolute amid the fading echoes of on-screen passion. "Sharon, you are too beautiful—not just physically, but also mentally... your soul is untainted, and I will never allow anyone to taint your soul... and your body—never again. Not even by me."

Sharon smirked internally at Tina’s words. She had already deciphered Tina’s words and her action. The woman beside him was just jealous of Alex’s love for ’her.’ A brother who liked his sister too much, bordering on the thoughts of committing incest.

If he had his way, he would have done something much worse than Tina’s uncontrollable jealousy-filled actions.

"Tina, I am sorry but I don’t like Alex. He is my brother—I have never harboured such thoughts for him," Sharon whispered as she lowered her head. Tears pooled up in the corners of her eyes.

Tina immediately pulled Sharon into her arms, rubbing her waist in a soothing way.

"I know, Sharon. I was blind, I guess. No brother in this world will ever such sinister thoughts for his sister, yet he does." Tina murmured regretfully, her voice low and husky as she tilted Sharon’s chin up gently. She wiped off her tears with her thumb. "Alex is obsessed with you, even though he is your brother." A brother would never look at his sister in that way—but Alex did. And she loved that man. It was really shameful that she hurt an innocent woman because of him. Her fingers tightened slightly on Sharon’s waist, pulling her closer amid the butter-scented air, popcorn crunching forgotten underfoot.

Sharon nuzzled into her neck, inhaling her scent. Manipulating Tina was easy because of Alex, a faulty man who never disguised well enough his emotions for his own sister.

But was he attracted to his own sister in that way? There must be a reason for that.

’I have to find that reason, right? Alex’s behaviour will explain his course of action, giving me a loop hole to exploit. Phase One of my plan is still dormant. Ruby must be waiting for my orders. It seems that I have to make my move soon. And for that, I need Tina.’

"I am scared of Alex," Sharon whispered into Tina’s ears, letting her hot breath hit her ears. "What if he hurts me? I am already hurt by you."

Tina flinched, tightening her hold even more as if she wanted absorb the silver-haired woman’s body into her own. "Then let me protect you from him. I will shield you from his disgusting eyes, his disgusting thoughts—from him. So, just trust me, and I will make everything right." Her words held promise to it.

Sharon pulled back slightly, eyes wide with artful innocence. "Promise?"

Tina nodded fervently. "I promise you, Sharon."

"Then I will be in your care." Sharon gave her a small, relieved smile. Then, she kissed Tina’s cheek, showing her appreciation. "Tina, you are really great! I am glad that I met you!"