Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

RUN

Chapter 1

A pair of white sneakers pounded on the tiled floor, skidding momentarily in order to fly around the corner, before racing through the locker room. Students left and right were shoved aside as the human storm desperately tried to get as far as he could, as fast as he could. He ignored the angry cries of his fellow students who lost their balance as he tore through them, nor the backpacks that were bumped off their shoulders. There was no time to waste. If he hesitated for only one millisecond, he’d get caught. He could already feel the daunting presence closing in on him. The loud thuds of black leather boots weren’t far behind. They belonged to a boy much taller than him. Much stronger than him. Much quicker than him.

The smaller of the two kept pushing forward, his legs burning as he stumbled once or twice. He had to keep going. If the other kid would get his hands on him…

Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what happened.

Large, powerful hands grabbed a hold of his jacket, and pulled, hard. There was no time to resist as his body was slung backwards, like a puppet on a string. Without warning, he was shoved against the lockers behind him, muscular arms pinning him in place. He didn’t dare to look up at towering form that hung over him, panting and growling in his face like a rapid dog.

The students around them scrambled off, not wanting to get into harm’s way. Some of them contemplated pulling out their phones to record some first-class social media content, but decided against it. Even they deemed the situation too serious.

With all the students gone, a heavy silence settled over the locker room. None of the boys said anything. They were too busy catching their breaths, as well as dealing with an intense peak of emotion.

For the small one, it was terror.

For the bigger one, it was rage.

The silence was soon broken by a third pair of shoes, high heels by the sound of it, stomping over in obvious haste.

“ANSHIN! Let go of him!!” Boomed a stern woman’s voice. A very angry woman’s voice.

The muscular boy growled loudly, turning a fierce glare towards the advancing teacher. “Stay out of this! This has nothing to do with you!”

“Don’t you dare talk back to me like that, young man!” The teacher fumed. “As you’re both students in this school, this has everything to do with me! Now, don’t make me say it again; let Isamu go!”

The bulky kid gave the boy one last shove before releasing him. The smaller boy, Isamu, nervously backed away, tugging his jacket back in his rightful place. The teacher gave him a quick glance over to see if he was okay. She knew the smaller boy wasn’t entirely without blame; he was a well-known trouble-maker in his own right. For one, he liked to pick on animals, which went against everything Anshin stood for. She suspected it was one of those days.

The teacher addressed the smaller of the two with a stern look. “Go home, Isamu. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

The kid didn’t need to be told twice, and he was off.

The teacher took a deep breath before turning towards the older kid, who, to her quiet amazement, was actually taller than her. The two glared at each other for a minute or so, before the teacher spoke the four magic words the boy heard on a daily basis.

“Anshin. Principle’s office. Now.”

Tyson Kinomiya blinked slowly. It did little to clear his vision, but at least it kept his eyes from drying out. In front of him were rows of hunched over teenagers, scribbling away at their desks. The longer he stared at them, the more they morphed into hazy blobs of color.

Tyson used to believe that sitting behind a teacher's desk would be an improvement from sitting behind a student's desk. Less boring. Less tiring.

Oh, how wrong he was.

The tall, dark-haired man struggled to hide the yawn that escaped his mouth, receiving a judgmental look from the young lady sitting in the front row.

"Eyes on the test, Sakura." Tyson ordered in a soft voice as to not disturb the rest of the class. The young lady rolled her eyes at him before scribbling on.

Tyson scoffed back at her. Her attitude reminded him of a certain female he used to share a class with. A certain brunette who had made it her personal mission to challenge every breath he took. Hilary Tachibana certainly had her… charms. Dealing with her had become a daily habit that dragged him all throughout his high school years and beyond. Later in life, Hilary became a nurse, and he became a teacher at the very same school where they first met. Despite their clash in personalities, they always kept in touch. They became close, even. And then they married, and had a kid together. Because, why the hell not?

A soft knock on the classroom door jerked Tyson out his daydreams. Giving the students a quick look to ensure they wouldn’t peek at each other’s test papers, the 34-year-old teacher strolled towards the Japanese-styled door and slid it open. The school’s principle waited for him on the other side, wearing a dark look on his face.

Tyson sighed, already having a hunch what this was about. “Anshin Kurata?”

The principle nodded sternly. “Anshin Kurata.”

Tyson looked away for a moment, munching on his bottom lip in thought. He then spoke softly, “I’m in the middle of a test, can’t you take care of it for me?”

The principle shook his head. “Afraid not. Besides, he’s your student, Mr. Kinomiya.”

Tyson huffed. “He’s not my student. He’s just in my homeroom class. That doesn’t make him my responsibility.” He kept his voice low as to not disturb the students behind him. Or fuel some new rumors about the troublemaker everyone loved to gossip about.

“Well, he is your responsibility… a little bit…” The principle argued, before softly adding, “… besides, you and I both know his parents aren’t going to step in and do something about it.”

Tyson sighed through his nose. He knew what the principle meant, unfortunately. The boy’s parents were about as annoying as the kid. They never answered the phone, never responded to letters, and refused to attend any of the parent-teacher meetings. If anyone needed a firm conversation about their kid’s behavior, it was the Kurata family.

Tyson sighed again, before mumbling unhappily, “Send him in here after class, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Tyson closed the door and resumed his position behind his desk. It didn’t take long for his thoughts to drift towards his problem student, which had become a daily habit at this point.

Anshin Kurata was a trouble maker. A rude prick who seemed to believe he owned the school and everyone in it. When Tyson was first introduced to Anshin, he worried the boy had a big target on his back for the school’s bullies. The kid was quiet and… well, weird. He didn’t mingle with the other kids, and preferred to spend his lunch break in complete solitude. Sometimes he would read a book, other times he’d lean against a wall and glare at everyone who came too close.

Despite his weird behavior, no one picked on him. They didn’t dare. In fact, the bullies cowered away in fear whenever Anshin entered their vision. Let’s say Anshin had… anger management issues. He’d often get into trouble with both students and teachers; bad-mouthing them or, even worse, expressing his anger physically.

Obviously, there was something wrong with the kid. Many people tried to have a heart-to-heart with him, but all it did was push him farther away. He didn’t want to talk, he just… wanted to destroy. That’s how it seemed, anyway.

Tyson was tired of the not-so-little shit, to put it mildly.

The more the day dragged on, the more Tyson dreaded the end of it. He would, once again, have to reason with the most unreasonable human in the building. What on earth could he possibly say that hadn’t already been said?

Tyson had tried numerous different approaches in the past. He attempted to be the stern teacher who tried to talk some sense into the boy, the gentle teacher who would try to create a safe space for him to talk about his feelings, the worried teacher who tried to get him to see people actually cared about his future. He even attempted to be an indifferent teacher who didn’t give a rat’s ass about the boy’s behavior… But none of it actually worked. Despite his different approaches, Anshin would always react the same; either he would give the irritatingly effective silent treatment, or he would scream and throw furniture around. At some point, the police even had to be involved.

Whatever the boy’s problem was, it needed to be addressed.

Speak of the Devil…

“You wanted to see me, sir.” The delivery was monotone, and despite the polite choice of words, nothing about it felt polite.

Tyson glanced up from his desk, beckoning the shadow sulking in the hallway inside. “Come in, Anshin. Please have a seat.” The dark-haired teacher slowly rose from his chair, as the boy trudged in, threw his backpack on one of the empty tables, and slumped into the seat behind it.

Mentally preparing himself, Tyson sat himself down on the edge of his own desk. Folding his hands on his lap, he tried to look as calm and non-threatening as he could. “… Anshin, I’ve received word that you attacked another student this morning.”

Anshin’s eyes narrowed at the older man, but his lips remained sealed.

Tyson waited for a minute or two, but when the boy made no attempt to speak, he continued. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Anshin made a slight snorting sound through his nose, and crossed his muscular arms defensively.

The silent treatment it is.

Tyson sighed. “You can’t just go around and attack other people when it suits you, Anshin. That’s not how the world works.”

Anshin shifted in his chair, tightening his arms ever so slightly. He subjected his teacher with a sharp gaze, before biting out, “Then how does it work?”

Tyson blinked, not expecting a response like that. He needed a couple of seconds to think of a smart reply, but found he couldn’t. Not really. “Well… it’s just… It’s just wrong to hurt people.”

The subtle side-smirk on Anshin’s face told Tyson his answer wasn’t good enough.

Tyson ignored it. “Let me ask you again; why did you go after Isamu this morning?”

“Does it really matter why?” Anshin challenged stubbornly. “After all, what’s done is done, right?”

Tyson frowned at him disapprovingly. “We don’t want it to happen again, that’s why I want to know what happened.”

Anshin raised a skeptical eyebrow. “So it can be prevented next time?”

“Exactly.”

“Yeah, well. Good luck with that.” Anshin replied bluntly.

Tyson felt a headache blossom in the front of his skull. This kid… honestly…

The frustrated teacher took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself. The kid was rattling him on purpose, he knew that. He needed to make sure he was the bigger person here.

Anshin had turned his head to glance out of the window. He looked bored, and not at all concerned about the consequences of his actions. That changed however, when Tyson casually spoke, “I want to have a word with your parents.”

Anshin’s furious head whipped towards his teacher. “No.”

“No?” Tyson challenged with a raised eyebrow. “Anshin, this can’t go on any longer. Do you know how many strings I have to pull to not get you expelled permanently?”

“So??!” Anshin shot upright in his seat, his hands clenching around his bag. “Why should I even care about this place?! It’s not like anyone gives a shit!”

Tyson jumped ever so slightly by the unexpected outburst. He was about to scold his student for his language, but decided not to. There was something more important he wanted to communicate.

“Of course we give a shit.”

“Oh come on.” Anshin rolled his eyes. “None of you teachers give a crap about people like us.”

“People like you?”

Anshin growled. “You know what I mean. The low grades. The troublemakers. You guys can’t wait to get rid of us.”

“That’s not true.” Tyson responded quickly.

“Of course it is. You think I’m stupid and don’t notice stuff like that?”

Both males made intense eye-contact for a while, before Tyson softly said, “Anshin… I just want to know if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. Can I go now?” Without awaiting a response, Anshin heaved his torn backpack over his shoulder and was already halfway out the door.

Tyson jumped from his desk in surprise. “H-hey! I wasn’t done yet!”

The cold look Anshin shot him made Tyson freeze on the spot, but his fleeting words hit much harder.

“Stop pretending to care.”

It was seven in the afternoon when Tyson’s grey sedan finally rolled to a stop on his dojo’s driveway. The man turned off the ignition before collapsing back in his seat, allowing himself to enjoy the silence for a moment.

He felt beat.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat like that, staring into space. At some point, his exhausted gaze floated to the front door of his home. It had opened and his wife stood in the doorway, watching him questionably. Tyson sighed and got out of the car, before giving her a hug and trudging inside.

“Bad day?” Hilary asked him softly. Tyson looked at her, noticing she looked just as tired as he did. “Yeah… Kinda… You?”

Hilary’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. She hadn’t even taken the effort to change out of her hospital scrubs yet. “Couldn’t be better.”

Tyson huffed out a laugh. “Got ya.”

“Come on, it’s take-out day. Let’s head inside before Makato eats it all.” Hilary took his hand, gently tugging him into the kitchen, where his son was already digging in at the dinner table. The delicious smell of fresh rice and sushi dishes made Tyson feel much better already. He quickly seated himself next to his son, and graciously joined in.

Halfway through their dinner, the thirteen-year-old turned a curious gaze to his father. “Is the scruffy kid in trouble again?”

Tyson paused his chewing, looking just as confused as his wife. “Scruffy kid?”

“Yeah! You know, that weird kid…” Makato didn’t elaborate whom he was referring to, but Tyson had a feeling he knew.

“You mean Anshin?”

“Yeah!”

Tyson frowned. “Is that how you guys call him at school? Scruffy kid?”

“Well, I mean… he is a little scruffy…” Makato muttered.

“That’s not nice.” Hilary scolded.

Makato huffed, “Well, he isn’t nice either!”

“Maybe he’s just lonely. You could try and befriend him, you know?” Hilary gently reprimanded her son, who, in turn, looked at her in horror. Hilary was about to scold him for it, when she noticed her husband’s expression. He looked about as horrified as their son.

“He can’t be that bad.” Hilary tutted at the both of them.

“He is!” Makato screeched. “The kid’s a maniac! He’s always-”

“Now Makato, that’s enough.” Tyson interjected. As much as he agreed with his son, he didn’t want him to talk about his student like that.

Makato scowled at his father, before picking at the last heap of rice on his plate.

After dinner, Makato went to his room to do homework, while Hilary and Tyson took the dishes and cutlery to the kitchen.

“This isn’t the first time Makato brought the… uh… ‘scruffy kid’ up. Is he really that bad?” Hilary casually asked, while scrubbing away at the dishes. Her back was turned to her husband, but Tyson shook his head at her disapprovingly nevertheless.

“His name his Anshin.” He corrected her.

“Right. Anshin. Sorry.”

Tyson sighed as he emptied the trash bin behind her. “I don’t think he’s that bad… He’s just... troubled, I guess.”

Hilary hummed quietly. She sensed there was more her husband had to say about it. And of course, there was.

“He’s just being an idiot.” Tyson started, “He’s a smart kid, but he doesn’t put any effort into his schoolwork. He just goes as he pleases, and will only attend classes if he feels like it, which is rarely the case. And he’s rude. Either he ignores everyone, or picks fights with everyone. He’s cold, grumpy and really really arrogant. Thinks he’s better than anyone. And when you get too close you’ll get your head ripped off. Imagine being the kid’s homeroom teacher. How on earth do you reach a kid like that??”

Hilary started chuckling, her back shaking ever so slightly. Tyson pouted at her, thinking she was making fun of his struggles. “What are you laughing at?”

“Oh I dunnooo…” Hilary drawled playfully, “Guess the kid reminds me of someone we used to know, back in the day…?”

“Oh yeah? Who?”

Hilary paused, before swiveling around in disbelief. “Oh come on!!”

“What??” Tyson was still clueless.

Hilary planted one hand on her hip, while the other gestured wildly to make her point. “The grouchy, arrogant jackass? The strong and silent type that keeps people at a distance? Doesn’t that ring any bells??”

Tyson looked dumbfounded by his wife’s words. “Obviously not…?” He replied, unsure.

“Oh my word!” Hilary needed a moment to pace around the kitchen, before flapping her hands. “Kai!!”

“Wha- Kai…??” Tyson furrowed his eyebrows. “What – No… Noo way. Anshin and Kai are nothing alike.”

“They totally are!” Hilary argued sharply. “Think about it!”

Tyson spluttered for a moment, unable to find the right words. He was thinking about it. He just… couldn’t make the connection. “I don’t think- Kai wasn’t- Honestly, Kai wasn’t that bad.”

“Maybe in his later years he wasn’t, but he used to be pretty difficult, right? I mean, I met him later than you guys did, but I heard plenty of stories and I sure as hell didn’t trust the guy at first!”

Now it was Tyson’s turn to laugh. “Oh yeah! You thought he was a spy!!”

Hilary pouted as her husband folded in half from laughter. “Can you blame me??” She snapped back. “He was so freaking rude to me!!”

“He was rude to anyone!” Tyson replied, still chuckling in good humor.

“My point exactly!”

Tyson’s laughter died down a little. He couldn’t deny his wife’s point there. “Okay… I see where you’re coming from. But I still think Kai was difficult in a different way.”

Hilary leaned back against the kitchen cabinets behind her. “If you say so…”

The rest of the night was pretty uneventful. They watched a movie together, before Makato called it a night. Tyson and Hilary decided to follow suit; the day’s events catching up with them.

Tyson sighed contently as his head landed on his pillow. His eyes remained partially open, studying the ceiling, deep in thought. Hilary climbed in next to him, reading one of her favorite books.

The silence was soothing and welcoming, and Tyson felt sleep pull at his senses. He was about to surrender to it, when Hilary suddenly lowered her book. “Honey?”

“… Yeah…?”

“I’ve been thinking.”

Tyson turned a sleepy gaze to his wife. “About what?”

Hilary stared forward for a moment, her book resting on her stomach. “About your student.”

Tyson blinked himself awake. “Wha-?”

“I was just thinking… Maybe there’s something you can try to get through to him.”

Tyson looked mildly skeptical. “Like what?”

Hilary glanced at him. “What if you’d approach him the same way you did Kai?”

Tyson furrowed his brows. “Huh?”

Hilary scooted closer to him, suddenly excited. “No, hear me out. No matter how many times Kai pushed you away, you always knew how to talk to him. How to get him to open up a little. What if you tried the same with that boy?”

“…” Tyson stared at his wife. “You think I should talk to Anshin like I did to Kai?”

“Yeah!”

“Why?” Tyson felt confused. Maybe it was because he was on the verge of falling asleep or the fact he couldn’t follow his wife’s logic.

“Because they’re the same!” Hilary said animatedly.

“They’re not the same!” Tyson scowled stubbornly, which caused Hilary to slap a hand over her own face.

“Okay fine, have it your way.” She huffed, turning off the lights and turning her back towards her husband.

“Good night…” Tyson mumbled.

“… Night.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

It took one week for Tyson to realize his wife had a point.

The way Anshin carried himself… The straight-locked spine, the tightly crossed arms, the scowl, the glare, the intelligence, the arrogance…

Even though he and Kai were two different people, the similarities were definitely there.

And so, it was this day, two weeks after their last ‘talk’, that Tyson decided to put his wife’s suggestion to the test. Instead of seeing Anshin sulk through the school’s hallway, he pretended to see Kai. With a grin, Tyson fell in step beside the broody boy, who glanced at him in suspicious curiosity.

“Hey bud, what’s up?” Tyson greeted him.

Anshin needed a moment to reply, giving his teacher a weird look.

Bud…?

“What did I do this time.” The boy muttered darkly as they kept on walking.

“Nothing. Just wanted to give you this.” A poster was shoved into the younger man’s hand. Tyson continued to explain, “Saw it on my way in. Thought you might be interested.”

Anshin unfolded the poster with a scowl. “Football team captain wanted.” The boy read the headline in a monotone, unimpressed voice, before turning a frown to his still grinning teacher. “You want me to coach the football team?”

Tyson shrugged, “Why not? You’re good at sports.”

Anshin proceeded to make a very Kai-like noise. “Hmpf.” He then folded the poster and tried to hand it back to Tyson, who didn’t take it out of his hands. “Keep it, maybe I can get you to reconsider.” Tyson offered.

Anshin belted out a laugh that made surrounding students scramble for the nearby exit. “What makes you think the football team would want me as a coach? The entire school hates me.”

“They just don’t know you yet.”

“Right... That will make a difference.” Anshin jabbed sarcastically.

“I think you’ll be great at it! You just gotta give it a chance.” Tyson told him with a smile, which made Anshin falter slightly. It’s been a while since someone smiled at him, as in… genuinely smiled at him. He could feel it when people faked being nice. They always faked it.

Mr. Kinomiya wasn’t faking it.

That afternoon, Tyson felt considerably lighter when he parked his car on the driveway of his home. He wasn’t sure if his brief interaction with Anshin was the cause of it, but he had a hunch it was.

For the first time ever, Tyson felt like Anshin had listened to him.

Later that evening, when Tyson and Hilary climbed into bed, he told his wife about his encounter with the notorious ice cube. Hilary beamed at him. “So it worked?”

“Yeah…” Tyson smiled back at her. “I guess you were… sorta…”

“Yeess?” Hilary drawled playfully.

Tyson sighed in mock frustration. “You were riiiight.”

“Hah!” Hilary victoriously raised both arms in the sky, before dropping them back on the sheet that covered her body. She winked at her husband. “So they are the same, huh?”

Tyson relaxed against the pillows he had stacked behind him. “I guess… yeah… I mean, Kai used to be… less vocal, I think. But overall they’re pretty much the same, yeah.”

Hilary’s book remained closed on her nightstand, as they both stared at the ceiling with small smiles on their faces.

A few minutes passed before Hilary rolled her head towards her husband. Tyson looked back at her, noticing the thoughtful look on her face. Hilary gave him a small smile, before she let her mouth fall into a natural position. “… I wonder how Kai’s doing.”

Tyson returned his glance to the ceiling, nodding slowly. “Yeah… me too…”

“You still haven’t heard from him?” Hilary asked softly.

“Nope. He’s still the record holder of radio silence.” Tyson sighed in barely concealed annoyance.

Hilary frowned. “It’s been… what, fifteen years?”

Tyson nodded. “Something like that, yeah.”

“The unsocial prick.”

Tyson chuckled at her wife’s description of his childhood friend.

“Do you still invite him for the yearly reunions?” Hilary asked him quietly.

“Of course!” Tyson replied with conviction. “It wouldn’t be a proper Bladebreaker reunion without him there, but…”

“He never responds.” Hilary finished for him.

“Exactly…” Tyson shifted slightly, folding his arms behind his head. “The next one’s planned in two months. Would be nice to hear something from him before then.”

“I hope you do.” Hilary murmured, scooting herself closer to her husband, who wrapped an arm around her back.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen.” Tyson mumbled, rubbing her back affectionately. “Ever since he became a hotshot CEO, it’s like he disappeared from the planet.”

“Yeah, it’s weird!” Hilary said with a frown, “You would expect his face to be on every magazine cover by now. He lives in the States, right? They love to display their wealthiest citizens there. I wonder how Kai manages to evade the press like that.”

“Well, you know Kai. If he doesn’t want to be found…” Tyson trailed off.

A comfortable silence settled over them, as they snuggled against each other.

“I hope he’s okay…” Tyson muttered sleepily.

Hilary closed her eyes, whispering, “Yeah… me too…”

Six weeks later…

It was a sunny Saturday morning. After a night of heavy rainfall, the air smelled of moist grass and freshly watered flowers. Despite the peaceful world outside, there was a dark storm brewing inside the dojo’s walls.

Tyson’s mouth pressed into an unamused line as he climbed up a ladder in one of the largest rooms of the dojo, and reached towards the ceiling. After prodding the wooden beams at various places, he felt his stomach drop. On the outside, the wooden structure looked alright, but the inside was another story. It felt… bouncy. Wood wasn’t supposed to be bouncy.

With a sigh, Tyson glanced around the empty space. Back in the day, it used to be the meditation room. The old masters would gather here, to find a deep sense of calm and clarity. Now, several years later, the room provided an orchestra of drops hitting overflowing buckets. On multiple occasions, Tyson had climbed onto the roof to fix the biggest leaks. But it wasn’t helping much. Needless to say, the entire roof needed to be replaced. For a building this large and old, it was a costly investment. One that Hilary and Tyson simply couldn’t afford.

Tyson’s grandfather had been the dojo’s major caretaker for as long as he could. But at some point, his old bones and arthritis hands couldn’t do it anymore, and the dojo became an inconvenient place for the senior to live. With a pained heart, grandpa decided to move out, and rent an apartment in the Southern area of Japan, close to the sea. As much as he missed the dojo, he loved his new home, and to this day, he still does.

It was a no brainer for Tyson and Hilary to keep the dojo in their family, and decided to turn it into their family home when Hilary was pregnant of their first, and only son, Makato. They never regretted their decision, although they had majorly underestimated the amount of work that was needed to keep the structure safe and habitable. Especially since they had a child.

“Watcha doing, dad?” The familiar voice made Tyson turn halfway from where he stood perched on the ladder.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Tyson huffed at the dark-haired boy, standing in the doorway. “And don’t come in here, it’s not safe.” The protective father added.

“I know, I know…” Makato mumbled, waving away his father’s concerns. “I was wondering if you’ve seen my phone anywhere...”

“You lost it again?” Tyson grumbled, re-focusing his attention on the ceiling.

Makato crossed his arms defensively. “Have you seen it or not?”

“I have not.” Tyson muttered, inwardly cursing at the poor state of one particular beam. He gave his son an annoyed look. “Weren’t you supposed to do Kendo training, like an hour ago?”

Makato widened his eyes. “You told me I could skip this one!”

“When did I say that??” Tyson exclaimed in obvious disbelief.

“Like, three days ago!” Makato spluttered. “I had to work on a big school project, remember? So you said I could skip training.”

A vague memory resurfaced in Tyson’s memory, but he was too annoyed by his home’s condition to offer his son an apology. “Okay, fine. But why are you looking for your phone if you need to work on a project for school?”

“I just need to look up some things.” Makato replied sullenly.

“We bought you a laptop last year, look it up there.”

“It’s too slow.”

“Oh, so the laptop that cost me an entire month salary isn’t up to your standards?” Tyson bit out, irritated.

Makato scowled, “No that’s not-“

“Then stop whining, and use your laptop.” Tyson interjected firmly.

Makato dramatically rolled his eyes before stomping away. Obviously, his dad was in a bad mood. Perhaps this wasn’t the right time to communicate with him, especially over a lost phone.

With a regretful sigh, Tyson dropped his head. He shouldn’t have taken out his frustrations on his son, but… things were hard. Not just the dojo roof… the job too.

For the past month, Anshin hadn’t shown up at school. No one had heard from him. All calls and letters remained unanswered. It didn’t make any sense, to anyone.

After Tyson’s initial attempt to connect with the boy, Anshin had actually… changed, a little bit. For one, he did try and become the football team’s captain. And, after a lot of back and forth, he was given the part. The football team was skeptical at first. After all, the school’s bad boy had a reputation that could stain their team and anything they stood for. But to everyone’s surprise, Anshin was a splendid coach, and the football team worked harder than ever before. For the first time in years, they finally won a match, and celebrated their new captain, officially welcoming them in their midst.

It was a huge change for Anshin, which showed itself in his personality as well. He was more present during class, and worked hard on getting better grades. The boy was smart, Tyson had always known that, but for the first time, he was putting in the effort to let it show. Everything was going great…

Until he stopped showing up.

None of the boy’s classmates had a clue on what was going on, and neither had the football team. In fact, they were very frustrated with their newest team captain. To them, it felt like he had ditched them. Like all the effort they had put into connecting with him, had been for nothing.

Tyson hated to admit it, but he felt the same way. He had put a lot of time and effort into his problematic student, and had always been the first one to defend him whenever he got into trouble. The teacher wasn’t even sure why he did it, after all, the boy was a menace, and deserved to get reprimanded for his behavior. But Tyson felt inclined to be there for him. Probably because he had the feeling he was the only one who would.

Tyson sighed, before climbing down the ladder, and observing the dojo’s ceiling with concern. It felt like everything was falling apart around him.

… What was he going to do?

His thoughts were abruptly shoved aside when his phone vibrated in his back pocket. Tyson pulled it out and checked the number. He didn’t recognize it, but answered it regardless. “Tyson Kinomiya speaking.”

“Mr. Kinomiya, it’s a pleasure! My name is Tony Jones of T.S.I..”

“Hello…” Tyson mumbled, unsure. He was wracking his brain to figure out what ‘T.S.I.’ stood for. He decided to ask. “I’m sorry, what’s T.S.I.?”

“Ah… apologies, sir. Tokyo Sports Institute… The academy your son applied for?”

Tyson straightened his spine, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Hold up- my son applied for…”

“The Tokyo Sports Institute?” The caller, Tony, suggested.

“Yeah…?” Tyson stepped out of the room in order to focus on the conversation. He continued to explain, “I’m sorry- I’m just surprised… Aside from Beyblading, my son never took any interest in sports. I had no idea he applied at your academy.”

Tony chuckled. “I see… Well, we were very impressed by Anshin’s letter, and we’d love to offer him a scholarship.”

Tyson’s eyebrows lifted, mouth sagging open. Hold on - did he say…

“Anshin?!”

“… Yes?” Tony replied carefully.

Tyson’s mind was racing to figure out what was going on here. Why would they call him?

“Sir, I think you’ve called the wrong person.” Tyson explained carefully. “I’m not Anshin’s father. I’m his homeroom teacher.”

It stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, before Tony’s surprised voice floated through the phone. “What? Uh… But… Anshin listed you as his guardian.” Tony explained, obviously just as confused as the other man. “I’m not sure what went wrong there. I’m sorry, sir.”

“Uh… that’s alright…” Tyson said with a slight frown.

“Uhm…” By the sound of it, Tony was shuffling through papers. “Do you maybe have the contact information of his parents or guardian? We send a couple of letters to his home address, but we haven’t heard back from him.”

Tyson’s frown deepened. “Uh sure, I’ve got their landline number, but just so you know… I haven’t been able to reach them. Not even once.”

“Oh… okay…” Tony stammered. “Well… unless Anshin replies to our letters, we can’t grant him a scholarship. It’d be a shame…” Tony trailed off there, but he didn’t need to say anymore. Tyson understood.

“You know what? I’ll go and drop by his place.” Tyson decided. “I wouldn’t want him to miss out on this opportunity.”

After giving Tony the contact information and offering pleasantries, Tyson ended the call. He stared at his phone for a while. What did just happen? And why??

The whole thing was weird.

With slight haste, Tyson grabbed his coat and keys, and jumped into his car. He needed to figure this out.

The neighborhood was nice. Fancier than Tyson had imagined beforehand. Anshin always had this certain way in which he presented himself. He was always clean, but he only seemed to own two sets of clothing, his backpack was torn, his hair disheveled, and he always appeared to be a bit… well… scruffy. As much as Tyson disapproved of the insulting nickname, he could see why the kids would tease him about it. Not in his face, obviously, but still…

Tyson had no idea the kid lived in one of the richest neighborhoods in Tokyo. The streets were tidy and lined with beautiful blossom trees. On each side of the street, a collection of large, traditionally Japanese houses stood tall and proud, surrounded with beautiful green gardens, and a gated wall.

As Tyson parked his car in front of number 124, which belonged to the Kurata family, he could immediately tell no one was home. The gate was closed, and the windows were dark. As Tyson got out of the car, he noticed another clear indicator of the house’s vacancy; a fancy sign, perched in the front yard.

‘FOR SALE’

With a frown, Tyson approached the gate, and took a long look at the expensive looking building. Did Anshin and his family move out, without notifying the school? He just… didn’t understand. Why hadn’t Anshin told him about this? And why had he listed his homeroom teacher as a guardian? It just… didn’t make any sense!

Tyson sighed in frustration, before turning his head when a middle-aged woman exited the neighboring gate. The lady paused when she saw him, before shaking her head briefly. “Son, if you’re thinking about buying that thing, you better turn and run.”

Tyson cocked his head in interest. That was… quite an unusual thing to say…?

“Excuse me?” Tyson asked politely.

The woman shook her head again as she slowly made her way over to him. “This place is cursed. Don’t buy it. It’s got bad energy all over.”

“I’m not looking to buy it.” Tyson gently explained. “I’m looking for the Kurata family.”

The woman’s entire body language changed. Whereas before she was a confident lady who wanted to warn a stranger, she now became immensely guarded. She took a couple of steps away from the young man, her eyes flashing wildly. “Don’t ever say that name again! It’s a cursed name!”

Tyson blinked. For a moment he wondered if the woman struggled with some sort of mental disorder, but at the same time, it felt wrong to dismiss her words so easily. After all, Tyson was raised by a family that believed in energies, both good and bad. He just couldn’t find himself to believe a name or a house could be cursed. That’s a thing you see in movies, not in real life.

The 34-year-old teacher gave the woman a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry ma’am, it won’t happen again. I’m just looking for Anshin, do you have any idea where I can find him?”

The woman narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. “What’s it to you?” She snapped.

“I’m just… worried, I guess.” Tyson explained, “I’m Anshin’s homeroom teacher, and I haven’t heard from him for a month. Do you have any idea where he lives now?”

The woman slowly lowered her guard, but not too much. “If you’re so worried, why did it take you a month before you went to look for him?”

Now that was a response Tyson hadn’t seen coming. He stared at the woman with wide eyes, feeling incredibly guilty all of a sudden. “Anshin… often did things like this.” Tyson started to explain. “He would disappear for days on end, and re-appear again as if nothing happened. He wasn’t… an easy student. But as of late, things were getting better. At least, that’s how I saw it. I just… didn’t understand why he disappeared again, right when things were getting better.”

The woman seemed to simmer down. She could tell the man cared.

“I don’t know where they moved to.” The woman admitted softly. “But what I can tell you is

that the poor kid had no choice in the matter.”

Poor kid? Tyson crossed his arms in interest. No one had ever addressed Anshin like that before.

The woman continued, looking devastated all of a sudden. “He deserves a good life. God knows he suffered more than enough already.”

“Did you know him well?” Tyson asked quietly.

The woman shook her head in disgust. “No, but I knew his monstrous father. He loved to portray himself as a well-respected business man, who donated graciously to the community. But it was all a front; a mask to hide what was going on behind closed doors.”

Tyson listened with tightly buttoned lips, and a heavy feeling in his gut.

“Sometimes I heard them scream at each other.” The woman’s voice wobbled as she spoke, “One time, I glanced out of my bedroom window, and saw Anshin making a run for it. His father was on his heels, grabbed him by the throat, and dragged him back inside. It was days before I saw Anshin again. I… I really thought he was…” The woman couldn’t make herself say it.

Tyson listened with a thudding heart. He had no idea his student’s home life was anything like this. Guilt and concern and fear started to boil in his stomach. What else had he missed?

“What about his mother?” Tyson asked hopefully.

“There’s no mother.” The woman replied sadly. “She left when he was still a baby. It was just him and his father, cooped up in that old, nasty house.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?” Tyson blurted out suddenly, receiving a nasty look from the enraged neighbor.

“I did!” She snapped. “And you know what happened? They pulled up, were warmly invited inside by yours truly, and were offered some fancy scotch and cake. Moments later, they left the house, apologizing for the intrusion, and went on their merry way.”

The neighbor continued in a shaky voice. “That evening, Mr. Kurata stood on my porch. He threatened to poison my dog if I ever called the police on him again, and told me he’d let his son take the blame for it.” The woman turned teary eyes towards the teacher, who gaped at her in disbelief. “He… what??”

“He was a scary man.” The woman mumbled, wiping a stray tear from her cheeks. “He deserves to rot in hell.”

Tyson glanced at the house that caused his student so much grief. No one knew this had been going on. No had been there for him… “Do you think Anshin is safe right now?” He asked softly.

“No.” The reply came a bit too fast, making Tyson gulp nervously.

“What can we do?” The concerned teacher asked.

The neighbor sighed sadly. “There’s not much we can do, I’m afraid.”

Tyson munched on his lip for a moment, before giving the woman a considering look. “If I’d go to the police, would you be willing to go with me? You know, to give a statement?”

A shake of the head was his reply. “There’s nothing we can do.” She repeated.

“How about we-“

“-No, mister.” The woman interjected sternly. “Trust me on this, you don’t want this man to become your enemy.” She looked away for a moment, before giving the teacher one last piece of advice. “Stay out of it, for your own safety. Now, if you’d just excuse me, I’ve got somewhere to be.”

A stunned Tyson quietly watched as she unlocked an expensive looking car, got in, and drove away. He pursed his lips in frustration. There was no way he was going to let this go.

Anshin needed help. If no one was willing to give it, how was he ever going to get out of this mess?

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Tyson was too stubborn for his own good. He knew that. Or maybe… he just cared too much for his own good. Whatever it was, it landed him at the nearby police station, where, for the past three hours, he was told to sit and wait until the police chief was ready to have a chat with him. Someone had yet to come and get him.

Stretching stiff legs out in front of him, Tyson felt tempted to just get up and leave. But he wasn’t going to do that. Not when, moments ago, a strange woman told him one of his students was being…

He couldn’t even say it.

The thought alone made Tyson’s head spin. How many signs had he missed? Anshin was obviously a damaged child. But everyone assumed the kid simply had a big ego and anger management issues. No one suspected he was being… No one thought he was…

Tyson gulped as tears gathered in his eyes. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

“Mr. Kinomiya?” Tyson’s head jerked up at an old police officer who had just entered the waiting area, a file folder shoved under his armpit. “Please follow me.”

Tyson eagerly jumped to his feet, and followed the older man to his booth. The file was carelessly thrown onto the desk, before the officer lowered himself in his seat, and gestured Tyson to take the other one.

“What can I do for you today, Mr. Kinomiya?” The officer asked the teacher, who glanced at the file that lay on the desk. “I… uh… I’m here concerning one of my students. I wrote it all down, like I was instructed to.”

The police officer gave the folder a bored look. “Yes, well, we appreciate it, sir.” By his tone of voice, Tyson found that very hard to believe.

The officer sighed, and opened the folder. He read Tyson’s statement out loud; “I teach at Bakuten High, and Kurata Anshin is in my homeroom class. For the past month he’s hasn’t shown up at school. It seems he has moved town, without notifying anybody. We don’t know where he lives now. There wasn’t any form of communication from either him nor his parents, which concerns me. I’ve been told by his previous neighbor that he was mistreated by his father. Previous attempts to have the police involved, were in vain.” The police officer gave the teacher a stern look. “That’s a bold statement to make, sir.”

“I’m aware of that.” Tyson said sternly. “But we need to act this time, my student might be in danger.”

“By whom? Mr. Kurata?” The officer checked.

Tyson nodded. “Yes, his father. He’s-“

“-An influential figure.” The officer interrupted, giving the younger man a hard glare. “One of which we have no intention of taking in. Not without evidence.”

“But-“

“Do you have any prove of misconduct, Mr. Kinomiya?”

“No, but-“

“Then there’s nothing we can do for you.”

The two men made intense eye-contact for a moment. “I won’t leave until you’ve looked into it, at least.” Tyson objected, crossing his arms defiantly.

The police officer’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are you refusing to leave the premises, sir?”

Tyson’s arms faltered slightly. “No, I’m just-“

“Then leave.”

Tyson narrowed his eyes in anger, but at the same time, he felt overcome with sadness. Is this the justice his troubled student would get? They were just… letting it slide? Just like that? Who knows where he is now. Who knows what his father is doing to him.

Licking his lips nervously, Tyson made one last attempt. “Can we just-“

“No.” The police officer rose from his seat, before jabbing a sharp finger towards the door. “Good day, Mr. Kinomiya.”

Tyson scoffed as he pushed himself to his feet. Good day. Right.

His legs felt heavy as he trudged out of the police station, defeated. For the first time in his life, he had no clue what to do. Where could he turn? The school’s principle? No, he hated the kid, there was no way he’d be of any help in this matter.

As Tyson made his way towards his car, he wasn’t aware of another figure passing him towards the entrance of the police station. It was an old lady, who spun on her heel when she realized who she had just passed.

“You!” She exclaimed, making Tyson jump and turn around in surprise.

Tyson widened his eyes at her. It was Anshin’s neighbor! “You!” He replied in a similar fashion.

The two stared at each other for a moment, both connecting the dots on why the other was here. “You… you came?” Tyson asked carefully. He remembered her fierce denial when he suggested to get the police involved.

The lady sighed, looking much older than before, strangely. There was an obvious weight on her shoulders, and by the looks of it, she wanted to get rid of it.

“You were right.” She mumbled tiredly, giving the young teacher a soft look. “You were right, and I just didn’t want to see it.”

Tyson stayed silent, giving the woman a moment to collect her thoughts. “I need to do this.” She said firmly. “I owe it to the boy. After everything that happened…”

A sense of gratitude washed over Tyson. If anyone could make an impact, it was this woman. “Thank you for coming.” He said with a polite bow.

“I’m not doing it for you.” The woman huffed as she stalked away. “I’m doing it for Anshin.”

Tyson smirked as he watched her stomp her way into the police station. His smirk fell however when she turned around and snapped at him, “What, you’re just going to stand there?!”

Not needing to be told twice, Tyson bolted in after her.

The police chief was notoriously stubborn, but not as stubborn as the old lady. To Tyson’s intense relief and horror, she had accumulated pieces of evidence of what had taken place in the Kurata household during the years she had lived next to them. Photographs of Anshin waving at her with obvious bruises on his arm were presented to the police chief, as well as security footage of Anshin limping away from his home, with a drunken man close on his heels. Tyson had never actually met the boy’s father, and was disgusted to see him, chasing after his son like it was some sort of game. The more pieces of evidence the lady threw on the table, the more Tyson felt himself go numb with disbelief and sadness.

He felt like a horrible teacher.

The police chief had simmered down considerably, and took a good look at the photographs and video footage. It wasn’t nearly enough to span the entirety of what was Anshin’s life, but it was enough for the police department to take a deep dive and figure things out.

And so they did.

After a lengthy conversation with the police chief, the old lady and Tyson parted ways, and returned to their respective homes.

The moment Tyson pulled up at his own, his phone rang. It was a female police officer, who gave him the good news that the Kurata family had been found. They had moved to Osaka, and started a new life there. Although, by the sounds of it, it wasn’t a good life. At least not for Anshin. The moment Osaka police barged into the Kurata home, Anshin needed medical attention because his father had poured boiling hot water on him. Tyson shuddered at the thought. How could anyone be so cruel??

The father, thankfully, had been arrested the moment they traced his location, which was in a convenience store nearby. He would face a long and tedious trial, all thanks to the pieces of evidence his old neighbor had provided. Tyson wasn’t a religious man, but he blessed the heavens for her involvement in the matter. If it wasn’t for her, who knew what would’ve happened?

Fortunately, Anshin’s injuries were minor, and after a brief visit to the emergency room, plans were arranged to get him transferred to the care of his mother’s sister, who, apparently, had fought many years to get custody over him. Finally, she would see her nephew again, and everyone had high hopes he would finally have a home where he could grow up safely.

Tyson couldn’t keep the tears at bay as he sat in his car, his phone on speaker. The police officer on the other end had a professional, but cheery tone to her voice. “You did well, sir. The boy’s going to be fine, I’m sure.”

A shuddering sigh left Tyson’s mouth. He was exhausted, but so so relieved. And yet, he was also angry. Not just at Anshin’s pathetic excuse of a father, but also at himself. The signs had been so clear, if only he had paid more attention. He should’ve known better.

“Sir?” The kind police officer sounded worried at his lengthy silence.

“Still here.” Tyson mumbled, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry, I’m relieved to hear you caught the bastard, but…” He bit his lip in anger. “I can’t help but wonder why no one knew. Why no one helped Anshin before. Why didn’t I see it before??”

“Ah, well…” The woman started sympathetically, “It’s very understandable you feel that way, sir. But you’ve got to understand that we see this all the time.”

Tyson frowned at his phone, not quite understanding what she meant.

The officer continued, “It’s always the silent and feral types that hide the most pain. It’s… just like dogs. The ones that are abused are the ones that lash out. We perceive it as anger, but in reality, it’s just fear.”

Tyson nodded slowly, seeing her point. His uncle used to have a dog like that. It used to be a stray, until his family adopted him. No one understood why they did it; the scruffy canine was an absolute menace. He would growl and snap at anyone who came too close. Everyone used to despise the dog, thinking he was too aggressive and dangerous to be around. But the dog’s owner would explain it with a simple, ‘He’s just scared.’

Tyson ran a hand over his face, feeling too drained to do anything but stare at the air in front of his nose. He had to ask though, “Why didn’t he ask for help? He could’ve trusted me...”

The police officer kindly replied, “Kids like that, trust no one… The safest place a child can be, is within their home. If that place isn’t safe, nothing is. The entire world becomes a threat to them. And so, in order to protect themselves, they’ll either show indifference or anger. It’ll keep people away.”

“Even me?” Tyson asked softly.

“Even you, yes.”

Tyson sighed in silent despair. Today was just… too much for his kind, and unexpectedly naïve, heart to handle. He needed a lot of time to process everything he learned today.

He decided to ask the police officer one last favor before hanging up. “Can you pass on a message to Anshin from me?”

“Of course!”

“Tell him… I’m proud of him. Oh! And that he has been granted a scholarship at the T.S.I.”

“Ohh the T.S.I.! That’s great! My brother studied there, it’s a great school.” She exclaimed, scribbling things down.

“They called me.” Tyson explained, unsure on why he felt the need to do so, “Apparently, Anshin had listed me as his official guardian.”

“Hold up - he listed you as his guardian?”

“Yeah!”

A brief moment of silence passed between them, before Tyson realized something crucial. “That was intentional, wasn’t it?”

“Perhaps…” The woman replied thoughtfully. “He must’ve known they would call you.”

“… And that I would be confused. And slightly suspicious.” Tyson added.

“Exactly…”

“Maybe it was his way of asking for help!” Tyson blurted out, suddenly wide awake.

The police officer hummed in agreement, before her soft voice filled both his car and his heart,

“Maybe he trusted you, after all…”

That night, Tyson was wide awake. The day had drained every ounce of his energy, and yet… he couldn’t sleep.

Too much had happened. Too many doors had opened that should’ve stayed closed. Too many horrors had become reality.

As much as Tyson hated himself for not seeing things sooner, he also knew that Anshin had mastered his act on keeping people away. He had worn his confidence and arrogance like a mask. Or perhaps… a shield.

‘In order to protect themselves, they’ll either show indifference or anger.’ The police officer’s words floated through his head.

Tyson sighed sadly as he recalled the way Anshin interacted with the world around him.

‘The ones that are abused are the ones that lash out.’

The way he intimidated his classmates and teachers alike… Did he want everyone to hate him?

‘It’ll keep people away.’

The way he would growl whenever someone got too close to him…

‘We perceive it as anger, but in reality, it’s just fear.’

The way he would silently observe the world, through scrutinizing, angry eyes…

‘It’s always the silent and feral types that hide the most pain.’

Suddenly, and without warning, another memory popped up. His wife’s voice echoed through his skull.

‘The grouchy, arrogant jackass? The strong and silent type that keeps people at a distance? Doesn’t that ring any bells??’

Tyson’s breathing started picking up as his brain started to connect a small dot somewhere. It was barely there, like a tiny seed that had been freshly planted in dry, unsuspecting soil.

‘What – No… Noo way. Anshin and Kai are nothing alike.’ Tyson remembered himself say.

‘They totally are!’ His wife had objected. 

Tyson felt a strange sensation in his chest, like greedy fingers were tickling his ribcage.

Another random memory joined the previous one.

‘Oh! So they ARE the same, huh?’

Again, the police officer’s words made an appearance, ‘It’s always the silent and feral types that hide the most pain.”

Tyson swallowed heavily. His brain was connecting dots he wasn’t ready to see.

‘They’ll either show indifference or anger. It’ll keep people away.’

The lines started to blur. Tyson wasn’t sure whether he was thinking about Anshin or Kai at this point.

‘The ones that are abused are the ones that lash out.’

Tyson’s eyes started to blur as well.

‘We perceive it as anger, but in reality, it’s just fear.’

“Tyson?” A quiet voice floated through his chaotic and jumbled thoughts. Tyson inhaled sharply, before glancing at his wife, who had pushed herself on her elbows.

“Wha’s going on?” She asked sleepily.

“Nothing.” Tyson said shakily. “Go back to sleep, honey.”

“Don’t give me that.” Hilary scowled, before relaxing her face into one of concern. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry…”

“Am not!” Tyson defended childishly. “I just… can’t sleep.”

Hilary placed a gentle hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Whatever it is… you can tell me.”

Tyson’s eyes filled up, unable to resist her kind words. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to talk about what happened. Staying quiet throughout dinner, pretending nothing had happened… it had been hell for him. He didn’t want to bother his family with this, though. Hilary had always warned him not to get too close to his students. That specific one, in particular.

Tyson inhaled shakily. He wanted to offload his chest, but didn’t know where or how to begin. His wife remained quiet, simply watching over him and offering non-verbal support. Feeling encouraged by her kind, loving expression, he started to tell her everything. The call he received from the T.S.I… The trip to the Kurata family home… The run-in with the strange, old lady… The uncooperative police chief… And finally, the pieces of evidence that landed Anshin in the emergency room, and his father in jail.

Hilary listened with an open mouth. Her eyes brimmed at first, but it didn’t take long for the tears to run down her cheeks. Even though she had never met Anshin in person, her heart broke for him.

“You did well.” She choked out, rubbing her husband’s arm. “Thank god he’s safe now…”

“Yeah…” Tyson gave her a small, wet smile. “He’s safe.”

Hilary studied her husband’s expression. For a man who had potentially just saved a boy’s life, he didn’t look too relieved. In fact, he looked troubled and slightly… scared?

“What’s going on?” Hilary sniffled softly.

Tyson looked into her brown eyes. Both of them were sniffling at this point, but neither of them cared about that.

“I was just thinking about… about what you said.”

“What did I say?” Hilary asked in concern. Whatever it was, she hadn’t meant to upset her husband like this.

“You know… about Kai…”

A few silent minutes passed as husband and wife shared long, unwavering eye-contact. Hilary’s mind was racing. She knew what her husband was referring to, but given the context…

Much like her husband, her brain wasn’t willing to connect the dots.

“I said they were the same.” Hilary whispered.

Tyson nodded, dreading to say the words out loud, “What if… they’re the same in this aspect as well?”

Guilt crashed into Hilary like a crumbling, brick wall. “Oh honey…” She scooted closer to him. “When I said Anshin reminded me of Kai, I didn’t mean it like that...!"

“No, but you were right.” Tyson said sadly. “They do have a lot in common. And think about it… Kai’s childhood was anything but lovely-dovely.”

Hilary leaned her cheeks in her hands, giving her husband a soft look. “You never told me about that.”

“Didn’t I?” Tyson frowned, unable to dredge up memories from so long ago. “Well, I don’t know everything. But what I do know, is that Kai grew up in Russia, in some creepy place called ‘The Abbey’.”

Hilary’s head pricked up in surprise. “Wait - Russia?? Kai’s Russian??”

Tyson looked at her strangely, “Yeah… he’s half Russian, half Japanese. You didn’t know about that?”

“Apparently, I know nothing.” Hilary said with a soft laugh, waving his confusion away. “Go on.”

Tyson chuckled shortly, before continuing his tale of his mysterious, childhood friend. “As I was saying, we were in Russia during the world championships, and at some point, we ended up visiting The Abbey. We thought it was some sort of Beyblade training center, but it was… it was a very strange place. It was this huge, old building, and there were lots of kids there, but they seemed… out of it. Like they were military trained, or brainwashed. They weren’t kids anymore, if you know what I mean…”

“Sounds creepy…” Hilary mumbled, concerned. “And that’s where Kai grew up?”

“Yeah, weird right?” Tyson needed a moment for his mind to remember everything. There were a lot of memories to dig up, but they were slow to resurface. Hilary waited, patiently. Despite being a solid member of the team for years, she had never really known Kai. Not really. She had always assumed the guys didn’t either, but apparently, they knew more than they let on. They just never talked about it.

But for the first time, Tyson was going to talk. “The strangest thing happened when we visited Russia.” He said. “Up until that point, Kai didn’t seem to remember he used to live there. His memories… there was something going on with his memories. But when we visited The Abbey, he seemed to remember things. And then, things started getting really dark.”

Hilary’s brows drew together.

Tyson continued, “Kai had always been obsessed with power. Being the strongest, the toughest, the meanest… And now, some creepy man offered him the ultimate tool of power; Black Dranzer.”

“Oh! I remember that one! Kenny told me about that once. It drove Kai a little crazy, right?” Hilary asked, completely alert at this point.

“He went more than a little crazy, honey.” Tyson sighed. “He went after his friends, and betrayed each and every one of us to get what he wanted. He wiped the floor with us. All of us.” Tyson lowered his voice, biting out a soft, “Idiot.”

Hilary cocked her head at Tyson’s words. “Are you still mad at him about that?"

Tyson glanced at her, giving it some thought. “Honestly? No. But at the time, we were absolutely appalled by what he was doing. We had no idea we meant so little to him. Power was all he cared about.”

Hilary watched as her husband relaxed against the pillows, getting a bit more comfortable. “It wasn’t his fault though.” Tyson started, “The Abbey belonged to Voltaire Hiwatari; Kai’s grandfather. He was a crazy man who wanted to rule the world… and tried to use Kai to get there.”

“Rule the world?” Hilary repeated in subtle disbelief. “You make it sound like he was some sort of cheesy movie villain.”

Despite the fact that their conversation wasn’t comical in any way, Tyson huffed out a laugh. “In a way, he was.”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Tyson gazed at the ceiling, feeling sleepy all of a sudden. But the vision of his distant, grouchy, childhood friend kept him from claiming it. He needed to figure this out first. He needed to know…

“I think Kai’s upbringing was much more serious than we realized.” Tyson admitted with a thick voice. He hated the thought of it, but he had to speak his mind here. “Maybe… he was just really good at hiding it from us.”

“Why would he do that?” Hilary asked her thoughtful husband. “I mean, Kai wasn’t one who struggled to express himself. If anything, he seemed a bit too transparent on how he was feeling sometimes.”

Tyson nodded slowly, unable to disagree with that statement. Kai rarely spoke, but when he did, it was painfully honest. Usually to insult someone, or sneer at people. Yet… Tyson couldn’t shake of the feeling that he was hiding something from them. His true personality, maybe? His past?

“You’re worried about him.” Hilary observed quietly, regaining her husband’s attention. After a slight hesitation, he nodded, slowly.

Hilary pressed her lips into a thin line, taking some time to think things through.

“The reunion’s coming up soon. Why not discuss it with the guys? They know Kai better than I do.” She suggested.

Tyson sighed, before giving his wife a sad smile. “Honestly, I think none of us really do...”

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

A frog. A crane. A lotus flower. A hat.

For the past thirty-five minutes, Tyson had origami-ed his napkin in various shapes and figures, until the folds were all over the place and the only figure he could make, was a dying swan.

With his palm, Tyson flattened the poor creature onto the table top, before taking a large gulp of the tea he had ordered. He directed his glance outside, impatiently eager to see a familiar face amongst the passerby’s.

Year after year, the former Bladebreakers always met up at the same restaurant. As it was a small, family-owned business, the staff knew exactly who they were and what they needed to have a great time. They always made sure to have their booth ready.

Despite being a group of five, the table usually had three chairs waiting. It was customary for Max and Ray, who lived in the USA and China respectfully, to join the group through a video call on Kenny’s laptop. The only ones who needed an actual chair were Tyson himself, and Kenny. The third seat, located at the head of the table, had started as a hopeful symbol for Kai to miraculously appear, but over the years the empty chair became a running gag. They’d crack jokes on how ‘quiet Kai is, as per usual’, and how he ‘looks a bit stiff’ and how he should ‘let loose a little’. Year in, year out, the puns at Kai’s expense grew, and at some point they even ordered the empty chair a drink to toast with.

Today, Tyson wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

He shoved his uneasiness aside when a familiar, lanky frame entered the restaurant. Out of all of them, Kenny had changed the most. He still had his wild, brown hairdo, hiding his eyes partially from view. Also, he still had the thick glasses perched on his nose, as well as the dress-shirt and tie. But he had grown into a tall man, with a whole lot more self-confidence.

“Heya chief!” Tyson greeted his friend with a wide smile.

“Hi there!” Kenny grinned as he strolled towards their booth. Since Tyson and Kenny still lived in the same city, they hung out occasionally. But the yearly reunions were always a highlight for the both of them. It was the one time in the year where they were all present. Well… sorta.

Kenny patted the empty seat on the back. “Well hello, Kai! You haven’t changed a bit since I last saw you.” The young man joked, before moving over to his best friend, who chuckled in good humor. The two of them fist-bumped each other, before Kenny seated himself next to Tyson.

Kenny’s laptop was quick to make an appearance, and in no-time, two familiar faces popped on the screen.

“Heyyy guys!” Came Max’s happy voice over the laptop’s speakers. Despite having grown into a 34-year-old man like the rest of them, he still carried a sense of youthfulness with him. He had always been like that, and everyone believed it’d would remain that way until he died. He still had his blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and a wide, excited smile on his face.

Ever since retiring from the Bladebreakers, Max started working at his mother’s company in New York, as a researcher.

“Hi guys!” Ray smiled, his eyes twinkling. His hair was shorter than in his younger days, but there were still dark bangs decorating his face, which had grown more robust. He obviously worked out a lot. Or perhaps it was his job as a professional chef that made him bulk up a little.

Tyson and Kenny waved at them, smiling from ear to ear.

“I’d like to propose a toast!” Max said, holding up a glass of coke for all to see.

Ray smiled, holding up a glass of tea. Tyson also raised his, while Kenny shrieked in mock-panic, “Hold on, hold on! I haven’t ordered my drink yet!”

With a small hand-signal to the nearby waiter, a cup of coffee was soon delivered at their table, along with a glass of cheap wine at the empty chair.

“Alright, we’re set.” Kenny grinned playfully, holding his coffee cup in front of the webcam.

“What about Kai?” Max giggled, “He all set too?”

Kenny laughed, turning his laptop around to show them the empty chair with its glass of wine. “Kai’s all set too.”

“Good good.” Came Max’s amused approval.

After the laptop was turned back into Tyson’s and Kenny’s vision, they all raised their glasses.

“TO THE BLADEBREAKERS!”

Tyson grinned, before taking a sip from his tea. It always felt good to be together like this. He missed his friends just as much as he missed the days were everyone would spend the night at his dojo. Training together, eating together... It was days like these where Tyson felt complete.

After the initial bit of small talk, where everyone asked each other how they and their families were doing, Tyson decided to ask the question that was burning on his tongue.

“Has anyone heard anything from Kai?”

It stayed silent for a couple of seconds, before Max jokingly replied, “What do you think?”

Tyson shrugged, feigning indifference. “I was just wondering…”

Ray sighed as he relaxed back in his chair. “Honestly, I’ve given up on him. We’ve sent him numerous messages and emails, and I even send a letter to his office. Quite frankly, I’m done with the whole ‘begging for a reply’ thing.”

Max nodded sternly. “He obviously wants nothing to do with us.”

“Yeah, either that, or he’s too busy being a freaking energy tycoon.” Kenny mumbled, unable to keep the hint of jealousy out of his tone. “Although being busy is no excuse to ghost your friends for, what, 15 years.”

“Agreed.” Max said.

“Besides,” Kenny started, “Even if he were here, he would probably just ignore us. Might as well use his chair for that.”

Max and Ray burst out laughing at that, whilst Kenny chuckled at his own joke.

It wasn’t until their laughter died down, that they realized their usually cheerful friend hadn’t joined in. Ray leaned closer towards his screen, somehow hoping he’d be able to get a clearer view on the silent, dark-haired man who seemed to be fiddling with his napkin.

“Tyson, are you okay? You’re really quiet.”

Tyson looked up in surprise, scratching his head with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, I… I was just thinking.”

Max’s giggle floated through the speakers. “Must’ve been a deep thought, buddy. Care to share it with the class?”

Tyson glanced at the two bemused faces on Kenny’s laptop, before looking at Kenny himself. “I’m just… Isn’t it weird we haven’t heard from Kai for so long?”

Ray cocked his head in curiosity, obviously wondering why Tyson was bringing this up. “Well, if it were any of you guys, it certainly would.” The Chinese man mused. “But Kai? He’s always been like this. Even before he became a wealthy CEO, he always placed himself above anyone else.”

“Yeah…” Kenny huffed, “He has never been the one to kindly accept or decline an invitation. He goes around as he pleases. It’s always been like that.”

“I know, guys… But still…” Tyson sighed, before looking at each of them in turn. “When did you last seen or heard anything from him? Like, really?”

“Uhhh…” Ray squinted his face, as he dug deep in his memories. “I read something about him somewhere… Maybe in a newspaper?”

“When was this?”

“Jeez Tyson, I don’t remember. Last year? The year before that? I don’t know.”

The former world champion didn’t seem satisfied with that answer. “What about you, Max? Kenny?”

Max rubbed his chin, “I’m pretty sure he was featured in a gossip magazine, a couple of years ago.”

Kenny almost choked on his drink. “A gossip magazine?? Since when do you read that kind of stuff??”

Max chuckled. “I think I was flipping through one at the dentist’s office. It was a huge article, that, I remember. There were, like, six pages dedicated to Kai’s relationship with Selene Sable.”

Now it was Tyson’s turn to choke on his drink. “Selene Sable??”

“The actress?!” Kenny squeaked, unable to hide the vivid blush that crept along his cheeks.

Max grinned knowingly, “Yep, that one.”

Tyson shook his head in both disbelief and awe. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Kai was a celebrity in his own right, who, like many famous people, dated other celebrities. None of them had expected him to hook up with an A-list movie star however.

“Wow…” Ray scratched his cheek, amazed to learn about Kai’s love life. Speaking of which… “Hold on - wasn’t Kai married? And had a kid?”

“Uhuh.” Max nodded. “He’s been married for a couple of years, with… Eve? I believe her name was.”

Tyson nodded, suddenly remembering. “Yeah, Eve Barlowe. And their son Gou. He’s about the same age as Makato.”

“Right!” Ray nodded. These names sounded familiar.

“Guess their marriage didn’t last…” Tyson murmured.

“Guess not.” Max said with a shrug. “At least he found himself another lady.”

Tyson let out a low whistle. “And what kind of lady… damn.”

“Well, whatever it was, it was short-lived.” Kenny remarked dryly, who obviously couldn’t resist looking it up online. “Selene and Kai only dated for a year.”

Curious, Tyson leaned towards the screen. It was strange to see Kai, of all people, dating someone. When it came to the model-like CEO, there rarely was a shortage of admirers. Nevertheless, the affectionate and flirty advances were never acknowledged, let alone returned. It had always been like that, even when they were younger. Fangirls were always blatantly ignored, and at some point, the majority of professional bladers as well as their fans wondered the same thing; was the stoic Bladebreaker even capable of finding love?

Apparently, many years later, he was. And from all the woman he could choose, he chose the one everyone wanted to have.

In the picture, Selene Sable looked as stunning as ever. A long, well-fitted red dress hugged her petit frame, and her signature hair, platinum blonde and perfectly waved, framed her face like she’d just stepped out of a vintage 1950’s movie. Perfect white teeth flashed from between her plump, dark red lips, and her steel grey eyes were slanted in quiet amusement. Despite walking on 4-inch heels, her charming face was barely at shoulder level of the towering presence beside her.

Kai Hiwatari’s posture was as precise as his reputation; upright, deliberate, and unapologetically confident. The razor-sharp slate suit fitted like it was stitched straight onto him. No tie. A crisp white dress-shirt unbuttoned just enough to say he didn’t care what anyone thought of him. He had a short-shaven, well-maintained beard, which was, unsurprisingly, as grey as the hair on his head. The latter being much shorter than in his younger days, although his silvery locks were long enough to be sculpted upward, creating a semi-mohawk, while the blue part was cut short, combed back. Much like all of his fashion choices, his hairdo seemed to have cost a fortune.

Kai’s face was as unreadable as always. Sculpted, composed, with his unusually sharp, angular eyes rivalling the color of his lady’s dress. They were shadowed beneath expensive sunglasses, fixed calmly on the crowd as Selene clung to his arm, laughing. The way people laugh when they want the world to know how effortless everything is.

Kai didn’t smile. He didn’t need to. The quiet, polished strength in his stance said it all.

Amused, Tyson read the text underneath the photograph out loud;

“Move over, royalty; the Ice Queen and Fire King are in town.

Last Friday, reclusive energy magnate Kai Hiwatari was spotted with none other than glamorous screen goddess Selene Sable, outside LA’s prestigious Vola Lounge.

The pair arrived separately (nice try, Kai!) but left together, igniting rumors that the steely-eyed CEO and the sultry actress are more than just casual acquaintances.

Sources inside the lounge claim the two were “magnetically locked in conversation” for hours, with Selene laughing at everything Kai said, which is impressive, considering his reputation for being emotionally colder than a walk-in freezer.”

Here, Tyson and the others burst out in laughter. Whoever wrote the article, knew Kai well.

Ray wiped his eyes as the seemingly endless laughter slowly left his body. “That’s so good!”

Max grinned widely. “Ol’ sourpuss isn’t fooling anyone.”

Tyson shook his head with a chuckle. “Nope. Too bad it only lasted a year.” He turned to Kenny, “When was this published?”

“Uhh, five years ago, give or take.” Kenny answered.

Ray turned a bit more serious, finding Tyson’s line of questioning confusing. “Why do you want to know all of this, Tyson? Did something happen that we need to know about?”

Tyson leaned a bit closer to the laptop, so that he could lower his voice. The tables surrounding them were filling up fast; he didn’t want his words to fall into the wrong hands. Or ears, in this case.

“Kai’s one of the most influential people on our planet right now.” Tyson started softly. “His invention to use Beyblade technology to create an all-natural energy source has taken over the world and is saving third world countries as we speak. And yet, we never see his face anywhere. For the past few years, I’ve seen no pictures of him, no appearances in interviews or press releases. Whenever his company has something to share, it’s a bunch of fancy people with fancy suits that do the talking. Where’s Kai in all of this??”

“I’ve given this some thought as well.” Kenny piped up an equally soft voice. “You know what I think? I bet it’s a publicity stunt. A very smart one, mind you.” Both he and Tyson huddled even closer to the laptop, before the chief continued to explain, “People always want what they can’t have. By withholding Kai’s face from the media, he’s the most sought-after celebrity which will only boost the public’s interest in his company. A picture of him is worth thousands.”

Ray gasped, “Wow, really?”

“Yeah…” Kenny affirmed. “And that’s just a picture. Imagine how much a couple of seconds of video footage is worth.”

Tyson munched at his lower lip, thinking it over. What the chief was saying made sense, but still… Something gnawed at him. He wasn’t sure what it was. He just wanted to see if… if Kai was doing okay. But how was he going to do that, when the man in question was nowhere to be found?

“Tyson…” A soft voice snapped his attention back to the laptop in front of him. Max looked back at him in slight concern. “What’s going on?”

Tyson looked down as he, once again, fiddled with his napkin. He struggled with where to begin. Perhaps… at the beginning?

“I… uhm… Something happened… at work.”

The three faces of his friends portrayed various levels of concern. Max was the first to ask, “… What happened?”

Tyson took a deep breath, before leaning back in his chair. “It’s… uhm… There’s this kid… He’s in my homeroom class. Or used to be, at least… He moved away. Anyway… he was a pain in all of our collective asses. All the teachers complained about him, and everyone wanted to get rid of him.”

“Sounds like a tough kid.” Max murmured, “But it’s not the first time you’ve had trouble-makers in your class, right?”

“Right... But this kid...” Tyson clenched his jaws, his face confronting with sadness and shame. “It turned out we all misunderstood him. We didn’t know he was being… abused… at home.”

A collective gasp was heard.

"Everyone hated the kid.” Tyson said sadly. “Honestly, he tested my patience too. Numerous of times. He had a big mouth, anger management issues, and was a rude, arrogant prick.” The former world champion fell silent for a while. His friends too, as they waited patiently for him to continue.

“Now that I know about his upbringing… I think he did it on purpose.” Tyson mumbled sadly. “Maybe he tried to keep people away from him, so they couldn’t see he was hurt, mentally and physically. And the best way to keep people away, is to be difficult in any shape or form. I think that’s why he was so arrogant and cold and distant.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Tyson...” Ray’s sympathetic voice floated through the laptop. “Where is he now? Is he okay?”

“He’s staying with his aunt. He’s in good hands, I think.” Tyson sighed. “His father got arrested. He was the one who…” He trailed off, not wanting to say it. As a father himself, he just couldn’t imagine hurting his own child, or any child for that matter.

Max gave his friend a sympathetic smile. “Man, I gotta say, it’s a good thing the truth came to light, huh…”

“Yeah, I’m sure he’ll do much better now that he’s in a safe place.” Kenny added hopefully.

No one understood why Tyson still looked so glum.

Tyson looked at them intently. “Does… does he remind you of someone?”

Ray was the only one who nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. Max and Kenny however, appeared to be clueless.

“Arrogant. Cold. Rude. A little scary...” Tyson listed off his trouble student’s qualities, looking at each friend in turn. “Keeping people at a distance at all costs…”

Ray exhaled sharply. “Kai.”

The guys were quiet.

After a minute or so, Kenny piped up, “Hold on… Are you suggesting Kai had the same issues as your student?”

“Honestly, I dunno.” Tyson sighed, flopping back in his chair. “I can’t help but think; what if he was struggling too? And we just… ignored it? Calling him a wet blanket, and criticizing him for keeping his distance from us… What if he was just… scared?”

Kenny was quick to choke out a laugh, “Wha- Kai? Scared?? No freaking way!” Kenny gave his friend an incredulous look, before blurting, “If anything, we had to be scared of him!”

“Yeah Tyson…” Max mumbled carefully, “I mean… no offense buddy, but I think you’re remembering him a little differently than we do.”

Ray nodded in agreement. “Kai definitely was a loner. A troubled one? Sure. Moody? Absolutely. Problems with authority? Big yes. But scared? That I can’t believe.”

“Maybe ‘scared’ isn’t the right word here.” Tyson thought out loud. “Maybe his standoffish attitude was a self-protecting mechanism, you know?”

Max frowned. “Protecting from what? Us?”

Tyson shrugged, unsure. “I mean, maybe?”

An uncomfortable silence hung over the table.

Ray, always the voice of reason, spoke up first, “I can imagine the whole ordeal with your student has rattled you and everything you used to believe, Tyson… But I don’t think Kai went through the same thing. He never gave me the impression he had a damaging childhood.”

Tyson didn’t dare to look at his friends, as he mumbled, “What about The Abbey?”

Kenny couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through his frame. “I remember that place. It creeped me out!”

“Me too…” Max mused, “I knew it was a bad place the moment we set foot in there.”

“Exactly.” Tyson muttered. “And that’s where Kai grew up, guys… Do you remember that creep Boris? And Voltaire? There was that time where Kai confronted his grandfather at the world championships, remember? If I recall correctly he was yelling at the man. Yelling. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kai so mad at someone before… Growing up with someone like that… – someone who doesn’t care about you, other than your power… that’s not a normal is it?”

“I never said Kai had a normal upbringing, Tyson.” Ray argued back, “All I’m saying is that he was a strong, stubborn, and confident kid. If he had been hurt, or scared, or uncomfortable, we would’ve known.”

Tyson felt his jaws clench at those words. “I didn’t know my student was being abused.” He bit out, silencing his friends once more. They all looked away, showcasing various emotions on their faces.

On one side, they couldn’t deny the claims Tyson was making. On the other… they just… didn’t want to.

The former world champion stared at his friends with quiet determination. He hoped they could see his side of things. Maybe together, they could figure things out.

If only they could figure out where to look.

“Chief...” Tyson softly addressed the man sitting next to him, “Can you and Dizzy look for Kai again?”

Kenny looked taken aback by the request. "I've looked for him before, remember? Without any results..."

“Can you do another search?” Tyson insisted. “Maybe there are places we haven’t looked yet.”

Kenny pursed his lips, feeling slightly insulted by his friend’s words. Of course he’s looked everywhere! Although… if he were completely honest with himself, he hadn’t been too keen on finding his ex-captain. Not until now, at least. The two of them had never really gotten along, but that didn’t mean he wanted Kai to struggle. Or be alone.

“Fine.” Kenny relented with a sigh. “Last time I looked he lived in the States, in the Los Angeles area. I’ll widen my search a bit.”

“I’ve got friends in LA.” Max piped up. “I will ask around, maybe someone knows something.”

Tyson smiled in gratitude. “Thanks, guys…”

Ray nodded with a grim look on his face. “Yeah guys, thanks. I hope you’ll be able to find him this time.”

“Me too…” Max said.

One week later...

As much as Makato tried to focus on his Kendo training, it was hard to do so when his father was sitting on the roof, hammering away like his life depended on it.

Nevertheless, Makato tried to tune out the noise, in order to feel the wooden blade in his hand, and take carefully curated steps on the matted dojo floor. Kendo was like a dance; there’s a rhythm to be followed, and every part of the body needs to be aligned to do so. A loud thumb above him, followed by a curse, startled the thirteen-year-old, breaking his focus. The wooden sword clattered to the floor, but not before landing on the boy’s toes. With a yelp, he jumped away, clutching his foot in silent agony.

With an angry growl, Makato glared at the ceiling, as if the wooden structure was to blame for his troubles. In a way, it was. Ever since the place started leaking like a colander, his father had been in a noticeably darker mood. Apparently, it wasn’t an easy fix, and it was taking a big chunk of his old man’s time. In between his job and looking after his family, the man spent each and every weekend on the dojo roof, trying to fix leaks that kept growing in number and size.

To make matters worse, Hilary and Tyson started to clash more often than before. The state of their home was taking a toll on their marriage. At some point, Hilary carefully proposed to put the dojo up for sale. After all, aside from a handful of rooms, it wasn’t a safe place to live anymore, and they simply couldn’t afford getting it fixed. Obviously, Tyson wasn’t supportive of this idea. At least, not at first. But after a few more days on the roof, he realized he couldn’t keep this up. He just… wasn’t ready to make the decision yet. And so, the two of them started saving money to get the dojo fixed. Makato could only hope they would win a lottery or something. He never said it aloud, but he highly doubted his parents would gain the funds needed to save their home.

Considering his training session to be over, Makato wandered to the other side of the grand kendo room, to store away his gear. While doing so, his eyes fell on the glass display, standing next to the door. The cabinet was filled with trophies, medals, and framed pictures. Makato casually strolled towards it, admiring his father’s achievements. As much as he disliked his father’s tendencies to brag about all the battles and championships he’d won, it wouldn’t be fair to say he didn’t deserve the praise. Makato smirked slightly at one of the photographs. His father used to look super goofy. He must’ve been no older than fourteen in the picture. The other Bladebreakers surrounded him, looking victorious in their own right.

With a smile, Makato grabbed his clean set of clothes, and exited the room.

After a refreshing shower, the dark-haired boy wandered outside to sit on the patio. Despite his annoyance at the poor state of his home, Makato was very fond of it. He especially loved the traditional Japanese gardens his grandfather worked hard to sustain. He loved to just sit there, close his eyes, and listen.

Ignoring his father’s ongoing attempts on the dojo roof, Makato inhaled deeply and let his lungs deflate naturally. He listened to the trickling water, the wind that tickled the leaves, and the occasional bird song. It deeply relaxed him, as it always did. His fellow classmates would sometimes tease him about the fact he loved to meditate, but honestly, it was their loss, not his. His grandfather might be a strange ‘geezer’ but he taught him well.

A distant sound infiltrated Makato’s mind. The sound of footsteps. Running.

Opening his eyes, Makato turned to gaze at the gate. It was still open at this hour; a silent invitation for anyone to enter, no matter the occasion.

When a familiar figure bolted through the gate, Makato pushed himself to his feet. “Uncle Kenny!” He called out in surprise. Jumping off the patio, he rushed towards the older man, who was leaning over slightly to catch his breath. A duffel bag was slung over his heaving shoulders.

“Makato…” Kenny panted. “Where’s your dad? I need to speak to your dad.”

“Uh... he’s on the roof…” Makato replied, gesturing towards the building behind him. “Can I get you some-”

“TYSON!” Kenny stalked towards the dojo’s entrance, bellowing his friend’s name once more. “TYSON, GET DOWN!”

A distant cry echoed back, “Wha-?? Kenny??”

“GET DOWN HERE!” Kenny repeated, before storming into the house.

Makato blinked, stunned. He had never seen his ‘uncle’ like this before. Did he and his dad get into a fight or something?

Moments later, Tyson entered the living room while wiping his hands on a dish rag. Kenny sat on his couch, Dizzy opened and ready in front of him. The chief seemed to be nervous about something. He refused to make eye contact and was constantly wiping sweaty palms on his trousers.

“Kenny, what’s going on?” Tyson asked softly, stepping towards him.

“We need to talk.”

“What is it?”

"… Max and I weren’t sure if we should tell you... but we found him." Kenny took in a shuddering breath, before looking Tyson straight in the eyes.

“We found Kai.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Hilary’s day hadn’t been going very well.

First, one of her patients nearly died. The doctor in charge had dismissed her concerns like it was nothing, and had ordered her not to interfere. After all, he was the doctor, and she was ‘just a nurse’. After that wonderful encounter, a patient threw a bowl of soup at her because he refused to eat vegetarian tomato soup and demanded to see some… balls. The final straw however, was the fact that the lock in the lady’s room refused to budge, and she was locked in the cubicle for twenty minutes, before the hospital’s handyman got her out. Oh, and her bicycle had a flat tire.

It was an ugly, messy, and chaotic day, which made Hilary once again doubt her career choice.

With a sigh which deflated her exhausted frame, Hilary stumbled into her home. She kicked off her shoes, not bothering to place them neatly aside. She longed for a bed. And her favorite book. And some chocolate, if they had any.

But first, a shower.

Something made her pause in her steps though. Voices, coming from the living room. Apparently, they had visitors. Hilary almost groaned. After today, she wasn’t ready to play the welcoming, socially accommodating wife. But once she entered the living room, she realized it was just Kenny and his trusted laptop Dizzy, with Ray and Max’s faces displayed on the screen. Max was doing most of the talking, while the other men listened intently, looking… quite upset. Her husband was alarmingly pale and seemed to be shaking.

It didn’t take long for Hilary to realize the worst part of her day... had yet to begin.

“Hey guys…?” She spoke up carefully, “What’s going on?”

Tyson looked at her, but his eyes had a blurry coating on them, as if he wasn’t really seeing her. He opened his mouth, but struggled to say something.

Instead, Kenny spoke up quietly, “We’ve managed to locate Kai…”

“Really??” Hilary exclaimed in disbelief, nearly tripping over her own feet as she hurried into the room. “Have you talked to him? Is he-”

“No.” Tyson interrupted with a pained expression. “No… uhm… He’s…-” The look on his face made Hilary’s stomach drop.

“Oh my god!” She gasped, her heart racing in her chest. “Is he-”

Kenny was quick to reply, “No! No he’s still alive! He’s just…” He trailed off.

“… unwell.” Ray finished solemnly.

Hilary wasn’t soothed by that answer, at all. As a nurse, she could think of a few things that were too horrible to even consider. Judging by the expressions on her friend’s faces, she had to assume the worst.

It was Kenny who spoke the words, yet it took a couple of seconds for them to register in Hilary’s brain.

“He’s been institutionalized.”

Hilary stared.

She stared at her husband’s teary eyes, and Kenny’s hunched over form, before staring at the now silent laptop. She wasn’t able to see Ray’s face as he had buried it in his hands. The other side of the split screen showed Max’s grim expression.

“Institutionalized, as in… a mental hospital?” Hilary checked shakily, turning desperate eyes to each of her friends, who refused to look at her. “Is… is this some kind of joke?” She uttered.

Kenny shook his head tiredly. Hilary fumbled for words, finally blurting out, “What happened??”

The chief cleared his throat. “We don’t really know, just...” He trailed off, unsure if he should continue.

“Tell me.” Hilary pleaded.

Tyson briefly shook his head at her. His non-verbal message was clear;

You don’t want to know.

Hilary frowned at her husband, before turning a fierce glare towards the other three men. “Tell me!!”

“Uh…” Kenny nervously fumbled with his hands. He hated the fact he was the one who was going to bring this horrible thing - something he still refused to believe, to life. After a deep, shuddering inhale, the chief began to solemnly explain;

“Four years ago, Kai was… a- arrested… for uh… m- murder… and uh… shortly after, he was admitted to a mental facility…”

“Hold on - Kai was arrested??” Hilary repeated in shock, before an even greater shock dawned on her. “Wait- Murder?!”

There was no way this was happening. She couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure we’re talking about Kai here? Kai Hiwatari? There must’ve been some mistake…”

None of the guys confirmed nor denied her claim, but no words were needed. They were talking about their old team captain, there was no doubt about it.

Hilary felt strange. As if the floor had turned into a flying carpet, rolling and flowing underneath her feet. With stiff movements, Hilary used her hands to guide herself to the couch, dropping herself in between her husband and Kenny. She could only… stare. Her mind was reeling; she couldn’t make sense of it.

Tyson took her hand in his, trembling all over. Hilary could feel it. She swallowed heavily, but the block that had taken residence in her throat, refused to budge. “They must’ve made a mistake…” She couldn’t help but repeat.

After a couple of minutes of tense silence, Ray solemnly asked, “Do we know who died?”

The chief cleared his throat awkwardly. This subject matter was anything but comfortable to speak about. “Some guy…” He murmured in a tight voice. “I couldn’t find out his name. Not yet.”

Hilary frowned in confusion. “How come we never knew about this? A murder trial is a big deal, especially when it involves the world’s biggest CEO. It would’ve made headlines!” Her voice grew quieter, as a heavy feeling of disappointment fell over her. “Why didn’t we know?”

Kenny’s voice shook as he spoke, “It was a private trial. No press was allowed, and no one was allowed to talk about it. Hiwatari Enterprises paid the American government and the victim’s family a great deal to keep it silent.”

“Must’ve been a big amount to keep something like that quiet…” Tyson muttered gravely.

“Yup…” Kenny agreed. “Hiwatari Enterprises didn’t take things lightly. At first I thought they did it to protect Kai’s reputation, but now… I’m not too sure.”

“What do you mean, chief?” Tyson asked.

With trembling fingers, the chief pushed his glasses further up his nose. “Having your CEO arrested for murder and cooped up in an asylum for the criminally insane… that isn’t good for the company’s image, is it? Stock prices would’ve dropped drastically if this would’ve come to light. In turn, it would’ve made a huge impact on the world’s economy.”

“Fuck the economy!” Tyson snapped angrily, “They should’ve told us!! We were his friends!”

A hushed silence fell over the room. Minds reeling, the former Bladebreakers struggled to make sense of everything they had just discovered. Each occupant was struggling to comprehend the weight of this news. It felt… physically heavy.

“I need to see him.” Unsurprisingly, it was Tyson who said it. The others looked at him, in both surprise and sympathy. Hilary cradled his hands in hers. “Honey… I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I need to see it with my own eyes. I need to see it’s all a mistake.” Tyson repeated with brimming eyes. Hilary swallowed thickly, knowing her husband well enough to argue. Kenny scratched his cheek awkwardly, confronting his best friend with an expensive truth, "You will have to fly to LA..."

"I don’t care about that." Tyson shot back with firm conviction, before giving his wife a soft, almost pleading look. “We’ve got enough on our savings account, right?

“Yes, but…” Hilary faltered. She couldn’t bring herself to say the rest of it out loud, and did so inwardly,

‘…But we worked hard to save that money, to keep the dojo in our family...’

Despite the fact that she didn’t actually say it, Tyson heard it. He gently squeezed her hands. “When… when I get back, I will put the dojo up for sale.” His voice sounded strained, as if every word took a big chunk of energy. Without a doubt, it probably did.

Max cleared his throat as he moved closer to his screen. “I’m coming with you, Tyson. Let me know when you’ll land, and I’ll be there.”

Tyson shot his blonde friend a surprised look.

"I will come too." Kenny piped up. “Perhaps me and Dizzy can clear things up.”

“That’s great guys!” Tyson said with a trembling smile. It really meant a lot to him that he didn’t have to do this alone.

Ray sighed regretfully, “I wish I could join you too, but I’m needed here. The restaurant can’t run without me. We’re short staffed as it is…”

“No need to explain, Ray. We understand.” Tyson firmly said. “I promise we’ll keep you updated.”

Ray gave a grateful nod, although he couldn’t hide the disappointment from showing on his face. In the past, whenever one of the Bladebreakers were in trouble, they would each lend a helping hand. It was an unspoken pact they all had made when they were still kids. Even Kai had made it a habit to mysteriously show up whenever any of them needed help. Ray hated the fact that, years later, he couldn’t return the favor. Especially since his thoughts about Kai had grown expendably in the past week.

When Tyson had first raised concerns about their former captain’s past, Ray’s first instinct had been to deny it. But after giving it some thought, things started to click in place in ways Ray had never expected beforehand. He had always wondered why Kai kept pushing people away. Why couldn’t Kai let anyone get too close? Was it fear? Ray still couldn’t picture Kai as a scared little boy… but he’d always been a strange kid. Headstrong. Stubborn. Arrogant. Selfish. A lone wolf...

And yet, there had to be some part of him that wanted connection. That tried, in his own awkward way, to befriend them. But getting close to Kai was like chasing smoke; every time you thought you had him, he slipped away.

Ray sighed quietly.

If anyone could break through that wall, it was Tyson. And judging by the look on his face, Ray could tell things were going to change in that department soon.

Twenty-three hours later… Max jumped up from the plastic chair he had been perched on. The Los Angeles International airport was insanely crowded during this time of day; people from all over the world strolled into all kind of directions, creating a dizzying mass of humans, as well as an overwhelming buzzing noise of suitcases on wheels. But despite the two-legged chaos, Max spotted his friends with surprising ease.

The blonde American smiled widely, before grabbing his belongings and hurrying over to them.

“Maxie!” Tyson exclaimed. Despite feeling overjoyed at seeing his old friend, his voice was a little subdued as he was struggling with a freshly formed jetlag. That didn’t keep him from pounding on his friend however, hugging the crap out of him.

“Hi guys!!” Max replied enthusiastically. After detangling himself from Tyson’s relentless grip, he turned to Kenny, clasping the younger man on the back. “How’s it going, chief?”

“Fine… Fine…” Kenny mumbled softly, looking a bit green in the face. As a kid, he hated flying. Apparently, that still applied today. Max sympathized with him. “How about we go pick up our rental, huh?” The blonde man suggested.

Tyson nodded eagerly, “Good idea. I’d like to see Kai as soon as possible.”

“Tyson… We’ve only just gotten here.” Kenny objected with a soft whine, wanting nothing more than to throw himself on a bed and sleep for 48 hours straight. Max nodded in agreement, before pointing out, “Not to mention… it’s almost midnight. I don’t think visiting hours still apply here.”

Tyson sighed dejectedly. He knew he wasn’t being rational, but he just… couldn’t wait. During the flight, all he could think of was Kai, and since it was a long flight, lots of thinking happened.

It was frustrating how little they knew. Not even Dizzy could shine a light on things. The only thing they did know, was that, four years ago, Kai had been convicted for the murder of some guy. An impressive legal team had taken on the task of defending him in court, but obviously, that didn’t turn out the way anyone had hoped.

In Tyson’s mind, this could either mean two things;

Option A. Kai’s legal team didn’t do a good enough job, or…
Option B. Kai was guilty of the crime.

The latter was unthinkable for Tyson. Kai had always been an intimidating figure, but that didn’t mean he could commit murder.

According to Dizzy, Kai’s legal team had been top notch. One of the best in the country. A firm that charged an hourly rate that rivalled America’s highest-ranking politicians, and had a win percentage of 93%. Kai had selected the right team for the job, so it seemed.

So then why… didn’t they win the case?

With the little information that they had, Tyson’s imagination had run wild, which obviously didn’t diminish his concerns in the slightest. The situation was just… too bizarre to comprehend.

As the trio trudged towards the exit, Kenny turned to his blonde friend. “By the way, Max, did you manage to book us a room somewhere?”

Max nodded. “Yep! It’s a two-star motel. Nothing too fancy, but it’s good enough for the three of us, I assume.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, thanks Max.” Kenny gave the genius a grateful smile.

Tyson, walking a step ahead, shot a quick look over his shoulder. “How far is it from the hospital?” He asked, the impatience in his voice barely hidden.

Max looked thoughtful for a moment, “Uhh two hours, I believe.”

Tyson whipped out his phone as they kept on walking, “What’s the place even called? I Googled on mental hospitals, but there are, like, five of them in the area!”

Max gave his friend a sympathetic smile, “It’s called the Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum.”

Tyson wrinkled his nose at the name, while typing it in the search bar. “Well… sounds like a fun place.”

“Yeah, no kidding…” Max sighed, “I can’t believe Kai’s…” He didn’t finish his sentence.

“Yeah… I can’t believe it either.” Tyson murmured, frowning at his phone. The facility’s website didn’t look too promising. The photos of the property were obviously heavily Photoshopped, making it seem like a colorful, sunny place. A bit too colorful, though. And a bit too sunny. The website seemed to be built by a nine-year-old. Buttons didn’t work, and the positive testimonials seemed fake. Nothing about it felt right, and Tyson felt deeply concerned for his childhood friend. He really wanted to see him. It’s been so long… and with everything that’s been happening…

What did he do, like… really? Was he as guilty as people assumed? Did he change a lot? … Was he okay?

Tyson sighed in obvious frustration. “We’re going there first thing tomorrow, right?” He asked his friends, who both looked at him.

“Sure… I mean, if the hospital lets us.” Kenny replied softly.

“What do you mean?” Tyson shot back. “We’re just visiting, it’s not like we’re-”

“It’s a highly guarded facility, Tyson.” Kenny interrupted sternly, “We can’t just waltz in there.”

Tyson threw his nose in the sky with a cocky huff. “Well, I’m not leaving this country before I’ve seen him.”

Max chuckled at his feisty friend. He had missed having him around. “I knew you wouldn’t.” The blonde grinned.

When the trio arrived at the motel, soberly called the ‘Last Stop Inn’, they dragged their feet, as well as their suitcases, to the second floor. The room looked pretty basic; it definitely wasn’t worth two stars, but they were too tired to care. The beds were clean, which was good enough.

After a shower and a big, delicious meal, the three men flopped down on their beds, exhausted. Kenny was the first to succumb, Max following suit.

Tyson’s eyelids were growing heavy too, but he did his best to keep them open. There were too many thoughts he needed to go through, before he could allow himself to sleep. The past 24 hours had been insane. Before Kenny barged in his home, he had no clue where Kai was. He had been clueless for so long, and about so many things…

He swallowed heavily, feeling his eyes sting.

A soft chime drew his attention towards his nightstand, where his phone lay. Tyson sniffled quietly, before picking up the device. He had a couple of unread messages. The first belonged to Ray, wishing them well, and hoping to hear from them soon. He also asked them to let Kai know he was thinking of him. Tyson swiftly replied back, promising Ray that he would do his best.

The second message belonged to Hilary, who was relieved the flight had gone well. ‘I hope you’ll be able to see Kai soon. Tell him I said hi. Love you.’ Tyson smiled as he quickly typed a loving response to his wife.

The third message was from… one of his fellow teachers. Frowning slightly, Tyson propped himself on his elbows. His unexpected trip to the States had obviously impacted his schedule at work, but Tyson had taken all the necessary steps to make sure he could take a few days off. He had arranged a substitute teacher, and communicated his absence to everyone involved. No one seemed to have an issue with it, but now, he couldn’t help but wonder if everything was alright.

‘Hello Tyson, my apologies for messaging you on your day off, but I just wanted to let you know that Anshin decided to come back. This morning, he simply appeared at the school, with no explanation whatsoever. You know what the kid’s like. ;-) He seemed to be doing okay though! He asked about you, and actually seemed disappointed his favorite homeroom teacher wasn’t there. He didn’t say it like that, but I could see it on his face. Whatever it was you did for him, you did good. Have fun in the USA!’

Tyson’s mouth sunk open as he read it. Anshin came back?? He was doing okay??

Blaming his exhaustion for the salty sting in his eyes, Tyson flopped back down on the bed, holding the phone against his chest. He stared at the ceiling with a soft, content smile on his face. But the longer he lay there, thinking, the more his smile fell away.

He had been able to help Anshin…

No matter how harshly the boy shoved him away, or glared at him, or cursed at him… he had been able to be there for him.

He could’ve done the same for Kai, if only…

If only he had been a better friend…

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

A bright red car slowly rolled to a stop in front of the heavy-duty gate, its engine humming softly. Several uniformed guards stiffened, hands brushing their holsters as the rental came into view. Two of them strode forward, while the driver lowered the window and put on his most convincing smile.

“Morning.” He said with more confidence than he felt, “I’m Max Tate. We’re, uh... here to visit a friend.”

The lead guard didn’t return the smile. He bent down to glance into the vehicle, subjecting them all to an intense and lengthy stare. “Do you have an appointment?”

Max cleared his throat. “Uhm, well… we were hoping-”

“NO.” The guard snapped, making the trio jump slightly. The bulky man huffed at them. “You cannot go in without an appointment.”

“I understand that, sir, but-”

“I said no.” The guard interrupted sternly. “Please turn around and don’t come back until you’ve made an appointment.”

Max sighed, before glancing his friends. Tyson, sitting in the passenger seat, looked sullen. In the backseat, Kenny was rapidly typing away on his laptop. When Max put the car in reverse, Kenny stopped him. “Hold on a sec…” The younger man’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

“Whatya doing, chief?” Tyson asked softly.

“Making an appointment.” The genius replied stiffly.

Max sighed. “As I told you guys this morning; I tried that already, didn’t work. The website clearly states only family members are permitted to-”

“- Well, no offense, but you’re not Dizzy.” Kenny interrupted with a sly grin.

The guards were losing their patience, and positioned themselves on either side of the car. One of them impatiently rapped his knuckles on the window, before gesturing that they needed to leave.

“Got it!” Kenny exclaimed, shoving his laptop in Tyson’s awaiting hands.

Max gaped at him through his rearview mirror. “How did you-”

Tyson was already rolling down his window, sharing the good news with the guards. With an unhappy grunt they accepted their application, before stating sternly, “With your visitation rights, only one of you may go in. The others need to wait outside.”

“We’re fine with that.” Tyson affirmed. None of them were actually fine with it, but at least, now they were allowed access on the grounds. It definitely was an improvement from being sent away.

The Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum.

The daunting, four-story building looked about as depressing as its name, and nothing like how it was portrayed on their website. No surprise there.

It was old, and… ragged-looking. Various plants had climbed their way against the dark grey bricks, but whatever nutritional value they were looking for; the building couldn’t provide. And so, what could’ve been a lush, natural collection of greenery, actually turned into strands of brownish, dead weeds, crawling across the structure like a spider’s web.

The building was placed in the middle of a large square, with high fences all around. The layout was simple; building in the middle, parking space in the front, and a pathetic excuse for a garden in the back.

The red vehicle slowly maneuvered its way across the parking lot. On multiple occasions, Max almost bumped into parked cars because he was too busy gawking at the facility.

“This is where Kai is??” He mumbled in shocked disbelief.

“Apparently…” Kenny replied grimly.

With slow deliberation, Max managed to park their car without doing any damage. He cut the engine, before slumping back in his seat. The three of them continued to stare at the building in horrified awe. Tyson cringed as he took in the dark, moody exterior. If buildings could have a soul… this one was a demon. “It’s like we’re in some cheesy horror movie…” He whispered.

“Yeah…” Kenny breathed fearfully, unable to hide the shiver that ran up his spine. He turned towards the two men sitting in the front. “Which one of you will go in?”

Tyson glanced back at him, surprised the chief had already taken himself out of the equation.

“I think it should be Tyson.” Max said firmly, giving his dark-haired friend a pointy look. “It’s because of you we’re here in the first place.”

Tyson pouted at him, unamused. “Well, if I had known you’d blame me for being here, I’d have-”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Max interjected softly. “I just mean… you were the first one to bring it up… about Kai, I mean… I think it’d make sense for you to go, you know?”

Tyson swallowed nervously. “I guess…” He didn’t move out of his seat though. Instead, he fidgeted with his seatbelt. Max and Kenny glanced at him. Without looking at them, Tyson asked the question that had been bothering him, ever since he booked a flight to LA.

“What if Kai doesn’t want to see me? Or talk to me?” Tyson gave his friends a sad look. “What if… all of this was for nothing?”

“If Kai doesn’t want to talk to you, we can at least say that we tried.” Max said with a determined smile. “Whatever happens, it won’t be for nothing.”

Unlike the exterior’s dark appearance, the interior was mostly white. The entrance hall consisted of white tiles, white walls, white doors, and a white reception desk, with two white-dressed nurses sitting behind the counter. It appeared to be clean enough, but… it didn’t smell the part. A heavy scent of chlorine invaded Tyson’s nose the moment he stepped inside, but not even gallons of the stuff could overshadow the pungent smell of urine that lingered around. Tyson wrinkled his nose as he took in his surroundings. The hall was surprisingly crowded. Patients in blue jumpsuits shuffled around aimlessly, their feet shuffling on the linoleum floor. In a way, the jumpsuits resembled prison uniforms, which reminded Tyson of the fact that these people were inmates too. Or had been. Whatever line separated treatment from punishment felt blurry here.

Tyson kept his steps slow as he passed them, feeling on edge. None of the patients acknowledged him. They didn’t speak, didn’t smile, didn’t even seem to register his presence. There was a hollow stillness in their eyes, a mechanical drift to their movements, like wind-up toys slowly running down.

There were no guards. No locked doors. Tyson had walked straight in. He could turn around and leave just as easily. So could any of them. But no one tried.

And somehow, that unsettled him more.

Tyson hadn’t realized he had been gawking at the patients, until one of the nurses behind the counter addressed him with a monotone, “Can I help you.”

Tyson swung around to face the nurse. “Uh… h-hi.” He stammered. “I’m looking for-”

Whatever he planned on saying next was cut off by a loud, screeching alarm. The two nurses instantly shot out of their seats and rushed away, disappearing in one of the hallways on Tyson’s right. Distant screams of, what appeared to be, a very angry male could be heard echoing through the hall. Tyson backed away a few steps, feeling very unsafe all of a sudden. He was surrounded by nothing but patients, unsupervised… If one of them wanted to harm him, they could. But again, none of them did. In fact, none of them seemed impressed by whatever was taking place further down the hallway. They just… kept shuffling around, like…zombies.

Tyson swallowed nervously, deciding to wait until one of the nurses came back. There wasn’t much else he could do.

Twenty minutes later… he was still waiting. No nurse, no staff, not even a passing glance from anyone in the hallway. Tyson shifted on his feet, wondering just how long they planned to keep him waiting. Still, as the minutes dragged on, he did learn a few things about the place.

For one, patients were color-coded. Those with a green patch sewed on their shoulders, appeared most… well, alive. They conversed with each other, and seemed aware of what was going on around them. Those with a yellow patch were noticeably slower, and strangely quiet. The red ones were… as good as gone. They weren’t even moving around, just standing in corners, swaying on their feet. These very same patients were shaved bald, probably for hygiene purposes. Seeing men and woman like that, deeply unnerved Tyson. He wondered whether the red patients were like that before they were brought here, or whether they had been turned into… whatever you could call this.

For, what seemed to be the millionth time, Tyson nervously glanced around, worried for how own safety, as well as the patient’s.

Suddenly, a green-patched patient made eye-contact with him. It was a lady, probably somewhere in her mid-forties. It was hard to tell, as her characteristics were very childlike. Her face lit up, and with barely contained excitement, she bounced towards him. “Oh my god, oh my god! I’m such a huge fan!” She squealed in a high-pitched voice.

Tyson blinked at her, stunned. It had been ages since he last ran into fans, and he certainly didn’t expect it here. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, he didn’t need to, as the lady clapped her hands enthusiastically, exclaiming, “I can’t believe you’re here!! I’ve got all your cd’s!”

Tyson blinked in confusion. Cd’s??

He carefully spoke up, “Uh, miss I’m not-”

“I’m so happy you came!” The woman continued gleefully. “It’s my birthday! Did you come to sing at my birthday?”

Tyson looked at her, his mind racing. He didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth, but he didn’t want to ruin her life with his non-existing singing abilities either. He settled for a gentle smile.

“I’m really sorry… I’ve got a sore throat, so… uhm…” He decided to swiftly change the subject, “But uh… Happy Birthday to you!”

“Thank you!” The lady responded happily. “My name is Nina! I’m such a huge fan!” The poor woman sounded like a broken record, but she was happy, so Tyson didn’t mind. “Will you come to my birthday party?” She asked.

“Errr… I’m… I’m actually here to see a friend.” Tyson murmured apologetically.

“Oh!” Nina gasped. “Can he come to my birthday party too??”

“Ah… uh… maybe?” Tyson stammered, before a lightbulb moment presented itself. He glanced at the empty nurse’s desk, before turning back at her. “Can you… can you help me find him?”

Nina gasped in excitement. “Like a game??”

“Sure! Like a game!” Tyson smiled at her.

Nina jumped up and down, clapping her hands again. She seemed ready to play. “What’s your friend’s name?” She asked eagerly.

Tyson’s face grew a bit more serious, his heartrate picking up. “Kai Hiwatari. Do you know where I can find him?”

Nina’s demeanor changed instantly. It was as if someone flicked a switch. Her expression turned solemn, almost sympathetic. “Kaiiiii.” She hummed softly, hugging herself as she gently rocked left and right. “Kaiii is at my partyyy…”

Tyson highly doubted she was telling the truth, but decided to give it a change. He owed her that much, at least.

“He is? Can you… can you take me there?”

Nina brightened up immediately, nodding her head so fast it made her hair swing back and forth. “This way!!”

She was off. Tyson hurried after her, surprised by her speed. She was basically running through the corridors and leaping up the stairs.

“Come on slow poke!” She giggled at her imaginary idol, who struggled to keep up.

Tyson, for his part, wondered if he was making a big mistake. He had no idea where Nina was leading him. Maybe the childlike front was all an act? Something about her seemed genuine though, as if he could trust her. It was a leap of faith, but if it meant finding Kai, it’d be worth it.

After a maze of hallways and staircases, Nina finally stopped in front of a double set of doors. “We’re here!” She announced proudly, pushing them open with both hands.

The room beyond was large and bright, with tall windows lining either side. Rows of chairs and tables filled the center, occupied by patients in varying states of activity. Some played board games, others read quietly or sketched in silence. A few simply stared off into the distance, lost in private worlds.

In the far corner, a cluster of old leather couches sat beneath a modest TV, which was mounted to the ceiling. That’s where Nina led him, practically bouncing with excitement. The space was adorned with paper garlands and colorful banners.

“Welcome to my party!” She said, beaming.

Tyson forced a smile. “Looks great!” He replied, though a pang of sadness tugged at him. The banners were baseball team logos... not exactly party decor.

He cleared his throat and glanced around, scanning the patients. Their conditions varied. Some wore green patches, others yellow, and a few red, marking the severity of their illnesses. An elderly pair played chess without speaking. A woman clutched a stuffed rabbit to her chest. A young man sat hunched over a sketchbook. Several others were watching the TV with unwavering fascination, where a baseball game was on.

No matter how closely he looked, Tyson couldn’t spot a certain dual-haired patient. Which brought him more relief than disappointment.

Nina, meanwhile, had seated herself on one of the couches, and was staring at the television with innocent wonder. Tyson felt bad for disturbing her, but…

“Hey, uhm… didn’t you say Kai was at your… party?”

Nina blinked, needing a moment to return her attention to her newly founded friend. When she remembered the game they were supposed to play, she shot to her feet. “Ah, that’s right! Kaiii!” She exclaimed happily, pointing at a lone figure on the other side of the room. “There he is!”

Tyson narrowed his eyes at the figure, trying to make out his features. But even from this distance, he could already tell... it wasn’t Kai. The man was older, sitting hunched over in a wheelchair, staring out the window. His hair was shaven, not bald, but short.

A red patch, no doubt.

Tyson cringed at the implication, then sighed and turned on his heel. Nina had meant well, but she hadn’t been able to help. Maybe no one could. Maybe Kai wasn’t even here.

Maybe he never was.

Tyson could only hope.

He was about to exit the room, when a soft voice halted him in his path. “She’s telling the truth, you know.” It was an old gentleman, playing chess. When Tyson turned to look at him, the man returned the stare with a gentle, persisting look.

“Excuse me?” Tyson murmured, his brows furrowed. The longer he stayed in this place, the more he felt on edge.

The old man nodded his head in Nina’s direction. “She was telling the truth. About your friend.”

Tyson didn’t dare to ask the man what he meant by that. Could he even trust these people?

“Kai… is right there.” Hearing his friend’s name come from the old man’s lips, made Tyson’s blood run cold. The worst part of it was; the man was pointing a crooked finger at the very same figure Nina had pointed out.

Tyson slowly shook his head. “No… No.” He gulped. “That can’t be Kai…”

The old man didn’t respond, but turned his saddened eyes back to the chess board.

An iron fist had clenched itself around Tyson’s windpipe, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t take another step, no matter the direction. After a couple of minutes in which he struggled to take short, halted breaths, Tyson was ready to bolt out of the room. He didn’t want to be here anymore. He couldn’t be here anymore.

But he couldn’t leave either.

Not if it was Kai he was looking at.

He… couldn’t let him down. Not again.

With unsteady legs, Tyson forced himself to walk towards the man by the window. He had to know. Had to at least... check.

Each step felt heavier than the last. The world around him seemed to slow, while his heart pounded in his ears, fast and loud. The edges of his vision blurred with every beat. Sounds dulled. Shapes lost focus. But his gaze never left the figure in the wheelchair. He desperately tried to look for signs it wasn’t Kai. There were plenty of signs he wasn’t. He had no dual-colored hair, for one…

‘But that’s because they shaved his head…’ His inner voice piped up.

Swallowing heavily, Tyson stopped a few feet away from the older man, in order to observe him from a safe distance.

It still didn’t look like Kai…

The man, whoever he may be, appeared to be unresponsive. Like the other patients, he wore a blue jumpsuit, which, in his case, looked too big on him. The poor guy was thin and fragile, with a slightly hunched back, and a sunken face. A pair of oxygen tubes were inserted in his nose, leading towards an oxygen tank that hung from the back of the wheelchair. A blanket was folded over his legs, as well as his arms, which lay unmoving in his lap. His half-closed eyes were staring out of the window, but Tyson doubted he was looking at anything.

There was no way in hell this poor soul was his former team captain and friend. Nor could this man be the world’s most influential entrepreneur with three Nobel Prizes hanging off his ass.

There was no way this was Kai freakin’ Hiwatari.

No way.

Tyson took a step closer. He noticed two more things.

One; the man’s shoulder patch wasn’t red. It was… black...? What does that even mean?

And two; Tyson had mistaken the man’s dry and cracked skin for wrinkles... He wasn’t as old as he looked. In fact, the man seemed to be about his own age.

Tyson’s heart was galloping now.

No way.

No way.

Tyson opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say his friend’s name. Not out loud anyway. His soul hurt too much.

On shaky limbs, Tyson crouched down next to the wheelchair. He didn’t dare to touch the man, so he just stared at him. He did have sharp eyes, like Kai did. But never had Tyson seen them like this. Half-lidded. Dull. It was nearly impossible to tell the man’s eye-color, as his pupils were completely dilated. Nevertheless, they did look familiar. So did the man’s nose, despite the fact that his nostrils, in which the oxygen tubes were inserted, were a bit swollen. There was dried blood there too. The skin seemed angry and painful, as if someone had inserted the plastic tubes too harshly, or too often.

“Kai…” Tyson almost didn’t recognize his own voice, but he had to try and talk to him. He had to figure out whether or not this man… this broken man… was his childhood friend.

The man in the wheelchair didn’t react. He didn’t even blink.

Tyson scooted closer to him, biting his lip as he stared at the hauntingly empty face. He tried to imagine what the famous CEO would look like, had he been extremely underweight, as good as bald, and over a decade older since they last saw each other. No matter what his imagination pulled up, it didn’t look like this.

This looked so… so much worse.

Tyson continued to stare at him, getting more and more convinced this man was a stranger. He was about to push himself to his feet and walk away, when a distant memory floated to the surface.

It had been many years ago, at one of the Bladebreakers’ first major victories. The team had celebrated their win in their shared, crammed hotel room, but Kai, being the party pooper he was, decided to leave early. Having fun wasn’t part of his cool-guy-persona, after all. Max, who must’ve had a death wish, playfully tugged at the older boy’s scarf, to keep him from leaving. The precious fabric had slipped from Kai’s broad shoulders.

What followed was brief, but unforgettable.

Kai had frozen in his steps. His eyes flashed with something that went beyond annoyance. Something colder. Max dropped his drink, startled, spilling it across the carpet. Without a word, Kai had yanked the scarf back, wrapped it tightly around his neck, and walked out.

Tyson had been the only one to see it.

A scar. Thick, jagged, unmistakable. Right at the base of Kai’s neck. Tyson never told anyone, nor did he ask Kai about it. Tyson suspected it prompted Kai to wear scarfs in the first place. They clearly weren’t supposed to know about it.

Now, standing in a psychiatric hospital, staring at a man he didn’t recognize, Tyson felt his heart hammer against his ribs.

The man before him wasn’t wearing the trademark scarf, but his slouched posture made it hard to see his neck. Tyson hesitated, his hand hovering uncertainly in the air. Then, slowly, as though moving through water, he reached forward. His fingers trembled as he gently lifted the man’s head, careful not to startle him, and tugged the collar of the jumpsuit down.

There, stark against pale skin, was the scar. Still wide. Still ragged. Still Kai’s.

Tyson recoiled as if he’d burned his hands, causing the man’s head to sag down once more, limp and lifeless. Tyson slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes welling up, before scrunching them shut. He wasn’t sure how much time was passing, but Tyson knew he had to do something. Anything.

With shaky breaths, Tyson retook his position, kneeling next to his friend.

“Kai? It’s me… Tyson…” He tried again with a trembling voice, but to no avail. Tyson sniffled at the surreal sight. “My god… what happened to you?” He whispered in despair.

“He’s always like that…” Came a familiar high-pitched voice from behind him. Tyson turned and saw Nina, standing a few feet away. She was wringing her hands nervously.

Tyson struggled to find his voice. “What are they doing to him?” He croaked out.

Nina stepped toward him, mumbling quietly, “Don’t tell anyone… but the nurses think he’s special...”

Tyson furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

“He always gets the most candy.” Nina whispered hurriedly, as if she was sharing the biggest secret this place held.

“… Candy?”

Nina nodded eagerly, reaching into her bra. “They got M&M’s, Skittles… I’ll show you, but don’t tell anyone.”

Tyson watched in uncomfortable silence how Nina withdrew her hand and opened her palm for him to see. She was holding a collection of colored little edibles in various shapes and sizes. “See?” Nina said with a small smile that broke Tyson’s heart.

“Does Kai get a lot of these… candies…? As in… more than others?”

Nina nodded vigorously. “He’s special!”

Tyson frowned in concern, feeling a cold sensation spread across his chest.

“W- why would they- Why is he special?” Tyson asked in a tight voice. He wasn’t even sure why he was asking a patient of all people, but he felt too desperate to care who provided him with answers. As long as he got them.

Nina shrugged, obviously clueless. Nevertheless, she took the time to think about it. “Maybe… because of his hand…?” She mused out loud.

Tyson looked up sharply. “What do you mean?” Without waiting for a reply, Tyson pulled away the blanket that covered Kai’s lap, revealing the man’s hands. To his shock and dismay, the right one was heavily bandaged, while the left one looked bruised and sore. With wide eyes, Tyson gently took a hold of them, cringing at how limp and heavy they felt.

“What happened to his hands??” Tyson turned desperate eyes to Nina, who seemed on the verge of tears. Her voice shook just as much as her body did. “He… uhm… he’s always…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but started scratching her right hand nervously. Tyson watched her intently. Something about the way she was doing it, seemed strange. It didn’t seem like a nervous tick, it looked like… a demonstration.

Realizing he was freaking the sweet lady out, Tyson calmed down his breathing. “He scratches himself?” He asked softly. Relieved he understood, Nina nodded, letting her hands dangle at her side.

With stinging eyes, Tyson tried to get a clear view of the damage on Kai’s right hand, but it was hidden beneath multiple layers of bandages. He held them a little while longer, while staring deep into his friend’s eyes, willing him to see him. Acknowledge him.

“Kai, please look at me…” Tyson pleaded, searching the vacant eyes.

Nothing.

Tyson gave the man’s wrists a gentle shake. “Come on… Say something, bud…”

Again, nothing.

Tyson’s eyes welled up at the sight. He had never seen Kai, or anyone for that matter, in a state like this. It scared him. And it was wrong. So very wrong. He couldn’t leave him here. Not like this. Whether the man was guilty of a crime or not; he didn’t deserve this.

Behind him, Nina gave the two friends a sad look, before retreating back to the corner of the room, where, in her eyes, her birthday party was still in full swing.

Hesitating once or twice, Tyson grabbed his phone. With a hammering heart and heavily shaking hands, the dark-haired man opened his camera app. “I’m sorry, Kai. I know you’d hate me for this, but… they need to see what they’re doing to you.” Tyson wasn’t even sure who he meant when he said ‘they’, he just knew he needed help in getting his friend out of here.

With a heavy heart, and an overwhelming sense of guilt, Tyson recorded everything. The pale, sunken face. The shaven head. The half-lidded, unresponsive eyes. The bloody nose. The oxygen tubes. The fragile, thin-looking frame. The bandaged and damaged hands. The overall lack of… life.

He felt terrible doing it, but deep down, he knew it needed to be done. He couldn’t let this hospital get away with whatever they were doing to him.

Once he was done with his recording, Tyson put away his phone. He rearranged the blanket back on Kai’s lap, making sure he was warm and comfortable.

“Kai, if you’re still in there somewhere. I will come back for you.” Tyson choked out.

“I promise...”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Max had been biting his nails a bit too long. By now, the surrounding skin really started to sting. He lowered his hand with an impatient, albeit concerned, sigh.

“What’s taking him so long?? It feels like we’ve been waiting here for hours!” The blonde man murmured as he leaned his forehead against the steering wheel.

“It’s been an hour-and-a-half, actually.” Came Kenny’s dry remark from the backseat. He didn’t seem to mind the wait, as he had used the time to type away on his laptop, like he always did. Time progressed differently for him whenever he was hyper-focusing.

“Do you think Tyson found him?” Max asked softly.

Kenny inhaled sharply, but didn’t look up from his screen. “I think so…”

Max glanced behind him with a hopeful, “Yeah?”

“Yeah…” Kenny stopped typing, and turned his attention to his blonde friend. “What else would he be doing in there?”

Max shrugged.

The car became quiet once again. Kenny focused his attention back on his laptop.

“What are you working on, chief?” Max’s question made Kenny, once again, lose his focus. With a sigh, the genius returned his attention to his friend.

“I’m trying to find out what happened.” He muttered.

“With Kai?”

“Uhuh.”

“Any luck?”

“No.” Kenny sighed again. “I can’t find my way in.”

Max’s titled his head in curiosity. “Find your way in… where?”

“The American government.”

The answer was so simple, yet Max felt the color drain from his face. “You’re trying to- Since when did you become a hacker?? Are you crazy?!”

Kenny refused to confirm nor deny that one, and kept his focused gaze on his screen. “How do you think we got through the gate just now?” He challenged cooly.

Max blinked, stupefied. “You made an appointment.”

“Only family-members are allowed to make one.” Kenny reminded him, while pushing the glasses further up his nose. “We aren’t family, are we?”

“No… but- but…-” Max spluttered, but found himself unable to further berate his friend on this. Thanks to him and Dizzy’s efforts, Tyson was now inside, talking to Kai. Hopefully.

Satisfied with the sudden silence in the car, Kenny got back to work.

Max, meanwhile, rested his head back on the steering wheel and closed his eyes. He was dead tired, and had a bit of a stomach ache. Either he had been eating something he shouldn’t, or he was just worried. About Tyson. About Kai.

Suddenly, without warning, the door on the passenger side flung open, startling both occupants. “WHA-!” Max exclaimed, accidently blowing the horn as he pushed himself away from the wheel. “JESUS Tyson!”

“Yeah!!” Kenny heaved, clutching his heart. “You didn’t have to pull the door out of its hinges you know!”

Tyson, meanwhile, pulled the door shut with a force that shook the vehicle. With a trembling hand, he pulled down the seatbelt, and clicked it into place, before staring through the windscreen with unfocused eyes.

Both Max and Kenny looked at him in concern.

“… You okay?” Max asked softly.

Tyson wet his lips, refusing to look at neither of them. “Let’s get out of here.”

Max furrowed his brows. “Buddy, what-”

“Please just… drive.” Tyson almost begged, turning his wet and fiery orbs towards him.

“Okay okay…” Max turned on the ignition, and pulled the red car out of its parking spot. Both he and Kenny wondered what elicited such a dramatic change in their friend, but decided not to ask. Not until they were back at the motel, at least.

Tyson’s smartphone.

It was a familiar, black device. Most people had one.

Yet this one contained something so… sick. So vile...  Max and Kenny refused to touch it. They had dropped the phone on Tyson’s bed, before backing away from it. They stared at it in horror, as if the thing had sprouted a head, and was laughing at them.

Tyson, meanwhile, sat slumped against the bed’s headboard. He refused to look at his friends.

“That’s not Kai.” Max bit out angrily, pointing an accusing finger at the device. “I don’t know why you’re showing us this, but that- that is not Kai!!”

Tyson didn’t have the energy to argue with him on that, and kept quiet.

Kenny stumbled backwards, landing on Max’s bed. He struggled to comprehend what he had just seen.

Max started pacing the room, running both hands through his hair. “I can’t believe-” He choked out. “Why are you showing us this - Is it really him? Are you sure??”

Tyson didn’t respond.

Kenny slowly pushed himself up, and sat himself down near the foot of Tyson’s bed. He kept his voice soft and gentle in the hopes he could flick off the mute button on his friend. “Tyson, what happened in there?”

Tyson’s eyes filled, before he looked away. He couldn’t bear to look his friends in the eye and tell them the truth. It was too much. Too painful.

Seeing his friend this upset, Max realized Tyson wouldn’t lie about this.

“What on earth…” Max mumbled in stunned disbelief, as he sunk down on his bed. “What happened to him?”

Tyson still refused to look at them, but his rough voice finally made an appearance. It was something, at least.

“They’re drugging him.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious, but why?!” Max snapped impatiently, igniting a warning look from Kenny.

Tyson pressed his lips into a fine line, and gave no reply. Obviously he didn’t know, which was the whole point.

“Why is his hand bandaged?” Kenny asked softly.

Tyson rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Apparently, he scratched himself.”

Max and Kenny frowned. That didn’t sound like something Kai would do. Ever. Then again, if this was really Kai… Nothing about it seemed like him.

“Did you talk to his doctor about it?” Kenny asked, concerned.

Tyson slowly shook his head. “No, a fellow patient told me everything.”

Kenny blinked, surprised. “You spoke to a patient? That’s not really a trustworthy source, is it? Why didn’t you look for his doctor?”

Tyson finally made eye-contact with him, but Kenny felt unnerved by the intensity of it. “What do you think I’ve been doing the entire time?!” Tyson snapped, before gesturing towards his phone with visible irritation, “After seeing Kai like that, I searched the entire building, looking for answers. I couldn’t find anyone! There were just patients everywhere! And some random cleaning guy who didn’t speak English!”

Stunned by Tyson’s outburst, Kenny raised both of his palms, “S-sorry, I didn’t mean-”

Tyson cut him off with a pained groan, hiding his face in his hands.

Max and Kenny looked at him in sympathy. They could hardly imagine what it must’ve been like for Tyson to see their former captain like that. Seeing it on video was already gruesome enough, but seeing it for real… that must’ve been another challenge entirely.

Tyson hands slipped from his face, dropping back on his lap. For a couple of minutes, he sat, unmoving, staring at the bed’s patchwork blanket. His friends joined him in his silence.

After a few minutes, Tyson whispered, “We need to get him out of there.”

“I agree.” Kenny murmured sadly. “But how?”

“We could call the police?” Max suggested, already taking out his phone.

Tyson shook his head, remembering his recent visit to the Tokyo Police Department with painful clarity. He wasn’t sure if the Los Angeles Police Department would be more… forgiving, but he had a hunch they weren’t, considering the type of crimes were common in this city.

“We don’t have any concrete evidence that he’s being mistreated.” Tyson mumbled.

“We don’t?” Max argued, gesturing towards Tyson’s phone.

“It’s just a video…” Tyson replied in a pained voice. “It’s just a video of a mentally insane criminal. That’s how they’ll see it, anyway.”

“Maybe… maybe we can ask Kai’s former attorney for help…?” Kenny suggested carefully. “She has an office here, in LA.”

Tyson nodded, his eyes darting across an inner landscape. “Okay. We’ll drop by tomorrow morning.”

“Uhh guys?” A metallic female voice piped up, coming from Kenny’s laptop. Dizzy had been strangely quiet throughout the day, but felt the need to speak up now. “We’re talking about a high-end law firm here, do you really think you can just barge in there without an APPOINTMENT?” The snarky emphasis on ‘appointment’ was a clear message to the men in the room. Dizzy already had to hack one system to get them through the door. They needed to be better prepared for the next one.

“Right.” Kenny sighed, scratching his head. “We’ll need to come up with a plan to get at least a foot in the door, we’ll figure the rest out later.”

Max brightened up, “Oh I know! How about we pretend to be some fancy journalists, and we’ll just-”

“No. Bad idea.” Dizzy interjected, “Legal firms hate journalists.”

The men in the room sighed heavily. If only they could time travel, and go back to the day where they were naive kids, playing around with magical spinning tops. Life had been so simple then. At the time, it did feel anything but simple, but compared to this…?

Kenny pulled and kneaded his bottom lip with two fingers; a reoccurring trait whenever he faced a challenge that involved a lot of brainpower. “Okay… how about this; we pose as Auditors from the Bar Association Investigation. We demand to check out any case management irregularities.”

Max looked taken aback. “The what now?”

Tyson looked equally confused. “Huh?”

Dizzy, meanwhile, responded with an optimistic. “That could work.”

“Alright.” Kenny smiled at his laptop. “So, technically speaking, we don’t need to infiltrate the firm’s firewall. What we do need is a synthetic identity represented in the Bar Association’s public files. Can you arrange that for us, Dizzy?”

Dizzy hesitated, before muttering, “I could do that…”

“… But?” Kenny asked.

“There’s no ‘but’. I could do that.” Dizzy confirmed smugly.

Kenny rolled his eyes at her attitude. “Then let’s get to work.”

Tyson just stared, while Max blinked and mumbled, “I’ve got no idea what you just said, but I’m all in for it.”

Kenny smiled at his friends, feeling in his element. “Picture this; we’ll create three verified personas belonging to the California Bar Oversight Committee. They’re not real, but the identities will look real if anyone tries to confirm. I’ll use credentials and profiles, using archived attorney ID’s, that were deactivated in 2014 and before that.”

His two friends continued to gape at him, still clueless.

Kenny sighed, making another attempt; “We pretend to work for a company that has the authority to check if the law firm is doing their job correctly.” He explained simply.

“Okay. Hold on. You want us to be… fake lawyers?” Max asked quietly.

“Not lawyers. Auditors. Different vibe. Less smug, but very annoying nonetheless. Bring pen and paper. Ask a lot of questions, then say “Mm-Hmm” and write absolutely nothing down. The less we say, the more they panic.”

Tyson had paled slightly, unsure if he liked this idea. “And- and that’s what we want? Panic?”

“We want to get inside, right? This is what will get us inside.” Kenny replied with conviction. He gave his stunned friends a stern look. “Kai’s attorney isn’t just simply going to waste her time on us. You want her attention? Pretend you have the power to ruin her career.”

Tyson let himself fall backwards on his bed, arms and legs spread out like a starfish. “... I feel like this is illegal in at least six different ways.” He mumbled.

Dizzy chuckled in mischief. “Only if we do it badly.”

The office building that housed ‘Hunter Law’ consisted fourteen stories of flawless glass and steel. It perched above the city, minimalist in design but impossible to overlook. Its private driveway curved through manicured grounds, guarded by palm trees, and leading towards a spacious underground parking lot. Every inch of the place reflected money, power, and discretion.

Three men, looking smart in their navy-blue suits and ties, walked up the grand stairs towards the entrance. It was quite the climb, and the blazing heat certainly wasn’t helping.

“These shoes are killing me!” One of them complained to the other.

“My crotch has gone numb with how tight these pants are.” Another whined, before squeaking shakily, “We should head back while we still can. This is never going to work.”

The third whipped his head towards them, frowning sternly. “Shhh! Keep it down! It’s totally gonna work!”

A spacious, marble entrance hall awaited them the moment they stepped through the door. Thankfully, it was air-conditioned.

A pretty receptionist greeted them warmly. “Welcome to Hunter Law. How may I be of service?”

As planned beforehand, Kenny took the lead. “We’re from the Bar Oversight Committee, Californian Division.” With a nervous tug, he straightened his tie. “We need a word with Mrs. Linda Hunter.”

The woman visibly paled. “Ah, I see… Uhm… I’m terribly sorry sir, but Mrs. Hunter is awfully busy at the moment. I can, however, arrange a meeting with Mr. Roadhouse, her representative.”

Max and Tyson glanced at the chief for direction. It was his plan, after all.

Kenny cleared his throat, keeping his voice slightly lower than he usually would. “No, that won’t do. We need to see Mrs. Hunter personally. It’s urgent.”

The poor receptionist seemed to squirm in her seat. But to her credit, she remained professional. “Right. I understand, sir.” Her eyes darted across her desk, secretly hoping a solution would present itself between her documents, paperclips, and fancy Parker pens. With shaking hands, she reached for her phone. “One moment please, sir.”

The trio nodded, stepping away from the desk to give her some space to figure things out. Tyson leaned towards his friends, obviously agitated, “This feels wrong, guys.”

Max nodded, pulling at his tie in discomfort. “I agree. This is a bad idea.”

“We need to stick to the plan, for Kai’s sake.” Kenny blurted back. “Remember what Ray said.”

Max’s shoulders sagged. He did remember what Ray had said. Every single word of it.

Last night, instead of sleeping, they had shared Tyson’s video with their friend in China. The moment they hit send; he had called them back. Not caring about the time difference, Ray had raged against them for hours on end. He kept asking questions they couldn’t answer, and insisted they had to get Kai out of there, whatever it took.

When they shared their plan to infiltrate Kai’s attorney’s office, Ray calmed down. A little bit.

‘That’s a good place to start.’ The Chinese man had told them, before lowering his voice to an almost growl. ‘This has to work guys. She might be his only way out.’

Tyson, Max, and Kenny gave each other a determined nod.

“Gentlemen?” A small voice piped up behind them, making them turn around with flat expressions as to not give their uneasiness away. The receptionist smiled nervously, “Please follow me.”

After an identity check and, what appeared to be, a full body scan, they were led through security, and into one of the four elevators that awaited them. They were taken to the highest floor; floor 14, before kindly guided through squeaky clean corridors, decorated with modern art and various types of palms and plants. On either side of them, large, glass panels separated various office spaces. The glass was slightly opaque for privacy purposes, but despite that, it wasn’t hard to tell how dedicated the employees were for the firm. Men and woman, dressed in sharp suits, passed them left and right. Their faces taut and postures straight. They knew what they were doing.

Unlike the three awkward boys in freshly rented suits.

At the end of the corridor waited a dark, wooden door. The receptionist gave them a twitchy smile that seemed to communicate something along the lines of; ‘Here’s goes nothing’, before knocking two times. A gruff voice snapped out from behind the door. “Enter!”

The receptionist opened it, and gestured for the three visitors to go in first. They did, barely unable to hide the fact their legs were trembling. There were so out of their league here.

The office was spacious and bright. It wasn’t hard to tell it belonged to the big boss. Speaking of which…

In front of two enormous windows, a stern woman sat behind a sleek, white desk. Everything about her seemed sharp; her cheekbones, her eyebrows, her lips, her white suit, and the long dark hair that had been pulled in a tight, perfect knot. She was on the phone with someone, but that didn’t keep her from narrowing her eyes at the men who stepped into her office. She tracked them so intently, the men in question tried hard not to shudder. They could tell she was already assessing them, and judging by the furrowed eyebrows, she didn’t like what she saw. A well-manicured hand waved the receptionist away, who was out of the door in a flash, closing it gently behind her.

“Yes. That’ll be fine.” She snapped into the phone. Her voice was deep and clear. Obviously, she used it for a living.

“I need the original document. Send it over.…Yes… Alright, I’ll call you later.” She placed the phone back on the table in slow deliberation. So far, she had yet to break eye-contact with her visitors. Or blink, even. It was a bit… unnerving, to say the least.

“Gentlemen.” The lady greeted stoically.

With elegant precision, she pushed herself out of her white office chair, before strutting to the other side of her desk. Casually crossing her arms, she took a seat on top of her desk, before subjecting the three men to a long, uncomfortable stare.

Kenny, despite feeling quite confident when they stepped inside the building, felt his self-esteem drain out of his body. He had planned it all out. What he’d say. How he’d say it. But now, confronted with a woman who had the eyes of a hungry lion, he drew a blank. Silence fell like a dropped curtain. The men remained frozen, as if movement triggered something worse. They now understood why Kai would’ve chosen an attorney like her. They both mastered the art of psychological warfare, and must’ve had long, satisfying silences together. The kind that made everyone else squirm and rethink their life choices.

Kenny cleared his throat, successfully breaking the silence. “Good morning, ma’m. We apologize for the sudden intrusion. We’re with the-”

“B.O.C.” The attorney drawled, one of her eyebrows slowly rising in skeptical amusement. “Californian department, was it?”

Tyson, in an attempt to help his nervous friend out, replied, “Yes, Mrs. Hunter. We’re here because-”

“Cut the crap!” The woman snapped, making them flinch. “Neither of you are Californian. You’re whiter than the papers on my desk.” She crossed her arms a little tighter. “And you’re obviously not members of the B.O.C. either. Get the hell out of my office.”

Covers blown, the trio visibly deflated. Max, in an attempt to make amends, took a careful step towards her. “We’re very sorry, ma’m. But we need your help with something. It’s impor-”

The woman, fuming in anger, shot upright. “What do you think I do for a living?! Everyone in here needs my help with something. Get the fuck out!”

“Mrs. Hunter, please, we-”

The woman slightly twisted her torso towards her desk, jabbing a sharp finger on a button. “Security! Get these men out of my office. Now!”

Max widened his eyes, holding up his palms in a pleading manner. “No, wait-”

Within seconds, four uniformed men barged through the door. Before Tyson, Max, and Kenny even had the time to blink, they were roughly grabbed by the arms, and dragged out. Tyson heavily resisted, fumbling with his phone. In one last desperate attempt to make a point, he threw the device through the doorway, back into the office. Thankfully for him, it landed on the carpet, instead of the hard wooden floor.

“Look at it!” He called after it. “That’s Kai Hiwatari! Please look-”

“Shut it!” One of the bulky security guys snarled, pulling him further away. In no time, they were shoved outside, through the backdoor of the building. “Get out and don’t come back.” One of the security guys ordered darkly, before disappearing back inside and slamming the door behind him.

The trio needed a couple of minutes to catch their breaths. They were shaking all over, and their arms felt sore from how they were manhandled.

“That was…-” Max panted.

“… A big mistake…” Kenny finished shakily.

Tyson ran both hands over his sweaty face, moaning into his palms. Aside from the fact things didn’t go as planned, he now realized he’d probably never see his phone again. The three of them exchanged solemn glances.

They had tried. The plan had failed. But at least, they had tried.

With slow, defeated steps, they trudged back towards the parking lot, to try and find their rental. Thankfully, the bright red vehicle was hard to miss within the collection of sleek black luxury cars.

… As was the white-dressed figure, leaning against the side of their car, arms crossed. The men carefully approached her, unsure of what awaited them. Mrs. Hunter’s face was as unreadable and annoyed as it had been in her office, but her stance looked different this time. More alert. Curious. Once the nervous trio was within talking distance, she casually waved Tyson’s phone at them. “Whose phone is this.” It was a demand, not a question.

“That’d be mine, ma’m…” Tyson replied softly, making a careful attempt to reach for it. Mrs. Hunter pulled it out of reach, however. She wasn’t done. Not yet.

“Did you record this video.”

Tyson nodded. “Yes ma’m.”

“When was this recorded.”

“Yesterday.” Tyson replied softly.

“Where.”

Kenny answered this one. “The Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum...”

The woman bristled in anger, her grip on the phone tightening ever so slightly. After a couple of minutes, in which the men didn’t dare to speak, she straightened her spine, and subjected the trio with a cold, hard stare. Despite being smaller than them, it appeared like she was towering over them.

“Why did you come here?” She addressed them sternly. The trio exchanged uncomfortable glances.

“We… we were hoping you could… help us help Kai.” Tyson stammered.

“Hmmm…” The woman started circling them. Again, the hungry lion analogy came to mind here. “What do you know about the case?” She asked, suddenly.

“Nothing!” The trio squeaked in unison.

“Nothing, as in nothing? Or Nothing, as in… not enough?” The woman asked sternly. The questions came fast, as if she needed zero time to think about them. The men glanced at each other in discomfort.

Max explained sadly, “All we know is that Kai was convicted for murder, and is being kept in a very bad place...”

Mrs. Hunter didn’t respond to that, but studied the three disheveled men intensely. She noticed the bags under their eyes, and the suits that didn’t quite fit. The blonde man was American, New York area, probably. But these other two… they were Japanese, she was sure of it. They spoke English fluently, but their features and subtle accents were unmistakable. They obviously cared a lot about Kai, if they were willing to travel all this way.

Tyson blinked in surprise when his phone was handed back to him. “I need a back-up of that video, as well as your story of events.” Mrs. Hunter told him sternly.

“Does… does that mean you’re going to help us?” Tyson asked hopefully.

The woman gave no reply to that, just a sharp look before turning on her heels and walking away, After a couple of steps, she turned around. The trio hadn’t moved yet.

She sighed impatiently. “You coming, or what?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Resembling three obedient schoolboys, Max, Tyson, and Kenny sat in front of Mrs. Hunter’s desk.  They didn’t dare to say anything, as they were well aware she was still annoyed about the way they bluffed their way into her office. Mrs. Hunter’s focus, however, wasn’t on them. She was re-watching Tyson’s video, this time on a big screen. Her face was like a stone slate, revealing nothing.

After the video ended, she quietly re-directed her attention to her visitors, who, unlike herself, were openly showing the misery on their faces. They had tried not to watch the video again, but it was too hard to look away. The screen was too big. The images were too bright. The reality of it was too harsh.

“I need you to fill me in on this.” Mrs. Hunter told them seriously.

The men exchanged glances, unsure where to begin.

Tyson inhaled shakily. “I visited Kai yesterday. It... it was the first time I saw him in over fifteen years. I didn’t expect him to be so... this.” The former champion gestured sadly at Hunter’s screen. If there was more he wanted to say about it, he couldn’t find the words to do so. Tyson fell silent.

“Hmmm...” Hunter crossed her arms and leaned back, searching their faces. “And what, if any, are your expectations of me?”

“We - we need you to tell us what happened.” Max stammered, before adding softly, “And we need help getting him out of there... Legal help.”

Hunter inhaled deeply through her nose, while leaning back in her chair. She subjected the men to another unnerving stare. “Let’s start with that first bit.” She said finally. “I must warn you, though; what I’m about to tell you might show your friend in a different light, and make you doubt everything you thought you knew about him.” She clasped her hands together on her desk. “Are you sure you want to know?”

Max and Kenny visibly swallowed, but Tyson, headstrong as always, delivered a calm and confident reply. “Absolutely.”

Hunter watched him for a moment, looking for lies, both in his words and body language. She couldn’t find it. Relenting with a sigh, the attorney swivelled in her chair, opening one of the steel drawers in her file cabinet. While shifting through the files, she murmured, “Just to be clear. If anything leaks out of this room, I’ll make sure your brain will leak out of your ears. Do you understand me?”

The men gulped. It sounded like something she would actually do.

“Yes ma’m.” The three replied in unison.

Hunter nodded in approval, before lifting a heavy file out of her cabinet. She placed it on the desk, but kept her hand rested on top, as if she was guarding it. The men saw her hesitate. Whatever she was going to show them, it was still a big deal to her.

Pressing her lips into a fine line, Hunter opened the file. “Alright. Let’s start from the beginning.” A letter-sized photograph of a young man was placed in front of them. He had short blonde hair, and a charming, quirky smile. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked corporate, and professional. His portrait was taken in front of a large, metallic logo of a blazing phoenix. A logo all three of them recognized immediately.

“He works for Kai.” Kenny stated matter-of-factly.

“Correct. His name was Isaac Johnson.”

“Was?” Max murmured worriedly, not liking where this was going.

Another picture of Isaac was shown to them. One that made them feel sick instantly, and prompted them to look away. Hunter continued to explain, “He was shot with a 9mm gun. Three times.”

To the men’s silent relief, another portrait was soon placed on top of the gruesome image. One they knew very well.

“I guess this one doesn’t need an introduction. Mr. Hiwatari. CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises. Isaac’s boss. And former romantic partner of...”

Another portrait was laid out in front of them. “... Ms. Selene Sable. Famous Hollywood actress.”

The three men blinked. They hadn’t expected her face to pop up here.

With skilful fingers, the stern attorney arranged the photographs in such a way that Selene’s photo was positioned in the middle, with Kai on her left, and Isaac’s portrait on her right.

“Five years ago, Mr. Hiwatari and Ms. Sable briefly were in a relationship. At some point in their relationship however, she started having an affair with Mr. Johnson.” Here, Selene’s picture was slowly moved away from Kai, towards Isaac, his very own employee.

“According to Ms. Sable’s statement, Mr. Hiwatari caught them cheating in his own home, which resulted in Mr. Hiwatari severely beating her, before grabbing his gun and going after Mr. Johnson, shooting him dead.”

Tyson, Max, and Kenny gaped at her. Each of them struggled with what to say.

Hunter continued, “According to Ms. Sable, Mr. Hiwatari came after her next. She managed to hide in a closet and dialled 911. When the police arrived at the scene, they immediately took Mr. Hiwatari into custody. Soon after, he was charged with domestic assault charges and the murder of Mr. Johnson.”

“Wha- just like that??” Tyson interrupted. “Did they have any proof?”

Hunter’s hesitant reply wasn’t what they were hoping for, “Unfortunately, they did.”

The three men stared at her. None of them dared to ask her what she meant by that.

“The murder weapon was registered to Mr. Hiwatari. It had his fingerprints on it.” She gravely explained, startling her visitors into a shocked silence. “He also had bruises on his knuckles, indicating he had been beating something - or someone...”

“Kai would never do such a thing!” Tyson snapped before he could stop himself.

Hunter gave him a stern look. “You mentioned it’s been over fifteen years since you last saw him. How well do you think you know him? Really?”

Tyson faltered. Kenny and Max gave him a nervous look. When no answer was forthcoming, Hunter spoke lowly, “Mr. Hiwatari was known to have a short temper. He had bruised knuckles. A cheating girlfriend. A motive. A gun. No alibi... All of this painted a picture that was very hard to disprove in court.”

“Yet... you defended him...” Kenny said softly, his voice shaking slightly.

“I tried to, yes.” The stiff attorney murmured, her eyes flashing with quiet fury. “The biggest problem? There was no trial. Just a closed-door pre-trial hearing. No jury. No press. No time to prepare for the real thing.”

Kenny blinked. “Pre-trial?”

Hunter nodded once. “The prosecution demanded a psychological evaluation before the trial could be scheduled, claiming Mr. Hiwatari wasn’t fit to stand trial.”

Tyson gaped at her. “Wha-?”

She leaned forward slightly, voice tight. “Mr. Hiwatari was kept in a holding cell for two weeks after his arrest. During that time, he was evaluated by a court-appointed psychiatrist. She was supposed to be neutral. Objective. But that woman… It didn’t sit right with me.” Her jaw clenched, falling silent.

After a minute of tense silence, Hunter continued to explain, “The pre-trial only lasted two days. We barely had time to defend him. Next thing I knew, he was gone. Transferred. Case closed.”

“What do you mean, gone?!” Max blurted out. Up until now, he had remained quiet, too shocked to say anything. But he desperately wanted to understand, and none of this was making any sense.

“Let me spell it out for you; your friend wasn’t convicted.” Mrs. Hunter’s eyes glinted dangerously. “He was erased.”

Tyson frowned in disbelief. “That’s not how the justice system works.”

A sly eyebrow raised itself at that remark. “You’re going to tell me how the justice system works?”

A heavy silence fell over the group. The soft humming of Hunter’s computer suddenly was the loudest sound in the room.

With a shaking hand, Kenny took off his glasses. He folded it on top of Dizzy, who lay closed on his lap. “Your professional opinion aside… Do you think Kai… murdered someone?”

The silence that followed made Kenny wish he hadn’t asked.

Mrs. Hunter didn’t flinch. She leaned back slightly, eyes sharp. “That’s a question I can’t answer.” She let that settle before adding, “My job isn’t to decide what I believe. My job is to follow the facts, and take them apart until the truth has no choice but to show itself.”

Tyson opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when he saw the unshakable look in her eyes. There was no room for debate.

Max licked dry lips, before speaking up quietly, “Will you please help us? Find the truth?”

Hunter sighed deeply, her voice stern when she spoke, “Reopening a case, especially one as high-profile as this, isn’t easy. The burden of proof doesn’t just shift because someone wants it to. It’s going to be hard to find new evidence.”

Kenny scratched his cheek, mumbling carefully, “Maybe, we can help...?”

Hunter let out a breath, slow and tight, her patience thinning. How on earth did these idiots end up in her office again? Oh. Right.

Before she could make a snarky comment on how she ended up having chronic sleeping problems since this case had landed on her desk, a metallic, female voice appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

“I already did some digging into The Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum.”

Mrs. Hunter sprung to her feet, as if she was ejected out of her seat. “Who said that?!” She demanded angrily, sweeping the office with her eyes.

Kenny felt himself going sweaty real quick. “Oh uhm! It’s! That’s just-” With trembling hands, he opened his laptop, before turning the screen around to face her. “It’s Dizzy.” He offered as an explanation, as well as an introduction.

Mrs. Hunter looked absolutely livid.

“Someone’s been listening in on our conversation this entire time??!” She hissed. “Didn’t I make myself clear that nothing we talk about can leave this room?!!”

“Ah no no no, i-it’s not like that!” Kenny stuttered! “She’s not a person! It’s just a bitb- a thing that lives inside my computer!”

“A thing?” Came Dizzy’s dry voice. “Since when am I just a ‘thing’ to you?”

Kenny tugged at his collar. It felt tight all of a sudden. Mrs. Hunter’s death glare wasn’t helping either.

“Anyway, I hacked the hospital’s financial records.” Dizzy spoke up casually, as if nothing had happened.

Hunter stared at the laptop. “What?” She breathed in disbelief.

“You heard me.” Dizzy replied in smug confidence, making Kenny cringe. Honestly, she needed to work on her manners. Mrs. Hunter looked like she was ready to throw the precious laptop out of the window. Max noticed it too, forced a smile on his face, and turned towards the laptop, “Care to tell us what you found, Dizzy?”

“Mostly boring legal-numbers stuff.” Dizzy replied flatly. “But there was something that struck me as odd... Each month, the hospital receives a donation of 2.500 US Dollars. Always on the same day. All from the same patron.”

“That’s a lot of money.” Kenny frowned. “Are you sure they’re donations? Not some kind of government funding or something?”

“Nope. They’re donations alright.” Dizzy replied smoothly. “And you know what else is weird? The first amount was transferred one week after Kai was admitted to the facility. It kept on going ever since. If we take into account that he’s been there for four years, we’re talking about approximately $ 120.000 US Dollars, in total.”

Hunter slowly lowered herself back into her seat, unable to take her eyes off the... talking... laptop...

“You got any proof of that?” She asked, obviously sceptical. The sound of her printer activating itself, made her swivel in her chair. With wide eyes, she looked at it. The lights were blinking. The cartridges were moving. Paper was being pushed out. It kept coming and coming.

Finally, when the printer was done, Dizzy’s voice made another appearance. “Here you go. I also emailed it to you.”

With narrowed eyes, Hunter leafed through every page, studying every row. Every number. Every amount.

“Do we know the patron’s name?” Kenny asked curiously.

“Yes.” Dizzy said. “One ‘Carol Brand’.”

The name halted Hunter’s hands mid-air. She furrowed her eyebrows, staring at the empty space between the documents and her keyboard. Her thousand-yard-stare didn’t go unnoticed by the guys.

“Does that mean anything to you?” Max asked her hopefully.

Hunter slowly shook her head in disbelief, but the men misread it as denial.

Kenny scratched his head in thought. “It’s pretty coincidental that the donations started the moment Kai was admitted... Could it be a friend of Kai’s? Or someone from his company?” He suggested carefully.

“No...” Hunter frowned, turning to her computer. Without saying anything, she went berserk on her mouse and keyboard, opening various folders, before closing them, and opening others.

“What are you looking for?” Tyson asked softly.

“An old interview.” Hunter bit out. “It should be somewhe- Ah, here it is!”

Without hesitation, Hunter double-clicked on the file. As the video loaded, she turned the monitor toward the group.

“Watch.”

The screen lit up with the footage of your usual evening show. The logo ‘Tracy Talks’ sparkled on the backdrop behind a wooden stage. Studio lights casted a warm glow on the fashionable host, who beamed at the camera.

“Thank you all for being here!” The woman chirped over the loud noise of a cheering audience. “Tonight’s guest needs no introduction. A role model to millions, she’s here to talk about womanhood, stardom, and what it’s like to have a street in Hollywood named after you. Please welcome, Selene Saaaable!”

The crowd erupted in applause.

Selene entered gracefully, appearing to be at least ten years younger, but unmistakably herself; polished, poised, and every bit the movie star. She smiled at the audience, took her seat across from Tracy, and elegantly crossed her legs.

“Selene, it’s an honor.” The host gushed.

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Selene replied with a silky smile.

Tracy plucked a colorful envelope from under her chair. “Now, as is customary in our show, we always start with a ‘Tracy’s Tiny Letter’ segment, where we read letters from our youngest audience.”

Selene smiled politely. “Can’t wait to hear it.”

“Alright... Today’s letter is from...” Tracy opened it, peeking at the name at the bottom. “Eight-year-old Margie, from Phoenix. The letter reads:”

‘Dear Selene,
Is there a movie you really wanted to play in, but didn’t?
Love from your biggest fan, Margie’

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Selene placed a hand over her heart. “Yes, there was one. The Lone Appletree. You might be too young to have seen it, Margie, but it was a powerful story.”

“Ohh I loved that one!” Tracy interjected, fanning herself as if her eyes were sprouting liquid already. “I cried all the way! That poor poor son.”

“Well... fun fact...” Selene started, leaning forward slightly, as if she was about to share her biggest secret, “The main character should’ve been a woman.”

The audience murmured in surprise. Tracy blinked. “Wait, what?”

“It’s true. The original script was written with a female lead. In fact, I auditioned for the part, and even got casted for it.” Selene said in obvious disappointment. “I... poured myself into that role. Studied her character. Built her a backstory. Embodied her.” She gave a wistful smile.

“So... what happened?”

Selene's smile faltered. “My father happened. Martin Sable... I’m sure you’ve heard of him?”

“Of course!” Tracy nodded. “Legend in the industry.”

“A few weeks before shooting, he bought the rights to the film. Said a female lead wouldn’t sell. Had the script rewritten and the role recast with a man.”

Tracy’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s… oddly fitting, considering the movie is about an overbearing father controlling every part of his child’s life.”

Selene gave a short, dry laugh. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

The audience chuckled.

“I’m curious though...” Tracy started softly, “If you had been given the role, what would your version have looked like?”

Selene looked at the studio ceiling with dreamy eyes, waving an elegant hand through the air as if she was trailing words written in the sky. “Carol Brand, strong, hard-working woman, breaking loose from her father’s ultimate control, finally gaining access to her unlimited funds, and setting her free steps into the world...”

Tracy gave a small laugh. “Instead, we got Carl Brand.”

Selene shrugged. “Ah well. Us women can’t always have what we want.”

The interview stopped there, as Mrs. Hunter jabbed the pause button. Her eyes were glazed over as her mind raced at full speed.

Kenny sat perched on the edge of his seat, eyes wide in disbelief. “Did she… did she say Carol Brand…?”

The attorney didn’t answer that one. They heard it anyway. With tense fingers, she turned the screen back to its original position. “I knew it…” She ground out through gritted teeth. “I knew that witch was behind all of this…”

“N-now hold on a second!” Max slowly rose to his feet. “Are you implying Selene Sable is Carol Brand?”

“If that’s true-” Kenny interjected, also rising to his feet, “That means that Selene is donating large sums of money to the hospital. The very same hospital where her alleged attacker is being treated. Why would she do that??”

“Maybe she wants to help him?” Tyson, always the optimist, piped up.

Hunter shook her head, snarling in disgust. “If that was the case, she would’ve used her own name, not an alias. There’s no praise in doing charity work in secret, and Ms. Sable loves to be praised.” Hunter gave the men an intense stare, before her eyes softened. “Besides, if she wanted Mr. Hiwatari to be treated well, she’s obviously wasting her money. Whatever they’re doing to him in there, is obviously doing more damage than good.”

The men visibly flinched at that.

Tyson thought back to his visit. Other than the memory of Kai’s haunting form, his time spent in that place was a blur. There was, however, something else he could share. He spoke up quietly, unsure if his remark would be of importance, “One of the patients told me Kai was considered… special, and was given more drugs than others.”

“What did you say?” Hunter’s eyes flashed dangerously, “Who told you that?”

“Another patient… Nina.” Tyson repeated. “She believed they were candies… She showed them to me.”

“Pills?” Hunter clarified.

“Yeah…”

The stiff attorney frowned at her desktop, mind reeling.

Kenny ran both hands through his hair in silent despair. “You think Selene’s donations have something to do with the way Kai’s being treated?”

Mrs. Hunter didn’t answer, which was an answer in itself. She pressed her fingers to her temples, eyes closed.

The room was quiet, heavy with tension.

“… According to the research we’ve done in the past few years, everything in Ms. Sable’s life has been dictated by her father.” Hunter said finally. “…True, without him she wouldn’t have been the megastar she is today, but it came with a price. Even as an adult, he controls the jobs she takes on, her diet, voice, posture, friendships, money… He’s the one pulling all the strings.”

The three men listened intently.

Hunter continued, “That movie she was talking about? The Lone Appletree? It would have been the perfect opportunity for her to tell her story. But once again, her father took that away from her.”

“That’s… tough, but… why go after Kai?” Tyson mumbled, growing increasingly concerned for his old friend.

Hunter sighed. “Up until now, I thought it was about the settlement. After Kai’s conviction, she received millions in damages. It made sense, back then.” Her eyes narrowed, before she browsed through the freshly printed papers on her desk. “But these...” She muttered, tapping them, “...change everything.”

Max leaned forward. “You mean the donations?”

Hunter nodded, her eyes distant as her brain worked in overdrive. “You don’t take the money and then spend it to maintain the lie… unless the lie matters more than the money.”

There was a beat of silence.

Kenny looked shaken. “If it’s not about the money…” He thought for a moment, meeting Hunter’s steady gaze. Slowly, realization dawned on both of their faces. “... It’s about control.” He whispered.

Hunter nodded, slowly.

Tyson’s nervous gaze flickered from Hunter to Kenny, before bouncing back to Hunter. “But... it was her father who controlled her, right? It still doesn’t make any sense for her to go after Kai.”

“No.” Hunter agreed. “But Mr. Hiwatari represents control. His wealth, his name… he was untouchable. Even more so than her own father. Which made him the ultimate symbol of power she’d been denied.”

Her gaze darkened.

“And what better way to take back your power...” She said, voice cold, “When you can overpower the most powerful? And silence him, at the same time?”

A heavy stillness followed that statement, as if the air had grown denser. Tyson’s breath caught in his throat. He stared down at the carpet, jaw clenched, mind reeling. From all the things he had expected to learn today, this wasn’t one of them.

Hunter’s eyes narrowed as a sudden realization hit her. She slowly pushed herself out of her seat, leaning forward over her desk. “Guys… this changes things.” The trio looked back at her, their postures slouched and defeated.

“Based on these records, we can demand an investigation. If I can show that someone with influence has the intent to keep Mr. Hiwatari in a psychiatric facility through financial bribing... it raises real ethical flags. Maybe even criminal ones.”

Hunter pushed herself away from her desk, and began to slowly pace in front of her window. “I can work with this. If the motion lands and this donation trail holds up, we might get him moved. But released? Cleared? That takes more. Much more.”

“What do you need?” Tyson asked with a determined frown.

“Evidence. Strong, unrelenting evidence.” Hunter replied, giving the three men a stern, calculating look. Her eyes drifted towards the strange, talking laptop resting on Kenny’s lap. After a few minutes of deep contemplation, she spoke up sharply, “I will make you a deal.” The three men jolted upright from where they sat hunched over. Judging by her tone of voice, they knew they needed to pay attention.

“You find me new evidence that I can use in court, and I will file a motion to get the case reopened. When it does, me and my team will take on this case, pro-bono.”

Kenny widened his eyes. “Pro-bono? For real?”

“Yes.” Hunter nodded firmly, before reaching towards her desk drawer, unlocking it. “In the meantime...” She pulled out another file folder. It was a lot thinner than the one already on her desk. She flapped it open, revealing two copied documents, and... a black flashdrive.

“I need you to look for evidence we can use in court. Anything we might’ve missed. Any gaps.” Hunter tapped the flashdrive. “This drive contains all of the recordings, evidence, and transcripts, both of the police investigation, as well as the pre-trial.” She frowned sternly at the men. “It’s highly confidential, and I broke at least seven laws by making copies of it. If anybody finds out I gave you this, my firm will be shut down and I will spend the rest of my life behind bars.”

The men shuddered at her words.

They watched as she placed two identical forms in front of them, along with a shiny, silver pen. “Sign these forms, and I’ll give you the drive.”

Tyson lunged at the pen, ready to sign. Kenny, however, halted him with a squeaked, “Wait!! Tyson, you should never sign anything you haven’t read.” He tutted.

Tyson rolled his eyes at him. “Oh, come on chief, do you want the drive or not??”

“I do!” Kenny shot back, before giving Mrs. Hunter a stern look. “What do these documents entail, exactly?”

“Smart man.” Hunter complimented, before gesturing lazily at the documents. “To sum it up: if you lose the flashdrive, make your own copy of it, or do anything stupid that will make the contents publicly available, my firm will not be held accountable for it. You will.”

The three men visibly paled. Kenny, in particular, started regretting ever setting foot in this building.

Mrs. Hunter relaxed her shoulders, softening her look ever so slightly. “You can still walk away, you know. I won’t blame you.”

“Not a chance.” Tyson snatched the pen and signed. Max, with a trembling hand, followed suit.

Kenny hung his head, feeling his heart gallop in his chest. He sighed and took the pen from Max, signing the document as well.

Satisfied, Mrs. Hunter gave them one of the signed copies, as well as the flashdrive. “Protect it with your life.” She advised.

“We will.” Tyson promised with a confident smile, one that was returned by Hunter.

Feeling their conversation was over, the men gathered their belongings, and turned to leave. Before stepping out, Tyson gave Mrs. Hunter one last pleading look. “Promise me you’ll get Kai out of there.”

Hunter faced him steadily, her eyes burning in determination. “I can’t make any promises, but I’m confident we can have him transferred by the end of the week.”

Tyson felt his eyes fill at her words. “Thank you...”

“No need to thank me.” Hunter muttered, before grabbing her phone. “Now shoo. I’ve got work to do.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

The room was small. Smooth grey walls, dark grey floor, and a large mirror on the right. In the middle of the room stood a simple, off-white table, with on its right, two plastic chairs, and on its left… the unmistakable form of Kai Hiwatari.

Still dressed in his jogging gear, Kai’s muscular form blended in perfectly with his grim surroundings. Grey sweatpants, white t-shirt, black hoodie. His back was straight. Shoulders squared. Face composed. Hands clasped on the table.

If it wasn’t for the bloodstains on his shirt, and the cuffs that were slapped across his wrists, Kai looked as if he were sitting at his desk, contemplating his daily schedule. He wasn’t bouncing his legs. He wasn’t rubbing his hands together. Nothing indicated that he was nervous or uncomfortable.

He simply… didn’t move.

His chest was the only thing that did, slowly rising and falling, indicating a deep, calm breathing pattern. Despite de dire situation, he still oozed the confidence he was so well known for.

After what seemed like forever, a door, which was located just off screen, opened. Two police officers walked in. A man and woman. Kai’s eyes briefly flickered over to them, before returning to the mirror in front of him.

The male officer resembled Santa Claus in a way; middle-aged, white beard, thick moustache, big belly. All he needed to complete the picture was a red suit, a large belt, black boots, and a big jolly smile on his face. Too bad he wore a dark blue police uniform, and a pissed look on his face. With a force that borderlined on aggression, he slammed a paper file on the table, before snatching one of the seats and throwing his ass on it. All the while, his glowering eyes never left the suspect.

In contrast, his female colleague was young and pretty, with a long, dark ponytail, flattering make-up, and a slight cleavage. Unlike the other officer, she entered the room with composed elegance. She gently closed the door behind her, before slowly and mindfully seating herself, using her curves to highlight her femineity. A deliberate performance? Perhaps. Someone with Kai’s statuesque and reputation usually was drawn to this kind of women, after all. Elegant. Smart. Tidy.

Maybe, they were hoping to break down his barriers a little. Throw him off guard. Judging by Kai’s unimpressed gaze however, the woman’s presence didn’t seem to sway him in the slightest. Neither did the male officer, for that matter.

The Santa-look-alike sneered at him. “Well well well. Mr. Hiwatari, as I live and breathe.” He leaned back in his chair as if he felt too bored to be here. “Who would’ve thought I’d meet the greatest man alive.” The sarcasm dripped off his words.

“Harry, don’t.” The female officer scolded her colleague, before giving the stone-faced CEO a gentle smile. “Don’t mind him, he’s just jealous.”

No response was given.                                                              

The female officer leaned slightly towards him. “Can I get you something, Mr. Hiwatari? To eat or drink, maybe?” Her voice was soft and gentle.

Without uttering a word, Kai pulled a pitch-black business card out of thin air.

The two officers made eye-contact for a brief moment, before the male officer plucked the business card from his fingers. “Let me guess. We need to call your attorney.” Santa drawled in a bored tone. When he recognized the firm’s logo, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes in obvious frustration. “Well, Mr. Hiwatari. It seems you came prepared.” He huffed. “I guess it’s true what they’re saying; being rich does pay off.”

The footage ended there.

The screen returned to black, before the flashdrive’s main folder appeared again. Subfolders with various names and numbers were neatly categorized, beckoning to be watched.

In the motel room, huddled together on Kenny’s bed, three men stared at the screen in solemn shock. Even though nothing eventful had happened in the video, seeing Kai in cuffs was a surreal sight.

“This was just after he got arrested?” Max directed his question at the one individual who had inspected the flashdrive’s contents within a matter of hours.

“Yes.” Dizzy replied.

“What else can you show us, that might be of importance?” Kenny asked his digital friend.

The cursor on the screen moved on its own, double clicking another file. It showed another set of videos. Dizzy opened one, but fast-forwarded through the first bit. It was the same interrogation room as before, but this time, another person had joined them. A young man, with slick black hair, sat on Kai’s left, gesturing wildly to the police officers.

“Hold on - who’s that guy?” Tyson asked, confused.

“Kai’s attorney, Mr. Anders.” Dizzy replied, still speeding the footage along.

“I thought Mrs. Hunter was Kai’s attorney…?” Tyson remarked.

“Same firm, other attorney. Mrs. Hunter defended Kai in court.”

Max, Tyson, and Kenny watched the sped-up footage with darting eyes, trying to see what was happening.

“Hey- stop! Stop!” Tyson suddenly cried out, “Back up a little!”

“Why?” Dizzy replied in her infamous skeptical tone. She had slowed down the footage a bit, but had yet to stop.

“Because I wanna see Kai!” Tyson reasoned. “I wanna hear him talk!”

“You will.”

“But- but I wanna see everything!” For a moment, Tyson sounded like his younger self. His whiny tone didn’t phase the others though. If anything, they agreed with him.

“I want to see everything too.” Max said sternly. He wasn’t about to do this halfway. They needed to see it all. They owed it to Kai.

“Look…” Dizzy sighed. “If you want to see everything, you’ll have to watch a week’s worth of footage. We don’t have that time, now do we?”

Tyson frowned nervously, “No, but-”

“While you were napping and stuffing your face, I watched every second of this gut-wrenching thing. The majority of it isn’t relevant to Kai’s current situation. If you let me, I’ll show you all the important bits and pieces. Trust me, you won’t miss out on anything.”

The guys, sitting on the bed in front of her, remained quiet.

Dizzy paused the footage. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course we do.” Max said firmly, looking at the others for confirmation. Tyson nodded in agreement, while the chief urged her softly, “Please show us what you found.”

“Alright...”

The video continued at its usual pace. The Santa-officer had slapped a photograph on the table, featuring a blonde young man, drinking a beer in a bar.

“Do you know this man?” He asked Kai.

The CEO breathed in calmly, before glancing at the photo. “He was in my home. Shot.” His voice sounded different than his former teammates remembered. It was darker, baritone, and laced with authority. It wasn’t hard to imagine him leading the biggest company in the world.

Santa, however, wasn’t easily intimidated. “That’s all?” He huffed.

Kai raised a challenging eyebrow. “That’s not enough?”

“You don’t recognize your own employee?” Santa challenged back, tapping the photo with two fingers. “Isaac Johnson. Junior Privacy & Safety officer at Hiwatari Enterprises. That is your company, isn’t it?”

Kai’s attorney didn’t miss a beat, “Hiwatari Enterprises has over eighty-thousand employees in the U.S. alone.” He said coolly, leaning forward just enough to make his point. “You expect him to know them all by name?”

Before Santa could sneer back, the female police officer also leaned forward, catching the CEO’s striking red eyes. “Wow, eighty-thousand people…” She gushed in a silken voice. “Sounds like a very demanding job… How do you manage all that?”

Kai narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he could see right through her act. “I just do.”

“Well okay…” The woman smiled seducingly at him. “But still, it must be stressful sometimes. What do you for fun? To wind down after a long day?”

Kai shot his attorney a look of impatient disbelief. The black-haired man gave him a sympathetic nod in return, as if to say; ‘Just answer the question.’

Relenting, Kai sighed through his nose. “Work out. Read a book.”

Tyson couldn’t help but snort at the short and simple reply. Even in a serious police interrogation, Kai kept his words to a minimum. Apparently, he hadn’t changed a bit!

“I can tell you work out a lot.” The female gushed in a breathy voice, running her eyes over Kai’s muscular arms. His frown deepened, unamused by her tactics.

The Santa-officer now also leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. “Where were you today, at 6:30 PM?”

Kai didn’t move as he replied, “Running.”

“Where?”

“At the beach.”

“Do you run often?” The female officer chimed in, her tone sweet.

“Daily.”

“At what time did you arrive home today?” She asked.

“6:44.”

The officers exchanged a look. That reply came a bit too quick.

Santa’s voice had a sceptical tone to it, “What’s your usual time for getting home, give or take?”

“6:44.” Came the answer again.

“Down to the minute?” Santa asked, unimpressed.

Kai didn’t blink. “I’m punctual.”

“You expect us to believe you’re that consistent?”

“I don’t care what you believe.” Kai’s tone was icier than his expression.

Kai’s attorney, Mr. Anders, interjected with a smooth, but firm voice, “My client has a strict routine. He’s not required to justify it.”

Santa leaned back in chair lazily, as if this whole conversation was a waste of his time. “Tell me, Mr. Hiwatari. Did you use the frontdoor or backdoor when you came home?”

Another sigh. “Backdoor.”

Santa made a ‘tsk’-ing sound, flipping open a tablet. “Let’s talk about your security system, shall we?”

Silence.

“The backdoor cameras were angled away. Any idea why?”

Nothing.

Another photograph was tossed on the table. “Recognize this man?”

Kai glanced at it, his brows furrowing ever so slightly. “That’s Joe Winston, my gardener.”

“Right.” Santa placed his tablet on the table, for all to see. On it, an older man stood perched on a ladder. What he was doing exactly was hard to see, but Santa was happy to clarify; “That’s your gardener, on tape, adjusting your backdoor cameras. One day before the murder. Care to tell me why?”

Kai’s attorney straightened his back in defiance. “Officer…” He started calmly, “Unless Mr. Hiwatari has recently taken up mind-reading, he’s not in a position to testify on another person’s behalf. If you want answers, talk to the gardener.”

Santa gave the attorney a flat look. “We did talk to him. He clammed up. Which brings us back to you, Mr. Hiwatari. It’s your gardener, after all. Your cameras. Your gun.”

Another photo hit the table; a Glock in a sealed evidence bag.

“That is your weapon, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Your fingerprints were all over it.”

As a response, Kai gave him a flat look. Mr. Anders sighed, once again speaking on his client’s behalf, “You’ve already made a point of calling it his gun. Are we debating ownership, or usage?”

“Right. Let’s talk about usage…” Santa drawled, refocusing his attention on his tablet. After a couple of seconds, he placed the device in the middle of the table, and explained, “At 6:25 this afternoon, your indoor camera recorded this, Mr. Hiwatari. It might’ve not picked up visuals, but it did pick up sound.”

He pressed play.

As the cameras were turned towards the ceiling, nothing could be seen. As for sound however, a distant scream could be heard. It grew gradually louder as, whoever it was, ran towards the backdoor, where the camera was located.

“NO! KAI, STOP!” The distraught female voice, belonging to Selene Sable, screeched through the tablet’s speakers. Soon after, the sound of objects being thrown around accompanied her screams. “STOPP!! I’M SORRY!! DON’T HURT-”

SLAP! CRASH!

Harsh, male growls soon followed, along with glass breaking, and pained howls.

While the horrible sounds filled the interrogation room, all eyes were trained on Kai. The grey-haired man had narrowed his eyes at the screen, listening intently.

The screams and aggressive noises continued, until Santa reached out to pause it. His chubby fingers struggled to move the timeline further along, but he managed somehow.

“Same camera, six minutes later. 6.31 PM.” He mumbled, pressing ‘play’.

More screaming, but further away. Selene and her attacker must’ve been in the back of the house. Selene’s screams were unintelligible at this point, but two words belted out of her, loud and clear, for all to hear.

“KAI!! NOOOO!!”

A gun fired. BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

And after a couple of seconds… BANG!

With each loud gunshot that erupted from the tablet’s speakers, Kai’s hands balled tighter into a fist. Both he and his attorney stared at the screen in disbelief. For the police officers, as well as the occupants watching the footage in their dingy motel room, this was the first time Kai displayed emotion on his face.

He did seem a little… shocked?

Santa stopped the video. “You expect us to believe this wasn’t you?” He demanded.

No reply.

“Mr. Hiwatari.” Santa interlinked his fingers on the table, making sure he had the CEO’s full attention. “Would you consider yourself to be a violent man?”

Kai clenched his jaws, before looking down at his hands, still curled into tight fists. He didn’t say anything.

Santa sighed in mock disappointment, jotting things down in his little notebook. “Well, I guess I got my answer.”

Mr. Anders frowned disapprovingly. “My client’s decision to remain silent is an exercise of his constitutional right, not an admission of guilt. You can’t just assume he -"

“- We understand.” The female officer interjected gently. She had kept herself in the background for the majority of the interrogation, but felt it was her time to take the rear.

She subtly gestured at the CEO’s shirt. “Can you tell me whose blood that is?” She asked him in a soft, non-threatening tone.

Kai looked at her, eyes like winter. “Selene’s.”

“And you’re saying you came home to find her like that? Bloodied?”

“Yes.”

“Can you describe her injuries?”

Kai exhaled slowly, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly. “Her nose and temple were bleeding, and there were scratches on her arms and hands.”

The female officer nodded slowly, writing it all down. “How did her blood end up on you?”

A pause. A breath. Then, for the first time, he took the time to reply, “She ran into my arms when I came home. She said someone attacked her. Handed me the gun. Told me it belonged to the intruder. I looked for him. Found him dead.”

“At what time did you say you arrived home? 6:30?” The lady asked, while pretending to flip through her notes, as if she had forgotten the man’s earlier testimony.

“6:44.” Kai reminded her sternly. “I came home at 6:44.”

“From your run?”

“Yes.”

“At the beach?”

“Yes.”

“Can anyone confirm this? Did anyone see you?”

Kai looked at her strangely. “It’s a beach.” He muttered, “There’s plenty of people there, but no one…-”

“Saw you.” The lady finished softly.

Santa, who had been jotting down notes, gave Kai another critical look. “I’ve got one more question, Mr. Hiwatari.” He gestured at his own knuckles. “What happened to your hands?”

Kai inspected his hands with a tired sigh. The skin was damaged and swelling into a dark blue color. “I practice bare-knuckle boxing.” Kai replied in a monotone voice.

“You practice bare-knuckle boxing.” Santa repeated slowly, as if he were talking to a child. “How incredibly… convenient.”

Mr. Anders suddenly stood up, buttoning up his suit jacket. “We’re done here. My client has cooperated. Unless you’ve got grounds to arrest him, we’re leaving.”

Santa, unimpressed by the attorney’s words, clicked off his pen, stored away the photographs that lay scattered on the table, and closed the file. He slowly stood up from his chair, and with a flat, unemotional voice, he stated, “Kai Hiwatari, I hereby declare you are under arrest for murder, and domestic assault in the first degree.”

Mr. Anders gasped in shock, unlike his client, who merely stared at the air in front of him, lips sealed shut.

Dizzy switched videos, moving towards another interrogation room. It mirrored the first one in every way, but the mood inside was noticeably different.

Detective Clara Morris leaned forward, forearms resting lightly on the table. Her expression was soft but sharp, eyes both empathetic and calculating. She studied the famous woman sitting across from her.

Selene Sable trembled behind a cluster of scrunched-up tissues, breath hitching erratically. Gauze had been taped on various places on her face, and her arms and hands were wrapped up in bandages. On the parts of skin that weren’t wrapped or covered, vivid bruises peeked through.

“This is just... horrible!” She sobbed. “Isaac... he didn’t deserve this. It’s all my fault!” The platinum icon slouched lower in her chair, appearing almost childlike beneath the oversized police coat that had been draped over her shoulders.

“How is it your fault?” Clara asked softly, pushing the tissue box a little closer to her.

“I don’t knooow...” Selene wailed, the tissues muffling her voice.

Clara watched, patiently. When the silence stretched just long enough, she reached for the black voice recorder, pressed it on with a soft click, and offered Selene a sympathetic smile.

“Let’s start wherever you’re comfortable. Maybe with how you and Mr. Hiwatari met?”

Selene’s eye, the one that wasn’t swollen shut, peeked through the layers of tissues, trembling in sorrow. Her makeup was all over the place, enhancing the already painful looking bruises on her face.

“We met at a fundraiser. New Year’s Eve.” Her voice was nasal and uneven. “It was one of those ridiculous rich-people events at a luxury hotel. Black-tie, chandeliers, champagne brands you can't pronounce, stuff like that. I wore a dress worth more than an average car. I felt… like a jewel.”

She gripped the police coat tighter, grounding herself.

“A couple of hours in, Kai showed up, wearing jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and boots that looked like they’d survived a war. I think half the room stopped breathing.”

Clara raised an eyebrow. “And no one said a word?”

Selene let out a bitter snort. “No one dared. That’s the effect he has on people.”

Clara jotted down a note, then asked gently, “Is that what drew you to him?”

Selene shrugged, wincing at the pain it caused in her shoulder. “I guess… yeah. He was magnetic. But it wasn’t just that. Later, when the donations started, all the millionaires and billionaires were practically tripping over each other to show off. Millions were pledged, all for show. But then someone donated twenty-two million to a children’s charity no one had heard of. Anonymously.”

“And you believe that was Mr. Hiwatari’s doing?” Clara asked.

Selene’s fingers fidgeted with an already shredded tissue. “I can’t prove it. But yes. That was him, alright.” Her eyes welled up again, as she choked out, “He’s a good man...” she gulped. “I used to believe he was a good man.”

Clara paused. Then, carefully, “When did you stop believing he was a good man?”

The question hit Selene like a gust of wind. Her mouth opened, but no words came. Her shoulders caved inward, and she rubbed her upper arms as if she felt cold, or in need of a hug.

“This is really hard.” she whispered.

“I understand. Take your time.”

A beat passed. Selene inhaled deeply, held it, then exhaled slowly, like she'd been taught to do by her favorite team of yoga practitioners.

“The press likes to label Kai as cold. Stoic. Emotionless.” She turned pained eyes to the detective. “In reality… he’s… exactly that.”

Carla leaned back, stunned at the revelation.

“We’ve had moments where we really connected, but they were… rare. Most of the time, it felt like there was a big, frozen lake between us. I couldn’t reach him.” Selene sniffled.

“That must’ve felt isolating.” Carla softly said.

Selene nodded faintly, dapping a folded tissue under her eye. “It was. I told myself I understood him, that I had to be patient. But sometimes... things got bad between us. He’d get short-tempered.”

Clara’s interest was piqued, her pen and notepad ready. “What happened when he lost his temper?”

A sharp silence fell.

Selene inhaled shakily, struggling with her words. “He’d... yell at me. Pull my hair. Sometimes, he’d throw things at me. ... Hit me.”

The detective didn’t react visibly, only scribbled something in her notebook.

“How often did this happen?”

“Hard to say. Bad days. Bad nights. If he’d been drinking…”

The detective continued to jot things down, before looking back up. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to ask. Why didn’t you leave the relationship?”

“I loved him!” Selene wailed as she, once again, hid her face into her hands. “I thought I could help him. Fix it. Fix us.”

“He hurt you.” The detective gently reminded her.

“I know...” Selene whispered, eyes pleading. “But if I’d left… I think he would’ve snapped. For real.”

Clara didn’t blink. “Were you afraid of him?”

“…Yes.”

The silence that followed was heavy, nearly tangible.

“Did you and Mr. Hiwatari live together?”

“No...” Selene said, shaking her head. “But I have a key to his home.”

“Would you also stay at his place when he wasn’t home?”

Selene nodded tearfully. “My house is under construction, so I’d often spend time in his.”

Clara flipped a page in her notebook. “You were at Mr. Hiwatari’s house today, correct?”

Selene nodded.

“And Mr. Johnson was with you?”

At the name of her secret lover, Selene curled forward, burying her face in her hands again. “Oh god. Isaac…” She whimpered in her palms.

“I know this is difficult, but I need to ask. What was Mr. Johnson doing at Mr. Hiwatari’s house?”

“I invited him.”

“Why?”

A beat of silence fell, before Selene mumbled softly, “I wanted to spend time with him.” She sniffled, gaze lowered. “We were… involved.”

“So... you were having an affair?”

Another pause. “Yes.”

“Did Mr. Hiwatari know about this, prior to today’s confrontation?”

“I don’t know... Maybe...”

Clara took her time with the next question. “Tell me what happened in the house today, starting with the arrival of Mr. Johnson.”

Selene clutched the coat like it might shield her from her own words. “Isaac arrived around two. We went swimming together, and watched a movie. A couple of hours later, he was about to leave. We kissed each other goodbye... when all of a sudden, Kai was there. He- he wasn’t supposed to be home yet.”

“At what time did Mr. Hiwatari arrive home?”

Selene thought about it for a moment, shrinking in on herself. “It must’ve been somewhere between 6:15 and 6:30...”

Clara nodded, writing it down. “What happened afterwards?”

Selene inhaled deeply. “The moment he saw me and Isaac, kissing... he... he just snapped.” Her voice trembled again. “I tried to explain everything to him, but he - he didn’t listen. He hit me. Threw things at me.” Her voice cracked, panic rising again. Her eyes darted back and forth as she recalled the traumatizing event. “Isaac ran. He was fast. But Kai was faster. I tried to stop him, but then - then there were gunshots. So many. Kai shot him. Over and over.”

Clara’s tone remained steady. “Where were you when the shooting happened?”

“I was running. I panicked. I hid in the kitchen cupboard, and called 911.”

“What happened after?”

“I heard him… stomping through the house. Yelling my name. Like he was hunting me.” She shuddered violently, her fingers white-knuckling the edge of the table. “I thought I was next.”

Dizzy ended the video there. She had plenty of other things to show the guys, but decided to keep quiet. The harsh reality of what they had seen needed to settle in first.

No one in the motel room moved. No one spoke. Three stunned faces stared at the screen.

“I can’t believe...” Max muttered, wide-eyed. He couldn’t finish his sentence.

Like Kenny, Tyson remained silent, but every muscle in his body had clenched up.

Max sadly glanced at his friends. “The things she said about Kai...” He faltered.

“It’s wrong.” Tyson bit out. He seemed more angry than shocked. “They’ve got it all wrong!”

Kenny silently scooted himself off the bed, before staggering to the small kitchenette. He poured himself a glass of water, but it was hard to drink it without spilling anything. His hands were still trembling heavily.

Meanwhile, Max rubbed his face in despair. “I had no idea things were this bad...” He confessed in a pained voice. The words were innocent enough, but still, they rubbed Tyson the wrong way. Out of the three of them, he had been the one who had seen just how bad things were. He had seen where Kai ended up after all of this.

At the memories of his former captain’s vacant eyes, and thin, weakened frame, Tyson’s teeth painfully grinded together.

Oblivious to his friend’s inner turmoil, Kenny hesitatingly retook his seat on the bed. “I think it’s odd Kai’s gardener angled the camera’s away, one day before the murder...” He mused aloud. “They said he clammed up when he was asked about it. Is that true, or what is just a tactic to get Kai to talk?”

“It was a tactic alright. The gardener cooperated voluntarily.” Dizzy responded, already hunting for the file. “Here you go.”

The footage showed the exact same layout; off-white table in the middle, one suspect sitting on its left, a sour-looking Santa and his pretty colleague sitting on its right. The framing and lightning were identical to Kai’s interrogation, and at first glance, one could easily mistake it for a replay.

But the subject had changed. The young, indifferent executive was gone. In his place, an elderly man sat, visibly distressed, wringing his hands beneath the table.

The female officer’s demeanor was noticeably different, too. In contrast to the previous interrogation, there was no cleavage, no flirtation, no charm tactics. Whatever she'd been doing before, it had been an act. And now, the performance had stopped.

“How long have you worked for Mr. Hiwatari?” She addressed the old man in a neutral, professional tone.

The old man’s voice shook. “Ten years, give or take.”

“How would you describe your working relationship?” The female officer asked.

“Oh, Kai is like family...” The old man’s voice cracked slightly, his eyes fixed on some invisible spot in front of him. “He’s not the warmest type, I’ll admit. But he’s not... he’s not a killer.”

The female officer leaned in, just slightly. Not seductive, but intentional. Focused. “Why did you tamper with his security cameras?”

The question landed like a thud. The gardener blinked in shock. “I didn’t tamper. I just… moved them a little. Tilted them.”

“Why?”

Silence. Then a softly whispered, “Because Selene asked me to.”

Multiple eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“Please explain.” The female officer said sternly.

The gardener shifted in his seat, fingers clasped tightly together. “She came out to the garden one afternoon… said she needed air. Said things between her and Kai weren’t going well. I didn’t pry... it wasn’t my place, but... but she started crying.”

He paused, eyes darting briefly toward the table, almost embarrassed.

“She told me Kai didn’t know how to love her the way she needed it. That she felt invisible sometimes. She told me… she’d found a way to keep the relationship alive. To balance things out.”

The officer tilted her head. “What do you think she meant by that?”

“She didn’t spell it out at first. Just said she needed privacy for a few nights, and that it would mean the world if I could adjust the back cameras... so that Kai wouldn’t know anyone had been there.”

“She thought having an affair would save her relationship?” The female officer asked bluntly.

The gardener cleared his throat. “Well, if you put it like that...” He trailed off.

The female officer stayed quiet, but Santa had a few thoughts to share, “You consider Mr. Hiwatari like family. So why help someone sneak around behind his back?”

“I thought I was helping him!” The gardener defended, before adding softly, “I really did...” He looked down at his hands, weathered and shaking slightly. “Kai’s not good with... feelings. Never has been. But with her? Selene? She brought something out of him. I saw it.”

He paused, swallowed hard.

“When she told me they were struggling, that she had a plan to fix it, I... I just wanted to help her make things work. For him.”

The police officers remained silent, their expressions unreadable.

“I didn’t see it as helping her cheat.” The gardener continued, almost pleading now. “Maybe if she got what she needed somewhere else... with someone else... she could stay with him and make things work. And if that meant giving her a bit of privacy... angling the cameras... I’d do it in a heartbeat. For Kai.”

The video stopped there.

The three men shared an uncomfortable look.

“Selene made it seem like she was covering up an affair.” Kenny said with a grimace. “But what she really did... was erase Kai’s alibi.”

“Yes.” Dizzy affirmed grimly. “And it worked.”

Tyson shot to his feet, hands clenched. “That doesn’t make any sense! If Kai didn’t ask for the cameras to be moved, then that’s proof, right? Proof he didn’t do it!”

“Not exactly.” Dizzy responded sullenly. “Selene’s lawyers know what they’re doing. They’re not chasing facts; they’re chasing perception. And right now, Kai fits the mold of a killer better than anyone else.”

Tyson gaped at the laptop. “What are you talking about?? Kai’s not a killer!”

“The pre-trial will show you what I’m talking about.” Dizzy bit out, unamused. Despite her personal feelings towards Kai, she hated what they did to him.

Her cursor flew to another folder, hovered above the file, but didn’t click it. The others sensed her hesitation.

“Guys, listen. Before we go here, you should know…” Dizzy started sternly. “…Kai wouldn’t want you to see this stuff.”

Kenny and Max briefly glanced at each other, alarmed by her tone of voice. Tyson, however, was past uncaring at this point. He rolled his shoulders in a vain attempt to loosen his tense muscles. “Will we miss out on important evidence if we don’t watch it?” He asked seriously.

Dizzy was quick to respond. “Yes.”

“Then we must watch it.” Tyson concluded firmly.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Dark clouds had settled over Beijing, huddling the city in darkness. Not even the light of the moon could shine its way through, and no stars were in sight.

The restaurant district, usually bustling with both locals and tourists, was as dark as the sky above. Closed for the night.

Upstairs, above the restaurant with the grant, red dragon sculpted on the door, the modest apartment was quiet. The only sound was the rain, pattering against the windows, and the muffled echo of traffic still trickling through the city streets. Two figures lay curled together, deeply asleep, in the backroom of the apartment. The bed barely fit in the cramped space, but they didn’t care. They were warm. Safe. Dry. That was enough.

Suddenly, a deep, repetitive buzz vibrated through the floorboards. Only one of them stirred.

A woman with dishevelled, pink hair, gave her husband a shove. “Y-r phones r-ngn.” She grumbled.

The husband, still half asleep, turned towards her. “Huh?”

“Y-r phone’s ringing!” She repeated gruffly.

“Oh...” The black-haired man groped blindly across the cold wooden floor until his fingers found the vibrating device. The screen lit up like a spotlight in the dark. Wincing, he blinked against the glare and fumbled to answer it.

“-Nhello.” He mumbled.

“RAY!” Came the familiar voice of his loud-mouthed, Japanese friend.

The dark-haired man groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “Tyson...? It’s...” He checked the clock. “... three in the morning.”

A short silence awaited him on the other side, before Tyson uttered a simple, “Oh right... time zones. Sorry. But look... we need to talk. About Kai.”

At the mention of his former captain, Ray sat up a little straighter.

“Give me a sec.” He whispered, pushing the blankets aside and staggering to his feet. With wobbly legs, he left the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him.

While on his way to the living room, Ray yawned and rubbed his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve watched everything.” Tyson replied, his voice tight and tense.

Ray’s brows rose. “You’ve watched... what?”

“Footage of the police investigation, trial, everything. Kai’s attorney gave us a flashdrive.”

Ray slowly lowered himself on the couch, mouth sagging open as his friend’s words dawned on him. “Okay...” He said, stunned. “And... how was it?”

Silence. Long enough that Ray checked his phone screen. Still connected.

“Tyson?”

“Yeah...” The younger man sounded subdued. “Listen... Ray, if you wanna see it, we can show you. But it’s...” A sniffle reached Ray’s ears. “It’s really hard to watch.”

A chill crept over Ray’s skin. Shadows gathered in the corners of the room, deep and looming. It felt like the darkness itself was listening in.

The words left his mouth before he could stop them. “Show me.”

Mariah had dosed off, but woke up an hour later, without knowing why. Was it morning already? Feeling strangely disorientated by the dark room and empty space in the bed beside her, she furrowed her brows in confusion. It was nearly four ‘o clock, yet Ray was still up. Talking on the phone, by the sounds of it. Was he still talking to Tyson?

Sighing heavily, Mariah pushed herself upright. Worry tugged at her.

It had only been a few months since they moved into this apartment above the restaurant. Their restaurant. It had been Ray’s lifelong dream, and seeing it blossom into reality was an amazing adventure for the both of them. They worked hard to sustain the business, and the restaurant was doing well. So well, in fact, that they were swamped. Stressed. Exhausted. But happy to pay the price. After all, dreams didn’t come without sacrifice.

Ever since Kai’s... situation came to light however, something had shifted. Ray hadn’t been himself. In bed, he’d toss and turn a lot, and during the day, he was snappy to his staff. He also held little patience for their daughter, and the marriage started to feel the strain as well.

As much as Mariah respected the Bladebreaker’s tight-knitted bond, a part of her wished Ray cared a little bit less about his former team captain. She felt horrible about what happened to him, but let’s be honest here... Kai was a pretty difficult guy to deal with. Sometimes she wondered why the former Bladebreakers constantly showered Kai with their friendship and kindness, when Kai himself didn’t seem to want any of it.

With a huff, Mariah climbed out of bed and put on a robe. She had wanted to confront Ray about the situation for a while now, but never found the right time to do so. Now seemed like the right time. Someone had to be the voice of reason, after all.

She silently padded towards the living room. Ray sat at the dining table, his back to her, bathed in the cold blue glow of his laptop screen.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Mariah silently glanced over his shoulder. A typical American courtroom dominated the screen. In the witness stand sat a middle-aged woman, with a straight-cut bob, charcoal-gray suit, and sharp glasses. Nothing about the woman seemed to be particularly exceptional, other than the fact that she was about to drop a bombshell no one was prepared for.

A gruff-looking man, dressed in a suit, approached the woman in the witness stand with a confident smile. “We appreciate you coming in today, Dr. Wells.”

“Of course.”

The man in the suit turned towards the few people sitting in the court room, pressing his fingertips against each other as he spoke, “Now, as mentioned in our opening statements, we, the prosecution, deemed it necessary to have the defendant, Mr. Hiwatari, mentally evaluated by an impartial professional. We have brought in Dr. Wells as a key witness, to deliver her thoughts on the matter.” He turned towards the woman in question. “Dr. Wells. It has come to our understanding that, within the past two weeks, you have conducted several sessions with the defendant, Mr. Hiwatari. Is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

“What was your first impression of Mr. Hiwatari?”

Dr. Wells leaned forward, projecting her clear and steady voice into the microphone, “Mr. Hiwatari presents himself with confidence. He knows he’s intelligent, possibly brilliant. Strong. Independent. Proud. And yet... he felt empty to me. Emotionally vacant. I saw no change in expression, even when the subject matters were of sensitive nature, such as his abusive past, the tragic death of his employee, and the current allegations made against him. His face remained unreadable.”

A quiet pause filled the courtroom, before she continued, “The combination of extreme self-confidence and a complete absence of emotional response raised red flags.”

The attorney nodded slowly at her words. “Why would you consider someone’s inability to show emotions a red flag?”

“First of all, there’s an important distinction to make between showing no emotions and feeling no emotions.” The doctor spoke seriously. “In my professional opinion, there’s a possibility Mr. Hiwatari suffers from Antisocial Personality Disorder. Further testing is needed, however.”

“Can you please tell the court what an Antisocial Personality Disorder entails?”

“Of course. Antisocial Personality Disorder is a mental health condition, where a person holds no regard to other people’s rights and social rules. They may lie, manipulate, act aggressively, or break the law without feeling guilt or remorse. It’s not the same as being shy or antisocial; it's about a pattern of harmful behavior and emotional detachment, especially a lack of empathy."

“And you think Mr. Hiwatari suffers from this disorder?”

“Again, I can’t say with certainty. More testing needs to be done.”

“But, if you’d listen to your gut, what would you-”

“OBJECTION!” Kai’s attorney, the fierce Mrs. Hunter, shot to her feet. “A gut feeling is not a medical prognosis.” She snapped.

The judge gave an approving nod. “Sustained.”

The camera lingered on Kai. Ray stared.

Strangely, Kai looked at home in a courtroom. If you wouldn’t know him, he could easily be mistaken for a prosecutor. With his level of self-confidence, he probably could be one.

He was dressed sharply, not a hair out of place. Hands neatly folded on the table, calm and still. Despite the stuffy courtroom and the three-piece-suit he was wearing, there were no sweat drops in sight. If he was nervous, he hid it well. His gaze didn’t dart. It remained fixed, steady, composed.

Ray struggled to understand.

They were tearing him apart in front of everyone, and he wasn’t reacting.

“This is insane...” Ray muttered, barely realizing he’d spoken aloud.

The male attorney returned on screen, having gathered himself.

“Dr. Wells, would you say Mr. Hiwatari, given your impression so far, is capable of violent or criminal behavior?”

The stern doctor didn’t hesitate with her answer. “Absolutely, yes.”

“Please elaborate.”

Dr. Wells nodded. “Every human has a tell; a certain characteristic or behavior that shows that someone’s nervous or uncomfortable. Mr. Hiwatari has no tell. He never broke eye-contact. He never fidgeted with his hands. He didn’t self-soothe. His answers, if he had any, were direct and, for the lack of a better word, robot-like. He’s emotionally detached and- ”

Enraged, Ray hit the spacebar, pausing the video. “Did she just call him a robot??” He snapped at his laptop. Mariah nearly jumped at his angered tone. For a short moment she wondered who Ray was talking to, but soon realized his buddies were in the background screen, huddled together in a video call.

“She did.” Max confirmed sadly.

“It gets worse.” Tyson mumbled.

Ray’s eyes blazed as he punched the spacebar again, jaw clenched. The video resumed.

Dr. Wells continued, voice sharp and clinical. “- These signs, combined with his history of abuse, early criminal behavior, and prolonged emotional detachment, suggest he may be experiencing a psychological break from reality. These are traits shared by high-functioning sociopaths.”

Ray couldn’t help it, and hit the spacebar again. Silence followed. He stared at the screen, heart pounding, words caught in his throat.

This was Kai they were talking about.

Yes, he was cold. Difficult. Distant. Even as a kid. But that didn’t make him a sociopath.

Feeling his eyes sting, Ray’s voice was soft when he asked, “Why do they keep saying he has a history of abuse? And ‘criminal behavior as a youth’? What are they talking about?”

Half a world away, in a cluttered motel room, three men exchanged a heavy look; one of mutual dread.

“Um...” Max shifted in his seat, visibly uncomfortable. “Turns out Kai’s past was a lot... darker than we thought.”

Ray’s brows furrowed. “Darker how?”

Kenny leaned closer to the screen, his voice barely above a whisper. “His parents were killed when he was four. Murdered. Officially, it was a break-in gone wrong... but there are rumors his grandfather was involved.”

Ray’s breath hitched. He stared at them, stunned. “You’re serious?”

Kenny gave a stiff nod. Max looked away.

“After that...” Kenny continued, “His grandfather took him. Dragged him to the Abbey.” He swallowed hard. “Because he was the Hiwatari heir, he was expected to be flawless. Perfect. So, for the following years, they trained him, brutally. Not just physically, but mentally too. Pain endurance. Total emotional suppression. Independence to the point of isolation...”

His voice faltered, but he pushed on.

“They taught him how to win. How to endure pain. How to be alone.” He looked down, mumbling, almost to himself, “I guess that’s why he kept everyone at arm’s length.”

The silence that lingered was heavy. No one rushed to fill it.

“How… how do you know all this?” Ray strained out.

Kenny sighed. “The prosecution had documents. Old records. From the Abbey.”

“How on earth-” Ray gaped at the screen. “Where did they find that??”

“No idea.” Kenny responded softly. “It was all in Russian, but someone translated it.”

Ray stared at the dark, empty space above his laptop. “Holy shit...” His voice wobbled, as tears sprung to his eyes.

Mariah decided to make her presence known. She placed a soft, gentle hand on her husband’s shoulder, who launched himself out of his chair with a loud yelp. “AH! MY GOD!”

“Sorry sorry!” Mariah held her hands up, “It’s just me!”

Chest heaving, Ray dragged a shaky hand through his hair. He blew out a sharp breath. “Warn me next time, will you?”

“Sure sure… sorry…” Mariah said softly, pulling a chair over to join him. She gave the webcam a little wave. “Hi guys…”

“Hey, Mariah...” the three men replied in unison, their faces pale and tired.

The pink-haired woman wasted no time, and dove straight into the conversation. “The whole Abbey thing is super shocking, but that doesn’t explain the ‘Criminal youth’ part. What did he do?”

Ray gave his wife a dark look as he sat himself back down. He was painfully aware of the fact she disliked their old captain, and didn’t appreciate her jumping to conclusions.

“Kai… escaped the abbey when he was nine.” Kenny replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “He fled back to Japan, where he originally was born. His grandfather, as some sort of twisted revenge, kept a tight lid on most of his funds, including Championship money. Kai ended up living on the streets for years. Even after he joined the Bladebreakers, apparently.”

Ray’s jaw dropped. “Wait - what?! No... no way. He couldn’t have. Someone should’ve - We should’ve -” He trailed off, turning to Mariah with a stunned, pained look. She gently rubbed his arm, her own eyes wide and watery. The idea that Kai had endured so much on his own, cut deeper than she expected.

“To survive on the streets, ” Kenny continued, his voice solemn, “Kai used what he’d learned in the Abbey. That included stealing food, medicine, clothes... and defending himself against other gangs and police. It got him into trouble more than once.”

“I’m sorry, other gangs?” Ray blurted out, shocked. “Kai was in a gang??”

“Kai was the gang.” Tyson murmured, “At ten years old, Kai had a certain… reputation on the streets, and got himself quite a following. I’m not talking about the Bladesharks here, that came after that. I’m talking about a real, dangerous street gang.”

“The Bladesharks were dangerous!” Kenny protested. “They kidnapped me, remember?”

Three heads turned to him. “What??” Ray, Max, and Mariah uttered in unison.

“Long story. For another time.” Kenny mumbled.

Ray shook his head in angered disbelief. “Lin is ten years old.” His voice trembling as much as the rest of his body. “I can’t imagine her leading a gang...”

Mariah shook her head in denial. “I find it very hard to believe, to be honest. Ten?! Who on earth would follow a ten-year-old as their leader??”

“Many kids did.” Dizzy replied with solemn conviction. “Kai was strong. And dangerous. And smart. He could provide things for them that no one else could.”

“Like what? Candy? Toys? What on earth could a ten-year-old provide for??” Mariah challenged sharply.

“Food. Shelter. Safety.” Kenny piped up softly. “Nobody knows the exact number, but some say there were at least thirty kids. Ages six to seventeen.”

Ray’s breath caught again. He couldn’t picture it. Like Mariah, his mind jumped to their daughter, Lin... sweet, soft-voiced Lin. The idea of her starving, fighting in alleyways, leading others through that... it was unthinkable.

After a long silence and a few laps around the room, Ray finally slumped back into his chair. “I’m with Mariah. I just... can’t picture it.”

“There’s footage of it.” Dizzy interjected softly. “The warehouse where Kai and the others lived… it had old security cameras. The place was abandoned, but the equipment still recorded. No one looked at the footage for years. Until Selene’s law firm dug it up from who-knows-where.”

“Show us.” Mariah urged, dragging her seat closer to the table. Ray frowned, doing the same. “Yes, show us the footage.”

Without words, Dizzy switched files. Again, the courtroom was the main subject on the screen. Judging by the timestamp, this footage was from the following day.

Selene’s gruff attorney stood up from behind his desk, waltzing towards the judge with a confident spring in his step. He handed the judge a document. “I’d like to request to showcase evidence number 17-02. Starting at two minute forty, until eight minute three.”

The judge turned towards the table where Kai and Mrs. Hunter were seated. “Defense, do you consent?”

Kai’s attorney, Mrs. Hunter, reviewed the file, her lips pressed in a tight line. A glance at her client, who hadn’t even bothered to look at the list, told her everything. He already knew what it was.

For the first time, the former Bladebreakers saw it: a flicker of tension in Kai’s eyes. Barely there, but unmistakable.

Kai’s attorney sighed. “We consent, Your Honor.”

“Hold up!” Mariah interjected, pausing the video. “If this piece of evidence is as shocking as you say, why did they consent? Why didn’t Kai’s lady refuse to let it show, if they have a choice in the matter?”

Dizzy firmly replied, “She could’ve. But think about what that would look like to the court. If the defense blocks evidence, it screams guilt. It tells the court there’s something to hide.”

“Right… But…” Mariah trailed off, not knowing what to say. After a minute of silence, Ray hit the spacebar and the video continued.

“Very well.” The judge nodded at the court assistant. “Please send evidence 17-02 to the big screen, starting at two minute forty, to eight minute three.”

While the assistant looked up the video file, Selene’s attorney gravely explained, “What you will see is security footage of one of the warehouses belonging to the defendant’s late grandfather, Voltaire Hiwatari. It’s important to note that the footage we will be watching is, in fact, 21 years old. The defendant is ten years old in the video.”

The footage appeared on the screen.

A dusty, dim warehouse appeared, recorded from a camera high above the sliding entrance doors. Aside from a bunch of wooden crates and a group of kids, the place was empty. The kids were of different ages, standing close to each other in a circle-like crowd. In the center, a young man sat kneeling on the floor. He seemed to be in his late teens, and his black hair hung in greasy strands across his bowed head. Without any context, the scene already felt dark. Tense. Whoever the teen was, he was clearly in trouble. Even the kids looked uncertain, shifting nervously on their feet.

A fierce, young voice made the crowd part like fish for a shark. “Move.”

A small figure stalked through the space with the ease of someone who owned it.

Ray’s breath caught.

The spiked, two-toned hair was unmistakable. So was the confident, borderline arrogant, sway in his step. Even from behind, there was no doubt: this child was Kai. It shouldn’t have been a shock. They knew it was Kai. But seeing it... in a grainy, dark security feed... felt like being punched in the chest.

Ray clung to the screen, silently praying he was about to witness something childishly stupid, like… Kai bullying another kid to tears… nothing more than that. But deep down, he knew better. This wasn’t going to be childish.

This was going to be ugly.

Kai knelt beside the teen on the floor.

“What’s your name?” Kai’s voice sounded similar to when he captained the Bladebreakers. Younger, obviously, but not high-pitched. His voice already had this… roughness to it, as if he had screamed his throat raw at some point, and never fully recovered from it. Who knows, maybe that’s exactly what happened to him.

The young man’s head whipped up at the child in front of him. He looked at Kai in disbelief, before looking at the group standing around him. “Hold on, are you guys joking??”

At the lack of response, or any form of facial expression from Kai, the young man continued. “Is this your leader? Jesus, he’d still a kid…” The young man then eyed Kai with skepticism. “How old are you?”

Kai was quick to respond. “Nine years younger than you will ever be. If you don’t start talking, that is.”

Both Mariah and Ray, as well as the black-haired boy in the video, looked at the child in disbelief. What kind of answer was that??

“Is that some kind of threat?” The young man hissed.

“Yes.” Came Kai’s cold reply.

“Why am I even here? I don’t even know you!” The teen scolded.

“You’re here because I need your help.” Kai said calmly.

“Funny way to ask for help.”

“Shut up and give me what I want.”

“Again, funny way to ask for hel-.”

CRACK.

The teen’s face whipped to the side, stunned. “Ow, motherf-!”

He turned to strike back, but two bigger boys grabbed him by the arms and pinned him in place.

“LET ME GO!” he shouted.

Kai calmly rose to his feet, not impressed by the teen’s anger in the slightest. “Do you value your life?”

The teen stopped struggling, staring at Kai in shock. “Wha- What are you talking about? Of course I do!”

“Good.” The ten-year-old almost purred, taking a step towards him. He had to look up at the much taller teen, but the height-difference didn’t make him seem any less intimidating. “Then talk.”

“My god, what’s your problem man?? I’m no one. I’ve got nothing of interest to you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Kai spat, his voice sharp and icy. “Uzuka’s a friend of yours, right?”

The teen clamped his mouth shut. That was all the answer Kai needed. He smirked and stepped back.

“Where can we find him?”

Still, the teen stayed silent.

Kai began circling him slowly. The crowd immediately stepped back to give him space, a fluid motion that startled Ray. Most of these kids were older, and stronger by the looks of it. Yet they all seemed to fear him.

Now that Kai was moving around, Ray could see his face a little more clearly. He was surprised to see he had no shark fins on his cheeks. The absence made him look younger, if it wasn’t for the mean glare on his face. Apparently, he had already mastered it at this age. And the smirk too. Cold, sharp.

It wasn’t his usual smirk though; this one was slightly crazed. Ray and the others had seen that look before, when Kai was consumed by Black Dranzer. He had appeared possessed, almost. There was something in his eyes, something distant and wild, like he wasn’t fully there. Like a puppet performing a role someone forced onto him.

Ray felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Kai hadn’t chosen to be like this. He’d been twisted into it, molded by that place, by that man. Brainwashed.

And now, watching the ten-year-old version of his friend leading like a tyrant, Ray didn’t feel anger.
He felt sorrow.

“Did you know that, before money existed, humans used to trade?” Kai spoke softly as he kept walking in slow circles.

Everyone stared at him. The teen. The crowd. The spectators watching it on their screens.

Kai continued in monotone, “A huntsmen would trade a deer for shelter. A farmer would trade a cow for two pigs.”

A heavy silence fell over the crowded hall.

“Now. Let’s pretend for a moment that me sparing your life, represents a cow. I’ve got this cow in my possession, and you really, really want my cow, don’t you?”

No answer.

Kai spun on his heel and hissed in the teen’s face. “Don’t you??”

“I do…!” The teen stammered, clearly rattled.

“Alright. So, I’ve got a cow you really want. What can you give me in return?”

The teen’s eyes were darting all over the place, hoping any of the other kids knew what he needed to say. They didn’t.

“Uh… I can give you… uh… I won’t tell the police. I - I won’t tell anyone about… about this.”

Kai snorted. “That’s what you can give me? Pfffft that’s like… a duck. Who trades a duck for a cow?”

The teen writhed in the grip of his captors. “What… what do you want?”

“I already TOLD YOU WHAT I WANT!” The unexpected, rough-booming roar made everybody jump, including the spectators, sitting safely behind their laptops. “My goodness…” Tyson’s voice trembled over the video. “I can’t get used to this part.”

Ray stared at the screen, stunned. Just a few years after this footage, the Bladebreakers were formed. Kai had been cold, withdrawn then, but… but never this.

“I’m sorry!” The teen squeaked. “I- I just don’t understand… Why is Uzuka so important to you?”

Kai’s voice dropped to a whisper, dark and bone-chilling. “He attacked two of my boys. One of them is on life support. So let me ask again, and for the final time, where is he.”

Ray slammed the spacebar.

“What - what is this?” He gasped. “Is this real?”

“He talks like a gang leader.” Mariah whispered.

Ray shook his head in disbelief. A ten-year-old shouldn’t speak like that. Shouldn’t think like that. Something about it felt fundamentally wrong.

The video continued. The teen whimpered, “I didn’t know he hurt anyone.”

“Now you do.” Kai replied coolly. “And if you want my cow... you’ll tell me where he is.”

“I do...” The teen mumbled, desperation thick in his voice. “I do want the cow.”

Kai straightened, voice calm and smug. “Then let’s trade.”

The footage ended.

For a long, suffocating moment, the courtroom fell into absolute silence. No one spoke. No one moved.

The camera panned to Kai’s adult form. Ray and Mariah stared at his face, so different from the ten-year-old, yet very much the same. They were, however, surprised to see a soft, unfocused glaze in his eyes. As if he were exhausted, or reminiscing old and painful memories.

Selene’s attorney let the silence sink in for a moment, before breaking it. “Thirty-two stitches.” He slowly circled the court room, much like how Kai had done on the footage. “That’s how many stitches Uzuka received after being committed to Tokyo hospital. One day after this ordeal.”

Like an arrow being shot, Mrs. Hunter bolted out of her chair, fuming. “Objection! Relevance! We aren’t here to discuss a 21-year-old assault, of which there is no evidence to begin with!”

“I have the medical records right here!” The gruff man shot back, waving a file in his hands.

The judge sighed, gesturing for him to approach the bench. “Let me see that.”

The prosecutor handed over the documents. The judge began flipping through them, expression darkening with each page.

The room tensed, every breath held.

And still, Kai didn’t move. Back straight, face unreadable, eyes locked forward. Not a flicker of emotion. If he was disturbed by the footage or the consequences of his childhood actions, he didn’t show it.

Ray stared at him.

What’s going through your head right now...?

The judge sighed. It sounded disappointed, almost weary. His gaze lingered on Kai, then shifted as he handed the medical files back to Selene’s attorney.

“I’ll allow it.”

The video feed cut. Dizzy switched the screen back to the others. Tyson, Max, and Kenny stared ahead with grim expressions.

Ray couldn’t breathe.

It was all too bizarre.

Mariah reached for his hand, but it barely registered.

“I don’t understand…” Ray rasped. His voice cracked with disbelief, then surged with anger. “There’s  actual evidence they could’ve used against Kai.” Ray went on, voice rising. “Physical evidence. Witnesses. Timelines. And this... this is what they focus on?! They’re using his past and his personality as proof he’s guilty of murder?!”

No one answered.

“Why the hell are they even digging up his past like that? What does it have to do with any of it?? This is a murder trial, right?!”

“It wasn’t a trial.” Dizzy interjected gently. “It was a pre-trial.”

Ray frowned, eyes twitching in frustration. “What does that even mean??”

“In this case, ” She explained, “the pre-trial wasn’t about determining Kai’s guilt of the crime. It was about deciding whether or not he was in the right state of mind to stand trial at all.”

Ray froze.

His voice dropped to a whisper. “Right state of mind...?”

Silence.

A silence so thick, it made the room feel heavier.

Ray’s world tilted slightly, his living room blurring as his eyes welled up.

“So... he never got a trial?” He whispered. “He never even had a chance to defend himself? They just... shipped him off, like he was some crazy maniac?”

The men on the screen nodded their heads, solemn.

With a stunned look, Ray sunk back in his seat, energy draining from his body.

“How could they let this happen?” His voice was tight, trembling with rage. “He had the best attorney in the country. How could they let this happen?!”

“They tried.” Kenny said softly. “But with Kai’s... challenges, their hands were tied.”

“Bullshit!” Ray slammed his fist on the table. Mariah jumped.

“They should’ve fought for him!”

“Watch this.” Dizzy cut in firmly, leaving no room for argument. Skipping towards the end of the video, the courtroom footage resumed.

Both attorneys stood behind their desks, arguing sharply.

“Your Honor, this is preposterous!” Hunter snapped, her voice sharp and strained. “My client might have a dark past, but he’s worked hard to get where he is today. Yes, he still bears the scars of it. Yes, maybe he’s traumatized. But he’s not mentally ill. He deserves a full, honest trial.”

Before the judge could reply, Selene’s attorney interjected smoothly.

“With all due respect...” The gruff man said, turning toward the sharply dressed woman across the courtroom, “You and I are aiming for the same thing here. We both don’t want your client ending up in prison.”

“Don’t play this game with me.” Hunter hissed back. “You may not want him in a jail cell, but you do want him locked in a padded room. That’s not freedom. That’s not justice.”

“It’s for his own good!” He barked back, snatching up a stack of notes. “You heard Dr. Wells’ testimony yesterday, yes? She said, and I quote: ‘In my professional opinion, Mr. Hiwatari poses a threat to both himself and the community. I recommend immediate psychiatric evaluation and long-term observation. He is not mentally fit to stand trial.’”

“That doctor is a scam!” Hunter fired back. She turned toward the judge, desperation softening her defiance. “Your Honor, I respectfully request that another psychiatric expert be brought in.”

“I’m afraid I must deny your request, Mrs. Hunter.” The judge said, voice low. “Dr. Wells is a court-certified, unbiased expert. The court relies on her professional judgment.”

Silence followed his statement.

After a minute or so, the judge inhaled deeply, then spoke with deliberate slowness, voice loud and clear, “Given the fundamental testimony by Dr. Wells, and the compelling evidence indicating severe psychological instability, this court finds the defendant unfit to stand trial.” The judge momentarily paused, letting the weight of his words settle in, before sharing his final verdict, “Mr. Hiwatari will be taken into custody at the Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum, effective immediately.”

Before the argument could resume, the gavel came down with a sharp crack.

“All rise!” The court clerk called.

Selene and her attorney jumped to their feet, eager to please the judge who ruled in their favor. Mrs. Hunter and Kai moved noticeably slower, as if the verdict weighed heavily on their souls.

Two police officers were quick to descend on the formally-dressed CEO, cuffing his hands behind his back. Without a word, Kai was led out of the courtroom. He did not fight. He didn’t speak. He didn’t even look at Selene.

He just walked out of the courtroom.

Out of his life.

The video stopped.

In its place, the screen showed the three devastated faces of Tyson, Max, and Kenny. Ray could only sit there, trembling, as silent tears spilled from his eyes.

Mariah had walked out minutes ago. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Why didn’t he say anything?” Ray rasped, wiping his face with shaking hands. “Why didn’t he fight? It’s like he’d already given up.”

Tyson sniffled. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice barely audible,

“He probably did.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

When Kenny first set foot into the motel room, he thought it was alright. But after having spent several days in here, he could wholeheartedly say he despised the place.

The beds were uncomfortable. The walls were paper thin, and the once-white now-yellow wallpaper started peeling in the upper corners. Water damage, probably. The air-conditioning unit coughed and spluttered as if it were suffering from allergies, and the tap made strange gurgling noises whenever someone turned it on.

Max and Tyson didn’t seem to have any issues with the room, however. They had made themselves at home, spreading out their belongings as if they were marking off their territories. Various phone chargers, socks, toiletries, crumbled sandwich wrappers, and drink cans littered every inch of the place, making Kenny’s unease grow with the minute. He liked living in a clean, tidy space, and this… wasn’t it. He was also feeling a bit claustrophobic with constantly having two energized men around him, twenty-four-seven.

Thankfully, Max and Tyson had left to get some food take-out, giving him the peace and quiet he desperately needed. But now that he was alone, another challenge made itself known. Being alone meant he had time to think, and thinking meant circling back to the same awful question he couldn’t answer:

What if Kai actually did it?

The thought itself felt rotten, like taking a bite from a moldy piece of fruit. It certainly left a nasty taste in the mouth.

Kenny shook it off, leaning back against the headboard of the only neatly made bed in the room. He let his eyes drift over the walls. Printed documents and photographs were everywhere, pasted on the wall with small pieces of gum. Court transcripts, autopsy reports, evidence reports, mugshots, and blurry security cam stills had become their new definition of wall decor. Shoelaces connected the documents in chaotic loops - red ones for confirmed facts, white for unknowns, green for speculation.

Without realizing it, they had transformed the room into a dingy detective’s office.

Dizzy had worked overtime to get everything sorted, printed, and color-coded, before overheating and falling silent. After a hefty bout of panic, Kenny realised the diligent laptop simply needed a break, and was happy to give it to her. In all honesty, he could use one too.

Kenny sighed, feeling the silence of the room pressing down on him. Even the room next door was quiet. Maybe they were out, getting food as well. It was dinnertime, after all.

The chief settled back against the pillows, following one of the red strings with his eyes. It ran from Isaac’s professional portrait... to the photo of Kai’s gun in an evidence bag. The small print at the bottom read: ‘Fingerprint match: HIWATARI 100%’

He exhaled, slow and shallow.

Of all the shocking things they’d seen so far, Kai’s ‘Gang leader’ video had shaken up Kenny the most. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that, he too, knew what it was like. He too had been dragged into Kai’s warehouse by his goons. He too had Kai’s beefy form loom over him, with a cold, cruel smirk on his face.

Cruel.

It was a word Kenny often used to describe Kai, back in the day. Not aloud, but inwardly, to himself. He used to dislike him. Distrust him. Fear him. When Kai first became the Breakers’ team captain, Kenny kept his distance. And whenever they did interact with each other, there was always something about their captain that felt… off.

Kenny shivered, eyes fixated on the portrait pinned at the center of the wall; the stoic CEO captured in perfect, corporate stillness. Sharp suit. Sharper gaze. The world called him charismatic, even handsome, but all Kenny could see was how cold his eyes looked. Cold… and dangerous.

He was dangerous. Both as a Beyblader and a person. Everyone knew that. Was it really that farfetched to believe he might be capable of murder? No matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, Kenny did believe Kai had it in him to attack someone. And that thought scared him, more than his former captain did.

With soft, careful hands, Kenny opened up his laptop. He didn’t want to bother Dizzy, but he just wanted to see if she was alright. Almost immediately, Dizzy flickered to life on the screen, her familiar holographic form stretching like a human would after a long nap.

“Back already?” She asked her brown-haired friend. “I thought you were going with the others.”

Kenny adjusted his glasses. “Didn’t feel like it.”

Dizzy paused, observing him for a moment. “You’re uncomfortable.”

Kenny hesitated, unwilling to share his true thoughts just yet. “It’s… this place. It’s too loud. Too dirty. I don’t know how the guys can sleep in here.”

“These two can sleep anywhere.” Dizzy snorted.

Kenny cracked a smile, the first one in hours, but it didn’t last. His eyes drifted back to the wall in front of him.

“What’s on your mind, really?” Dizzy murmured thoughtfully. She knew Kenny better than anyone, and she could tell something was weighing him down.

“I don’t know if we’re helping him.” Kenny admitted quietly.

“... What?”

Kenny blew out a deep breath. Before he could open his mouth however, the door burst open.

“YO!” Tyson’s voice cut through the motel room like a blade. “We got you that weird riceball-thingy you like, Kenny!”

Max followed behind him, juggling a paper bag and several soda bottles in his arms. “Since we’re on a budget, I maaay have stolen soy sauce packets from the place...”

Kenny blinked hard, closing Dizzy with a definitive click.

Max was already setting the food down, eyes darting over the wall of chaos.

“Anything new?” Max asked, hopeful but flat, like he already knew the answer. Kenny shook his head.

Tyson flopped onto his bed, eagerly digging into his bowl of ramen. “Once Dizzy is up and running, we’ll go through everything again, see if we missed anything.” He murmured in between bites.

Max sat on the bed opposite of Tyson, nodding in agreement. “We need to look at all possible angles.”

Kenny looked up at those words. There’s one angle they hadn’t looked at yet, but there was no way he was going to bring it up.

Tyson didn’t bother to swallow his meal while mumbling, “The m-st import-nt thing we need to look f-r, is -n alibi.”

“Yeah, an alibi...” Max sighed, stirring his noodles thoughtfully. “According to Kai’s security system, Selene was attacked at 6:25, and Isaac was shot at 6:31. Yet Kai claims he was still running at the time.”

“Yep. On the beach.” Tyson muttered, wiping his mouth with a napkin, before digging back in. “We need to prove he was there. At the beach, I mean.”

“Yeah...” Max mumbled, staring into his meal. “That’s gonna be hard to prove...”

“No it’s not.” Tyson returned with a frown. “We know there are cameras there, for safety purposes. There’s plenty of people running around. One of them should be Kai. We just have to pay close attention and look at every second.”

Kenny piped up softly, “We already did... The distance between the shoreline and the cameras is too great. It’s impossible to distinguish who the runners are.”

“Can’t Dizzy, like, enhance the images? Make them less blurry?” Tyson asked innocently.

Kenny chuckled at the naive question. “That’s only in the movies, Tyson.”

“Oh...”

Max placed his half-eaten dinner aside, looking torn. “Guys, I hate to bring this up...” He swallowed nervously when two sets of eyes snapped over to him. “But I can’t help but think... what if Kai isn’t on that beach at all? What if he was home at 6:25?”

Tyson’s chopsticks clattered to the floor. It took him a minute or two to find his voice, but even then, it wasn’t more than a whisper. “What?”

Max didn’t dare to look his friends in the eyes. “I- I’m just saying we should keep an open mind...”

“You think he did it?” Tyson snapped darkly, making Max wince.

“No! I just... I mean I-”

Tyson slammed his boxed meal on his nightstand, holding up a trembling finger. “No no no, hold on! Are you seriously implying Kai beat his girlfriend? Shot someone?”

“I’m not saying Kai’s guilty, I’m just-”

“Then what ARE you saying??” Tyson looked dangerously pissed at this point. Max visibly pulled back, afraid to open his mouth again.

Kenny blinked in shock, surprised Max had been the one to bring up what he, himself, hadn’t dared to say. If two of them felt this way... it... it had to be considered, right?

The chief cleared his throat in discomfort. This was going to hurt, one way or the other. “... Tyson, please calm down. I think Max has a point. We should keep an open mind.”

Tyson instantly launched himself to his feet, before backing away from the two men, as if he were scared they’d hurt him. The worst thing about it was; they already had.

“No... no... not you too, chief...” Tyson pleaded emotionally, making Kenny’s heart shatter. He also calmly rose to his feet.

“Tyson, listen... there’s a lot of evidence against Kai. I wish there was proof that he didn’t do it. But there isn’t.”

Tyson grinded his teeth, but didn’t speak. He didn’t dare.

Feeling encouraged by the chief’s words, Max carefully spoke up, “It’s been over fifteen years since we last saw him. A person can change in a day, let alone a year. Let alone fifteen! How can you be so sure he didn’t do it? After all, given the things he went through as a ki- ”

“Oh for FUCK’S SAKE!” Tyson snapped, making his friends jump. “Everyone’s trying to shove the blame on him because he had a messed-up childhood. That’s no reason to call him a murderer!!”

Max held up a calming hand, speaking softly, “None of us are calling Kai a murderer. We just… can’t automatically assume he’s innocent, just because we used to be friends for a while.”

Tyson gaped at his blonde friend. “Wha- HOW can you say that?? It’s Kai!! Sure, he used to be a wet blanket and he had his difficulties, but he wouldn’t KILL anyone!”

“Difficulties?” Max sniffled, unable to keep the tears at bay. “Kai’s life has been inhumanely harsh on him. You had a hunch about it, after you learned the truth about your problem student, remember? We didn’t want you to be right about it, but you were. We’ve all seen the proof of it.” Max wiped his cheeks with trembling hands. “It’s a freaking hard truth. And Kai has always carried it with him. Something like that shapes a person.”

“I don’t even understand what you’re saying, Max.” Tyson bit out, thick tears rolling down his face. He had never felt so betrayed as he did now.

Kenny felt himself getting nauseous. It was hard to voice all of this, but it needed to be done. “Tyson, we want what’s best for Kai. We do. But maybe…” He inhaled shakily, his throat constricting as if his body was silently urging him to swallow his next words, “M- maybe, it’s time for us to accept Kai needs psychiatric help and that he’s in the right place to get it.”

Like a choking fish, Tyson gaped at his friends. The words in his brain were stumbling over each other, turning it into a big, chaotic mess.

“You… you…” Tyson’s mouth kept moving, but no other words were forming.

Max took a small step forward, but halted when it caused Tyson to back up even further. The dark-haired man growled at them. “You call that help? You saw him, didn’t you? On that video? Do you need to see it again??” With furious speed, Tyson was already fumbling for his phone.

“No! No, I don’t!” Max was quick to stop him. “I know it’s hard… seeing him like that…” He sniffled. “But… maybe this is what healing looks like for him now… I don’t know. I’m not a psychiatrist, Ty… none of us are.”

Tyson felt like his eyes could pop out of his skull any second. “Did you smoke something weird or something? Why are you talking nonsense??”

A heavy silence dawned on the three friends. None of them spoke. They didn’t know what to say at this point. Something in their friendship felt… fractured. As if something had broken, that couldn’t ever be mended again.

Tyson turned his wet eyes towards the evidence wall they worked so hard to create. He felt tempted to rip it off. All of it. And stuff it into a suitcase, and leave. He didn’t need these two. He could do it alone.

A deep sob escaped his throat.

Without warning, a jolly tune floated through the tense atmosphere, as if the universe deemed the situation too serious and in dire need of some cosmic relief.

Tyson pulled out his phone with a trembling hand. He was about to reject the call, but stopped himself when he saw the caller-ID. Refusing to meet his friend’s eyes, he waltzed out of the room and onto the balcony, slamming the door shut behind him. “Yes?” He muttered in the phone with a stuffy, unamused voice.

A brief pause, before Mrs. Hunter’s flat tone drawled, “... Bad time?”

Tyson rubbed his face with the sleeve of his shirt. “No.” He lied.

“Okay...” Hunter sounded sceptical, but kept on going anyway. “I’ve got an update on Mr. Hiwatari.”

Tyson blinked away the tears, urging himself to be more alert. “Tell me.”

“Alright... Let’s start with the good news. He’s out.”

Tyson’s mouth sunk open. The words were clipped and simple, yet held an enormous meaning. “He’s- really??”

Hunter made an affirmative noise, before shifting to the difficult part. “There’s also bad news, I’m afraid...”

The silence inside the motel room was suffocating. It felt like time had frozen still.

Max and Kenny hadn’t moved since Tyson stormed out. The weight of their earlier words pressed down like a storm cloud. Neither of them spoke, but both were drowning in the same realization:

They might have made a huge mistake.

When the door creaked open again, they both turned. Tyson stood in the middle of the room, tear-streaked and shaking. He didn’t look at them.

After a heavy pause, he spoke, voice hollow and strained, “Where are the car keys.”

Max slowly stood. “Tyson... buddy. Can we talk for a minute?”

“I’ve got nothing more to say to you.” Tyson said coldly, shocking his two friends. “Now, where are the car keys?”

Kenny reached for the keys on his nightstand, offering them to him. Tyson snatched them without a word.

“Where are you going?” The chief asked cautiously. He wasn’t sure if Tyson should be driving in his current emotional state.

“Southland General Hospital.” Tyson replied flatly, bending down to grab his shoes from underneath the bed. He shoved his feet in with force.

“... Hospital?” Max mumbled thoughtfully, as he carefully lowered himself on his bed, opposite of Tyson.

“Kai’s there.” Tyson bit back.

Max’s first instinct was to gasp in optimistic relief. “You mean, Kai’s out of that place?” He then faltered, suddenly realizing the full extend on what Tyson was saying. “... Is he okay??”

“No!” Tyson’s eyes were burning, his voice skipping in volume. “No, Max, he’s not okay!”

“What happened?” Max asked, concerned.

Tyson glared up at him. “Like you give a damn.” He snarled, tugging at his shoelaces.

That landed hard. Max visibly flinched. His lips trembled, but nothing came out.

Kenny frowned, taking a step towards his angry friend. “Tyson... listen, we know you’re upset, but this is really not fair, we were only-”

“Not FAIR?!” Tyson exploded, his voice booming through the room. “You wanna know what’s not fair?? Being framed for a murder you didn’t commit and locked in a hellhole for FOUR FREAKING YEARS! That’s not fair!”

After angrily wiping his cheeks, Tyson continued to rant, “Being drugged up with meds you don’t need, just to keep you subdued. Tied down. Left to rot. That’s not fair!”

He stood up, jamming his arms into his jacket. Max and Kenny watched him with thundering hearts and stinging eyes.

“You wanna hear the worst thing?” Tyson hissed at his friends, who both stared at him, speechless.  “Remember ‘Carol Brand’? The generous patron?” Tyson continued shakily, “She didn’t just donate. She gave instructions. Weekly decrypted emails. Told them exactly how to treat him.”

Max and Kenny just stared, wide-eyed.

Tyson zipped up his jacket, mumbling angrily, “She told them what to do, and they did it. Without question. Overdose him on muscle relaxants? Sure! Anti-Psychotics? You got it! Stab him in the chest to fake a suicide attempt? Consider it done!”

Max and Kenny visibly paled. “W-what!?” They yelped in unison.

“Remember those oxygen tubes that were shoved into his face?” Tyson spat bitterly, signalling towards his own nose. “They were there for a reason.”

Tyson heaved as emotions cut off his own air supply. He had taken steps towards the door, hand on the knob. He had yet to turn it, but before he did, he had another heart wrenching truth to share.

“The stabbing caused his right lung to collapse. He needed emergency surgery to get it fixed. And after that? They dragged him back into that place. Drugged up. Forgotten.”

The room was dead silent now. The weight of truth settled over everything like ash.

“Still think that’s the right place for him to get ‘help’?” Tyson’s voice sounded thick with tears, throwing open the door.

“Tyson, please wait-” Kenny stammered in obvious regret, but Tyson had already left. Max surged after him. “Wait! Let us come too!”

“No!” Tyson turned back one last time, halting his friends in place. “I’m going alone. Kai needs support. From a friend.”

And then he was gone. The door slammed shut behind him with a force that made the walls tremble.

After haphazardly throwing the rental into a parking space, Tyson rushed into Southland General Hospital, barely noticing the automatic doors whooshing open in front of him. His heart thundered in his chest as he stumbled into the entrance hall and made a beeline for the reception desk.

The young woman behind the counter gave him a polite smile. “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?”

“Hello! I’m looking for Kai! Hiwatari!” Tyson said, a bit too loud. “He should be here, he - he was brought in earlier today.” His voice cracked with urgency, and he could feel the chaos of his emotions bubbling just beneath the surface. Anger, fear, relief, worry, hope... All tangled together, it was… a bit much. “I - I don’t know when or where exactly, I just-” He trailed off, flustered, but the receptionist didn’t seem bothered by his rambling. She was already typing.

“Yes, Mr. Hiwatari. He’s in room 3.12.” She said softly. “Just head down this hall, take the elevators on your right, and then-”

“Okay, thank you!” Tyson cut in, already sprinting away.

He jabbed the elevator button impatiently, bouncing on his heels. After a long ten seconds, he gave up and bolted for the stairs, taking them two at a time. By the time he reached the third floor, his legs were trembling, breath ragged, but he didn’t stop. He kept moving, murmuring the room number to himself like a prayer.

“Three-twelve. Three-twelve. Three-twelve…”

There. He found it.

Like the other rooms in the ward, the door was open, but the entryway, consisting a small corridor with white cabinets on one side and a restroom on the other, obscured the view. Past that, he could just make out a pair of feet on the bed, covered with a white blanket.

The sight stopped him cold. That was his friend in there...

He swallowed hard, chest tightening, then forced his legs to carry him inside.

The more steps he took, the more of Kai’s form became visible, as well as the company of a woman, sitting on the right side of his bed. She had shoulder-length, auburn hair which was loosely pulled back, causing loose strands to frame her face. She had yet to take off her coat, but judging by the stack of empty coffee cups beneath her chair, she had been here for a few hours at least. Her slender body was slouched over and screamed exhaustion.

She obviously hadn’t realized they had another visitor, as her complete focus was on Kai. Tyson was surprised to see the soft way she was looking at him, and the affectionate way she was touching him. Her left hand gently held his hand, while her right hand ran soft fingers through his shortly shaven hair. It seemed comforting. Loving.

For a moment, Tyson couldn’t look away... until his eyes shifted toward Kai, instantly regretting it.

He had expected Kai to look bad. He had expected the fragility. The damage. What he hadn’t been prepared for however, was the fact that Kai looked worse than the last time he saw him.

He hadn’t taken that possibility into account.

His former captain was unconscious, which was probably for the best. He lay motionless beneath the white blanket, his face hollow, skin almost translucent, stretched tightly over sharp cheekbones. A nasal cannula curved gently beneath his nose. Small pieces of gauze were folded between his nostrils and the tubing; a silent indication of someone here actually giving a damn.

Scattered around Kai’s head and across his chest were layers of pads. The kind you’d use to potty train a puppy. Tyson frowned at them, not quite understanding what they were for.

Most of Kai’s body was hidden beneath the blanket, but his arms were left exposed, laying limp at his sides. His right hand was still wrapped in bandages, looking stiff and limp at the same time. His wrists were adorned in bruises, blooming in angry shades of purple and yellow around the IV sites, and Tyson could make out the faint, reddened marks where restraints had bitten into his skin. Not for hours.

For years.

The sight made Tyson’s eyes fill. He proceeded to glance at the small army of machines, beeping softly and blinking with lights. The spikes on the heart monitor were fast, sharp. Even without medical training, Tyson could tell something wasn’t right. The way Kai’s chest rose and fell with short, shallow, desperate breaths, made that obvious enough.

The man was as sick as a dog, that much was clear.

Tyson’s struggled to inhale. The surreal sight of his former captain made him feel light-headed, but instead of sitting down, he just stood there, numb, blinking hard against the sting in his eyes. He must’ve made a sound, maybe a slight sniffle of the nose, because the woman sitting at Kai’s bedside startled, twisting in her seat. Her eyes, wide and red-rimmed, locked onto him. For a moment, her hands froze mid-motion, then quickly folded into her lap, as though she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to.

“Uh… Hi…” Tyson greeted in accented English, holding up his palm awkwardly. He then pointed towards the door of the room. “I’m sorry, I’ll just…” He slowly backed out, not wanting to impose.

“No - wait, it’s okay.” She said quickly, her voice soft and a little too rushed. “You don’t have to go.” She gave him a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Tyson could tell she was trying to appear composed, but the puffiness around her eyes betrayed her.

“Okay...” He said cautiously, stepping further into the room. “I’m... uhm… Tyson Kinomiya. Kai and I were friends. Long time ago.” He extended his hand.

The woman stood to meet it, brushing down the front of her cardigan as if trying to look more put together. Her grip was warm but faintly trembling.

“Eve.” She said politely. “Eve Barlowe… I’m Kai’s ex-wife.”

Tyson blinked in surprise, a quiet “Oh...” escaping before he could help it.

Her smile faltered just slightly, as if she wasn’t sure how to respond to the look on his face. Before the silence could stretch, she titled her head slightly, “... I think I know who you are. Kai sometimes mentioned you.”

That brought him up short. “Wait, really?”

She gave a small, breathy chuckle. “Yeah. Our son’s really into Beyblading. He would ask about you guys all the time.”

“And Kai would tell him stuff?” Tyson asked, baffled.

“Bits and pieces, yeah.” She said, sitting back down slowly. Her eyes softened briefly. “He always lit up when he talked about those days. Even if he pretended not to.”

Tyson folded his arms across his chest, processing that. “Kai,” He muttered in disbelief, almost to himself. “Talking.”

Eve gave a faint, knowing smile at that. But as her gaze drifted back to Kai’s still form in the bed, the smile began to fade. Her eyes lingered on the bandaged hand, and the shallow rise and fall of the man’s chest, before finding his face again.

“He used to have so much life in him.” She said with a tight voice. “And now...” She didn’t finish the thought. She just sat there, her shoulders folding inward slightly, her breath catching on the way out.

Tyson slowly seated himself on the other side of the bed, his eyes never leaving Kai’s face. Even asleep, if this even counted as sleep, he looked like a shell of the person he remembered.

“How’s he doing?” Tyson asked carefully, already dreading the answer.

Eve’s breath hitched. Her hands trembled ever so slightly in her lap. “Things have been... rough so far. He’s been throwing up for hours. They gave him something to flush it all out.”

Assuming she meant the drugs, Tyson nodded slowly. The sooner it’d be out of his system, the better. He just wished his old friend wouldn’t have to endure it like this. His eyes then lowered to the rise and fall of Kai’s chest, subtle but uneven beneath the hospital gown.

Eve saw him look. “It’s his right lung...” She said softly. “It never fully recovered from the... you know...” She swallowed emotionally, before continuing, “And with how weak he is, plus the withdrawals… it’s just struggling to keep up.”

That landed hard. Tyson sat back slightly, trying to process it, his stomach churning.

“They said it might improve when his strength returns.” Eve added, though her tone lacked conviction.

For a while, they both just watched him.

Tyson leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes landed on the thick bandages wrapped around Kai’s hand, and his brow furrowed. “That’s the hand, right? The one he kept scratching?”

Eve nodded slowly, her gaze drifting to it as well. “They haven’t let me see it. I only know what the surgeons told me. It’s… pretty bad, apparently.” Her hands twisted in her lap, as she explained, “They said some of the drugs he was given… one of the side effects is numbness. In the limbs.” She swallowed, voice quieter now. “They think he was trying to feel something. Maybe pain. Maybe just… anything.”

She hesitated, lips pressing together as her eyes clouded over.

“And with everything else going on in his head, maybe he didn’t even realize how far he was going.” Her voice broke slightly. “Or maybe he did. And just… didn’t care anymore.”

Tyson swallowed hard, feeling his own skin crawl.

“The doctor thinks he’s been doing it for years.” Eve said, voice tight. “The staff at the facility never took him to the hospital, they just... kept stitching him up themselves. They never treated it like it mattered.”

A silence passed. Tyson gently placed his hand on Kai’s wrist, careful not to disturb anything.

“They say he’ll need a skin graft.” Eve said after a beat.

Tyson hung his head in silent misery, eyes closed. Knowing just how much Kai had suffered... it was a lot. It was too much.

“How come... we never knew about this?” Tyson asked, his voice breaking as the tension leaked through his words. He turned saddened eyes to the woman across from him. “Did you know all of this was happening?”

“Of course not!” Eve snapped, her eyes fierce, “Do you really think we would’ve left him there if we did??”

Tyson flinched, unwilling to meet her distraught gaze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything...”

Eve blew out a sharp breath, pushing her hair out of her face. “I’m know. I’m sorry...” She muttered, her eyes clenching in obvious distress. Her voice was soft but bitter as she spoke, “Me and our son... we were never able to see him in there. Whenever we tried to visit, we got turned away.”

That pulled Tyson’s eyes back to her.

“They said it would agitate him. That he was a danger to himself and others.” Her eyes flashed in anger. “Then, about two weeks in, I got an email. From Kai.”

Tyson’s eyebrows rose, surprised Kai had been given the opportunity to communicate with his family. “What did it say?”

Eve’s face darkened. “He told us not to come. That he didn’t want to see us. Said we were a distraction, that he needed to focus on his recovery. That he’d moved on, and we should too.”

Swallowing heavily, Tyson didn’t dare to say anything.

“It sounded like him.” She continued quietly. “The way he phrased things. I believed it. I thought… maybe that was his way of cutting ties. And I was angry. I was so angry.” Her voice broke slightly. “So I stopped trying. I didn’t want Gou to get hurt chasing someone who clearly didn’t want us in his life.” Eve raised both hands to her face, rubbing it. Not only to dry her cheeks, but also to keep herself from looking at her ex-husband. Her shoulders quivered under the emotional strain.

“I’ve only just found out it was all a lie.” She muttered, before dropping her hands back to her lap, and giving Tyson a pained look. “When Kai supposedly wrote me that email, he was in this very same hospital, receiving emergency surgery for his collapsed lung. He was in an operating theatre. He couldn’t have written it.”

Tyson’s soul left his body.

Eve’s eyes darkened. “Someone wrote it to keep us away. And it wo-rked.” Her voice broke at the end of the sentence, her body seemingly to collapse on itself. Alarmed, Tyson jumped up and rushed over to her, wrapping a supportive arm around her back. Eve’s entire body jerked and shuddered as she quietly wailed into her hands.

Tyson remained quiet, but his heart broke. Both for her, and the man in the bed, lifeless.

“I - I need some air...” Eve eventually choked out, her chest heaving. Tyson gently helped her stand up. “You want me to come with you?” He offered.

Eve shook her head. “W- would you mind staying here, with him? Make sure he isn’t alone? I don’t want him to be alone...”

Tyson was quick to respond. “Of course.”

“Thank you. I... I will be right back.”

“Take your time...” Tyson muttered in concern, watching her stagger out of the room.

Now alone with his former captain, Tyson stood in the middle of the room, feeling a bit... lost. He decided to make himself of good use, and cleared away the empty coffee cups underneath Eve’s chair. Afterwards, he cleaned out the rolling cart, which had been loaded with used tissues. He carefully disposed of them, before refilling an empty glass of water. He wasn’t sure if the glass belonged to Kai or Eve, but figured either of them could use a refill.

Suddenly, and without warning, Kai moved. Tyson froze, staring at him.

Kai stretched out his torso and legs, pressing his head slightly upwards and further into his pillow, while his hands seized up with claw-like tension. A strangled, miserable groan left the older man’s mouth, making Tyson flinch. And panic, a little bit.

“Kai??” He whispered, placing a gentle hand on the man’s rigid shoulder. He watched in concern how the already pale face turned grey. Tyson inwardly cursed, and pressed the emergency button. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew it wasn’t good.

The man was as stiff as a board, stretched long in a strangely curved position, as if he didn’t want his back to touch the mattress. To make things worse, Kai’s chest started heaving. Up and down. Up and down. Faster and faster and faster. Machines started beeping in distress, with Tyson’s heartbeat falling in line.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no...” Tyson whispered in blind panic, his hands trying, and failing, to calm his friend down. Kai suddenly angled his face away, pressing his right cheek into his pillow. His upper body followed suit, exposing his back to Tyson, who was freaking out. “Kai!! What’s going-”

Kai’s entire body started convulsing, like it was trying to rip itself apart from the inside out. He then started heaving, before spewing a slimy, transparent liquid onto the protective pads that were placed over his pillow. Kai proceeded to gag, until it was just air escaping tightly gritted teeth. Tyson, feeling sick with concern, glanced down at the ghoulish, sweaty face. Kai didn’t seem conscious, but his eyes had rolled half-shut, breathing ragged.

Hurried footsteps signalled the arrival of the nurses. Finally.

“Mr. Hiwatari!” One of them exclaimed in alarm, rushing over to his bed. Two more followed, shoving Tyson out of the way. Stunned, Tyson watched from a safe distance how the three nurses tended to his friend. With practiced efficiency, they wiped down his face, and changed the pads on his pillow.

Now Tyson understood where they were for.

One of the nurses inspected the stained pad in her hands. She sighed, before folding it closed and stuffing it in the bin. “It’s water. Again.” She told her colleagues in obvious disappointment.

One of the other nurses, who was inspecting the machines above the bed, groaned loudly. “Shit, that’s not good.”

“He’s really not keeping anything in.” The third nurse murmured in equal concern, before grabbing her patient’s medical file, flipping through it. “We’re getting to intervals of 40 minutes now. It’s something, at least.” She started jotting things down, before moving towards Kai’s IV line. “I’ll increase the saline drip a little bit. He needs more fluids.”

“Okay, but not too much.” The first nurse ordered sternly. “We can’t have him throwing up every 20 minutes, like before.”

“Well, we can’t keep him in this dehydrated state either.” The other nurse argued back.

Tyson felt faint. Is this Kai they were talking about??

One of the nurses turned towards Tyson, who stood on the other side of the room, trembling on his feet. “Sir, are you alright?” She gently stepped towards him, guiding him towards one of the seats. “Come on, sit down.”

Tyson couldn’t stop shaking. Maybe it was shock. Maybe it was fear.

While the other two nurses kept working on Kai, twisting his legs so that his entire body lay on his side, the third nurse knelt down next to Tyson’s chair. “Is he a friend of yours?”

Tyson nodded numbly. The nurse smiled sympathetically. “That must be hard to watch, huh...” She whispered kindly.

Tyson’s eyes filled up again. He gave the nurses a desperate look. “Will he be okay?”

She smiled reassuringly. “Your friend’s a fighter, that’s for sure. He just needs to stop throwing up water. God knows he needs it. Hopefully, Mr. Hiwatari will feel less nauseous when everything’s out of his system.”

Tyson nodded faintly, watching the nurses work. They had covered Kai with the blanket, and were now scribbling down numbers, as shown by the machines above the bed.

“Will you be alright?” The same friendly nurse asked Tyson, who nodded absentmindedly.

“Alright... if anything happens, please press the emergency button again, okay?” The nurse instructed gently.

“Sure...”

Tyson watched them leave, before returning to Kai’s bedside. He was sleeping on his side now, his mouth slightly open to let the short puffs of air escape. Tyson hesitated, before placing a careful hand on the older man’s shoulder.

“Everything will be okay, Kai...” The words were empty, and Tyson wasn’t sure if he believed them. He could only hope Kai did.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

The hospital was quiet. Lights were dimmed to accommodate patients who could use an early night, and several nurses made their final rounds for whoever wanted a last change at dinner.

Obviously, Kai wasn’t one of them.

To his credit though, he hadn’t thrown up anymore either. His last bout of vomiting had been over two hours ago, which was a new personal record. It filled his two visitors, as well as the nurses, with newfound hope that his body would finally be able to hydrate itself.

He still looked terrible, though. And felt the part, without a doubt.

Ever now and then, Kai would rouse from his slumber by the heavy feeling of nausea that plagued his senses. In moments like these, he felt too sick to sleep, yet too sleepy to be sick. He’d end up trashing on the bed, in a vain attempt to twist his body away from its own suffering. Whenever this happened, Eve and Tyson would descend on him, keeping a firm, but gentle grip on him until he calmed down. They’d talk to him, tell him everything’s okay. That’s he’s doing a great job. That things will get better... But it’d fall on deaf ears, as soon after, he’d fall unconscious again.

It was a heart-wrenching pattern.

Tyson stood by the window, arms crossed tightly over his chest, watching as shadows stretched across the parking lot. His phone lay on the windowsill, screen dimmed, unread texts piling up. He ignored them. Ray had tried calling a few times. Max and Kenny too. But Tyson couldn’t bring himself to answer.

Tyson sighed, stuffing his phone in his back pocket, before turning back towards the bed.

Kai looked almost peaceful. But not the kind of peace that came with rest. This was a ‘too-exhausted-to-function’ kind of peace. His chest continued to rise and fall in uneven, short increments. Kai’s doctor didn’t like it one bit, but felt apprehensive about medicating him for it, considering they were still fighting to get an intensely complicated drug-cocktail out of his system. They just had to keep a close eye on it. All of it.

Tyson slouched down in the visitor’s chair, feeling his back protest at the discomfort of the plastic piece of furniture. His phone buzzed in his pocket for the eighth time in an hour. Shortly after, another ‘Ping!’ indicated a group chat notification.

Tyson ignored it.

Eve sat quietly across from him, arms folded loosely in her lap. Her eyes had a distant shine to them as they remained fixed on Kai’s form. She hadn’t said anything in a while.

Tyson rubbed his palms on his lap. “I’m thinking of getting something to eat downstairs, you want me to get you something?”

Eve dragged her exhausted gaze away from Kai, resting them on the other man in the room. Instead of answering Tyson’s question, she blurted out, “I haven’t called Gou yet.”

Tyson blinked.

“Oh... He’s your son, right?”

Eve nodded sadly, getting upset again. She covered her mouth with a trembling hand, staring at her ex-husband with desperate, pained eyes. She was struggling. Hard.

“Do you... want me to call him?” Tyson offered carefully.

A shake of the head. A few tears fell.

Tyson leaned forward, leaning his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. He waited patiently for Eve to share her thoughts.

“I can’t do it...” She choked out, her eyes darting around in panic. “He’s only thirteen... I can’t let him see his father like this. Especially since we now know what happened to him in that place. The lies they told us to keep us away. I...-” Eve’s voice cracked as emotion surged through her like a dangerous storm.

Tyson inhaled deeply, sympthatizing with her. “I understand...” He said softly, “But he deserves to know, right?”

Eve turned wet eyes back towards him. “It’s not that simple...” She muttered thickly, “He’s studying abroad. England. These past four years have been hard on him... He has finally found something he enjoys, and if I tell him now...” Her voice cracked. “I’m scared he’ll come rushing back and throw everything he worked so hard for, away. All for a man he believed abandoned him.”

Tyson rubbed his face, feeling his heart clench. This was messed up.

“You know... I’ve got a kid too, back in Japan.” Tyson started suddenly. He wasn’t sure why he told her this, but figured it could provide a nice distraction. “He’s the same age as Gou, actually.”

She sniffled. “Really?”

“Yeah... I’m trying to get him into Kendo, but he pretends he doesn’t like it. He’s really good at it, though.” He smiled faintly. “The joys of having a teenager, huh.”

Eve smiled through her tears, just a little. “Does he like to Beyblade too, like his dad?”

“Oh yes!” Tyson grinned proudly, before he relaxed his face into a warm smile. “Maybe Gou and Makato can battle one day.”

Eve nodded, her smile widening ever so slightly. “You know... that’s actually not a bad idea.”

Tyson half-chuckled/half-groaned as he stretched his arms above his head. “What’s Gou like?”

Eve leaned back into her chair, still appearing tired, but more relaxed. She wiped away the tear-trails from her cheeks. “He’s so much like his father. Looks the same. Talks the same. Behaves the same. He’s a headstrong, stubborn little shit, basically.” She chuckled softly.

Tyson belted out a laugh at the unexpected choice of words.

Eve sobered back up a little, her eyes warm and proud. “Gou loves art. He’s always drawing. Wants to pursue it professionally.”

“Wow, really!” Tyson exclaimed. “That’s really cool.”

They sat in a comfortably, almost warm silence for a moment.

“I should call him.” Eve concluded, reaching for her phone. Before she could dial the number, the device buzzed in her hand. Her breath caught. An international number. UK area. She frowned, answering with quiet, uncertain, “... Gou?”

There was a pause.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" The boy’s harsh words floated through the phone. Tyson caught it too, making him straighten in his seat.

With wide eyes, Eve switched the phone to her other ear. “Gou, honey, listen to me-”

“I had to find out online, mom. On the freaking news. They're showing dad’s picture everywhere, calling it some kind of tragic scandal.” Gou’s voice shivered in barely suppressed anger. “Four years? Four years in that... fucking asylum? They drugged him? He... he tried to - they tried to kill him in there?? And you... you didn’t tell me?!”

“I- I didn’t know until recently.” Eve defended sadly. “I’m only now just figuring things out. I- I was about to call you-”

“He’s my dad.” Gou snapped.

Eve took a shuddering breath, unable to find the right words.

Gou was quiet for a moment, and then his voice dropped, hoarse. “You let me think he didn’t care about us. About me.”

Eve couldn’t bring herself to answer that one.

The boy continued, breath hitching. “I’m flying back.”

“Gou - please, listen to me -”

But the call had already ended.

Eve dropped the phone like it had burned her hand. Slowly, she slumped forwards, her elbows on her knees and hands buried in her hair.

Tyson didn’t know what to say. He kept quiet.

Outside the hospital window, camera flashes lit up the darkness. Somewhere far below, reporters gathered like sharks to blood in water.

The world had finally remembered Kai Hiwatari.

The ‘Morning Show’ studio was staged like a cozy living room. Soft lighting, vintage Persian carpet, and two brown leather couches were placed on either side of a small coffee table. A flowery porcelain tea set and a plate of cookies sat untouched between the host and her guests.

The host, a forty-something blonde with her make-up on point, turned towards the camera solemnly.

“Today we’re joined by the parents of Isaac Johnson; the young man whose life was tragically taken four years ago.” She then turned to the middle-aged couple, sitting opposite of her. “Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, thank you for joining us.”

The couple gave subdued nods. They looked weary. Uncomfortable. Tense.

“It’s been four years since your son was shot...” The host continued in a soft voice. “... but the world is only just learning about what happened. Why now? Why was this kept from the public for so long?”

Isaac’s mother dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “We were told not to speak. That it would interfere with the legal process. They... they convinced us it was for the best.”

The host’s voice was gentle. “Who do you mean by ‘they’?”

“Hiwatari Enterprises.” the father said, his voice thick with contempt.

“... And the American government.” the mother added softly, her tone cautious but certain.

The father’s voice hardened. “We were paid. It wasn’t hush money, they said. Just... compensation. Support. But it felt like we were getting paid for our silence. We didn’t know what to do. We were grieving. We still are.”

The host nodded, her voice dipped low with sympathy. “And now the story has come out. Isaac’s alleged murderer, Kai Hiwatari, was locked away in a mental facility, reportedly abused and drugged for years. He’s now being treated at Southland General Hospital, apparently in critical condition. How do you feel about him today?”

Isaac’s mother hesitated. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “I haven’t forgiven him. I don’t think I ever could. But... no one deserves what he went through. Not even him.”

“I disagree.” The father bit out harshly. “He’s being made into some kind of victim. But our son is still dead.”

The host leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with the grieving couple. “Do you believe Kai Hiwatari should still face trial?”

There was no hesitation in their answer. “Yes.”

Max sat cross-legged on the foot of his bed, remote in one hand, a half-eaten protein bar in the other. He had forgotten how to chew at one point, gaping open-mouthed at the tv. No matter which channel he switched to; they all featured the same story.

The truth was out.

It wasn’t even the right truth, but the public didn’t care about that.

They cared about the injustice done to Isaac. They cared about his parent’s grief. They cared about Selene’s theatrical tears. And in the middle of all of this was Kai. Condemning him had become the new hype. It wasn’t just television that went along with it, the internet was having a field day as well. In the span of just a few hours, new popular hashtags had started circulating;

#GoToHellwatari
#SeleneSaves
#JusticeforIsaac

“I can’t believe the media is jumping on Kai like that...” Max muttered sadly. “Pushing the blame on him... They’ve got no idea what they’re talking about.”

“We did the same thing.” Kenny whispered, the guilt still evident in the way he sat hunched over his laptop. Max looked over at him, a heavy sadness lingering in his eyes. Before he could reply, the door swung open.

Tyson walked in. His hair stood out in all directions, his eyes bloodshot. He obviously hadn’t slept. The exact same could be said for his two friends, gazing back at him in surprise. Tyson refused to look at them. His gaze floated towards the tv, where a Hollywood reporter shared the exciting story that Selene Sable had just signed a book deal. She was finally ready to share her story with the world.

“Turn it off.” Tyson mumbled. His voice was monotone. Emotionless.

Max used the remote instantly. The screen went black, cutting off the reporter mid-sentence.

Tyson walked past them, ignoring their glances. He tossed the keys on the dresser and collapsed into the chair by the window.

“You okay?” Kenny asked carefully.

Tyson didn’t answer. He rubbed his face with both hands, then leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling. When no answer was forthcoming, Kenny changed his question.

“Is Kai okay?”

Tyson sighed heavily, unwilling to tell them everything. After the shit they pulled last night, he didn’t trust them anymore.

“... He slept through the night without vomiting. Mostly. Won’t be waking up for a while.” He said finally, eyes hazy with exhaustion and the number of tears they had been forced to produce during the past twelve hours.

Max swallowed. “He’s safe at least, right?”

Tyson shot him a look. “Why do you care?”

The silence that followed was sharp.

Kenny stood up, stating firmly, “We care.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Tyson muttered.

Max and Kenny shared a torn look. “We... made a mistake. And we’re sorry.” Max said softly.

“We are, and we want to make things right.” Kenny confirmed. He crossed the room, grabbed Dizzy off the desk, and handed it over. “We've been working all night. And we found something.”

Tyson hesitated before taking the laptop, placing it on his lap.

On the screen, various wobbly lines were layered on top of each other.

“What am I even looking at?” Tyson asked grumpily.

“The sound waves from Kai’s security footage, in which Selene’s being attacked.” Dizzy piped up. “I’ve ran a spectral analysis to isolate distinct audio layers.”

“Okaay...?” Tyson had no idea what she was talking about.

Kenny understood his reluctant expression. “You really want to hear this.” He ensured. As a response, Dizzy launched the audio file. Tyson cringed as he was hit with Selene’s harsh screams.

“AAHHHHH! NO! KAI, STOP!”

A pause.

“Thr-w th-t lamp at me.” A female whispered. It was so soft, Tyson barely caught it. He leaned closer.

“This one?” A male whispered back.

Three seconds pass, before… “STOPP!! I’M SORRY!! DON’T HURT-”

SLAP! CRASH!

The audio ended.

Tyson stared at the screen. “Let me hear that again.”

Dizzy complied. “Sure thing.”

“AAHHHHH! NO! KAI, STOP!”

A pause.

“Throw that lamp at me.” Whispered the female. Tyson heard it now, loud and clear.

“This one?” Came the male voice again.

A moment of silence, then… “STOPP!! I’M SORRY!! DON’T HURT-”

SLAP! CRASH!

Tyson sat up straight, turning wide eyes at his friends. “Is this for real??”

“It’s the legit audio file, yes.” Kenny affirmed, taking a few steps back toward their investigation board, tapping the written-out audio file, pinned above the unmistakable photographs of Selene Sable and Isaac Johnson. Tyson stared. Then pushed himself to his feet, placing Dizzy gingerly aside.

With slow, uncertain steps, the former world champion walked towards the wall. Up until now, he hadn’t realized just how much their little evidence board had grown. What had started as a few scattered notes, photographs and screenshots, had transformed into a wall-filling tapestry of information.

Max and Kenny had worked their asses off last night. And it showed.

Tyson kept looking at it. There was so much to look at. His eyes soon landed on the written audio transcripts.

“Throw that lamp at me...” Tyson repeated what the print said.

Max joined him. “This one?” He read aloud.

Tyson glanced at him in wonder. “That didn’t sound like Kai, did it?”

Max glanced back, giving him a small smile. “I don’t think so, no.”

“Wow... guys... I-” Tyson took a step back, gawking at the paper-filled wall, “I don’t know what to say...”

“Then let us do the talking, because we’ve got more to show you.” Kenny replied with a confident smile, joining them at the evidence board. “... Four years ago, the LAPD investigated the DNA found on Selene’s clothing.” Kenny traced his finger over a complicated-looking chart, filled with rows of numbers. “Isaac’s DNA was a big one, obviously. Kai’s DNA also matched, but here’s what the LAPD choose to ignore...” Kenny gave Tyson a stern look, indicating he should pay attention to this next part. “They only found mild traces of Kai’s DNA on her. According to Kai’s statement, Selene ran into his arms when he stepped inside his home. That must’ve left a trace. But if he had beaten her, like she claimed he did, the amount of Kai’s DNA should’ve been much higher. The percentages are too low.”

Tyson was stunned. “This is... huge, guys...”

“Ohhh, but there’s more.” Kenny said animatedly, resembling an enthusiastic telemarketer. He positioned himself in front of Tyson, standing two feet apart. “Hit me.”

Tyson blinked, stunned. “What??”

“Hit me!” Kenny repeated with an assured grin.

“Okay...?” Tyson had no idea what was going on, but raised his right arm anyway. Before he could actually hit him however, Kenny held up both his hands, squeaking, “Not too hard! Just for show!”

Masking his mock disappointment behind a sag of the shoulders, Tyson took a slow, long swing at his friend. When his palm landed on the other man’s cheek, Kenny grabbed it and held it there.

“A right-handed slap would’ve hurt the left side of my face, yes?” Kenny asked his supposed ‘attacker’.

Tyson raised one eyebrow. “Yees...?”

“Right. So, if you were to be left-handed, which side of my face would be bruised?” Kenny challenged, making Tyson roll his eyes. “What’s this? An elementary school math-test?”

“Just answer the question.”

That ignited another eye-roll. “Okay fine. If I were left-handed, you’d have bruises on the right side of your face.”

“Bingo.” Kenny smiled with a nod, releasing Tyson’s hand. “So why is it, that the left side of Selene’s face was bruised, whereas Kai is left-handed?”

Tyson frowned. “He’s not left-handed.”

“Yes, he is.” Kenny retorted.

“No, he’s not. He always launched right-handedly.”

“He sometimes switched hands while launching.” Dizzy interjected. “But only if no-one was watching.”

“Then how do you know about it?” Tyson challenged sharply.

“Because I watched.”

With a huff, Tyson slowly started pacing around the room, arms crossed. “Let me guess, Voltaire forced him to be right-handed.”

Kenny nodded slowly. “That’s our best guess, yeah.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Tyson growled, his heart clenching at the injustice his friend endured as a kid. And apparently, as an adult too. Injustice seemed to follow him everywhere he went. It... it needed to stop.

The former world-champion stopped pacing, giving his friends a long, calculating look. If anyone could make it stop, it was these two. They had found new evidence. Evidence that could save Kai.

The former anger he had felt towards them, slowly dissipated, turning into gratitude.

Feeling himself tear up a little, Tyson let his eyes roam over the evidence board. “The isolated soundwaves... Kai’s DNA... The fact that he’s left-handed... This proves Kai didn’t do it, right??” He nearly begged his friends.

“This might rule Kai out as the one attacking Selene, yes.” Kenny confirmed. “But it doesn’t prove he wasn’t the one who shot Isaac.”

Tyson faltered, but Max was quick to step in. “We also found something there.” He exclaimed, pointing to a group of documents, pinned above Kai’s picture. Tyson leaned forward to read it, but Max saved him the trouble. “These are Kai’s shooting scores.” He explained. “Kai is an excellent marksman. He re-activates his gun license every year, and occasionally visits a shooting range to keep himself sharp. The results are insane. He never misses his targets.”

“Yet...” Kenny moved to another part of the wall, near Isaac Johnson’s picture. He pointed at the deceased man’s autopsy report. “A total of five bullets were fired at Isaac. Three bullets hit him, the other two didn’t. This indicates the shooter wasn’t as experienced as Kai.”

Tyson stumbled backwards until his legs met the foot of his bed, collapsing on top of it. His eyes were wide, but unseeing. They were focused inward, turning everything over.

For a long ten minutes, nobody spoke.

“Guys...” Tyson finally spoke up, his eyes glistering. “We need to take this to Mrs. Hunter. Right now.”

“Already contacted her.” Kenny confirmed. “She has a slot available at twelve-thirty.”

Tyson released a deep exhale, before flopping back on the bed. With hazy eyes, he stared at the ceiling. “I’ve got a good feeling about this.” He smiled. “Thanks a bunch for this, guys.”

Kenny and Max glanced at each other, smiling in relief.

“For the record…” Max started softly, “We don’t want to clear him because he’s our friend. We want to clear him because he didn’t do it.”

Tyson gave him a thumbs up from where he lay.

Perched above the city of Los Angeles, the ‘Hunter Law’ building looked as untouchable as ever. The warm, midday sun beamed down against the building’s glass exterior, catching on the steel edges and turning the whole place into a mirror of light. It was as if someone turned a gigantic spotlight on it, turning it into a second, earthbound sun.

On the top floor, behind soundproof walls and sun-tinted windows, four people occupied a familiar sleek white office. One of them sat behind the desk, unmoving. Fingers interlocked. Face unreadable.

Two others sat in front of the desk, staring at her in mute disbelief.

And the fourth? The fourth was pacing around the room, hands clasped behind his head as a way to ground his anger. After successfully making a dent in the carpet, Tyson swivelled towards the woman behind the desk, struggling through his words. “I don’t - Why are you - What do you mean, ‘it’s not good enough’??!”

Mrs. Hunter glanced at him cooly. “It just isn’t.”

“What- why the hell not??” Tyson choked out, before gesturing at his friends. “They worked all night! Found plenty of evidence! And you’re telling us-”

“I’m telling you - it’s not good enough.” Hunter interrupted sternly.

“You didn’t even look at it!”

“I did.”

Tyson snorted. “If you did,” He started sharply, “you’d have seen that the shooter missed two times.”

“Kai could’ve faked being a terrible shooter.” Came Hunter’s flat reply, angering Tyson even more.

“What?!! Why on earth- Okay, you know what? Nevermind.” He leaned over her desk, jabbing a finger on the documents that were spread out. “How about the soundwave-thingies, huh?”

“They are peculiar, alright.” Hunter responded in a monotone voice. “But it can still be Kai who’s asked to throw a lamp.”

“Oh come on!” Tyson rubbed his face with both hands, muffling a harsh growl. He dropped his hands, gesturing wildly, “Then tell me this; how can a left-handed man slap a right cheek, huh? That doesn’t make any sense, does it??”

Hunter gave him a warning glare. He needed to back off. Max stood up, gently pulling him back into his seat.

“Mrs. Hunter.” Max started in a soft, polite voice. The last thing he wanted, was a security guard dragging them out of the office again. “Tyson is right. Kai’s left-handed. He couldn’t have hit-”

“He could have hit her anywhere he pleased.” Hunter interjected sharply. “Didn’t you look at evidence pieces 06-01 to 06-07? The photographs of Kai’s knuckles? They were both bruised.”

The trio faltered, embarrassed by the realization they had overlooked that crucial detail.

Kenny scooted towards the edge of his seat, piping up carefully, “What about the DNA results? If Kai would’ve... hit her. Punched her... His DNA presence would’ve been significantly higher."

“Kai’s DNA was found on Selene, and Selene’s blood was smeared on Kai. The amounts of it, don’t matter.”

“Of course it does!” Tyson replied fiercely, momentarily forgetting he was arguing with the best attorney in the country.

“Look.” Mrs. Hunter sighed, leaning forward over her clasped hands. “I’m not the one who needs convincing. There will be a twelve-headed jury in that courtroom. Twelve members of the public, who are going to decide Kai’s fate.” She held up a magazine, with on its cover, the infamous CEO Photoshopped as the devil. “And in case you haven’t noticed, the public doesn’t like him very much.”

“Isn’t a jury supposed to be neutral? Unbiased?” Kenny retorted.

“Yes.” Hunter replied flatly, “But do you really think they are? The new’s everywhere. It’s global. There’s no way these 12 people will be clueless on what’s going on. They will be prejudiced. On a conscious level they won’t know this, but deep down, they’ve already made up their minds before they even set foot in that courtroom.”

“Can’t we just… try, at least?” Max begged softly. “What’s the worst thing that can happen?”

“The worst thing that can happen, is that we’ll lose the appeal, Kai gets send to prison, and we won’t be able to appeal again.” Hunter’s face turned dark in warning. “We only have one change at this.”

Tyson sunk into his chair, his shoulders lowering in defeat. “But this is all we got...”

Hunter gave them a long, contemplating look, before sighing and leaning back in her chair. “I appreciate the effort you guys put into it. I really do. And well done on finding the hidden audio layers, that’s impressive.”

The compliments made one of them perk up a little. “Thank you ma’m.” Kenny spoke, before turning solemn again, “I wish I had something better to offer though.”

“Just keep on looking.” Hunter encouraged. “You’ve made more progress in one night than the LAPD did in four years time. Keep going, and maybe, hopefully, there will be something there that we can use.”

The trio nodded simultaneously. “We will.” Kenny promised, putting Dizzy away.

With slight difficulty, the three men got up to leave. The sleepless nights started to wear on them. Hunter also stood, shaking each of their hands. When Tyson grabbed her hand, he gave her a sharp, meaningful look. “I never thanked you for getting him out.” He tightened his grip ever so slightly. “Thank you.”

Hunter gave an acknowledging nod. “Of course. It’s the least I could do.” She cleared her throat. “How is he?”

The question surprised them. Apparently, she cared more about her former client than she was letting on. Tyson blew out a breath. “Really really sick. We’re hoping he’s doing better today.” He glanced at his phone. “I texted Eve earlier, but she hasn’t read it yet.”

“Eve?” Hunter repeated, looking up. “Eve Barlowe? Kai’s ex-wife?”

“Yeah.” Tyson said. “She never left his side.”

Hunter seemed thoughtful. “I’m surprised to hear that.”

Tyson tilted his head. “She really cares about him. She’s been with him constantly.”

Hunter allowed herself a faint smile. “Well… that might be a good thing, considering everything he’s been through. Having someone familiar around could help him heal.”

Tyson nodded. “We hope so. With any luck, we’ll be able to talk to him soon.”

“If you do...” Hunter said, her voice softer than before, “...tell him I said hello.”

The room went quiet for a moment. Her concern wasn’t loud, but it was there, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

Beijing, China - 4:30 AM

The fresh, floral scent of cleaning supplies hung in the air as early morning silence settled over the restaurant. It was too early for sunlight, too early for the rumble of traffic and footsteps on the pavement. No one was awake at this hour, which is exactly why Ray Kon loved it.

In the quiet of the night, he moved through the narrow kitchen like clockwork. Counters were wiped, utensils were sorted, and the crate of fresh vegetables was stashed in the freezer with a soft thud. The tasks weren’t exciting, but they were his. Something familiar to help him ease into the day.

Once everything was in place, Ray grabbed his reading glasses and the pile of bills waiting on the counter. He padded down the hallway toward the back, where he had converted a storage room into a tiny office. There was just enough space for a desk, a chair, a file cabinet, and not much else. He plopped into the chair and flipped on the computer. While it hummed to life, Ray stretched, arms reaching toward the ceiling, jaw cracking in a wide yawn. He still had an hour before the staff arrived; an hour of peace he didn’t take for granted.

The screen finally blinked awake. Ray got to work crunching numbers, clicking through spreadsheets and invoices, but after a while, the dull repetition started to wear on him. Without thinking, he reached up and switched on the little TV perched on the shelf above his desk. He didn’t really watch it; it was just there to break the silence.

The anchor’s voice barely registered at first.

“…os Angeles authorities have confirmed the arrest of six staff members from The Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum…”

His fingers froze above the keyboard.

“…accused of accepting bribes to chemically subdue a long-term patient now identified as Kai Hiwatari, former CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises…”

Ray shot to his feet, his chair crashing to the floor behind him. He stared at the screen in stunned silence. Maybe he’d misheard. Maybe...-

But the caption scrolling across the bottom proved him otherwise.

MENTAL HEALTH ABUSE SCANDAL IN LOS ANGELES; SIX ARRESTED

He staggered backward and bumped into the filing cabinet with a dull thud, barely noticing. His mind raced. The guys had told him a few things, just enough to keep him in the loop. He knew Kai had been taken to the hospital after years of mistreatment at the mental facility. He knew things were bad... But seeing it like this, on global news…

For days, he’d managed to maintain a certain amount of space between himself and the full weight of it all, losing himself in the job and taking care of his family. He’d hated what happened to Kai, and thought about it more than he let on, but it had always been a somewhat... abstract concern. Far away. Out of reach...

But now, that distance was ripped away.

Ray’s eyes started to fill as the true weight settled in his gut.

His friend had been abused for years. By, what should’ve been, medical professionals. They took everything from him. His health. His wealth. His dignity. And they... they let it happen.

Some friends they were.

As if the timing couldn’t have been better, one of his young cooks entered the office, bleary-eyed and yawning. “Morning, chef.” He muttered, shrugging off his coat.

“What are you doing here?! Get out!!” Ray snapped, freezing the cook in his place.

“Y-you asked me to... to come in early.” The cook stammered, wide-eyed.

Ray forced his pounding heart to slow down. “Right. Sorry.” He took a few deep breaths, attempting to ground himself. “Just... uh... start on the dumplings. Please.”

The cook nodded wearily, backing out of the room. Lately, his boss had been in a noticeably darker mood. He better do as he’s told.

Ray stood alone in his office, his eyes stinging as if he had been chopping onions for hours.

He hated this. He hated being stuck here, on the other side of the world. He needed to be there for Kai, like the others were.

But he couldn’t.

And he hated that.

 Los Angeles - 2:45 PM

In the span of one night, the parking lot of Southland General Hospital had turned into a media circus. The hospital’s management had strictly forbidden the reporters from entering the building, but that didn’t stop them from clogging up the parking lot, creating a traffic hazard for anyone wishing to visit. Various selections of satellite dishes pointed towards the sky, with cables trailing across the asphalt like snakes. Microphones were tested, camera lenses wiped clean, and scripts were meticulously reviewed. Reporters crowded around the entrance, some pacing, some rehearsing lines to cameras, all of them impatient and hungry. Not for food, but for blood, so it seemed. None of the reporters noticed the three shadows slipping along the side of the building, however.

Keeping their heads low and steps silent, Max, Kenny and Tyson snuck their way behind the parked vans, using the large vehicles as shields.

Max looked around nervously. “They’re all here for Kai?” He whispered.

Tyson scoffed. “Of course they are. They weren’t there when he was rotting in that facility for four years. But now? Now they care.”

“Let’s keep moving.” Kenny squeaked, not liking this one bit.

Sticking close to the side of the building, they moved quickly, slipping past a loading dock and around a service entrance partially hidden by a hedge.

They were almost there, just a few yards from the staff door, when a voice drifted over the noise.

“I bet Hiwatari loves the attention.” One of the reporters casually leaned against the side of his van, cracking open a beer with his camera crew. “I mean, he’s a smart guy. Insanity got him outta jail. Abuse-claims got him out a loony bin. What’s next? He’s going to sue this hospital for not giving him Egyptian cotton sheets?” He laughed, his crew joining in with smug, careless chuckles.

Tyson halted mid-step, every muscle in his body tensing up.

Max moved fast. “Don’t.” He whispered, already reaching for him.

But Tyson had already turned, shoulders squared, rage burning his eyes.

Kenny grabbed his arm. “Tyson, no! We can’t be seen.”

He shook them off, breathing heavy, trembling with restraint, until Max stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

“Tyson, look at me.” Max said firmly. “Don’t give them this.”

Tyson’s fists curled, white-knuckled and shaking. But he didn’t speak. He just let his friends steer him away, through the side door and into the hospital.

Inside, silence swallowed them whole. The moment the door shut behind them, all three just stood there, hearts pounding, jaws clenched, hands itching to swing.

Hearing Kai torn apart like that... mocked, reduced to a headline... it didn’t just hurt.

It fucking burned.

The hallway leading to Kai’s room was quiet; a sharp contrast to the chaos outside. Further down the corridor, a woman paced back and forth with a phone pressed to her ear. Her other hand was folded in front of her mouth, nibbling on her nails. Her dishevelled dark hair was pulled into a messy bun, and her oversized sweater made her seem smaller than she was.

Tyson gave her a hesitant wave as a greeting. Her tired eyes needed a moment to register his familiar face. But when she did, her expression softened. She waved back, worn, but sincere.

Max and Kenny also raised a hand in greeting, having a hunch on who she was.

A tall security guard stood by Kai’s door, arms crossed, posture rigid. His eyes swept over them as they approached.

“We’re on the list.” Tyson mumbled.

The guard checked his clipboard, then gave a curt nod and stepped aside.

The door opened with a soft click.

Max wasted no time and hurried towards Kai’s side, with Tyson following calmly. Kenny, on the other hand, was too afraid to look at whatever was in the bed, and focused his attention on the machinery and IV bags that hovered above it.

Max and Tyson took a good long look at their barely recognizable childhood friend.

Kai lay still. Unnervingly still, but not motionless. His chest continued to rise and fall in sharp, uneven bursts. His skin was pale and clammy-looking.

“Still sleeping.” Tyson murmured quietly, though the words felt meaningless.

Max stepped closer, almost cautiously, like Kai might shatter if he moved too fast. “I... I can’t believe it’s him.”

Kenny finally lowered his eyes to look at him... really look at him. What he saw took his breath away.

Holy cow, this was Kai. The same Kai who used to stand at the front of their team, arms crossed, voice sharp and commanding. The one who never flinched, never hesitated, and seemed larger than life when they were just kids chasing glory. Kenny used to brace himself when Kai walked into a room, always half-expecting a critique, an order, a challenge, a glare. Kai had always loomed over him. Taller, stronger, tougher.

But that man... the one who used to intimidate him without trying... was gone.

This Kai was still. Gaunt. Vulnerable. Breathing through a plastic line and tied to monitors like he might drift away if the machines stopped watching. There was no bark in him now, no command in his presence. Just silence. Fragility.

Max kept shaking his head in disbelief, his eyes filling with horrified tears. “I… I didn’t think he’d look like this...” He whispered, eyes locked on Kai’s chest. “He always seemed untouchable. Even when we were kids. Even when he was angry, or hurting... he never looked like this.”

Tyson swallowed hard, agreeing quietly.

They stood in silence, the beeping of machines the only sound in the room.

Max hesitated, before reaching out and placing a soft hand on Kai’s arm. “We’re here.” He said, barely above a whisper. “We’ve got you.”

The door eased open with a soft creak. Eve stepped inside, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, but there was a gentleness in her eyes as they landed on the two unfamiliar faces near the bed.

“Hi...” She said quietly.

“Hello...” Max replied, while Kenny gave a small nod as a greeting.

Tyson gestured at his friends. “These are Kenny and Max.”

“Figured as much.” Eve flashed them a soft smile, shaking their hands. “It’s nice to finally meet you guys. Thanks for coming.” Her voice was subdued. Exhausted.

“Of course.” Kenny replied, “We’re here to help. If there’s anything we can do, just say the word.”

“Thank you.” Eve replied genuinely, before taking quiet steps toward the chair by the window, and lowering herself into it. She silently observed the three friends, crowding her ex-husband’s bed. Max moved to stand near his shoulder, fingers lightly brushing the edge of the pillow like he wasn’t sure if his touch would help or hurt. Tyson hovered at the foot of the bed, arms folded, gaze locked onto Kai’s face with a mix of guilt and stubborn hope. Kenny stood just to the side, watching the data on the monitors with a careful intensity, in an attempt to make sense of everything.

Eve felt something shift in her chest; something tender, and a little bit painful at the same time. Kai had always been a fortress; tall, impenetrable, and built brick by brick from years of hurt and survival. He’d built walls so high even she had struggled to climb over them during their years of marriage.

These guys used to know Kai well enough to know what he was like. How he buried pain beneath control, how he protected himself with distance. How difficult he could be.

And God, he could be difficult.

But still, they came. They still cared. Not out of obligation or guilt, but out of something far deeper. Loyalty. Love. A bond that had managed to survive the silence of the years. Eve let out a slow, shaky breath. If only Kai could see what she was seeing now.

“He was always surrounded by people...” She mumbled, almost to herself. “And yet, he was always alone. He preferred it that way.”

The others glanced at her, but she kept her gaze locked on Kai, her fingers absentmindedly twisting the ring she no longer wore. Her voice was quiet when it came, “I think... that was how he felt safest. Keeping his distance. Even from me.” A beat passed. “Many people think we separated because of his arrogance, but that wasn’t it. He just... shut me out, at some point. He never did it to hurt me. He wouldn’t hurt me. Ever.” Eve’s jaws clenched as she recalled Selene’s bizarre description of her ex-husband’s temper.

She then sighed. “I don’t think he had the space in his world for love and war at the same time. And leading his empire... surviving his past... it was a war.”

She didn’t seem to expect a response, but Tyson couldn’t resist. “I’m sorry.” He murmured sincerely, causing Eve to release a small, exhausted chuckle. “I don’t know why I’m even telling you all of this.” She drew in a shuddering breath. “Maybe seeing him like this… makes the past feel so insignificant.”

Tyson gave her a small, knowing smile, but it faded quickly as his expression sobered. He looked back at his friend in the bed. “Did his condition change at all since last night?”

Eve continued to stare at Kai, her eyes heavy with sorrow. “He’s still very sick.” She murmured. “He hasn’t woken up yet.”

Max, in an attempt to keep things positive, piped up, “I’m sure he’ll feel better once the drug’s out of his system. He just needs to feel like himself again.”

“That’s exactly what I’m dreading.” Eve blurted before she could stop herself.

Max frowned. “What? Why?”

Eve’s shoulders tensed. “Because... for years, Kai was a prisoner in his own body.” She said, voice tight. She looked up at the others, her eyes glassy and fierce at the same time. “And now he’s getting back in it. Awake. Aware... How do you think that’s going to feel?”

None of the men answered, their shoulders sagging in anxious sadness. What could they possibly say? There was no way to fully comprehend what Kai had endured.

The air in the room had turned heavier, and Eve immediately regretted the weight of her words. She hadn’t meant to cast such a big shadow over an already dark mood. Hoping to ease the tension, she turned to Tyson and asked softly, “You spoke to Kai’s attorney this morning, didn’t you? How did it go? Is she going to file for an appeal?”

Tyson hated hearing the hopeful tone in her voice. He shook his head. “No, she isn’t. We just… have to keep searching.”

Eve's shoulders slumped at the answer. She felt the tiny thread of hope she’d been clinging to dissipating, like ice in the sun. “Oh…” she whispered, eyes drifting back to Kai. For a moment, no one spoke.

Then she blinked, suddenly remembering. “I should get going.” She murmured, pushing herself upright with visible effort. “My son’s landing soon… I promised I’d pick him up.”

When she swayed slightly on her feet, Tyson stepped towards her. “No, wait. Sit down. I’ll go.”

Eve blinked in surprise. “Wha- No, that’s... Are you sure?”

Tyson nodded in determination. “Let me take care of it.”

There was a beat of hesitation in which pride, exhaustion, and gratitude flickered across her face... before she gave a tired nod and sank slowly back into her chair.

“That’s really kind. Thank you...” She whispered. “He’ll be looking for me by the arrivals exit. He’s flying in from Heathrow.”

Tyson nodded. “Got it.” And just like that, one burden was lifted. Small, but in this moment, it was everything.

Tyson turned towards his friends. “I’ll be right back.”

“We’re not going anywhere.” Max assured. Kenny nodded. “See you in a bit.”

After a last glance at Kai, still unconscious, his breathing still uneven, Tyson took his leave.

Los Angeles International Airport – 4:05 PM

Tyson stood at the arrivals gate, shifting his weight from one foot to another, eyes scanning the crowd pouring in from customs. He couldn’t help but feel nervous. Even though he prided himself on being good with kids, he had never met this one. He had a hunch it wouldn’t be a normal kid. It was Kai’s kid, after all.

His phone buzzed in his hand. It was a message from Eve; “He’s wearing a black hoodie. Just look for a mini version of Kai.”

Tyson smirked at the description. It sounded both cute and terrifying.

A couple of minutes later, Tyson spotted him.

Gou was easy to miss if you weren’t looking for him; tallish for his age, but moving with a quiet form that made him fade into the background. His black hood was down, but his rumpled hair hinted it had been up for most of the flight. Tyson was surprised to see the boy shared his father’s striking two-toned hair. The Hiwatari genes were clearly as dominant as those embodying them.

A single backpack strap hung diagonally across the boy’s shoulder. He wore earbuds, but the vacant look in his eyes indicated they weren’t playing anything, he was just using it as armor. His face was blank, unreadable, with heavy brows drawn low. It wasn’t hard to tell he disliked crowds. Eve’s description had been spot on; he really looked like the miniature version of Kai.

Tyson raised a hand. “Gou!”

The boy stopped, blinking in recognition. He pulled out one earbud and approached.

“You’re… Tyson?” he asked, voice low.

A big grin spread over the man’s face, pointing two thumbs at himself. “Yep, that’s me! How was your flight?”

“Fine.” Gou shrugged, managing a small nod. “Thanks... for picking me up.”

Tyson fell in step beside the boy, resisting the urge to pat him on the back. If he was anything like Kai, he hated being touched, no matter the good intentions. So instead, Tyson settled on giving him a friendly smile. “Anytime, bud.”

They kept on walking towards the parking lot, none of them saying another word. As it was a big airport, it was quite the walk. With every minute that passed, the silence between them proceeded to stretch uncomfortably.

“Have you… seen him yet?” Gou finally asked, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Tyson glanced at him. “Yeah.”

Gou struggled with his next question. Tyson knew Kai’s signs whenever he was inwardly fighting with something, and saw them in his son too.

“He’s not okay.” Tyson answered the question that hadn’t been asked. “But with the right care and patience, he will be. I’m sure of it.”

Gou nodded slowly, swallowing hard.

Tyson hesitated, then added, “You don’t have to talk about it. But if you want to… I’m here.”

Gou didn’t reply. But after a long pause, he said quietly, “I thought he wanted us out of his life. It’s what they told me. For years. Said it was better if I’d forget him.” His jaws clenched. “But in reality, he’s the one who had been abandoned all this time.”

Tyson exhaled shakily, feeling his heart break for the kid, as well as the kid’s father.

“We’re going to change that.” Tyson said firmly, flashing the boy a playful smile. “In no time, he’s gonna feel so crowded he’ll wish we’d leave him alone. You’ll see.”

The smile wasn’t returned.

Max sat beside Kai’s bed, absent-mindedly rubbing a thumb along his pale friend’s arm. The blonde man’s gaze was distant, unfocused. It still felt strange how Kai didn’t react to touch at all, other than a slight twitch now and then. His attention was suddenly drawn to one of the monitors above the bed, where numbers flickered red.

“His heart rate’s going up...” Max said quietly, frowning. “It was more stable earlier.”

Eve sat perched on the windowsill, one leg tucked under the other, half-absorbed in her phone. “It spikes sometimes.” She murmured, distracted. “The doctors think it’s a withdrawal-induced stress response. They’re monitoring it, but... there's not much else they can do right now.”

“Or it could be a nightmare.” Kenny added thoughtfully, his voice soft. He sat on the opposite side of the bed, his gaze fixed on Kai’s face. “He’s been frowning for a while now. Like he’s... fighting something in there.”

They all fell quiet for a beat, watching him. His face, once so composed, looked drawn and unfamiliar.

Eve nodded tearfully, quickly wiping her eyes. She tried to refocus, turning her attention back to the phone in her hands. Work was waiting. Deadlines didn’t pause for grief, and the finance world didn’t care that her ex-husband was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.

She stared at the screen, but the numbers blurred. They danced, swapped places, spun in circles every time she blinked. Nothing made sense. After a few more failed attempts to concentrate, she let out a sharp sigh and tossed the phone onto the nearby chair.

Kenny glanced at Kai’s impassive face. “Has he… ever said anything? Since he got here?”

Eve shook her head. “Nothing. But sometimes... I think he’s listening, even if he can’t respond.”

Max looked over at Kai, his expression softening with guilt. “We should’ve found him sooner. Saved him sooner.”

“We didn’t know.” Kenny responded sadly, his voice tightening. “None of us did...”

Eve clamped her mouth shut at those words. He was right; they didn’t know. But someone should have. She should have.

Silence settled again, heavy and still.

Suddenly, the sound of distant footsteps made Eve perk up in her seat. The footsteps came closer and closer, before stopping in front of their room.

“You wanna go in first?” Tyson’s gentle voice carried inside, making Eve jump to her feet.

Gou stepped inside, ignoring the small crowd of concerned adults. His unwavering focus was on the bed, and the man who lay so worryingly still in it. Max and Kenny exchanged glances, then stepped aside.

“We’ll give you some space, buddy.” Max said, gently brushing Gou’s shoulder as he passed. Kenny followed without a word, secretly grateful for the break. They slipped out quietly.

Gou didn’t move. He stood frozen in the doorway, eyes locked on the lifeless figure that used to be his strong, vigilant father.

It had been years.

He was nine, the last time he saw him.

This wasn’t the man Gou remembered from his childhood. This man looked older, thinner, almost hollow. He was breathing, but it sounded like it cost him something. Machines blinked around him.

While Gou took slow, uncertain steps toward the bed, Eve approached Tyson, standing near the door. She gave him a grateful, wobbly smile. “Thank you...”

“My pleasure.” Tyson assured. “He’s a good kid. Smart kid, too. But I guess that doesn’t come as a surprise.”

Eve nodded in agreement, but she couldn’t stop her bottom lip from trembling. Tyson could see the guilt visibly pressing down on her.

“It’s not your fault, you know...” He murmured quietly.

Eve offered a faint smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She knew better. Whatever comfort he tried to give, she didn’t believe it. Not entirely.

With slow, heavy steps, she joined her son near the bed. It had been a while since she’d last seen him in person, but now wasn’t the time for a mother-son reunion; he was here to see his dad. Later, at the hotel, maybe they could talk. Maybe he’d let her explain why she hadn’t called him right away. He was obviously still sour about that, and she didn’t blame him.

Watching over her son and ex-husband, Eve drew in a slow, heavy breath.

Unbeknownst to her, Tyson did the same. The weight of it all pressed down on him too. This wasn’t just Kai’s pain anymore; it was the pain of everything around them cracking, collapsing.

Gou was silently looking down his father’s face, clutching the sidebar of the bed with two, white-knuckled hands. Eve gave her son a small, comforting smile. “You can talk to him, if you want.”

Gou’s stern gaze remained fixed on his father. “Can he hear me?”

Eve glanced at Tyson momentarily, unsure, before answering, “I don’t know... We like to think so...”

Gou’s sharp red irises, so similar to Kai’s, roamed across his father’s face, as if he was searching for the man he thought he knew. Eve stood next to him with her arms tightly folded, not out of coldness, but because she had no idea what to do with them. Tyson had positioned himself on the other side of the bed, keeping watch. On what, he didn’t know, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Gou inhaled deeply, then spoke in a shaky whisper, “Dad... it’s me, Gou. Can you hear me?”

Kai face remained motionless. He didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe any different. But his fingers, so still for hours, twitched once against the blanket. Gou saw it. He leaned closer. Eve and Tyson drew closer as well, hoping to see another form of life. Again, Kai’s fingers twitched, more deliberate this time, as if his fingertips felt the soft fabric of the blanket. Gou’s eyes widened, and he instinctively reached forward, placing a hand on his father’s arm.

“Dad?”

Kai inhaled sharply. Gou leaned in, his voice urgent. “Dad. It’s me. I’m here.”

Eyelids fluttered once. Twice. And then slowly... they cracked open.

Just a sliver.

Gou’s breath hitched, briefly looking up at his mother and Tyson. Neither moved. Eve had tears in her eyes, lips parted in stunned disbelief. Tyson just stared, like he was afraid blinking would break the moment.

Kai’s eyes were bloodshot, and clouded with confusion and whatever leftover sedation was still in his system. They flicked from the ceiling to the light overhead, then somewhere near the wall... never quite landing on a face. A single tear slipped from the corner of his eye, trailing down the side of his cheek.

Eve’s breath caught in her throat.

“Kai...” She whispered, placing a hand on his covered leg. “You’re okay. You’re… you’re safe.”

Kai’s lips parted slightly, but no sound came out. The tear rolled past his jaw, disappearing into the pillow. His brow furrowed faintly, like he was trying to remember something important… or trying to wake from a dream he didn’t understand.

His eyes drifted again, past Eve, past Gou, past Tyson... and then shut.

Just like that, he slipped back under. The machines continued their steady rhythm, while Gou let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “He didn’t see me.” He whispered.

Tyson needed a moment to find his voice. “Not yet. But he will.”

Eve stood very still, blinking her tears away. “He looked around. That’s more than yesterday.” She spoke softly.

They all looked at Kai.

Still fighting. Still silent.

But still here.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

It started with the sound of footsteps.

Soft. Measured. Rhythmic. Squeaky rubber sandals on linoleum floors. Small wheels rotating underneath a metal cart, its contents rattling along.

Kai’s eyes snapped open.

The light in the hospital room was dim again; late evening blending slowly into the night. The walls were white. Sterile. Familiar, yet unfamiliar.

He blinked. The ceiling above him swam, tilting. He tried to focus.

Vision wavering, Kai noticed the soft moonlight filtering in from the windows on his right. What the... - this room had windows??

His breathing quickened.

Where was he??

The walls felt closer than before, as if some unseen force was shoving them towards him, pushing the air out of the room. As a result, Kai struggled to inhale, feeling himself choking on the thick, dense air.

Keys jingled. A door creaked. The sound of the metal cart was louder now, as it rolled into his room. A shadowy figure was pushing it, dressed in a white uniform. It was faceless. Demonic.

Kai’s chest seized. “No -” He rasped, voice dry and raw. He tried to sit up, but his muscles betrayed him, weak and trembling. A wave of nauseating panic surged through him, as his hands twitched against the blanket, checking for restraints, and within a terrifying second, he felt them.

He let out a broken sound. A groan. A growl. Something close to a sob.

The shadowy figure parked the cart next to the bed, before fumbling with a pair of blue latex gloves.

Kai felt his soul leave his body. Literally. He couldn’t move anymore, and had no other choice than to surrender his body to whatever he was strapped onto. The only muscles still in operation, were the ones behind his eyes. They were wide, trembling in fear. Without blinking, they followed the shadow’s fingers, rummaging through the instruments placed on a metal tray. They had wrapped themselves around something long and slender. And yellow.

A small, black box was picked up, and the slender yellow thing was screwed into it. A loud, crunching sound erupted from the box. It sounded like a bone breaking... or... or a pencil being sharpened...?

The shadow held it up for both to see. The tip was long and sharp. Longer and sharper than one would prefer, when drawing. Kai already knew this one wouldn’t be used for that.

His heart throbbed in panic.

The shadow leaned over him, its cold hand roaming over his bare chest and belly. Kai wanted to say something. He wanted to plead with it to stop. Beg. Cry for mercy. Do everything his grandfather had hard-handedly beat out of him.

But he couldn’t.

Eyes screaming, Kai watched how the shadow raised its arm, the sharpened pencil grasped tightly in a gloved fist.

No no no no NOOOO!

The fist came down, and if Kai could’ve screamed, he would have. The pain was overwhelming, raging in his torso like a fire storm. With a panicked moan, Kai rolled himself off the bed, causing his body to slam onto the floor. Breathing erratically, he fought against the wires and tubes he found himself tangled in. His bloodshot eyes were wide in terror as he groped around his chest, desperately trying to locate the pencil entering his flesh. All he felt was a hospital gown, and strange wires attached to his chest. Nothing more.

The pain, so vivid seconds before, reduced itself to a dull throb. A reminder that he had once been stabbed, but it wasn’t now. He was somewhere else in time. Wherever he was, it was in a strange, white room... with windows. His body lay flattened against the floor, too heavy to move. The pressure constricted his lungs, but he couldn’t get up. Pressing his forehead into the cold, hard linoleum, Kai released a deep, throat-rattling sob. His shoulders quivered in despair, as silent tears continued to drip to the ground.

For the longest time, he hadn’t been able to move his body. Not even a little. Now, he finally could. But not enough to escape. Not enough to get himself through that door.

Is that their new plan to break him? Their new definition of torture? A carrot-dangling game? The rules are simple, right? The door’s right over there! All you have to do it move over there. Hell, roll over there, if you have to. This is your change to essscape! All you have to do is move! Move! MOVE!

Kai groaned through his tears, feeling a spark of his old, determined self resurface. He tried to crawl forward, but his limbs wouldn’t cooperate. Everything tingled. Everything hurt. He continued to struggle. He writhed. He wailed... until he managed to roll himself on his side. Chest heaving, Kai cried at the door he couldn’t reach.

Shaking all over, he pulled his knees towards his chest, folding himself into a ball. His hands curled themselves against his chest. There were bandages on his right hand. He hadn’t noticed them before. He plucked at them. First with his left hand, then with his teeth. He needed them gone.

He needed to feel real.

Pain is real, right?

The nurse’s station was in a frenzy. Three emergencies had come in. Car accident victims.

Stretchers flew past, wheeled toward operating rooms. The hallways were crammed with medical staff shouting orders, overlapping voices filling the air. Nurses abandoned the station to assist, scattering into the storm of motion.

The warning light for Room 3.12 kept flashing. Relentless. Unnoticed.

It wasn’t until one nurse returned, hair tangled and cheeks flushed from running nonstop, that she caught it blinking in the corner of her eye.

“Ah, shit!” She hissed, sprinting toward a colleague just reaching for a cup of coffee. “Sandra! Code red! 3.12!”

Several nurses dropped what they were doing and rushed towards the closed door down the hall.

The guard posted outside the room startled at the commotion. Technically, he was supposed to check every person entering, medical staff included, but before he could raise a halting hand, the nurses shoved him aside and burst through the door.

What they saw froze them in their tracks, but only for a moment. Time was of the essence here.

“Mr. Hiwatari!!” One of the nurses threw herself on her knees next to the still man on the floor. He was lying flat on his back, surrounded by blood. His right hand didn’t seem like a hand anymore. They quickly turned him into the recovery position, screaming orders at each other.

Kai didn’t feel anything. Nor did he hear anything. The pain had knocked him out minutes prior.

Only five miles away from the unexpected bloodbath, Tyson flicked open a soda can, Max tossed a pillow into the air, and Kenny’s phone glowed softly in the dark. The air in the dim motel room smelled faintly of takeout and energy drinks; the fuel behind their all-nighters.

Ray’s voice floated through the speaker on Kenny’s phone. “I don’t get it.” He murmured. “It’s real evidence. Tangible. She can’t just say it’s good enough and leave it at that.”

Kenny sighed. “She basically said if we can’t convince her, we won’t convince the jury.”

“And she wasn’t convinced.” Tyson added unhappily.

The Chinese man snorted in frustration. “So now what?”

Tyson, lounging on his bed, spoke up. “We keep looking.”

“Right...” Ray said softly. “Is there anything I can do to help? I feel so useless being here…”

Kenny shook his head, though Ray couldn’t see it. “I don’t think so, Ray. But we appreciate the offer.”

“Sure…” Ray replied quietly. “So, how was Kai doing today?”

The three men momentarily quietened. It was a simple question, but the answer was... complicated.

“He did wake up briefly when we were there.” Tyson started softly, “He doesn’t know where he is, though. Doesn’t know what’s happening. That much is clear.”

Max yawned, struggling to keep his eyes open. “I thought it was interesting he woke up hearing his son’s voice. Maybe he’s not as far gone as we thought.”

“Kai’s son came by?” Ray said, a note of hopeful relief in his voice.

“Yeah, flew in all the way from England.” Tyson explained. “It was tough on the kid, seeing his dad like that.”

“I bet…” Ray murmured. Though he hadn’t been there, the description of Kai’s condition weighed heavily on his mind. “I hope you’ll be able to talk to him soon.”

“Yeah, me too...” Max said sadly.

Suddenly, Tyson’s phone buzzed sharply. “Oh, hold on.” Tyson said, checking the screen. He frowned at the caller-ID, and answered, “Eve? Everything okay?”

“NO! You have to come! Quick!!” Her frantic voice clawed through the phone. They all heard it, even Ray.

Tyson shot his friends a bewildered look as he replied, “What’s going on?”

“It’s Kai!” Eve’s voice wailed through the phone, “He’s been - Oh GOD, he’s been scratching his hand again. It’s bad. Really bad.”

The room went still. Tyson’s soda can slipped from his fingers, clattering on the floor. His voice trembled. “We’re on our way.”

Eve was pacing the hallway of the trauma unit when they arrived. She looked distraught in every sense of the word. As soon as she spotted the familiar trio, she rushed over, her eyes wide and tearful. “The doctor’s with him now. He’ll be out in a moment to speak with us.” She blurted out, as though she couldn’t bear another minute of waiting.

Tyson nodded in urgent understanding. “Did they tell you what happened?”

Eve shook her head, strands of hair breaking loose from her messy bun. “Not much.” She replied, her voice tight. “Just that he scratched his hand. And it’s bad.”

“How bad?” Max asked sharply, brows knotted in concern.

“I don’t know.” Eve murmured, shaking her head again. Her hands were trembling.

Just then, a middle-aged doctor in a loose white coat turned the corner. Everyone instinctively straightened.

“You must be Mr. Hiwatari’s friends.” He greeted gently. “I’m Doctor Alvarez. Please follow me to my office for a moment, we need to talk.”

“When can we see him?” Eve asked impatiently, hurrying to keep up with the doctor’s longer strides.

“Mr. Hiwatari is being moved to his room now. I’ll take you there shortly.” The doctor assured while leading the group through a quiet corridor.

“Please tell us, is he okay?” Eve begged.

The doctor hesitated for only a second. “He’s not. That’s why I’d like to speak with you first.”

He stopped in front of a white door and welcomed them into a small, clinical office. There weren’t enough seats, but it was an unspoken agreement to let Eve and Tyson take them. Max and Kenny stood behind them, like a supportive, albeit alert, shield.

Dr. Alvarez took a seat across from them, offering a sympathetic, but sober smile.

“I understand you’re concerned about Mr. Hiwatari...” He began. “And that concern is... well... warranted.”

He inhaled deeply, before delving into the part of his job he didn’t like. “Earlier this evening, Mr. Hiwatari regained consciousness. We believe he might’ve experienced a vivid nightmare, or possibly a psychotic episode. The details are unclear. What we do know is that the nurses found him collapsed on the floor beside his bed. In his agitated state, he managed to remove the bandages from his right hand... and scratched it open. Again.”

Four sets of eyes stared at him in stunned silence. Tyson was the only one brave enough to ask, “How bad is it?”

“The bleeding was extensive.” Alvarez said quietly. “He reopened the injuries he inflicted at the facility, but this time the damage went deeper. He tore through scar tissue, and even affected the tendons. We performed emergency surgery to repair it as best as we could, focussing our efforts on skin reconstruction, tendon preservation, and nerve stabilization... but we can’t yet determine how much mobility he’ll regain. There may be long-term damage.”

Four pairs of wide, pained eyes, stared back at him. Mouths agape. Too shocked to speak.

“Mr. Hiwatari is stable now.” Alvarez assured them carefully. “However, after consulting with his medical team, we made the difficult decision to restrain and sedate him. It’s a decision we’re not taking lightly, given everything he’s endured, but we can’t risk him inflicting more damage on himself.”

“W- why did he do it?” Eve whispered, her voice barely audible. “He can feel his limbs now, right? He doesn’t need to scratch himself anymore…”

Dr. Alvarez paused for a moment, choosing his words with care, “When someone’s been subjected to long-term mistreatment, and in Mr. Hiwatari’s case, chemical restraint and isolation, the brain adapts. The scratching might’ve started because he couldn’t feel anything. But over time... it likely became something else entirely. A coping mechanism. A ritual. His way of reminding himself which world was real, and which world wasn’t.” He looked around at the group, hoping they were following.

Kenny’s voice was quiet. “So... you’re saying he does it to ground himself?”

“That is our theory, yes.” Alvarez confirmed. “When someone’s been dissociated for that long, numbed emotionally, chemically, physically... even pain can become a lifeline. However destructive it may be.”

“That’s terrible...” Max’s voice wobbled. “How can we help him?”

The doctor inhaled deeply, mentally bracing himself for the impact of his next words, “I’m afraid we can’t.” He gave them a regretful look. “What happened tonight wasn’t just a relapse. It was a severe psychological episode born out of trauma. Deep, long-standing trauma, that needs to be addressed properly. By specialists.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Tyson demanded sharply. “Address it all you want! Just give him what he needs!”

The outburst lingered heavily in the room, but the doctor wasn’t impacted by it. Dealing with angry friends and relatives was a part of the job, after all.

The doctor inhaled deeply. “Unfortunately... our hospital isn’t equipped to deal with trauma of this magnitude.” Alvarez’s gaze dropped to his hands, folded neatly on the desk, as though weighing the next part carefully. His voice was firm when he spoke, “There’s this... treatment centre I can recommend. A psychiatric facility that specializes in trauma recovery. It’s not like the place he came from, not even close. It’s focused on healing, not restraint. He’d be under the care of highly trained professionals.”

Max shook his head in disbelief. “You want to send him back to a mental hospital?”

Before the doctor could reply, Tyson shot to his feet. “Absolutely not! There’s got to be another way.” He ground out with fists clenched at his sides. “He just got out. We just got him out. You want to lock him up again?”

Alvarez's expression didn’t waver, though there was a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. “He’d have to be admitted involuntarily, but that doesn’t mean it’s a place of punishment.”

Max stepped forward, his voice trembling in anger. “What happens if he doesn’t go? If we say no?”

“Aside from a dangerous mental relapse?” Alvarez challenged sharply, “He’d probably be taken into custody. Don’t forget he’s still under psychiatric supervision in the eyes of the law. If we don’t provide the right care for him, the state will intervene. And I promise you; the options they’ll consider are a lot worse than the facility I’m recommending.”

Tyson's fists were still clenched, but the fire in his eyes was dimming, replaced by dread. “So what - we just hand him over and walk away?”

“You’ll be able to visit him there. It’s not like that other place. He doesn’t have to do this alone.” The doctor opened his desk drawer, and pulled out a brochure. He placed it in front of them, on his desk.

Eve, who had been strangely quiet throughout the whole thing, swallowed heavily. She was the only one who reached for it, fingers trembling. At first glance, the place looked gorgeous, and not like a hospital at all. If anything, it resembled a large Mediterranean villa, with white plastered walls, large windows, lots of greenery, and a fountain in the driveway.

“Please just give it a browse.” The doctor suggested softly, “See if it feels right.”

Eve glanced at the others. She might be Kai’s ex-wife, but that didn’t mean she was the one calling the shots. None of them really could, but someone had to. For Kai’s sake.

Tyson met her eyes, giving her a small, understanding nod. They’d look at it together, and make the right decision. All four of them. For Kai.

The guard outside Room 3.12 stood like a statue, arms crossed, posture rigid, eyes locked ahead. On the surface, he was composed. Professional.

But on the inside, he churned with guilt.

He hadn’t heard a thing.

While he’d been staring blankly down the corridor, running through close-combat drills in his mind, the man inside - the one he was supposed to be protecting, had been tearing himself apart in silence. Now, standing once more outside that door, the guard felt the weight of his failure like a stone on his chest.

He swallowed heavily when the familiar group of visitors approached him, eyes heavy with sorrow, and mouths flattened with grim expectation. A nurse had just exited the room behind him, addressing them quietly, “I want to prepare you; it might not be an easy sight. He’s sedated now. We had to use restraints as a precaution, to keep him safe.”

“We know. Dr. Alvarez filled us in.” Kenny muttered gravely.

The nurse nodded in understanding, her eyes moving over the tense-looking visitors, lingering on the brown-haired woman in particular. She stood at the back, hunched in or herself, as if she was barely keeping it together. Tyson noticed it too. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, “Eve, are you alright?”

“I’m sorry...” She choked out, “I -” Her voice broke. She looked at the door, then at the floor. “I don’t think I can see him like that.”

“That’s okay...” Tyson soothed. “We understand, and I’m sure Kai’d too.”

Eve gave a small shake of her head, backing up until her back touched the wall. “I... I’ll be back at the hotel with Gou. Call me if anything changes.”

“We will...” Max ensured softly.

She nodded nervously, before rushing away, her eyes down in shame.

The men shared a look of deep concern. Eve had been here, nonstop, ever since Kai was admitted. She never slept, and never left his room. All the while, she tried to be there for the man she once loved, keep her job afloat, and be a mother to Gou, who, despite not showing it outwardly, struggled heavily with his father’s condition. It wasn’t surprising she had reached her breaking point.

The nurse gave the lingering men a sympathetic, knowing look, before opening the door.

The room was dim. Machines hummed softly. Kai lay in the hospital bed, pale against the white sheets. His right arm was slightly elevated on a pillow, and wrapped thickly in gauze and bandages. His chest rose and fell slowly. His face was calm.

Tyson stepped in first, almost afraid to breathe.

Max followed, stopping at the foot of the bed. “God...” He whispered shakily. “Kai…”

Kenny didn’t move from the doorway.

They stood there, quiet. Just watching. Just trying to understand.

Tyson's eyes flicked to the restraints looped around Kai’s wrists. They were made from soft, albeit sturdy fabric, closed with strong pieces of Velcro. It was horrible to see them in these. He looked smaller somehow. Broken.

“He did this.” Max breathed, barely audible. “To himself.”

Tyson didn’t answer. He kept staring at Kai’s hand, trying not to imagine how far you’d have to go before your body stopped you.

Silence.

When Kai was first thrown into the white room, he was terrified of it. Silence meant he'd been forgotten. That the door was closed. That no one was coming. But over the years, silence had become somewhat of a companion. It filled the cracks in the walls, settled into the corners, and curled up beside him like something alive.

After a while, he learned that silence didn’t hurt him.

People did.

Kai’s breathing hitched when he realized he wasn’t alone. He didn’t have to open his eyes to figure that one out. There were scuffling sounds. Movement, near his bed. Breaths that weren’t his. But whoever they were, they weren’t touching him. They weren’t hurting him.

He just... didn’t understand. And that scared him, more than anything.

Kai’s eyelids struggled to move; it was as if someone had super-glued them shut. Finally, after several attempts, his bloodshot eyes cracked open. Above him was a ceiling he didn’t recognize. There were golden streaks on them, pouring into the room through windows on his right.

These strange windows again...

Carefully and slowly, he tried to lift his hand, to reach towards the light, but a sharp pull halted him.

Straps. Around his wrists. Taut. Secure. Also, his right hand felt thick and foreign, numb with bandages and... something else. Panic hit him like a thunderbolt. Kai jerked instinctively, tugging at the restraints, breath catching in his throat.

“Kai!” Someone exclaimed. Kai tried to lift his head, but found that he couldn’t. Instead, he let his eyes drift upward. A man with sunny blonde hair appeared in his vision, looming over him. When a tender hand found his shoulder, Kai emitted a frantic noise, trying to twist away from the touch. The blonde man’s hands recoiled, but stayed close. “Heyheyhey, I’m sorry. It’s okay, it’s okay -”

A dark-haired man had joined the blonde one. Broad-shouldered. Long dark hair tied back. Gentle, dark eyes. “Kai! Hey man, it’s okay. Calm down buddy, okay?”

Kai’s chest heaved in fear. There was no way he was going to calm down, he needed to get out of here! He needed to run!

Frustrated, Kai pulled against the restraints again, testing them. Like he had done so many times before. But his arms seemed to weigh a ton. And he was tired. So tired. He knew this kind of tired a little too well. It wasn’t his own. It was forced into him, like a medical parasite. It made his head spin. His hands tingle. His vision blurred. It tugged at his eyelids, forcing them shut.

No. Stay awake. Stay awake. You’ve got to escape. You’ve got to play their game. Stay awake.

Kai forced his burning eyes to open. A third man had joined the bed. This one had short brown hair and a large pair of glasses on his nose. He leaned close, his voice trembling in... concern? “Kai, listen to me. You’re not in that institution anymore. You’re in a hospital. A regular hospital.”

Kai’s eyes snapped to him, wild and unfocused. He sounded friendly. They all did.

Why are you being nice to me??

What are you going to do??

The dark-haired man cradled his left hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re safe here, buddy.” He said quietly. “You had an episode, but you’re safe now. We’re here.”

Kai’s breathing was rapid and shallow. His eyes darted over the three strangers, before dropping to his restrained wrists. His eyes squeezed shut as if trying to push away his sense of reality. His body curled slightly, trembling.

“They had to restrain you, Kai. I’m so sorry...” One of them said. He wasn’t sure which one. “You hurt yourself. Really badly.”

Kai didn’t respond, as the world blurred around him. He didn’t even feel panicked anymore. He just felt... nothing. In one final act of defiance, his fingers twitched weakly inside the bandages, a subtle sign of struggle. Of protest.

Right before tapping out, he thought he heard someone say, “Everything’s gonna be okay, bud...”

Kai wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he last opened his eyes. Maybe hours. Maybe days. He had no way of knowing. He did know he was in that room again, though. The white room.

That strange one, with windows.

Like before, whenever that was, there were people there. He didn’t know how many. Nor who they were. Nor what they were doing. With a heavy sense of both curiosity and dread, Kai struggled to open his eyes. He tilted his head just enough to see them. Blurred shapes, filling his room.

Two of them were standing near the foot of his bed, whispering to each other. Another shape hovered near the window. And a fourth one had just entered the room, murmuring softly, “The doctor’s on his way.”

The person near the window stirred. It was a woman, her voice low and uncertain. “Are we really going to do this?” She murmured, her words barely audible. The strangers in the room continued to talk in hushed voices.

Kai shifted slightly, trying to ease the ache in his back, but froze when a tug at his wrists reminded him of a terrifying fact.

Restraints. They were still there.

Four faces turned sharply toward the bed, alerted by the sound of movement. Like bloodhounds sighting their prey, they crept towards him. Kai shrank back, trying desperately to scramble away, but the restraints held firm. A faint, panicked sound rattled his throat.

“Calm it, guys. Don’t crowd him.” A calm, deep voice, coming from Kai’s right, halted everyone in place. Kai struggled to turn his head, but managed to distinguish the bright glow of a laptop, perched on his nightstand. On the screen, a Chinese man with long, dark bangs leaned forward slightly, smiling at him from halfway across the world.

“Hey Kai...” Ray’s voice cut through the fear, like cool air in a burning room. There was something grounding in his voice. Something effortless, sincere. The tension in Kai’s body didn’t vanish, but it eased. Slightly. He settled back against the mattress, breaths still uneven, vision swimming from the effort.

Ray’s face softened. “It’s good to see you awake, buddy. You gave us quite a scare, you know that?”

Before anyone else had the chance to speak, a soft knock came from the hallway, followed by the gentle creak of the door opening. Kai’s eyes snapped toward it.

Another figure entered. It was tall and dressed in a long white coat.

Every muscle in Kai’s body went rigid, causing the white-coated shape to halt mid-step, his eyes fixed on the patient before him. Everyone else fell quiet, watching the color drain from Kai’s face, which wasn’t there to begin with.

With careful hands, the doctor placed his file aside, before reaching for the buttons of his coat. One by one, he undid them. Then he shrugged it off, revealing a simple dark shirt and slacks underneath. It made him seem more... mundane. More human.

Wordlessly, he folded the coat over the back of a nearby chair, before taking careful steps towards the bed. He kept his voice low, and made sure to articulate every word so that his patient could follow what he was saying. “... Hello, Mr. Hiwatari. My name is Dr. Alvarez.”

Kai didn’t respond. He didn’t move. But the wild edge in his breathing had dulled. Still sharp, but no longer frantic. Each breath came in short, deliberate pulls.

The doctor’s voice remained calm and even. “I’m not sure if you understand what’s going on... but that’s okay.” He paused, letting the words land gently. “You’ve been through something no one should ever have to endure, and we all want what’s best for you.” Here, he glanced over his shoulder at the group huddled quietly behind him. Some were shifting nervously on their feet, while others tried to keep themselves from crying. But when the doctor gave them a small nod of reassurance, the message was understood:

You’re doing the right thing.

Turning back to the bed, Dr. Alvarez’s voice dropped even softer. “I’ve been speaking with your friends...” He said, “And together, we’ve decided on the best path forward for you.”

Kai didn’t respond, but his eyes were steady, watchful. He seemed to be listening, but they weren’t sure how much he actually heard.

Tyson stepped forward, positioning himself next to the doctor. “Kai.” He said sternly, waiting until the glassy red eyes found his. “... They’re going to move you to a different hospital. One that actually knows how to help people who’ve been through... what you have.” His voice caught slightly, but he pushed through it, “You won’t be alone. Not this time. Wherever you go, we’ll be right there. Every step of the way. Got it?”

As a response, Kai furrowed his brows ever so slightly. Maybe in confusion. Maybe in disapproval.

It was impossible to tell if he understood.

They could only hope that someday, he would.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

Eve yawned as she moved through the hotel suite that, for now, passed as home for her and Gou. Her eyes struggled to focus on anything, and her head ached. Not from alcohol, but from the kind of emotional hangover that came after too many tears and too little sleep. The weight of everything was finally catching up to her.

She hadn’t originally planned on staying at a hotel, but the drive from their home in LA to the hospital was long and chaotic; a nightmare of traffic, noise, and stress she couldn’t keep putting herself through. So, she’d booked a room as close to the hospital as she could find it. It didn’t solve everything, but it made visiting easier. And thus, it made everything else just a little less hard.

The room was sleek and modern. Whoever designed the place, seemed to have a thing for matte black; it was everywhere. Woven into the wallpaper, the bedsheets, and nearly every piece of furniture, including the coffee machine that hummed low on the kitchenette shelf.

A massive window stretched across one side of the room, framing an impressive view of Los Angeles, still half-asleep under a dark grey sky. Outside, rain tapped against the window, causing droplets to slide down like tear tracks on a giant, glass cheek. It was the kind of rain that made the city feel cinematic, like something straight out of an award-winning drama.

Eve perched herself on one of the king-sized beds, her gaze directed to the city below, unfocused, distant.

Born and raised in Oregon, she had always dreamed of living in Los Angeles. Even as a little girl, the city lived in her imagination. She’d envision the tall palm trees swaying in golden light, the endless blue skies, the movie stars, roller skates, beach parties, and these sun-kissed perfect people... It was everything small-town life wasn’t.

So… when she got accepted into LA’s top business university, she didn’t hesitate. In fact, she had already started packing before she even told her parents the news. A few weeks later, she lived in a modest apartment in the city of her dreams, exactly where she’d always pictured herself.

Back then, she thought that was it. That her life was complete.

Until she saw him, casually strolling through the halls on campus. That strange, towering young man with the stunning red eyes, chilling voice, and a brain so sharp it was almost frightening.

Kai Hiwatari.

He seemed untouchable at first. Distant, cold. Far out of her league. Anyone’s league.

But when her car broke down on the freeway one night, he’d pulled over without a word, popped the hood, and fixed the damn thing like he’d been born knowing how.

Like he mastered every goddamn skill in the world.

The brilliant prick.

She wasn’t even sure when they officially started dating. Things like that were never sudden with Kai, they just grew closer over time. And then they started sharing their dreams with each other. Or rather, she shared hers with him. Kai didn’t seem to have any. His company was already thriving, his days already full. There wasn’t much on his horizon, except for her. So, she talked to him. About the future. About what she wanted.

At its core, it was simple: a family, a cozy home, and a steady job.

She got it all.

In fact, she got even more than that.

With Kai by her side, everything had felt golden. Effortless. They had bought a stunning home tucked into the hills, with polished white walls, wide glass windows, and a view of the ocean. It was the kind of place you’d see in magazines. The kind of life people envied.

Then Gou was born. Kai had been hesitant about it... unsure if he could be the kind of father he never had. He never vocalized it, but Eve had seen the doubt in him. So, she had taken his hand, and promised they’d figure it out together.

And they did.

In the years that followed, Eve saw her son grow up in a beautiful young man. And she saw her husband grow into a wonderful father. They didn’t have to worry about a thing. Kai’s inventions changed the world, flooding it with clean energy, and in return, even more money came pouring in, like the world owed him everything. They had private chefs, top-tier doctors, personal trainers, you name it. Their life seemed flawless.

But even gold cracks under pressure.

Before either of them realized what was happening, their perfect life had splintered. The distance didn’t start with a fight. It started in the quiet, missed moments. The cold dinners. The closed doors. The growing sense that she was living beside him, not with him. She had her flaws too, of course. High expectations, impatience, a few words left unsaid. But it was his silence that swallowed everything whole.

He never meant to hurt her. She knew that. Kai’s core was just... damaged. And not in a way that made him weak or victimized. No, it made him strong and powerful. And impossible to reach.

Their different outlook on life started to push them further apart. And eventually, they stopped trying to pull each other back.

The divorce wasn’t dramatic. No screaming matches, no slammed doors, just a quiet, mutual retreat. Two people who cared about each other but couldn’t make it work. They each went their separate way, but were mindful to buy homes within walking distance from each other. For Gou’s sake. They might’ve been a broken family, but they were still close enough to pretend otherwise.

Eve sighed heavily and turned her gaze toward the building just across the street. The hospital was already awake; its windows glowing, staff moving like shadows behind glass. Only a busy road and a pair of blinking traffic lights lay between them.

Kai was now closer than he’d been since the divorce.

And yet, he never felt farther away. Physically. Emotionally. In every way that mattered.

Eve closed her stinging eyes. She would give anything to rewind time. Not to save their relationship necessarily, but to save him.

Behind her, the soft click of a door opening broke the silence. Gou stepped out of the bathroom, his hair still damp from his shower. Without a word, he drifted toward the window, arms crossed. He stared out at the rain-soaked skyline like it might hand him an answer he could live with. In that moment, he looked so much like Kai; shoulders tense, jaw set, eyes unreachable.

“How did you sleep?” Eve asked quietly.

He didn’t turn. “Fine.”

A lie, probably. But she didn’t press.

“They’re moving him around ten.” Eve explained softly, “The ambulance is coming through the back at the loading dock, to keep him out of sight.”

“To evade the press.” Gou mumbled, rather than asked.

“Yeah...”

The silence between them wasn’t angry, just... heavy.

Gou shifted at the window, eyes still on the rain. “How’d the press even find out?” He asked quietly without turning around. “About him. About… all of it.”

Eve rubbed her temple, sighing softly. "I’ve been wondering the same thing."

She crossed to the kitchenette, poured herself a cup of coffee, and leaned against the counter, eyes distant.

"My guess? The investigation into the asylum opened the door. Once Mrs. Hunter got the ball rolling, everything around that facility came under a microscope." Her shoulders sagged as she stared into her coffee. "Journalists are like bloodhounds. One hint of scandal, and they set their teeth into it."

“And then they saw dad... and saw a goldmine.” Gou said quietly.

Eve glanced at him, sadly. He was right, but she didn’t want to voice it.

Gou clenched his fists in anger. “He didn’t ask for any of this.”

“No, he didn’t.” Eve agreed, her voice soft. She twisted the paper cup around in her hands, mentally formulating the question she was almost afraid to ask.

“... How do you feel? About the transfer?”

Gou’s reply came flat and hard. “Does it matter? It’s already been decided.”

Eve flinched inwardly. There it was again, that familiar wall. Thick bricks. Barbed wire. The whole shebang... She didn’t know how to climb this one, but she still tried.

“We just need him to be safe.” She explained gently. “It’s a beautiful place, I’m sure they’ll be able-”

“I know.” Gou cut in sharply, his voice flat and emotionless. “I read the brochure.”

Eve sighed softly and rose from the bed. She dropped her untouched coffee into the trash, then reached for her coat. Gou grabbed his without a word.

They left the hotel room in silence.

The hospital’s loading dock was located two levels underground, and was obviously built for function, not comfort. The space was wide and open, with unpainted concrete walls, thick white support pillars, and a dark, polished floor. There were no windows and no hint of the world outside.

A line of ambulances stood parked at the far end, evenly spaced, ready to be called away. One of the vehicles had its back doors open, waiting.

Tyson, Max and Kenny, as well as Eve and Gou, stood off to the side, silently watching how Kai Hiwatari, of all people, was being wheeled past them on a gurney. Draped in a soft blue blanket, he lay still. His eyes were open, but vacant, as if his soul hadn’t caught up to his body yet.

Doctor Alvarez softly conversed with one of the paramedics, clipboard in hand, checking Kai’s vitals one last time. “He’s stable for transfer.” The doctor said. “Vitals are holding, but just to be sure, please keep monitoring him during the drive.”

The paramedic nodded, before making final adjustments to the straps of the gurney, to ensure a safe, comfortable ride for their patient.

Tyson momentarily glanced at Gou. The boy’s face was firmly set in a look of stony indifference, with his spine straightened, and shoulders drawn back. Nothing indicated he was feeling upset about what was happening, other than the slight shaking of his fists, hanging at his sides.

The group watched how the paramedics positioned the gurney in front of the ambulance, ready to gently lift it inside. Before they actually could however, Tyson appeared beside them, having placed a gentle hand on his former captain’s shoulders. “Everything’s gonna be okay, Kai. Alright?”

As expected, he received no reply, so Tyson turned towards the paramedics instead. “Would it be okay for his son to ride with him?”

The head paramedic glanced over at the boy in question. “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

Tyson brightened, beckoning him over. “Gou, come on! You can drive in the ambulance with you dad!”

Gou hesitated, before looking at his mother. Her eyes shimmered, her voice barely holding steady. “It’s okay. I’ll follow you.”

“You can come with us, if you want...” Max offered her kindly. “Our car’s parked just outside.”

“That’d be great.” Eve said quietly.

Once Kai was lifted into the back of the ambulance, Gou climbed in after him, sitting near his father’s head. The doors shut behind them.

Slowly, the ambulance pulled away and exited the hospital, unnoticed by the ever-present swarm of reporters outside. The others made it to the rental undetected, and followed the ambulance in tense silence, like a sad, mournful parade.

There was no going back now.

They drove for an hour or two, but the silence inside the ambulance made it feel longer. Gou didn’t say a word, just sitting close to his father’s head, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. His old man had closed his eyes a while ago, drifting off. Gou’s heart clenched at the realization the man had no idea what awaited him. None of them did.

After a while, the ambulance finally slowed as it passed through the facility’s gates, windshield wipers sweeping in steady, deliberate arcs. Its tires hissed over the wet asphalt, tracing a path through the estate’s meticulously trimmed lawn. Outside, the sun peeked through a break in the dark grey clouds, casting a golden light over the now soft drizzle. Raindrops shimmered in the glow, turning the air into a curtain of falling glitter.

The red rental eased to a stop behind the ambulance.

Tyson was the first to exit the car, relaxing an arm on the hood. He squinted up at the pale white building in front of them. “Woah...” He muttered, “It looks like a spa.”

Max pushed himself out of the driver’s seat, letting out a low whistle. “Definitely not what I expected.”

Kenny and Eve stepped out of the car as well, staring up in silent awe. The building was only two stories tall, wide and pristine in design. Terracotta roof tiles shimmered under the lingering rain, while dark wooden shutters framed each window. Tall stone arches lined the facade, held up by thick pillars that looked like they’d been there for a century or more. Olive trees twisted along the gravel path leading to the patio and front door, where two staff members stood waiting, along with an old gentleman in a navy-blue suit. The paramedics greeted them with quiet pleasantries, shaking hands and discussing their arrival in low, discreet voices.

Meanwhile, Gou had climbed out of the ambulance and rejoined the group, his expression unreadable.

“Everything go alright?” Tyson asked gently.

Gou shrugged. “He’s asleep.” He said, voice flat.

A solemn silence settled over them as the paramedics hopped back into the ambulance, unloading the gurney with practiced care. To everyone’s surprise, Kai stirred, just barely, when a few scattered raindrops landed on his face. The group instinctively stepped closer, drawn in by the movement, bracing themselves without even realizing it. No one said it out loud, but the fear was there, thick in the air.

We made the decision to bring him here. Against his will...

What’s he going to think?

Will he hate us for this?

Unbeknownst to them, Kai wasn’t thinking about any of that. His mind wasn’t even there.

Right now, it was focused entirely on the breeze, cool and soft, caressing his skin like a friendly ghost. Sunlight broke through the clouds and spilled over his pale face, warm and welcoming. His eyelids twitched, fluttered, then squinted at the light, which was too bright and unfamiliar. Then, slowly, apprehensively, he opened his eyes.

He had expected to see a ceiling. White. Bordered.

Instead, there was sky. Vast, vision-filling. Real.

For a second, he didn’t believe what he was seeing. Dark clouds drifted by like they had nowhere to be, slow and heavy. And just beneath them, a bird glided through the air like it had done a thousand times before. Like being free was the most natural thing in the world.

The world was so… big… suddenly…

Kai’s breath caught, then deepened. His lips parted slightly, drawing the fresh gust of air past his teeth and down his windpipe. His lungs expanded... further than ever before. It was a subtle movement, but a watchful pair of eyes caught it. Meanwhile, the paramedics mumbled something to each other about the rain, preparing to wheel their fragile patient inside. A firm hand halted the gurney in place, however.

“Hold on for a moment, please.” Tyson requested softly.

Then, they all saw it.

The deep breaths... the way Kai’s chest rose and fell in steady, effortless increments. It looked... normal, almost.

Kai’s eyes closed for a second. Not with that unconscious, drugged stillness; this was different. He was feeling it now. The cold damp on his skin. The breeze moving through the hospital blanket and across his skin. The distant sound of leaves rustling somewhere behind the building. A drop of rain landed on his cheek and rolled down to his jaw. A breath slipped from him, deeper than the last. Almost like a sigh. Like relief. Tension drained from his body, as if someone had made a quiet incision in his soul, letting all the bad stuff leak out.

And for the first time in years, something inside of him... something small, buried deep... began to unfold itself out of its frightened, rolled-up position.

Kai’s old friends and family stood between him and the medical professionals, watching over him. And in that stillness, they understood. He hadn’t seen the sky in four years. He hadn’t breathed this air. Something in him was remembering what it meant to be human.

Tyson, standing close beside the gurney, leaned down a little. “Take your time, bud.” He said quietly, before shooting the paramedics behind them a meaningful look. “We’re not in a rush.”

Kai’s throat tightened. He didn’t trust himself to speak. If he did, he wasn’t sure what would come out. Words? A guttural sound? A cry? Something primal?

So, he just... nodded, slow and shaky.

The group stilled. Even that small, wordless response caught them off guard. It was the first time Kai had reacted to anything they’d said.

Tyson blinked hard, trying to keep the grin off his face and mostly failing. “You’re gonna be just fine.” He said, his voice cracking slightly. “I know it.”

Above them, the rain picked up again. Light, but steady now. The paramedics exchanged a quick glance, uncertain. They didn’t want their patient getting soaked, but they also didn’t want to ruin the moment. The older man in the suit quietly stepped forward and took the lead. Calm and professional, but not unkind, he addressed Kai directly,

“Mr. Hiwatari, it’s a pleasure. My name is Dr. McKenzie, welcome to Casa Solana.”

Kai didn’t respond. He wasn’t being rude, he was just... someplace else, mentally.

Nobody minded.

Never in his life had he looked as peaceful as he did now.

Casa Solana looked more like a five-star resort than a psychiatric facility. High ceilings, arched doorways, and smooth plaster walls welcomed them inside. The floors were covered with beautiful Mexican tiles, their colorful patterns creating a sense of warmth within the otherwise high-end decor. Every piece of furniture and artwork felt deliberately chosen, not just for comfort or design, but to cultivate a sense of calm. Ocean-inspired paintings lined the walls in soft blues and greens, while small indoor fountains gushed gently in corners. Everything smelled like lavender and citrus, and all surfaces sparkled, polished to perfection.

As the group followed the staff deeper into the facility, they passed an indoor garden, a mini supermarket, a library, a glass-ceilinged lounge, and what might’ve been a yoga studio. On several occasions, they came across glossy acrylic signs, pointing the way to the gym and swimming pool in the ‘Garden house’, as they called it. The further in they went, the more something started nagging at everyone’s mind.

“Guys…” Kenny said under his breath, keeping his voice low, “This place looks... expensive.”

Tyson huffed out a short, nervous laugh. “Yeah, no shit.”

Gou said nothing, but glanced at his mother, who was walking just ahead of them. Without turning around, she piped up, “Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered.”

That made the group pause for a second.

Max was the first to object. “Wait, no, you don’t have to do that.” He turned hopeful eyes to his friends, proposing softly, “Why don’t we share the costs... You know, split the bill?”

“It’s four-thousand dollars a night.” Eve responded calmly, as if she was sharing the most normal fact in the world.

The three men behind her stumbled.

“Whaaat?” Tyson squeaked, the color draining from his face.

Eve briefly glanced over her shoulder, smirking slightly at their reactions. “It really is no problem.” She assured, giving them a wry smile. “Kai, ever the romantic, made me a stakeholder of his company as a wedding gift. At the time, I wasn’t sure what to think of it, but today?” She let out a soft chuckle. “Well. Let’s say it aged well.”

Kenny shook his head in bewilderment. “But-”

“It’s fine. Honestly.” Eve interrupted firmly. “Trust me, the numbers on that bank account are worth more than I know what to do with.” Her voice quietened. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to repay him. This is a start.”

No one said anything. What could they possibly say?

Eventually, they reached Kai’s room; a private suite tucked at the end of a quiet corridor. It was large, with a separate sitting area, a private bathroom, and a bedroom that featured a wide double bed dressed in crisp white sheets. The floor was covered in a lush, soft-to-the-touch forest green carpet, and across from the bed, tall sliding glass doors led to a private balcony. Potted flowers spilled from pots along the railing, swaying gently in the breeze.

Kai was already being moved from the gurney to the bed. His body was limp but calm, as if he were still drifting somewhere far away. He didn’t resist. Didn’t speak. He simply allowed the motion, letting the staff lower him onto the soft mattress. His socks were removed, before a blanket was draped over him with care.

Whereas his friends lingered in the doorway, unsure if they should step inside, Eve and Gou didn’t hesitate. They crossed the room without a word and sat on either side of the bed, watching Kai as he rested. The place might be unfamiliar, but in this moment, he looked like he belonged here.

Off to the side, Dr. McKenzie and the paramedics discussed the final details of the transfer. A few forms were signed. Then, with polite farewells, the paramedics wheeled the gurney away and left.

The doctor stepped toward the bed and addressed the group in an authoritative, steady tone, “We’ve been informed that he was previously restrained for his own safety.” The group visibly flinched, still struggling with that. The doctor took note of it, and continued calmly, “That’s not something we do here. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary. We prefer close observation and gentle intervention, rather than trauma-based control.”

Everyone visibly relaxed.

Dr. McKenzie continued, his voice even and kind, “We’ll let him rest now. It’s best to keep stimulation to a minimum while he adjusts to the new environment. You’re welcome to return in the evening. And of course, we’ll call if anything changes.”

No one wanted to leave, but they understood. One by one, they walked away, all except Gou. He lingered near the foot of the bed, watching his father sleep. Then he whispered, almost too softly to hear,

“Mata konban ne, otousan. Odaijini...”

See you tonight, dad. Get well soon...

The bed was comfortable, and the room smelled faintly of flowers and rain. Those were the first sensations that managed to battle their way through the fog of Kai’s mind, like sunlight breaking through clouds.

Then came another realization. There were no tubes in his nose. And... hold on - he could move his arms! There was nothing there to hold them down. Freedom, like that bird he saw... in the sky...

He drew in a long, deep breath through his nose. The air felt different in this place. Lighter. Brighter.

Slowly, cautiously, his eyes peeled open, before blinking in silent wonder.

This wasn’t the white room.

The ceiling wasn’t sterile. The walls weren’t bare. Everything around him was painted in warm browns, gentle greens, and quiet light. It took a surprising amount of effort to lift his head, but when he did, he could make out large windows just past the foot of the bed.

Outside, an evening sky spilled across his vision. Wide, real, and endless.

His eyes widened, overcome with a deep sense of yearning. He wanted to feel it again. The air. The grass. The sun... Rain, hale, storm, he didn’t care. But in order to get out there, one first had to be able to move. Which was easier said than done.

The moment he tried to push himself up, a sharp pain in his right hand stopped him short. He gasped, looking down at it with a confused frown. Wrapped tightly from wrist to fingertips in thick bandages and gauze, his hand felt heavy and oddly foreign. He hadn’t really noticed it before, as he probably had been too fogged up to care. But now, the dull pain, pulsating underneath the constriction, pressed into his awareness; a strange reminder of an injury he had yet come to terms with.

Kai sighed, carefully lowering his right arm back on the sheets.

Left arm it is.

Muscles screaming and twitching in protest, Kai tried to push himself into a sitting position. On multiple occasions, his left arm almost buckled beneath the weight, but he didn’t stop. He was stubborn, always had been, and eventually, after a clumsy internal battle with his own body, he managed to sag his upper body against the padded headboard. It didn’t come without a price though. Breathing hard, his lungs burned. Drained. It felt like he’d just used the last drop of the last reserve of strength he had left.

The weakness made something flicker inside him.

Frustration. Shame. Anger.

Since when had he become so frail??

A blurred shape suddenly moved in Kai’s peripheral vision, triggering a flash of panic. There, on the other side of his surprisingly spacious bed, sat a figure slumped on the floor, with his arms and head resting on the mattress. It appeared to be a teenage boy, with quite a big fluff of hair on his head. Silvery-grey on the top, blue at the back.

Something stirred deep in Kai’s chest. Quiet. Almost too faint to name. But whatever it was, it felt... safe. His heartrate slowed ever so slightly.

Kai’s gaze drifted downward to a large sketchpad, half-hidden beneath the boy’s folded arms. Swirls of orange, yellow, and red danced across the page; fiery strokes that looked like flames licking the edges of the paper. Scattered nearby were an assortment of colorful markers, their caps off, as if the boy had fallen asleep mid-creation.

Kai watched him for a moment longer, taking in the young, peaceful face and his dark attire. Grey shirt, black leather jacket... He had seen it before. He had seen this boy before...

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a sharp, burning pain surged up Kai’s spine, catching him off guard. It used to act up whenever he slept too long flat on his back. For years, that’s exactly what he had been forced to do. The pain was a cruel reminder of that.

Kai groaned, twisting against the ache, unaware that his movements had roused the boy beside him.

Without a sound, the boy pushed himself to his feet and padded over to a nearby chair. He grabbed a pillow, before moving to his father’s side. Just as Kai shifted again, the boy gently stowed the pillow behind his back. The unexpected pressure startled Kai, his eyes snapping open, heart hammering. His sharp gaze shot upward, and locked onto the kid in front of him. The boy quickly withdrew his hands and stepped back, his shoulders tensely rising toward his ears.

For a heartbeat, neither moved.

Kai's breath caught in his throat. Something in those wide, red eyes tugged at the edge of a memory, familiar and strange all at once. Slowly, the tension in his face eased. The fear faded, replaced by something softer. Confusion, maybe. Or wonder.

The boy slowly lowered his shoulders, feeling a little less on edge. “Dad?” He asked carefully.

He received no response.

Unsure what to do with himself, Gou leaned down and grabbed his drawing pad. He hesitated for a second or so, before carefully, slowly, twisting it around for his father to see. Kai glanced at it with quiet interest. It looked like fire. Wild and alive. But there was a shape within the flames. Wings, outstretched and powerful. A long, arched neck rising from the heart of the blaze, ending in a sharp beak, frozen mid-cry. It was... beautiful. The details, the sparks of color, the deliberate strokes, the sheer size of it all...

But in the end, it wasn’t the drawing he was transfixed by.

It was the boy, and the dark red eyes peeking at him from just above the edge of the paper. The rest of his face was hidden, tucked carefully behind the pad. For a long, unbroken moment, the room held its breath. Then, slowly, the boy lowered the drawing, and Kai studied his face, openly.

“... Dad?” The boy asked again. “Do you remember who I am?”

Kai didn’t say anything, but he didn’t look away either.

Gou watched him for a few more seconds, then set the drawing pad back on the bed. He grabbed the thick sheet of paper and gave it a firm tug, the sound of tearing sharp and sudden. Kai’s voice burst out, rough and strangled, “No…!”

Gou’s head snapped up, startled. His father looked panicked, and stricken in a way Gou had never seen before. It took him a second to understand.

“It’s okay.” Gou said softly, holding up the pad. “I’m not ruining it. Look, see? I’m just taking the sheet out.” Something in him ached at the fact he even had to explain it. His father had once been a man who spoke seven languages and sketched technical solar designs on napkins like it was the most normal skill in the world.

And now… he didn’t seem to know what tear lines were for.

That realization settled in Gou’s chest like a stone. Heavy. Unavoidable. It hurt more than he was willing to admit. Nevertheless, he carried on as if nothing had happened. With the drawing in hand, he circled around the bed, where a bare stretch of wall hovered above a low cabinet. He peeled a strip of tape from a small roll he must’ve taken from the nurse’s station, and carefully taped the drawing on the plaster.

Satisfied, he stepped back, then made his way to the armchair by the window. He curled into the seat, sketchpad in his lap, but didn’t draw anything. He just stared at the blank page for a while, deep in thought.

When someone knocked on the door, Gou was the only one who looked up. Eve’s face appeared from behind the door, before the rest of her entered, coffee cup in hand. Her eyes drifted from the colorful drawing taped on the wall, to her ex-husband, sitting propped up in bed, his soft eyes fixated on his son.

Something seemed... different about him. In a good way.

“Hey…” Eve said carefully, almost afraid to break the comfortable silence.

Kai blinked, only now realizing they had a visitor. His gaze met hers. Still foggy, but present. Eve's hand trembled around the coffee cup. The change in Kai was massive, she could already tell. He was tracking her as she moved into the room, and slowly lowered herself in the chair next to Gou’s.

“He’s been awake for a while.” Gou said, his voice low. “Doesn’t seem to know who I am. But he’s… here.”

Eve’s eyes welled with quiet emotion. Kai didn’t speak, but his gaze lingered on her, longer than usual. He looked… calm. Not blank. Just tired. But alive in a way he hadn’t looked in days.

Eve smiled at him, before glancing at the drawing on his wall. “That’s beautiful, Gou.”

Gou fumbled with the corner of his drawing pad, obviously uncomfortable with the compliment. “Thanks...” He murmured awkwardly. Eve chuckled quietly, before noticing slight movement on the bed. Kai tried to change positions, maybe to lie back down, or roll onto his side, Eve wasn’t sure. Nevertheless, she hurried over to him, supporting him with gentle hands. In the end, he lay on his left side, breathing ragged from the effort. Eve gentle rubbed his shoulder, and watched his face. His eyelids were drooping but he continued to struggle, so that he could see the phoenix, burning on the wall.

Eve turned towards her son. “We should let him rest.” She whispered, receiving a curt nod from the teen. While he gathered his things, Eve turned back to her ex-husband, who was slowly losing the battle to stay awake.

“We’ll be back tomorrow.” She told him softly. “Everyone will. Tyson, Kenny, Max…”

Kai blinked slowly at the names. There was a flicker of something passing through his eyes. What, no one knew. Himself included. After a while, his eyes finally slipped shut, his breath settling into a deep, steady rhythm.

“Everyone’s fighting for you.” Eve whispered, gently adjusting the blanket over him. “So don’t you dare stop fighting.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

The garden behind the facility was massive; acres of green that seemed to roll on forever. Closer to the building, a natural terrace overlooked the hills, with neatly trimmed hedges marking the edge. The terrace was large, with stone paths curving between patches of flowers. Every few feet or so, a collection of tables and chairs invited quiet company. It looked like something out of a postcard, welcoming and peaceful.

Beyond the hedges, there weren’t any fences or borders; just open hills, like nature had been left to do its own thing.

“Man... this place just keeps amazing me.” Tyson muttered, shaking his head with a quiet smile. He glanced down at the man in the wheelchair he was pushing, still and silent as ever. “Where do you wanna sit; sun or shade?” He knew there wouldn’t be an answer, but the question came out anyway, like a habit he couldn’t break.

“I’d say shade.” Max offered from behind, where he and Kenny were trailing a few steps back.

“Alright, shade it is.” Tyson said, scanning the area. He spotted a large oak tree a little further down the hill and smiled, steering the wheelchair in that direction.

Kenny quickly moved up beside him, “Uhm... Tyson, are you sure we should be going this far?”

Tyson didn’t stop, shrugging at his friend, “It’s not that far.”

“It’s just... we shouldn’t piss off the staff...” Kenny kept his voice low, not wanting Kai to overhear.

Tyson sighed through his nose. His voice low, but firm, “If they really want him to get better, he needs more of this. Not less.”

Earlier that morning, the three of them had found Kai lying in bed. Pale, unresponsive, his breakfast untouched and growing cold on the tray beside him. The nurses were worried about his appetite, his strength, his... everything. Within the 24 hours that he was there, they could already tell he was regressing. Tyson was the first to step forward and explain what had happened the day prior, when they had just arrived. How Kai had come alive from just being outside, and how he’d benefit from going outside again.

The nurses had hesitated, not liking the idea one bit. But in the end, after a lot of back and forth, they relented, albeit with rules: keep it short, and don’t stray too far from the building.

Now, whether or not they were still following those rules was up for debate. Kenny clearly thought they weren’t. Tyson believed they were just fine.

Either way, here they were. Outside.

Tyson parked Kai’s wheelchair underneath the shade of the oak tree, before plopping down in the grass in front him. With a content sigh, he leaned back on his hands, with his legs stretched out in front of him. Max and Kenny seated themselves across from him, calm smiles on their faces. It was a beautiful day to be outside.

Max stretched out his arms, lengthening his spine with a satisfying crack. “Dude, how is this a hospital? It’s nicer than most hotels I’ve stayed at.” He said, impressed.

Tyson chuckled softly, “I know right? I keep waiting for someone to hand us a mojito.”

A cool wind flowed by, ruffling their hair and clothes. The branches above them stirred, making the leaves rustle like waves pulling back from the shore. Kenny adjusted his glasses as his gaze lingered on Kai, quietly assessing him. Though the weather was mild, they had made sure he was bundled up properly. It was good to see him in something else than stiff hospital scrubs or, even worse, the dehumanizing jumpsuit from the other facility. In their place, Kai wore soft charcoal sweatpants and a loose cotton shirt, simple, but comfortable. Over that, a plush white robe was draped around his shoulders to guard him against the breeze.

“Are you comfortable, Kai? Warm enough?” Kenny asked gently.

There was no response, which was to be expected. Still, the sight of him sitting upright, eyes open, posture relaxed, was something. That dull, heavy fog that had hung over him for days, or probably years, even, seemed just a little thinner. A little less suffocating.

They took it as a win. A small one, sure, but a win all the same.

No one pushed him to talk. Instead, they kept the conversation light and easy. Tyson filled the quiet with stories of his job; sharing ridiculous tales only a teacher could tell. Max and Kenny listened, grinning, occasionally shaking their heads in disbelief. At times, it was still hard for them to imagine Tyson as a teacher.

Kai didn’t join in. Didn’t smile. But he was listening. They could tell by the way his eyes shifted when one of them spoke.

After a while, Max leaned toward him, his voice casual. “You doing okay there, Kai?”

Kai’s eyes lifted, meeting Max’s. Red locked onto blue. There was a pause, heavy with uncertainty, and then... the smallest of nods. Barely there.

The three friends shared a look of surprised relief. Kai was here, with them. He heard them. He saw them. He answered them.

A few seconds later, Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. The scent of grass, fresh air, and blooming flowers drifted in, stirring something long buried. His chest rose with each inhale, like he was sinking deeper into the moment. Not falling asleep exactly, but settling in a peaceful present.

He didn’t slump forward. He didn’t stiffen. He just sat there, completely at ease.

Tyson watched him carefully. “I’ve never seen him this calm...” He murmured softly.

Max’s smile was warm. “Being outside really does change him.”

Kenny nodded, his fingers drawing patterns in the grass. “It makes sense. Back when we were a team… he was always outside.”

The others nodded in agreement, quiet memories passing between them of Kai dozing off in the strangest of places; patches of grass, trees, empty stairwells, and even rooftops. At the time, it had just seemed like a typical Kai-thing.

But now, knowing what they knew about his past, about the years he’d spent surviving on the streets... it all fit together. In a way, the outdoors was his home. Maybe the only one he’d ever known.

And yeah, that realization stung. But it also meant something.

If outside was where he felt safest… then out here, under the open sky, maybe healing could begin.

None of them said anything after that. They just sat with him, sharing the quiet under the protective shade of the tree.

Eventually, they decided to head back. They had promised to keep it short, after all. Max volunteered to push the wheelchair up the hill, eager to help. Tyson and Kenny walked on either side, content in the quiet. The sun had climbed higher now, warming their backs and bathing the grounds in a soft, golden-orange glow.

“This is paradise.” Max murmured, slowing the wheelchair to a stop near the top of the hill. The building was just a few yards away, but the view was too beautiful to pass by without taking a moment to admire it first.

Tyson breathed in the fresh air, letting his chest puff out. “Think I could convince Hilary and Makoto to move out here?”

Kenny frowned in mock offense. “And leave me in Japan?”

Tyson shot him a playful grin. “Obviously you’re coming with us, chief. I mean, why wouldn’t you wa -”

“Shhh! Guys, look!” Max whispered suddenly, pointing towards something on their right. Just a few yards away, where the path split between the main building and the forest ahead, stood a deer. A young one, by the looks of it. It was small and slender, with big dark eyes and a soft, brown coat. It stood still, ears twitching, and its nose raised slightly as it regarded them from a short distance.

“She’s pretty...” Max murmured with a tender smile.

Tyson momentarily glanced at him, “How do you know it’s a she?”

The blonde man shrugged at that. “Dunno, she looks like a she.” Tyson chuckled at the lame explanation, but soon decided he didn’t really care. The deer was beautiful, and they felt privileged to have spotted it. The three friends were so mesmerized by the animal, that they failed to notice their fourth friend, moving. It wasn’t until Kenny turned his head, that he gasped. “Uh… guys?”

Slowly, steadily, Kai had pushed himself out of the wheelchair. His legs trembled, and his hand clutched the armrest for balance... but he was standing. Max scrambled to his side, looping a supportive arm around his friend’s left one. “Whoa whoa whoa! Kai, what on earth are you doing?”

Kai didn’t answer. He took a shaky step forward, to where Tyson and Kenny stood, gaping at him. Then another. His eyes were set on the deer, jaw clenched like he was willing himself to move through sheer force of will. Tyson rushed to his other side, placing a steadying hand on his back. “Dude, you’re seriously not supposed to be -”

But Kai kept going. Stubborn as hell. One foot, then the other. Each step looked like it might be his last, but somehow he kept himself upright, sheer defiance written across every tight, tired line in his body. He only stopped when the deer took off, bouncing away before disappearing in the bushes.

Kenny made sure to keep the wheelchair in close proximity, while Tyson and Max kept supporting him. For how long, they didn’t know, but they weren’t going to stop him from moving if that’s what he wanted to do. Just a few days prior, this very same man lay in a hospital bed, unresponsive. Sedated. Restrained.

Having Kai not just with them, but standing there with them, was a magical feeling. It was the perfect symbol of hope. That everything would turn out okay. That things would get to how they were.

After a minute or so, Kai’s breaths started to shorten, and his body started to sag in their hold. He had reached his limit. But somehow, standing there, if only for a moment, had changed something in him. It had changed something in all of them.

Kenny moved the wheelchair closer, voice soft. “Let’s sit you back down, alright Kai?”

Without waiting for a response, that probably wouldn’t come anyway, Tyson and Max already lowered him back into the chair. The moment he sat down, Kai let out a quiet breath, his body sagging with exhaustion.

Tyson smiled as he gently patted his shoulder. “You’re a maniac, but it’s good to see you back on your feet, bud.”

Kai didn’t respond. But his glossy eyes remained open, staring ahead to where the deer had vanished. As they began wheeling him gently back toward the facility, all four of them felt visibly lighter.

By the time they reached his room, the sun was pouring in through the tall windows, painting the floor in golden light. They gently helped Kai out of the chair and into the bed. While doing so, his eyes flicked across the room in bleary confusion, as for a moment, he didn’t seem to know where he was. But when his eyes found the drawing taped on his wall, he calmed almost immediately. Max saw him look, and turned his own eyes towards the drawing. He hadn’t noticed it before. “Did Gou draw that? It’s beautiful!”

Kai’s voice was merely a puff of air, weak and on the verge of falling asleep. Nevertheless, the guys heard it, loud and clear.

“…Dranzer.”

The days progressed at a steady pace. And so did Kai.

Whereas at first the nurses were reluctant to allow the frail patient outside, their doubts began to fade when they saw the huge difference it made. Inside his room, Kai was withdrawn, distant, silent. He barely ate. He didn’t respond. He didn’t seem present at all.

But the moment they wheeled him into the garden, something shifted. His eyes, once dull and unfocused, began to sharpen with awareness. His responses, although faint at first, began to return. It began with tiny gestures. A slow nod. A slight shake of the head. Just enough to show he was still there, and that he knew what was going on. Then, gradually, words began to form. Not full sentences, just single words.

No one had expected Kai to talk much. He never had. But his silence was deep and prolonged, even for his standards. And so, at one point, the concerned visitors asked Dr. McKenzie why it took Kai so long so speak. The doctor had nodded with understanding. “It’s more common than you think.” He had calmly explained. “The voice is our biggest tool of self-expression. After serious trauma, patients often develop a fractured sense of self. In order to express themselves again... they first have to find themselves again.”

It made sense. And so they waited. They gave him space. They gave him time. And above all, they gave him consistency. Gentle routines. Familiar faces. They made sure he rarely was alone, and took turns in visiting him.

Eve and Gou usually visited in the evenings, when the sun began to sink behind the hills. It gave Eve time to work during the day, and Gou time to keep up with his online classes. Tyson, Max, and Kenny dropped by in the mornings, either alone or in pairs, so that the others could keep up with the workload of clearing Kai’s name. It was slow, gruelling work to investigate the case. Frustratingly so. But they kept on going anyway. For Kai.

No matter how busy the day had been, or how exhausted they were, there was one rule that no one ever broke: if you were visiting Kai, you took him outside.

Unsurprisingly, the wheelchair was ditched after about a week, as Kai had insisted on walking. The distances were short at first, his steps uncertain, but each day brought a little more strength, a little more steadiness to his movements.

His right hand was also slowly healing, but remained a concern. Though the emergency surgery had gone well, and the worst of the damage had been addressed, there were lingering effects. He couldn’t quite close his fingers all the way, and fine motor tasks, like holding a pen or picking up a key, were still a struggle. The thick surgical bandages had been replaced with a soft brace that wrapped neatly around his palm and wrist, offering protection and support. To prevent further harm, the staff had also provided fingerless gloves to both shield the injury and make it less tempting for him to dig his nails into the skin again. Kai had accepted them silently, slipping them on without complaint.

All in all, it seemed like he was finally healing. At least on the outside. The inside was another matter.

He still didn’t seem to recognize anyone. His ex-wife, his son, and his former teammates... they were all strangers to him. Kind strangers, but strangers nonetheless. But sometimes, there were these subtle moments in which something shifted in his eyes. A look. A pause. A tilt of his head when someone laughed, or said his name. Like something clicking into place.

Kai’s therapist, Dr. Douglas Tucker, had noticed those flickers too, and was overjoyed to see them. From the very beginning, the fifty-year-old therapist had known he was dealing with a difficult patient. Not in the way that made a patient hostile or dangerous, but in the quiet, stubborn way that made it nearly impossible to get in.

This patient wasn’t just silent. He was impenetrable.

Kai had perfected the art of pretending. Pretending not to hear. Pretending not to care. Pretending to be fine. To be unaffected. To be somewhere far away, untouched by pain or fear or anger. His act to pretend was so convincing, that most people believed it. Or worse; they accused him of being emotionless. Cold. Unfeeling.

But Douglas knew better.

His patient felt everything. Perhaps even more than that. The problem wasn’t the absence of emotion, it was the overwhelming presence of it, buried deep and guarded by walls so thick, even Kai himself didn’t seem sure how to get through them.

So Douglas didn’t even try to force his way in. Instead, he tried something different. During their weekly sessions, they took quiet strolls through the gardens together. No questions were asked. No pressure was applied. Just the quiet companionship of someone willing to listen to what was said, and to what wasn’t.

And as it turned out, those walks were exactly what Kai needed.

His strength was returning. His body was healing. But more than that... subtly, gradually, something inside him was beginning to change. With each step, a little more of him seemed to return. Just a little. A longer stride. A deeper breath... Sometimes, it was as subtle as the way Kai held himself; more upright, less curled inward like a man bracing for impact. And that morning, it was one of the first things Douglas noticed when he stepped into his patient’s room.

Kai was sitting on the balcony, basking in the early sunlight, as he often did at this time of day. His back was straight, his shoulders relaxed.

“Good morning, Kai.” Douglas called out gently through the open door, not expecting a response and not waiting for one. His eyes shifted to the wall across from the bed, and he took a few quiet steps toward it. What had started as a single, carefully taped drawing of a blazing phoenix, had gradually grown into a colorful gallery of memories. Every now and then, Gou would add a new drawing to the collection. Some were objects and places he hoped his father might remember; their old family home, his favorite car, the beach at sunset. Others were more symbolic, such as flaming wings, golden feathers, and burning suns.

But more often than not, Gou drew Dranzer.

Douglas smiled faintly as he spotted a few new additions. He hoped the boy would keep creating them. In the long run, these drawings might become one of the most powerful tools in Kai’s recovery.

Turning back to his patient who had yet to move from his place on the balcony, Douglas raised his voice slightly, though it remained calm, “It’s a clear day today. Shall we take our usual walk?”

There was a beat of silence.

Then, Kai moved, slowly reaching for the glove folded neatly on the chair beside him. He pulled it on without a word, his motions precise, almost habitual.

That, too, was progress.

Douglas waited patiently as Kai rose to his feet and stepped over the threshold, back into his room. They momentarily made eye-contact, before Kai strode toward the hallway with purposeful steps, not bothering to check whether the other man was following.

The dismissive gesture drew a soft chuckle from Douglas, who fell into step behind him.

They walked in silence.

Kai kept a slow, but steady pace, just a step or two ahead of Douglas, hands tucked loosely into the pockets of his sweatpants. His stride was smooth, unhurried, but there was a kind of tension in it, like every step required more thought than he was willing to admit. His posture was straight, composed, but not at ease. Every now and then, his right shoulder would hitch, the faintest suggestion of discomfort as he adjusted the glove around his hand. It was a fleeting movement, as he’d soon return the hands to his pockets. Douglas noticed it, but didn’t comment on it. He simply kept on walking behind him, letting the silence fill the gap between them. It was only when they neared the front yard of the facility, that a voice broke the silence. It wasn’t Douglas’, and it certainly wasn’t Kai’s.

“...had to drive to like, four different Asian supermarkets to find it.” The voice floated around the corner, calm and unguarded, the kind of tone people used when they didn’t know they were being overheard. “Yeah, right. Me, baking?” The speaker chuckled. “Not everyone’s a professional chef, Ray.”

Kai’s steps faltered. Just for a moment. Then he turned the corner, Douglas at his side.

There, sitting on a bench facing the facility, phone to his ear, was Max. A small paper bag rested beside him. He hadn’t noticed them yet.

“No, Eve told me about it.” Max continued. “She used to bake it for him when he wouldn’t eat.” There was a pause as Max listened. “Yeah, guess he’s always been a picky eater, huh…”

Douglas glanced sideways.

Kai hadn’t moved, but his eyes were fixed on Max’s back. Listening.

The blonde man sighed to something Ray asked. “It’s hard to say, to be honest...” His voice grew softer. “He’s more... present, but it’s hard to tell what’s going on in his head. One minute he looks completely gone, and the next he’s out walking and looking like he could kick your ass at any moment.”

Kai’s jaw tensed, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features. Douglas watched, silent.

“We’ll get him back.” Max continued firmly, “No matter how long it takes. He’s not alone.”

That’s when he shifted, finally noticing them.

“Ah - Kai!” Max sprang up, startled. “Shoot - I was just – uh - sorry, I wasn’t - ” Realizing he was making no sense whatsoever, he blurted in his phone, “Ray, lemme call you back.” Without waiting for a reply, he hung up, stuffing the device into his back pocket. Slightly red in the face, Max gave his former captain a wide, innocent grin. “Kai, buddy! Didn’t expect to see you here!”

“You... didn’t?” Douglas asked in dry amusement.

“No... I mean, yes. I just...” Max stammered. Then finally surrendered. “Yeah... fair enough.”

Douglas chuckled. Max did too, sheepishly reaching for the paper bag. Before Kai even had the time to react, it was already shoved into his hands. “Breakfast delivery!” The blonde exclaimed, before pointing at its contents. “It’s sweet Potato and Black Sesame Bread!”

Max beamed at Kai expectantly, while the other stared at the bag, clearly lost. His usual guarded confusion had returned; a telltale sign that he was tiring. Douglas, smoothly, placed a hand on Kai’s back, pretending to sniff at the bag. “Smells delicious.” He said, gently guiding his patient to a nearby bench.

Kai let himself be steered, limbs moving sluggishly. He flopped down, the bag resting in his lap. Somewhere in the background, Douglas said something about calling it a day and checking in next week, but the words barely registered.

With slow, deliberate fingers, Kai pulled a small loaf from the bag. It was soft to the touch, warm, the crust a light brown scattered with dark specks.

“You wanna try it?” The eager voice beside him startled him slightly. Kai had forgotten the blonde man was still there. He looked over. The man had bright blue eyes, freckles, and a smile that was just beginning to waver.

“Kai…?” Max said quietly. No question followed.

Kai glanced back at the bread. With a hint of hesitation, he tore off a small piece and chewed slowly. As the soft bread melted in his mouth, the taste and texture hit him with familiarity. It tasted so familiar, in fact, that for a moment, Kai found himself sitting behind a desk, in a study. Instead of being surrounded by trees and grassy hills, he was surrounded by shelves, books, documents, deadlines, and screens. A cup of coffee warmed his hand. Notifications blinked on his phone. Another pile of emails. Always connected. Always working.

A small figure suddenly appeared, grey tufts of hair just barely reaching above the desk. Small hands placed something atop a stack of papers. A piece of bread, wrapped in a napkin.

“Mom made it for you.” The boy said. “I wanted to bring it to you.”

Kai leaned sideways slightly, trying to spot the boy’s face from behind the monitor.

Wide, red eyes stared back at him in innocent concern.

Then came pain. Sudden and sharp. Kai groaned, the bread slipping from his fingers as he needed both hands to clutch his skull. He barely registered the comforting hand on his shoulder, and the distant voice, asking him if he was alright.

Kai blinked toward the source of the voice, inhaling sharply when he found himself looking at a blue-eyed, blonde-haired man. And he wasn’t in his study anymore, he was outside somewhere…

“Gou…” He breathed, sudden panic rising in his chest. His gaze scrambled across the empty lawn. “Where’s Gou…?”

Beijing, China

Counting stock wasn’t Ray’s favorite part of the job, but it was part of the job he loved, and so, he did it without complaint. Clipboard in hand, he moved through the storage room, eyes scanning labels and shelves. Pots of spices lined the wall, crates of soy sauce were stacked neatly on the floor, and burlap sacks of rice sagged in the corner.

Behind him, the last of the staff were cleaning up, before swapping aprons for coats, and murmuring their tired goodnights, drifting out into the night.

Ray’s phone, resting by the register, buzzed again.

Max.

Ray raised his brows and picked it up, answering with a teasing grin, “Twice in one day? Should I be flattered or concerned?”

But the second he heard Max’s voice, the grin disappeared.

“Ray… Something happened.”

Ray placed his clipboard aside, his body already tensing. “What’s up?”

Max exhaled shakily, like he was trying to sort through it in real time. “I gave him the bread. Thought it’d get him excited about food again.”

Ray didn’t interrupt, just listened.

“Bu then, he took a bite and it was like he wasn’t even there anymore. Like he was remembering something. Then the headache hit. He was gripping his head, and... dude, it was....” He trailed off.

Ray closed his eyes, his own headache blossoming. “Did he say anything?”

“Yeah...” Max said, his voice tightening. “He asked where Gou was.”

Ray’s stomach fluttered and sank at the same time. But Max wasn’t finished. “He seemed... upset, I think. Or angry. It was hard to tell. He stood up and walked away. I wanted to follow him, but it felt like the wrong thing to do, you know? The guy needs his space...”

Ray leaned back against a shelf, the cold metal pressing into his spine.

“I did this.” Max said quietly. “Kai was finally getting better, and I... I made things worse.”

Ray shook his head, even though the other man couldn’t see it. “You didn’t make things worse, Max. You returned a piece of his old life back to him. He remembered Gou, right?”

“…Yeah, I think so.”

“That’s a good thing.”

Another silence. It was Max who broke it this time. “I don’t know what to do next.”

Ray thought about it for a moment. “Maybe you should call Eve.”

Max’s voice was wary. “Why?”

“Because Gou should visit him.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I do...” Ray’s smile was tired, but hopeful.

“Okay...”

When the call ended, Ray stood there for a moment, holding the phone loosely in his hand.

The restaurant was quiet again. The kind of silence that settled after long nights and long conversations. But something inside him wasn’t settling at all.

Ever since Kai reappeared in their lives, every part of him had wanted to drop everything and fly to see him. Not for some dramatic confrontation or rescue. Just to see him. To be present. To look him in the eye and tell him, in person, that he still mattered. That feeling had only gotten louder over time.

And now it was screaming.

He exhaled through his nose and walked back out into the kitchen, where Mariah was finishing her nightly tea by the back window. She looked up the moment she saw his face.

“Was that Max again?” She asked, setting down her cup.

“Yeah.” He tried to keep his voice level, but his shoulders were taut. His jaw trembling ever so slightly.

Mariah’s brow furrowed with concern. “Is everything okay?”

Ray didn’t answer right away.

Mariah stood, came over to him, and reached for his hand. “You’re thinking about going, aren’t you?”

He hesitated. “I keep telling myself I can’t leave. The staff-”

“- will be fine without you.” Mariah interjected gently.

He looked up. His wife smiled soothingly. “You should go.”

He swallowed. “You think so?”

“I know so.” She said gently. “You’ve been walking around like your chest is full of bricks. Go see him. The restaurant will survive without you for a few days. But I don’t know if you will, if you keep putting this off.”

Ray let out a quiet, pained laugh and pulled her into a hug.

Mariah didn’t say anything else. She just held him.

A minute later, Ray pulled back, taking firm steps toward his office, where his computer was waiting.

Los Angeles it is.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

A group of roughly twenty men and women stood motionless in the grass, dressed in their usual grey sweatpants and white cotton shirts. Some wore the facility’s signature bathrobes, others preferred to feel the breeze. They stood evenly spaced in rows, arms raised toward the sky, bare feet anchored into the ground. Their faces were serene. Their breathing measured.

"Alright folks." Came the voice of a hospital employee, calm and coaxing. She stood at the front, guiding each movement with practiced ease. “On your exhale, lower your arms and touch the earth beneath you.”

The group moved in unison. No questions. No hesitation.

“Now inhale; arms up again, reaaaaching high. Feel the length in your spine.”

They obeyed, like clockwork.

Above them, a pair of crimson eyes observed in silence. Watching. Analyzing.

Kai sat slouched in one of the wooden chairs on his private balcony, one bare foot hooked lazily over the railing. His right hand, still wrapped and covered by a fingerless glove, rested in his lap. His left hand rested against his lips, not in hesitation, but in thought. Deep thought. His body appeared calm, but his mind was not.

There was too much to process.

Take the yoga session below; on its surface, it was an innocent activity to boost the patient’s inner peace. But Kai’s eyes were trained to detect fractures in façades. There were at least fifteen surveillance cameras hidden across the lawn, watching their every move. The cameras were disguised within birdhouses, tucked inside signage, hollowed into the marble eyes of statues. Not the kind of thing patients would ever notice, but Kai spotted them with ease. He had once installed security systems more elaborate than this.

Then there were the gardeners.

Too many, for one. They moved around in clusters. Their tasks changed often, yet their hands remained oddly clean. Soil remained untouched. Hedges weren’t trimmed. Watering cans were ignored. Whenever any of them bent over, the unmistakable shape of pepper spray canisters glistered in the sunlight, clipped onto their belts. Right next to it hung silverly, circular objects. Cuffs, no doubt. And a select one of them carried a black pouch. Probably a med kit. Probably narcotics.

Their eyes were always scanning. Not for weeds, but for instability. Disruption.

Then there were the balconies. Not every room had one, but the ones that did, overlooked the facility’s pool. An elastic tarp had been stretched over it, claiming it was under maintenance, but Kai had seen enough to know better. It had never been a pool, and it would never be one. It was a safety net. For those desperate enough to jump.

To a casual visitor, the grounds were breathtaking; a lush retreat nestled between forest and hills. Luxurious. Embracing. So peaceful, they’d forget about the armed gate at the entrance. They wouldn’t notice the reinforced glass that was installed throughout the building. They wouldn’t hear the distant, low barks of guard dogs patrolling the far edges of the property, echoing from beyond the trees.

Kai knew those barks.

German Shepherds.

The Abbey used to have them too.

As Kai’s eyes scanned the perimeter, they landed on one of the so-called gardeners. A broad-shouldered man in a soft green overall, sulking through the bushes. The man must’ve felt Kai’s eyes on him, as right at that moment, he looked up. Their eyes locked, but the man didn’t flinch. Didn’t look away. Didn’t bother to pretend he was pulling weeds or checking soil. He wasn’t there to work in the gardens. He was there to watch.

And that, he did.

Kai exhaled slowly through his nose, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly. He didn’t know where he was. Didn’t remember how he got here. But he knew one thing for certain.

He needed to get out.

That’s going to be tough though, isn’t it.

He let the thought linger for a moment, its weight nestling in his gut.

Wherever he was, this wasn’t freedom. Not really. It was just a different kind of cage. A quiet, comfortable cage with delicious food and a pretty view, but a cage nonetheless.

He was still considered unstable. A criminal. His name was tainted with the blood of a man who hadn’t deserved to die. Selene had made sure of that. She’d been smart. Smarter than anyone had given her credit for. She had managed to play the police, the public... everyone.

But worst of all, she had managed to play him.

Kai Hiwatari. The walking definition of a closed book. A man who moved through the world with barbed wire around his soul. A man who had the ability to spot manipulation and fake flattery from a galaxy away.

Kai didn’t trust easily. Didn’t bow to charm. He’d seen too many masks in his life to believe in pretty faces and perfect smiles. So, when he first laid eyes on Selene Sable, a glamorous beauty wrapped in diamonds, he didn’t even blink. He knew that type. The black-tie fundraiser had been full of them.

But later that night, that very same woman had quietly pulled him aside, rescuing him from a cluster of loud millionaires without a single word of introduction. She didn’t flatter him. Didn’t say anything to him. Just handed him a glass of scotch and nodded toward the far end of the room, where it was noticeably less crowded.

He followed.

She didn’t ask questions. Didn’t fill the silence. Just stood beside him while the world spun around them. For the first time in ages, he felt like he wasn’t being watched, judged, or calculated. And he could immediately tell; she felt the same way.

That was the moment she earned his curiosity.

They quietly observed the room together. He then noticed she looked at people the same way he did, with a certain amount of caution. As if anyone could turn against her at any given moment. Nevertheless, she kept up appearances, just like he did. But whereas he kept up the stoic, distant, and emotionless front, she played the charming icon everyone wanted her to be. Her dazzling smile never wavered, but her eyes did.

Especially when they landed on her father, Martin Sable. Loudest man in the room. All show. All teeth. The kind of man Kai had spent his whole life refusing to become.

Every time the man raised his voice, Selene’s shoulders stiffened. Every time he turned in her direction, her body braced itself. It was the body of someone who had spent a lifetime learning how to adapt, adjust and endure. The kind of endurance that came with impossibly high expectations. The kind that urged you to perform outside of the boundaries of perfection. No support system in place. No room for error.

Kai knew that type of endurance. Knew exactly how much it cost to uphold it.

That was the moment she earned his respect.

Selene’s grey eyes then shifted to him, holding his gaze with a soft look of understanding. She could see the cracks in his armour just as well as he could see hers. Yet, she didn’t ask him to open up. She didn’t ask him to change. She didn’t try and make him smile. She just made herself familiar in all the right ways. Not loud, not desperate, just… matching his silence without expecting anything in return.

In the months that followed, Kai begrudgingly kept showing up at the kind of crowds he hated. Fundraisers, banquets, business events...

He didn’t really have a choice in the matter. His face wasn’t just a face; it was the face of a global empire. It was his curse to carry, and so, he’d do his best to show up on a regular basis.

Martin Sable always showed up, too. But not without his most prized possession. Selene.

Kai soon learned that Selene always managed to find him. Always invited him to a quiet corner, a safe space within the noise.

After a while, her presence became bearable. Then, it became familiar. And then, it became welcoming. Before he realized what was happening, she’d slid her way into his world, and that’s... when she finally earned his trust.

Their conversations were few, their silences frequent, but when she spoke, she revealed only the parts of herself she knew he might respect. The discipline. The restraint. The quiet strength born of survival.

She hadn’t played him like a fool. She had played him like an equal.

And that’s exactly how she managed to break him; by becoming the one person he thought he didn’t have to guard himself against.

She truly was a marvellous actress.

The thought wasn’t angry, exactly. Just hollow. He didn’t have the energy to be angry the way he used to be. Everything came slower now... His thoughts, his movements, his memories.

Especially his memories.

He closed his eyes, trying to reach into the fog of his mind. There were pieces. Broken flashes of faces, voices, sensations... but nothing solid. Nothing he could trust. Kai gripped the armrest of the chair in silent frustration, but forced his fingers to relax when a sharp flash of pain jolted the muscles in his right hand.

Pain he had caused.

To himself.

He didn’t even remember how, or why.

His body was a stranger to him. Sluggish. Weak. Useless. Why did it feel so -

“... Kai?”

His shoulders jerked before he could stop it. The sound had come too close, too sudden. He snapped his head toward the balcony’s threshold.

Two figures stood perched in the doorway. A woman and a boy.

“Max called me this morning.” The woman spoke with a hopeful smile. “He told me you... you seemed to remember something. About Gou.” She rested soft hands on the boy’s shoulders.

Kai eyes never left his face.

The striking red eyes... The determined frown... The grey and blue hair... The dark hoodie...

Kai’s breath hitched in his throat as realization dawned on him.

That was his son!

And yet... it wasn’t.

With trembling arms, Kai pushed himself out of the chair, and staggered to his feet.

The boy was older than his son was supposed to be. Years older. His cheeks used to be rounder. His eyes bigger. His legs shorter. This was a teenager, for fuck’s sake! His son wasn’t a teenager the last time he saw him...

When was that, even??

The realization that his mind didn’t just have gaps, but that an entire chapter of his son’s childhood was missing, blurred the edges of his vision. His knees felt like jello. The room tilted. Before he could actually sink to the floor however, the woman appeared at his side, steadying him. “Kai!” She grabbed his arms, his face mere inches away from hers.

He then looked at her. Really looked.

They used to share a house together. A life.

In turn, Eve searched his eyes, looking for the man she once married. He was in there, clawing his way to the surface. When she finally saw him, a shaky smile tugged at her lips.

“Come one, let’s get you inside.” She whispered at him, slipping an arm around his back and coaxing him toward the open doorway. His body was trembling, his weight awkward and unsteady, like someone who hadn't walked in years. Which, unfortunately, wasn’t far from the truth.

Gou followed them inside, quiet but watchful. He had yet to say something, but only did so when it was absolutely necessary. He took after his father that way. Nevertheless, his mind was rapidly formulating words on what he was seeing. The way his mother was supporting his father’s weight without hesitation, and how Kai leaned into her instinctively... They hadn’t interacted with each other like that in years. Not since the divorce. Perhaps not even before that.

Gou wasn’t sure what to feel.

There was no warmth in his chest, no hope sparking at the back of his mind. He knew this wasn’t a new beginning, for neither of them. Whatever they’d had was long gone. But still, something in him stilled at the sight of them together. There was… comfort, maybe. Familiarity.

Eve helped Kai to the edge of the bed and sat him down. “Lie back.” She instructed softly. “Just for a moment. You’re as white as a sheet.”

Kai didn’t move, his exhausted gaze resting on her face for a moment, before shifting back to Gou, who stood awkwardly at the foot of his bed. Eve sighed, giving her ex-husband a gentle push. “Please lie down for a moment, Kai.” He resisted at first, stubborn as ever, but after a few seconds, he relented, letting her guide him down. Once he was settled, Eve turned to their son. “I’m going to find his doctor. Will you stay with him a bit?” She asked softly.

Gou nodded, numbly. Eve gave him an encouraging smile and slipped out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Kai had draped a loose arm over his eyes. His chest rose and fell with deliberate effort as he tried to steady both himself and the thing spinning in his skull like a carnival ride.

When the mattress dipped slightly, he lowered his arm and glanced to the side. Gou had climbed up beside him, folding his legs beneath him. For a while, the boy just sat there in silence. Then, finally, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He smoothed it out carefully, fingers lingering on the creases, then turned it around to show his father.

“I… brought you another one.” He said, voice low and uncertain.

This drawing was different from the others. Vastly different. It looked like something drawn by a young child; heavy lines, bold brush strokes, and bright, unblended colors. At the center was a giant orange koi fish, with on its back, a girl wearing a yellow raincoat.

Kai frowned and reached for it. Something about it stirred a memory. He could’ve sworn he’d seen it before. Gou handed it to him.

“I drew this when I was six.” The boy explained softly. “You used to tell me stories about it.”

Kai’s brows lifted. Suddenly, he could visualize the old Japanese storybook he used to read to Gou. They must’ve read it a hundred times. As a result, the bookbinding had come undone, and Kai had tried to glue the thing back together. He also faintly remembered the boy’s pleas for a pet koi fish big enough to ride, and the tantrums that would follow when he was told such things didn’t exist. The memory tugged at Kai’s lips. Smiling felt foreign to him, but he couldn’t help it.

Gou didn’t smile back, but his gaze was soft and loving. Then, suddenly, quietly, he spoke,

“Otōsan… daijōbu?”

Dad… are you okay?

Kai’s smile faltered.

The words floated in his ears at first, disjointed and strange, like an echo from a place far away. He hadn’t heard Japanese in… how long? Despite it being his first language, the sound of it felt foreign for half a second... then familiar in a way that warmed and hurt his chest at the same time.

He remembered now.

He’d teach Gou Japanese whenever they were alone. They’d use the language as a secret code, just the two of them, whenever they wanted to discuss things in private. Whenever Gou was confused about school, or needed to offload his chest without his mother eavesdropping. He could still hear the echo of Gou’s small voice, years ago, stumbling over words and then trying again until he got them right.

The boy sitting silently on his bed spoke Japanese fluently.

His boy.

Kai’s gaze softened as he took in the tense lines in his son’s posture. He could tell the boy was nervously waiting for a reply, and it hurt him to see it.

“Daijōbu.” He finally said, his voice hoarse but steady.

I’m okay.

It wasn’t entirely true. But it was close enough for now.

Kai fondly studied the drawing in his hand. From all the drawings his son had brought him, this was his favorite.

“Arigatou.”

Thank you.

Gou’s face flushed with quiet pride.

Kai looked at his son again, studying him.

“Kimi… ookiku natta.”

You... you’ve grown.

Gou smiled, sheepish. “Okaasan wa, boku no hō ga kimi yori se ga takaku naru tte omotteru.”

Mom thinks I’m gonna be taller than you.

A tiny puff of air escaped Kai’s nose, almost a snort.

They sat like that for a while, enjoying each other’s company in silence. Eventually, Gou glanced over to find his father’s eyes had closed again. His breathing was even. Peaceful. His right hand rested on the blanket beside him, but the other still held the drawing against his chest.

The door creaked open again, and Eve stepped inside, followed by the doctor. They both paused when they saw Kai sleeping, with Gou sitting nearby, watching over him.

Dr. McKenzie lowered his voice. “We should let him rest.”

Eve nodded and looked to her son. “Let’s give him some space, Gou.” She whispered.

Gou climbed off the bed, his gaze never leaving his father. He took one final glance at the drawing resting in his hand, before he turned and walked out the door, silent as ever.

Eve followed with a small, trembling smile, closing the door softly behind them.

The following day…

Los Angeles International Airport was as busy as ever, filled to the brim with weary travelers navigating their way through a maze of terminals. In the main arrival hall, a modern bookstore was tucked between a café and a high-end cosmetic shop. The scent of dark roast coffee drifted out from one side, while the sharp sweetness of designer perfume clung to the air from the other, created a strange, artificial mix.

The bookstore had a wide entrance, with various displays showcasing their top bestsellers and celebrity memoirs. Several flatscreen TV’s were cleverly integrated into some of the displays. On it, flashy advertisement screamed for anyone to buy the latest, hottest books.

At first, Ray barely noticed the store. It was just another polished corner of the airport, screaming for attention. And money.

But then, a familiar blonde caught his eye.

He stopped walking without realizing it.

“I didn’t write this book to gain sympathy.” Selene Sable’s voice drifted over from where she was featured on the screens. Ray watched how her lips curled into a sad smile. “If anything, I want this book to inspire others. To heal.” She was seated in a sleek studio chair, back straight, hands folded neatly over her lap. “This book... this is my story. My truth.”

A dramatic cut followed her words. Slow-motion footage played, in which Selene struggled her way through an army of reporters, outside a courthouse. Soft, tragic-sounding violin play accompanied the scene, enhancing in sound when a slow motion shot of Kai followed. He was being cuffed and escorted out of the courtroom, his face blank. Selene’s face was quick to reappear, a lone tear traveling down her cheek. Her image slowly faded out, a book cover appearing in its place.

It had a rough, black cover, purposefully designed as if someone had set it ablaze. Above it, in red flaming letters, appeared the book’s title.

Scorched. A love story in ashes.
By Selene Sable

In stores this Friday.

“I loved him...” Selene’s soft voice continued in a voiceover, sounding almost mournful. “But love isn’t always enough when you’re dealing with someone that broken.”

Ray stood just outside the open storefront, watching one of the screens in stunned silence. A few travelers rushed past behind him, dragging rolling suitcases and chatting about connecting flights, but he paid them no mind. It was as if he was alone in there. Standing in the middle of a deserted airport. Just him and the woman on the screen.

Selene's voice, dripping with false sincerity, had filled his ears like poison.

... Someone that broken.

Ray’s hands curled into fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. The duffel bag on his shoulder suddenly felt a thousand pounds heavier. His breath turned shallow, his heart hammering. For one brief, vivid moment, he imagined grabbing the nearby metal trash bin and hurling it at the screens.

But he didn't. He stood still. Breathing in. Breathing out.

He finally turned away from the display, forcing himself to move. The voices of travellers returned slowly, like sound returning after being underwater. Announcements crackled over the intercom. A child laughed somewhere in the distance. The dull clatter of suitcase wheels echoed off the polished floor.

Ray adjusted the strap of his duffel bag and kept walking, trying to shake the bitter taste that lingered after hearing her voice. He navigated the terminal with practiced ease, following the overhead signs toward international arrivals.

And then he saw them.

Tyson was impossible to overlook, standing on the tips of his toes to look over the crowd. Max stood beside him, hands in his jacket pockets, shifting his weight from one foot to the other with barely-contained excitement. Kenny was pushing his glasses further on his nose, all the while typing on his trusted laptop and muttering to himself about flight schedules.

When Tyson spotted him, his whole face lit up.

“Ray!”

Ray allowed the corners of his mouth to lift just slightly as he made his way toward them. The weight on his shoulders didn’t disappear, but it settled a little. For the first time since stepping off the plane, he didn’t feel like he was alone.

Tyson reached him first, pulling Ray into a tight, sudden hug that nearly knocked the breath out of him.

“About time!” Tyson muttered into his shoulder. “I was about to fly to Beijing and drag you here myself.”

Ray let out a quiet laugh as he patted Tyson’s back. “Yeah well, I’m here now.”

Behind them, Max stepped in with a grin and pulled Ray into a quick hug of his own. “You look exhausted.”

“Thanks...” Ray chuckled flatly, before shaking his head at the blonde. “Do you ever age?”

Max’s grin grew in size. “Nope.”

Kenny hung back a moment, adjusting his glasses before stepping forward. “Hey!” He said, a little softer. “It’s good to see you, Ray.”

Ray smiled at him. “You too, chief.”

They stood there for a moment, in the middle of the terminal, surrounded by strangers and noise. But within their small circle, it was like the world quieted for just a second.

The motel’s owner was a friendly, oversized man with a soft spot for returning guests. He appreciated the guys’ extended stay and the quiet generosity of the small tips they left for the cleaning staff. So, when Ray arrived, jet-lagged and unannounced, he didn’t make a fuss about an extra guest staying at their room. He wasn’t able to fit in an extra bed, however.

“I can crash on the couch.” Ray had insisted, accepting the extra pillow and blanket the owner handed him. “We’ll make it work.”

And they did, like they always had.

After settling into the room, in which Ray marvelled over their extensive ‘Detective-wall’, the four of them went out to get dinner. They chose the small Asian restaurant just down the street, the one that had quietly become their favorite spot over the past few days.

With subdued movements and heavy shoulders, they slid into their usual booth by the window and ordered drinks. Just four, this time.

No glass of cheap wine was ordered for their absent team captain. No empty seat was poked and mocked.

It had been funny then.

It wasn’t funny now.

Max cleared his throat, before flashing their Chinese friend a warm smile. “How’s life back home? The restaurant still killing it?”

“Oh yes!” Ray said proudly, leaning back in his seat. “We’re now in a stage where we have to turn guests away at the door. We’re fully booked.”

“Wow.” Tyson leaned closer, a smile growing on his face. “Well done, man.”

Ray slightly bowed his head, gracefully accepting the compliment. “Thanks, Tyson.”

“What about Mariah and Lin? They doing good too?” Kenny asked.

Ray nodded with a loving smile. “Mariah’s doing well, she’s a huge help with the restaurant. And Lin’s doing great! Last week, she was in a school play, dressed up as a tiger.” Ray eagerly pulled out his phone, grinning widely as he scrolled through his photo gallery. “You gotta see this one.”

He scrolled.

And kept scrolling.

The others watched him in amused disbelief. The device was completely swamped with photos and videos of his little girl.

Max squinted. “Dude, how many pictures do you have?”

Ray frowned, flicking past hundreds of images. “I swear it should be here somewhere...”

Max laughed. “Oh my goodness. You’re turning into one of those parents.”

Ray pouted at his blonde friend. “She had round fluffy ears on her head, and whiskers, it was so freakin – oh hold on, I think – No, never mind, these are birthday photos...”

Tyson chuckled loudly, nudging his Chinese friend playfully. “Trust me man, I get it. These kids grow up so fast, it really does help to record every second of it.”

Ray glanced at him, smirking. “Must be a universal dad thing, huh...”

“Oh yes, although the mothers are worse. Way worse.” Tyson said with a sly grin.

Kenny shook his head in disbelief. “I swear, you two used to be the cool ones.”

Tyson shrugged, his expression smug. “At least some things never change.”

Ray eventually found the photo, featuring Lin in a bright orange dress, with a long orange and black tail dragging on the floor behind her. Her face was painted orange as well.

Ray turned it toward the group with all the pride in the world. “There she is... my little tiger.”

They all leaned in, smiling.

“Awww she’s adorable...” Max cooed.

The room settled into a warm quiet. The kind of peace that came from old friends reuniting, good food, and relaxed laughter. Plates were half-finished, drinks half-drained. Outside, the Los Angeles night flickered with neon and passing cars, but in here, it was just them. Old teammates. Family.

Despite feeling content and safe, Ray couldn’t ignore the heavy feeling in his gut, that had been there ever since the plane touched down. He wasn’t just here to catch up over sushi and memories. He was here for something heavier. Something he still wasn’t sure how to face.

“I’d like to visit Kai first thing tomorrow.” He said after a beat, his voice quieter now, “But to be honest... I don’t know if I should be looking forward to seeing him… or if I should be dreading it.”

The others fell still. Glasses suspended mid-air, the weight of the question replacing the easy mood that had filled the booth.

Ray looked down at the table, running a thumb along the edge of his glass. “What can I expect? When I visit him?” He asked carefully.

It was Kenny who answered first, voice low and careful. “He’s… different.” He exchanged a glance with Max and Tyson. “Not the guy we used to know. Not yet, anyway. But there are pieces of him coming back. Slowly.”

Max nodded, lips pressed together in thought. “He’s in the right place now. Not like before.” There was a bitter edge to his voice at that last part, but it softened when he continued, “This new place, it’s… it’s beautiful, Ray. Calm. There’s a lot of green space. He’s outside every day.”

Tyson took a sip from his drink before setting it down with a soft clink. “Yeah, that’s been helping. The fresh air. The rain. Just… being out of that hellhole.”

Ray’s brow furrowed. “You still think he wasn’t able to go outside before?”

“You mean at that other place?” Tyson asked, eyes darkening. “We don’t think so. No.”

Ray felt himself go lightheaded at the image. Anyone would go completely crazy being locked up for so long and not being able to breathe the outside air. But Kai... He’s always been an outdoorsman through and through. Locking him up for 4 years was the cruelest thing you could do to him. Ray’s hands curled into fists under the table, his knuckles turning white. He could feel it building; the heat behind his eyes, the fire in his gut. That slow, seething rage that had been following him ever since he’d learned that Kai, their unbreakable captain, had been reduced to a ghost behind locked doors.

The others didn’t say anything. They just looked down at their plates, jaw clenched. The anger was still present, in all of them.

“They buried him alive.” Ray hissed, barely above a whisper. “And no one noticed.”

“Yeah.” Tyson said, his voice just as raw. “We didn’t, either.”

The words hit hard. Ray flinched, the guilt apparent, because it was true. They’d all gone on with their lives, assuming Kai was busy and his own anti-social self. They hadn’t expected anything like this. Never like this.

Ray exhaled sharply through his nose and looked away, blinking fast. “I swear to God, if I ever meet the people who hurt him...”

“Ray, we are doing this together.” Max interrupted gently, one hand reaching across the table to grip his wrist. “Let’s be angry together, but don’t forget why we’re here. Kai needs our help.”

“I know.” Ray muttered, though his voice was tight. “I’m just... so freaking pissed!!”

“We all are.” Kenny assured, finally looking up. “But right now, Kai needs calm. Focus. Steadiness. If you go in there burning like this…”

Ray closed his eyes and took a breath, then another. “I know, I know. I won’t lose it in front of him, I promise. I just...” He broke off, shaking his head. “I didn’t expect to feel like this. I thought I’d be ready...”

“No one was ready for this.” Tyson said quietly. “But we’re here to change things, that’s what matters most right now.”

Ray looked around the table, and slowly, the pressure in his chest began to ease, just enough to breathe again.

“You’re right.” He said finally, voice steadier. “We are here to change things. And we will.”

Tyson gave him a sharp, approving nod. “Damn right.”

Ray nodded, feeling calmer now. He decided to ask the next thing that weighed heavily on his mind.

“How’s he doing... like, for real?”

The three men across the table exchanged thoughtful glances. As always, when it came to Kai, the answer wasn’t simple. In some ways, he was getting better. But in others, he was still a long way from the man he used to be.

“The day before yesterday,” Max started softly, “He recognized Gou. And Eve. It just… happened. It was the first time in weeks he really looked at them and knew who they were.”

Ray blinked. “Really?”

Kenny nodded, while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “It’s a good sign. It means his memory is trying to reconnect. His brain’s not just surviving anymore, it’s healing.”

Ray nodded slowly, eyes distant in thought. “That’s good. Really good.”

Tyson leaned forward, arms on the table. “Eve told us he’s been talking a little bit to them. When he’s with us, he keeps silent mostly, but with them, he’s finally opening up a little bit.”

Ray let out a breath, relieved.

“His wit’s coming back too.” Kenny added. “You can see it in his eyes. Like his mind is sharpening.”

Tyson chuckled softly. “Yeah, give it a little time and he’ll be glaring holes in our heads again.”

The others joined in, laughing quietly.

Ray glanced around the table, taking in the tired but determined faces of his friends. There was something weary about them, as if time had caught up to them. It’s no wonder, really, considering everything that’s been happening.

“Thank you, guys...” Ray said softly, “For looking out for him all this time. I know it hasn’t been easy.”

Tyson sighed softly. “You’re right. It hasn’t been easy.” He eyes titled as he smiled. “But we’re doing this as a team, just like the old days. And you know what? That’s a pretty damned good feeling.”

A brief, comforting silence hung over the table. Ray was the first to raise his glass.

“... To the Bladebreakers.”

The others joined, firm and steady. “To the Bladebreakers.”

For the first time in fifteen years, the toast felt meaningful.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

As Max maneuvered the rental car through the long, winding driveway, Ray stared out the passenger-side window, watching the facility emerge from behind the trees. He’d seen pictures of it. Dozens of them. But no photo could portray the real beauty of the place.

Tires crunched to a stop on the gravel, and Ray stepped out, leaning against the car door to admire the building. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, letting the fresh scent of the place wash over him. Flowers in every color imaginable decorated the grounds, their colors vibrant against the greenery.

It was the kind of place that promised peace. But for Ray, it only sharpened the ache in his chest. Because somewhere inside this beautiful building, behind carefully tended gardens and welcoming doors, was Kai. Broken, healing, and still fighting his way back.

Max leaned down from where he sat behind the wheel. He shot his friend a questioning look. “You okay?”

Ray hesitated with his answer. “... I thought I would be. But now that I’m here…” He shook his head, staring up at the strange, welcoming building. “I just... don’t know what to expect.”

Max nodded in understanding. It’s a feeling they all could relate to.

Ray squared his shoulders, forcing himself to get a grip. He didn’t travel all this way to stand here and chicken out. “I’m heading inside.” He finally said. “I will see you a bit.”

“Sure thing.” Max nodded with an encouraging smile, “I’ll be back in an hour or two.”

“Thanks, Max.”

Ray’s heart hammered in his chest as he entered the building. His eyes moved across the royal space, taking in the height, the light, the details; things he’d seen in pictures, but had now become his reality.

A uniformed nurse approached him, her smile calm and welcoming. “Good morning, sir. How may I help you?”

“Uh... Hello.” Ray replied, instinctively straightening his posture. He felt underdressed, out of place, and unsure what kind of etiquette a place like this even called for. His voice came out calmer than he felt. “I’m here to see Kai. Kai Hiwatari.”

The nurse smiled reassuringly, as if she could read his mind. “Ah yes, we’ve been notified of your arrival. Mr. Kon, was it?” The nurse politely gestured for him to follow. “This way, sir.”

Ray followed the nurse through a wide hallway, with high ceilings, and a curved glass roof. It reminded Ray of a decorative greenhouse, letting in pools of natural light that danced across the polished floor. The guys hadn’t been exaggerating; it really was a beautiful place.

After a brief ride in the elevator, Ray was led through another clean and spacious hallway, before arriving at room 2.04. The nurse gently knocked on the door.

“Mr. Hiwatari?”

Silence.

She knocked again, her voice gentle but clear, “Mr. Hiwatari, you have a visitor... May we come in?”

Again, no response.

“Maybe he’s still asleep?” Ray suggested softly.

The nurse shook her head. “Mr. Hiwatari’s an early riser. There’s no way he’d still be in bed at this hour.”

The nurse knocked again, giving the patient one last warning, “We’re coming in now, Mr. Hiwatari.”

Absolute silence.

With practiced ease, the nurse pulled out a master keycard from her breast pocket and inserted it into the hotel-like doorhandle. The lock bleeped and the two of them were granted access to the room.

Unsurprisingly, it was empty.

“Mr. Hiwatari?” The nurse tried again, peeking cautiously around the bathroom corner.

“He’s probably out. Kai was never one to stay in one place.” Ray mumbled as he looked around, taking in the gorgeous room. It was modern, yet cozy at the same time.

“Probably.” The nurse muttered darkly, hands on her hips. “However... every door has a tracking system that logs residents’ whereabouts. If Mr. Hiwatari had left his room, it would’ve shown on the monitor.”

Ray frowned. “So… where is he?” The moment the words left his mouth, a sudden chill swept through the room, ruffling their hair simultaneously. Both turned toward the open window to their right.

The nurse sighed, clearly familiar with the situation.

“He climbed out the window.” Ray stated flatly.

“Yep...” The nurse rolled her eyes, shutting the window with an intentional yank. “No need to worry though, he’s probably out in the gardens. There’s no way he can leave the premises undetected.” Sighing, she gave the room a glance-over. “You’d think having a room of this grandeur would suffice, but apparently, a patch of grass is more comfortable to sleep on.”

Ray chuckled sheepishly.

That’s Kai for you.

The nurse glanced out of the window, attempting, but failing to spot her patient anywhere. “The man’s always outside. Rain or shine. It’s unbelievable.”

“... Isn’t he allowed to go outside?” Ray suddenly asked, making the nurse turn around questionably.

“He is. What makes you think he isn’t?” She asked, clearly puzzled.

Ray gestured toward the window. “He had to climb his way out.”

The nurse exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “He’s not allowed to go outside alone.” She clarified. “It’s a safety thing. He’s still recovering, physically, mentally. If he collapses or disassociates out there, no one will know until it’s too late.”

She shook her head, clearly more exasperated than angry. “All he has to do is tell someone. One of us will go with him, no problem. It’s not punishment, it’s just protocol. But…” She trailed off with a tired shrug. “He keeps doing this. Going out in secret. Alone.”

Ray scratched the back of his head, the corner of his mouth lifting with quiet understanding. “Yeah… Sounds like something he’d do.”

The nurse sighed again, exiting the room with swift, powerful steps. Ray followed her out in silence.

Once they were back on ground level, Ray was guided towards the backdoor of the building, where the hospital’s private garden awaited them.

It wasn’t really a garden, though. It was a full-blown park. Grassy green hills flowed around like an oversized, natural tablecloth. Trees of all kinds and sizes were royally scattered across the place, and several wooden benches were placed around for patients and visitors to sit and relax. Since it was a pretty chilly day with dark clouds gathering ahead, the place was deserted.

Well, almost.

“Mr. Hiwatari likes to sit near the lake.” The nurse instructed. Ray couldn’t help but gape at the impressive scenery in front of him. “There’s a lake??”

“Yes. Just go straight ahead, through that line of trees over there, and you’ll find it.”

“Got it... I think.” Ray muttered, impressed by the sheer size of the place.

“Oh, before you go,” The nurse said, pausing as Ray turned to leave. “Lunch will be served in about half an hour. If you find Mr. Hiwatari, would you mind escorting him to the restaurant?”

Ray blinked. “Sure. Of course.”

She gave a small, grateful nod. “The restaurant’s in the East Wing, ground floor. Just follow the signs.”

Ray nodded numbly.

“Alright. We’ll see you there.” The nurse gave him a brief smile, before disappearing back inside.

Now alone in the vast green landscape, Ray took on the task on finding his ex-team-captain.

If Ray hadn’t known where to look, he would’ve passed the man sitting by the lake, thinking it was a stranger.

Dressed in simple, comfortable clothes, the tall, lean figure looked nothing like the Kai he used to know. But as Ray drew closer, something in the man’s posture gave him away; that signature stillness, the quiet control. Even now, lounging against the base of a crooked tree with one leg crossed over the other and arms folded loosely, there was a quiet authority about him. As if he owned the place without ever needing to say it.

That was Kai, alright.

His hair had grown back a little, still short, but neatly spiked. It was strange to see him without the longer, carefully styled locks, but this suited him too. The designer beard hadn’t made a reappearance either. Ray guessed he just didn’t have the energy or interest anymore to shape it the way he once had. That sharp, curated edge of him was gone. What remained was simpler. Quieter.

Ray stepped forward in nervous anticipation. For the past few hours, he had mentally prepared himself for this moment, but now that the moment had arrived... his throat had run dry. He had no idea what to say. What not to say. Kai had always been an unpredictable character, but this version of him... well, let’s just say this was uncharted territory.

Ray cleared his throat, hoping the small noise would alert Kai of his presence, without startling him. It seemed to work. Kai cast him a brief glance, before returning his attention to the lake. Ray faltered slightly. As much as he felt a surge of joy and relief when they made eye-contact, he could already tell he hadn’t been recognized.

“Hey Kai...” Ray greeted softly, taking the final couple of steps towards him. He gestured at the rock formation on the man’s left. “Mind if I sit here?” Knowing he wouldn’t get a reply, Ray slowly lowered himself on one of the rocks anyway.

He joined his friend in his silence.

The lake was stunning. It stretched out miles in front of them, with bushy trees trailing along the sides. A large flock of birds circled above it in a synchronized dance, reflecting in the water. It was a mesmerizing sight, and Ray felt an unexpected amount of peace wash over him, as if worries didn’t exist in this place. He could tell Kai felt it too, which made this moment even better. If they couldn’t share words or familiar faces, then at least, they could share this feeling of serenity.

“It’s beautiful here...” Ray muttered in awe, more to himself than his silent neighbor.

As expected, there was no reply.

Ray turned to study his old captain, feeling a fresh wave of sorrow wash over him. Kai’s eyes were still sharp, still that striking shade of red, but there was a dullness to them, a glassy exhaustion that dimmed their usual intensity. His skin remained pale and gaunt, the kind of pallor that clung no matter how much time passed. While it was a vast improvement from seeing him strapped to a hospital bed, everything about him now served as a cruel reminder of what he’d endured, and what he still had to face.

It was just really… fucking unfair.

Ray continued to struggle with what to say. Knowing Kai, he’d prefer if nothing would be said at all, but Ray desperately wanted to hear his voice. Know that he was alright.

“Kai… it’s me. Ray.” He said gently, his voice cracking with hope. “We used to be on the same Beyblading team together, remember? The Bladebreakers?”

He searched the distant, red eyes for something. Anything. But their focus wasn’t on him.

Following his gaze, Ray saw it too. A blue heron, standing in the shallow part of the lake. It stood so still; it almost looked like a plastic piece of garden decor.

“Interesting creatures, huh?” Despite feeling like he was talking to a wall, Ray kept on going, uncaring at this point. “In ancient Chinese mythology, cranes were said to carry the souls of the wise to paradise. Maybe the heron is their quieter cousin… a guardian of stillness.”

The two of them kept watching the animal. It was fascinating how not even a gust of wind altered his position in any way.

Suddenly, Kai mumbled something. It was soft, but Ray heard it loud and clear.

“Five... Four... Three...”

Ray’s heart sank, believing Kai was counting nonsense.

“Two… one…”

Snap! The heron jabbed its long beak into the water, drawing out a trashing fish.

Ray gasped. “Woah!”

A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of Kai’s lips. Barely there, but unmistakable.

Ray turned to him, eyes wide. “How did you know it was going to do that??”

“He was already lowering his head.” Kai said quietly, giving Ray a short, acknowledging glance. “It was just very subtle.”

Ray felt like cheering. Oh, how he had missed hearing the man’s gruff, dark voice. And holy cow, Kai had looked at him and talked to him. Judging by what he had heard from the others, that was a very big deal.

Ray resisted the urge to grin like an idiot. Instead, he smiled softly. “Well spotted.”

“Hn.”

Ray’s eyes stung at the familiar sound. His friend was still in there. He could feel it.

Smiling through the ache in his chest, Ray turned back toward the lake. The heron had gulped down the fish, and was preparing itself for the next round, before an ominous rumbling noise rolled from the dark clouds ahead. The slender bird was quick to spread its wings and fly away.

“We probably should get going too, Kai.” Ray said, inspecting the sky with growing concern. The Chinese man pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his pants, before offering Kai both his hands to help him stand up. For a moment, Kai merely blinked at them, but then, to Ray’s surprise, he clasped his hands in his, and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet. With his current bodyweight, it took Ray little effort to do so. Nevertheless, Ray kept a firm grip, to ensure he wouldn’t fall back down. The older man felt… unsteady.

His eyes dropped to Kai’s hands. The right one was covered in a black fingerless glove, soft to the touch... and slightly bulky. Ray suspected it was still wrapped up underneath. He gently rubbed a thumb over it, before releasing them and placing a supportive hand on the other man’s back, steering him away from the tree. He didn’t want Kai to see how much effort it took him not to burst into tears.

“Let’s head back inside. Get you something to eat,” Ray murmured, voice tight.

They walked slowly through the trees, Ray letting Kai set the pace. The taller man’s steps were uneven, his body sometimes veering to the side. Eventually, Ray, feeling brave, gently took a hold of his arm, supporting him in the right direction. Kai, once again, didn’t reject his assistance, which delighted Ray, but concerned him at the same time.

Kai, meanwhile, was too focused on getting enough air in. His lung, the damaged one, wasn’t keeping up. The more steps they took, the more his breaths grew labored, shallow, and ragged. After a while, he stopped entirely, hunching forward and pressing a shaking hand to his chest.

“You okay?” Ray asked, alarmed, placing a hand on his back.

Kai nodded faintly.

Bullshit.

“You want me to get someone?”

A shake of the head. “… Need a minute.” Kai said breathlessly.

“Okay… Sure, buddy. Take all the time you need.” Ray replied, still worried.

A young doctor must’ve seen them standing in the middle of the field, as he suddenly appeared at their side. “Everything alright over here?”

“He’s having trouble breathing…” Ray answered before Kai could say a word.

The doctor frowned, assessing the situation quickly. Raindrops began to fall.

“Let’s get you inside, Mr. Hiwatari. We can’t risk pneumonia, or worse.” He carefully assisted the older man towards the building, Ray following closely. Once inside, they settled Kai into a padded armchair in the lounge. The doctor had already whipped out his stethoscope and was pressing it against his chest.

“You really need to stop climbing out of windows, Mr. Hiwatari.” He scolded gently, more exasperated than angry.

Kai didn’t feel the need to respond to that statement. He kept his eyes closed, focusing on pulling air into his lungs. Ray stood nearby, heart aching at the sight of his strong, proud friend struggling to breathe.

Eventually, after a tense few minutes, Kai’s breathing evened out. Two pairs of eyes watched him closely.

“Would you like some supplemental oxygen?” The doctor asked, already knowing the answer.

“No.” Kai opened his eyes, tired but defiant. “I’m fine now.”

Ray and the doctor exchanged a knowing look.

“Alright then.” The doc replied with a tone that suggested he better stop being a stubborn prick. “How about lunch?”

Before Kai could object, which was, without a doubt, going to happen, the doctor turned to the dark-haired visitor. “Would you like to join Mr. Hiwatari for lunch? The restaurant is for patients and staff only, but we’re happy to make an exception.”

Ray’s head pricked up at the subtle message the young doctor was sending him. Both his choice of words and posture indicated he could use his help.

“Sure! I’d love to.” Ray replied with a toothy grin. When he saw relief flicker over the doctor’s face, his hunch was affirmed.

Kai wasn’t eating. Or at least, not enough.

Ray didn’t know the details. Didn’t know what Kai had gone through these past four years. But he had a sick feeling in his gut, one that had grown heavier every time he’d spot the faint bruises on Kai’s arms, or his thinner body, or the way he struggled to breathe.

Maybe the food made him nauseous. Maybe his stomach couldn’t handle much after the amounts of drugs that had been forced into him.

Or maybe... maybe he’d been force-fed.

Ray shuddered at the mental image, before falling in step behind his reluctant friend and the doctor, as they made their way to the East Wing.

As expected, the restaurant was just as elegant as the rest of the facility. It was mostly white, but not in a sterile or clinical way. High ceilings and tall windows flooded the space with natural light, while modern pendant lamps, resembling more works of art rather than lighting, hung overhead. Soft green padded benches and chairs surrounded sleek, clean tables, set with polished silverware and sparkling crystal glasses. Waiters in smart uniforms moved gracefully between tables, professional yet cheerful in their demeanor. Patients dined alongside staff, engaged in easy conversation.

The moment the two former Bladebreakers stepped inside, a waitress greeted them with a warm smile. “Welcome, Mr. Hiwatari. Mr. Kon. Please follow me, I’ll show you your seats.”

Ray nodded, a little surprised everyone seemed to know his name, but too distracted by the place’s sheer atmosphere to dwell on it. The restaurant might’ve looked formal, but the energy was relaxed and laid-back. As a professional chef, he had to admit he was impressed.

The two of them were given a secluded spot in the far corner of the restaurant, which Ray suspected had been a conscious choice to cater to Kai’s needs. The man loved solitude, after all.

“Can I get you gentlemen something to drink?” The waitress asked, pen and notepad ready.

“Uh, one cup of tea please.” Ray said politely.

“Of course, sir.” The order was scribbled down, before Kai was given an open look. “And you, sir?”

Kai gave her a short glance. “Coffee. Black.”

“Very well, sir. Coming right up.”

Ray smiled at her. “Thank you.”

Once she had left their table, Kai leaned back in his seat, relaxing into the soft padding. With a flat expression, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, which, without his knowledge, provided a big source of comfort for the man sitting opposite him. The familiarity filled Ray with hope that his friend wasn’t as far gone as they thought.

Knowing he had been shut out Kai’s world of interest, Ray took the time to look around. There were a few things his own restaurant could learn from the layout of this place. The way the booths were positioned, for one. Designing an open space to fit a lot of people, yet offer enough privacy, was a skill only few restaurant owners mastered. This place had it perfectly under control, so it seemed.

Ray took in the large plants, the small fountain in the corner, and the beautiful black and white photographs that were displayed in between the large windows. On them, major cities were featured. Ray smiled as he spotted a familiar street in Hong Kong, before studying the photograph that hung right next to their booth. On it, the Eiffel Tower loomed over them, tall and proud. It glistered in the night, like a disco ball on steroids.

“Ahh Paris…” Ray sighed fondly. “It was one of our first trips together, as a team.”

Kai opened his eyes just enough to give him a flat look. His non-verbal message was loud and clear; I don’t know what you’re talking about. And frankly, I don’t care.

Ray didn’t let it stop him.

“Ohh and those Dark Bladers! They were creepy, huh. Following us all over the city. Ambushing us in that dark alley… You really kicked their asses that day.”

Kai’s reply was so quiet, Ray almost missed it.

“Pretty sure that was London, not Paris.”

Ray blinked. His heart stuttered. He... he remembered?

Kai seemed equally shocked. His face had grown several shades paler. Before Ray could ask if he was alright, the older man moved. Abrupt. He was on his feet and gone before Ray could reach for him.

“Kai - !”

Ray stood, stunned, unsure what just happened. A waitress arrived with their drinks, but he barely spared her a glance as he bolted after his friend. He was well aware of the fact Kai wouldn’t want to be chased, but given his condition, someone needed to keep an eye on him. What if he wandered outside again? The rain was already coming down steadily.

Even in his current state, Kai had managed to outrun him, and Ray had no idea where he’d gone. Trusting his gut, Ray pushed himself through the front door and stepped onto the patio. Rain hammered down in sheets, hiding the world behind a wall of water.

Ahead, a moving blur caught his eye. It looked like a lone figure, moving across the gravel path, heading straight for the gates. The heavily armoured gates.

“Shit!” Ray ran after him. “Kai Wait!”

Kai didn’t wait. His body cut through the storm with mechanical determination, head low, arms stiff, feet slamming the wet ground like a man marching to war. The closer he got to the gates, the harder the rain seemed to fall, as if the sky itself was trying to hold him back.

Ray pushed harder, his legs burning. “KAI, STOP!”

He didn’t.

Ray reached him before the guards could. When he lurched forward and grabbed his arm, Kai jerked around with a fury in his eyes Ray hadn’t seen in years.

Ray didn’t let go, his grip firm.

“Kai.” He panted. “Please stop.”

A low growl rumbled from Kai’s chest. He tried to twist himself out of his friend’s hold, but Ray stepped directly in front of him, and grabbed his other arm as well. He gave the taller man a small shake, hoping to snap him out of it. “Don’t do anything stupid, Kai. Please.”

Kai glanced toward the gates, and for a second, just a second, the steel expression dropped. Pain flashed across his face, brief and raw, before he met Ray’s eyes in intense determination.

“Ray. I need to get out of here.”

The dark words came abrupt and unexpected.

Ray froze, stunned.

He had said his name.

There was no time to dwell on it however, as Kai was already trying to jerk himself out of his grip. He might’ve been a thin, worn-down version of himself, but that didn’t mean he was any less strong. Or slow. Or stubborn.

Before Kai could bolt however, Ray moved fast, wrapping his arms around him in a tight, desperate embrace. Kai’s chest heaved against his own, his breaths short and ragged. He didn’t say anything, but his trembling shoulders said everything Ray needed to know.

“Kai, I understand. I really do.” Ray’s voice was steady, but rough with emotion. When Kai made another attempt to break out of his hold, he tightened his grip ever so slightly. “Listen to me. If you try to escape, they’ll only drag you back. This isn’t the way to get out of here.”

Ray gently pulled back, but kept a firm grip on the other man’s arms. “We will get you out.” He promised firmly, never once breaking eye-contact. “Let us do this the right way. Let us help you. Please.”

Kai gritted his teeth. Rain soaked his clothes, hair clung to his face, and he was breathing like he’d run a marathon. His eyes flicked toward the gates one last time, like he was trying to burn the image into his mind. Then he lowered his head, and with a choked growl, he turned around and walked back.

Ray didn’t move until Kai was halfway across the gravel path. He followed, slower, every step heavier than the last.

Waiting for them at the building’s entrance stood a nurse, who had been watching them carefully. She knew Kai well enough to know he needed his space in moments like this.

She gave her patient a soft smile as he passed. There was no judgment in her face, only relief.

“Mr. Hiwatari... glad you came back.” She said gently.

Kai didn’t answer. Just shoved the door open and disappeared inside. The nurse gave Ray a small grateful smile, before following her patient with hurried steps.

Ray stood under the cover of the patio, rainwater dripping from his hair, and his clothes clinging to him like a second skin. He exhaled, long and slow, before fixating determined eyes on the gate. His whisper wasn’t meant for anyone’s ears, but he spoke the words out loud anyway.

“We’re going to get you of here, Kai. I promise.”

That night, Ray couldn’t sleep.

Maybe it was the jet lag.

Maybe it was Tyson snoring like a freight train next to him.

Maybe it was the fact that the motel couch felt like it was made out of bricks.

Maybe it was the recent day’s events that stunned both him and his friends.

Or maybe it was Kenny, sitting in the far corner of the dark room, typing rapidly on his laptop like his life depended on it.

Curious, and too restless to sleep, Ray pushed himself up on his elbows, watching him. The chief and Dizzy were locked in silent conversation, their soft voices bouncing back and forth. It was impossible to tell what they were doing, but something about it felt rushed.

Ray pushed himself off the couch, before drowsily staggering over to the brown-haired genius. He kept his voice low so Tyson and Max wouldn’t stir. “Whatcha you doing, chief?”

Kenny jumped, eyes snapping up as he blinked against the darkness. His brain needed a second to register his friend’s face.

“Ray!” Kenny whispered in surprise, “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Ray shook his head, yawning. “Nah. Couldn’t sleep anyway.” He tilted his head toward the screen. “So, what’s - ” He then spotted an attractive young woman in a bathing suit, smiling in a selfie.

Ray grinned, raising a sly eyebrow. “Ohhh? Who’s that?” He teased.

Kenny turned red instantly, scrolling the picture away. “W-What? No! It’s not— I wasn’t— It’s not like that! I swear, I was just—!”

Ray stifled a laugh. He’d missed messing with the guy. Some things never changed.

Flustered, Kenny looked up at him. “I think we’ve just found Kai’s alibi.”

Ray blinked, his grin vanishing. “... What?”

“Kai’s alibi.” Kenny repeated, voice trembling. “I think we’ve got it.” His eyes, lit by the laptop’s glow, were wet with unshed tears.

Ray sank to his knees beside him. “What are you talking about?”

Kenny turned his laptop so Ray could see the lady’s social media account.

“She’s a mother with two kids.” Kenny said quietly. “She was there, on the beach. That day.”

Ray frowned, puzzled, while Kenny was already scrolling. The selfie of the woman reappeared, but Ray now realized it wasn’t just a picture; it was the thumbnail of a video. Kenny clicked play.

Two children giggled as they played near the shore, scooping water into plastic buckets, sand clinging to their legs. The camera wobbled slightly with their mother’s laughter. Two minutes in, a dark hooded figure passed right behind them, running at a steady pace.

A gust of wind blew the hood back.

Ray stopped breathing when he spotted a pair of red eyes, squinting against the sun. Locks of gray hair whipped across a moody, angular face. Annoyed, the figure pulled his hood back up, and continued running.

Ray’s hands were shaking as they reached for the laptop, pulling it closer to himself. “When was this recorded?”

“Day of the murder. 6:31 PM,” Kenny whispered.

Ray shot to his feet, crossing the room in three strides. He flicked on the lights.

Tyson groaned, draping the blanket over his head. “Dude, turn that off...”

Ray ignored him, scanning the evidence wall they’d set up. His finger hovered over the police report. “6:31... That’s... when Isaac was shot.”

He fell silent for a moment.

Behind him, Max and Tyson had sat up, blinking blearily at the sudden light.

“Guys?” Max croaked. “Wha’s going on?”

Kenny simply turned the screen toward them and played the video again.

They all leaned in, and watched it. And again. And again.

“How the hell did you find this?” Max finally asked, baffled.

Kenny gave them a sheepish smile, then glanced at Ray. “Last night, when you were talking about the ‘universal dad thing’... it gave me an idea.”

Ray blinked. “The what?”

“You know,” Kenny shrugged. “All those pictures you and Tyson keep showing us of your kids.”

“Oh... right,” Ray muttered, still struggling to catch up.

Kenny adjusted his glasses, signalling he was about to drop some genius-level insight.

“We know Kai went for a jog on the beach that evening. But security cams were too far away from the shore. What they did catch, however, were tons of young families heading toward the shoreline.”

He gestured to the laptop. “And young parents record everything. Memories, milestones, beach days…”

“They don’t just record it.” Dizzy chimed in, “They share it. Facebook. Instagram. TikTok. You name it.”

“Exactly.” Kenny nodded. “So... we hacked various social media platforms, cross-referenced geo-locations and timestamps, and focused on videos taken near the shoreline behind Kai’s house.”

Silence followed.

Then -

“KENNY!” Tyson suddenly shouted, jumping up and pacing the room with his hands on his head, before descending on his younger friend, squeezing the living daylight out of him. “You wonderful, beautiful bastard!!”

Kenny flushed at the compliment, grinning awkwardly when Ray and Max clapped him on the back.

Once the excitement faded a little, Ray frowned in determination, “We should send this to Mrs. Hunter, right now.”

Kenny’s face fell. “No, we shouldn’t.”

The room froze.

"What do you mean??” Tyson snapped, gesturing at the laptop. “Kenny, this is Kai’s alibi! This is what'll set him free!"

“I know.” Kenny said, just as sharply. “But we hacked this woman’s account. We can’t use that in court.”

Ray frowned at him, his mind racing. “Okay… so... we just need her permission, right?”

Max nodded quickly. “She seems like a nice mom. She’d want to help, wouldn’t she? Do you know where she lives?”

Dizzy sighed. “We do. I have access to all her info. But that’s the problem. If the court finds out how we got it, we’re done.”

The boys stared at each other in stunned silence.

Max slumped. “But if we can’t use this…”

“Then... what can we do?” Ray muttered, frowning.

“We’ll have to make sure the family reaches out to Mrs. Hunter and her team.” Dizzy said simply.

Tyson threw up his hands in frustration. “And how are they supposed to do that if we can’t reach out to them?!”

Dizzy sounded unnervingly smug. “Easy. I’m layering a premium brand ad over the video, totally invisible to viewers, but the algorithm will think the video’s worth a fortune.”

The guys blinked at the screen, not entirely sure they were following.

“Social media algorithms prioritize revenue.” Kenny explained. “The bigger the ad, the more value the video has.”

“Exactly. It’ll get pushed to the top of everyone’s feed.” Dizzy added. “...And I’ll swap the thumbnail, so people will actually click on it.”

The screen changed. Instead of the woman’s selfie, it now showed Kai mid-run, wind in his hair, red eyes sharp and focused. The play button hovered over his face like a target.

The room fell silent.

“And now.” Dizzy purred. “All we have to do is wait.”

“For what?” Tyson asked, puzzled.

Dizzy chuckled at the clueless faces in the room.

“... For it to go viral.”