Chapter Text
Kaidou had left his house two hours prior, as soon as he excitedly observed the first flakes begin to fall from his bedroom window. Eager to play in the snow, he clumsily rushed to dress himself and say goodbye to his family as he dashed out of the house.
Time passed by quickly as he spent his time outdoors, marveling at the first snowfall of the season. He ran around for what felt like forever, feeling the striking cold of the fresh snow slipping through his fingertips. He did everything from making snow angels to even building his own secret ice lair, complete with snowmen guards to protect it.
Hours passed, and the day inevitably began to fall; the radiant sun retreated, and the cloudy sky was painted with soft strokes of purple and blue. Kaidou knew this was a sign that it was time to begin heading back home so he would make it in time for dinner.
He had begun walking before abruptly coming to a halt, the terrifying realization that he was unaware of which direction to head hitting him like a punch to the gut. Panic rose in his chest, and he could hear his heartbeat escalating as it thumped loudly in his ears.
His eyes darted around in desperation, searching for any sign of familiarity. A wall. A building. A street name.
Nothing.
He was lost.
His lungs felt like they were collapsing, his chest rising and falling in short, panicked breaths as he tried to catch air. The scenery around him all appeared frighteningly foreign as if he had landed in another country. He slammed his eyes shut, hoping that he would somehow be transported back to his home if he just wished for it hard enough.
Slowly, he peeled his eyes open, only to be frustratingly met with the same unfamiliar street that now had a slightly ominous air surrounding it. Hesitantly, he stuck one of his feet out, as if testing the waters, and then began to walk forward.
The icy wind bit at Kaidou’s cheeks, making his teeth chatter uncomfortably. He instinctively folded his trembling arms together, his fingertips, which were turning an alarming shade of pale blue, tightly gripping the fabric of his jacket.
The harsh air continued to blow on Kaidou’s skin, sending shivers down his spine. His snow boots, which were so large they loosened around his ankles, crunched the delicate snowfall piling on the streets. Although he was wearing multiple layers of clothing and appropriate winter accessories, his mother’s choice, not his, it was still no match for the unforgiving weather.
A flurry of elegant snowflakes danced softly in front of his face, and Kaidou was sure that if he stuck his tongue out, he would catch one. The long stretch of road ahead of him, covered by a thick blanket of snow, was vacant; the only sign of life was a few birds perched on the snow-covered power lines above. Kaidou passed by rows of houses lining the street, straining his eyes to read the unfamiliar nameplates. Bright lights shone through the windows of almost every building.
Kaidou frowned and glared at the houses, eyes burning with envy. He silently wished he could be in his own home, feeling the warmth and coziness of his own blankets tugged around him.
Instead, he was outside, suffering because the weather had decided to be extra cruel that day.
Kaidou's feet ached as he pushed through feet of stubborn snow, losing strength with each tiresome step. The only sounds were the rough howls of the wind, the crisp crunch of the snowfall beneath his boots, and Kaidou’s heavy breathing, which came out as foggy puffs of air.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon and the light around him darkened, it only fueled the nerves building in his stomach.
Kaidou clenched his frozen fingertips together before bringing his hands up and slapping the sides of his face. It stung fiercely, reddening his skin and spreading a searing heat, contrasting sharply against the chilling air around him. Immediately, a twinge of regret crawled its way into the back of his throat.
He needed to calm down. He was the Jet-Black Wings, a noble and brave hero who fought against the forces of evil devised by the Dark Reunion. He could handle himself, and he would be home in no time.
Kaidou closed his eyes, feeling the chill air blowing against his skin, and took a couple of deep breaths, holding them for the appropriate time before exhaling. Kaidou’s teacher taught his class that trick, saying it was an important exercise to use whenever they needed to relax their body. Kaidou felt just the slightest bit of tension escape from his shoulders.
He could do this; he just needed to keep moving. His feet moved, pushing out the exhaustion with a quiet determination. Yet, the longer time passed, the more anxious Kaidou became. His mind was working overtime, a flurry of worried thoughts and questions swirling inside like the fragile snowflakes around him.
What would his mother say? Would she be disappointed? Upset? Angry? Kaidou wasn’t quite sure what her reaction would be, but he knew it would not be positive for him. He could explain that it wasn’t his fault; he had gotten lost. It was never his intention to stay out so late. But as always, his intention didn’t matter. If it happened, it happened.
Because intentions did not produce results, and Kaidou knew that lesson well.
Kaidou continued to trudge slowly; his stomach growled with hunger, a painful reminder of the fact that he was currently missing out on dinner.
He was wallowing in his own self-pity when all of a sudden, a shrill, frightful scream cut through his thoughts. His eyes widened as he immediately whipped his head around; the scream still echoed loudly in his mind.
Kaidou’s mind supplied a plethora of questions, but he had no way of answering them.
His whole body went rigid as he listened intently, hearing the distressed sounds continue to come from somewhere far away.
Swallowing back his fear, he followed the noise, feet treading as lightly as possible so as not to alert whoever it was. After all, Kaidou had no idea what he was walking into. The sounds grew louder, sharply cutting through the silence of the neighborhood.
Finally, Kaidou reached a point where he could make out the vague silhouettes of people, visibly standing out against the vacant landscape around him. He squatted down, not wanting to press his knees against the snow, and hid his body behind a wall, barely peeking his head out to observe the scene. He held his breath, worried even the tiniest of noises could alert them.
The people stood in the middle of a playground Kaiodu didn’t recognize, another dreadful reminder that he wasn’t any closer to home after all this time. Kaiodu forced himself to cast that thought aside and focus on the scene in front of him, squinting his eyes to try and get a better look.
He counted four people total; three of them were standing huddled together, wearing matching uniforms. By their broad shoulders, menacing stances, and rather mature faces, Kaidou knew they had to be high schoolers. He felt a knot in his stomach tighten harder.
High schoolers always had an air of intimidation surrounding them, old enough to have developed strength and edge but too young to hold any maturity and rationality, which made them pose a real threat.
The fourth person looked to be far younger, likely closer to Kaidou’s age, and was sinking into the snow-covered ground, arms supporting his weight while his legs folded inward. The kid's eyes were wide with fear, his entire body trembling.
A bright, red scarf was tossed aside a few feet from the boy's body, standing out against the pure white snow like a rose blooming in a field of weeds.
The boy in the middle stepped forward dramatically, causing the kid to flinch harshly, collapsing onto the ground, almost fully engulfed by the snow as if he landed in a pit of quicksand.
Kaidou wasn't in range to understand what they were saying, their words becoming faint, muffled bits of sound that barely reached Kaidou’s ears, yet in this case he didn’t need to be. The way the teen's brows knitted together aggressively, combined with the fist-pounding gesture he made, was a clear enough sign.
Panic surged in Kaidou’s chest as he watched. Everything felt as if it were happening in slow motion. The boy was inching closer; the kid was shaking harder; the two friends stood back and laughed.
Suddenly, the view of the scene carried itself closer to Kaidou, enhancing right before his eyes. He heard the crisp crunching of footsteps hitting the snow, almost drowning out the frantic heartbeat drumming loudly in his ears, and felt his arms flailing beside him widely as he ran.
Before he knew it, his feet had skidded to a halt, stopping just in front of the boy on the ground. As his body became rooted into the ground, the realization hit him all at once, knocking the air out of his lungs. A wave of intense regret and fear crashed over him, making him want to sprint as far away as possible.
The previous blurry silhouettes he had observed now formed into clear, real people in front of him, all of whom posed a clear, real threat. The tallest one, who had stepped forward earlier, sneered down at Kaidou, frustrated by the interruption.
“Who the hell is this kid?” an annoyed voice rang from one of the high schoolers from behind.
“Listen, kid, why don’t you just mind your damn business and get lost, alright?” the boy in front of him spoke, his tone barely agitated. He raised his eyebrows slightly, his face painted with boredom as the seconds passed without Kaidou moving his feet.
Kaidou should’ve felt relieved the other didn’t seem too angry, but for some reason the teen’s lack of intimidation and quick dismissal made Kaidou even more frustrated. It was as if this guy took one look at Kaidou and decided he wasn’t anything to worry about; that all it would take was a mere set of words for him to scram.
Kaidou furrowed his brows and shot him a menacing glare, mustering up all the intimidation he could convey. He clenched his fingertips tightly, hoping it would stop his hands from trembling. Slowly, he lifted his clenched fists until they were in front of his chest, and shifted his position so he displayed a standard fighting stance.
Kaidou had always wanted to enroll in martial arts; he figured it would be the perfect way to hone his fighting skills. Maybe he could even show off his powers to the other members of class and gain some comrades who could assist him in battle. Even after countless pleas and offered compromises, his mother had refused to sign him up, stating it was a sport for barbarians and lowlifes, and that he should focus on his academics and not indulge in violent tendencies.
So instead, Kaidou resorted to playing countless fighting video games in his spare time, attempting to learn sparring techniques from the characters themselves.
Kaidou threateningly narrowed his eyes at the teen. He was actually glad he had forgotten his mittens when he left the house; he had a feeling his fists would seem less threatening wearing a pair of bright blue, fuzzy mittens his grandma had knitted for him.
The boy’s previous apathy was replaced with a twisted amusement that flickered behind his eyes. He dipped his head down, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Kaidou heard a confused chorus of questions coming from the boy’s friends, catching drifts of What the hell is he doing? and Does he actually want to fight?
Maintaining eye contact, the boy leaned in. “Look, I don’t like repeating myself. I'm gonna tell you one more time. Get lost before you regret it,” he threatened, eyes burning a hole into Kaiodou’s head. Amusement still lingered in his expression, but now there was a more prevalent hint of anger that darkened his features.
He briefly glanced to the side, towards the entrance he had come from. If he left now, he could continue trying to get home; maybe he could even make it before the sun set.
Then he remembered the kid behind him, the kid who he could still hear shuffling in the snow, the boy whose terrified expression and trembling hands had been burned into Kaidou’s brain.
“No,” Kaidou declared, hating that his voice still came out shaky despite his best efforts to put as much force as he could behind it.
“No? Who the hell do you think you are? Leave before I change my mind about beating the shit out of you,” the boy warned, his voice growing louder. The previous traces of amusement had completely vanished from his expression, replaced by a harsh scowl tugging at his lips.
He forcefully shoved Kaidou’s shoulders, sending him to stumble backwards, flailing his arms for an awkward beat before catching himself. The boy flashed a cocky grin and chuckled lightly as his friends snickered from behind him. An embarrassed flush crept up Kaidou’s face.
“I'm not scared of you,” Kaidou shot back, hoping his tone carried enough conviction to make it believable.
“Shit, you hear that? He’s not scared of you,” one of the others announced loudly, howling with laughter.
“What are you gonna do?” his friend followed up, voice dripping with fake concern. Their faces broke out into wild grins as their shoulders shook aggressively with laughter.
In one swift motion, before Kaidou could even process what was happening, the teen’s hand lashed out, as quick as a snake, and gripped the fabric of his jacket. The boy hoisted Kaidou into the air, bringing his face only inches apart from his.
“I tried to warn you,” he scolded out through gritted teeth. Those sharp eyes flickered with a dark intensity that sent shivers down Kaidou’s spine. Kaidou flailed his legs around uselessly, his hands clawing desperately at the boy’s iron grip, attempting to pry it off him.
Behind him, Kaidou’s ears picked up the sound of frantic scrambling and the crunch of snow. Recognition dawned on the teen’s face, shattering his hardened expression. His eyes darted away from Kaidou’s face to the scene behind him.
“Shit!” he shouted, his voice ripping violently through the frosty air.
Kaidou’s whole body moved with him as the teen swung his arms and let go, hurling Kaidou into the ground. The soft coat of snow broke his fall, the freezing temperature rushing into his veins as he sank in further. He pushed himself back up with his hand, wincing sharply as the pressure immediately made the pain shoot up. Kaidou turned his head slightly, just in time to witness the kid dash away, his silhouette becoming smaller and smaller until it was out of sight.
The bright red scarf resting lazily on top of the snow was the only trace of the boy left.
For a beat, Kaidou felt a wave of relief washing over his body, momentarily easing his tense muscles. Then a split second later, the sting of betrayal tugged at his heart.
“He got away,” one of the boys reported, letting out an exasperated breath.
“You don’t think I know that?” the leader shot back, snapping his head back to look at his friend. Kaidou couldn’t see the expression he was making, but he had a feeling it wasn’t pleasant. The teen turned back towards him, which immediately made Kaidou freeze up.
“I wasn’t done with that kid. It’s your fault he got away, which means now you get to take his place. Aren’t you a lucky guy?” he spoke, his voice low and threatening. His jaw clenched tightly, a violent hunger flickering in his eyes as he inched closer.
“Wait!” Kaidou pleaded, his voice breaking. He furiously blinked away the tears forming in his eyes.
“This is what you get for not minding your damn business.”
One of the boy’s fists clenched tightly around the fabric of Kaidou’s jacket, while the other shot up into the air, winding up for power near the side of his face. Kaidou slammed his eyes shut, bracing for impact. Suddenly, his tight grip on his jacket vanished. Kaidou blinked his eyes open slowly, confused, only to find a mysterious hand holding the teen back, preventing him from hitting Kaidou.
The hand belonged to another boy, with a deep purple, slightly overgrown mullet, strands falling messily over his dark eyes. He was definitely a kid, much shorter compared to the high schoolers, but despite that, a confident, intense air surrounded him, making him seem years older than he actually was.
The teen’s eyes widened in shock at first, before his gaze landed on the other kid and his shoulders fell, visibly annoyed at yet another interruption.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me–”
A punch to his face shut him right up. It felt like Kaidou had blinked and the bully was already lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Kaidou’s eyes shifted to the purple-haired boy, who was standing there firmly, a hardened expression on his face.
The other high schoolers were statues; only their eyes moved as they dramatically flickered from their friend's limp body on the ground to the kid who had caused it. After a few seconds, they unfroze and charged forward at the kid.
“You bastard!” one hollered.
“You’re gonna regret that,” the other hissed out.
The kid hadn’t dared to move an inch, wearing an expression of absolute unamusement. Kaidou’s body was paralyzed, like one subtle movement would break him, his voice feeling like it had been stolen from his own throat. No matter how hard he wanted to look away, he just kept watching.
Then, just before the high schoolers could lay a finger on him, the kid used one hand to choke one of the teens’ necks, suspending him in mid-air, while with his free hand, he grabbed the back of the other teen’s head, brought it down and slammed it against his knee, then kicked his stomach, sending him flying back.
The boy’s movements were precise, clean, and experienced. Kaidou watched, half in awe and half in terror as he wondered, just who was this kid?
The teen’s body landed hard, sinking into the snowfall. The choked, desperate gasps of the other friend still filled the tense air.
“S-shit, s-sorry, so-orry! J-just le-et me g-go, p-please!” he pleaded, struggling to form the words as he uselessly clawed at the kid’s fierce grip. The kid’s stern expression remained unchanged, his grasp not loosening one bit.
It was likely only a few seconds, but in that moment, watching the teen’s helpless body in the air, hearing his choked gasps, the uncertainty of what would happen next eating away at Kaidou, it felt so much longer.
Finally, the purple-haired boy steadily lowered the teen onto the ground, but not yet removing his hand from his neck.
“Leave, and take your friends with you,” he declared before relaxing his grip.
The teen immediately gasped for air, his chest rising shakily. Without a second to lose, he ran over to his friends’ bodies, covered in snow. He spoke while hastily grabbing his friends’ arms and lifting them, although his panic jumbled his words, making them almost indecipherable.
Still reeling in pain, the high schoolers groggily stood up, clutching their stomachs and heads. They clumsily dashed away, the teen who had threatened Kaidou earlier shooting him one last look of malice before departing.
Slowly, Kaidou’s heartbeat steadied, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. They both locked eyes, and Kaidou shifted uncomfortably as he felt the boy’s fiery gaze burning a hole into him. Neither of them spoke.
Now that the fight was over, Kaidou could take a closer look at the purple-haired boy. His eyes caught a scar just below the boy’s eye, a faint line stretching out across his right cheek. Seriously, who was this kid?
Before Kaiodu could even manage to get any words out, the boy’s harsh voice boomed into existence.
“What were you thinking?” the boy blurted, his pointed words stabbing through Kaidou like a dagger to the heart.
“I–” Kaidou stammered out.
“Did you honestly think you could handle that by yourself?” the boy interrupted, voice growing more agitated. The question hung in the tense air between them, echoing loudly in Kaidou’s mind even after the words escaped his lips.
“I just thought…” Kaidou trailed off, unable to supply a real answer.
“Thought what? That you could honestly take them? A scrawny kid like you,” the boy continued, eyes raking over Kaidou, who was still on the ground.
“You're a kid too!” he shot back, finally pushing himself up.
“I’m different than you,” the other replied, crossing his arms.
“How?” Kaidou probed, wanting to draw out an answer from the other.
“Just am,” the boy grumbled, refusing to elaborate any further. Kaidou puffed his cheeks out, annoyed at the other’s secrecy.
“If you could take them, then why couldn’t I?” Kaidou asked, more to himself than to the boy.
“Because I’m not like you. You probably haven’t fought a day in your life,” he accused, shooting Kaidou a dirty look.
“You don’t know that,” Kaidou snapped back, irritated at just how easily the other could see through him.
“I can tell just by looking at you,” the other criticised, a disapproving frown tugging at his lips.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kaidou demanded, suddenly hyperaware of his appearance under the boy’s judgmental gaze.
“It means you look weak,” he confirmed with a deadpan expression, as if he were simply stating a fact.
“I’m not weak!” Kaidou cried out, not realizing he had begun shouting. Stubborn tears crept into his eyes, blurring his vision.
“You’re not? Look at you, you were shaking like a chihuahua out there,” the other scolded, never running out of new insults to throw at Kaidou.
“Because it’s cold! Not because I was scared,” Kaidou explained, not quite sure if he was trying to convince the boy or himself.
“Well, your face was screaming the opposite,” he commented, scoffing.
“My face was normal!” Kaidou insisted dramatically, pouting his lips.
“Whatever,” the boy drawled, following with a heavy sigh, as if he had already decided that talking to Kaidou wasn’t worth his time.
“Well, you’re wrong anyway. You don’t even know about my powers!” Kaidou declared, crossing his arms.
“What are you talking about?” the other questioned, eyebrows knitting together.
“I… I’m not a normal kid. I have superpowers,” Kaidou explained.
“Are you serious?” he sighed, narrowing his eyes at Kaidou.
“Yes! I’m a hero named the Jet-Black Wings, and there’s this organization called the Dark Reunion, and they’re super evil! They do all sorts of bad things, and I’m the only one who can stop them,” Kaidou ranted, his words spilling out of his mouth before his brain even had time to catch up.
“Save it. I don’t care about you or your weird fantasies,” the boy snapped.
“It’s not a fantasy,” Kaidou reassured, voice growing firmer.
“Do you honestly think I’m going to believe whatever crap you’re spewing?” he doubled down.
“I’m telling the truth!” Kaidou pressed, a lump in his throat forming.
“Quit lying. You’re just trying to make yourself seem less pathetic,” the other shot back, rolling his eyes.
“That’s not true!” Kaidou asserted, his voice breaking on the last word. The boy’s comment had struck a chord in Kaidou.
“It’s not? So are you telling me you actually believe all that crap?” He probed, raising his eyebrows as he inched forward, closing the distance between him and Kaidou.
“Of course I do. Why won’t you believe me? I’d had these powers since I was born!” Kaidou urged, hoping his voice held enough conviction to convince the other.
“Whatever, if you want to keep on playing make-believe, fine. I don’t have time for this,” the boy responded bluntly. He turned his back toward Kaidou and began walking away.
Kaidou should’ve let the boy walk away, to see his cruel voice and judgmental glare fade away until it was swallowed up by the frosty air. But for some reason he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling he had in his stomach. The more steps the other took, the more Kaidou felt that uneasiness washing over him.
This kid had been nothing but a nuisance to him, yet for some reason he couldn’t stand the thought of him walking away, that Kaidou would be left all alone once more.
“Fine then, leave! I don’t need you,” Kaidou shouted, gripping his fingertips together.
The boy stopped in his tracks, making Kaidou’s breath catch in his throat. Slowly, he turned around, shooting a glare at Kaidou that still felt suffocating with the distance between them. He walked back, angrily stomping and crushing the snowfall below him.
“Who just saved you back there? And I don’t even get a thanks. I shouldn't have bothered helping you,” the boy snapped, his jaw tightening.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t have. I would have been fine by myself,” Kaidou replied, trying to ignore how the words felt wrong in his mouth.
“Sure you would have. If I hadn’t taken care of those guys, you would’ve been walking home with a bloody nose, no worse, and you know it,” the other snarled, those dark eyes burning with anger. Kaidou hated how a quiet voice in the back of his head told him the boy was right.
“How’d you know I needed help?” Kaidou asked, lowering his gaze onto the ground.
“I saw what went down,” he answered, softening his voice.
“All of it?”
“Well, not fully. I was walking around here when I saw that kid with those guys. I was just gonna keep walking since it’s none of my business, but then you showed up like an idiot and ran in there, and clearly you didn’t know what you were getting yourself into.”
“So you knew that kid was in trouble?” Kaidou questioned.
“I didn’t know anything. I was just passing by,” the boy re-explained, his tone turning defensive.
“Why didn’t you help him then?” Kaidou probed further.
“Why should I?” he defended himself.
“Because it's the right thing to do,” Kaidou pushed back.
“Don't do that. Don’t act like you’re better than me,” the boy spat out through gritted teeth.
“I'm not acting like that,” Kaidou doubled down.
“So then why did you go? So you could play the part of the hero you made up in your head?” the other accused, aggressively tapping his index finger to his head.
“That wasn’t why I went,” Kaidou assured, his frustration boiling over.
“Really? That’s not what it sounded like earlier. I thought you were some hero?”
Kaidou stood there, stunned, trying to ignore the way his chest tightened with guilt.
Maybe deep down there had been a selfish ulterior motive, lurking beneath the surface, hiding behind shiny heroics and bravery. But Kaidou wanted to be the kind of hero who helped others because he wanted to make a difference.
“He needed help. That’s why I went,” Kaidou said, hoping that if he spoke the words into existence, if he confirmed them to someone else, it would help ease his own conscience.
“He got himself into that mess,” the boy argued.
“How do you know? You don’t know what happened,” Kaidou shot back. Maybe there was a reason the boy mercilessly beat those high schoolers up without a second thought. There was no way he was capable of looking out for anyone but himself.
“And neither do you,” the other pushed back.
“Yes, I do. I saw it. He was on the ground and scared,” Kaidou followed up, the memory of the kid’s face, trembling with fear, flashing in his mind
“Maybe he did something to deserve it.”
“Nobody deserves that.”
“And how do you know? You don’t even know him, and you just rushed to defend him.” He and Kaidou glared at one another.
“It doesn’t matter what happened. He was in trouble. What was I supposed to do?” Kaidou reasoned, even though he knew attempting to convince the other boy was
a futile effort.
“It was three against one. Anyone with half a brain would have backed off,” the boy scolded, as if he were on a mission to see how many insults he could hurl at Kaidou during one conversation.
“I was just trying to help!” Kaidou cried out.
“And how did that work out? That kid left you to deal with those guys. If I hadn’t stepped in, then you’d be a goner,” the other’s words hit Kaidou like a punch to the gut, a painful reminder of how Kaidou had failed to be the hero he always wanted to be.
Kaidou just blinked at the boy, unsure of what to say. He felt like all his walls had been torn down, leaving him open and defenseless.
“Then why did you?” Kaidou finally asked, his voice coming out shaky.
All the other had done was criticize Kaidou, call him weak and pathetic and a weirdo who made up a fantasy to believe in. So then why was he still standing there, talking to him?
Kaidou was sure it was nothing more than pity.
For a brief second, the boy’s eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing them before turning back to his intimidating glare. For the first time, he shifted his gaze away from Kaidou and onto the ground.
“You’re hopeless,” he muttered, kicking at the ground, sending a pile of snow into the air.
“With my powers… I would’ve been able to help. I know it,” Kaiodu whispered, still desperately wanting to cling onto the last flame of hope he had inside him that hadn’t been blown out.
“Enough! You and your stupid fantasies are gonna get yourself killed,” the other shouted.
Kaidou didn’t even try to argue back; he just let the words sink deeper into his chest. After a few beats of silence, the boy finally turned and walked away, and this time, Kaidou didn’t stop him.
The sun had almost completely vanished, its last rays of golden light beaming weakly onto the ground, almost completely overtaken by the darkness. Without the sun’s warmth, the air had chilled even more, blowing harshly on Kaidou’s skin and making him tremble even harder.
Exhaustion weighed over every part of his body; his feet ached from walking for so long, his body was still stinging with the pain of being thrown on the ground, and his head reeled from processing everything that had just happened.
With heavy eyelids, he stared at the vacant park around him, which was now haunted with painful memories.
He knew he needed to get going; he still had to somehow find his way back home. But he didn’t move his feet. For once, Kaidou couldn't stop his tears from spilling out.