The man stepped closer, now standing in front of him, slightly taller, yet with a massive frame radiating malice from his eyes :
— "You… are my ace in the hole."
Before Kai could grasp the meaning, the man silently raised his pistol toward him, signaling him not to make a sound.
Kai clenched his hands violently… his heart racing as he remembered the time he had refused his father's weapon. He felt foolish, weak, desperate to run.
Suddenly, the man reached out and grabbed Kai by the chin, rough and unrelenting, staring directly into his eyes. Then, with a clear hint of madness, he whispered close to his face:
— "I'll make Lorenzo pay."
The smile on the man's face sent a shiver down Kai's spine. He pushed his hand away nervously, exclaiming in panic:
— "Don't touch me, damn it!!"
He stepped back… but the man gave him no chance. He grabbed Kai's arm violently, pulling him close, growling as he held him:
— "Where do you think you're going?!"
Kai spat back sharply, twisting under the grip:
— "Let me go! Damn you!"
But it got worse. The man's hand shot to Kai's neck, holding him firm, his eyes locked with Kai's in that same unsettling gaze that stirred unease deep in his chest. With clear malice, he hissed:
— "Don't resist… you cursed boy!"
Kai glared at him, a mix of anger and fear. Then, suddenly, the man lifted his head and glanced behind him. A single gunshot rang out…
The scene froze. Kai heard a sharp ringing in his ears from the bullet that had flown so close.
The pressure on his neck vanished… The man staggered, then collapsed before him, lifeless, his head blown apart.
Kai recoiled in shock… some blood splattered on his face, other stains marked his clothes… he was trembling.
He slowly lifted his eyes… and saw him standing behind the corpse, holding a pistol still smoking from the shot.
Shifting his gaze to the side, he saw the other man lying on the ground, his throat slit with a small knife, still in Lorenzo's other hand, dripping with blood.
The guards rushed forward, some shouting his name, others whispering, but he raised his hand calmly, handing one of them the pistol and knife:
— "It's alright… I've handled it."
Before Kai could recover from his shock, he see him stepped over the body to stand in front of him. He pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and bent toward Kai, who looked as if he had just emerged from a nightmare.
Gently, he held his shoulder and with his other hand began wiping the blood from his face. He looked directly into Kai's eyes and said softly:
— "I'm here, Kai… you're safe."
It was… the first time in his life Kai felt safe with him. He sensed the power of a man who would never allow anyone to touch what belonged to him…
~~ "two weeks ago" ~~~
Kai carried on his shoulders a legacy of shadows…
His hair was as black as a moonless night, his eyes the same shade of darkness, and his features sharp, as if carved from stone. He had grown up between walls reeking of gunpowder and the grinding of weapons, in a home where tenderness never found its way. His father—a ruthless gang leader—saw nothing in him but a future copy of himself, a mold to be remade exactly, or discarded if it failed.
From childhood, Kai had been forced into harsh training in combat and firearms, not by choice but by command. Unlike the sons of other mobsters, he did not build his body with muscle or flaunt signs of strength. His heart clung instead to a hidden dream: to become a doctor, not a killer.
And though Kai excelled with weapons—a skill that kept his father's hopes alive—it was never enough to smother the spark of rebellion inside him. When he finished high school, he gathered his courage and fled with the help of his cousin, Ash, to another country, beginning his university life and leaving behind a world that devoured his soul.
His father never understood how his son had escaped. But anger does not know forgetfulness. He sent his men to track Kai—not to drag him back immediately, but to watch, to study, to wait for the perfect moment to strike.
Two years passed. Kai had grown used to life in a quiet city near his university. A brilliant medical student, he studied diligently, smiled from the heart for the first time, and built genuine friendships. Closest to him was Evan—a blond young man with striking looks and a physique stronger than most, who shared a dorm room with him.
There was also Bella, a calm girl from their class. She and Kai shared a deep bond over their passion for study, though she secretly harbored feelings for Evan, using every chance to talk to him, unnoticed by his oblivious eyes.
Kai never spoke of his past. When Evan once asked about his family, Kai simply said he had come to study. Evan, however, hid nothing: he admitted he was an orphan, raised by a cruel uncle whose violence had driven him into gyms and training since childhood, forcing him to toughen his body just to survive. He lived on the inheritance his parents left, while his uncle greedily took a large portion for himself.
Year by year, Kai grew more attached to this new life—his studies, his dorm, the serenity he had never known before.
But peace never lasts…
One night, while Evan studied quietly, Kai sank into a restless sleep. In his dream, he stood before his father, who ordered him to shoot an unknown man. His hands shook, the gun heavy in his grip, his father's furious voice roaring in his ear:
— "Do it!"
The weapon slipped from his hands. Kai cried out in desperation:
— "Please, Father… no."
In a terrifying instant, his father seized the gun, pressed it back into Kai's palm, and pulled the trigger himself, killing the man before his son's eyes.
Kai jolted awake, screaming, drenched in sweat, his breath ragged.
Evan shook him, alarmed.
— "Calm down… it's alright, you're safe now."
Kai looked at him with terrified eyes. Evan handed him a glass of water. He drank with trembling hands, under Evan's worried gaze.
— "Why do you keep having these nightmares?" Evan asked, voice edged with concern.
Kai hesitated :
— "What do you mean?"
Evan frowned:
— "It's not the first time. You keep shouting… calling for your father."
Kai swallowed hard:
— "My father…"
Evan nodded gently:
— "Yes. You cry out to him. You scream."
Kai forced a pale smile:
— "I don't know… I think I dream of spiders chasing me, and my father protecting me."
Evan smiled warmly:
— "Then maybe your father is your hero."
Kai fell silent. He neither confirmed nor denied. He didn't want Evan to know that his nightmare wasn't about spiders at all—but about reality, still haunting him in the shape of a man who never knew how to be a father, except with a gun in his hand.
At university, Kai was a quiet boy who preferred solitude over the spotlight. Yet he could not entirely escape attention—especially at Evan's side. The boys who respected Evan often looked at Kai with suspicion or disdain. Evan was admired, even envied, while Kai became the target of mockery, branded the weak companion.
But the truth was different: Kai was strong enough to defend himself, yet he chose not to. He rejected violence, wanted nothing that tied him back to his past. Many times he stood aside, watching Evan handle trouble with effortless skill—always stronger, quicker, better in a fight—though never boastful about it.
Evan was kind to most, never one to escalate conflict. And Kai, in silence, admired him: how he dealt with bullies, how he faced life's challenges with maturity, how he carried strength quietly, without noise.
Many times, Kai wished he could be the same.
Final exams were approaching at the university, and Kai, Bella, and Evan were studying together. Yet, it felt as if Kai existed only in the background of a familiar scene: Bella explaining, Evan pretending to pay attention.
Kai knew Bella was putting in twice the effort with him, more than necessary, as if she were clinging to something she wouldn't openly acknowledge.
One day, Kai fiddled with his phone, but his eyes never left Bella. She was explaining with genuine dedication—dedication Evan hardly deserved—while Evan barely made an effort to listen. Kai watched her focus, saw how she completely ignored him. Not a deliberate slight, but that kind of emotional investment that consumes the giver entirely.
Finally, Bella closed her notebook with a sigh of relief:
—"Alright, this should have you ready for the exams. Only one subject left."
Kai expected the session to end there, but Evan suddenly turned to him, hesitating as he shuffled his papers:
— "Kai… you'll study it for me, right?"
Kai looked at him, surprised, but understood immediately. Evan was trying to dodge it. Bella turned to Kai, confusion on her face, waiting for his answer. Kai shook his head slightly:
—"Fine. I'll do it."
Evan smiled, relieved, while Kai noticed a flicker of sadness pass over Bella's face—that look he knew well, the one that appears when it's already too late. Kai understood what she truly wanted: she had used the last subject as an excuse to spend a little extra time with Evan. But he didn't see it. Didn't feel it. He sighed. His friend was oblivious, and Bella was drowning in feelings she couldn't deny.
Bella stood up, grabbed her bag.
— "Alright then, see you at the first exam."
But before she could leave, Evan also stood, unusually close to her. Kai watched, and Evan smiled softly:
— "Thanks… I think my grades are going to improve because of you."
Kai saw Bella's face flush completely, as if Evan's proximity had thrown her off balance. She didn't respond, merely bowed slightly in farewell, then walked away.
Kai turned to Evan, who was grinning mischievously:
—"What's wrong with her?" Evan asked innocently.
Kai exhaled:
— "Are you really asking?"
"What…? Tell me." Evan leaned in.
Kai stepped into the same spot Bella had been standing, lifted his head to look Evan straight in the eyes, and said:
—"… like this."
Evan raised his eyebrows.
— "Huh?!"
Kai clarified, gesturing:
— "Right next to her… exactly like this
..this close."
Evan stayed silent, his expression slowly shifting. Then his eyes widened in shock, and he stepped back, clutching his head.
— "Oh my… what did I do? I wasn't paying attention…"
Kai laughed at the sight of his friend turning red and nudged him gently:
— "Because you're an idiot. Come on, let's start counting."
Later, they had dinner outside. Evan was distracted by his phone, fidgeting nervously. Kai sipped his cola and asked:
— "What's going on?"
Evan didn't lift his eyes as he spoke :
— "I'm trying to write her an apology."
"An apology? To who?" Kai asked.
Evan took a deep breath:
— "To Bella… I crossed her personal space without meaning to."
Kai pulled out his phone, his tone serious:
— "You idiot, you're only going to make things worse. Just forget it."
"Really?" Evan asked, skeptical.
Kai shook his head:
— "Yes. She might even have liked it… since she clearly has a thing for you."
Evan's eyes widened, and he stammered, embarrassed:
— "You—this is insane. I've told you a million times, nothing's going on between us."
Kai sighed:
—"Maybe that's what you think… but what if I told you she actually likes you?"
Evan chewed a bite of pizza:
— "No… impossible."
Kai didn't argue further, but he was confident in his intuition. He knew what he saw—Bella wasn't good at hiding her feelings. But then Evan's own confession hit him like a wall, ending the conversation abruptly:
—"Honestly… I like her friend, Natalie."
Kai froze, eyes wide:
— "What?!"
Evan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment:
—"Nothing's going on… she doesn't even know."
Kai's frustration exploded:
— "But Bella likes you, you fool! How can you like her friend?"
Evan frowned, irritated:
— "No, Bella doesn't like me. That's just your imagination."
— "It's not my imagination—it's how she acts!" Kai shot back.
Evan crossed his arms, smirking sarcastically:
—"Maybe she likes you instead… always praising you like that."
Kai shook his head firmly:
— "Impossible."
Evan smiled with odd confidence:
— "And impossible that she likes me."
They walked back to the dorm in silence, Kai still turning over the words, trying to process his friend's confession. But suddenly, a prickling sensation ran down his spine, a feeling that someone was watching them from afar.
Evan noticed his pause.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Kai answered quietly, cautious.:
—"Nothing…"
Still, the unease lingered until they stepped into the elevator. Kai tried to push it aside, teasing:
— "Do you really want me to study it for you?"
Evan glanced at the ceiling, bored:
— "In your dreams… I barely managed Bella's lessons."
Kai laughed, shaking off the tension that had clung to him all day.
But at the end of the hallway, instinct took over. With lightning reflexes, Kai grabbed a man lurking behind them, pressed him against the wall, his hand gripping the man's neck. His voice was low, dangerous:
—"Who sent you? Why are you following us?"
Evan froze, stepping forward, trying to calm him:
—"Kai, what are you doing?"
Kai's eyes blazed with suspicion:
— "He was following us."
The man stammered, terrified:
— "I… I live here!"
Evan intervened nervously:
— "Yes… I've seen him before. He really lives here."
Kai hesitated for a moment, searching the man's eyes, but found no reassurance. Evan whispered in his ear:
—"Apologies… we don't want trouble."
Finally, Kai released him. The man retreated quickly into the shadows, while Kai kept watch on the spot he disappeared. Evan reached out, guiding him gently:
—"That's enough. Relax a bit… I didn't think you'd react like that."
A faint smile crossed Kai's lips, though it couldn't mask the lingering doubt in his chest:
—"Sorry."
They stepped inside, and everything inside Kai seemed to collapse.
His body trembled as if the ground beneath him had vanished. The moment was charged, every second feeling like the end—not just of the world, but of everything he thought he knew.
There, at the edge of the bed, sat his fathe ,One leg crossed over the other, his cane resting beside him, casually scrolling through his phone as if he were at home. A massive guard stood beside the bed. The instant Lorenzo noticed Kai, he paused, locking eyes with him. The air thickened, heavy and suffocating, the room suddenly feeling like an iron cage.
Kai's heartbeat raced painfully. His father's gaze seemed to pin him to the spot, an invisible tether preventing any escape. The man with the gun had stepped back toward the door, the edges of the room blurring in Kai's vision.
Evan, at his side, noticed the change in Kai. When Kai turned to him, Evan realized the depth of the shock and stepped closer, placing a hand gently on his shoulder, trying to calm him. Concern flickered in Evan's eyes, but Kai remained frozen, unable to speak or move:
—"Kai…?" Evan whispered.
But Kai didn't answer. His eyes stayed fixed on his father as though he were seeing him for the first time, as if his very identity had become uncertain.
The distance between father and son was short, yet it felt insurmountable. Time seemed to stretch, each second growing heavier in Kai's chest. Real fear—true, raw fear—gripped him, the kind that comes from knowing a single moment could turn everything into chaos.
Evan tried again, softly:
—"What's wrong?"
Kai's voice came barely above a whisper, as if it were emerging from the depths of his soul rather than his mouth:
—"Scared…"
Even he couldn't believe he'd said it. The sound was faint, fragile, a stark contrast to the strong, composed image he was used to projecting. But this wasn't voluntary—it was the weakness that had suddenly erupted.
His father's eyes narrowed, as though trying to read Kai's confession. Then he glanced at his personal guard, standing in the shadows, ready for any command. Everything in the room seemed to move in slow motion, and Kai's heart hammered faster than ever.
Evan, still trying to soothe him, cupped Kai's face gently and turned him toward himself. His eyes held genuine concern, words of reassurance that seemed almost futile against the enormity of the situation:
—"Calm down… I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."
Kai looked into Evan's eyes, confusion and disbelief clouding his own. He couldn't grasp it—didn't understand that this man sitting before him wasn't like anyone else in his life. Lorenzo could turn his world upside down in a single second.
Even Evan, despite his insistence, didn't grasp the gravity of the moment.
Then, the faint sound of a cane tapping the floor broke the silence. His father had finally risen. His features were calm, but a certain cruelty lurked beneath that calm, a disturbing edge in his voice as he said:
—"Kai… my son."
It was as if the world had arrived at a tipping point. There was no escape from the truth Kai had been trying to avoid all his life.