Rain fell like the sky was cracking apart.
Not soft. Not gentle.
Each drop struck the ground with sharp intent, bouncing off the pavement and turning the city into a shimmering blur of reflected light.
Under a flickering streetlamp stood Kai Ren.
He looked like someone the world had already tried to wear down—but hadn't quite succeeded.
Tall for his age, with a lean, slightly athletic build, Kai carried himself in a quiet, guarded way. His posture wasn't weak—just… reserved, like he was always holding something back.
His hair was messy, jet black, falling unevenly over his eyes as if he never cared enough to fix it. Strands clung slightly to his forehead from the damp air. His eyes—dark grey, almost colorless in the dim light—held a constant, distant focus, like he was always thinking about something just out of reach.
He wore a simple dark hoodie layered under a worn jacket, sleeves slightly too long, the fabric damp from the rain. Nothing flashy. Nothing special.
But something about him felt… heavy.
Like silence followed him.
Water pooled around his shoes as he stood still, hands buried deep in his pockets, watching the city move without him.
Cars passed in streaks of white and red. Neon lights flickered against glass windows. People hurried by, chasing warmth, purpose—anything but the cold rain soaking through everything.
Everything looked normal.
And that's what made it feel wrong.
"Oi! You're doing that thing again."
Kai didn't turn.
"I'm not doing anything."
Footsteps splashed toward him—quick, careless, full of energy that didn't match the night.
Then—
thud
Someone bumped into his shoulder.
"You get all quiet and weird like you're the main character in some depressing story."
Kai exhaled softly, almost a sigh, almost a laugh. "Maybe I am."
"Then your story needs better writing."
He glanced sideways.
And just like that—
The heaviness in the air eased.
Lina Voss stood beside him.
If Kai felt like silence, Lina felt like motion.
She was slightly shorter than him, with a light, agile build that made her movements quick and expressive. She never really stood still—always shifting, always alive.
Her hair was a warm chestnut brown, cut just above her shoulders, slightly messy but in a way that looked natural rather than careless. Strands framed her face, sticking lightly to her cheeks from the rain.
Her eyes were the opposite of Kai's.
Bright amber.
Sharp, expressive, full of life.
The kind of eyes that noticed everything—and refused to ignore it.
She wore a light jacket over a simple shirt, half-zipped like she'd rushed out without thinking. A thin chain hung loosely around her neck, barely visible under the fabric. Her sleeves were rolled slightly, and despite the rain, she didn't seem bothered at all.
She looked like someone who didn't let the world slow her down.
And somehow—
She always dragged Kai along with her.
"You're late," Kai said.
"You're early," Lina shot back instantly.
"There's no difference."
"There is when I say there is."
Kai shook his head slightly, but the faintest hint of a smile formed.
They stood side by side.
Different.
Completely opposite.
And yet—
Perfectly in sync.
Lina tilted her head, studying him closely.
"…You're thinking again."
"I always think."
"Yeah, but this is different." She nudged him lightly. "This is your 'something's wrong' face."
Kai frowned.
"That's not a thing."
"It is. I've known you too long."
He didn't argue.
Because she was right.
There was something wrong.
He just couldn't explain it.
The air felt heavy.
Too heavy.
Like something unseen was pressing down on the world.
Then—
A sound.
Low.
Unnatural.
Wrong.
Kai's head lifted slightly.
"…did you hear that?"
Lina's expression shifted instantly. The lightness in her eyes dimmed just a little.
"…yeah."
The sound came again.
A deep, strained crack—like reality itself was being forced apart.
The streetlight above them flickered violently.
Once.
Twice.
Then steadied.
"…Kai."
He didn't answer.
Because he was staring ahead.
The space near a nearby building… warped.
At first, it looked like heat distortion.
But darker.
Thicker.
Alive.
It twisted unnaturally, stretching and snapping back like something was trying to break through from the other side.
Lina stepped slightly closer to Kai.
"What… is that?"
"I don't know…"
But his body already knew.
Every instinct screamed the same thing.
Run.
The ground trembled.
Glass shattered outward from the building in a violent burst. People screamed as panic spread instantly, bodies colliding as they tried to escape.
"What's happening?!" Lina grabbed his arm.
"I—"
The distortion pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
Everything broke.
The building collapsed with a deafening roar.
Concrete twisted.
Steel snapped.
Dust exploded outward, swallowing the street whole.
"KAI—!"
Her voice—
Gone.
Kai froze.
For a single second—
The world disappeared.
Then—
"LINA!"
He ran.
Fast.
Faster than he ever had before.
His shoes slipped on wet pavement, but he didn't fall. Couldn't fall.
Not now.
Not when—
He reached the rubble and dropped to his knees instantly, hands tearing into broken concrete without hesitation.
"Lina! Lina, answer me!"
Sharp edges sliced into his skin.
Blood mixed with rainwater.
He didn't stop.
Didn't feel it.
"Come on—say something!"
"…Kai…"
His entire body froze.
That voice—
Weak.
Fading.
But real.
"LINA!"
He dug faster, panic flooding every part of him.
"I'm here! I'm right here! Just hold on!"
"I… can't…"
"Don't say that! You're fine—I've got you!"
The rubble shifted dangerously.
Another crack echoed above.
Closer.
Louder.
Kai's hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From knowing.
There wasn't enough time.
"No… no—just a little more—!"
He pushed harder, ignoring everything else.
"I'm not leaving you! Do you hear me?! I'm not—"
The world stuttered.
The rain stopped mid-air.
Debris froze.
Sound vanished.
Kai blinked.
"…what?"
Everything snapped.
He was back under the streetlight.
Dry.
Unhurt.
Breathing hard.
The city stood untouched.
The building intact.
No screams.
No destruction.
"…Kai?"
He turned slowly.
Lina stood there.
Alive.
Exactly the same.
Bright eyes.
Messy hair.
That same expression.
"Oi! You're doing that thing again."
Kai's voice came out barely above a whisper.
"…that's not possible."
And deep inside him—
Something had already begun to break.