As Kai stepped forward—
ready to end it—
Ren's voice cut through.
"…Kai, wait."
For a split second—
everything paused.
But Kai didn't.
CRACK.
The sound was sharp.
Final.
The bully's body dropped to the ground.
Lifeless.
Silence filled the street.
Ren stood there.
Frozen.
His eyes locked on the body.
Then slowly—
he looked at Kai.
"…When did you become like this?"
Kai didn't answer.
And in that silence—
something in Ren's mind shifted.
Old memories—
coming back.
Flashback
The school hallway.
Bright.
Normal.
Alive.
Ren walked beside Kai, arms crossed, clearly annoyed.
"…Why are you out of class?"
Kai shrugged, hands in his pockets.
"I just don't feel like being in it."
"Even the principal keeps ordering me to go back."
Ren frowned.
He looked at him more seriously.
"What's actually going on?"
Kai smirked slightly.
"You can't just blow off the principal. They're going to suspend you this time."
"Fair enough."
"That place is a prison anyway."
Ren sighed.
"…If Mom finds out the principal had to chase you down, we're both dead."
Kai laughed lightly.
"I don't think she's going to be mad at you."
"…Only me."
Ren shook his head.
"And you think walking around the halls is going to make it better?"
He pointed slightly down the corridor.
"Just go to the library or something so you're at least out of sight."
Kai looked at him for a second.
Then smirked again.
"…You worry too much."
Ren didn't respond.
But he kept walking beside him.
Back to Present
The silence returned.
But now—
it felt heavier.
Ren looked at Kai again.
Not as his twin brother.
But as something… different.
Something that had crossed a line.
Kai finally spoke.
"…He was going to kill you."
Ren's voice came out low.
"…So you killed him first?"
Kai didn't look away.
"…Yeah."
Silence.
The body lay between them.
And for the first time—
the distance between Ren and Kai
felt real.
To be continued...