Kai walked down the hallway, trying to shake off the dark thoughts that clung to him. His hands tightened around the straps of his backpack as he passed groups of students, their laughter and chatter buzzing in his ears like a constant reminder of his isolation. Jin’s mocking voice echoed in his mind—the sneers, the cruel words—it was always the same.

As he rounded the corner, someone stepped into his path. It was Minseo, a quiet girl from his class. She stood there, her dark eyes filled with concern as she searched his face, as if she could see the storm brewing inside him.

"Kai, are you okay?" Minseo’s voice cut through the noise around them, soft yet firm.

Kai glanced at her, taken aback. It was rare for anyone to even acknowledge his presence, let alone ask how he was. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. His instinct was to brush her off, retreating back into the walls he had built around himself. But something in her eyes made him pause.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, looking away as his heart sank. The lie felt heavy on his tongue.

Minseo didn’t budge. “You don’t look fine. I saw what Jin did back there... He’s always picking on you. Why don’t you tell someone?”

Kai let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “What good would that do? People like Jin don’t stop just because you tell on them. It’ll only make things worse.”

Minseo frowned, her brows knitting together in concern. “You don’t have to take it, you know. There are other ways to deal with people like him.”

Kai’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? What ways?”

She shrugged slightly, her expression turning serious. “I don’t know... but you’re not powerless, Kai. You don’t have to let him push you around. You have a choice.”

A knot tightened in Kai’s chest. He wasn’t powerless. Not really. He had the Ledger. He had the power to end all of this, to stop Jin and anyone else who ever thought they could hurt him. But that power came with a price—one he wasn’t sure he was willing to pay.

“What would you do if you were me?” Kai asked, surprising himself with the question, his voice softer now.

Minseo hesitated, her gaze flickering down the hallway before meeting his again. “I don’t know. I guess I’d stand up for myself, but... it’s hard, right? Especially when it feels like no one’s on your side.”

Kai nodded slowly, feeling the weight of her words. “Yeah. It is. Every time I think it might get better, it just... doesn’t.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the chaos of the hallway fading into a dull hum. Kai could feel the gravity of the decision he had to make pressing down on him. Did he really want to follow the same path as Hana? To use the Ledger to get revenge? Or was there another way?

“I have to go,” Minseo said suddenly, breaking the spell. “But... if you ever want to talk or... need help, I’m here, okay?”

Kai watched her walk away, her words lingering in his mind like a promise. For the first time in a long time, he felt something other than anger or fear. He felt a faint spark of hope. Maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought.

But then Jin’s voice echoed in his mind again, taunting him, reminding him of everything he had endured. The anger bubbled back up, stronger than before, and Kai’s hand instinctively moved to his bag, feeling the outline of the Ledger through the fabric.

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Could he really resist the pull of that power? Could he really walk away from the chance to make Jin pay for everything?

He clenched his jaw, his mind torn between two paths. As he walked out of the school, his footsteps heavy with indecision, one thing was clear: the Ledger was not done with him. And soon, he would have to make his choice.

Later that evening, Kai sat on the edge of his bed, the Ledger resting on his lap. The room was dark, the only light coming from the dim glow of his phone screen. His fingers traced the cover of the Ledger, the power inside it practically humming under his touch. It was intoxicating, this feeling of control, of having the ability to change everything.

He thought about Minseo’s words—about standing up for himself. But standing up to Jin in the normal way didn’t seem like an option. Jin was ruthless, and there was no way Kai could take him on without something like the Ledger.

His phone buzzed with a message. Kai glanced at it, his stomach twisting as he saw Jin’s name flash across the screen.

"See you tomorrow, loser. Can’t wait to make your life hell again. Lol."

Kai’s blood boiled as he stared at the words, the heat rising in his chest. His hands shook as he opened the Ledger, the blank pages waiting for him, whispering to him, urging him to take control.

All it would take was a few strokes of the pen. Just write his name. Write what happens to him.

“Kai, you don’t have to...” he whispered to himself, his heart racing. He could feel the Ledger's energy pulsing under his fingers, almost begging to be used.

But as he prepared to write, the door to his room creaked open. Kai snapped the Ledger shut, his heart pounding as he looked up to see his mother standing in the doorway.

"Kai? Are you okay? You’ve been in here for hours," she said, her voice laced with concern, her brow furrowed.

Kai swallowed hard, trying to calm himself. “Yeah, I’m fine, Mom. Just... doing homework.”

His mother frowned, her gaze flicking to the closed book on his lap. “Alright. Just don’t stay up too late. You know you need your rest.”

As she left, closing the door behind her, Kai let out a shaky breath. The air felt heavy with unspoken words. His heart still raced, his mind swirling with indecision. The Ledger sat on his lap, heavy with temptation. He knew what it wanted him to do.

He glanced at his phone again, Jin’s message still on the screen, and his blood boiled anew. The anger flared up again, but this time, it wasn’t enough to move his hand. The Ledger remained closed, the power inside still, waiting for his command.

“What do I do?” Kai muttered to himself, feeling trapped in a web of fear and anger. He could picture Jin’s smirk, hear the laughter of his classmates as they watched him suffer. “Am I really supposed to just take this?”

He stood up, pacing the small confines of his room. The walls felt like they were closing in, suffocating him. He wanted to scream, to unleash the fury that churned within him. But how? And at what cost?

Kai’s thoughts drifted back to Minseo’s words. You’re not powerless. The idea echoed in his mind like a mantra, but how could he find strength when he felt so small?

Suddenly, he remembered the Ledger. It had the power to change everything, to rewrite the narrative. But it also held the potential to consume him, to make him a monster.

His phone buzzed again, a new message from Minseo lighting up the screen.

"Hey, just checking in. I know things are tough, but I believe in you. Don’t let them get to you."

A small smile crept onto Kai’s face, and for the first time, he felt a flicker of warmth in the coldness surrounding him. Maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought. Maybe there was another way.

He typed a quick response, hesitating before hitting send.

"Thanks, Minseo. I appreciate it."

As he set down the phone, he felt a surge of determination. He didn’t have to rely on the Ledger to fight back. Maybe it was time to stand up for himself in a way that didn’t involve revenge.

With a deep breath, Kai opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out a notebook, flipping to a blank page. He started writing, not names or curses, but a plan. A way to confront Jin and the others.

“I won’t let them break me,” he said aloud, his voice steady and strong. “I’ll find a way to be me, without this darkness.”

As he wrote, the storm inside him began to calm, replaced by a newfound sense of purpose. He still had a long way to go, but for the first time, he felt like he was taking control—not through the Ledger, but through his own strength.

Tomorrow, he would face Jin. And he wouldn’t back down.