Kai stood in the middle of the empty gym, Minseo’s words echoing in his mind. Her concern, her offer of support, the way she looked at him like she could sense there was more he wasn’t telling her. He wanted to trust her, wanted to believe that he didn’t have to face everything alone. But the truth was, this battle—both with Jin and with Hana—was something that went beyond her understanding. There was no room for anyone else to get involved.

As he clenched his fists, his knuckles still aching from the training session, the door creaked open again. Kai tensed, expecting Jin to come swaggering back in, but it wasn’t Jin. It was Hana.

She stood in the doorway, her eyes fixed on him with that unsettling mix of coldness and amusement. It was like she could see right through him, like she knew everything he was feeling. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence in the gym stretching on, thick with tension.

“Well,” Hana said finally, her voice smooth and mocking, “you’re certainly preparing hard for our little encounter. I’ve been watching you.”

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

Hana smirked, stepping further into the gym, her footsteps soft and deliberate. “Just checking in. Seeing if you’ve come to your senses yet.”

Kai bristled at her words. “My senses? What’s that supposed to mean?”

She tilted her head, her eyes flashing with something dark and dangerous. “It means you’re wasting your time with all this… training. You and I both know that no amount of push-ups or jabs at a punching bag are going to change what’s coming. The fight between us? It’s already been decided.”

Kai’s heart pounded in his chest, but he refused to let her get into his head. “You don’t know that. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Hana laughed, the sound cold and sharp. “Don’t I? I’ve seen you struggle, Kai. I’ve watched you wrestle with that anger inside of you, the desire for revenge. It’s only a matter of time before you give in.”

“I’m not like you,” Kai shot back, his voice firm, though there was a flicker of doubt in his chest. “I don’t need the Ledger to win. I don’t need to become something I’m not just to prove a point.”

Hana’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with something like triumph. “Oh, but you do, Kai. You’re lying to yourself if you think you can beat me without using the Ledger. You’ve seen what it can do. You’ve felt its power. And deep down, you want that power. You want to make Jin pay for everything he’s done to you.”

Kai swallowed hard, the image of Jin’s smug face flashing in his mind. The thought of using the Ledger to finally put an end to Jin’s bullying was tempting, more tempting than he wanted to admit. But he couldn’t give in to that temptation. If he did, he would be no better than Hana.

“I told you,” Kai said, his voice strained, “I’m not going to use the Ledger. I can win this on my own.”

Hana’s expression shifted, her amusement fading into something colder, more dangerous. She took another step forward, her gaze locked onto his. “You’re making a mistake, Kai. A fatal one.”

Kai stood his ground, though his hands shook slightly at his sides. “Maybe. But I’d rather lose on my own terms than win by becoming someone I hate.”

Hana’s lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, she looked almost disappointed. Then her expression hardened again. “Suit yourself. But you and I both know that when the time comes, you won’t have the luxury of choice. When you’re staring defeat in the face, you’ll turn to the Ledger. You’ll write down Jin’s name, or mine, and you’ll take the power that’s right in front of you.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Kai clenched his jaw, his muscles taut with tension. “You’re wrong.”

Hana shook her head slowly, her voice lowering into something almost like a whisper. “We’ll see.”

They stood there, facing each other, the air between them thick with the unspoken challenge. Kai’s heart raced in his chest, the reality of what was to come sinking in deeper. He didn’t have long—five days until the test, ten until the fight. And Hana, for all her words, wasn’t going to wait forever.

After what felt like an eternity, Hana turned on her heel and started walking toward the door. “Five days, Kai,” she called over her shoulder. “Then we’ll see who’s really in control.”

Kai watched her leave, his fists still clenched, his mind swirling with uncertainty. She was right about one thing—the fight wasn’t just physical. It was a battle of wills, a test of who could hold out longer, and Hana had the advantage. She had the Ledger. She had control. But Kai refused to believe that he was powerless. He couldn’t give in. Not now, not ever.

As the door clicked shut behind Hana, Kai let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of the confrontation settle over him. He needed to prepare. He needed to be ready—not just physically, but mentally. If he was going to face Hana, he had to make sure that he didn’t fall into her trap, that he didn’t let the temptation of the Ledger consume him.

For the next several hours, Kai threw himself into training with renewed focus. His muscles burned, his body ached, but he pushed through it, forcing himself to ignore the pain. Every punch, every kick, every movement was a reminder of what was at stake. He couldn’t afford to lose. Not to Hana. Not to Jin.

But as the hours stretched on, a nagging thought lingered in the back of his mind: Could he really do it without the Ledger? Could he really win this fight on his own terms?

The next day, as Kai sat through his classes, the looming fight weighed heavily on his mind. Jin kept casting glances his way, that smug grin never leaving his face. It was obvious that Jin was relishing the idea of the upcoming confrontation, eager to humiliate Kai in front of everyone. But Kai wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. He was determined to keep his composure, to not let Jin’s taunts get under his skin.

At lunch, Minseo found him sitting alone at the back of the cafeteria, staring blankly at his tray of food. She sat down across from him without a word, her presence comforting but filled with unspoken concern.

“You’ve got that look again,” she said after a moment, her voice cutting through the fog of Kai’s thoughts.

He glanced up at her, blinking. “What look?”

Minseo shrugged, picking at her food. “That ‘I’m about to do something stupid’ look. You’ve had it a lot lately.”

Kai sighed, pushing his tray away. “It’s not stupid. It’s… necessary.”

Minseo’s eyes narrowed slightly, her expression softening with worry. “Necessary for what? Kai, you still haven’t told me what’s going on. And I’m starting to get really worried.”

Kai hesitated, torn between the desire to confide in her and the need to protect her from the truth. He couldn’t drag her into this—she didn’t deserve to get caught up in the darkness surrounding the Ledger. But at the same time, he was tired of carrying the weight of everything alone.

“It’s just… something I have to do,” Kai said finally, his voice quiet. “There’s someone I have to face.”

Minseo leaned forward, her gaze intense. “Is it Jin? Are you seriously going to fight him?”

Kai shook his head. “It’s not just Jin. There’s… someone else. Someone more dangerous.”

Minseo’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who?”

Kai hesitated, his mind racing as he tried to find the right words. He couldn’t tell her about Hana—not yet. But he also couldn’t keep her in the dark forever.

“Someone from my past,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “She’s… challenging me. And I have to be ready.”

Minseo frowned, clearly not satisfied with the vague explanation. “Kai, I don’t understand. Why can’t you just walk away from this? Why do you have to fight?”

Kai looked down at the table, his fingers tracing the edge of his tray. “Because if I don’t, she’ll keep coming. She won’t stop until she gets what she wants. And I can’t let her win.”

Minseo was silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on him as if she was trying to read between the lines. Finally, she let out a sigh, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know what’s going on, Kai. But if you need me, I’m here. Just… don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

Kai nodded, grateful for her support, even though he knew she couldn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation. The truth was, he was already in too deep. The fight with Hana was inevitable, and he couldn’t turn back now.

Later that evening, as Kai stood in front of the mirror in his room, he stared at his reflection, his fists clenched at his sides. Ten days. Five until the test. He had to be ready.