Kai sat at his desk, eyes lowered, trying to ignore the constant whispers and giggles from the other students. His hair hung over his face like a shield, but it couldn’t stop the biting words that cut through the air like knives. He clenched his fists under the desk, his knuckles white, trying to stay calm.

"Hey, Kai!" a voice called from the back of the classroom. It was Jin, the leader of the group who had taken a special interest in making Kai’s life miserable. "Why are you so quiet all the time? You think you're better than us or something?"

Kai didn’t respond. He stared blankly at the textbook in front of him, hoping Jin would lose interest if he didn’t engage. But Jin wasn’t the type to give up easily. He walked over to Kai's desk, knocking his books onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Oops," Jin said, mockingly, leaning down close to Kai’s ear. "You gonna pick those up, or are you too good for that too?"

Kai’s chest tightened with anger, but he forced himself to stay still. He wasn’t going to give Jin the satisfaction of seeing him react. But inside, something was shifting. Ever since Hana created him, Kai had felt different. There was something inside him—something dark, powerful. It whispered to him in moments like this, telling him he didn’t have to take this anymore.

Jin kicked one of the books across the room. "What’s wrong, Kai? Scared? You gonna cry like you did last time?"

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The class laughed, a cruel, sharp sound that echoed in Kai’s mind. His fingers twitched. He could feel the power inside him, begging to be let out. But he wasn’t ready. Not yet.

The bell rang, and the classroom emptied out quickly, students rushing to their next class. Jin lingered by the door for a moment, flashing Kai a smug grin before leaving.

Kai bent down to pick up his books, his heart pounding. He knew he couldn’t keep living like this. He had been created for a purpose, and it wasn’t to be a victim. Hana had given him life, but she had also given him the Soul Ledger—a dark, powerful tool that had the potential to change everything.

As Kai stood, gripping the edge of his desk, he could feel the Ledger calling to him, whispering in his mind. It promised him strength, control, the ability to make those who hurt him pay. But Kai hesitated. He had seen what the Ledger had done to Hana, how it had consumed her. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to follow that same path.

But how much longer could he take this? How many more days could he endure Jin’s taunts, the laughter of his classmates, the isolation that came with being different?

As Kai walked out of the classroom, he felt the weight of the Ledger in his bag, heavier than ever. He had a choice to make—either continue being the Kai everyone saw, weak and silent, or embrace the power inside him.

He could end it all. He could make them all pay.

But was that who he wanted to be?

Kai’s mind raced as he walked through the crowded hallways of the school. He barely noticed the people around him, too lost in his own thoughts. His hand brushed against the Ledger in his bag, and for a moment, he imagined what it would feel like to open it again, to write Jin’s name inside.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, a mix of fear and excitement.