Kai’s mind raced as he locked eyes with Hana, her stance still steady, but there was a subtle change in the air around them. This wasn’t the same reckless Kai she had been pushing for the last few hours. No, he had been paying attention, learning from every strike and every counter she threw at him. But more importantly, Kai had a plan—a plan that Hana would never see coming.

He didn’t want to rely on the Ledger, not if he could help it. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and this fight was never just about strength. Hana had told him that herself, and he had listened.

Kai's body ached, his muscles groaning in protest as he shifted his stance, but the pain didn’t matter. His mind was sharp now, clearer than it had ever been. The real fight wasn’t with his fists; it was with his choices. He had made one before the fight even began.

As Hana moved to strike, Kai blocked her blow, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange. For a split second, Kai’s gaze flickered, and Hana seemed to sense it—a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face, so brief it was almost imperceptible. But Kai saw it. He knew she could feel that something was off.

"What's the matter, Kai?" Hana said, her voice steady but edged with suspicion. "You’re fighting differently."

Kai grinned, the corner of his mouth bloodied but determined. "Maybe I’m starting to understand what you’ve been trying to tell me."

Hana’s eyes narrowed, and she stepped back, circling him cautiously now. "Understanding isn’t enough. You can’t just rely on a few lucky moves and call it progress."

Kai took a deep breath, centering himself. His fists were raised, but this time, his movements were slower, more deliberate. He didn’t need to win this fight with brute force—he had something else in play.

"You know," Kai said, his voice low but steady, "this fight isn’t about us, is it? It never was."

Hana’s eyes flickered with something like curiosity, but she didn’t respond. She was waiting for him to make his move.

"I’ve been thinking," Kai continued, sidestepping one of her jabs. "You said I needed to understand why I was fighting. And now I do. This fight isn’t about you and me. It’s about the Ledger, isn’t it?"

Hana’s jaw tightened, her eyes flashing with warning. "Don’t bring the Ledger into this."

Kai’s heart raced, but he kept his voice calm. "You’re not afraid of me, Hana. You’re afraid of the power that I might have. The power that you’ve been using all along." He paused, watching her closely. "But what if that power could be taken from you?"

Hana’s face hardened, but there was the slightest flicker of doubt in her eyes. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Don’t I?" Kai pressed, taking a step forward. "You told me you had no choice. That you had to keep using it. But what if you didn’t?"

Hana’s fists clenched, but she didn’t strike. She seemed to be holding something back now, something she didn’t want to admit. Kai could feel the shift in her energy. She wasn’t fighting as aggressively, and that was when he knew his plan was working.

"You’ve been using the Ledger this whole time," Kai said, his voice quieter now, almost sympathetic. "But there’s something about it you haven’t told me. Something you’re afraid of."

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Hana’s eyes darted to the side, just for a moment, but it was enough for Kai to see through her. She was hiding something—something important.

Kai took another step forward, lowering his fists slightly. "You told me that the Ledger comes with a price. You were right. But what if that price could be paid? What if it could be over for you?"

Hana’s lips parted, but she didn’t speak. Her chest heaved with barely restrained anger—or was it fear?

"Before this fight," Kai continued, his voice calm but relentless, "I had Minseo write something in the Ledger."

Hana’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. "What did you do?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

Kai didn’t flinch. "I had her write down your real name."

The silence between them stretched out, thick with tension. Hana’s expression shifted from shock to fury in an instant, her fists clenching tightly at her sides. "You don’t know what you’ve done."

"I know exactly what I’ve done," Kai said, his voice steady but firm. "This fight wasn’t about beating you in hand-to-hand combat. It was about taking back control. You said it yourself—I needed to understand why I was fighting. Now I do. I’m fighting for my freedom. And maybe for yours too."

Hana’s eyes burned with rage, but there was something else behind it—something like fear, or maybe regret. "You don’t understand what the Ledger is. What it can do. You’re playing with something you can’t control."

Kai shook his head. "Maybe not. But I know that the only way to end this is by facing it head-on. I’m not afraid of the Ledger anymore, Hana. And I’m not afraid of you."

Hana’s fists were trembling now, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. "If my name’s in that book, then you’ve just signed my death sentence. Is that what you wanted?"

Kai stared at her, his expression unwavering. "No. I wanted to give you a choice."

Hana blinked, her anger faltering for a moment. "A choice?"

Kai nodded. "You said you didn’t have a choice, that you were trapped by the Ledger’s power. But now you do. You can either keep fighting, keep using that power until it destroys you—or you can let go of it. The Ledger can’t control you anymore, Hana. Not if you don’t let it."

Hana’s face twisted with a mixture of emotions—anger, confusion, disbelief. "You think this is some kind of game? You think I can just walk away from this?"

"I think you can," Kai said quietly. "If you want to."

Hana stood frozen for a moment, her body tense and rigid. The air between them crackled with intensity as they stared each other down. But something in her seemed to shift, like a weight she had been carrying for far too long.

"You don’t know what you’re asking," Hana whispered, her voice raw. "You don’t know what it’s like to live with this power."

Kai’s gaze softened, but his resolve remained firm. "Maybe I don’t. But I do know that if you keep using it, it’ll destroy you. Just like it almost destroyed me."

Hana’s breath hitched, her eyes searching his face as if looking for some kind of answer, some way out of the impossible choice she was facing.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hana dropped her fists. Her shoulders slumped, and for the first time, she looked... tired. Vulnerable.

"You really think it’s that simple?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kai stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "I don’t know if it’s simple. But I know it’s the right thing to do. And you do too."

Hana’s eyes shimmered with unspoken emotions—fear, anger, regret. But there was something else too. Hope.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The tension in the air seemed to dissolve, replaced by something softer, something more human.

Finally, Hana exhaled slowly, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I never wanted this."

"I know," Kai said gently. "But now you have a choice."

Hana looked up at him, her eyes heavy with everything she had been carrying. She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. "And if I choose wrong?"

Kai shook his head. "You won’t."

Hana hesitated, her hands trembling at her sides. Then, slowly, she nodded.

Kai reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don’t have to fight anymore. Not like this."

Hana stared at him for a long moment, her eyes wide and searching. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.

Kai watched her go, his chest tight with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. He knew this wasn’t the end—it couldn’t be. But for the first time, he felt like he had taken control. Not just of the fight, but of his own future.

As he stood there in the empty gym, the Ledger still heavy in his bag, Kai knew one thing for certain: this fight wasn’t over. Not yet.