Kai couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of his stomach. The challenge had been set. Ten days until he would face Hana. Five days until their first test. The gravity of what he’d done hung over him like a storm cloud, but underneath the fear was something stronger—a fierce determination. He had to stand up to her. He had to prove that he wasn’t bound by the same dark path she had taken.

For the next few days, Kai threw himself into preparation. He spent hours after school training, going over every hand-to-hand combat technique he knew. He wasn’t an expert, but he had taken a few classes when he was younger, and his father had taught him a thing or two about self-defense. But this wasn’t about skill—it was about willpower. And Kai was determined to show Hana that he wasn’t afraid.

On the third day, as he trained alone in the school’s gym, the door creaked open. Kai glanced up, wiping the sweat from his brow. He wasn’t surprised to see Minseo standing there, her dark eyes scanning the room until they found him. She walked over, her footsteps soft against the polished wood floor.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said, her voice quiet but firm.

Kai sighed, dropping his hands to his sides. “I’m not avoiding you. I’ve just… got a lot going on.”

Minseo crossed her arms, her gaze never leaving his face. “Yeah, I can see that. You’re in here every day after school, beating yourself up. What’s going on, Kai?”

He hesitated, unsure of how to explain. Minseo had been kind to him, and he didn’t want to drag her into the mess that was his life. But he couldn’t keep pushing her away either. She deserved more than that.

“I’m… training for something,” Kai said, the words feeling hollow as they left his mouth. He couldn’t exactly tell her he was preparing for a fight with a ghost from a cursed ledger.

Minseo raised an eyebrow. “Training? For what, exactly? You’re not trying out for some school team, are you? Because I don’t remember you ever being into sports.”

Kai let out a dry laugh. “No, it’s not that.”

She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Then what is it?”

Kai hesitated again, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way to explain without giving away too much. But Minseo wasn’t going to let it go. She could see through his half-truths, and he knew it.

“It’s complicated,” he finally said, running a hand through his damp hair. “There’s… something I need to do. Something that’s been hanging over me for a long time.”

Minseo’s expression softened, and she uncrossed her arms, stepping even closer until they were only a few feet apart. “Kai, you don’t have to deal with everything on your own. I told you I’m here for you. Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”

Kai looked away, his chest tightening with guilt. He wanted to tell her, wanted to explain everything—about the Ledger, about Hana, about the fight that was looming on the horizon. But how could he expect her to understand? How could he burden her with something so dangerous?

“I know,” he said quietly, his eyes focused on the floor. “But this… this is different.”

Minseo studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she reached out, placing a hand on his arm. Her touch was gentle, but it sent a wave of warmth through him, a stark contrast to the cold fear that had been gnawing at him for days.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Kai,” she said softly, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I can see that it’s eating you up inside. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

He glanced at her, the weight of her words settling over him like a blanket. For a moment, he considered telling her everything—about the Ledger, about the power it held, and the terrifying truth behind Hana’s challenge. But as the words hovered on the tip of his tongue, something stopped him. Was it fear? Or was it the knowledge that if he told her, she might try to stop him?

“I appreciate it, Minseo,” Kai said, his voice quiet but sincere. “Really, I do. But this is something I need to handle on my own.”

She frowned, her hand still resting on his arm. “Why? Why does it always have to be just you? You don’t have to face whatever this is by yourself.”

Kai shook his head, his gaze turning distant. “Because it’s my responsibility. It’s something I need to prove… to myself.”

Minseo’s frown deepened, and she withdrew her hand, letting it fall to her side. “I don’t get it. I don’t understand why you’re doing this to yourself.”

Kai opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the gym door creaked open again. This time, it wasn’t Minseo who entered—it was Jin.

Kai’s entire body tensed at the sight of him, his muscles coiling instinctively. Jin sauntered into the gym, his smirk as infuriating as ever. He glanced between Kai and Minseo, his grin widening.

“Well, well, well. Look who’s here,” Jin said, his voice dripping with mockery. “You two lovebirds having a little heart-to-heart?”

Minseo’s eyes flashed with anger, but she stayed quiet, her jaw clenched. Kai, on the other hand, could feel his blood boiling. The last thing he needed was Jin’s obnoxious presence. Not now.

“Leave us alone, Jin,” Kai muttered, his voice low.

Jin let out a mocking laugh, ignoring the tension in the room. “Oh, come on. I’m just here to see if you’re ready for tomorrow, loser. I can’t wait to see what new tricks you’ve got up your sleeve.”

Kai’s heart skipped a beat. Tomorrow. He had almost forgotten—the fight wasn’t just with Hana. Jin had challenged him to a fight after school tomorrow, and he knew that Jin wasn’t going to hold back.

Minseo’s eyes widened, her gaze snapping to Kai. “What is he talking about?”

Kai sighed, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “It’s nothing. Just something I have to deal with.”

Jin grinned, clearly enjoying the situation. “Oh, it’s something, alright. It’s going to be hilarious watching you get your ass handed to you in front of the whole school.”

Minseo took a step forward, her voice hard. “You’re pathetic, Jin. Why don’t you just leave Kai alone?”

Jin shrugged, unfazed by her words. “Why should I? It’s fun watching him squirm. Besides, it’s not like anyone’s going to stop me.”

Kai’s fists tightened, his knuckles turning white. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside him, the same anger that Hana had been trying to use against him. But he wasn’t going to let it control him. Not this time.

“Enough,” Kai said, his voice calm but filled with resolve. “Jin, I’ll deal with you tomorrow. But I’m not afraid of you.”

Jin raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Kai’s sudden confidence. “Oh? Not afraid, huh? We’ll see about that.”

With a final sneer, Jin turned and left the gym, his laughter echoing down the hallway. Minseo watched him go, her face a mixture of anger and concern. When she turned back to Kai, her expression softened.

“Kai,” she said quietly, “what’s really going on?”

He shook his head, unable to meet her eyes. “I told you… it’s something I have to handle on my own.”

Minseo sighed, stepping closer to him again. “You’re not alone, Kai. No matter what you think, I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Kai’s heart clenched at her words. He wanted to believe her, wanted to lean on her support. But deep down, he knew that the fight with Jin was only the beginning. The real battle was with Hana, and that was something he would have to face alone.

“I know,” he said softly, offering her a small, tired smile. “Thank you.”

Minseo didn’t look satisfied, but she nodded, clearly sensing that she wasn’t going to get more out of him today. “Just… be careful, okay? Whatever’s going on, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Kai nodded, the weight of her words sinking into him. He had five days to prepare for Hana’s test and just one more day before his fight with Jin. The challenges were stacking up, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready.

But one thing was certain—he wasn’t going to back down.