Kai sat on the edge of his bed, the Soul Ledger in front of him, glowing faintly in the dim light of his room. His hand hovered over the pen, trembling as the weight of his decision pressed down on him. The air in the room was thick, almost suffocating, and the silence was broken only by the soft hum of the pages, beckoning him.

Hana’s voice echoed in his mind. *“Just write their names. End it. End all of this.”* It had been days since she first whispered those words to him, and they clung to him like a shadow, following his every step, filling his every thought.

But tonight, it was different. Tonight, Hana wasn’t just a voice in his head. She was there, standing across the room, her eyes burning with an intensity that made Kai's skin crawl.

“Write the names, Kai,” Hana said softly, her voice deceptively calm. “You know you want to. Jin, his friends, the people who’ve hurt you—they deserve it. All it takes is one stroke of the pen, and they’ll never bother you again.”

Kai clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. “I don’t want to do this, Hana.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me. I can see it in you. That anger, that hatred—it’s festering inside. You can’t hold it in forever. This... this is the only way to make it stop.”

Kai shook his head, the conflict raging inside him. He felt a surge of anger rising, but he pushed it down, trying to keep his emotions in check. “I’m not like you,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m not going to kill anyone.”

Hana took a step closer, her presence almost overwhelming. She was taller than she appeared, more imposing, her eyes flickering with something almost inhuman. “You think this is about being like me? This is about survival, Kai. You’ve seen what they do to you. You know they won’t stop until they break you.”

“They already have,” Kai muttered, his voice barely audible.

Hana’s expression softened for a moment, but the fire in her eyes remained. “Then take back your power. Don’t let them walk all over you. You have something no one else has. Use it.”

Kai stood abruptly, shoving the Ledger off his lap, watching as it landed on the floor with a dull thud. “I’m not going to do it!” he shouted, his voice cracking. “I’m not like you. I won’t let this thing control me!”

Hana’s face twisted into a sneer, her patience wearing thin. “You think you’re above this? You think you’re better than me? Look at yourself, Kai. Look at what they’ve done to you. You’re already broken, already lost.”

Kai felt a lump form in his throat, the truth of her words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. But he couldn’t let her win. He couldn’t let this darkness consume him.

“I’m not going to kill anyone,” he repeated, his voice quieter now, but firmer. “I won’t become a monster.”

Hana scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “A monster? You think doing this makes you a monster? No, Kai. Doing nothing makes you weak. It makes you prey. Is that what you want? To be their prey for the rest of your life?”

Kai looked away, his chest tightening. He could still hear Jin’s voice, still feel the sting of their mockery. But every time he thought of writing their names, something inside him recoiled.

“I’ll figure out another way,” he said, his voice wavering slightly. “There has to be another way.”

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Hana let out a humorless laugh. “Another way? There’s no other way, Kai. This is the only way. You can’t escape it. You have the power, and sooner or later, you’ll have to use it. The world doesn’t care about people like you. No one’s going to save you. You have to save yourself.”

Kai’s jaw clenched. “I’m not going to use it, Hana. Not like you did.”

Her eyes flared with anger. “Don’t be a fool, Kai. I’m giving you a gift. A chance to take control. Do you think I used the Ledger because I enjoyed it? I used it because I had to. Because it was the only way to survive in a world that didn’t care if I lived or died.”

Kai felt a chill run down his spine. For a moment, he saw something vulnerable in Hana’s eyes—something that almost made him feel sorry for her. Almost.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “But I can’t do it.”

Hana’s expression hardened again, her anger bubbling beneath the surface. “Fine,” she hissed. “But don’t come crying to me when they beat you down again. Don’t come looking for my help when you realize you’re too weak to stand up for yourself.”

Kai said nothing, his eyes focused on the floor. He could feel the tension between them thickening, the weight of Hana’s disappointment pressing down on him.

“You’ll regret this,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “Mark my words, Kai. You’ll regret not using the power you’ve been given.”

Kai stood his ground, his fists clenched at his sides. “Maybe I will. But I’d rather live with regret than with blood on my hands.”

Hana glared at him for a long moment, her eyes burning with fury. Then, without another word, she vanished, dissolving into the shadows like smoke. The room felt colder, emptier without her presence, but Kai felt a strange sense of relief wash over him.

He collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His heart was racing, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He had stood up to Hana. He had refused to give in to the darkness. But the weight of what he had just done still lingered, heavy and suffocating.

The Soul Ledger lay on the floor, its cover glinting faintly in the dim light. It called to him, whispered to him, but Kai turned away, refusing to look at it.

“I’m not like her,” he whispered to himself. “I’m not like Hana.”

But even as he said the words, doubt crept into his mind. He had resisted this time, but how long could he keep resisting? How long before the anger, the pain, the fear became too much to bear?

Kai closed his eyes, trying to block out the thoughts, but the silence was deafening. He had won this battle, but the war was far from over. And deep down, he knew it.

The Ledger wasn’t done with him. Not yet.

***

The next day at school, Kai could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the previous night still clinging to him. As he walked through the halls, he noticed the looks—some curious, others mocking—but he kept his head down, trying to ignore them.

Jin’s voice rang out from down the hallway, loud and obnoxious as always. “Hey, loser! Where do you think you’re going?”

Kai’s stomach twisted, but he forced himself to keep walking. He wasn’t going to let Jin get to him. Not today.

“Not so tough now, huh?” Jin sneered, stepping in front of him, blocking his path. His friends snickered behind him, egging him on.

Kai met Jin’s gaze, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside him, the urge to lash out, to make Jin pay for everything. But he pushed it down, forced himself to stay calm.

“Move,” Kai said, his voice steady, but laced with tension.

Jin smirked, taking a step closer. “Or what? What are you going to do, huh?”

For a split second, Kai thought about the Ledger. Thought about how easy it would be to end this once and for all. But then Minseo’s voice echoed in his mind.

*“You don’t have to take it, you know. You’re not powerless.”*

Kai took a deep breath, his hands trembling at his sides. “I’m not doing this with you today, Jin.”

Jin raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by Kai’s sudden defiance. But the surprise quickly faded, replaced by a cruel grin. “Oh, look who’s trying to grow a spine. Too bad it won’t do you any good.”

Kai clenched his fists, fighting the urge to retaliate. He wasn’t going to give Jin the satisfaction. He wasn’t going to stoop to his level.

Without another word, Kai sidestepped Jin and walked away, his heart pounding in his chest. He could hear Jin and his friends laughing behind him, but he didn’t look back.

For the first time in a long time, Kai felt a strange sense of control. He hadn’t used the Ledger. He hadn’t let Hana’s words get to him.

But as he walked away, the Ledger’s weight in his bag felt heavier than ever.