Kai sat alone on the rooftop of the academy, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting the world in a warm, golden hue. The breeze was gentle, carrying the distant sounds of students training below. The day had been long, filled with planning and strategy sessions, but now, in this quiet moment, Kai felt a heaviness that went beyond fatigue—a weight in his chest that he could no longer ignore.
For weeks, he had felt it—a strange, nagging ache that would come and go, sometimes leaving him breathless, his heart pounding as if it were trying to burst free from his ribcage. He had brushed it off as exhaustion, the toll of constant battles and pushing his powers to their limits. But lately, it had grown worse. Much worse.
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Kai instinctively clutched his chest, gasping for air. He closed his eyes, trying to focus, to steady his breathing.
His thoughts drifted to Yuta, Reina, and the others. They were counting on him. The team needed him to be strong, to lead them against the growing threat from the facility. Yet, here he was, unable to catch his breath, his heart racing in a frantic rhythm that terrified him.
Suddenly, the door to the rooftop creaked open. Reina stepped out, a look of concern crossing her face as she saw Kai slumped against the wall. "Kai…?" she called out, her voice laced with worry. "Are you okay?"
Kai opened his eyes, trying to smile, but it was weak. "Yeah… just… just catching my breath," he managed to say, but his voice was strained, thin.
Reina wasn't convinced. She moved closer, her brows furrowing. "You don't look fine, Kai. You're pale… and your breathing… it's—"
Kai held up a hand to stop her. "I'm okay, Reina," he insisted, but his voice broke on the last word. The pain in his chest flared, sharper now, radiating down his left arm. He grimaced, trying to hide it, but it was no use.
Reina's eyes widened, and she knelt beside him, her hand hovering over his. "Kai, you're not okay. What's going on?"
Kai took a shaky breath, sweat beading on his forehead. "I… I've been feeling off for a while now… just thought it was the stress… the battles… I didn't want to worry anyone."
"Not worry anyone?" Reina's voice cracked, panic seeping in. "Kai, you should have told us! We could have helped, gotten you checked out!"
Kai managed a faint smile, even as his vision blurred. "I didn't want to be a burden… I thought it would pass…"
Reina's face tightened with fear. "Kai, listen to me. We need to get you to the medical wing. Now."
Kai shook his head, the movement sending a wave of dizziness through him. "No… there's no time… you need to focus on the mission. I'll… I'll be fine."
Reina grabbed his shoulders, her grip firm. "Damn it, Kai, stop pretending everything is fine! You're in pain, I can see it! Let us help you!"
Kai's heart was pounding faster, erratic, and he felt a cold sweat break out across his skin. "Reina…" he whispered, his voice barely audible now, "I… I think I know what this is… I think… I think it's my heart…"
Reina's eyes widened further. "Your heart? Kai, you—"
Before she could finish, Kai's body shuddered, a sharp gasp escaping his lips as the pain in his chest intensified, stealing his breath away. His hand gripped Reina's shoulder, his fingers digging into her skin as if anchoring himself to reality.
Reina's voice broke with desperation. "Kai, hold on! We'll get help, just hold on, okay?"
Kai's vision was darkening at the edges, his strength fading fast. He tried to speak, to tell Reina how much he appreciated her, Yuta, and the others, how much their friendship had meant to him, but the words wouldn't come. His chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside.
Reina's voice became distant, her face a blur as she shouted for help. Kai could hear footsteps, hurried and frantic, but they seemed far away, like echoes from another world.
"Kai! Stay with me!" Reina's voice cut through the haze, sharp and clear. "Please, stay with me!"
Kai's lips moved, but no sound came out. He tried again, his voice a weak whisper. "Reina… tell Yuta… tell everyone… thank you…"
Reina shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, Kai, you can tell them yourself! Just hold on!"
But Kai's eyes were closing, his body growing numb. The pain in his chest had subsided, replaced by a strange, peaceful calm. His breath was shallow, his heartbeat slowing, a rhythm that seemed to be fading into silence.
He felt a warmth spreading through his body, and in his mind's eye, he saw flashes of memories—moments with Yuta, Reina, Arion, and the others. Their laughter, their struggles, their victories… everything they had faced together. A small smile formed on his lips, a sense of gratitude washing over him.
And then, as if the world itself was slowing down, Kai exhaled one last time, his body going still.
Reina's voice was a distant cry now, pleading, filled with anguish. "Kai! No, no, no… please, Kai…"
But Kai was gone. His heart, once so full of determination and fire, had finally given out.
Reina collapsed beside him, her sobs echoing across the rooftop, mingling with the soft rustle of the wind. The sun continued its descent, casting long shadows over the academy, as if mourning the loss of one of its brightest souls.
The academy had lost a warrior, a friend, a leader. And the world felt just a bit colder without the light of Kai's spirit.
Yet, even in death, Kai's legacy would endure in the hearts of those he had fought for, in the lives he had touched, and in the memories that would never fade.
The final breath had been drawn, but his story… his spirit… would live on.