It was a day in mid-December when the whole world would get together to celebrate the wonders of Christmas, which meant a lot to different kind of people since they get to spend time with their loved ones.
In a elegant lobby of a luxurious hotel decorated to emphasis the Christmas spirit, Kamiya sat across from his indifferent ex-wife, Akemi. His face was emotionless, a mask that betrayed nothing of the turmoil brewing inside him. Beside Akemi was another man, a figure unfamiliar to Kamiya but one whose presence was enough to ignite a burning rage in his chest. Akemi, on the other hand, wore a smile that made Kamiya's blood boil, as if she had just accomplished some grand feat.
Kamiya's voice cut through the silence like a blade, cold and sharp without trying to lose control of himself. "What do you want from me after all this time, Akemi?" His gaze flicked from her to the man beside her, then back to her, demanding answers.
"Didn't you have enough? Didn't you promise that you would leave me alone?"
Akemi's smile didn't falter. Instead, she reached into her designer handbag and pulled out a stack of papers, which she placed deliberately on the table between them. "I want to take our daughter with me," she said, her tone disturbingly calm.
Those small words were enough to completely shift the mood in air as, Kamiya's expression shifted instantly from indifference to fury. He slammed his fist on the table, causing the papers to jump. "You've already taken more than half of what my company has," he hissed. "You told everyone I abused you, and now you want to take the only reason I'm still alive?" His eyes burned with anger as he glared at her, the woman who had torn his life apart.
While he was raging at her, Kamiya's mind went back to where it all started. He didn't even remember why he married this woman in the first place, but he regretted listening to his parent and obeying them so he could satisfy them. Akemi's parents were close friends of Kamiya's, so it was not a bond born out of love, rather it was born out of responsibility.
Kamiya had no reason to reject Akemi, after all, she was an attractive woman and at that time, she looked as if Kamiya would be able to spend his lifetime with this woman. After a single year in their marriage, Kamiya had a daughter with Akemi, but things started to go bad after Akemi started to take interest in Kamiya's money.
But later he got to know way before that Akemi had been doing some shady things behind his back, which completely turned him off from her. He completely stopped caring about her, but the only reason he kept her close to him was because his daughter needed a mother, even if it was a bad one.
He kept getting suggestion to divorce her and find someone else, but at that time, he had no interest to do that.
While Kamiya was busy remembering his past, the man beside Akemi finally spoke, his voice annoyingly supportive. "Akemi just wants what's best for your daughter," he said, trying to sound reasonable.
"You are not in a state to take care of her. Look at you! Can you even visit a nice hotel like this without our invitation? Don't you want your daughter to eat nice food and have a luxury life?" He questioned.
Kamiya's eyes darted to the man, disgust evident in his expression. The sight of Akemi and this man together made him feel sick to his stomach. He gritted his teeth, trying to control the rage that threatened to consume him. "What do you even know about what's best for my daughter?" he spat. "You've got no idea what this woman is capable of."
Akemi's smile turned icy as she stood up, her hand brushing against the papers on the table. "We'll settle this in court if you're not going to cooperate willingly," she said, her voice full of contempt. "You can't stop me from taking her."
Kamiya's voice was low, almost a growl. "Don't you dare take her from me, Akemi. She's the only reason I have to live."
Akemi just chuckled, a cold sound that echoed in the grand room. She turned to leave, but as she took a step, she collided with a waiter carrying a tray of food. The tray tumbled, and the food spilled all over her expensive outfit.
Her furious scream echoed through the lobby. "You idiot! Watch where you're going! Do you know how much this cost?It is more than you could ever imagine to spend" She snapped at the waiter, her face twisted in anger. She turned to the man beside her, her voice still seething with rage. "I'm going to clean up. Wait here."
The man nodded awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable in the situation but trying to maintain a composed facade.
As Akemi stormed off, the tension in the room lingered. For a moment, neither man spoke. Then Kamiya broke the silence, his voice hollow. "Why did you choose her? She's a piece of shit."
The man forced a smile, attempting to brush off the insult. "You don't know what you're talking about."
But Kamiya could see through the facade. He leaned in closer, his voice soft but cutting. "I can see it in your eyes. You're disgusted by her, aren't you? You don't want to be with her. I don't understand."
The man's smile faltered, and suddenly, as if a dam had broken, his entire demeanor changed. He stood up abruptly, grabbing Kamiya by the collar. "You have no idea what I'm going through!" he shouted, his voice shaking with pent-up frustration.
Kamiya stared at him coldly. "I don't care."
Without warning, the man punched Kamiya, sending him reeling back. The sudden commotion caught the attention of the hotel staff, who hurried to call the police. But the altercation didn't stop there.
But for some reason Kamiya understood that punch was not directed at him out of anger, rather the man in front of him looked pathetic and scared,
The man, fueled by a mixture of sorrow and desperation, blurted out, "Your daughter isn't even yours! She tried to keep it a secret but I will tell you!"
The words struck Kamiya like a lightning bolt. His mind went blank for a moment, and then, driven by a blind rage, he lunged at the man. They grappled with each other, fists flying, their fight spiraling out of control.
"You dare to say something like that! I will kill you," Kamiya shouted without caring about the consequences of his actions, rage fully taking over his body.
As they struggled, neither of them noticed that they were getting dangerously close to the balcony's edge. In the heat of the moment, both men lost their balance and tumbled over the railing.
Kamiya and the other man both tried to grab the edge of the balcony, but it was too late for them, as they were already falling.
A collective gasp filled the lobby as onlookers watched in horror. The world seemed to slow down for Kamiya as he plummeted. Thoughts of his daughter flashed through his mind—her smile, her laughter, the only light in his dark world. What will happen to her if I die now? The question echoed in his mind, but there was no time to answer it. The ground was rushing up to meet him.
And the last thing he saw was a pool of red blood spreading across the floor before his vision went dark. But in those final moments, he noticed something strange—a woman with white hair, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, looking at him with pity.
"Who is this woman?" Kamiya wondered in his mind, but he could no longer speak.
Sirens blared in the distance as an ambulance arrived, the sound cutting through the shocked silence that had fallen over the hotel. The paramedics worked quickly, loading both men onto stretchers and rushing them to the hospital. Akemi arrived just in time to see them being carried away, her face a mask of fear.
Hours passed in agonizing silence. Akemi paced the hospital corridor, her nerves frayed. When a doctor finally approached her, she stopped, her heart pounding.
"Your ex-husband... I'm sorry, but he didn't make it," the doctor said solemnly.
Akemi's breath hitched, but only for a moment. She sighed, a small, almost imperceptible sigh of relief. The doctor's next words barely registered in her mind.
"But the other man is alive."
Akemi nodded, more focused on the relief she felt than the loss she should have been grieving. Her eyes were dry as she turned away, her thoughts already shifting to the next move she would make now that Kamiya was gone.
"I'm glad Ryo survived! What would I even do without him?" Akemi sighed and went back to sit, so she could wait for another good news.