Kenn stood frozen in the center of the emotional battlefield. Lynn's gaze, full of hurt and confusion, pierced him, while Yaoi's eyes burned with possessive intensity, the weight of both their emotions pressing down on him. He could feel the storm around him, the chaos swirling like a hurricane, and all he could do was stand there, helpless, drowning in it.
"I can't do this anymore," Lynn whispered, her voice trembling but firm. She turned away from him, her steps slow, as if every movement was weighed down by an invisible burden. "If you can't tell me the truth, Kenn, I don't know what we're even doing. I can't keep pretending everything's fine when it's so obvious that it's not."
Every word felt like a dagger in Kenn's chest, but he couldn't stop it. The weight of the system, of the bracelet around his wrist, kept him tethered to this reality. The emotional scanner hummed incessantly, its presence a constant reminder that he was not in control of his own life.
"Lynn, please," he tried to say, but the words were hollow, weak. He wanted to run after her, to beg for forgiveness, to explain, but the invisible chain of the system kept him rooted to the spot.
Yaoi's cold laugh shattered the silence, a sound that sent chills down Kenn's spine. "She doesn't understand you, Kenn." Her voice was low, almost affectionate in its deranged way. "She never will. But I do. I know you better than anyone ever could."
Kenn's stomach twisted. The suffocating intensity of Yaoi's presence was unbearable. He could feel her emotions flooding him, a mixture of longing, obsession, and something darker—something dangerously possessive. She took a step closer, her fingers brushing his arm, and he recoiled instinctively.
"I don't need her," Yaoi whispered, her lips brushing against his ear. "I never did. You and I, we're meant to be together. No one else can understand us like we can understand each other."
Her words stung, but they didn't have the same power they once did. Kenn's chest tightened, and for the first time in days, he realized something. He didn't want this. He didn't want to be part of this twisted game, this tangled web of emotions and manipulation.
He tried to take a step back, but Yaoi's grip tightened on his arm. "You can't run from me, Kenn. The system won't let you."
The system.
The words echoed in his mind, and for the first time, he considered what they really meant. The system was controlling his every move, his every thought, pushing him toward certain actions, dictating his relationships, his decisions. But it wasn't just the system that had a hold on him—it was his fear, his uncertainty, his lack of control over his emotions.
And maybe, just maybe, he could change that.
He looked at Yaoi one last time, her eyes wild with obsession, and then his gaze shifted to Lynn, who was still walking away, her figure growing smaller in the distance. He had to make a choice.
The thought was like a spark in the dark, a flash of clarity that cut through the noise. He couldn't keep letting the system dictate his life. He couldn't keep letting Yaoi manipulate him. And he couldn't let Lynn slip away without doing everything he could to fix the rift between them.
"I'm done," Kenn said, his voice shaky but resolute. He pulled his arm free from Yaoi's grip, stepping away from her, away from the suffocating energy she radiated. His heart pounded in his chest, but there was a new fire within him—an ember of defiance. "I'm done being your pawn."
Yaoi's face twisted in fury. "You think you have a choice?" She took a threatening step toward him, her eyes filled with rage. "You can't escape this, Kenn. You belong to me now."
The weight of her words hit him like a tidal wave, but he didn't flinch. "I'm not yours to control," he said, his voice firm. "And I'm not going to let the system control me either."
For a moment, Yaoi stood there, her expression a mixture of disbelief and anger. But the moment passed quickly, and she took a step back, her lips curling into a smile that was anything but warm. "We'll see about that," she hissed before turning away, disappearing into the crowd.
Kenn didn't watch her go. Instead, his gaze shifted back to Lynn, who had stopped just at the edge of the courtyard, her shoulders slumped, her back to him. The sight of her, so distant and hurt, made his chest ache.
"Lynn…" he called softly, taking a step toward her.
She turned slowly, her eyes red from unshed tears. "Kenn," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I don't know what's happening with you, but I can't keep pretending it's okay. I can't keep fighting for something that isn't real."
Kenn's heart twisted. He knew she was right. He had been distant, cold, pushing her away without meaning to. The emotional scanner had made everything so much harder—he had been seeing everyone's emotions, feeling their turmoil, but never truly able to confront his own. It had been a shield, a barrier, and he had used it to keep himself from facing the truth. The truth that he had been scared—scared of his own feelings, scared of what he might lose if he let himself truly connect with her.
But now, standing before her, he knew what he had to do.
He reached out, taking a hesitant step forward, and then another. "Lynn," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry. I've been running from this… from us. But I can't do that anymore. I want to fix this, if you'll let me."
Lynn's eyes searched his face, her expression torn. For a moment, Kenn thought she might turn away again, but then, slowly, she took a step toward him.
"You have to tell me everything, Kenn," she said quietly, her voice filled with vulnerability. "All of it. The truth."
The words hit him like a blow, but he didn't shy away. This was it. The moment when everything had to change. He had to face the truth, both his and hers. No more running. No more hiding behind the system.
"I will," he promised, his voice steady despite the fear that swirled inside him. "I'll tell you everything. And I'll make it right."
Lynn hesitated for a moment longer, but then she nodded, her eyes softening just enough for Kenn to see the glimmer of hope that still remained in her.
And in that moment, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he could start to break free from the chains that had held him captive.