Kai didn't go straight home after school.
He walked — past the convenience store, past the park, past the places that used to mean something before they became just landmarks in his escape route. The sky was still heavy with clouds, the pavement slick with rain.
Every step felt heavier than it should've.
He could still feel Velithra's eyes on him from that morning — the way she'd watched him walk away, like she knew something was wrong even though he hadn't said a word.
He hated that she could see it.He hated that someone could look at him and see through him.
His phone buzzed again. Same number. No name.He stared at the screen until the rain started to blur the words.
Unknown:You can't hide from it, Kai.Unknown:You think pretending to be normal will erase it?
He shoved the phone into his pocket, jaw tightening. The streetlight above him flickered, and for a second the world went dark.
He stopped walking.
The sound of footsteps echoed behind him — slow, deliberate, matching his pace.
Kai didn't turn around right away. He'd learned not to flinch. Not to show fear.
Then, a voice — quiet, almost amused."You've gotten good at running."
Kai's blood ran cold.He turned.
A man stood under the next streetlight.Tall, familiar. Coat half-buttoned. Eyes sharp and empty.
Kai's throat went dry. "You shouldn't be here."
The man smirked faintly. "Neither should you."
Kai said nothing. Rain dripped from his hair, his fingers twitching slightly. The air between them felt suffocating.
"You think this little town's gonna save you?" the man asked, voice calm but poisonous. "You really think she won't find out what you did?"
Kai's jaw locked. "Leave her out of it."
The man took a slow step forward. "So she exists."
Kai's heart stuttered. He'd said too much.
Before the man could say another word, Kai turned and walked — fast, not running, but close enough. The sound of rain swallowed the rest.
By the time he reached his house, his hands were shaking.He leaned against the door, breathing hard, trying to steady himself.
For a long moment, he just stood there, rain still dripping from his clothes, the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears.
Then he whispered into the silence,"I told you to stay buried."
But the past never listened.