Evening had fallen, and the last rays of sunlight slipped through the open curtains, breaking silently across the polished floor.
Ivan lay on his bed, his breathing steady, his features calmer than before.
Kai sat on the chair by the window, staring into the distance — still, as if time had abandoned him.
Julian had changed his shirt and now sat silently on the edge of his bed, scrolling through his phone without care.
He didn't speak, nor did he bother to glance at Kai.
Minutes passed before Kai broke the silence with a low voice.
— "What is Lorenzo planning to do?"
Julian slowly raised his head, looked at him for a moment, then replied in a calm, restrained tone:
— "I don't know... he didn't tell me anything."
Kai said nothing, turning his gaze back toward the window, while Julian went back to his phone.
After a moment, Julian sighed, set the device aside, removed his watch, and lay down on the second bed without a word.
Silence returned — heavy and unmoving — broken only by Ivan's quiet breathing and the faint hum of the air conditioner.
Kai didn't move; his eyes remained fixed on the city stretching out beyond the glass.
More minutes slipped by before Julian spoke again, his tone dry, not turning to look at him.
— "I won't tell you to go back to your room... but the couch isn't as comfortable as you think."
Kai didn't respond.
He stretched out on the small couch by the window, leaned back, and slowly turned his eyes toward Ivan's bed before closing them in silence.
He didn't sleep, didn't sigh — he simply gave in to the weight pressing on his chest since that night.
Julian drifted off to sleep, Ivan's eyes remained closed, but Kai stayed awake...
His eyes shut, yet his thoughts refused to rest — aching, clawing at every wound that never healed.
Everything was silent.
The room dim, the air cold, and the night slowly spreading its wings.
In that stillness, with no one to see or ask him anything,
he finally allowed himself to whisper the one thing he'd kept buried —
A word barely audible, broken, but honest enough to fill the room:
— "I'm sorry..."
Then, at last, he closed his eyes.
---
The night wasn't heavy — just exhausting.
Though Kai had been lying on the couch for a long time, sleep only came late, faint and fragmented, as if his mind refused to give him rest.
A small movement came from the other bed, followed by a quiet groan...
Then a weak voice, barely audible, but enough to wake Kai.
— "Ah..."
Kai opened his eyes slowly to see Ivan trying to sit up, leaning painfully on his elbow.
He bit his lower lip, stifling his groan, eyes darting around as if searching for something.
Kai sat up quietly, brushed off the blanket he hadn't used, and moved closer without a word.
He looked at him for a few seconds, then asked softly,
— "Where are you going?"
Ivan averted his gaze, replying hesitantly,
— "Bathroom..."
Kai didn't answer. He slipped an arm under Ivan's shoulder and helped him up gently — careful, as though his touch carried more than it showed.
They walked slowly to the bathroom. Kai opened the door and waited outside, leaning silently against the wall.
Minutes passed before the door opened again.
Ivan had splashed his face with water, and though tired, he seemed more aware.
Kai extended his arm wordlessly; Ivan took it and leaned against him as they walked back to the bed.
Ivan sat on the edge, breathing slowly, then muttered, staring at his damp shirt:
— "Guess it's time to change this..."
Kai fetched a clean shirt from the wardrobe, approached, and began unbuttoning the old one in silence.
He lifted it gently from Ivan's bruised body, helping him into the new one without looking at his face.
Ivan, half-lidded eyes watching him, spoke softly,
— "You know... when you go quiet like this, it's more unsettling than when you're angry."
Kai didn't respond — he only fastened the last button and murmured,
— "It's cold."
Ivan blinked, confused. Kai said nothing more; he went to the closet again and came back with a black hoodie.
He helped Ivan slip into it, who tilted his head slightly, voice low and tired,
— "I don't blame you... if that's what you're thinking."
Kai replied in an even tone, void of emotion:
— "I wasn't thinking anything."
Ivan gave a faint smile.
— "Liar."
Kai sat beside him, helped him drink a juice box, then leaned forward, opening a small jar of ointment.
His tone was sharp:
— "Don't move."
Ivan closed his eyes as Kai applied the ointment to his bruises.
When he finished, Kai leaned back in his chair. Ivan, eyes half-closed, murmured like he was talking to himself,
— "You know... this isn't the first time you've taken care of me. But I'm still not used to it."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
— "What do you mean?"
Ivan kept staring at the ceiling, voice faint:
— "Care... I never understood it. I thought everyone was like my uncle. I thought life was like that.
I was always sick, always fighting with him — he hit me, sometimes made me bleed... and he never cared.
I thought that was normal."
Kai clenched his fists, speaking through quiet anger:
— "You can't call what he did normal..."
Ivan smiled faintly and looked at him.
— "I meant the not caring, idiot."
Kai's hands relaxed. He said nothing, just looked at him with quiet pity as Ivan drifted back to sleep, mumbling for Kai to rest too.
After a while, Kai stood, went to wash the ointment from his hands, grabbed his cigarette pack, and stepped into the hallway to smoke.
He thought about how soon the university exams would start, closed his eyes, exhaling smoke — when footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned quickly, finding his father approaching.
Lorenzo looked disheveled, his gait unsteady, his expression worn — nothing like the composed man he'd seen before.
Lorenzo stopped near him, eyes hazy, a faint smile curling his lips.
— "So... you smoke now, huh, kid?"
Kai muttered, eyes turning forward again:
— "None of your business."
A hand snatched the cigarette pack from his grasp.
Kai turned sharply as Lorenzo extended his other palm.
— "Lighter."
Kai glared at him, jaw tight, but handed it over.
Lorenzo lit a cigarette, barely standing straight, then leaned against the wall across from him.
Kai's voice was cold, bitter:
— "What do you want?"
Lorenzo exhaled smoke sideways.
— "You. By my side."
A humorless smile crept onto Kai's lips.
— "You'll never find me there, Lorenzo... not even in your dreams."
Anger twisted Lorenzo's face.
He stepped forward, and in an instant, Kai's back hit the wall — his father's hand gripping his throat tightly.
Kai didn't fight back, not like he used to. That alone made Lorenzo hesitate.
He took a drag, eyes fixed on his son, then blew the smoke in Kai's face.
Kai coughed, cursing, while Lorenzo's grip tightened. His drunken voice came low and dangerous:
— "Don't curse."
Tears welled in Kai's eyes from the smoke, his breath caught.
Lorenzo's gaze hardened, his tone dark as he asked,
— "Since when do you cry for someone?"
Kai choked out,
— "It's none of your business."
Lorenzo smirked, taking another drag.
This time, he exhaled sideways, then gripped Kai's throat tighter, forcing him to meet his gaze.
— "You should be grateful I didn't kill him."
Kai stared back with pure hatred, chest tightening as air left his lungs — and yet, for some reason, he didn't fight.
The door burst open.
Julian froze at the sight, then rushed forward, yanking Lorenzo back with both hands.
Kai fell to the floor, coughing harshly, gasping for air, his father still shouting obscenities.
Julian's voice was tense, pleading,
— "Sir, please — you're drunk!"
Lorenzo struck him with his elbow, right on the injured side, forcing Julian to release him in pain.
Then Lorenzo turned, snatched the cigarette pack from the ground, and muttered,
— "No more smoking for you."
He pocketed it and staggered off toward his apartment.
Kai sat frozen, staring after him, until a hand gripped his shoulder.
Julian's voice came low, strained from pain:
— "Are you alright?"
His gaze lingered on the bruises around Kai's throat, worry plain in his expression — which only angered Kai more.
He smacked Julian's hand away violently.
— "Stay out of my business. Don't you dare interfere again, bastard."
He stood and stormed back into the room, leaving Julian behind, muttering bitterly under his breath:
— "Ungrateful brat... I should've let him finish you."