Rain poured relentlessly from the sky, soaking the sprawling city in a cold, grey wash. Cars honked and splashed through flooded streets. People hurried along the sidewalks, their umbrellas bobbing in a chaotic sea of rain. Everyone was rushing—home, to work, to someone they loved.
But the truth world.
Down a narrow alley, hidden behind rusted dumpsters and graffiti-covered walls, a group of delinquents surrounded a single boy. The streetlamps flickered above them, casting shadows that danced with them. The smell of rain mixed with the stench of garbage and blood.
Thud. A heavy punch sank into the boy's stomach, followed by another. His body folded forward, but before he could fall, a foot caught him under the chin and threw him back against the cold wall. His name was Kai Jin.
"Come on, scream," one of the delinquents sneered, grinning with rotten teeth. "Scream like you did when you tried to act tough."
Another kick landed. Then another. Kai didn't scream.Blood dripped from his mouth, mixing with the rain, turning the water beneath him a soft red.
"Hey, man… maybe we should stop," one of the gang members mumbled, his voice uncertain. "He's not moving much…"
The leader—taller, meaner, with eyes like ash—snapped his head toward the speaker. "Don't tell me what to do."
His fist came down hard, cracking across the hesitant boy's cheek. The rest of the group flinched. The message was clear—follow or fall.
"im..im… sorry…" the boy stammered, holding his face and stepping back.
Kai, barely conscious, watched through blurry eyes as the leader stepped toward him again. His face wasn't angry anymore. It was cold. Like he wasn't even looking at a person.
The final blow came fast. A brutal kick to the stomach that sent Kai crashing into a metal trash can with a metallic clang. The impact was loud enough to make the group flinch.
"Let's go," the leader said, dusting his hands. "Job's done."
As the gang turned to leave, he glanced back at Kai's crumpled form, blood mixing with rainwater at his feet.
"Next time you look at my girl," he spat, "I'll make sure you fucking die."
They walked away, their laughter swallowed by the thunder that rolled above the city. A flash of lightning lit up the alley, freezing the moment in white.
Leaving the scene into silence. Except for the rain.
Kai lay still for a long time, his body screaming, his mind swimming. He wasn't sure how long he stayed like that. Minutes? Hours? Time didn't matter. Everything hurt. Everything burned. His clothes were soaked through, sticking to his skin. His face felt swollen, and his ribs ached with every breath.
He coughed, and more blood came up, staining his lips. Tears mixed with the rain as he forced himself to sit up, hands shaking. His body protested, but he moved anyway.
"Ha… I really messed up," he whispered, voice barely audible.
It wasn't just the fight. It wasn't just the beating. It was everything.
His vision spun. The world tilted.
He leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily. Then, he looked up into the storm, eyes burning.
"What the fuck do YOU WANT FROM ME?!!" he shouted to the sky.
Thunder cracked, almost in answer. But there was no comfort in it. Just rain, and wind, and pain to bear.
He closed his eyes. He wanted to disappear. die and vanish. Escape this body, this world. Escape the pain.
They say the world we live in is real. Tangible. Full of rules, consequences, logic. But that's just what we're told—what we're taught to believe. The truth is... this world is broken. And those who suffer always suffer.
Rain still fell, relentless and cold, as he dragged himself out of the alley where he'd nearly died. Each step felt like a war. His ribs screamed with every breath, his knees trembled under his weight. He couldn't feel his fingers. The cold had reached inside him.
But he kept walking.
Step by step.
His soaked shoe tap against the sidewalk. The streetlights flickered above. The world around him felt distant, blurred by pain and exhaustion. His ears were ringing, and everything looked tinted in grey.
Home.
The word felt hollow.
Kai finally reached his apartment building—a concrete block of cheap housing and. He stepped inside, water dripping from his clothes, and gripped the wall for support.
He climbed the stairs.
One painful step at a time.
As he reached the second floor, he paused. A familiar sound echoed down the stairwell—quiet sobbing. He turned his head and saw him.
A man slumped against the wall, blocking the steps. Mid-forties, shirt stained with liquor and regret. He was the kind of man everyone avoided. The one who yelled too loud. Who left bruises on his wife's arms. Kai had heard the arguments, the crashes, the screams.
Now, the man sat trembling, head buried in his hands, crying in gasps.
"I killed her," the man whispered, voice cracked. "I just… I fucking killed her…"
Kai stiffened. His body screamed for him to keep walking, but the man was in the way. He tried to edge around, hand gripping the railing for balance.
But then the man looked up.
Bloodshot eyes. Trembling lips.
"You… you heard me."
Kai avoided his gaze, trying to pass.
"You saw me, didn't you?" the man said, louder. "You saw what I did!"
"I didn't see anything," Kai muttered. "Just let me go—"
The man grabbed his wrist.
Kai flinched in pain, too weak to fight.
"I'm not going to jail," the man said, shaking his head, voice rising. "I didn't mean to… I didn't… she made me angry, but I didn't want to—"
"Let go," Kai hissed, trying to pull away.
"I CAN'T GO TO JAIL!"
The man suddenly tried to stand, his weight unstable, eyes wide with panic. But his foot slipped.
He lost his balance.
And for a terrifying moment, his grip on Kai tightened, dragging him down with him.
"No—!" Kai shouted, wrenching his arm free just as the man tumbled backward.
There was a sickening crack as his body hit the stairs. Then another. Then another. He landed at the bottom, twisted and still.
Blood seeped from his head.
His eyes were open.
And they were crying.
Kai stared down in shock, frozen. The stairwell was silent now.
All witnessed by him.
When he reached his floor, the truth of the man's words greeted him.
The door across the hall was wide open. Inside, a woman's body lay on the carpet. Her hair was matted with blood, and shards of a shattered bottle clung to her face. A single eye stared blankly at the ceiling, her mouth murmuring sounds too soft to understand.
He walked to door and stepped inside.
Silence.
Cold silence.
Kai dropped onto the couch without removing his shoes. The cushions let out a tired sigh beneath his weight. His body relaxed against the familiar discomfort.
He stared at the ceiling, letting the ache spread. Every joint pulsed. Every muscle screamed.
His eyes drifted to the photo frame on the wall—dusty, cracked, still hanging. A picture of his parents. A moment frozen in time when smiles still meant something.
His father, tall and proud,now a drunk man.
His mother, gentle and warm,now a mentally crazy.
Both now gone.
Kai exhaled softly.
"i should die right…" he whispered, "I can join you guys."
He smiled and crying—a faint, hollow thing.
Outside, the rain began to slow.
The night thickened.
To be continued...