All Went For Nothing?

The bully loomed over Kai, his grip tightening around the knife. His voice dripped with venom. "Because of you, my friends got hurt. Now you have to pay for them."

Kai struggled, held in place by one of the remaining bullies while the other still lay unconscious on the ground. The pain in his body was overwhelming. His vision blurred, yet he could still make out the glint of the knife aimed straight at him.

"This is what happens when you mess with your seniors," the bully sneered, raising the blade.

But then, movement. A figure—a high schooler—running toward them.

Kai's breath hitched as recognition dawned on him. His voice cracked with urgency. "Hey… hey, don’t come here! You’re going to die!" But the words barely escaped his lips. His body refused to cooperate, too battered to shout properly.

The boy didn’t stop. He rushed forward, planting himself between Kai and the knife-wielding bully. Kai’s eyes widened in horror.

"What are you doing?!"

The boy turned his head slightly, smiling at Kai. "Thanks for taking my blame on yourself," he said softly. "But don’t worry. Everything will be okay."

The bully scoffed. "Hmph. So you wanna die too? Doesn’t matter who gets in my way. I’ll cut through anything."

Kai’s fists clenched. His blood boiled. "That’s why… I hate people like you."

A thick silence followed. The bully holding Kai suddenly trembled. "H-Hey… what’s happening?"

Kai felt it too. Something inside him snapped. His body burned as if set ablaze. His breathing grew heavier. And then, before anyone could react—

His form shifted.

The overweight, battered boy began to change. His bloated figure shrank, becoming leaner, taller. His muscles tensed, his presence overwhelming. The bully gripping him let go, staggering back in shock.

Kai turned, his movement fluid, almost effortless. With a single strike of his elbow, the bully was sent flying, crashing into the ground unconscious.

The knife-wielding bully's eyes reflected pure terror. He had seen it—the monstrous shadow that flickered behind Kai, a devil looming over him.

Kai lunged, his fist aimed straight for the bully’s face.

Silence.

He stopped.

Kai’s body refused to move. He hovered there, his punch inches away from its target. His mind screamed at him to keep going, to finish it. But his body had reached its limit.

His vision darkened. His limbs gave out.

Kai collapsed to the ground.

"Damn it…" he whispered, his voice barely a breath. "I took… too much damage…"

Through half-lidded eyes, he saw it. The knife coming down. The bully striking.

The high schooler in front of him.

"No…" Kai's breath hitched. His fingers twitched, reaching out for nothing. "In the end… it was all for nothing…"

--- Flashback ---

Kai walked through the schoolyard for the first time, hands in his pockets. His white hair glistened under the afternoon sun.

"Let’s see what this school has to offer," he muttered to himself. "Hope it’s at least entertaining. My life’s been nothing but trash up until now. Maybe… this place will be different."

Then he saw them.

Three bullies surrounding a girl. A beautiful girl, trembling with fear.

"Hey, cutie, don’t you wanna go on a date with us?" one of them jeered. "We got plenty of cash, we could have a lot of fun."

The girl shook her head frantically. "No, I… I’m sorry. I don’t want to. I’m sure you’ll find someone else."

The bully’s grin twisted into a scowl. "You know we’re your seniors, right? You should do as you’re told."

The girl stepped back, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I’m sorry…"

A hand shot out, grabbing her hair. The bully yanked her forward, ignoring her cries. "What’s with that attitude, huh? Maybe you need a lesson."

"Somebody help me!" she sobbed.

A small rock flew through the air.

It struck the bully’s head with a dull thud.

"Who the hell threw that?!" the bully roared, spinning around. "I’ll make sure that son of a b—"

A boy stood frozen, his legs trembling, his face pale as a sheet.

The bully marched toward him.

The boy’s throat was dry. Fear gripped him. His mind screamed at him to run. But then… something clicked.

"No."

His fingers curled into fists. "There are things one must do, even if it means death."

Kai watched from the sidelines, observing. His fingers twitched.

"Damn it…" he muttered.

His form shifted.

Now appearing in his heavier disguise, Kai stepped forward, smirking. "I did it. My bad."

The boy gasped, eyes wide with confusion. "Why… why did you—"

Kai shoved his hands into his pockets. "I just don’t like people like you. The kind that helps others for no reason. But somehow, I ended up stepping in too. Guess I hate it even more."

The bullies turned their full attention to Kai. "So it was you? Do you even know the consequences of messing with us?!"

While their attention was diverted, the boy hesitated for only a moment before seizing his chance. He grabbed the girl’s hand, dragging her away before the bullies could notice.

Kai smirked. "At least someone’s got their priorities straight."

--- Back to Present ---

Kai’s fingers twitched weakly. "I thought… he escaped…"

He stared at the boy standing between him and the bully.

"Why did you come back…?"

His chest tightened. His mind spiraled.

"Why does everyone who’s with me… end up suffering?"

The knife came down.

Blood splattered.

The bully screamed.

But the one who was wounded… wasn’t the boy.

Kai’s breath caught. "What… just happened?"