Chapter 7: — "Tender Night" — (BONUS CHAPTER)

Kael groaned softly, his head pounding like a drum. His eyes fluttered open, barely able to take in the room around him. Blood-streaked sheets clung to his back, his forehead throbbed where the glass had cut him, and every movement sent waves of pain through his body. Panic rose in his chest before he even fully sat up.

“S-Sota?” he croaked, his voice barely audible. He blinked, trying to focus, and saw his friend kneeling beside him, hands busy wrapping bandages carefully around his wounds.

“Shh… it’s okay, Kael. Calm down,” Sota said softly, not looking up. “I’ve got you.”

Kael’s heart skipped. What? How did he get in? My parents could come back at any moment… and if they find him here— He tried to push himself up, but pain shot through his body. Sota’s hand steadied him immediately.

“Lay down,” Sota commanded, his tone firm but gentle. “You can’t move like this yet.”

“I... my parents… they can’t know you’re here!” Kael gasped, his voice shaking. “If they find out, it’ll be worse… maybe worse than yesterday!”

Sota looked at him, expression calm. “They won’t know. Sakura called me. She used your phone when they went out. Don’t worry about that right now.”

Kael froze. His sisters… they had reached out? Relief mingled with lingering fear. “S-Sakura… she…?”

Before he could finish, the door opened gently, and all three of his sisters stepped inside. Sakura, holding a small bundle of clean cloths, Hina with worried eyes, and little Yui, hiding behind them, clutching her tiny voodoo doll.

“Kael… how… how are you?” Sakura asked, her voice trembling, but steadying herself as she stepped closer.

Kael forced a weak smile, trying to reassure them despite his own pain. “I’m… better than before,” he said, voice rough but sincere. “Just… sore. That’s all.”

Yui’s small voice quavered. “Onii-chan… it’s my fault… I made everything bad… I… I peed on the floor… it’s all because of me…”

Kael’s chest tightened. Even in her six-year-old frame, Yui carried more guilt than she should. He struggled to sit up, but his head spun violently. Sota pressed him back gently.

“Lay down,” Sota repeated, his hand firm on Kael’s shoulder. “You’ll hurt yourself more if you get up now.”

Kael gave a pained sigh but let himself settle back. He looked at Yui, his heart aching. “No, Yui… it’s not your fault,” he said softly, voice trembling. “None of this is your fault. You’re just… you’re just a kid. That’s all.”

Yui’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded slowly. Hina and Sakura immediately stepped closer, both wrapping little arms around her, gently kissing her head, whispering, “It’s okay… it’s okay…” over and over.

Kael watched them, his chest tightening further. He hated that his sisters had to witness so much, hate that Yui blamed herself. And yet, he felt a flicker of warmth in seeing how they comforted one another.

Sota adjusted the bandages along Kael’s back and shoulders, his hands steady despite the faint tremor from tension. “You’ve been through a lot tonight,” he said quietly. “And you’re not alone. I’m here. And your sisters… they’re here too. You don’t have to carry all of this by yourself.”

Kael’s vision blurred with both pain and emotion. “I… I just… I wanted to protect them… I wanted to…” His words trailed off, lost to the pounding in his head.

“You did,” Sota said firmly. “That’s why you’re here, even like this. That’s why they came for you.”

Kael let out a shaky breath and sank further into the bed. “I… I just… I can’t let them see me weak like this,” he muttered, glancing at his sisters.

Sakura stepped closer, taking his hand in both of hers. “Onii-chan… it’s okay to be weak. You’ve done so much… so much for us. You don’t have to hide it.”

Hina added softly, “We don’t mind… you being hurt or tired. We just… want you safe.”

Yui crawled closer, her tiny hand pressing against his cheek, her eyes brimming with tears. “I love you, Onii-chan… I don’t want anything bad to happen to you… ever…”

Kael’s lips trembled, and for a moment, he allowed himself to let the tears fall. His hands shook as he reached up to hold Yui’s small fingers, his voice breaking. “I… I love you all too… more than anything.”

Sota leaned back slightly, giving them a quiet space but keeping watch. He knew Kael needed this moment, the closeness of his sisters, more than anything.

Minutes passed in silence, broken only by soft sniffles and Kael’s quiet groans as the pain radiated through his body. Eventually, Sota handed Kael a small cloth to dab at the blood on his forehead, keeping pressure on the cut.

Kael tried to sit up again to reassure his sisters, but a sharp wave of pain made him yelp. Sota was immediately there to stop him.

“Kael, don’t,” he said firmly, holding him gently down. “Rest. Let your body heal. That’s the only way you’ll really be okay.”

Kael swallowed hard, eyes darting to his sisters. “I… I just… I hate seeing you all like this…”

Sakura hugged him tightly, whispering, “Onii-chan… we’re okay now. Really. Just… breathe.”

Hina nodded, placing her forehead against his shoulder. “We just want you to rest… we’re here.”

Even Yui, tiny and trembling, pressed close, whispering again, “Onii-chan… please… don’t get hurt again… we need you…”

Kael’s heart broke in two. Here they were, innocent, afraid, and yet looking up to him. The thought of failing them again made his chest tighten, but at the same time, seeing their trust and love gave him a strange, fragile strength.

He let his head fall back against the pillow, finally closing his eyes. “I… I’ll protect you… I promise,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. “No matter what… I’ll always protect you.”

Sota adjusted the blankets over him, making sure he was comfortable, while keeping a watchful eye on the siblings. “Rest now,” he said quietly. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep, Kael. You’re not alone.”

Kael’s breathing slowly evened, his sisters snuggled close, and the room was filled with quiet warmth amidst the lingering fear. Even Yui’s guilt seemed to soften, soothed by Kael’s words and presence.

Minutes passed, and Kael felt his eyelids growing impossibly heavy. The pain, the blood, the fear, and the love, all of it seemed to press down on him. But surrounded by those he cared for most, he let himself go, finally slumping from exhaustion.

His last conscious thought, whispered under his breath as he drifted into sleep, was: I’ll keep you safe. Always…

And then, Kael passed out from the pain and exhaustion, his sisters crying softly beside him, unsure of what to do, while Sota kept a vigilant watch over them all.