Lesson Paid Off

Kai walked down the dimly lit street, heading back to his apartment. Yesterday had been exhausting, but he had fun with Natasha. She had gone back to her home last night, leaving him to enjoy some peace and quiet.

The sky was dark, yet the city was alive. Neon lights flickered, illuminating the streets filled with people laughing, drinking, and partying like there was no tomorrow. The air was thick with noise—music blasting from clubs, drunken chatter, and the occasional shouting match.

He barely paid attention to it, his thoughts drifting as he walked past a dark alley.

Then—

A sudden force grabbed him from behind.

A cloth pressed against his mouth. The sharp, chemical scent invaded his senses. He struggled, but his limbs quickly lost strength. His vision blurred. His body felt heavy.

Then—nothing.

A dull headache greeted him as he slowly regained consciousness. His mind was foggy, his body sluggish. It took a few seconds for his vision to sharpen, for him to truly register his situation.

Something tight constricted his movement.

Looking down, he realized—he was tied to a chair.

Thick ropes bound his wrists behind him, securing them tightly to the wooden frame. His legs were tied together, restricting any attempt to move. Panic bubbled in his chest, but he forced himself to breathe, to stay calm. He scanned the dark room, his ears picking up the only sound in the eerie silence—footsteps.

One person.

The steps echoed, slow and deliberate, approaching him.

Kai quickly shut his eyes and steadied his breathing. If he was going to escape, he needed an opportunity. And that opportunity might come if they thought he was still unconscious.

So, he waited.

The footsteps stopped right in front of him.

Now.

Kai launched himself forward with all his strength, ramming his shoulder into the figure before him. The impact was powerful—bone against bone. The person barely had time to react before crumpling to the ground, knocked out cold. Kai hit the floor along with them, still bound by the ropes. But he didn't panic. His body had endured worse under Coach Armstrong's brutal training. Gritting his teeth, he flexed his muscles, forcing tension against the restraints. The ropes strained—then snapped.

His wrists were free.

Without wasting a second, he reached up, untying the bindings around his body and legs. Finally, he stood, shaking off the lingering stiffness, and looked down at the unconscious man.

Too easy.

If he had managed to take one of them down this quickly, there had to be more. A single kidnapper wouldn't have risked grabbing him alone. Kai crouched and patted the man down. His fingers brushed against cold steel—a knife. He grabbed it, flipping the weapon into a firm grip. At least now he wasn't empty-handed.

He scanned the room. Dark. Quiet. The only notable exit was a closed door a few feet away. It could lead outside—or straight into the heart of the kidnappers' base.

Either way, he had to move. Tightening his grip on the knife, Kai stepped toward the door, careful to make no sound. He pressed his ear against it, listening for movement on the other side.

If there were more of them waiting, he would be ready. Kai slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside.

Empty.

The dimly lit hallway stretched ahead, lined with doors on both sides. No sign of movement. Slipping in silently, he closed the door behind him, careful not to make a sound. His breathing was steady, controlled. Every step he took was calculated, his footsteps muffled against the floor.

Then, voices. He froze, ears sharpening at the sound of two men talking just around the left-side turn of the hallway. Their voices were relaxed, laced with amusement and exhaustion. He caught the faint scent of cigarette smoke.

Good. They weren't on alert.

Kai took a cautious peek. Two men stood near the corner, casually smoking. They hadn't realized he was loose yet. But if he attacked both at once, he risked alerting the others.

He needed to be smart.

Spotting an open room nearby, he slipped inside, careful to leave the door slightly ajar. Then, he whistled. A short, sharp sound. The reaction was immediate.

"Hear that?" one of them muttered.

"Yeah. Lemme check it out."

Kai smirked. Hook, line, and sinker.

The man stepped inside, peering around. "What the—"

Kai struck fast. His fist slammed into the man's face with bone-crunching force. The kidnapper collapsed instantly, out cold before he even hit the ground. Kai flexed his fingers, staring at his own hand.

Damn. Am I really that strong?

He had expected resistance—at least a groan of pain or a moment of struggle. But there was nothing. Just one solid hit and the guy went down like a ragdoll. He had one more to deal with. Kai stepped back into the hallway, eyes locking onto the remaining guard. 

Kai walked up to the remaining man and, with a swift, precise strike, knocked him out cold.

To keep their discovery delayed, he dragged the unconscious body into the same room as the first, stacking them together. Once satisfied, he slipped back into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind him. Turning left, he moved swiftly, eyes scanning ahead. Then—there it was.

An exit sign.

His pulse quickened. He picked up the pace, nearly breaking into a run as he spotted the door. Freedom was just within reach—

But a voice stopped him cold.

"Don't think you can escape just yet, Outsider."

The words dripped with cockiness and confidence. Kai turned around, muscles tensed. A man stood a few feet away, holding a gun leveled at him. He was shorter than Kai, likely in his twenties, and completely bald. His face—well, to put it bluntly, was unpleasant to look at.

Kai narrowed his eyes. "...Who are you? And why did you kidnap me?"

Not that he really needed an answer for the second question. He had a pretty good guess.

The bald man sneered. "Why would I give my name to a dead man?!"

Then, without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out, echoing through the hallway. A bullet tore through the air, too fast for the human eye to follow.

But Kai moved.

Without thinking—without even processing what was happening—his body reacted. His head tilted just slightly, and the bullet whizzed past, missing him by mere inches.

Both men froze.

Silence.

The bald man's smirk vanished, his cocky expression replaced with sheer disbelief. Kai stood still, heart pounding.

What… just happened?

His mind struggled to catch up. That wasn't normal. That wasn't something an ordinary person could do. And from the way the kidnapper's grip on the gun tightened, he knew—this fight was far from over. 

Kai's instincts took over. Without hesitation, he surged forward. The kidnapper's hands trembled as he tightened his grip on the pistol.

That hesitation was all Kai needed.

In a blur of movement, he kicked the gun away with his left foot, sending it skidding across the floor. Before the man could react, Kai spun and delivered a powerful kick with his right foot, knocking him to the ground. The bald man gasped, scrambling backward on his elbows, terror painted across his face. "Y-you're not a human!"

He tried to get up—to run—but Kai was faster. With a swift tackle to his legs, Kai sent him crashing back down. One precise strike later, and the man went limp, unconscious.

Kai exhaled sharply, straightening up. He had no time to waste. More could be coming. He turned and rushed to the exit door, pushing it open.

A gust of cold night air hit him as he stepped outside. The streets were eerily quiet compared to earlier. Neon signs flickered, casting strange glows on the empty sidewalks.

Glancing at the time displayed in his vision, he froze.

3:00 AM.

He had been unconscious for almost five hours. That meant whoever kidnapped him had already had plenty of time to do… whatever they intended. But why? And why let him escape so easily?

Kai shoved the questions aside for now. He had to get back to his apartment, rest, and prepare for the class. If he could even sleep after this.

On the way home, Kai's mind was restless.

What happened back there?

How did I dodge a bullet?

The questions looped endlessly, each one more unsettling than the last. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize he had already reached his apartment. The door stood open before him. Snapping out of his daze, he stepped inside. The door shut behind him with a soft click.

Still deep in thought, he grabbed a towel and headed straight for the bathroom.

Once inside, he turned on the shower. Hot water cascaded over his body, flowing down the scars and rough body of his. Steam rose, thick and suffocating, clouding the mirror—just like his mind. He exhaled, pressing a hand against the cool tile wall.

There's something wrong with me…

His thoughts drifted back to the terrified look on the kidnapper's face.

"You're not a human!"

Kai clenched his jaw.

Maybe… he was right.

Maybe I'm not human.