Chapter 28: Shadows and Scars (Part 2)

The air was thick with silence after Sai's confession. Even the wind outside seemed to pause, holding its breath with the rest of the room.

Hotaru's hands clenched into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she processed what he had just revealed — the death of his mentor, the betrayal of his closest ally, and the years Sai spent living in that grey space between revenge and survival.

Mira shifted uncomfortably, her usual playful energy completely drained. Even Tora, Ryuuji, and Jin — who had been messing around earlier — were now quietly listening. This wasn't just a tragic story; this was a warning.

Sai leaned back against the wall, his eyes staring somewhere far away. "That day, when I lost everything, I realized something."

Hotaru's voice was soft. "What did you realize?"

Sai's gaze sharpened. "That when you're walking in the dark for too long, you either become the monster… or you learn to make shadows your ally."

Without warning, Sai drew a blade from his sleeve — slender, blackened steel, sharp enough to cut air itself — and in a single motion, he swung it. The candle beside him split cleanly in two, its flame snuffed out instantly.

"I chose the second option."

The room was completely dark now, only faint moonlight slipping through the cracked window. Hotaru could feel her heart beating faster, her breath uneven.

"This is why you work alone, isn't it?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm. "Because you don't want anyone else to fall into the dark with you."

Sai smirked faintly, the kind of smile that hid a thousand regrets. "That's what I used to think. But you all showed up and kicked down my door… so I guess fate has other plans."

Ryuuji tried to lighten the mood. "We didn't kick the door down! Tora hacked it open."

Tora raised a hand. "In my defense, your security system was garbage."

Jin sighed. "Focus, idiots."

Sai shook his head, a small laugh escaping his lips. It was the first genuine laugh they had heard from him. "You're a chaotic mess," he said, "but maybe that's exactly what I need."

Hotaru stepped forward, her voice strong. "You don't have to fight alone anymore, Sai. If you're stepping into the shadows, we're stepping with you."

Mira grinned. "We're basically human glowsticks. We snap, we shine, and we're probably gonna break in the process — but hey, at least we look cool."

Sai stared at them for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright then. If you're all serious about this…" His eyes flickered with both warning and warmth. "Welcome to the dark."

Just then, a sudden crash echoed from upstairs — the sound of something heavy collapsing.

"…What now?" Hotaru groaned.

Kuro sauntered in, looking smug with a freshly caught rat in his mouth.

Ryuuji sighed dramatically. "This team's energy is insane. One second we're having emotional breakthroughs, the next it's home demolition."

Hotaru turned back to Sai. "Guess we better find a new base soon."

Sai sheathed his blade. "First things first — let's hunt down the Kurogane scum who put this target on our backs."

Hotaru's grin was sharp. "Now you're speaking my language."

The storm outside raged on, but inside this broken, chaotic hideout, a new bond had been forged — one that would either lead them to victory or destroy them all.

The end of chapter 28