As dawn broke over the quiet hospital room, Leo's eyes fluttered open to the pale morning light streaming through the blinds. The sterile air carried the faint hum of medical equipment, a stark reminder of the events that had led him here. He blinked slowly, his vision adjusting to the soft glow. His chest ached, a dull throb where the bullet had struck, but the physical pain paled in comparison to the turmoil raging in his heart.
Kai's absence was the first thing he noticed. The chair beside his bed, which had been occupied tirelessly the night before, now sat empty. Confused, he turned his head to find a neatly folded note resting on the bedside table. His fingers trembled as he reached for it, unfolding the crisp paper.
**"Leo,
I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly. There are matters I need to attend to. Please rest and recover. You've been through enough.
Kai"**
The words were simple, yet they carried a weight that made Leo's chest tighten further. He stared at the note, his mind replaying the moment Kai had stood by him, bloodied and desperate, pleading with the doctors to save him. Now, that fierce presence was gone, leaving a void that seemed insurmountable.
As Leo's thoughts churned, the door creaked open, and a nurse entered with a tray. "Good morning, Mr. Leo. How are you feeling today?"
"Fine," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
The nurse smiled gently. "Your friend, Kai, left strict instructions to take good care of you. He'll be back soon, I'm sure."
Leo nodded absently, though a sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise.
---
In another part of the hospital, Kai leaned against the wall of an empty corridor, his mother standing before him with an expression that was equal parts exasperation and concern.
"What are you doing to that boy?" she demanded, her voice low but firm. "He's lying in a hospital bed because of you, Kai. Do you even realize what you've dragged him into?"
Kai's jaw tightened, but he didn't meet her gaze. "I didn't drag him into anything. He chose this path."
"Did he really have a choice?" she countered. "Look at yourself. You've built walls so high that no one can climb them. But this boy, Leo... he's trying, isn't he? And you're just going to let him break himself against them?"
Kai's hands clenched into fists. "You don't understand. I've kept him alive. That's all that matters."
His mother's expression softened, but her tone remained resolute. "Keeping him alive isn't the same as letting him live, Kai. Don't make the same mistakes I did."
Kai's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't about you."
She sighed, stepping closer. "No, it's about you. And him. And what you're willing to sacrifice to protect something real."
---
Back in the room, Leo was lost in thought when a knock startled him. A young man in a crisp suit entered, bowing slightly. "Mr. Leo, Mr. Kai's assistant. He asked me to deliver this to you."
Leo frowned as the man handed him a sleek black phone. "What's this?"
"A direct line to Mr. Kai. He wanted you to have it."
Leo stared at the device, a mix of frustration and longing bubbling within him. "Tell him to come back and give it to me himself," he said coldly.
The assistant hesitated before nodding and leaving the room.
---
That night, Leo sat alone in the hospital room, the phone untouched on the table. Memories of the past weeks played in his mind like a cruel montage: Kai's steady presence, his unyielding determination, the unspoken bond they'd formed amidst chaos. And now, the quiet absence that left him feeling untethered.
When the door opened again, Leo's heart skipped a beat, but it wasn't Kai. Instead, his mother entered, her expression soft. "Leo, dear," she began, her voice kind yet probing. "What is it you're holding onto so tightly?"
Leo's gaze dropped. "I don't know. Maybe it's hope. Or maybe it's nothing at all."
She approached, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hope isn't nothing. And sometimes, it's all we have."
Leo swallowed hard, his chest aching anew. "I don't want to lose him, Mom. But I don't even know what we are anymore."
Her smile was bittersweet. "You're two people trying to find your way in a world that doesn't make it easy. That's more than most can say."
---
Meanwhile, Kai stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, the city lights reflecting in his eyes. The weight of his decisions pressed heavily on his shoulders. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn't answer. He knew who it was. Instead, he stared out at the horizon, a single thought repea
ting in his mind:
I'll protect him, even if it means staying away.