[Scene
8th August
1:30 am
Kai and Ryu]

Ryu's mind drifted in the dark, floating between past and present, reality and nightmare. Kavei's words echoed, sharp and relentless, sinking into his subconscious like a thorn pressing deeper into flesh.

"Samantha-nee was murdered right after her tournament."

The words twisted in his head, looping over and over. The scene unfolded in fragments-her triumphant smile after the match, the cheer of the crowd, the flash of her gold medal. And then-silence. A void where she should have been.

"In all of the cases we went through before this one, the bodies were never found."

A whisper of dread curled around his throat. A lifeless body. Samantha's body. It wasn't supposed to be like that. The others disappeared. They weren't found. But she-she was.

"When Daichi was kidnapped, the man said he wanted him alive."

Alive. Daichi was meant to live. But Samantha wasn't.

"I just don't get why Samantha-nee was killed."

"Huff... huff... huff..."

His breathing turned erratic. Something unseen clawed at his chest, suffocating, unbearable. The darkness around him thickened, pressing down on him, drowning him.

"Huff... huff... huff..."

His lungs burned. His vision blurred. The weight of the truth-or the lack of it-crushed him.

"Huff... huff... huff..."

Then, a hand. Cold fingers grasping his wrist. A shadowed figure standing over him. And then-

"AHHH!"

Ryu shot up, gasping. His heart pounded violently against his ribs, his entire body drenched in cold sweat. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his surroundings came into focus. The dim light of the hotel room. The faint hum of the air conditioner. The sheets tangled around his legs.

"Hey! Ryu!"

A sharp voice cut through his daze. He turned to see Kai staring at him, wide-eyed, concern etched across his face.

"What is it? Why'd you scream all of a sudden?"

Ryu blinked, still caught between sleep and wakefulness. His breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to piece together reality.

"Huh? Ah..." He swallowed thickly, his throat dry. "We're in the hotel." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Sorry. I just had a bad dream."

Kai didn't look convinced. His eyes lingered on Ryu's pale face, the tension in his shoulders.

"Your breathing seems heavy, Ryu," Kai pointed out, his voice laced with concern.

Ryu quickly shook his head, forcing out a weak chuckle. "No, I'm fine, Kai. Really. Don't worry."

Kai frowned but didn't press further. Instead, he reached for the water bottle on the nightstand, twisting off the cap and handing it over.

"But just in case, have some water."

Ryu hesitated for a moment before taking the bottle. The cool liquid soothed his dry throat, grounding him slightly. He exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself.

"Thanks."

Kai nodded, though he still looked unconvinced.

As Ryu set the bottle down, his thoughts lingered on the dream-the weight of Kavei's words, the lingering fear that clawed at his chest.

'What has gotten into him? Kavei's words... did he react to that? Come on, Ryu. Get over it.'

But even as he told himself that, he knew the unease wouldn't leave him so easily.

[Scene
The bathroom inside the hotel room
Kai and Ryu
8th August
6 am, morning]

The morning light seeped faintly through the curtains of the hotel room, casting a dull glow over everything. The air felt heavy, pressing down on Ryu as he stood in front of the bathroom sink, gripping its edges tightly. Cold water dripped from his fingers, pooling at the porcelain surface. His breathing was steady now, but his mind was anything but.

Kai and Saira's voices still echoed in his head, relentless and unforgiving.

"There were no signs of any evidence, but just in case, we still took pictures of the tournament hall and the changing rooms."

Ryu squeezed his eyes shut as the words played over and over, like a haunting melody he couldn't escape. His fingers twitched slightly, his grip tightening. He could almost see it-empty hallways, vacant seats, the eerie silence of a place that had once been alive with cheers and competition.

"We asked the manager about Samantha's tournament uniform."

A sharp exhale left his lips.

"He said the police had already investigated it... that the uniform was soaked with blood from top to bottom."

Blood. The word alone made his stomach turn.

He opened his eyes and looked into the mirror, his reflection staring back at him, tired and restless. His damp hair clung to his forehead, his eyes slightly red from lack of sleep.

"Of course, blood is not always the sole evidence of a murder, but he also did say that the amount was pretty scary."

Scary. That was an understatement.

"It was like it rained blood, and her clothes were drenched from it."

Ryu gritted his teeth. He could picture it too vividly-the dark red soaking into the fabric, heavy and suffocating, dripping onto the cold floor beneath.

"That much blood loss can only lead to one conclusion... Sure, the body was discovered later on in the area close to the tournament hall, but it was so hard to recognize..."

And then-

"It's inevitable, Ryu. Samantha is really dead."

The memory of that moment crashed over him like a wave. His breath hitched, his fingers tightening around the edge of the sink.

"AHHH!!"

The scream had ripped out of him before he could stop it, raw and desperate, shattering the silence of the room that night.

And then Kavei's voice-steady, cold.

"Just shut up and sit down."

Ryu's head pounded. He could still feel Kavei's piercing gaze, the weight of his words sinking deep into his bones.

"I know what you're going through. But we have to be strong. We have to avenge our loved ones."

He had been shaking then, fists clenched at his sides, but Kavei's voice had been unwavering, demanding.

"We have to be strong."

Splash!

Ryu scooped another handful of cold water and threw it onto his face, the droplets sliding down his skin, chilling him slightly. His breath came in sharp, uneven exhales as he gripped the sink harder.

"I know it's the truth. But I don't wish to accept it... So don't keep staying in my head."

His own voice came out as a whisper, his lips barely moving. His heart pounded against his ribs as he closed his eyes again, willing the voices away.

"Don't keep talking in my head, Kavei."

The sound of his name sent an involuntary shudder down Ryu's spine. He hated this. Hated how no matter what he did, Kavei's words wouldn't leave him.

He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He had to get a grip.

Splash.

Another handful of water. Another attempt to drown out the thoughts.

He wiped his face and stared at his reflection, the cold water doing little to shake off the exhaustion weighing him down.

A sudden knock on the door made him jolt slightly.

"How long do you plan on staying in there?"

Kai's voice. It was steady, but there was an edge to it-one Ryu had grown used to.

The door creaked open slightly. Ryu could see the sharp glint in Kai's eyes through the small gap. They were cold, calculating.

"And you should at least close the door to make sure no one enters," Kai added, his voice firm but indifferent. His eyes flickered over Ryu, assessing.

Ryu exhaled slowly, running a hand through his damp hair.

"So, well?"

"Sorry," Ryu muttered, reaching for the towel hanging on the door knob. He wiped his face quickly before adding, "Give me ten more minutes. I'll be there."

Kai studied him for a moment longer before giving a small nod.

"Great, okay. We'll be... waiting."

His voice lingered slightly, and then he was gone, his footsteps fading into the distance.

Ryu exhaled sharply, rubbing his face with his hands. His chest felt tight, but he forced himself to steady his breathing.

Ten minutes.

That was all he had before he had to pull himself together again.