~'¶\ Broken Lies \¶'~(Ai Hoshino X OC)

Chapter 26: Revelations

-Conton City's Recreation Plaza-

"Woahh!! Look at that big dragon!! This place is so big! So, this is Conton City?!" Ai awed at the city in front of her. Her eyes sparkled, making Kai chuckle at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, its name was Toki-Toki City before... Mom accidentally destroyed it... using that dragon... Now it's gotten bigger to accommodate more people," Kai answered, noticing the curious glances from passersby.

"Uhh... Kai-kun? Why are you wearing a disguise?" Ai questioned, observing his black hoodie that covered his spiky, messy hair. Kai let his power drop so that no one could detect his energy.

"Because of that..." Kai sighed nervously, pointing at a giant holographic statue of the legendary Time Patrol Hero—himself.

"You're... popular here too?" Ai asked, surprised. Kai nodded as he explained, "I saved the whole history from being destroyed by a maniacally evil demon god before. So, I'm like a hero... in this world too."

He scratched his cheek, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Ai gazed at him, her admiration evident, but Kai's posture slumped slightly as he turned his attention to the holographic statue, his expression shifting to one of solemnity.

"I'm not a hero," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I did it out of revenge... a selfish desire. Hearing you praise me like a hero makes me feel sick—sick of myself..." The weight of his thoughts hung heavily in the air, contrasting sharply with Ai's innocent wonder.

"I see... So where are we going now?" Ai asked, her curiosity piqued as she looked at Kai with wide eyes. With a subtle nod, Kai gestured for her to follow him toward the Business District.

"You know... being here reminds me of my home," Kai spoke as they walked.

"Time Nest?" guessed Ai, but Kai shook his head.

"My real home, before Supreme Kai of Time adopted me," he told her.

Ai was a little surprised. "You were adopted?"

Kai nodded. "I'm from your world too... A demon witch tried to kidnap me when I was just four years old. Shallot and Trunks saved me before she had a chance."

"How about your parents?" Ai asked gently.

Kai was silent, and Ai noticed the change in his mood. Before she could apologize, Kai said, "Dead. That witch's creation killed them. Trunks said my father made a final stand to hold him off so they had a chance to escape. But I don't even know how he managed to do that."
Ai's heart sank at his words. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

Kai smiled faintly as he patted her head, surprising her. "It's okay! Thanks to them, I'm still alive right now."

Ai returned his smile but then reflected on her own situation. Kai was lucky to have felt his mother's love, unlike her own experience with an abusive mother.

"How about you?" Kai asked, noticing the shift in her expression. Her eyes lost their shine, and her smile faded away as she answered with no emotion.

"I grew up in an orphanage. My mother was arrested for theft when I was a kid, so I was sent there."

Kai was taken aback by her revelation. He uncovered his hair and watched Ai with sympathy, noticing the darkness in her eyes—she was different from the Ai he once adored.
"But she never came back. Well, it's better than getting beaten up at home," Ai added.

Kai's eyes widened in response, clearly not expecting such a blunt answer. Ai looked at him, confusion evident on her face. Did she scare him?

"Oh sorry, Kai-kun, I didn't mean to scare... Eeepp?!" Ai yelped when Kai suddenly hugged her.