I'd let the world burn for you... || Tokyo Revengers

New year

After attending the New Year festival with Akira and catching up with her friends from Toman, Kaiya returned to her hotel room. The festive atmosphere from earlier lingered faintly in her mind, but it couldn't push away the growing sadness that settled deep inside her. As the night stretched on, she felt the weight of her loneliness more acutely. Everyone else had returned to their families, surrounded by warmth and companionship, while she was left alone in the cold, impersonal space of a hotel room.

Her mind wandered to the only family she truly felt connected to—her twin brother and Akira. But her brother was still in juvenile detention, and Akira, despite her best efforts, had drifted away. In the beginning, Akira had begged her mother, May, to take Kaiya back into their home, but over time, those pleas faded. At first, Akira visited Kaiya nearly every day, trying to be there for her cousin, but as time passed, those visits became less frequent. That's why Kaiya had been genuinely surprised when Akira reached out and asked to meet her at the New Year festival.

Initially, Kaiya had planned to go with Emma, Mikey, and Draken—Emma had extended the invitation with her usual enthusiasm—but when Akira asked, Kaiya couldn't turn her down. Despite enjoying the festival, an emptiness lingered, and now, as she entered her dark hotel room, the contrast between the vibrant celebrations and her solitude struck her deeply.

With a quiet sigh, she changed out of her festive clothes and into a pair of worn jeans, a hoodie, and a jacket. She needed air, space to clear her head. Without really thinking about it, she made her way up to the rooftop of the hotel. The night sky stretched above her, stars barely visible through the haze of city lights. In the distance, she could still see groups of people celebrating, walking down the streets in clusters, laughing and enjoying each other's company. She felt a pang of envy—something she rarely let herself feel.

- "Aren't you too young to be standing alone up here?" Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Startled, Kaiya whipped around to see a figure leaning casually against the small stairwell room that led to the rooftop. He had black hair with an undercut, his eyes a piercing hazel. He was dressed in black jeans and an unzipped black jacket, revealing a loose white shirt underneath. The necktie he wore hung loosely around his neck, its knot resting casually on his chest. A cigarette hung lazily from his fingers, smoke curling into the chilly night air.

For a moment, Kaiya was taken aback—she hadn't expected anyone else to be up here. She studied him carefully, her guard instinctively rising. The guy seemed unbothered by her scrutiny, taking a slow drag of his cigarette, his eyes never leaving hers.

- "Surprised to see someone here?" he asked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Kaiya didn't respond right away, still caught off guard. After a beat, she shrugged, her usual composed demeanor returning. 

- "I guess so," she said, her voice steady despite the lingering melancholy she felt.

The stranger's eyes narrowed slightly, not in suspicion, but in a way that suggested he was trying to figure her out. 

- "So," he exhaled, letting the smoke drift into the night air, "why are you up here all alone? New Year's, right? Shouldn't you be with friends, or family?"

Kaiya's jaw tightened, a flicker of pain flashing through her yellow eyes before she could hide it.

- "Maybe," she muttered, turning her gaze back to the distant city lights. "But some people don't have that luxury."

The guy tilted his head slightly, his gaze thoughtful. 

- "Is that so?" His tone was light, but there was a hint of understanding in his voice, like he knew exactly what she meant.