Chapter 4 — The Boy Who Knew Too Much
534 Words
Mia
I couldn’t sleep.
Again.
My father’s name kept repeating in my mind.
Why did Kai know something?
Why did Ren look like he wanted to stop him?
And why did everyone treat my father’s story like a secret?
I searched online.
Old articles.
Tournament records.
Anything.
But everything ended the same way.
My father lost.
Then disappeared.
No explanation.
No interview.
No goodbye.
Just gone.
───
The next day, Ren avoided the topic.
Which made me even more suspicious.
During training, I finally snapped.
“Ren.”
He looked over.
“What?”
“What happened to my father?”
The dojo went quiet.
Even the other students noticed.
Ren froze.
“I don’t know.”
I stared.
“You’re lying.”
His expression changed.
“Mia—”
“You knew something yesterday.”
He lowered his voice.
“Not here.”
“Why?”
“Because this isn’t about Kendo anymore.”
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me.”
He looked hurt.
Not angry.
Hurt.
“I was trying to protect you.”
The same words.
Everyone always wanted to protect me.
Nobody wanted to trust me.
“I don’t need protecting.”
My voice shook.
“I need the truth.”
───
After practice, Ren finally spoke.
“My father knew yours.”
I froze.
“What?”
“They trained together.”
I stared.
“And?”
“And there was a tournament.”
His eyes lowered.
“Your father lost.”
I already knew that.
Everyone knew that.
But something about the way he said it felt different.
“Why are you telling me like it matters?”
Ren hesitated.
“Because after that match…”
He stopped.
“After that match what?”
Before he answered—
the door opened.
Kai.
Again.
Always at the worst time.
His eyes moved between us.
Then to Ren.
“You told her?”
Ren’s face hardened.
“You don’t get to decide when she knows.”
Kai stepped inside.
“You don’t get to lie to her.”
The words hit harder than a strike.
Because Ren went silent.
And that silence told me everything.
───
I looked at Kai.
“You knew too?”
His expression softened.
“Mia…”
“No.”
My chest hurt.
“Everyone knows things except me.”
Kai stepped closer.
“I was trying to find the right time.”
“The right time?”
I laughed bitterly.
“You mean when you could control how I found out?”
His eyes darkened.
Not with anger.
With regret.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
He had no answer.
And somehow…
that hurt more.
───
I walked away.
I didn’t want explanations.
I didn’t want apologies.
I wanted the truth.
But as I left, I heard Kai say quietly:
“Your father didn’t lose because he was weak.”
I stopped.
My back still facing him.
“What?”
His voice was low.
“He lost because someone betrayed him.”
I turned.
But Kai was already looking away.
And I knew.
Whatever happened years ago…
was about to destroy everything.
End of Chapter 4
- Writer
