Kaito's Obsession

Chapter 3 Farewell

SUNNY PRIMARY SCHOOL - LATE AFTERNOON

The school day is winding down. Most children have already left, their laughter fading into the distance. Kaito, however, is still lingering, his gaze fixed on Xhilo as she packs her bag under the oak tree. He’s waiting for their usual “walk home,” a ritual he’s established.

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing WHISTLE cuts through the air. It’s not a playful sound. It’s a warning.

Kaito, distracted by Xhilo, doesn’t immediately react. But Xhilo, always observant, her senses honed by a quiet watchfulness, hears it. Her eyes dart upwards, towards the roof of the school building.

Her breath catches. A loose tile, dislodged by the wind or recent rain, is teetering precariously on the edge of the roof, directly above where Kaito is standing. It’s large, heavy, and about to fall.

Panic flares in her chest. She knows Kaito is lost in his own world, focused on her. He wouldn’t see it coming.

Her voice, usually soft, is suddenly sharp with urgency. "Kaito! Look out!"

Her cry is sharp, desperate. Kaito, startled by the sudden alarm in her voice, looks up. His eyes widen in horror as he sees the tile beginning its descent. It’s too late for him to react, too close, too fast.

But Xhilo doesn't just shout. In a blur of motion, fueled by pure instinct and the overwhelming fear of losing him, she lunges forward. She shoves Kaito with all her might.

The heavy roof tile crashes down with a terrifying CRUNCH, shattering into pieces. Kaito, propelled by Xhilo’s desperate shove, stumbles sideways, landing hard on the pavement. He’s safe, his breath knocked out of him, but alive.

But Xhilo, in her selfless act of pushing him, has put herself directly in the path of the falling debris. A smaller, sharp piece of the tile, dislodged by the main impact, strikes her on the side of the head as she stumbles back from her shove.

She cries out, a sharp, pained sound, and collapses to the ground, her small body still.

Kaito, his own shock momentarily forgotten, scrambles to his feet. He sees Xhilo fall. He sees the blood.

His voice, choked with terror and disbelief. "Xhilo!"

He rushes to her side, his earlier bravado completely gone, replaced by a raw, primal fear. He gently tries to shake her awake, his hands trembling. "Xhilo? Wake up! Please!"

Other children, alerted by the noise, start to gather, their chatter turning to gasps of horror. A teacher rushes over, her face palling as she sees the scene.

HOSPITAL ROOM - DAYS LATER

The sterile smell of antiseptic fills the air. Xhilo lies in a hospital bed, pale and still. Her head is bandaged. She stirs, her eyes fluttering open, but they are unfocused, distant.

Kaito, looking small and devastated, sits by her bedside, holding her hand. He’s been visiting every day

Days later.

Kaito watches Xhilo's eyes flutter open. He leans forward, his heart aching with a mixture of hope and dread. His voice is a strained whisper, barely audible. "Xhilo? Can you hear me?"

Xhilo blinks slowly. Her gaze drifts over him, but there’s no recognition in her eyes. It’s like looking at a stranger. A profound sadness washes over Kaito. He knows, with a certainty that chills him to the bone, that she doesn't remember him.

Her voice is weak, raspy, and utterly unfamiliar to Kaito. "Who… who are you? Where am I?"

Kaito’s breath hitches. The words are a physical blow. He feels a lump form in his throat, making it impossible to speak for a moment. He squeezes her hand, a desperate, silent plea for her to remember.

Finally, his voice cracking. "It’s me… Kaito. We’re… we were classmates. At Sunny Primary."

Xhilo frowns, a faint crease appearing between her brows. She tries to focus, but the effort seems too much. She shakes her head slowly, a small, almost imperceptible movement. "I… I don’t remember. I’m sorry."

The apology, so innocent and yet so devastating, is more than Kaito can bear. He pulls his hand away gently, his own eyes welling up. He looks down at the pendant he’s been clutching, the one he was going to give her before everything happened. Now, it feels like the only tangible link they have left.

He takes a deep breath, forcing himself to speak. This is his last chance to leave something with her, something that might, one day, spark a memory.

Kaito’s voice is thick with unshed tears, but he forces a brave front. He takes the small, worn pendant from his pocket. It’s a simple silver charm, perhaps a small stylized knight or an initial, something he’s cherished.

His voice is a low, earnest whisper, meant only for her. "I know that you're so confused but I want you to listen carefully. I have to go away. My family… we’re moving. To study abroad."

He looks at her, his eyes pleading for her to understand, to see the significance of this moment. "But I’ll never forget you, Xhilo. Never. You saved me. You gave me… you gave me everything."

He gently places the pendant into her palm, closing her fingers around it. Her hand feels so small and fragile in his.

His voice cracks with emotion"This… this is for you. So you don’t forget me. And I promise… I promise I’ll come back for you. I’ll find you again. I’ll always come back for you."

Xhilo, her eyes still clouded with confusion, clutches the pendant. She doesn’t understand the depth of his words, the weight of his promise, but she feels the sincerity, the raw emotion radiating from him. She gives a small, weak nod, her gaze fixed on the pendant in her hand.

A faint whisper. "Okay..."

Kaito watches her for another moment, his heart a heavy stone in his chest. He wants to say more, to explain, to beg her to remember, but he knows he can’t. The doctors are waiting, his parents are waiting. The plane won't wait.

With one last, lingering look at her face, a face he’s terrified he’ll never see the same way again, he stands up. He forces a shaky smile, a pale imitation of his

usual confident grin, a desperate attempt to appear strong for her, even though he feels like he's shattering inside.

His voice is barely a whisper, but filled with a fierce, unwavering resolve. "I’ll be back. I promise."

He turns and walks away, not daring to look back, the image of her confused, unrecognizing eyes burned into his memory. The weight of the pendant, the weight of her sacrifice, and the weight of his promise settle onto his young shoulders, a burden he will carry across oceans and through years.