Kaito's Obsession

Chapter 11 Pay Back

CLASSROOM / SCHOOL GROUNDS — NEXT DAY

The resentment toward Xhilo simmers just below the surface — sharpest among three classmates who burn with jealousy over her perfect grades, the respect she earns from teachers, and how easily she draws attention even when she tries to stay invisible. For months, they’ve targeted her: muttering insults as she passes, hiding her notes, knocking books from her desk, whispering lies to turn others against her.

Xhilo knows it well. She simply straightens her things, keeps her head high, and walks on — telling herself that fighting back only drags you down to their level. Their petty acts never bother her enough to break her focus. She thinks their words mean nothing… but Kaito sees every single one, and even though he watches closely, he holds back — for now. He tells himself they are just empty words, not worth wasting his time… until they cross the line.

That afternoon, in the crowded hallway after class, the ringleader of the group steps in front of her, blocking her way. Before Xhilo can react, the girl reaches out roughly — grabs the brim of her hat, and yanks it off her head.

“Let’s see what you’re hiding under this ugly thing, huh?” she sneers.

And before anyone can stop her, she twists and tears the fabric, ripping the hat apart right in front of everyone — tossing the broken pieces onto the floor and stomping on them once for good measure.

The noise fades instantly.

All eyes turn to Xhilo — her long black hair falling loose, her face fully exposed, glowing with that rare, breathtaking beauty she always keeps hidden. Gasps go around the room; even the bullies freeze, stunned by how radiant she truly is.

But no one feels it more than Kaito.

He was walking just a few steps behind, and the second he sees her hat destroyed and her face laid bare for every stranger to gawk at, something inside him snaps. His expression stays calm on the surface, but his eyes turn pitch‑black, cold and burning with a rage so deep it feels like the air around him drops to freezing.

That hat was something she cherished. It was hers. And her beauty… it was meant only for his eyes. No one had the right to ruin what belongs to her, and no one had the right to look at her like that.

In that moment, he decides: they will pay.

FIRST BULLY — THE RINGLEADER

That same evening, as she takes her usual shortcut home, two large, silent men step out from the shadows. They don’t say a word — they only strike hard enough to leave deep bruises, a split lip, and cracked ribs. It is painful, humiliating, but never fatal. They vanish just as quickly as they appeared, leaving her gasping on the pavement.

When she finally manages to crawl to the streetlight, she finds a small, folded note tucked into her bag — written in elegant, cold handwriting:

“You had no right to touch what protects her. You had no right to destroy something she loves. And you definitely had no right to look upon her face. Next time, the price will be far worse. Stay away from Xhilo — or you will not walk again.”

She never dares to even glance in Xhilo’s direction after that.

SECOND BULLY — THE GIRL WHO PLANTED FALSE ANSWERS

The next morning, she continues her taunts, thinking the first incident was just bad luck. But by evening, while crossing a quiet side street, a pitch‑black luxury car comes speeding toward her without warning. It swerves close enough to clip her shoulder, sending her crashing onto the asphalt, breaking her arm and leaving her bruised and terrified. The car speeds off before anyone can see the plate.

When she wakes up in the hospital, a note is resting on her pillow:

“You thought you could lie about her and get away with it? You thought you could laugh while she struggles? Remember this pain — it is nothing compared to what awaits if you ever speak her name again. She is not someone you can hurt. She is mine.”

From that day on, she keeps her head down and changes her seat just to be farther away.

THIRD BULLY — THE ONE WHO RUINED HER LUNCH

The last of them tries to be clever: while no one is looking, she dumps a foul mixture into Xhilo’s lunch tray, grinning to herself. But within an hour that same afternoon, her own food from the canteen leaves her violently ill — strong enough to keep her bedridden for a full week, weak and trembling, but never deadly.

When she recovers, she finds a note slipped under her bedroom door:

“You wanted to ruin what she eats? Try tasting your own poison. Everything around her is protected — even the smallest things. You do not belong in her world. Do not come near her again, or you will wish you were never born.”

KAITO’S PENTHOUSE — LATER THAT NIGHT

High above the city, Kaito sits before his wall of screens — one showing Xhilo studying peacefully in her room, unaware of everything that has happened. He holds a small, brand‑new hat in his hands, made of soft fabric, stitched with care — better than the one that was destroyed.

He traces the screen where her face glows in the dim light, his voice soft, satisfied, but laced with that cold, possessive edge.

“I didn’t want to waste my time on them… I was ready to ignore their petty words. But then they went too far. They destroyed something she held dear — and they dared to expose her beauty for everyone else to see. That is something I will never allow.”

His eyes darken further, his fingers tightening around the new hat.

“Her face, her smile, her true beauty — it is meant only for me. Only I have the right to see it fully. Only I have the right to protect it. And anything that belongs to her… anything she cares for… no one gets to ruin it but me, if ever I choose to. Those fools learned today that they cannot touch what is mine.”

He leans closer to the screen, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“They received their warning. And they know now — if they ever try again, it will not be just bruises or fear. It will be the end of them.”

SCHOOL — DAYS LATER

The whole atmosphere shifts completely — quiet, heavy, and full of silent fear. No one whispers anymore. No one bumps her shoulder or hides her things. Classmates step aside before she even walks near; teachers hand her assignments already marked “excellent” before she turns them in; even the strict principal greets her with unusual care, as if she carries an invisible shield no one dares cross.

Xhilo notices the change, but tells herself it’s because they finally learned to respect her — that kindness and patience won them over. She never guesses: they aren’t respecting her… they are terrified of what happens to anyone who hurts her.

And right beside her, calm and composed as always, sits Kaito. He watches her with that soft, admiring smile — while inside, he knows he has already made sure no one will ever dare to damage or look at what belongs to him again.

One afternoon, she drops her pen; before it even hits the floor, three students rush to grab it, trembling, desperate to please. Kaito watches with cold amusement, leaning close enough only she can hear.

“See? Everyone knows their place now. And they will never forget: you are above all of them… and entirely mine.”

RESTAURANT — SAME EVENING

At work, the change is just as clear. She gets the easiest, best shifts automatically; rude customers are never seated in her section; orders are always perfect, and supplies never run low. Even the manager — usually gruff and demanding — now speaks to her gently, as if afraid to give her any trouble.

When Kaito arrives for his usual booth, he slides a small, neatly wrapped package across the table to her. Inside is the new hat — soft, well‑made, and even more comfortable than the one she lost.

“To replace the one that was broken. Wear it if it makes you feel safe again… but remember, whether you hide your face or not, I will always see you. And I will always make sure no one else dares to harm what is yours, or look at what is meant only for me.”

Xhilo holds it carefully, her heart fluttering — still feeling that mix of unease and warmth, not fully understanding how much he has done, or how far he will go, just to keep her for himself.