Kaito's Obsession

Chapter 21 Priceless

HALLWAY — NEXT MORNING

Ryuu arrives holding two cups of coffee — one for himself, the other carefully balanced for Xhilo. He walks with determined steps, pulls out the temporary key card he got yesterday, and swipes it against the lock.

BEEP.

ACCESS DENIED ❌

He doesn’t blink or look confused. He expected this.

He tries again, pressing harder.

BEEP.

ACCESS DENIED ❌

His jaw only tightens — irritation, not surprise. Of course he would change the rules overnight.

Just then, the door of Unit 202 opens.

Kaito steps out — no suit, no formal air. Just a plain black t‑shirt and loose pants, holding a ceramic mug. He looks relaxed, like he owns every breath of air in this hallway. His eyes land on Ryuu, and a faint, knowing smile tugs at his lips.

“Morning, Ryuu. Just a heads‑up — building policy was updated overnight.”

He lifts his mug and takes a slow, deliberate sip, never breaking eye contact.

“Guests now need to be registered 24 hours in advance. And most importantly… they have to be approved by me.”

Ryuu’s expression hardens. He doesn’t raise his voice, but his tone is sharp and unyielding.

“You think a simple rule change will stop me, Kaito? You know better than that.”

Kaito’s smile stays — calm, but edged like a blade hidden in silk. “I don’t just change rules, Ryuu. I write them. I own this building. Remember?”

Before he can say more, Ryuu reaches into his inner pocket and pulls out a second card — thicker, made of brushed metal, engraved with a restricted emblem only top‑level executives and authorized personnel ever carry.

He swipes it against the lock without hesitation.

BEEP.

ACCESS GRANTED ✅

The lock clicks open.

Now it is Kaito’s turn to be surprised. His eyes widen slightly — just for a split second, enough to show he didn’t anticipate this. That card is rare, limited, and not something you can buy with ordinary cash. It takes connections, influence, and time to acquire.

Ryuu smirks, seeing the flicker of reaction.

“Surprised? I don’t just carry temporary cards. I came prepared. This one works on every door in this building — even the restricted floors. It took more than money to get it; it took calling in favors from people even you respect.”

Kaito recovers fast, his mask sliding back into place, but his gaze sharpens with new respect — and wariness. He is not just throwing money around. He planned ahead. He is more resourceful than I gave him credit for.

Kaito turns his head and calls out, his voice instantly shifting to warm and gentle — nothing like the cold edge he used with Ryuu.

“Xhilo? Your coffee’s getting cold. Made it just how you like it.”

A moment later, her door opens.

Xhilo stands there, hair still slightly messy from sleep, dressed in comfortable clothes. She sees both men — polite recognition for Ryuu, but genuine warmth lighting up her face when she looks at Kaito.

“Oh! Good morning to both of you.”

Kaito steps forward, offering the mug. “Extra milk, one sugar. Exactly how you take it.”

She takes it, their fingers brushing lightly. “Thank you, Kaito… you never forget anything.”

She turns to Ryuu with a soft, polite smile. “Good morning, Ryuu. Did you bring coffee too?”

Ryuu holds up his cup, his expression tight but forcing a bright tone. “Yeah… I thought you’d need a pick‑me‑up after yesterday. But it looks like you’re already well taken care of.”

Kaito places a hand lightly on Xhilo’s shoulder, protective, gentle, and innocent‑looking to her eyes. “Go inside and drink it while it’s still warm. We just have a few quick building matters to sort out. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Alright. Thank you again!”

She smiles, steps back, and closes the door softly behind her.

The second the latch clicks shut, the warmth vanishes. The air in the hallway grows heavy, thick with unspoken rivalry and unyielding claims.

Ryuu slams his own untouched coffee onto the small side table — hard enough that it sloshes over the rim. He still holds that high‑level access card between two fingers, holding it up like a challenge.

“Enough games, Kaito. And enough neighbor acts. You think locks or policies can keep me away? Money and influence open every door — and I just proved it.”

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a thick, heavy envelope — so full it bulges. He shoves it firmly against Kaito’s chest, eyes burning with determination.

“Double what I offered yesterday. Triple. Ten times. Name any number, any condition. Just step back. Stop being everywhere she looks. Let me be the one to give her the life she deserves.”

Kaito doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t even glance at the envelope. He just stares into Ryuu’s eyes, and his expression shifts — no anger, only a deep, quiet certainty that cuts deeper than any insult.

Soft, almost whispered, but carrying weight:

“You think I’m doing this because I need money? Because I’m trying to earn something I don’t already have?”

He pulls out his phone, taps the screen once, and turns it only toward Ryuu, so no one else can see.

BALANCE: $12,870,000.00

Below it, transaction lines scroll past, each amount larger than the entire sum in the envelope, completed in a single business day.

Ryuu’s breath catches. His eyes widen, and the color slowly drains from his face. This scale is beyond what he imagined.

Kaito puts the phone away, slow and casual, as if showing a simple wristwatch.

“I bought this building outright, in cash. I own the entire block. I own the insurance firm that covered her old apartment. And right now, I hold more stock in your father’s company than your own family does.”

A pause. The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating.

“That envelope you’re holding? It’s less than my weekly allowance. Your “generous offer” is just my coffee budget for the month.”

Ryuu’s fingers loosen. The envelope feels suddenly light, worthless, in his grasp. His throat tightens, choking on his own pride.

Voice cracking, stripped of all arrogance now, desperate, but still refusing to fully surrender:

“Then… then name your price! Everyone has a price! I’ll work for it, I’ll do anything! Just tell me what you want!”

Kaito steps forward, closing the distance until they are inches apart. He towers over Ryuu not just in height, but in certainty. His voice drops to a cold, intimate whisper, no shouting, no rage, just the absolute truth Ryuu cannot fight.

“I do have a price, Ryuu.”

He leans in, eyes dark and burning with years of quiet possession.

“It’s her safety. Her smile. The way she says “thank you, Kaito” without even thinking, because she already trusts me more than anyone else in this world.”

He taps one finger firmly against Ryuu’s chest, once, hard enough to feel it deep inside.

“And you can never afford it. Because you don’t pay for this with money, favors, or special cards. You pay with time.”

His voice grows sharper, final and unshakeable:

“8 years. I’ve been watching over her since she was nine years old. Every time she felt lonely, every time she was hurt, every time she felt safe and didn’t know why, I was there. While you were still out playing and learning how to impress girls, I was already building every quiet memory she carries close to her heart.”

He pushes the envelope back into Ryuu’s hands, pressing it firmly so he cannot drop it.

“Keep your money. Keep your fancy access card. You’ll need them both… after you realize you’re still standing outside looking in.”

Kaito pulls back, but his gaze never lets go, it holds Ryuu like an invisible chain.

“And listen closely. If you ever try to pull more strings, hire more people, or use any trick to push your way closer? I won’t waste time threatening you. I will simply buy every person, every company, every favor you try to use. Then I will erase your name from every list that matters. You will find yourself locked out of everything, not just this building.”

He turns toward his own door, but stops, back still to Ryuu.

“Everything has a price, yes. But her? She is not for sale. She was never a prize to bid on. She was promised to me long before you even remembered her name.”

He opens his door, then adds one last line, cold and final.

“You’re not competing with my bank account or my rules, Ryuu. You’re trying to outbid memories I created. And I never lose an auction.”

The door clicks shut behind him.

Ryuu's stands there, hands trembling, clutching the envelope in one hand and that rare access card in the other, both suddenly feeling like empty symbols. His chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, a mix of humiliation, burning jealousy, and the cold realization that he is fighting a battle he was never truly prepared to win.

He glances at Xhilo’s door, then at Kaito’s. Between them, the wall feels less like concrete and more like a barrier built out of years, trust, and an obsession far deeper than anything money or influence can buy.

But as his breathing steadies, something shifts inside him. The fire in his chest doesn’t fade, it changes. He realizes now: he can’t beat Kaito with power, rules, or wealth alone. That will only make him look like another rival throwing his weight around, and it might even push Xhilo further away.

So I won’t fight him his way… I’ll do it mine.

His grip on the envelope loosens, and he tucks it back into his bag. He slides the special card into his pocket, not as a weapon anymore, but as a reminder, I don’t need to force my way in. I need to earn my place.

A determined, calm look settles over his face. He isn’t giving up, far from it. He’s just changing his strategy.

From now on, he will stop trying to outdo Kaito’s grand gestures. Instead, he will focus on things that come from their shared history, from genuine attention, and from letting Xhilo feel free, not guarded.

He looks once more at Xhilo’s door, a soft but resolute smile forming on his lips.

“You think you can lock her inside your world? You think only you know how to care for her? Watch me. I won’t storm your gates… but I will make sure she feels seen, heard, and free to choose. And that is something no wall, no rule, and no amount of money can ever take away.”

He turns and walks away, not defeated, but recharged, ready to show his love not through power, but through patience, kindness, and a smarter, more respectful devotion.

KAITO'S POV

Money is what weak men use when they have no history. Favors and special cards are just shortcuts for those who haven’t waited long enough. He thought he could bypass every lock and every rule, and he almost did. I’ll give him credit: he is sharper and more prepared than I expected.

But he still doesn’t understand. I didn’t just buy walls and keys. I bought every night she felt scared and didn’t know I was watching. Every meal she ate because I made sure she could afford it. Every time she smiled because I kept her safe. He sees her, he wants her, but he will never have her. Not the way I do.