For a moment after the words left his mouth, the room went still.
Lyra's hand paused halfway to her plate. She didn't react immediately, like she hadn't fully processed what he said. Then slowly, she looked up, her eyes meeting his.
Kael caught it right away. That slight shift beneath her calm. A flicker of unease, almost like she was bracing herself. He didn't get the chance to study it for long.
"You know registration ends today, right?" she said, her voice steady but not quite relaxed.
Kael nodded. "I know."
A brief silence followed before Lyra spoke again, hesitating just a little. "Kael… I just finished paying off mom's hospital bills. I don't really have any money on me right now.
Kael blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't even asked for money. He only wanted to tell her. But as the silence stretched, something else surfaced in his mind. Old memories. Uncomfortable ones. Excuses. Lies. All the times he had cornered her into giving him money.
His grip on the spoon tightened before loosening again.
'I've really been an asshole…'
The thought came out bitter. When he looked at her again, that same look was still in her eyes. Not just nervousness, but expectation. Like she was waiting for him to snap, to turn this into something ugly.
The old him probably would have.
Kael swallowed whatever words had been rising earlier and lowered his gaze back to his food. Lyra did the same, and the room settled into a quiet that wasn't comfortable, but not loud either. Just heavy.
They ate like that until both plates were empty.
Kael stood first, picking up the bowls without a word and heading to the sink. The sound of running water filled the silence as he washed them clean. Lyra didn't move.
When he was done, he dried his hands and turned toward his room, taking a few steps before stopping. Something made him glance back.
Lyra was still seated, watching him, that same mix of shock and uncertainty on her face.
He exhaled quietly. "By the way, I wasn't asking you for money. I won't be doing that anymore. I just thought I should let you know. As for the registration fee… I'll handle it myself."
He didn't wait for a response. Turning away, he walked into his room and closed the door behind him.
The silence followed.
Lyra hadn't said anything. Maybe she was too surprised. Maybe she didn't believe him. Either way, it didn't matter right now.
Kael sat on the edge of his bed and let out a slow breath. From now on, he would fix things. Not with words, but with actions. That was the only thing that would matter in the end.
His gaze drifted as memories surfaced. At some point, things had gone wrong between them. He couldn't even tell when. They used to be close, too close even. Twins who couldn't spend a single day apart.
Then somewhere along the line, things changed.
Lyra grew into herself, into her looks, while he stayed the same. Average. Forgettable. What started as envy had slowly, quietly, turned into something uglier. He let out a quiet sigh, dragging a hand down his face.
"Stupid kid…" he muttered, his voice sounding like a tired elder scolding a naughty child they still loved.
Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts aside and looked around the room. The window was open, letting in fresh air, and the stale smell had faded a little. His eyes landed on the setup in the corner.
For a moment, he just stared at it.
The sleek monitor. The tower. Everything neatly arranged. A faint ache stirred in his chest.
"Sorry," he muttered under his breath. "But something's gotta go."
He picked up his phone and began photographing everything before listing them online. The monitor, the system unit, every accessory. All of it. They were good pieces too, recent models he had spent months putting together.
With Lyra's money.
The thought made him wince. "Yeah… definitely an asshole."
He priced everything lower than it should be. He didn't have time to wait for the best offer. He needed cash, and fast.
Once he was done, he set the phone aside and stood up. If he wanted to pass the hunter exam, this body needed work. Luckily, the memories in his head weren't useless. He remembered a few solid workout routines. Efficient ones.
That was enough.
He started simple. Push-ups. Core work. Basic drills. It didn't take long before his muscles started burning, but he pushed through, forcing his body to keep going.
By noon, sweat clung to his skin and his breathing had grown heavier. Only then did he reach for his phone again.
Just like he expected, the listings had blown up. Messages. Offers. Buyers ready to pick up immediately. He skimmed through them and chose the fastest options.
Instant payment. Instant pickup.
Within an hour, everything was gone.
His room felt emptier. Too quiet.
Kael ignored that and checked his bank balance.
30,000.
A small smile tugged at his lips. The registration fee was around 10k. That left him with 20k. Not much, but not small either.
He opened the Hunter Association website and went straight to the registration page. Payment first, then the form. Basic details. Name. Age. Background. He filled everything in without hesitation.
A few taps later, it was done.
Registered.
All that was left now was to wait.
His eyes drifted back to his balance. 20k. He thought about it for a moment. Gear for the exam would take at least half.
The remaining…
Kael didn't hesitate. He opened his banking app and typed in Lyra's account number.
10k.
Sent.
He stared at the screen for a second before setting the phone down. It rang almost immediately.
Lyra.
He picked up.
"What was that?!" Her voice burst through. "You sent me money?"
Kael leaned back slightly. "Yeah. My contribution for the house. Is there a problem?"
Silence followed. A few seconds passed before she spoke again, quieter this time.
"Where did you get it from?"
"I sold the setup."
"The setup?" Her voice rose again. "You mean your—"
"I've got to go," Kael cut in. "Need to train."
He ended the call before she could press further.
For a moment, he stood there, then a small smile slipped through.
He set the phone aside and stretched his arms.
The exam was coming, and he still had a lot to prepare before then.