Chapter Text
Chapter 6
A bright red car slowly rolled to a stop in front of the heavy-duty gate, its engine humming softly. Several uniformed guards stiffened, hands brushing their holsters as the rental came into view. Two of them strode forward, while the driver lowered the window and put on his most convincing smile.
“Morning.” He said with more confidence than he felt, “I’m Max Tate. We’re, uh... here to visit a friend.”
The lead guard didn’t return the smile. He bent down to glance into the vehicle, subjecting them all to an intense and lengthy stare. “Do you have an appointment?”
Max cleared his throat. “Uhm, well… we were hoping-”
“NO.” The guard snapped, making the trio jump slightly. The bulky man huffed at them. “You cannot go in without an appointment.”
“I understand that, sir, but-”
“I said no.” The guard interrupted sternly. “Please turn around and don’t come back until you’ve made an appointment.”
Max sighed, before glancing his friends. Tyson, sitting in the passenger seat, looked sullen. In the backseat, Kenny was rapidly typing away on his laptop. When Max put the car in reverse, Kenny stopped him. “Hold on a sec…” The younger man’s fingers flew over the keyboard.
“Whatya doing, chief?” Tyson asked softly.
“Making an appointment.” The genius replied stiffly.
Max sighed. “As I told you guys this morning; I tried that already, didn’t work. The website clearly states only family members are permitted to-”
“- Well, no offense, but you’re not Dizzy.” Kenny interrupted with a sly grin.
The guards were losing their patience, and positioned themselves on either side of the car. One of them impatiently rapped his knuckles on the window, before gesturing that they needed to leave.
“Got it!” Kenny exclaimed, shoving his laptop in Tyson’s awaiting hands.
Max gaped at him through his rearview mirror. “How did you-”
Tyson was already rolling down his window, sharing the good news with the guards. With an unhappy grunt they accepted their application, before stating sternly, “With your visitation rights, only one of you may go in. The others need to wait outside.”
“We’re fine with that.” Tyson affirmed. None of them were actually fine with it, but at least, now they were allowed access on the grounds. It definitely was an improvement from being sent away.
The Black Valley Penitentiary Asylum.
The daunting, four-story building looked about as depressing as its name, and nothing like how it was portrayed on their website. No surprise there.
It was old, and… ragged-looking. Various plants had climbed their way against the dark grey bricks, but whatever nutritional value they were looking for; the building couldn’t provide. And so, what could’ve been a lush, natural collection of greenery, actually turned into strands of brownish, dead weeds, crawling across the structure like a spider’s web.
The building was placed in the middle of a large square, with high fences all around. The layout was simple; building in the middle, parking space in the front, and a pathetic excuse for a garden in the back.
The red vehicle slowly maneuvered its way across the parking lot. On multiple occasions, Max almost bumped into parked cars because he was too busy gawking at the facility.
“This is where Kai is??” He mumbled in shocked disbelief.
“Apparently…” Kenny replied grimly.
With slow deliberation, Max managed to park their car without doing any damage. He cut the engine, before slumping back in his seat. The three of them continued to stare at the building in horrified awe. Tyson cringed as he took in the dark, moody exterior. If buildings could have a soul… this one was a demon. “It’s like we’re in some cheesy horror movie…” He whispered.
“Yeah…” Kenny breathed fearfully, unable to hide the shiver that ran up his spine. He turned towards the two men sitting in the front. “Which one of you will go in?”
Tyson glanced back at him, surprised the chief had already taken himself out of the equation.
“I think it should be Tyson.” Max said firmly, giving his dark-haired friend a pointy look. “It’s because of you we’re here in the first place.”
Tyson pouted at him, unamused. “Well, if I had known you’d blame me for being here, I’d have-”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Max interjected softly. “I just mean… you were the first one to bring it up… about Kai, I mean… I think it’d make sense for you to go, you know?”
Tyson swallowed nervously. “I guess…” He didn’t move out of his seat though. Instead, he fidgeted with his seatbelt. Max and Kenny glanced at him. Without looking at them, Tyson asked the question that had been bothering him, ever since he booked a flight to LA.
“What if Kai doesn’t want to see me? Or talk to me?” Tyson gave his friends a sad look. “What if… all of this was for nothing?”
“If Kai doesn’t want to talk to you, we can at least say that we tried.” Max said with a determined smile. “Whatever happens, it won’t be for nothing.”
Unlike the exterior’s dark appearance, the interior was mostly white. The entrance hall consisted of white tiles, white walls, white doors, and a white reception desk, with two white-dressed nurses sitting behind the counter. It appeared to be clean enough, but… it didn’t smell the part. A heavy scent of chlorine invaded Tyson’s nose the moment he stepped inside, but not even gallons of the stuff could overshadow the pungent smell of urine that lingered around. Tyson wrinkled his nose as he took in his surroundings. The hall was surprisingly crowded. Patients in blue jumpsuits shuffled around aimlessly, their feet shuffling on the linoleum floor. In a way, the jumpsuits resembled prison uniforms, which reminded Tyson of the fact that these people were inmates too. Or had been. Whatever line separated treatment from punishment felt blurry here.
Tyson kept his steps slow as he passed them, feeling on edge. None of the patients acknowledged him. They didn’t speak, didn’t smile, didn’t even seem to register his presence. There was a hollow stillness in their eyes, a mechanical drift to their movements, like wind-up toys slowly running down.
There were no guards. No locked doors. Tyson had walked straight in. He could turn around and leave just as easily. So could any of them. But no one tried.
And somehow, that unsettled him more.
Tyson hadn’t realized he had been gawking at the patients, until one of the nurses behind the counter addressed him with a monotone, “Can I help you.”
Tyson swung around to face the nurse. “Uh… h-hi.” He stammered. “I’m looking for-”
Whatever he planned on saying next was cut off by a loud, screeching alarm. The two nurses instantly shot out of their seats and rushed away, disappearing in one of the hallways on Tyson’s right. Distant screams of, what appeared to be, a very angry male could be heard echoing through the hall. Tyson backed away a few steps, feeling very unsafe all of a sudden. He was surrounded by nothing but patients, unsupervised… If one of them wanted to harm him, they could. But again, none of them did. In fact, none of them seemed impressed by whatever was taking place further down the hallway. They just… kept shuffling around, like…zombies.
Tyson swallowed nervously, deciding to wait until one of the nurses came back. There wasn’t much else he could do.
Twenty minutes later… he was still waiting. No nurse, no staff, not even a passing glance from anyone in the hallway. Tyson shifted on his feet, wondering just how long they planned to keep him waiting. Still, as the minutes dragged on, he did learn a few things about the place.
For one, patients were color-coded. Those with a green patch sewed on their shoulders, appeared most… well, alive. They conversed with each other, and seemed aware of what was going on around them. Those with a yellow patch were noticeably slower, and strangely quiet. The red ones were… as good as gone. They weren’t even moving around, just standing in corners, swaying on their feet. These very same patients were shaved bald, probably for hygiene purposes. Seeing men and woman like that, deeply unnerved Tyson. He wondered whether the red patients were like that before they were brought here, or whether they had been turned into… whatever you could call this.
For, what seemed to be the millionth time, Tyson nervously glanced around, worried for how own safety, as well as the patient’s.
Suddenly, a green-patched patient made eye-contact with him. It was a lady, probably somewhere in her mid-forties. It was hard to tell, as her characteristics were very childlike. Her face lit up, and with barely contained excitement, she bounced towards him. “Oh my god, oh my god! I’m such a huge fan!” She squealed in a high-pitched voice.
Tyson blinked at her, stunned. It had been ages since he last ran into fans, and he certainly didn’t expect it here. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, he didn’t need to, as the lady clapped her hands enthusiastically, exclaiming, “I can’t believe you’re here!! I’ve got all your cd’s!”
Tyson blinked in confusion. Cd’s??
He carefully spoke up, “Uh, miss I’m not-”
“I’m so happy you came!” The woman continued gleefully. “It’s my birthday! Did you come to sing at my birthday?”
Tyson looked at her, his mind racing. He didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth, but he didn’t want to ruin her life with his non-existing singing abilities either. He settled for a gentle smile.
“I’m really sorry… I’ve got a sore throat, so… uhm…” He decided to swiftly change the subject, “But uh… Happy Birthday to you!”
“Thank you!” The lady responded happily. “My name is Nina! I’m such a huge fan!” The poor woman sounded like a broken record, but she was happy, so Tyson didn’t mind. “Will you come to my birthday party?” She asked.
“Errr… I’m… I’m actually here to see a friend.” Tyson murmured apologetically.
“Oh!” Nina gasped. “Can he come to my birthday party too??”
“Ah… uh… maybe?” Tyson stammered, before a lightbulb moment presented itself. He glanced at the empty nurse’s desk, before turning back at her. “Can you… can you help me find him?”
Nina gasped in excitement. “Like a game??”
“Sure! Like a game!” Tyson smiled at her.
Nina jumped up and down, clapping her hands again. She seemed ready to play. “What’s your friend’s name?” She asked eagerly.
Tyson’s face grew a bit more serious, his heartrate picking up. “Kai Hiwatari. Do you know where I can find him?”
Nina’s demeanor changed instantly. It was as if someone flicked a switch. Her expression turned solemn, almost sympathetic. “Kaiiiii.” She hummed softly, hugging herself as she gently rocked left and right. “Kaiii is at my partyyy…”
Tyson highly doubted she was telling the truth, but decided to give it a change. He owed her that much, at least.
“He is? Can you… can you take me there?”
Nina brightened up immediately, nodding her head so fast it made her hair swing back and forth. “This way!!”
She was off. Tyson hurried after her, surprised by her speed. She was basically running through the corridors and leaping up the stairs.
“Come on slow poke!” She giggled at her imaginary idol, who struggled to keep up.
Tyson, for his part, wondered if he was making a big mistake. He had no idea where Nina was leading him. Maybe the childlike front was all an act? Something about her seemed genuine though, as if he could trust her. It was a leap of faith, but if it meant finding Kai, it’d be worth it.
After a maze of hallways and staircases, Nina finally stopped in front of a double set of doors. “We’re here!” She announced proudly, pushing them open with both hands.
The room beyond was large and bright, with tall windows lining either side. Rows of chairs and tables filled the center, occupied by patients in varying states of activity. Some played board games, others read quietly or sketched in silence. A few simply stared off into the distance, lost in private worlds.
In the far corner, a cluster of old leather couches sat beneath a modest TV, which was mounted to the ceiling. That’s where Nina led him, practically bouncing with excitement. The space was adorned with paper garlands and colorful banners.
“Welcome to my party!” She said, beaming.
Tyson forced a smile. “Looks great!” He replied, though a pang of sadness tugged at him. The banners were baseball team logos... not exactly party decor.
He cleared his throat and glanced around, scanning the patients. Their conditions varied. Some wore green patches, others yellow, and a few red, marking the severity of their illnesses. An elderly pair played chess without speaking. A woman clutched a stuffed rabbit to her chest. A young man sat hunched over a sketchbook. Several others were watching the TV with unwavering fascination, where a baseball game was on.
No matter how closely he looked, Tyson couldn’t spot a certain dual-haired patient. Which brought him more relief than disappointment.
Nina, meanwhile, had seated herself on one of the couches, and was staring at the television with innocent wonder. Tyson felt bad for disturbing her, but…
“Hey, uhm… didn’t you say Kai was at your… party?”
Nina blinked, needing a moment to return her attention to her newly founded friend. When she remembered the game they were supposed to play, she shot to her feet. “Ah, that’s right! Kaiii!” She exclaimed happily, pointing at a lone figure on the other side of the room. “There he is!”
Tyson narrowed his eyes at the figure, trying to make out his features. But even from this distance, he could already tell... it wasn’t Kai. The man was older, sitting hunched over in a wheelchair, staring out the window. His hair was shaven, not bald, but short.
A red patch, no doubt.
Tyson cringed at the implication, then sighed and turned on his heel. Nina had meant well, but she hadn’t been able to help. Maybe no one could. Maybe Kai wasn’t even here.
Maybe he never was.
Tyson could only hope.
He was about to exit the room, when a soft voice halted him in his path. “She’s telling the truth, you know.” It was an old gentleman, playing chess. When Tyson turned to look at him, the man returned the stare with a gentle, persisting look.
“Excuse me?” Tyson murmured, his brows furrowed. The longer he stayed in this place, the more he felt on edge.
The old man nodded his head in Nina’s direction. “She was telling the truth. About your friend.”
Tyson didn’t dare to ask the man what he meant by that. Could he even trust these people?
“Kai… is right there.” Hearing his friend’s name come from the old man’s lips, made Tyson’s blood run cold. The worst part of it was; the man was pointing a crooked finger at the very same figure Nina had pointed out.
Tyson slowly shook his head. “No… No.” He gulped. “That can’t be Kai…”
The old man didn’t respond, but turned his saddened eyes back to the chess board.
An iron fist had clenched itself around Tyson’s windpipe, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t take another step, no matter the direction. After a couple of minutes in which he struggled to take short, halted breaths, Tyson was ready to bolt out of the room. He didn’t want to be here anymore. He couldn’t be here anymore.
But he couldn’t leave either.
Not if it was Kai he was looking at.
He… couldn’t let him down. Not again.
With unsteady legs, Tyson forced himself to walk towards the man by the window. He had to know. Had to at least... check.
Each step felt heavier than the last. The world around him seemed to slow, while his heart pounded in his ears, fast and loud. The edges of his vision blurred with every beat. Sounds dulled. Shapes lost focus. But his gaze never left the figure in the wheelchair. He desperately tried to look for signs it wasn’t Kai. There were plenty of signs he wasn’t. He had no dual-colored hair, for one…
‘But that’s because they shaved his head…’ His inner voice piped up.
Swallowing heavily, Tyson stopped a few feet away from the older man, in order to observe him from a safe distance.
It still didn’t look like Kai…
The man, whoever he may be, appeared to be unresponsive. Like the other patients, he wore a blue jumpsuit, which, in his case, looked too big on him. The poor guy was thin and fragile, with a slightly hunched back, and a sunken face. A pair of oxygen tubes were inserted in his nose, leading towards an oxygen tank that hung from the back of the wheelchair. A blanket was folded over his legs, as well as his arms, which lay unmoving in his lap. His half-closed eyes were staring out of the window, but Tyson doubted he was looking at anything.
There was no way in hell this poor soul was his former team captain and friend. Nor could this man be the world’s most influential entrepreneur with three Nobel Prizes hanging off his ass.
There was no way this was Kai freakin’ Hiwatari.
No way.
Tyson took a step closer. He noticed two more things.
One; the man’s shoulder patch wasn’t red. It was… black...? What does that even mean?
And two; Tyson had mistaken the man’s dry and cracked skin for wrinkles... He wasn’t as old as he looked. In fact, the man seemed to be about his own age.
Tyson’s heart was galloping now.
No way.
No way.
Tyson opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say his friend’s name. Not out loud anyway. His soul hurt too much.
On shaky limbs, Tyson crouched down next to the wheelchair. He didn’t dare to touch the man, so he just stared at him. He did have sharp eyes, like Kai did. But never had Tyson seen them like this. Half-lidded. Dull. It was nearly impossible to tell the man’s eye-color, as his pupils were completely dilated. Nevertheless, they did look familiar. So did the man’s nose, despite the fact that his nostrils, in which the oxygen tubes were inserted, were a bit swollen. There was dried blood there too. The skin seemed angry and painful, as if someone had inserted the plastic tubes too harshly, or too often.
“Kai…” Tyson almost didn’t recognize his own voice, but he had to try and talk to him. He had to figure out whether or not this man… this broken man… was his childhood friend.
The man in the wheelchair didn’t react. He didn’t even blink.
Tyson scooted closer to him, biting his lip as he stared at the hauntingly empty face. He tried to imagine what the famous CEO would look like, had he been extremely underweight, as good as bald, and over a decade older since they last saw each other. No matter what his imagination pulled up, it didn’t look like this.
This looked so… so much worse.
Tyson continued to stare at him, getting more and more convinced this man was a stranger. He was about to push himself to his feet and walk away, when a distant memory floated to the surface.
It had been many years ago, at one of the Bladebreakers’ first major victories. The team had celebrated their win in their shared, crammed hotel room, but Kai, being the party pooper he was, decided to leave early. Having fun wasn’t part of his cool-guy-persona, after all. Max, who must’ve had a death wish, playfully tugged at the older boy’s scarf, to keep him from leaving. The precious fabric had slipped from Kai’s broad shoulders.
What followed was brief, but unforgettable.
Kai had frozen in his steps. His eyes flashed with something that went beyond annoyance. Something colder. Max dropped his drink, startled, spilling it across the carpet. Without a word, Kai had yanked the scarf back, wrapped it tightly around his neck, and walked out.
Tyson had been the only one to see it.
A scar. Thick, jagged, unmistakable. Right at the base of Kai’s neck. Tyson never told anyone, nor did he ask Kai about it. Tyson suspected it prompted Kai to wear scarfs in the first place. They clearly weren’t supposed to know about it.
Now, standing in a psychiatric hospital, staring at a man he didn’t recognize, Tyson felt his heart hammer against his ribs.
The man before him wasn’t wearing the trademark scarf, but his slouched posture made it hard to see his neck. Tyson hesitated, his hand hovering uncertainly in the air. Then, slowly, as though moving through water, he reached forward. His fingers trembled as he gently lifted the man’s head, careful not to startle him, and tugged the collar of the jumpsuit down.
There, stark against pale skin, was the scar. Still wide. Still ragged. Still Kai’s.
Tyson recoiled as if he’d burned his hands, causing the man’s head to sag down once more, limp and lifeless. Tyson slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes welling up, before scrunching them shut. He wasn’t sure how much time was passing, but Tyson knew he had to do something. Anything.
With shaky breaths, Tyson retook his position, kneeling next to his friend.
“Kai? It’s me… Tyson…” He tried again with a trembling voice, but to no avail. Tyson sniffled at the surreal sight. “My god… what happened to you?” He whispered in despair.
“He’s always like that…” Came a familiar high-pitched voice from behind him. Tyson turned and saw Nina, standing a few feet away. She was wringing her hands nervously.
Tyson struggled to find his voice. “What are they doing to him?” He croaked out.
Nina stepped toward him, mumbling quietly, “Don’t tell anyone… but the nurses think he’s special...”
Tyson furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”
“He always gets the most candy.” Nina whispered hurriedly, as if she was sharing the biggest secret this place held.
“… Candy?”
Nina nodded eagerly, reaching into her bra. “They got M&M’s, Skittles… I’ll show you, but don’t tell anyone.”
Tyson watched in uncomfortable silence how Nina withdrew her hand and opened her palm for him to see. She was holding a collection of colored little edibles in various shapes and sizes. “See?” Nina said with a small smile that broke Tyson’s heart.
“Does Kai get a lot of these… candies…? As in… more than others?”
Nina nodded vigorously. “He’s special!”
Tyson frowned in concern, feeling a cold sensation spread across his chest.
“W- why would they- Why is he special?” Tyson asked in a tight voice. He wasn’t even sure why he was asking a patient of all people, but he felt too desperate to care who provided him with answers. As long as he got them.
Nina shrugged, obviously clueless. Nevertheless, she took the time to think about it. “Maybe… because of his hand…?” She mused out loud.
Tyson looked up sharply. “What do you mean?” Without waiting for a reply, Tyson pulled away the blanket that covered Kai’s lap, revealing the man’s hands. To his shock and dismay, the right one was heavily bandaged, while the left one looked bruised and sore. With wide eyes, Tyson gently took a hold of them, cringing at how limp and heavy they felt.
“What happened to his hands??” Tyson turned desperate eyes to Nina, who seemed on the verge of tears. Her voice shook just as much as her body did. “He… uhm… he’s always…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but started scratching her right hand nervously. Tyson watched her intently. Something about the way she was doing it, seemed strange. It didn’t seem like a nervous tick, it looked like… a demonstration.
Realizing he was freaking the sweet lady out, Tyson calmed down his breathing. “He scratches himself?” He asked softly. Relieved he understood, Nina nodded, letting her hands dangle at her side.
With stinging eyes, Tyson tried to get a clear view of the damage on Kai’s right hand, but it was hidden beneath multiple layers of bandages. He held them a little while longer, while staring deep into his friend’s eyes, willing him to see him. Acknowledge him.
“Kai, please look at me…” Tyson pleaded, searching the vacant eyes.
Nothing.
Tyson gave the man’s wrists a gentle shake. “Come on… Say something, bud…”
Again, nothing.
Tyson’s eyes welled up at the sight. He had never seen Kai, or anyone for that matter, in a state like this. It scared him. And it was wrong. So very wrong. He couldn’t leave him here. Not like this. Whether the man was guilty of a crime or not; he didn’t deserve this.
Behind him, Nina gave the two friends a sad look, before retreating back to the corner of the room, where, in her eyes, her birthday party was still in full swing.
Hesitating once or twice, Tyson grabbed his phone. With a hammering heart and heavily shaking hands, the dark-haired man opened his camera app. “I’m sorry, Kai. I know you’d hate me for this, but… they need to see what they’re doing to you.” Tyson wasn’t even sure who he meant when he said ‘they’, he just knew he needed help in getting his friend out of here.
With a heavy heart, and an overwhelming sense of guilt, Tyson recorded everything. The pale, sunken face. The shaven head. The half-lidded, unresponsive eyes. The bloody nose. The oxygen tubes. The fragile, thin-looking frame. The bandaged and damaged hands. The overall lack of… life.
He felt terrible doing it, but deep down, he knew it needed to be done. He couldn’t let this hospital get away with whatever they were doing to him.
Once he was done with his recording, Tyson put away his phone. He rearranged the blanket back on Kai’s lap, making sure he was warm and comfortable.
“Kai, if you’re still in there somewhere. I will come back for you.” Tyson choked out.
“I promise...”