THE UNFORGIVING ILLUSION

*The Unforgiving Illusion*

Kyoshi’s vision cleared, and the world around him settled, casting him into a lavish setting that exuded wealth and opulence. He found himself in the midst of a grandiose mansion, the sprawling estate glittering under chandeliers and the soft, ambient glow of expensive lighting. It was night, but the mansion’s tall windows allowed moonlight to pool into the room, accentuating the glimmer of silver and crystal, the symbols of prosperity on full display. Kyoshi could see the echoes of Noya’s earlier years in the austere beauty of the space, yet this time, the boy was gone.

Instead, an 18-year-old Noya entered the room. His presence was unmistakably captivating. He wore an elegant suit, perfectly tailored, each line and seam an effortless complement to his tall frame and refined features. With his dark hair carefully styled, his sharp gaze, and a gentle confidence in his walk, he turned heads. For the first time, Kyoshi could feel the power in Noya’s presence, an assurance that he belonged, even if he knew in his heart that he didn’t.

Noya walked into the crowd with a practiced ease, blending in with the laughter and chatter of elite guests—each of them powerful figures in their fields, adorned in the finest attire. He was determined tonight. This wasn’t about trying to prove himself or desperately searching for affection. Tonight was supposed to be a fresh beginning. But even as he stood amid strangers who nodded in appreciation of his sophistication and poise, he felt an emptiness gnawing at him, an echo of his past that lingered with every smile he forced, every laugh he mimicked.

From across the room, Kyoshi saw two figures watching Noya with expressions laced with malice—his cousins. They wore cunning smiles, the bitter twist of jealousy etched onto their faces as they watched Noya navigate the crowd, his very presence a reminder of everything they lacked. The male cousin gave his sister a knowing look, and they moved swiftly toward the grand entrance, slipping out as unnoticed as shadows.

---

Outside, the siblings strode toward the driveway, where Noya’s car—a sleek black luxury vehicle—stood waiting. Under the dim light, they approached a man dressed in mechanic’s overalls, his face partially hidden beneath a worn cap. He glanced up as they drew near, a note of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

“Are you… sure about this?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper as he looked from one sibling to the other. “Tampering with the brakes like this could… well, it’s dangerous. If he drives at high speed—”

The female cousin’s face darkened. “And what if it is?” she sneered. “He’s just some orphaned parasite taking up space in our family.”

Her brother scoffed, a contemptuous smirk playing on his lips. “He’s nothing more than a poor insect, trapped in a cage made for the privileged.” He crossed his arms, leaning forward. “Do it.”

The mechanic hesitated, but the lure of a bribe silenced his concerns. He reached for his tools and got to work, disabling the brake system, his hands moving with the precision of experience, but his eyes betraying the discomfort that came with the task.

The siblings exchanged a final look, satisfied, before heading back inside, where they rejoined the party. They scanned the crowd until they spotted Noya, surrounded by a group of young ladies who were blushing and giggling as they chatted with him. Noya’s charm was natural, a mix of kindness and intellect that drew people in. His quiet charisma was magnetic, and his appearance only added to it.

Their resentment deepened with every glance in his direction. Not only had he taken a place in their family, but he had also outshone them. They approached him, their faces painted with friendly smiles that masked their true intentions. Noya looked up, sensing the tension, but he stood his ground.

“Look who’s here, everyone!” the male cousin announced, his voice dripping with artificial cheer. “Our precious cousin, the orphan prodigy! Ladies and gentlemen, let’s not forget that Noya here was adopted, taken in by our family out of the kindness of our hearts.”

The murmur of the crowd around them grew quiet, and Noya’s face paled. His adoptive parents, as always, were nowhere to be found to step in or shield him. He was left to stand alone under the searing spotlight his cousin had cast on him.

“Just think, everyone,” his female cousin continued with a false smile. “It’s so inspiring, really, how someone without a family, without any real ties or lineage, could make it here tonight.”

Kyoshi could feel the weight of Noya’s silence, the way his fingers tensed as he forced himself to stand tall, refusing to let their words break him. But he was breaking, Kyoshi could see it—the anguish of years spent trying to earn their love, their acceptance, only to be belittled and scorned in the most public of settings.

“Enough.” Noya’s voice was quiet, a tremor of anger lacing his tone. “I don’t need to stand here and let you mock me just to make yourselves feel better.”

He turned, the façade of calm shattering as he left the gathering, ignoring the whispering crowd behind him, ignoring the stunned expressions on the faces of the girls who had looked at him with admiration only moments before. He felt his heart racing, his anger bubbling over, no longer containable.

---

Kyoshi followed as Noya strode out of the mansion, his steps quickening with each passing moment, fueled by an urgency to escape. As he reached his car, he gripped the door handle, his knuckles white as he pulled it open and sank into the driver’s seat. The door slammed shut with a force that echoed in the silent night, the sound a release of all the frustration and humiliation he had endured.

“Why?” Noya muttered, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his voice choked with emotion. “Why do they hate me so much? I didn’t ask for this… any of it.”

Kyoshi felt every word as though it were his own, his heart aching for the friend who had been forced to endure so much alone.

Noya started the car, his foot pressing down on the gas as he tore down the driveway and onto the empty road, his mind clouded with rage. His breaths came fast, the emotions he had buried for years now surging to the surface. He was tired of being their scapegoat, tired of their cruelty. They had taken his kindness for weakness, his resilience for something to exploit.

He sped down the winding roads, the lights of the city blurring as he gained speed, the anger inside him fueling the vehicle’s acceleration. His jaw was clenched, and his grip on the wheel tightened as he pushed the car faster, his vision narrowing on the road ahead.

Then he felt it—a sudden, horrifying realization. His foot pressed down on the brake, but nothing happened. Panic surged through him as he tried again, harder this time, but the car refused to slow.

“No… no, no, no!” Noya’s voice cracked, his breaths coming in frantic gasps. “The brakes… they’re not working.”

Desperation clawed at him as he fought to maintain control, his mind racing as he scanned the road for any sign of a way out, but the winding path offered no reprieve. His heart pounded, each beat a reminder of the danger, each second dragging him closer to the inevitable.

“Please,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Not like this… I can’t… not like this.”

The road ahead curved sharply, but he couldn’t slow down. His hands clutched the wheel, his knuckles white, and in that moment, Kyoshi could see a flash of acceptance mixed with terror in Noya’s eyes—a haunting acknowledgment that this might be the end.

As the car hurtled toward the curve, a blinding light filled the cabin, and everything went white.

*To be continued.*

Chapter end