Chapter 5 — The Price of a Pendant

The night rain drowned out the sound of the world.

Mekisa ran through the hospital gates, her hair drenched, her breath ragged.

Her clothes clung to her skin, her heart pounding with a single thought

 “Kei. Please, let him be alive.”

Inside the emergency ward, chaos ruled — stretchers moving, doctors shouting, machines beeping like alarms of fate.

A nurse stopped her.

"Are you the guardian of Kei from Sunshine Orphanage?”

"Yes! How is he?”

The nurse’s eyes flickered with sympathy.

 “He was hit by a car. Internal bleeding. We need to start emergency surgery immediately… but the cost—”

The words fell like stones.

Mekisa’s stomach twisted.

“How much?”

The nurse whispered the amount. It was more than she earned in three months of jewelry work.

Her fingers shook as she pulled her phone out and dialed Yukiro.

One ring… two… three.

 “Please pick up, Yukiro, please…”

The call ended.

“Switched off.”

She stared at the screen, numb. Then she made a choice.

 Outside — Late Night Market Street

Mekisa ran through the rain toward a dim pawn shop still open behind the old clock tower.

Her hand clutched the pendant at her neck — a small, golden lion head with a green gem in the eye.

Her father’s last gift before disappearing.

She once swore she’d never take it off.

The old pawnbroker adjusted his glasses.

"Antique craftsmanship… this is worth a fortune. Are you sure?”

Mekisa nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks.

 “Yes. Just… just give me enough for the treatment.”

He counted the cash silently.

The moment the pendant left her hand, she felt hollow.

“Dad… forgive me,” she whispered, and ran back into the storm.

Hospital – 30 Minutes Later

She burst through the glass doors again, clutching the soaked money.

 “Please! Start the surgery—”

The nurse looked up, surprised.

 “It’s already started.”

"What? But… how? I didn’t pay yet—”

“A man came and covered the full amount in advance.”

Mekisa blinked, stunned.

"Who?”

Before the nurse could answer, she heard a voice behind her.

“You shouldn’t run around in the rain, Meikasa. You’ll catch a cold.”

She turned

Yukiro stood by the waiting chairs, his expression unreadable.

His shirt was half-wet, his eyes calm but distant.

"Yukiro… it was you?”

She ran to him and hugged him tightly, her tears soaking his shoulder.

But his arms didn’t move.

No warmth. No return.

“You didn’t have to sell anything,” he said quietly, almost coldly.

“There are things money can’t replace.”

She froze. His tone wasn’t the same Yukiro she knew. It was… colder.

 “Yukiro… what’s wrong?”

But before he could answer, a smooth, elegant voice echoed down the corridor.

“Such a touching scene. Long time no see, my daughter.”

Mekisa’s heart stopped.

She turned slowly.

Lady Shizuka stood there in a flawless black dress, a faint smile curving her lips.

In her gloved hand — the golden lion pendant.

 “You shouldn’t sell your father’s precious gift so easily, Meikasa darling.”

Mekisa’s breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes fell on the pendant — shining like betrayal.

"How… how did you—”

"Money moves faster than love,” Shizuka said softly, stepping closer.

“And you, my dear, still have so much to learn about both.”

Mekisa took a shaky step back.

Yukiro’s gaze flickered between them — unreadable, torn.

Thunder cracked outside.

The storm raged louder than ever.

And in that moment, Mekisa realized—

This was not just about Kei.

It was a warning.

A beginning of a game she never wanted to play.

End of Chapter 5