He stood silent.
Then Kim said in a cold, calm voice:
"It's none of your concern."
Azrael smiled faintly.
"Alright… you're free to make your own decisions."
Then his expression suddenly changed.
A sharp gaze settled on Kim.
"But…"
"You will be responsible for everything you do."
"And for every consequence."
He paused for a moment.
Then stepped closer.
"Do you truly want to change the past?"
Kim raised his eyes toward him.
"Yes."
"I don't want to return to that hell again."
Azrael smiled… but the smile was heavy.
"Really?"
Then he said slowly:
"Then you will lose everything."
"Even your power."
Kim looked at him.
His eyes were dry…
But filled with something deeper than sorrow.
"That's what I want."
He paused.
Then continued:
"If the price of making the pain disappear…"
"…is my power…"
"Or even my memories…"
"I'll pay it."
His voice lowered slightly.
"I'm tired, Father."
"Truly tired."
Then he looked at him again.
"Just because I'm calm in front of you… doesn't mean I'm okay."
"You will never understand this pain…"
"Until you live it."
He placed his hand on his chest.
"There's a war here…"
"One that doesn't want victory…"
"And doesn't want defeat…"
"It doesn't want peace…"
"Nor chaos…"
"It just wants…"
"…to continue."
And at that moment—
The tears began to fall.
Heavily.
As if a dam had finally broken.
Azrael's eyes widened.
Kim's did too.
He quickly raised his hand and wiped his tears.
He stared at them in shock.
"What…?"
"Am I crying?"
Then suddenly he shouted:
"How the hell—?!"
Then he looked at his father angrily.
"Don't look at me like that!"
"You…"
His voice faltered.
"You are the last person I wanted to see me like this."
Silence filled the room.
Then—
Azrael stepped forward.
And hugged him.
Kim tried to speak…
But his father spoke first.
Calmly:
"Calm down."
"No one can endure all of this alone."
"Let it out."
"It's alright to break down… I'm here."
He paused.
Then said:
"You can't go back and change the beginning…"
"But you can start now… and change the ending."
Kim whispered…
His voice trembling:
"If you're here with me now…"
"Why… weren't you with me from the start?"
Azrael answered softly:
"Calm down…"
"Didn't I tell you not to cry?"
But suddenly—
Kim punched him.
Hard.
He shouted while stuttering:
"I was… alone…!"
"For millions of years!"
"Didn't I tell you… you wouldn't understand?!"
He collapsed to the ground.
His body trembling.
"This pain…"
"I know it well…"
"I returned to the past…"
"And it came back with me."
He pressed his hand against his chest.
"In the future… I was immortal…"
"So I tore out my own heart…"
"So I wouldn't feel."
Then he screamed:
"But now…!"
"It's beating again!"
"I don't want it!"
"I don't want this!"
"I don't want a heart… or pain!"
Then he laughed a broken laugh.
"How…?"
"How did I fall because of something like this…?"
He slowly raised his head.
"I defeated all my enemies…"
"In the cruelest ways…"
"But…"
"When I look into the mirror…"
He stopped.
Then whispered:
"…I find my greatest enemy…"
"…still alive."
"Me."
Silence fell again.
Azrael said calmly:
"If you cannot find a purpose… then create one."
"Don't cry like children."
"We are men."
"And men do not cry."
Kim slowly lifted his head.
His eyes were red.
"Then I am not a man."
"I am a human."
"With shattered emotions…"
"And a tired heart."
"So how could I not cry?"
Then he looked directly at him.
"Those who do not cry…"
"…are not human."
"They are monsters."
He stepped forward.
"The painful truth…"
"…is better than a permanent lie."
"Don't lie to me."
He tried to stand.
With difficulty.
Azrael looked at him.
Then said in a deep calm voice:
"I understand now."
"You are no longer searching for a happy ending…"
He paused.
"…you are simply waiting for the end."
Kim looked at him.
With exhausted eyes.
Then…
He smiled.
A small smile.
"You really are my father."
"You understood me."
Azrael said:
"I am with you."
"And I won't leave you."
Kim turned.
And walked toward the door.
He opened it.
But before he stepped out—
Azrael shouted:
"Kim!"
He stopped.
"Don't forget…"
"You will lose your power."
"Maybe that doesn't matter to you…"
"But—"
He paused.
Then said:
"Will you also abandon…"
"…everyone who will stand beside you in the future?"
Kim froze.
For a single second.
Images appeared in his mind.
Elena…
Amon…
Lloyd…
Many faces.
Then—
He smiled.
A sad smile.
And without turning back, he said:
"They…"
"…want that too."
Then he walked out.
And closed the door behind him.
Saying quietly:
"…Goodbye, Father."