Kai stood frozen, staring at the blaze with wide, empty eyes. His chest ached as if the fire were inside him, burning through his ribs and tearing at his heart. "We should have been here," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "We could have saved him…"
The flames began to die down, leaving behind charred ruins and a silence so heavy it pressed on their chests. The once vibrant room was now nothing more than ash and smoke.
Jay looked up, his tear-streaked face filled with disbelief. "He's gone," he murmured, his voice hollow. "He's really gone."
Kai knelt beside him, his hand gripping Jay's shoulder as his own tears fell silently. Together, they sat amidst the ashes of what was, their hearts shattered by what they could never undo.