Kris

Keiran frowned. "Why is the Fifth Prince different?"

A cold glint appeared in Zanak's eyes, his expression going completely blank. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to say that."

He paused for a moment, then added with a sly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Anyway, enough talk. You're interesting, Keiran. You said the reason you're on this ship is because of a friend… but when I looked a bit into your past, I found something intriguing. Someone named Kris…"

Before Zanak could finish his sentence, a sword glowing with intense pink light appeared in Keiran's hand. The air around them began to vibrate.

"YOU DARED TO DIG INTO MY PAST?!" Keiran's voice resounded with fury.

Zanak took a step back, though a faint smile lingered on his face. He raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Easy now," he said. "I only found a few details. I don't know anything beyond the name, Kris."

Keiran's eyes narrowed, his lips pressed tightly together. He raised his sword with his right hand, placing his left hand behind it, focusing all his energy. The pink aura around the blade began to intensify.

"Cherry Blossom Art - Sixth Style: Whisper of the Blossoms!"

Suddenly, cherry blossoms appeared around them. Keiran swung his sword downward, and the petals shot toward Zanak like razor-sharp blades.

Zanak smirked, his expression mocking. "Did you think this attack would work on me?" he said. From his back, a pair of blue butterfly wings emerged. He soared gracefully into the air, his eyes glowing a brilliant blue as his long hair streamed behind him in the wind.

Without missing a beat, Keiran raised his sword again. "Cherry Blossom Art - Ninth Style: Blossom Storm!"

This time, a massive vortex formed, and the cherry blossoms swirled violently, hurling themselves at Zanak with tremendous force.

Zanak smiled once more. "You're really strong," he said, "but not strong enough to protect the prince."

In that instant, the cherry blossom storm Keiran had summoned abruptly stopped. His vision blurred, a wave of dizziness overtook him, and he lost his balance, sinking to his knees.

Zanak slowly descended, his wings disappearing as he walked toward Keiran. "My apologies," he said in a calm voice. "I didn't mean to bring up that name on purpose. I just wanted to test how strong you really are."

Keiran struggled to speak. "What… what did you do to me?"

Zanak raised his hand into the air, gathering invisible blue particles that slowly began to collect in his palm. "Just a little sedative… Your vision should be clearing up by now."

As Keiran's head gradually cleared, Zanak turned and began to walk away. "Let's leave it here for now. I apologize again," he said, his footsteps echoing as he walked off.

Keiran remained kneeling on the cold metal floor, struggling to catch his breath. As Zanak's footsteps faded into the distance, his vision, still slightly hazy, pulled him into an old memory.

A park… A quiet, sunny afternoon…

A young Keiran sat alone in a corner of the park, hugging his knees to his chest. His head was bowed, his gaze fixed on the tips of his shoes.

Just then, a tall, blond man approached him quietly. Keiran heard the footsteps but didn't look up. The man crouched down with a gentle smile, pulling a colorful lollipop from his pocket.

"Hey, Keiran," he said softly. "Are you sitting here all alone again?"

Keiran shrugged, still staring at the ground in silence. The man held out the lollipop. "Here," he said. "Maybe something sweet will make you smile."

Keiran hesitated, then lifted his head. The man's face held a warm, comforting smile, his eyes soft and friendly. Slowly, Keiran reached out with his small hands and took the lollipop. As he took his first bite, a faint smile tugged at his lips, one he couldn't quite hide.

The man gently patted Keiran's head. "Listen," he said kindly, "no matter what happens, no matter how hard things get, don't forget to smile. Smiling makes everything feel a little lighter, alright?"

Keiran looked up into the man's eyes, and for a moment, the loneliness inside him seemed to ease. He gave a small nod.

When he returned to the present, Keiran found himself still on the cold metal floor of the ship. He took a deep breath, and slowly, a small smile began to spread across his face.