Valentine's Day should have felt special. The classroom buzzed with excitement as chocolates changed hands, laughter spilled through the air, and pink decorations swayed with every passing student. Friends teased each other about crushes, girls shyly pushed boxes of sweets into boys' hands, and the whole school seemed wrapped in the same giddy atmosphere.
But for Eli, none of it mattered. His wrapped gift sat inside his bag like a weight pressing on his chest, untouched since morning. Every time the classroom door opened, he lifted his head, expecting to see him.
But Kai never came.
"Eh? Kai's absent today?" Jace asked during homeroom, frowning.
"Yeah," Caleb replied. "Teacher said he's not feeling well."
Eli forced a smile, pretending not to care, but his fingers tightened around the strap of his bag. Sick? On Valentine's Day? The thought kept repeating in his mind, gnawing at his focus.
By lunch, Mina had caught on. She leaned closer, her eyes glinting with mischief. "So, no big moment today, huh?"
"Mina," Eli warned, but his voice cracked slightly.
She only smirked. "What? You're worried about him. I can tell. Why don't you just check on him after school?"
The idea planted itself firmly in Eli's mind, refusing to leave. He tried to sit through afternoon classes, but the teachers' words blurred, his notebook filling with messy, distracted scribbles. His heart wasn't in school anymore. It was across town, where Kai was lying sick, probably alone.
Finally, Eli raised his hand, asking the teacher if he could leave early. He mumbled something about not feeling well himself, and though the teacher frowned, he was excused.
By Afternoon, Eli was already standing in front of Kai's house, clutching his bag with clammy hands. His chest tightened as he pressed the doorbell. What if his parents think I'm overstepping? What if Kai doesn't want to see me?
The door opened, and relief flooded through him when it wasn't Kai but his mother.
"Oh, Eli," she said warmly. "You came to see Kai? That's very thoughtful."
Eli nodded quickly, his ears burning. "I—I just… wanted to check on him."
She smiled kindly. "He'll be happy to see you. He's resting upstairs. Go on ahead."
Eli murmured thanks, climbing the stairs with quick, nervous steps.
Kai was lying in bed when Eli entered, bundled under blankets, his skin pale and damp with sweat. He looked nothing like the Kai Eli was used to—the calm, mysterious,confident, smirking boy who always seemed in control. Seeing him like this tugged hard at Eli's chest.
"Honestly…" Eli muttered as he set his bag down, trying to mask his worry with irritation. "You pick today, of all days, to get sick? How careless can you be?"
Kai stirred faintly, his eyes barely opening. "Eli…?" His voice was hoarse, small in a way Eli had never heard before.
"Yeah, it's me," Eli said softly, grabbing the basin and towel that Kai's mom had left on the table. He wrung it out and pressed the cool cloth gently to Kai's forehead. His hands trembled slightly, though he kept his face stern. "You had everyone worried."
Kai didn't respond, already drifting again. His breaths were shallow, but steady enough to calm Eli a little. For a while, the room was quiet—just the faint ticking of the clock and Kai's weak breathing. Eli watched him carefully, brushing damp strands of hair off his forehead.
*Why does seeing him like this hurt so much?*
Just as Eli thought Kai had fully fallen asleep, he heard it.
"…Elija…"
The name slipped from Kai's lips in a hushed, broken whisper.
Eli froze, heart lurching. He leaned closer, certain he'd misheard. "...What did you say?"
Kai's brows furrowed slightly, his lips parting again. "…Elija…"
Eli's chest tightened, a heavy ache spreading through him. The sound of that name—so tender, so longing—felt like a knife twisting inside him.
Elija? Who… who is that?
His hands shook as he pulled the towel back, staring at Kai in disbelief. He couldn't make sense of it. Couldn't understand why the way Kai said that name hurt more than anything else.
The longing in his voice… it was unlike anything Eli had ever heard from him.
Eli swallowed hard, blinking back the sting in his eyes. He set the towel down quickly and stood, his legs unsteady. His bag felt unbearably heavy as he slung it over his shoulder.
Before leaving, he reached into it and pulled out the carefully wrapped Valentine's gift. For a moment, he just stared at it—red ribbon, neat paper, the little handmade keychain tucked inside. His chest ached.
Quietly, he placed it on the nightstand beside Kai's bed. His fingers lingered on it for a second, then withdrew.
Kai stirred faintly but didn't wake.
Eli looked at him one last time, his throat burning with unsaid words, then turned and left the room.
Kai's mother thanked him on the way out, but he barely heard her. His mind was too loud, filled with the echo of that name.
Once outside, the cold air hit him, sharp and stinging. Only then did Eli realize his eyes were wet.
Who's Elija? And why does it hurt so much to hear Kai say it like that?