Pain Inside Me (Kenta × Kim)

Chapter 36

After spending several days staying at Alan's house, Kim slowly began to adjust and get along with the X Hunter members.

As he descended the stairs, feeling hungry, he noticed a familiar man standing by the living room as if searching for something.

With Alan, Jeff, Sonic, and North all absent, being at the X Hunter Garage, and Babe nowhere in sight for days, Kim hurried downstairs.

"Dean?" Kim called out.

"K-Kim? W-what are you doing here?" Dean stammered in surprise, quickly straightening up.

"I should be the one asking why you're here and acting all suspicious," Kim asserted.

"Me? Can't I? I also have right to be here, just like North and Sonic," Dean retorted.

Kim studied Dean carefully, but nodded despite his disbelief.

"It seems like they're still clueless. After what you did to Babe, you still have the nerve to show up here at Alan's house," Kim said, trying to make Dean remember his past actions.

"Hey! Don't accused me," Dean protested.

"Accused? As far as I know, before I was kidnapped, I caught you and Winner talking," Kim retorted.

"It's not what you think," Dean denied Kim's accusation.

Kim smirked at Dean, unable to believe that he was still denying what he had clearly seen him doing.

"It's not what I think? Just admit it already," Kim insisted.

"No! I don' t have to confessed anything because I have nothing to admit," Dean firmly stated.

"What a thick face. Yes, you didn't say it out loud, but your actions speak louder," Kim remarked.

Dean let out a big sigh and lowered his head.

"It's a misunderstanding," Dean said.

"Misunderstanding? Huh!" Kim replied sarcastically.

"I have feelings for Winner," Dean confessed.

Kim was stunned and couldn't believe Dean would do something like that, making up stories to avoid taking responsibility for what he did and pretending to have feelings for Winner just to fool him.

"You're joking," Kim said, sounding like he couldn't believe it.

"No, I am not. I really have feelings for him," Dean insisted, raising his head and looking sincerely at Kim.

"I was fascinated by how brave he is and not scared to fight someone who looks down on him, unlike me. I was very insecure," Dean added.

"When you said Charlie is better than me, I was really hurt. I also didn't know what to do when you said you'd report me," Dean explained.

Dean just wanted to be a good racer, but it's difficult for him to achieve his dreams when people around him don't believe in his abilities, which leads to Dean having very low self-esteem.

"I also feel like I don't deserve to like Winner when I am too scared to fight, so I ran away," Dean concluded.

"Remember that day Winner and I were chatting? We were chatting about me joining the Red Racing team," Dean recalled.

"What?" Kim was really surprised when Dean's eyes suddenly filled with tears.

Kim was taken aback by what he witnessed as tears unexpectedly streamed down Dean's cheeks.

"I was tempted by their offer. They promised to fulfill my dreams and do things for me that X Hunter never did. They showed me appreciation, unlike this team, so I was tempted," Dean confessed through his tears.