Chapter 41 - Chapter 41

Kokoro stood frozen in place, his expression blank with disbelief, as if his face had been chiseled from stone. His eyes, usually bright and expressive, seemed dull and lifeless, frozen in a mixture of shock and incredulity. He was sure he'd misheard, that the words had been jumbled in his mind like a puzzle with missing pieces. Surely, there had to be some mistake, a miscommunication or a misunderstanding that would soon be clarified. His mind reeled, racing to make sense of what he thought he'd heard, but the words lingered, echoing in his brain like a haunting melody that refused to fade away. Time seemed to slow, and the world around him grew quiet, as if holding its breath in anticipation of his reaction. Kokoro's thoughts swirled in confusion, his usual sharp mind clouded by doubt and uncertainty.