K's frown deepened, his brows knitting together in intense concentration as he stood frozen, studying the subtle details of Axel's expression.
The way the boy was smiling right now was not fundamentally different from how he had been smiling before their fight had even started.
However, before they engaged in combat, K's only thought regarding Axel's smile was that it was blindingly beautiful, remarkably radiant, and breathtaking.
But now, after exchanging high-speed strikes and with deep suspicion taking root in his mind, the memory of Z's face somehow began to overlap directly onto Axel's current smiling face.
The sight made K's stomach turn. He couldn't help but frown even further as a horrifying realization hit him straight in the chest.
This was the exact same way Z used to smile at his worst enemies, a dazzling, brilliant smile that possessed zero warmth and never made it anywhere near his cold eyes.
