"Ryu?"
She was just looking at me, staring at me, and at the same time, standing there.
But she doesn't look scared. In fact, she's more like amazed.
"Awesome..." She says.
I startled.
"Aw-Awesome? What do you mean awesome? Don't you see the blood around? Aren't you supposed to be panicking?"
She shook her head.
"Yes of course, but that thing! That thing, I've never seen anything like it before!"
I got confused. I really thought she'd be scared because of the dead bodies around.
I then summon my sword from a keychain once again. As it summons, it produces a light 'till a whole sword is formed. The chains and the key clip evaporates along with the light.
"Wow.. It's so beautiful..."
She was so astonished. Her eyes were sparkling, her jaw dropped, and palms around her face.
I then chant a spell,
"Incinerate"
My sword glowed in orange light and stabs it to the dead body. Making the dead bodies burn to dust.
She began to make a bewildering face.
"What's going on? Why are you burning them?" She asks.
"I have to. Otherwise, the locals might find out."
"So you are not working with the government?"
"I work in either the government or the mafia. My line of work is complicated."
"What kind of wo-"
"Resume that question later. Right now, I must bring you home to your father." I interrupt.
She nodded.
I then grabbed her hand and ran away with her.
A few moments later, we finally arrive at the café.
I took her upstairs to have a solo conversation with her.
"I'm sorry, Yuna. I should've told you the truth."
"Well? You may start explaining now. What kind of work do you really have?"
"My work, is killing people. We're assigned to kill people and it doesn't matter if whether it's individual, family, or group.
We receive keychain weapons as a reward for finishing the task. Once we collected 200 keychains, we can then exchange it for immortality. Basically, we're all doing this for immortality."
"That's not a bad dea-"
"However, we must follow the strict rules. Otherwise, we won't be allowed to proceed. If they find out that you are violating the rules, you will be considered a traitor, and you will be put into trial." I interrupt.
Her jaw dropped.
"What are the rules?" She asked.
"We are not allowed to abandon our assigned kill task. We are not allowed to refuse the assigned task. We are not allowed to let the locals know about us. We are not allowed to let any witnesses live. We are not allowed to speak vile words to the elders. We may meddle with the locals, but we're not allowed to be attached with them. And lastly, we cannot have a relationship with anyone especially with the locals."
She was lost in thought. She was speechless, as if she was stunned to hear it all.
She gulped and continued to look at me in the eyes.
I on the other hand, looked down and closes my eyes.
"I knew it all along, that we are not allowed to love. We are not allowed to have a relationship especially with the local people like you." I added.
My eyes began to produce tears, but I quickly wiped it off.
"Ryu, it's-"
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have fallen in love with you! I should've held myself back! Because of me, they're coming for you now! And it's all my fault!"
I bowed down to her while also apologizing in full sincere.
She then put both of her palm in my cheeks. She then leans my head to her chest and hugs me tightly.
"Ryu, it's ok."
I was shocked to hear that. My eyes suddenly opened widely.
"A-Aren't you mad? Aren't you suppose to despise me? Because of me, your life is now in danger.."
"Why would I start to despise the person I love?" She then looked at me with a smile.
"It's not your fault if you fell in love.. It's in our nature. Human nature.
Love is the only thing that brings color in our life, and love can be anything. It can be love for passion, love for things, or love for someone.
If you don't have a love for something or someone, then you're not human.
Even a monk gets married, a christian priest devote his love for God. So to hell with your strict rules, your rules are making you inhuman." She added.
I'm surprised. I froze.
I was almost speechless from her words.
It's almost the same words that the old man from Sapporo said: It's human nature.
"I... Uh..."
"I won't be mad because my life is in danger. I know you are here to protect me. If anything, I'm glad. Because I fell in love to a person like you, a person who is probably more dangerous than a military. I'm technically more safe with you." She chuckles.
My eyes began to produce tears and I couldn't wipe it off.
'This feeling of joy. Why it's making me cry?'
"But I can't promise you your full safety."
"It's ok... Being with you is enough..."
She then smiled at me. I began to cry, but hid my face from her, because I feel so shy to show her my face while crying.
She began to gently pat my head, while I on the other hand continued to cry.
I'm feeling mix emotions coming from my chest. A feeling of joy? A feeling of sadness? Or a feeling of anger? I don't know, but it's making me cry.
'Why..? I was expecting she'd despise me, nor at least slap me in the face because of my idiocy, but why? Why it's ok for her? Why is she calm? Why she stays the same? The same person who is understanding? Why? Why...'
"Yuna. I'm sorry I lied to you... I should've told you the truth earlier."
"It's ok, Ryu. Sometimes, keeping the truth is to keep things fine. I believe you have a good intention for keeping the truth, after all, truth complicates things. Doesn't it?"
I smiled at her, even though I'm about to burst into tears again.
So I sniffled and began to wipe the tears off of my face and stood on my own.
"Ok, Yuna.. I promise I'll protect you. I won't let any hoarders lay a finger on you."
"Is that what you're really called? A hoarder?" She asks.
"Well, it's because we collect keychains..."
She giggled.
"More like collectors.."
"Right. I guess you can either call us collectors or hoarders. It's almost the same."
She giggled once more.
"Ok, ok. By the way, are you telling my father too?"
I gulped.
'I'd probably get punched in the face...'
I then scratched my head and grin.
"Of course! He deserves the truth too..."