The officers were shocked to see me at the station alone. I told them I wanted to see Miss Park one last time. They said it wasn't a good idea as if might affect me mentally but assured them that I was okay so they let me see her. I stood outside her cell, looking at her pathetic figure. She had gone thinner. Her hair was like a bird's nest and her skin was stained with dirt. Just as she's supposed to be.
It might be wicked of me but I was immensely happy to find her like this. I’ll be even happier if she was in a worse condition.
"Hello Miss Park" I said. She looked up the instant she recognized my voice. Like a mad person, she rushed towards me but was stopped by the bars of her cell. I laughed. "How are you?"
"You bastard!" She seethed, tears rolling down her swollen eyes. She reached out to touch me but I took a few steps back.
"Be careful. The kind officers are watching us. If you hurt me, your sentence will have to be increased"
Her eyes widened in fear and she retracted her hand. "Why?" She sobbed. "Why did you do this to me? We had a good thing going. No one was supposed to know but not only did you expose us, you lied! You jeopardized our love!”
I sighed, brushing my hair back. "This is your retribution" I said to her. "You're going to suffer for what you did"
She looked confused. "W-What I did?"
"Remember Aera West, Miss Park?"
"Aera?" she asked, looking even more confused.
It made me mad that she didn't remember. "Aera. The girl who was accused of being a local prostitute. My girlfriend who died at sixteen because of you. The Aera who begged you to let her in your car and save her from a group of thugs who wanted to rape her. That Aera. Do you remember now?"
Her face went pale. Like she had seen a ghost. "A-Aera..."
I could feel tears gathering in my eyes as I recalled that day. I was livid. and my heart hurt so much. Like it was being punctured by a thousand needles. "Yes. Aera. I was there. You know when it happened so you can't lie. I was taking a walk on an almost deserted road. It was close to the place I and Aera used to go to get away from the troubles of the world. There I was, trying to clear my head when I saw Aera crying and begging you to let her into your car. To save her from the thugs that were chasing her but you didn't. I heard your words clearly.
"You said; 'Aren't you that slut in the video that was circulated in school? Why are you begging me for help? I'm sure you want it huh. To be ravaged by a group of strong men. Stop acting like you don't want it. I don't let sluts like you in my car'
"And then you drove off. Saying I was shocked is an understatement. Damn I couldn't believe my eyes and ears but it happened right in front of me. I tried to help her. To run away with her. Hell I even carried her but she fought and refused to go anywhere with me. The thugs caught up. I tried. I tried as hard as I could to protect her but...
I closed my eyes, letting the tears spill. The memory I buried deep resurfaced.
Flashback
The five burly men roared with laughter at my pathetic attempts to save her.
"She your girlfriend boy?" One of them asked. He was sitting on top of me, holding my hands behind my back and pressing my head into the dirt.
"I'm not his girlfriend!" Aera screamed. "I'm not that bastard's girlfriend!!"
"Now now little girl, the boy's doing his best to save you. He clearly loves you" another one jeered. I heard Aera spit on his face.
"You bitch!" He slapped her. She cried out in pain. I struggled but the man above was too strong.
He lifted my head from the dirt. "I think we should make him watch guys. Let him see how real men fuck"
"That's a great idea. Lift him up. We'll take turns holding him" the biggest one said.
I watched as they tore her clothes from her body. I watched as the held her down in the dirt. I cried as I watched her fight but it was futile. They slapped her and beat her to make her more docile. I continued to struggle and cry. I triedy. I tried. I truly tried but I was no match for them. I closed my eyes but the guy holding me pressed me down and continuously hit me in the face until I couldn't take it anymore and opened them.
I cried as I watched them use her turn by turn, continuously. They did it everywhere as they laughed. Her mouth. The places down there. They left no place untouched. Aera cried. I cried. I couldn't do anything. I was useless. They only stopped when they were spent. When they couldn't go hard anymore. They knocked me out and when I woke up, I was in a hospital.
Flashback ends.
Miss Park was crying. The tears rushed out like a waterfall. "I-I'm sorry Aito-kun. I'm so so sorry"
I scoffed. "Isn't it too late now Miss Parky? You're going to prison tomorrow. 20 years. To me, you deserve more than that but, I'll make do with what I have. I hope what happened to her also happens to you in that place. I hope you get so tired of life that you'll decide to end it. Just as she ended hers"
With that, I walked away. I wiped my tears as the officers escorted me out. I thanked them for everything then left.
Once outside, I raised my head to the sky and closed my eyes. The cool wind blew on my face and I sighed.
“Aera. She's going to suffer just as you did. I'll make sure of that. Dai isn't spared either. Toshiro, Sara, Yua and Sakura too. I'll make them suffer. I promise you”