Hariti POV
I am Hariti. A pretty normal woman who is married. My husband is a wonderful man.
I fell in love with him and married him. It was the happiest time of my life when I was pregnant with his child.
I was wondering how would our child be. But it was disappointing.
Our first child was a boy. Our son. No, that wasn't mine. And looking at my husband, it wasn't his either.
Then how did it come out of my womb? I wondered as I saw that.
No hands and feet. Only round arms and legs. Was that even human?
I always wondered that. When I was out of the hospital, I wanted to throw it away.
But my husband didn't. He said that it is our child. We cannot just throw him away.
I was really reluctant but I couldn't go against him.
And so he began raising that. His name was Akatsuki. But he didn't come into my life like a dawn. More like he darkened my life.
Then I got pregnant again. This time I really prayed hard to god. No matter what, I want a normal child.
And maybe my prayer worked. It was a girl.
A normal and beautiful girl. But I was overjoyed.
I have a daughter. I only have a daughter. Not that thing. That thing just lives with us.
When my daughter turned one, it was three.
Two years older than my daughter, he lived on the second floor.
One day he asked for help. He was going to climb down the stairs but in his wheelchair, he couldn't.
But why did he ask me? And with a smile. Does he not know that I hate him? He never tried to talk to me before. So why ask now?
I was about help him but then, a thought came. Because of you, my life is a mess. Your presence annoys me.
Just living in the same house nauseated me.
And I pushed him. I pushed him off the stairs and I watched him fall down.
Normally that much wouldn't do anything to a human. But with the wheelchair, he fell hard.
I could see blood on the floor. His forehead was totally covered in blood. It was cut open.
And I panicked. I hurriedly called my husband and told him that he fell down the stairs.
And he was taken to the hospital. But why did I panic? I wanted to kill him and yet, seeing him like that kind of agitated me.
My heart was trembling with fear and anxiety. Was I worried?
No no. That cannot happen. I totally hate him.
And he was released after a month. His forehead had a mark on it.
And for his safety, his room was moved to the first floor.
And years passed by. He graduated from high school. And then he completed his college education.
But how? He only graduated from high school and six months later, his college is done?
But I cannot ask my husband about it. And I focus on my daughter Mizuki.
She is totally like me. Ahhh, I am so proud.
And on his 18th birthday, my husband gave him fake limbs. He can walk on his own and hold things with his hands.
As a side note, I never told anyone about him.
My family knows that Mizuki is my only child. I didn't even tell Mizuki about him. That he was her brother.
One day during dinner, he asked if he could live on his own. But how are you gonna live on your own.?
But he agreed and moved out. But what was that about office and work?
Does he have a job? Anyway, I am happy that he is out of here.
Then one day Mizuki came home a little late.
"Where were you?" I ask her.
"Chatting with my friends." She said.
But I could see a shadow on her face. Like she was really annoyed.
"What happened? You look displeased." I ask.
"Nothing. I just saw him."
"Who?"
I have no idea who she was talking about.
"Akatsuki. He was walking around with a girl. Moreover my classmate. He even gave her his home key."
She was really angry for some reason. But he was walking around with a girl. She was Mizukis classmate.
That girl must have pretty lousy taste.
Mizuki was pretty displeased. Maybe her classmate was befooled.
Anyway, I try to cheer her up. Then, we got an invitation.
It was a wedding invitation. The groom was my husbands's boss' son.
We have to go. And on that day we went to the chapel.
Not many people were there. Just close friends and family. But, they weren't starting the ceremony.
I can see the bride and groom. Even the bridesmaid is by her side.
It was Momoko. She lives next door to us.
And then the door was flung open. Someone entered the chapel.
A wheelchair was being pushed by a beautiful girl and on it was Akatsuki.
I could feel my face stiffen at that. Mizuki is making that displeased face again.
So maybe that was her classmate. And he wasn't normal. His face was bandaged and blood could be seen.
His suit was all torn and tattered. Even the bride and groom came running to him.
But he told them not to worry and the wedding ceremony started.
The groom took the rings out of his pocket and was by the grooms' side.
How does he know him? Rihito Kurosawa is the CEO of the Kurosawa Conglomerate. He isn't someone you can know just by waiting. And from the looks of it, he knows the bride as well.
It was truly mysterious. Who was he?
And then a few weeks passed by. Then one day, my sister called me and informed that my niece has run away from home.
That's troublesome. But Nino-chan is a good girl. Why would she run away?
Then a week later, my husband got a call.
Mizuki was out. So I was wondering where she went.
Then he finished his call and asked me if I would go with him or not?
He said that Mizuki was there as well.
I decided to go with him and he took me to the cemetery.
Why would Mizuki be in a cemetery and then I heard a commotion.
It was coming from inside the cemetery and it was loud.
"Let's go there." He said and followed the commotion.
When we reached the site I was surprised.
Akatsuki is sitting on a grave. Why? Does he have no respect for the dead? And Mizuki is there.
With her are Momoko and that girl who was with Akatsuki.
It was confusing. And he explained everything.
He sheltered Nino-chan when she ran away. He said that he is dying. He told me that I am free.
But then Mizuki just slapped him. Others didn't try to stop her.
And she said many things whilst crying.
And Akatsuki just listened and gave an answer.
And again something happened. Three girls suddenly appeared and another woman appeared.
But Akatsuki knew this woman. He talked with her like normal.
"Can't I come to see my son?" When I heard that, something in me shook.
She is his mother. But I gave birth to him.
I was busy thinking about these. But then, someone else appeared and I felt fear.
It was so great that I passed out.
When I opened my eyes, I saw my husband holding me and looking ahead.
I looked over there and saw Akatsuki.
He was being kissed by a skull. What? Is that something like a horror movie?
But he soon fell to the ground.
"Let…me see….your….face." I could hear that whisper.
"For you to be still alive. I guess you are an persistent person. Fine!" That person with a skull and black robe said.
They proceeded to remove their skull and what came into view was a woman.
Black hair. Blacker than the night sky and purple eyes like shining amethysts.
She is so beautiful that even my heart throbbed at the sight of her.
"As….I thought. You are...beautiful." I heard that and silence fell.
She bent down and closed Akatsukis eyes.
"With this, Akatsuki is finally dead." She said.
I saw Akatsuki. He is lying over that grave where he was sitting. His eyes closed and face still. He was smiling.
And the girl I saw with him went near him. She touched his cheek.
And she fell silent. Then she got up and put her hands together like praying.
What was happening? Is he really dead? Just like that.
"And with this Akatsuki is finally free." The woman with silver hair said.
"But Makina, you should watch your son. He tasted like alcohol." That woman who just kissed him said while licking her lips.
"Ehhh. Maybe he was drinking."
"Can you guys explain?" I ask.
I am totally confused here.
"Well long story short, Akatsuki is dead. His soul left this world and is on his way to the afterlife. And by the way, I am Makina." The silver haired woman said.
"I am Death. My name is that. A pleasure. Well, you will eventually meet me anyway." That black haired woman said.
"I have to apologize to you." Makina told me.
"Me?" I point my finger at me and ask.
"Yes. Sorry for troubling you. Well, actually Akatsuki is my son. But due to an accident he ended up becoming yours in a incomplete state. So, sorry about the extra trouble."
That woman wasn't making any sense. How is it that her son ended up becoming mine?
"Life has been really cruel to him. So let him enjoy his afterlife peacefully." She said while looking at Akatsuki.
If he really is dead then that's only his body.
My husband went and touched him.
"His body is becoming colder and his heart isn't beating. He really is dead." He declared that.
"That was his last wish. He wanted die beside his lover. She really was a good girl. She even took care of Akatsuki while she was alive."
What? Akatsuki had a lover?
"Ahh….Sakura-chan, huh? Well she really was a good girl. But what happened to her was unfortunate." My husband knew something.
"Did you know her?" I ask.
"Yeah. Akatsuki introduced her to me. A really good girl." He said and pointed at the grave.
So that's her grave and Akatsuki just died on her grave.
What kind of twisted play is that?
I look at the girls who are standing a little away from us.
Mizuki is crying. Silently but tears are overflowing from her eyes. So is that girl and Momoko.
The three others were showing signs of grief.
But I don't know what to do? Should I cry or do something?
I don't know. I feel something in my chest but what it is, I can't say.
Then I feel something ticklish on my cheek.
I try to touch it and it was wet. I was crying. Before I knew it, I was crying. Tears were silently flowing.
Eh. I don't know why, but after seeing his dead body lying in front of me, I was crying.
"Ahhh. I see. So even you are crying." Someone said that.
I look at the person who said that and it was that woman with silver hair.
"I guess, losing your child will still hurt. No matter how much you hated him, you gave birth to him. So it's obvious that you would cry."
She said all those stuff but I couldn't comprehend.
My mind was hazy and I suddenly felt that I should cry.