The smell of dried and rotten food, the constant screams of those being electrified, and the footsteps of those that continue to torment are the usual occurrences that the little autumn has come to know. The numbered – people who weren't even considered humans – experience those kinds of torture daily, worsening their physical and mental strength.
That's why she should have noticed that this man is a fellow 'number' too. With his eyes mostly covered by what she could only associate with blood, his long and tangled hair that probably hasn't been tended to for weeks, his clothes that are ripped and filled with dirt – an article of clothing that he might have stolen from someone's laundry, and most of all, his actions that can be defined to be extremely violent is commonly exhibited by the people who managed to escape from Krama's clutches.
This man is living proof of how the 'Numbered' can fit in this society after experiencing a hellish reality. Yuzuru Aki could only grit her teeth, both ashamed and furious at how complacent she has become to not be able to recognize her fellow survivor.
'It has been two years.' She once again thought to herself, all the while gazing at the unconscious man that was currently laying on the ground. Slowly, she lowered herself to reach forward, just to move the strand of hair that was blocking his face. 'Only two, and yet, I-'
"Damn it." Mumbling her irritation to herself, the little autumn then tried to formulate her next plan of action of whether to bring this man under their wing or to bring him to their local precinct just in case he tries to become aggressive.
She doesn't think of herself as a good Samaritan. Sure, she acknowledges him as someone who has experienced hell like them, but in this unfair society, one must always remember his or her priorities.
And as for the little autumn, she only wishes for both her dearest friends to live their lives away from this nightmare.
Bringing this man under their wing can pose several consequences – not just for her – but for both her roommates as well. The little autumn knows fully well that she doesn't need to rope them into her problem. This man targeted her, not them.
'But…' For some reason, Aki eventually became confused after realizing one important fact from all these. 'Why is he rampaging here, of all places?'
'Why is he here on the border of the mainland which is known to have the least number of residents who don't have any influence that can majorly impact the country's welfare?'
"…"
Sighing in surrender, even if the little autumn finds the answer to that question, there is still a more pressing matter to attend to.
And that is to decide what to do with this man.
"I wonder what number you have…" The little autumn whispers to the unconscious man, curious at the severity of his situation. "I would have taken you in if I was by myself, but…"
"…"
Narrowing her eyes, Aki was deep in thought.
Deep enough for her not to notice that someone was creeping up behind her, in a desperate attempt to subdue the unaware lady.
Or so she thought.
"This isn't the time to play around, Cassandra." Surprising the blonde lady in her attempt to shock the little autumn, Yuzuru Aki didn't even turn her head around to check if she was right in her hunches. "This man… what should I do with him?"
Huffing her breath, Cassandra unimpressively replied. "What the hell are you talking about? You're the one who left me in the store! Just what made you- Oh," Hearing the change in her tone was enough to grasp how shitty her situation is. "What the fuck- Just how brutal are you to beat a man till he fainted?"
"Ha?" Shocked by her interpretation, the little autumn immediately turned her head just to see Cassandra Lou smiling at her. Even Aki couldn't determine what expression she was wearing. "Cassandra!"
"You're too tense." And just like that, after feeling the warmth of her hand gently rubbing the little autumn's shoulder, the anxiety within her vanished, bringing her composure back. "Just do what your heart tells you to do. Just as how you saved and supported me in the past, like an idiot if I may add-"
"Hey!"
"You don't have to hesitate to lend a helping hand." She continues, ignoring Aki's offended look. "But who the hell is this man anyway? And why is he so bloody? It's been a while since I've last seen someone like him, so it's a bit late for me to process what the hell is happening."
"Ah…" Returning her gaze to the wounded man, the little autumn couldn't help but agree with her friend. "Honestly he just appeared out of nowhere."
"Eh~" Joining Aki on the ground, Cassandra lowered herself as well. "So, what will you do with him?"
Narrowing her eyes, the little autumn tried to formulate her response. "I… Well, I-"
'Don't know what to do.' Aki then placed her fingers below her chin, contemplating their available choices.
An act that was soon disrupted by a loud alarm, a sound that covered almost a few streets.
'A siren?' Standing up, both young ladies couldn't help but look at each other in worry, before it shifted to panic. "Why is it-"
Widening her eyes after realizing what the alarm meant, and swiftly taking a look around to see where the sound was coming from, Yuzuru Aki then spotted a nearby speaker that was on top of a newly built post.
"Shit!" Without further ado, Cassandra immediately pulled the little autumn's elbow, successfully taking her away from the crime scene. "Who the hell reported us?!"
"It might not be us!" Aki hurriedly replies, matching the pace at which her friend was going. "A siren usually implies that a prisoner escaped, hence alerting the residents to stay on the lookout!"
"Well, they're too fucking late because he already attacked you!"
"Or!" Gasping for some needed air, all the while taking a sharp turn away from the street where the old man chased her, Yuzuru Aki continued to run as she explains the second reason. "The local police found some ongoing trouble and used it as a warning for them to stop."
"Argh!" Cassandra continued to run as she holds two plastic bags that were filled with food. It might be a bit late for her to take notice of it, but the little autumn immediately grabbed one bag and continued to run up ahead. "Fucking! Useless! Scumbags! People are already sleeping!"
"…"
Bewildered, amid this dire situation, Aki couldn't help but snicker. 'She's using that as her first reason?'
But instead of pointing that out, the little autumn continues her analysis just when the two of them leaped on a set of stairs that they often pass through. "But I don't think it's the latter though. I've surveyed that area a couple of times already, and not once have I noticed that thing they call a surveillance camera."
The alarm, by the time they reached their street, was finally turned off, allowing both ladies to communicate normally instead of shouting at each other. Just a little more and they'll finally reach their home.
"Then he's an escapee," Cassandra concludes, lifting her eyebrow with another question in mind. "But from where?"
"Who knows…" Taking a deep breath, Aki abruptly halted, making Cassandra do so as well. She was about to ask the little autumn why she suddenly stopped but was interrupted by Aki's next words. "He's 'Numbered', Cassandra. I didn't see the brand, but he mentioned Krama, and… it all just clicked."
"…"
A shadow loomed over her friend's expression, one that contains both dread and perplexity. It's a reaction that the little autumn knows too well, finally realizing how severe their situation is.
Cassandra then slowly spoke her next words. "Have I… heard that wrong? Did you seriously just say… that he's one of us?"
And with a whisper, she asked, "He's a Numbered?"
Gulping, Yuzuru Aki could only nod her head, not knowing what to reply with.
She then noticed the blonde lady's hand start to tremble, just as her friend perceived it as well. Such an act forced Cassandra to walk back and forth just to contain the anxiety that was leaking out of her composed self. Both their home and café were simply a few meters away from them, but neither wanted to move away from their current location – a street that is rarely passed through by a vehicle.
An ominous light that came from a lamp post flickered above their heads, serving as their only light source even though a few buildings were built on this street. Noting how late it already had become, the little autumn doubt that they'll encounter another person in this place.
After a few more seconds of watching her friend in deep thought, Yuzuru Aki then sighed, capturing her friend's attention.
"Calm down, Cassandra." Aki's gaze then went downward, unable to look directly at her friend's eyes. "Who knows? Maybe my analysis was wrong-"
"Which is very rare to happen." Cassandra intercepts, making the little autumn flinch from her friend's bluntness. "Is that why you were taking your time contemplating what to do with him?"
Again, Aki nodded her head, making her blonde friend curse once more.
The little autumn knew very well why Cassandra was acting like this. As fellow victims of Krama, they all share that same emotion of wanting to help each other in escaping that organization's clutches. Even if they technically did, the trauma that they all share isn't something that can be erased by time.
Heck, they all knew since a long time ago that they won't ever recover from this.
But they can move on, with the help of one another.
It might be considered toxic – their dependency on one another – but without it, without their needed support, they might as well end up like that man; that man who begged for the little autumn to end his miserable life.
Helping each other is kind of a reflex and a type of activity that needs – instead of wanted – to be done. That's why the two of them are having a hard time thinking of what their next step should be.
Should they help him, or turn him over to the local precinct?
"…"
"…"
And like how chaotic she is, Cassandra suddenly cried out, successfully surprising the little autumn. "Cassandra what the hell-"
"Yuzu," Without even waiting for Aki to complain about how boisterous her friend is, Cassandra then held both of the little autumn's shoulders, effectively shutting her up. "I'm not good with the mind stuff. So, can't we just help him and be done with it?"
As if grabbing her shoulders wasn't enough, she then started shaking Aki's body. "I get it that he attacked you, but us 'Numbered' aren't normal, to begin with. Let's go back and help him, okay?"
"…" Astounded, Aki released herself from her friend's grasp and unimpressively answered. "You were the one who pulled me away from him."
"That fucking siren scared me! You can't blame this on me!"
And just like that, the little autumn finally chuckled, untying the knot that unconsciously formed around her heart. 'Oh, god what a child.'
With a decision set in mind, Yuzuru Aki then started to walk back to the newly built playground, all the while saying, "Fine. But don't come running to me just to complain about how naïve our decision is later on, you hear me?"
Snorting, Cassandra confidently answered. "Oh, I'll definitely complain later, just to get on your nerves."
"Listen here you little-"
But as weird as fate can be, another sound captured both ladies' attention. Looking back, Yuzuru Aki squinted her eyes at the vehicle which was found at the intersection. She couldn't describe what model it was based on her limited knowledge of those… things, but even she noticed how tinted its windows are.
Without even giving them the chance to react, the car then suddenly drove onto the street where they are, forcing both ladies to move onto the sidewalk.
"Isn't it already midnight?" Cassandra whispers in her friend's ear, visibly showing how suspicious she felt toward that car. "This isn't even a residential street. Why is it driving here?"
"I'm not sure…" The little autumn reacts, perceiving the fact of how fast her heart is suddenly beating. 'But I have a bad feeling about this…'
"We don't have time for this!" Cassandra then pulled Aki's free hand as she walks in the opposite direction of their home. "Who knows if that man must have woken up and already left!"
But Aki's gaze remained on that car, even as it continues to drive slowly toward them.
'This feeling…' Yuzuru Aki then placed the hand that continues to hold a bag of groceries over her chest, just as her breathing eventually became ragged.
It's an emotion she knew well enough not to ignore, hence forcing her to pull Cassandra back.
"Hey!"
"Cassandra listen to me." The seriousness in her tone surely shocked her dear friend, but it wasn't the first time this happened. So, Cassandra took a step forward and leaned her ear onto the little autumn's mouth, successfully hearing her next words. "If that car contains an undercover police officer… then we can't go back."
"!" She then held onto the little autumn's free hand, her grip tightening at each passing second.
Aki instantly takes notice of it as she immediately pulls back and rubbed the hand that was holding her own. "So, for now, let's go home. I'll look for that man during my patrols next week. Okay?"
Her hand was still slightly trembling, and Aki knew that even she can't instantly make it stop. Her friend needs time and space, away from all these.
And luckily, Cassandra Lou is a brave young woman, both a fighter and a survivor.
"Yeah…" She then nodded her head, just as she began to pull the little autumn towards their home. "I'm getting too old for this shit."
To alleviate the mood, Aki naively replied. "You're in your early twenties."
"Who deserves a fucking break!"
'Indeed.' Yuzuru Aki wholeheartedly agrees, just as they were walking past the moving vehicle. Unaware of the gray eyes that continued to watch every single one of her moves, the little autumn could only lift her head to witness the grandiosity of a full moon.
And it didn't leave her, even as she finally closes the door of their humble abode.
*****