Broken windows, chairs, and plates were scattered all over the floor of their cafe. The lights were still working, giving them the opportunity to see how wrecked their little café had become.
And how the fight proceeded, given that there are a lot of chairs in the corner of the room.
Cassandra must have fought back by throwing those chairs toward the old man. It's an impressive form of self-defense, yes, but she hadn't thought about the expenses at all, huh?
But even with that in mind, the little autumn refused to take a step forward, just to witness this horrendous sight she had to endure - a sight she would have been able to prevent if only she had listened to her friend.
If only… she had listened.
"Damn it!" Yuzuru Aki couldn't help but punch the nearest wall, enraged by the fact that her friend must have fought with the old man - alone - and that wounds her. She should have fought by her side, she should have! And yet… she prioritized her dumb night patrol.
An activity that is now proved to be worthless, given their current situation.
"Roger, copy that. I'll tell her right away." The familiar voice of Officer Ain claimed the little autumn's attention, making her turn her head around just to look at him directly in his eyes. She wanted to see it for herself, his expression that holds the information if her friend is safe.
Or if something terrible had happened.
"The name of your friend is Cassandra Lou, right?" Immediately nodding her head just as Officer Ain proceeds to get the medicine and bandage he prepared earlier, the little autumn silently allowed him to pull her hand and direct her to sit on the nearby chair. Several scrapes were found on her elbow, which is similar to his wounds, making him click his tongue; an act that bewildered the little autumn. Does he find it annoying to see others in this state?
If yes, then there's a high chance that he won't survive seeing what Krama had done to them.
But just as her thoughts continue to linger, he then poured alcohol all over her wound, making Aki hiss from pain. "Jeez, man. A little warning next time?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Officer Ain continued to carefully treat her wounds, giving Aki the chance to observe his physical state. Unlike her, he had already finished treating his wounds, which is commendable seeing that they were the only ones present in this place. He must have done it by himself when she was too busy surveying their place.
But after assuring her that he was fine, the little autumn then lowered her head and asked. "Is she all right?"
He didn't answer for the first few seconds, but when he did, relief instantly flooded through the little autumn's system. She couldn't help but slightly tear up after finally knowing what situation her friend has found herself in.
"She said that she's fine." Aki lifted her head, black eyes connecting with amber-colored ones. "My colleagues are making sure to keep her safe at the local precinct."
'Oh, thank goodness…' Yuzuru Aki thought to herself, all the while noticing that he had finally finished treating her wounds. Seeing how expertly it was done, even she was aware of everything he had done for this night.
So, without wasting any more seconds, she said, "Thank you, Officer, for everything you've done today."
Not expecting to hear any form of gratitude coming out from her mouth, Officer Ain turned his head around and replied. "Meh, don't mention it. Just doing my job, miss."
"…" Blinking, the little autumn found it odd that he had to turn his whole body around. And something within that thought… alarmed her. Something wasn't right. "Officer?"
Little did she know how his smile instantly faded upon turning his back on her, an act that immediately depleted any form of relief from his earlier statement. His eyes became downcast, a sign that something is amiss.
That he's currently hiding something from the little autumn.
"She's safe… isn't she?" Yuzuru Aki once again repeated, noticing the conflict that was brewing deep within his gaze. Her patience, at this point, was running thin. "Officer?"
"She is, but" He took a deep breath before finally connecting their gazes once more as if it was enough to show her his sincerity. "The escapee gave her a few bruises and cuts. She said to tell you that she was fine, but it just… felt wrong to tell you those words."
"…"
Widening her eyes, the little autumn slowly spoke. "She's… hurt?"
Cassandra, her dearest friend, and family, is hurt?
Why… why is she-
"You're still as useless as ever."
"..."
'Huh?'
Widening her eyes, the little autumn slowly lifted her head, eyes surveying her current surroundings. She was still in their cafe, still in her casual clothes, and still with her-
"My lucky nine…" Chills immediately ran through her skin, as his voice - that monster's voice - began to reemerge from her memory, presenting a horrendous vision.
'Not this…' Aki covered her mouth and noticed how her hand began to tremble. It was a symptom, and it's been a long time since she had experienced something like this. 'Why now?!'
Like how nightmares and hallucinations work, due to how stressful her situation is, she then began to visualize a sight she once had witnessed. It's not a delusion if what she sees were real.
Real in the sense that she experienced it in the past, memories that continue to haunt her up to this date.
Her resurfaced memory then showed her a place where countless bodies were hanging at the ceiling. It was the time when she utterly felt useless while her dearest comrades continued to suffer, like how Cassandra must have been enduring as of this moment.
A blood rain ensued, covering her entire body just as a maniacal laugh erupted from behind, amused at how horrified and hopeless she looked - especially after realizing whose bodies those were.
"Because of your insubordination," That man - that monster - ever so slightly, spoke. "I had to recreate this beautiful masterpiece of mine. What do you think? Those are your friends… aren't they?"
'No,' Closing her eyes to get rid of those visions, Yuzuru Aki suddenly stood up – knocking the chair she was sitting on over – and took a step back while covering both of her ears. His laughter, their cry for help, and her screams continue to reverberate inside her head, serving as her source of torment, serving as an example of what could happen to her friend.
And just imagining her friend's figure hanging from the ceiling, neck almost torn apart as blood runs down her eyes, mouth, arms, and legs… just imagining it…
"Oh, god," The static continued to isolate her from reality, as countless visions then started to leak from the memories that she tried so hard to bury deep within her soul. Those traumatic memories made her weak in her knees, which eventually made her fall to the ground, panting and gasping for air. "I… I can't-"
'I can't possibly live after witnessing that.' The little autumn thought to herself as her vision eventually became a bit blurry from all the memories that suddenly resurfaced. She didn't even have the energy and will to notice the man in front of her, who was trying his best to calm her down.
"M..s A.." His voice, his tone, and the way his hands grabbed both of her shoulders were left unnoticed as Aki continued to hyperventilate. "M..s Ak..!"
And serving as the final blow, her memory of a certain boy, a certain Numbered, remained in her head. It was her memory of being held down as they forced the younger version of herself to watch her comrade be tortured, abused, and dismembered - alive.
"Miss Aki!" With no other choice, Officer Ain then lifted his hand and slapped the little autumn, bringing her back to reality. The loud static sound was still there, but her vision was beginning to return, as colors once again entered her perception. "Oh god, please forgive me! You have to calm down, Miss Aki! Take a deep breath…"
'A deep… breath…' Unconsciously, she followed his instructions. The static remained, but it continued to lessen its volume, giving her the chance to hear his voice and to come back to reality. 'Breath in… and out…'
"Nine-" The little autumn once again closed her eyes, willing for that voice to vanish. "Nine..." That gentle voice that once served as her light in the dark, and his smile that deeply contrasted their hellish reality.
'Go away…' Yuzuru Aki gripped her hair, just as she leaned forward to make such a memory disappear. 'I have to… calm down…'
For the sake of seeing Cassandra, and for the sake of bringing back their peaceful hours before this chaos.
And finally, after a few seconds of silence, the little autumn whispered. "I'm… okay."
The relief that was immediately expressed by Officer Ain has been easily perceived by Aki, given that he visibly held onto his chest. But his calmness instantly vanished upon remembering what he had done to bring the little autumn back to reality.
Slowly, Yuzuru Aki lifted her hand and touched the part of her face that continues to sting.
"Ah." Horrified from what had transpired, Officer Ain immediately pulled away, before deeply bowing his whole body as a form of repentance. "I deeply apologize, Miss Aki! Please understand that I had to do it to calm you down!"
"..."
Noticing her speechlessness, Police Officer Ain's complexion paled. "Miss Aki please just say something. Feel free to slap my face as compensation!"
"…"
Narrowing her eyes, Aki sighed. 'As compensation… he says.'
"Then…" Noticing his gulp, Aki pleaded. "Can you not… tell her?"
Blinking, he asks, "Not tell her what?"
"About what you've just witnessed." The little autumn then proceeded to stand, eyes gazing at her friend's apron. "I don't want to worry her. She already does that a lot."
Even when they were still treated as cattle and when they finally escaped from their clutches, Cassandra still worries about her all the time.
And now that she requires help, Yuzuru Aki doesn't need to add to her worries, not when she was already the source of them.
"… You really are friends, huh." Surprised at his sudden chuckle, Yuzuru Aki then gazed at the Officer's figure who continued to walk away from her.
But even so, she couldn't help but ask, "Why do you say that?"
"Because" He then stopped, a few inches away from the door. Moonlight shone through his figure, illuminating his amber-colored eyes even further. "She said the same thing earlier. The two of you… must really care for each other, huh?"
Flabbergasted, the little autumn simply kept her mouth shut, knowing full well that he'll understand the meaning of her silence.
*****