I was awakened by the sound of the flapping curtains.
Cracking a single eye open, I took a peek at the open window.
Wasn't it closed last night when I went off to sleep? I asked myself, somnolently.
It was around six in the morning.
Closing my eye again, I rolled onto my side on the bed, such that I had my back against the light coming from the window.
I was still very sleepy but I knew that I had to wake up.
It took me several minutes to fully emerge and when I did, I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Then, throwing my legs off the bed, I stood up and began to head for the kitchen to go into the bathroom.
But hardly had I taken two steps forward that I froze into place as a dark figure appeared at my side.
My head snapped around instantly and my eyes went wide in terror at the sight of the demon standing there.
'Tadashi!' I gasped out, my heart going wild.
Even before I had looked around, I had already known who it was.
Tadashi Honjō.
The demon had the appearance of a twenty-two-years-old young man. He had sleek black hair that came down just off his shoulders, with long bangs that hanged over his eyes; his irises, crimson red. His skin was incredibly pale, being paper-white. He always clothed himself in a pair of white trousers and a dark long-sleeved t-shirt with the hoods on. He remained bare-footed, his finger-nails and toe-nails painted in black polish. He was quite lean and measured average height.
And, as usual, he kept his face set in a small mocking smile.
'Have you had enough playing the martyr, Shun?' he asked, his tone sardonic. 'Can you imagine my surprise when I went to pay you a visit in your prison cell and all that I found is an empty room? And yet, you know how much I like our little sessions of psychological torture!'
Slowly, he moved to stand right in front of me and I lowered my eyes in submission, my whole frame shaking.
'You're trembling,' he pointed out, cupping my chin.
I was way too petrified to cringe away.
'I'm flattered to see that I still have so much effect on you. My simple presence terrorizes you completely. It's so amusing to watch!'
My legs gave out under me at that moment and I found myself sitting on the floor, paralyzed from the waist downward, having an attack of cataplexy.
I began to shake even more violently in response to the distress due to my present condition.
Getting down onto one of his knees, Tadashi cupped the side of my face with his hand and stroke my cheek with his thumb, while he leaned in to speak in my ear, saying, 'Shun, Shun, Shun! You're as beautiful as ever!'
I felt a shrill ran down my spine as he took a deep breath in my neck, sniffing delicately.
'And you smell so good. Like milk and strawberry.'
It was only when he placed something in my palms that I realized that, instinctively, I had put my hands up in-between us like a barrier.
'If I was you, I'd get rid of this picture,' he stated, as he stood up again to make for the window.
Ever slowly, I looked down at the picture in my hands. It was the very one I had hidden in the flooring.
'We'll see each other again, soon,' he told me, and I could almost feel his smirk on my back. 'But you already know that, don't you? I never get fed up visiting you!'
After that, he left as quietly as he had arrived.
For one long moment, I remained completely motionless where I was, panting hard and sweating cold; too shaken to move.
***
Heihachi Myōjin's heart accelerated in his chest.
Who is this guy?
His eyes… They are red!
Is this a demon?
The redhead seems to know him; she called him by his name.
I'll wait and watch for the time being.
His throat constricted when he realized that the girl was shaking with terror. The next second, her legs gave out under her.
She must be having an attack of cataplexy!
The urge to take his original form became stronger.
Heihachi felt his heart skip a beat, suddenly, as he saw the demon place into the hands of red-haired girl that very same picture that had intrigued him last night to the point that he had taken his original form and took advantage of the fact that the girl was sleeping, to have a look at the mysterious picture.
He had made sure to put it back into its place after that.
When did the demon arrive exactly? How did he know where the picture was hidden? Does he know her that well to know the way she thinks?
The demon had admitted that he has been torturing her psychologically during her years in prison.
Just who the hell is he? Why is he taking on her?
As Tadashi prepared to jump out of the window, for a brief instant, Heihachi met the cold eyes of the demon and he felt his blood run cold.
He stared at the red-haired girl then, anxious and intrigued at the same time.
When he saw her move to hide the picture again, he closed his eyes on the spot, faking to be still asleep.
This girl was a real mystery to him.
***
After I came out of my bath, I decided to make some banana smash for the small winged animal I had found the day before.
Leaving it to feed itself, I came back into the kitchen to prepare myself a bento for lunch today that I would eat at the organization.
As I put some milk to boil for me to drink with my breakfast, I sat myself down on a chair at the table, filled with angst as I thought about Tadashi.
Where was the little boy I had known since I was eight years old gone?
It has been six years now that Tadashi Honjō was no longer that person anymore.
*Flashback*
Thirteen years ago…
It was in the late afternoon.
I gazed at Subaru and Kirigaya Kuhōin who were playing together in the distance.
'Let me guess! Love triangle?!'
Flushing tomato red, I flung around immediately to see who had made that comment and my eyes fell onto a little boy of my age who was sitting onto the fallen tree on the side of the small dirt road, with his hoods on.
I was a bit surprised to see that not only was he barefooted, but he wore black nail polish. Though, what captured my attention the most, were his eyes. They were crimson red.
'Che! Love triangles are really out of date, you know?' he snorted, without really looking at me and I flushed deeper.
'Wh-Who are you?' I inquired.
I couldn't remember having seen him at the village before.
'My name is Tadashi Honjō.'
Utterly intrigued, I couldn't help but ask, 'And why are your eyes red, Tadashi?'
'How would I know?' he muttered.
'Oh!' I paused. 'Are you new in the village?'
He hummed a yes.
'Did you come with your parents?'
'No.'
'Where are they?'
'I'm an orphan just like you.' Looking at my face then, he snapped, 'Do you always bombard people with questions all the time, Shun Shutsuki? It's annoying!'
I gave him a grumpy look. If he found it so annoying, then why did he take the pain to answer?
But wait! How does he know that I'm an orphan? How does he know my name?
My eyes narrowed at him suspiciously, and without further discussion, I began to stride away, eyeing him from the corner of the eye, cautiously.
***
After this episode, Tadashi Honjō tracked me everywhere I went, even to work. He watched me from a certain distance, sometimes perched on the branch of a tree or on the roof of a house. His behavior would give me the jitters and I would cast at him peevish looks, hoping to drive him away, but he never stopped following me around like my shadow.
We hadn't spoken to each other after our first encounter until the day I discovered what he truly is.
I was employed as a domestic at a middle-aged woman's house and the latter had caught me having another bout of sleep, yet again, during work time.
*Flashback*
'Damn you, Shun!' she snarled as she stomped her way out of the house towards me into the garden where I was watering the plants under a mid-day sun.
Furious, she seized me by my arm in a painful grip, causing me to whimper; the water pipe slipping my hand.
'I've had more than enough of you! I should never have employed someone with narcolepsy!'
'Let go of her! Can't you see that you're hurting her?' snarled Tadashi Honjō, out of the blue, as he jumped down from the tree he was perched on and landed in a crouched position on the ground a small distance away from us.
Straightening up, he declared, 'If I was you, I'd feel ashamed to make an eight-year-old child work just so she can have some food on her table every day!'
The woman and I were both baffled.
I hadn't expected him to intervene.
'Who are you, boy?' the woman demanded, still not releasing my arm. Looking around at me, she barked, 'Do you know him? Friends at work; I'll have to fire you for that!'
In all of a sudden, the woman's expression softened and she blinked several times. Her grip on my arm loosened slowly, until she let go of me of completely, looking confused.
'What's wrong with me? I don't feel angry anymore,' she mumbled to herself.
I glanced at Tadashi and realized with stupefaction that it was his doing for, he was staring at the woman in deep concentration.
These red eyes... There was only one creature that I knew which could influence human emotions like this…
'Are you a demon?' I gasped out at him, and his eyes shifted onto me, his expression neutral.
I began to back away, my heart fluttering in my chest, my eyes going wide in horror.
He was definitely here because of the ability that I possessed- the Godai Shakujō. It was known to be lethal to demons and he most certainly came here to eliminate the threat, that was, me.
Spontaneously, I took to my heels and dashed into the woods on the side of the house, fleeing the demon.
'No, wait! Stop! I'm not going to hurt you!' he shouted, pursuing me.
He was more rapid than I was, more rapid than humans; his movements as lithe those of a cat. He easily caught up with me in the forest, jumping from tree to tree. But I didn't stop, nor did I listen to his warning about a certain danger ahead of me.
Abruptly, I tripped onto the root of a tree and fell down onto my chin on the moss covered forest floor.
Wincing in pain, I lifted my head up and what greeted my sight at that moment was a wolf, standing there right in front of me, with its muzzle only inches away from my face; the animal having taken an aggressive stance.
It had a dead rabbit in its mouth and it began to growl menacingly at me.
'Shun!' exclaimed Tadashi as he landed by my side. The animal retrogressed by two steps instantly, growling louder.
The demon fixated it for a few seconds after which, the wolf let out a choked cry, turned around and scooted away as far as its legs could take it.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I sat up and met the eyes of the young demon. I didn't dare to make a move to attempt an escape so much I was scared out of my wits.
'I'm not going to kill you, you know?' he muttered, looking away.
'Why?' I croaked out.
'Feh! Don't you think that my pride will suffer if I take on a girl, a child, who's narcoleptic on top of that, ne?'
Are all demons really as bad as it is said?
Tadashi Honjō could have attacked me at any time during one of my sleep bouts, but he never did it. He defended me against my employer and he just saved my life, while he could have left me to my fate.
He can't be that bad.
'Thank you, Tadashi,' I murmured, shyly, and the young demon looked at me, his cheeks taking a shade of pink.
***
This was how Tadashi and I became friends and we spent all our time together.
My employer began to treat me better after that day.
Tadashi prevented any mishaps from happening during one of my sleep bouts.
Being a demon, he was extremely intelligent; had he been human, he would have been classified as a genius for his age. He was the one who taught me how to read and write.
*Flashback*
I peered at the sheet of paper, my eyes narrowing into splits as I struggled to read what was written on the leaflet.
'Ts-Ts-'
Suddenly, Tadashi broke into hysterical laughter, causing me to look at him.
'Oh my gosh, Shun! You're so funny when you're trying to read while you can't!'
Holding his belly with his hands, he laughed his head off at me.
My eyes began to sting with tears and I bit my lower lip, trying to hold myself back from weeping.
'Tadashi, you're so mean! I hate you!' I exclaimed, my fist connecting with his arm in a punch.
Pressing my eyes shut, I ran away and entered the woods to sit myself down onto the trunk of a cut down tree to weep.
After a few minutes, I heard someone arrive and I didn't have to look up to know that it was Tadashi.
'I'm sorry,' he said, giving me an apologetic look, sounding sincere. 'I shouldn't have mocked you.'
'I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have said that you're mean. I don't think that you're mean. And I don't hate you.'
I swallowed back my tears, staring at the ground.
He came to sit beside me.
'You know, I have to work to run the house and with the money that's left out of my income, I can only afford for one person's education and I prefer that it is Subaru,' I murmured. Then looking at him, I gave him a smile, telling him, 'But Subaru does her best to teach me about the things that she learns at school whenever she can.'
'How about if I teach you? I know many languages, the mathematics and countless other subjects. We could take advantage of the time we spend together every day for me to teach you all that you need to know,' he proposed, smiling meekly.
My eyes widened at him in excitement.
'Would you really do that for me?'
'Of course!'
Overwhelmed with joy, I threw my arms around his neck in a hug. Losing our balance, we both fell backward.
A second later, we both giggled.
***
Tadashi and I literally grew up together. He lived in a small shed in the woods environing the village. There was a small shallow river that ran next to the shed. Tadashi and I would fish together from time to time and we would make camp fire outside by the river to eat the fishes we had caught under a starry sky.
We would talk, laugh and cry together.
Time elapsed and Tadashi grew into a gentle and soft-spoken person, with a kind smile on his lips. He would bring me flowers from time to time and it would make me smile and thank him for the attention.
***
Tsunan Hitachiin walked up to the apartment door and knocked once. But hardly had his knuckles connected with the hard wood that the door opened on its own. The lock was broken and a simple push on the door was all that was necessary for it to open.
'Shun?' called the doctor as he peeped in the room. His eyes fell onto the red smudge on the wall opposite of the girl's bed; now only "erer" was still readable from the word "murderer".
His eyes shifted onto the small animal which was settled on the couch then. The bat was feeding itself with what the doctor guessed was banana purée.
The red-haired girl was nowhere to be seen though.
Calling out for her again, he walked in the apartment and setting down the gallon of chemicals he had brought her, he took a glance into the kitchen on his left.
What greeted his sight was a Shun Shutsuki who had fallen asleep in a chair with the upper-half of her body rested on the table, while the milk she had put to boil was over flooding.
Without losing a second, he rushed to the stove and turned off the gas, before he turned around to face the sleeping girl and sighed.
***
I blinked my blurry eyes several times until I noticed a dark figure in the kitchen with me.
Instantaneously, my eyes blew fully open and I jerked to my feet, knocking off the chair under me, which hit the floor in a loud bang.
Past the first instant of shock, came recognition.
'Doctor Tsunan!' I exclaimed, disoriented. 'How did you-' come in... 'The milk-'
I glanced at the gas stove behind him which was shut off, the milk having overflowed. Looking at the table then, I realized that I had fallen asleep without realizing it.
I flushed up, ashamed of myself.
'I fell asleep.'
And during the bout of sleep, I had dreamed; dreamed of the past, in the form of flashbacks.
'The door was open. I allowed myself to enter,' said the doctor. 'You should touch a word about it to the landlady such that she can get the lock repaired. Otherwise, I know a good locksmith and I can ask him to come and repair it for you. It's not safe to sleep with an open door, especially in this area.'
'Yes, yes, you're right,' I murmured. 'I'll be extremely grateful if you could contact the latter for me.'
I glanced towards my bedroom then, remembering that he was supposed to be accompanied by a veterinarian.
'The vet I told you about has been detained at work. I'm going to drive you to his clinic and then we'll go to the organization together.'
I nodded, thanking him.
Grabbing my bento, I came out into my bedroom to put it in my bag alongside my clothes for sports and caught sight of the gallon of liquid sitting by the front door. I looked around at Doctor Tsunan questioningly and he informed me, 'It is some chemicals. The graffiti will come off easier with it.'
Touched by the gesture, I gazed at the doctor, appreciating the solicitude he was showing towards me.
The veterinarian's clinic was situated in this same neighborhood. The man was in his middle age, with shaggy black hair and tanned skin.
I was glad to hear that the bat would be able to fly again once it had recuperated enough. I left the small animal in the latter's care for the day for me to have to fetch it in the afternoon.
When Doctor Tsunan and I arrived at the organization, I watched the building anxiously as we headed for it.
The hall was desert and I found myself having conflicting feeling over it. On one hand, this avoided me from having to face the angry members of the organization, while on the other hand, it worried me that, I was being shunned.
The doctor and I went directly to the master's office.
The moment I entered the room, the first thing that caught my attention was the enormous tattoo that Kagami Gushiken had, which went the length of the latter's left arm. I had never seen the dark-haired man without long-sleeves before. Today, he was wearing a sleeveless white t-shirt that fit tightly around his muscular body.
The tattoo was a rather complicated design with strange unknown characters. I also noticed that the man was left-handed as he was holding his pen in his left hand.
'Tsunan! Shun!' he called from where he was sitting behind his desk and he stopped to write to look at us.
'Good morning, Master Kagami!' I greeted, timidly.
'Good morning! As I've told you before, Shun, you're going to start your martial arts training today,' he told me. 'Shirane Nakagiri is going to take charge of your training. He has a real passion for martial arts. He's really good at it, you'll see.'
I looked down at the floor.
Shirane Nakagiri… Isn't he the guy who intruded my apartment and tagged my wall?
'Is there a problem?'
'Huh?' I looked up at the Master instantly. The latter was giving me a questioning look and I realized that my expression must have changed when he had mentioned Shirane Nakagiri.
I shook my head very quickly. 'No.'
'Alright, then. He's outdoors, waiting for you.'
Excusing myself, I left the office and came down into the hall.
Nervously, I made for the bathroom and got changed into a hakama and hakamashita, before I folded my kimono neatly and put it into my bag.
***
Meanwhile…
'I went to drop Shun at her place last night.'
A large playful grin spread across of the master's face at these words and he taunted the doctor, 'My! My! You're rapid! Already found your way to the missy's place, eh?'
Tsunan Hitachiin ignored the older male's good-humored teasing, and stated, somberly, 'Her apartment had been put all over the place and one of her walls was tagged. I recognized Shirane's handwriting. The girls must have helped him.'
The master's expression became serious and he clasped his hands in front of him, his elbows resting on the table; taking a deep breath.
'I'm not surprised at all that everyone is revolted. I knew that it's going to be hard for the kids to accept her. But bullying?! That's really surprising on their part. It doesn't resemble them to persecute others.'
He sighed.
The red-haired girl didn't even tell him anything!
***
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I came outside at the back of the building where there was the swimming pool.
There were four members of the organization present; the three girls of yesterday, and the red-haired guy, whom I understood was Shirane Nakagiri. He was the very same boy who had shoved me down in the front yard the day before.
This made me even more nervous.
The boy was a delinquent type; kind of violent person.
'Feh! When I think that it's because of her that Ayame refused to come today…' the ginger-haired girl muttered to her two friends as I walked past them.
I kept my eyes down, but I could feel their glares on me.
Oh no! It's just like I feared. I really hope that the blond isn't going to continue being absent because of me.
'Tsurayuki and Shuda have taken up a mission each, just so they don't have to see her around!' the dark-haired one grumbled.
Shuda and Tsurayuki were most probably the two dark-haired guys.
Oh my gosh! I'm feeling so guilty!
'Why don't you die?! No one will miss you!' hissed the Gothic Lolita hissed and my head snapped around at her, my eyes widening in shock, my heart squeezing in pain.
When I had looked around, they had turned their faces away and now, they began to make towards the other end of the swimming pool, cutting me dead.
I put my bag down onto one of the chairs by the pool and strode my way up to Shirane Nakagiri.
I shouldn't let their comments affect me. No, I shouldn't. I already knew how it was going to be.
When I took the decision to join the organization, I knew fair well that rejection was all that I could expect due my title of mass murderer.
Thank you for reading!