Midnight has arrived in Junji District —Capital of Kurenai Village—, and the place is ghost-quiet, if you remove the faint pops being made by the autumn drizzle hitting on rooftops, alongside the rustle of paper screens being moved by the gentle wind.
Attracting, a ten-story black and red pagoda of wood and steel stands at the center of the district, it's peak outstanding all of the buildings. On the top floor, the size of tennis court, papers scatter around, alongwith a few bottles of sake.
"I became the Shojo here to relax my mind... yet, I'm so stressed." A weak mutter pierced through the lonesome place.
Lila, staring at three papers floating before her, lies helplessly atop her work desk. Although drunk and missing sleep for several days, her face doesn't reflect it.
Raising her long legs into the air, she starts to move them like she is walking. After a minute, she rolls herself off the table, clashing with a thud on the ground.
Safe and sound, she stands up, and looks further into the district though the open paper screen. The fragment of wet soil and wild flowers sips into her nostrils. Nonetheless, the ancient Japanese scenery made her face more forlorn.
Weakly, she looks at the 3 letters, as she falls to the ground on her knees: "What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?"
Lila was born in an Outlaw Organization, led by her grandfather. At the tender age of 16, she was sent to work for the biggest coalition of righteous organizations called the Ethical Union, which some call the World Government. Thanks to her father's influence, Lila quickly rose up the ranks, and got sent on an espionage mission for the Outlaw Organization, she is from.
Everything was going well, until these three letters arrived!!!
The 1ˢᵗ letter is ordering her to cooperate with the Ethical Union, to catch a group of Outlaws, especially her big brother. Although not stated, they're some words indicating she has been caught.
The 2ⁿᵈ is commanding her to kill some Ethical Union scumbags, to weaken it before the Outlaw organizations joint surprise attack. In the letter, they are a few threats and curses, indicating she has been sold out.
Taking a glance at the last paper, she pulls her hair, banging her head on the ground.
"This was supposed to the easy, but it has become too difficult."
The letter —received last year on the 2ⁿᵈ day of the 2ⁿᵈ month called Suna— is from both. Although secretive, the Ethical Union sometimes cooperates with Outlaw Organizations to do certain evil tasks.
The billet states that she should kill, her half-brother, 'Lucien Derniere Etoile'. His limbs —head considered one— are to be given to both parties. Once done, Lila has to eliminate everyone who knows about him —which might include her—, living zero traces of his existence.
Although not high enough to get access to certain information, Lila knows that "Project Akane" is the most groundbreaking program that has happened in the last thousand years. Furthermore, Lucien is a major part in it, as the guys at the top provided him challenges, in the comfort of their homes to fulfill their research.
After getting the required data, they wanted the kyuketsuki to run amok on Kokoro Island, to see how strong it can get. However, Lucien killed his mother, halting their plan.
»»»Although this is the reason they stated why Lucien should die, the real reason they want him dead is because of some of the information he got from his mother. Despite Lucien being unable to tell anyone, the information is enough to cause a great distress once it gets in the wrong hands«««
Back to Lila: her problem here is that she has to choose between Life, Family and Love.
Although sad to admit, she has grown feelings for Shinji —he has turned into her weakness. Killing Lucy would affect him, since Shinji would be killed in the small genocide to remove Lucien from people's memories.
Also, if she saves Shinji, he would never want to see her again, since he is Lucy's bestfriend.
Lila sighs, picking a paper from the ground, written: [There is a mortal who has become a threat to the Bushi at the age regiments camp. Assassination order requested.]
Her head turns south, "I should go out." She said with a blush.
***
—An ant should struggle for its life, right? If so, will it come out victorious? Struggle doesn't matter if you can't change anything with it.
Feeling a pang of melancholy from his thoughts, Shinji decides to blow off some steam. Emerging from the blanket, he meets Lucien's gaze just as he does every time he slips away.
Unexpectedly, the red-hair speaks to him in pity, "It's freezing: you shouldn't grieve your body like that, take good care of yourself."
Lucy takes a pause and smiles faintly.
"Maybe you're going out like that, because you have an appointment with someone to warm you up."
Shinji is taken aback by Lucy's smile to the point of blushing lightly. Lucien isn't a good looker —as him—, but every time he smiles, he has these cute dimples that resembles that of his mother, taking him to the top of the league.
Maybe, it's because his inner-self is always in sync with his facial expression —his smile carries the joy of his mind, body and soul.
Before the beige-haired young man can refute the words by saying, 'worry about yourself, your clothes are more tattered than mine. Give yourself credit, they're better than most of the newbies,' or 'what are you, my mum?' Lucy is already back to doing press-ups.
Shrugging, he walks to the bamboo garden to find his clay pot empty. Blaming it all on some hungry stage 2 mosquito, Shinji decides to climb a mango tree.
As he sinks into his thoughts, he suddenly feels the scent of alcohol and raspberries. Turning his head, he gazes at a beautiful sight that stepped out from a different heaven staring at him. Although indifferent, there is a touch of depression on her gaze, cheeks and jawline.
As someone who suffered from all the acts of mental darkness, and depression since he got separated from his twin brother, Shinji can easily tell.
"You look down, mortal."
Shinji flinches, holding onto her waist to avoid falling.
"Talk about yourself."
—It's that obvious.
Lila's face somewhat relaxes, placing her head on his frail shoulder, sinking into his embrace. She wants to place her hands on his neck, but restrains herself. After a minute, her face slowly turns forlorn.
"Tell me your problems; maybe, I'll tell you something interesting."
"...mmm."
Shinji takes in the cold zephyr, while he presses his lips to hold back any emotion.
"I think, I'm crap: someone who pointlessly chases something he is not good at. I work to develop my art everyday, but I'm never good enough. I put my blood, flesh and bones into it, but my effort amounts to nothing. Maybe, what I heard is true: sometimes, effort is meaningless when you're not talented, because when someone with talent comes, they will overtake all your years of effort in one day."
Although Lila probably won't understand, Shinji knows Lucien will.
Lucy has been training for 80% of the time since his mother died, but his strength has grown by a little. He would take the advantage in his ability to get stronger after each kill, but that would corrupt his mind, inciting him to get killed early in his revenge.
It's, as if both him and Shinji are chasing something they aren't fated to.
—Too much effort breathes out despair, because all that time wasted on effort will be useless in one second of a breakdown.
—Effort only pays those who are skilled, talented or blessed. To those of us who are cursed, effort is just stubborn hope that keeps us trying only for us to cry at the end.
—If only my effort could buy a talent.
The failed scholar takes a deep breath, concluding his thoughts with a smile. It might hurt, but when you're not talented in what you love or want, you have to accept it. Whether to give up or keep on trying, it's the same.
On the other hand, Lila's eyes wide open in emotion. She loves his serenades: even if they're bad, as long as they're for her, they're good. However, she keeps it to herself, looking at the green grass below.
"They told me to kill Lucien Derniere Etoile."
"Oh..."
Shinji's word stretched in rage and anxiety. His mouth twitching, he grates his teeth, and he secretly clenches his fist.
Meanwhile, Lila adds in a more pitiful tone, "Together with everyone that has a memory of him, or even seeing him..."
There is a pause in Lila words, as she notices the shifts in Shinji's facial expression.
"My life is on the line because of such a meager mortal? What do you suggest I do, Shinji-kun? My decision may send me to the White Room..."
A tear drops from her face.
"I'm scared."
Shinji didn't get surprised by Lila suddenly calling him by his name, and the fact that the 'White Room' is indeed a place of torment.
Instead, his head racks countless questions that he know no one would answer, at the moment. However, this "They" group or groups seem to be something at the peak of politics —frightening the most powerful person on an island with the same size as Australia.
As his thoughts play rugby against each other, something unsettling Lucien's mother told him in passing came up:
"When the time comes, please protect my son. You're connected, and if something happens to either one, it affects all you seven. If you have any questions, sorry I can't answer, you'll know in the future."
Akane was a woman of many mysteries just like that of the heavenly realms. However, that's the moment he figured that the "seven" meant people with the birthmark, [קדושה—אפס]
This only made his questions pile up, making them into problems.
Taking deep sighs, he swallows his bitter emotions, taking his gaze away from Lila.
—There is nothing to feel towards her, it's casual chatter between strangers.
Deep down he knows something terrible...
From the moment he saw her, his emotions exploded, and they only felt more complicated by their interactions.
As a coward, Shinji has always been running away from painful things, and those emotions are too strong for him to handle.
In the end, he lies to himself, thinking that she is a mountain, and he is a dust particle at the bottom of the ocean.
Removing any prejudice, he addresses Lila, his pity-filled face hidden from her:
"Do what you won't regret in the future... what your heart says. Something that gets you what you want. Pick the side with the greatest interest. Don't be worried about us, we'll survive. We've been doing that all along."
Although he tried to hide it, Lila could sense the worry in each of his sentences.
"I see."
Shinji trembles at her soft voice, biting his lips in pain.
—This is bad!
'Pick me! Pick yourself! Pick me! Pick yourself!...'
While he suppresses a tear for losing a person he genuinely loved, Lila smiles, placing her head on his chest.
"I want you... Shinji."
"I want you too, Lila."
The two did nothing for a few minutes accompanied by the sound of falling leaves... Ten and Lucien who are going out to train watch the scene with heartfelt eyes, alongside some chimpanzees looting in the fields.
After a while, Lila breaks the silence:
"How do you know my name?"
Shinji flinches; he didn't know. Avoiding telling a lie like, 'the Bushi told me,' he changes the topic:
"How was the taste of my blood?"
"Like liquid raspberries..."
Lila didn't finish her sentence, as she digs herself deeper into his robes from embarrassment, getting nostalgic all over. She unwillingly agreed to a shameless crime —it was just a sip, which led to taking all.
Seeing the Shojo of the village acting childish in front of him, Shinji can't help but release a sweet chuckle, kissing her forehead.
The scent of alcohol wafting from her paralyzes his nostrils, inciting him to make her sit on his lap in an attempt to take her whole —he doesn't want to separate from her.
Running out of words, he suddenly asks shyly: "By the way, can you make me a Tama-Artist?"
"But promise to kill someone for me."
"Anything for you."
Guided by the night light, Lila finds her way to his lips, but the couple has forgotten they are on a tree, and they fall over.