The room was dim except for the faint glow of a desk lamp. Shion sat by the window, the curtains half-drawn, the night outside burning with a faint blood-red glow from the city lights. Her brush moved in steady strokes across from the canvas, her dark eyes locked on the half-finished portrait. The red reflection painted her face as if she was bleeding.
Daiki (Her foster brother) leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.
Daiki:
"You're painting again?"
Shion didn't look at him. Her hand trembled slightly as she blended the crimson into the shadows of the portrait.
Shion:
"You're the only one here who knows my secret. Why haven't you convinced them to stop? Why make us go back to the place that destroyed me?"
Daiki stepped closer, the floor creaking under his weigh. His voice was softer now.
Daiki:
"They're persistent.. and you can't avoid it forever. You might have to tell them the truth."
Her brush froze. She finally turned, eyes dark but glistening.
Shion:
"Tell them? I could get arrested for fraud identity, Daiki. Do you understand that? Years in prison for- surviving."
The silence pressed in, heavy. Daiki sighed, pulling out the chair beside her and sitting down. He studied her painting for a long moment, his lips twitching into the smallest smile. Then, suddenly, he clapped his hands together.
Daiki:
"Not bad.. you're getting better."
For the first time that night, Shion's lips curved into a faint smile. She dipped her brush again, letting her stroke grow bolder. But her mind—her heart— wasn't calm. Each line she painted bled with the anger she still carried, anger that pulsed in time with her heartbeat.
Shion thoughts (voice over style):
"That place... those people...him. All of it is still in me. I'll never forgive. I can't."
And yet, as her brush swept across the canvas, the shape forming wasn't of her revenge... but of Toru's face, faint in the shadows.
The brush fell from her hand, paint dripping down the canvas like blood—
Meanwhile in Saitama..
The grand chandelier glowed above the mansion's polished floors, its golden light spilling over the glossy black piano. Toru's fingers danced across the keys, the notes heavy, echoing through the emptiness of the house. His mother stood behind him, heels clicking against marble.
Hitomi (mother): "You're still playing that piano?"
Toru (not looking up, his voice calm but edged):
"Why? should I stop?"
The music stilled. His eyes remained fixed on the piano, the reflection of the chandelier shimmering in the polished surface. He finally lifted his gaze, rolling his back lazily to meet her sharp stare. Hitomi, dressed in her fitted black suit, crossed her arms.
Hitomi:
"Do you remember that girl you dated? The one who...committed suicide? Even though they never found her body?"
Toru (eyes narrowing):
"Why are you bringing this up again?"
Hitomi:
"Her mother still hangs missing posters. There's one outside our gate."
Toru (his voice breaking slightly):
"You know she killed herself because of me, right?"
Hitomi stepped closer, her heels tapping coldly. She leaned forward, her expression unreadable.
Hitomi:
"You had no choice but to end it. She was poor, unmotivated, careless about school. You will be a doctor, Toru. Don't ruin yourself over her."
Toru turned back to the piano, jaw tight. His fingers pressed a low note, the sound vibrating through the silence.
Toru:
"... I saw her as a good friend."
The doorway creaked. A soft violin note floated into the room as his younger sister, Akari, stood silhouetted in the frame, bow in hand.
Akari:
"Music is beautiful. It's the only thing that doesn't lie."
Toru grimaced, the words twisting in his chest. His hands trembled on the piano keys as the memory dragged him back—
Flashback— A Year Ago
The river glistened under the orange glow of the setting sun. Ducks floated lazily across the water as Hana walked beside Toru, her books hugged against her chest. The field of flowers swayed in the wind.
Hana:
"Hey.. can I ask you something?"
Toru (glancing down at her, curious):
"Yeah, whats up?"
They slowed their steps. Hana stopped, her shoes crunching on the grass. She turned to face him, eyes bright but hesitant.
Hana:
"Would you.. ever marry me once we graduate?"
The question hung in the air. Toru froze, then let out a low laugh, raising his brows, searching for an answer. Her smile dropping.
Toru: "...If I'm honest, Hana—"
Hana (cutting him off quickly, forcing a laugh):
"Never mind. Just forget it. Let's keep walking."
They walked a few more steps before Toru's steps slowed. His hands shoved into his pockets.
Toru:
"I should go. My dad's in the hospital, you know that."
Hana (brightening, eager):
"I can go with you!"
Toru shook his head, avoiding her eyes.
Toru:
"I need speed. We've been together a lot lately..."
Her shoulders fell. She nodding, biting her lip. They split paths- He down the stone road toward the hospital, her across the field. She turned once more, watching his back disappear, before letting her books tumble into the river.
Hana (whispering, broken):
"Has he lost feelings?"
She cried collapsed by the tree, hugging her knees as the ducks quacked carelessly.
Her phone rang. She fumbled to answer, eyes still wet.
Reina (her mother):
"Ive got a boyfriend coming over. Don't come home until he leaves."
Hana:
"Where am I supposed to go, Mom?"
Reina:
"You have a boyfriend, don't you? Go with him. Don't interfere with my life. I didn't ask to give birth to you."
The line clicked dead. Hana stared at the screen, her breath hitching. She bolted to her feet, running through the field toward the road where Toru had gone—
But he was gone. She called no answer, she called again, but no answer.
Her phone buzzed again. A text.
Toru (text):
"I don't know how much longer I can fake it. I see you as a friend, Hana... but not a lover. You're just not my type."
Present..
Toru:
"I have school tomorrow, I will play later. I'm going to bed."
He said as he stood up, his head resting down in a grieving way before slowly lifting himself up. His body moved and got up before his fingers on the keyboard, he drags his body towards the door, his shoulders brushing against Akari's who was still holding on her violin with her bow.
Akari:
"Well excuse me to you too."
Toru:
"Whatever. Don't you have school tomorrow?"
He asked as he continued to walk off. Hitomi rolling her eyes, she shuts the piano case down before her heels clicked on the floor while walking out the room.
She looks at Akari with a cold stare before snatching the violin out of her hands.
Akari:
"What the hell-"
Hitomi:
"Sleep now. Bye Bye."
Akari lazily but with an attitude, leaves the doorway before sucking her teeth at her mom like a rebellious teenager.
Shion still sitting by the window in Tokyo, the moonlight flooding her room, painting her face in pale blue and red reflections from the city below. Her hand moved deliberately across the board, her brush dipping into a steak of crimson.
Her eyes were steady. Cold. Focused.
The same words she once cried now lingered in her thoughts—
"Not your type."
But her lips curved faintly, almost cruelly, as if mocking the ghost of Hana.
Behind her, Daiki leaned against the wall, breaking the silence.
Daiki:
"How about.. we go somewhere with our friends before we leave?"
Her head slowly moves towards him, she dusts her self off and puts down her paint brush before standing up and cleaning up her surroundings.
Shion:
"I'm not drinking again, that was horrible."
Shion said laughing softly before picking up her purse and tilting her head forward as she walks out.
Shion:
"Let's go then, shall we?"
The party lights bounced everywhere, the crowd talking and dancing, the hip hop music so loud that everyone had to talk over each other. Shion now in her red party dress, red heels that matched and makeup fixed, looks around for her foster brother and two friends.
Shion thoughts: Where did he go? I didn't sneak out the house to be lost like this.
Host: Tonight, we will be playing a piano solo from an unknown artist.. everyone grab your woman or man and let's dance slowly together!"
Shion still looking around for Daiki and her two friends, Mumu and Itsuki.
Itsuki:
"OVER HERE SHION!"
He shouted from across, Shion cheeks went red as she walks closer to him, her eyes gazed on him and not leaving his. She had a habit of liking boys who never liked her back, including Toru.
She sits beside Itsuki and watches him take shot after shot as if it was nothing, but to her? Taking shots and drinking alcohol felt like hell to her, she barely could even handle her self.
Daiki:
"HEY! listen closely.. this song is so beautiful.."
Daiki said playfully as he swayed to the music, Mumu hitting him on the shoulder while giggling like she had a teenage crush. She gazes over at Shion, watching Itsuki as if he was a trophy she just earned.
Mumu:
"No but seriously.. guys listen! lets go dance!"
Shion looks up, realizing reality and snapping out of her own world before standing up and nodding. Mumu grabs Shion as they go through the crowd.
Dancing, their bodies pressed against each other, Mumu turns around and shakes herself on Shion as if she was her man. Shion laughs and plays along as they have fun but she suddenly stops as if she seen a ghost.
Mumu:
"What's wrong? why did you stop?"
Shion:
"This sound.."
All of a sudden, everything around her started to spin. The crowd started to sound distant, the music fading away, her body felt tingly as if she was falling asleep in front of everyone. All she remembered or could see, was Mumu and Itsuki hovering over her, yelling but she heard nothing.
Before she knew it, her body was somewhere else.. not in the club but outside of a mansion. She looks around confused and panicking, her mind racing with thoughts on how she could just transport from a club to now outside of a mansion.
She raises her hand to slap herself, her hand colliding with her face making a smack noise, the sting lingering letting her know this wasn't a dream.. this was real.
The sound of her glasses hitting the pavement startled her even more, she picks up her glasses before looking at her reflection in the them and screaming.
Shion:
"NO WAY! NO THIS IS A DREAM! I WAS AT A CLUB, I DONT WEAR GLASSES ANYMORE, WHAT HAPPENED?"
In the distance was a slight hum of the same piano solo from the club, her eyes widening in fear, her hands trembling, her pupils shrinking as she sees her Toru mother approach the door and her heels clicking against the floor.
Shion:
"No .. No.. No.. this can't be happening! this isn't real.."
The piano sound grew thicker, the heels were louder the most beautiful sound.. was horror to her.
_____________________________________
End of chapter 1