"Why did you lock the door, shithead?" Nathan's dad tilted his head, asking with groggy eyes. Too drunk to open his eyes.
Rias calmly folded his sleeves and spoke. "You know, you always remind me of someone. Someone who I will continue to hate on for my entire existence."
"Oh, who is it?"
BAM
"My dad, you pisshead."
Rias punched Nathan's dad right in the head, knocking the drunkard back. However, Rias quickly caught him lest he stumble on Nathan's mother's body.
Then he continued his onslaught.
"He was just like you! Didn't let my mother breathe for one second!"
Bam! Bam!
"Just like you, he also killed her!"
BAM!
"I was foolish to think of myself as a hero. Imagining I could change this same outcome for someone!"
Thwak!
"But!"
THWAK!
"BUT! You assholes are beyond saving!"
Bam!
The face of Rias's father began to flash on Nathan's dad's face. In absolute anger, he broke the alcohol bottle near him. With a clouded mind, Rias began to stab Nathan's dad with the broken bottle.
Eventually, two minutes later, Rias calmed down.
Rias's face, hair, and shirt were dyed in blood as he watched both husband and wife lying next to each other.
At that moment, a knock came from the door.
Rias threw the broken bottle and went to open the door. After opening the door, his eyes met with Nathan's.
Nathan asked with a curious yet terrified face. "Brother, is every-"
"Sorry." However, Rias stopped Nathan from continuing and came outside.
A few seconds later, Rias began to hear Nathan's heart-wrenching scream and cry.
Rias turned deaf to that voice; instead, he began to call the nearby police.
…
"So that is my story." Rias spoke, gazing at the cracked plaster ceiling. Surrounding him sat four thin and bulky men, wearing black and white prison dress, only leaving him the odd one out with his bloodied shirt and black pants.
"Are you guys satisfied now? If you are, then stop bugging me. I couldn't even sleep last night because of you guys!" Rias glared at everyone and then resumed his ceiling gazing.
The bulky man with curly hair in front of him patted Rias's shoulder and sighed with concern. "Brother, you are awesome but also a bit mentally ill."
Everyone nodded their heads, agreeing with him.
Rias's eyebrows twitched upon hearing that. 'What a day. To be labeled mentally ill by criminals themselves.'
Afterward the cell became quiet as everyone became busy on their work, leaving Rias pondering to himself.
'What happened yesterday was quite eventful, huh? Nothing good ever happens to me or to people near me. My mother died from my father's abuse. Leaving me all alone at the age of 8. Now that I think of it. That orphanage was shit too. I do not know why those parentless kids were such assholes. I hope they are rotting in hell now. That whore also left me for some rich second generation. I know my job isn't the best, but is money all that matters in life? I heard she got dumped again after that guy played with her to his heart's content. Hmph, serves her right. But man, I shouldn't have meddled with Nathan's life. I made him an orphan like me. He might hate me, resent me, and loathe me for his entire life. Ahhh… I liked hearing him call me brother. That time….'
Rias grumbled quietly and let out everything he had experienced in his life.
A couple of hours later, Rias woke up from his pensive state as he heard someone knocking on the steel bars.
Rias looked ahead and saw the fat prison guard. However, his eyes quickly darted to the small figure beside the prison guard.
Nathan stood silently, twiddling his fingers while sneaking glances at Rias at intervals.
The fat prison guard looked down at Rias and scoffed. "Come, you might have a redemption."
A few moments later.
Rias and Nathan stood outside the police station. Rias inhaled the scent of grass and flowers, soaking in the morning dew. The sun hanging in the sky looked directly at Rias, making him squint his eyes.
"Come."
Rias led Nathan to sit on one of the benches in the parking lot.
After spending a quiet moment, Rias spoke. "Sorry."
Looking at Rias's somber face, Nathan replied. "It's okay, brother. Just don't leave me alone."
"Of course." Rias nodded his head, assuring Nathan that he would always be by Nathan's side.
Rias couldn't believe that the police let him go on the premise of taking care of Nathan. He was deeply puzzled as to why they could let him go so easily despite him confessing his crime. He doesn't know what was going on in their mind, but at least he was grateful that he got a second chance.
"Pinky promise?" Nathan extended his pinky finger with wide and serious eyes.
A smile appeared on Rias's face, seeing such a childish act from Nathan. Nevertheless, Rias didn't mind, as he could call Nathan his only family and his only brother from now on.
So, Rias also extended his pinky finger. "Pinky pro-"
Suddenly, Rias froze as his eyes began to tremor in terror. Rias's finger, which was just 1 centimeter away from meeting Nathan's, seemed to touch air. Rias saw Nathan's body disintegrating into specks of dust.
"WAIT!" Rias roared in horror. He tried to grab Nathan but failed to do so, as Nathan was gone, swept by the northern winds.
Rias stood up and began frantically searching his surroundings. The result left him astounded, as everywhere his gaze went, he saw people disintegrating into dust.
Rias went inside the police station to see if he could find anyone still alive.
Alas, to Rias's dismay, everyone was gone: the officer who let him go, the fat prison guard, his cellmates, and even the dog that wagged his tail seeing him was gone.
Finding no one, Rias left the police station and began running around his neighborhood.
To Rias's horror, he once again found no one.
Rias, in a somber mood with his heart yet shaking from the bizarre situation, sat on the bench where he saw Nathan go away, scattering into the air.
Rias took out his phone and began calling everyone, hoping to find someone. However, to Rias's disappointment, not a single call was answered.
Rias, with his head down, murmured to himself. "Can anyone tell me what is happening? Am I hallucinating? Or am I dreaming? Did everything I experienced till now be fake? Or is it a joke played by gods?"