No Contact Pt. 4

The cries of a little girl suddenly struck my ears. My eyes opened, but I couldn't see anything. It's dark... so dark. But in that darkness, I saw movement—people... running left and right, panicking and shouting at one another.

"Someone shut that damn kid up!" a gruff voice demanded.

Suddenly, a face appeared in the darkness. It was covered in black, yet I felt... fear. My body moved on its own, twisting and turning, but I couldn't do any more than that. It felt like something was tying my arms and legs together.

"Shush now, child," the man said. "Everything will be over soon. Just bear with it a little longer."

It was a voice filled with kindness this time, but still... I wasn't willing to accept it so easily, and I reacted by crying louder.

The man grabbed onto my cheeks, pulling me forward. At last, I saw his hideous face. It was a face befitting of a monster and one that I often remembered in my nightmares.

Nightmares...?

"I said, shut it," he whispered menacingly. "It'll be over soon. We're gonna send you off to a very, very caring family. Hehe... They'll be more than glad to take care of you."

"S-shit!" cried another voice. "Hey, get over—Agh!"

Gunshots. There were so many. Combined with the men shouting over one another, it truly felt like a battlefield. Within the darkness, the figures who were running around fell over one by one after every brief flash of light.

Eventually, it went silent, and I could hear now amidst the nothingness... were footsteps, each one making a small, metallic sound as they crept closer. My heart is beating so fast. Every bone in my body was telling me to run, but I couldn't. So, I did the only thing I could do at that moment—I closed my eyes and held them tight.

The footsteps came to a halt. I can hear it... Someone's breath. I'm scared... I'm so... scared...

"Are you Taiyori Ayaka?"

That voice made me flinch. It was kind and gentle, almost like an angel. But I kept my eyes closed. I still don't know if he's here to hurt me. Then, I felt a tug on my arms and legs. I opened my eyes.

My hands... and even my legs... they're free. I can move them around again. Though, at the same time, there was another dark figure right in front of me. Because the door was now open, casting a faint ray of moonlight, I could subtly make out his body as he was kneeling. However, I still couldn't see his face, as if it were scratched out.

"Are you hurt?"

He took my hand and placed it in between his palms. It was soft and warm, and it cleansed every anxious thought in my mind.

"You don't have to worry anymore. I'm an assassin! B-but not a bad one!" he reassured nervously. "You're safe now. I'm going to bring you home, okay?"

Reluctantly, I nodded, unsure of what else to do.

I've seen this before. Many times. I've relived this moment my whole life because my mind refuses to let me forget... The most harrowing moment of my life. In the end, this stranger saved me... but I never could remember his face.

Then, without warning, a blinding flash of light engulfed my vision, forcing me to shield my eyes.

"You were very brave," he said. "Just relax now. I'll take care of you."

Those words... I've heard them before. Slowly, I blinked as my eyes adjusted, and when my gaze focused on the figure standing before me, my heart skipped a beat.

It was a boy—his dark blue hair tousled in a messy, carefree way. His face was streaked with blood, yet he was smiling at me with those striking blue eyes. Despite the chaos around us, everything about him made the unease in my chest fade.

This boy... I know him.

"Tsu... Tsuki...?" I mumbled.

"Oh? You... know me?" he asked, clearly confused. "Huh. That's weird. No one's ever recognized me in the field, and I'm sure this is the first time I'm meeting you."

"Tsuki... Tsuki...!"

"Eh? A-are you alright?"

"Tsuki!"

I latched onto him, crying. He kept on asking if I was okay, but I didn't answer him. I just kept on wailing, each scream louder than the one before.

Why is he here? Why am I seeing him, of all people, on the face of the savior I've tried so long to remember? But for some reason... I didn't question it.

It felt like I recovered a piece of myself that I had been missing for a long time. There was no doubt in my mind. Just by looking at him, a wave of calm washed over me. I felt relieved. I felt... safe.

The next second, I shot up with heavy breaths. Drops of sweat trickled their way down my face, and my heart was beating much more violently than ever before.

I looked around to find myself in the darkness of Tsuki's room. Sharp rays of moonlight pierced through the windows, and an unexplainable coldness surrounded me.

I'm back. It was... just a dream?

I reached a finger to my eye when I felt a sudden burn. Am I... crying? I wiped it all away, but more just kept flowing out. Why am I...?

"...Tsuki..." I whispered. "Tsuki no Ran..."

Many times have I been the victim of kidnapping. For someone of my status, that's just the way it goes. But none of them ever came close to the incident nine years ago. The kidnappers hauled me onto a boat that was just about ready to take off.

However, they were dispatched by a group of... assassins. I was just a little girl when it happened, and I never could remember the face of the boy who saved me at the last second.

Every time I tried to picture his face, all I got was a blur of blackness. But now... I keep seeing one person in particular.

"Tsuki..."

It's him... He's the one. I mean, I don't really know that, but I keep thinking about it. His face and his voice... For some odd reason, I'm not doubting it.

I quickly grabbed my phone from the nightstand and scrolled through my contact list. Near the very bottom was Tsuki's name. Without hesitation, I attempted to call him.

"Come on, pick up, pick up...!" I muttered.

He didn't pick up, so I tried calling again. And again. And again. After several failed attempts, I opened Line.

Me: "Tsuki, are you there?"

I waited a couple of seconds, but he didn't reply.

Me: "Please, please... Answer me."

Still, he didn't. I closed the app and tried to call him again, but like all the other times, he didn't answer.

I dropped my phone on the bed and raised my hands to cover my eyes. What's happened to me? Even as I ask myself that question... I think I finally know the answer.

"Tsuki..." I whispered to myself. "Please, come back... please..."