On the Hunt Pt. 2

Taiyori's mind spiraled into panic. She knew the men who had taken her wouldn't kill her—they wanted money, they wanted her father. But the man standing before her had just slaughtered them all in under a minute.

The eyes that pierced through the darkness weren't those of a savior. They were the eyes of a killer, devoid of remorse. She wasn’t naive enough to believe he was there to rescue her. There had to be a price. Unlike before, the possibility of death loomed over her, and for the first time, she realized she might not make it out alive.

Unbeknownst to her, the man was anything but cold. He was relieved beyond words. All he wanted was to hold her, to tell her everything would be okay, but he stopped himself before speaking. Revealing his identity now would only add to her fear and confusion. Knowing she was safe was enough for him.

He approached her slowly, and though her mouth remained shut, her body betrayed her. She trembled violently, her heartbeat racing with every step he took.

When he was finally close, Taiyori flinched, eyes clenched shut, bracing for the inevitable. But instead of a blow, she felt the tug of her wrist. The rope binding her to the chair had been severed.

Opening her eyes, she stared at her freed hands in disbelief. The man, without a word, walked past her, calmly reloading his pistol. A flicker of memory from years ago crossed her mind—another rescue. But just as quickly, she dismissed the thought. This man couldn’t possibly be one of them. And yet, doubt lingered.

"Did... Did my father send you?" Taiyori asked out loud.

Her voice echoed through the chamber, but only silence followed. The man briefly worried she might have recognized him, but his concern was unfounded.

Without turning back, he raised a finger, motioning for Taiyori to follow. Hesitant, yet with no other option, she obeyed.

They moved through the dockyard's shadows in silence. The man led the way, gun raised, ever alert. Taiyori trailed behind, her eyes drawn to the bodies they passed. Each time, she hesitated, staring at the lifeless forms.

'Did he do all of this?'

The question lingered in her mind, though she couldn't bring herself to ask. Not yet.

As they walked, her thoughts churned. 'Who is he? Why is he helping me?' And the most unsettling of all... 'Why does he seem so familiar?'

It was a far-fetched notion, but being near him brought her an inexplicable sense of comfort. Despite the bloodshed, despite the fear, his presence soothed her, in a way no one else ever had.

And then there was what Goro had muttered before his death. She hadn’t caught it perfectly, but the name—it sounded almost like one she knew.

"Excuse me," Taiyori called out, causing the man to halt mid-step. "Do I... know you?"

He remained silent, offering no response. Without looking back, he resumed walking, leaving Taiyori with her thoughts.

After some time, they reached a large open area, littered with the bodies of dozens of men. Some bore only gunshot wounds, while others were mutilated beyond recognition, their faces indistinguishable.

Taiyori instinctively raised a hand to her mouth. It was a gruesome sight unlike anything she had ever witnessed. Her stomach churned, anxiety swelling within her.

The man, sensing her distress, finally gave in to the urge to comfort her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

She looked up at him, but once again, he turned away before she could catch a glimpse of his eyes. Despite everything, a sense of reassurance settled over her, and she was able to exhale a sigh of relief.

"I'm okay," she said.

The man nodded, and together they moved through the bloodied battlefield in silence. A brief elevator ride brought them to the first floor, where they exited through the front entrance.

Waiting for them was a van, with another man behind the wheel—his face also obscured by a cap and mask, just like her mysterious savior.

He opened the door for Taiyori, and though hesitant, she climbed in. The van sped away from the dockyard and onto the empty streets.

Throughout the ride, Taiyori would steal glances at the man beside her, trying to read him. Unfortunately, he never once tore his gaze from the window.

After what felt like an eternity, they arrived back at the campus. Taiyori was the first to step out, but before leaving, she turned and fixed her eyes on the man once more.

"Sorry to bother you, but..." she mumbled. "Can you... come with me? Um... U-until I get back to my dorm room."

He relented at first, but he gave in and nodded his head. Taiyori's expression lifted as she shut the door and waited outside.

"Go on ahead, Higeki no Shijin," the man said. "I'll take it from here. Thanks for your help, and tell the others I said that as well."

"The closing chapter of this tale has reached its end, but the chapter of the Hunt will always be a never-ending story," he chuckled as if reciting a theatrical script. "Think nothing of it, Tsuki no Ran. I'm glad I was able to be a part of this art project."

The van took off when Tsuki exited. Taiyori turned around with a smile to meet him, and together, they entered the campus grounds.

This time, Taiyori walked in front while Tsuki trailed behind. He relaxed his muscles and took heavy breaths. At last, she was safe, and when she gets home, he'll have nothing more to worry about.

Suddenly, Taiyori stopped in her tracks. For a few seconds, she stood there. However, Tsuki could not speak, lest she recognize his voice.

The very next second, Taiyori ran back and grabbed him by his left wrist. He winced in pain, but he did more no than simply turn his head away.

"How did you know that this was where I lived?" she sternly asked. "That this was the school I was attending?"

Just like all the other times, he neglected to answer, and he refused to show his face.

"Father always detested the fact that I chose this school of all places," she continued. "If he had really sent you, he would've ordered you to take me back home. Tell me. How do you know me?"

He remained silent, leaving Taiyori no choice but to force an answer. She tugged his arm down further, and at last, their eyes met.

Lavender. His eyes were the color of lavender. Out of everyone she had ever known, there was only one person with eyes like those.

Her mind spiraled into chaos. Every sensation she thought she'd conquered—her racing heart, shallow breaths, and trembling body—returned with unbearable intensity.

"You..." she whispered, but no other words came.

Her grip loosened, and she gently rolled up his jacket sleeve. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she uncovered a bandaged wound. Attached to the end of the tape was a small sticker of a bunny, its ears forming a heart.

A sharp pain surged through her head as the truth dawned on her. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, and in that moment, her suspicions were confirmed.

She had expected it. She knew there was a chance that what she had heard was true. But despite her readiness, the reality still struck her like a blow to the chest.

"...Tsuki...?"