DECEMBER 24; 11:34 PM Perfect. Just perfect. The perfect plan, the perfect assassins, the perfect target,
and the perfect kill. With Weiß, everything fell into place. They fell into place if
everything went as written out. As expected. I knew everything would go wrong the
moment one of us falters. That had happened once before when one of us bailed out
and all of us almost got killed.I flicked my shades up the bridge of my nose.
We were against a powerful person then, but now, we’re after a mere outcast—no one behind
her, whatsoever. If I chose not to function, the others would understand and finish the job with
little difficulty. After all, she was a mere girl.I ran my fingers through my hair and released a sigh of frustration.
I knew my time for deliberation was short. I knew I would do what I clearly wanted to do
without thinking, at the spur of the moment—the moment she came. Didn’t that always happen?
Everyone just works on his own volition at the most crucial moment?SEPTEMBER 16; 10:03 PM
Kudo Yoji grinned broadly at the group of girls who sat at the table a few feet to his right.
He considered leaving his spot at the bar and going to them, but something told him to stay.
He waved a hand at the bartender to order another drink, but the middle-aged tapster favored another
customer over him. Slightly irritated, Yoji spun around to find out who the better customer was.“A…uh…Bloody Mary, please.”
Kuroshi Naomi bit her lip hesitantly as she scanned the place. It wasn’t one of those tacky nightclubs.
It was presentable, actually, a lot more tolerable than those back home. She leaned her elbows on the
bar and idly toyed with her long black hair, her violet-gray—no, lilac mist, as her mother used to call the
color—eyes stared blankly ahead.
“One Bloody Mary, pretty lady,” the bartender said distracting her for a moment, and setting her drink in
front of her.
She smiled a sweet smile, “Thank you,” she bowed her head slightly. When the bartender left, she
entranced herself once again with the empty space ahead of her.“I couldn’t help noticing you were alone.”
The girl glanced up at the speaker. A tall, lanky blonde boy took the seat beside her. He greeted
Naomi with a charming smile, then, seemingly out of habit, brushed his long, golden bangs back with
his hand. Usually, she would have made an excuse and left, but there was something about this handsome
young man that piqued her curiosity. She smiled back.“I take it, so are you.”
“Yeah,” Yoji responded to the girl’s earlier comment. He extended a hand to the girl, “Hi, my name’s
Kudo Yoji,” he introduced himself ignoring the voice at the back of his mind reminding him of how he
should be careful with who he befriended. She took his hand.“Kuroshi Naomi, hajimemashite.”
A feeling of foreboding swept over Naomi as Yoji shook her hand. I really shouldn’t…she thought,
It’s not really too late, right? I mean, I can still run out the door and forget this entire thing happened. She studied
Yoji’s face for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat, No, I can’t.
“Are you new here?” Yoji inquired, breaking into her thoughts, “I don’t remember seeing
you before.” Naomi nodded, “I arrived this morning. Do you come here often?”
“First time here, actually,” Yoji pulled out a cigarette and offered a stick to Naomi who
politely declined. He lit the cigarette, “So, just this morning, huh? You haven’t seen much of the
place, have you?”
“Wait,” Naomi raised a finger and flicked Yoji’s shades down, staring into his exposed
eyes, “How did you know I was new?”
Yoji flicked his shades back up and grinned, “It’s just a pick-up line I use,” he admitted,
“Effective, don’t you think?”
“Cheap trick, if you ask me,” Naomi retorted, “But yes, it does work.”
The nagging voice at the back of Yoji’s mind started shouting at him. As always, he paid no
attention to it. Small talk, nothing harmful in that. Tomorrow, I’d see another pretty girl, and she’ll be out
of my mind forever.They had ‘small talk’ the whole night long…
DECEMBER 24; 11:37 PM
Harmless small talk. Yeah, harmless…like cords—my cords. I really should listen to that
nagging voice more often. It proves to be right, every now and then.I wiped away the water that streamed down my cheeks.
It’s raining? Suits my mood just fine. I’m feeling more dismal than usual, anyway. It helps a bit
to pick up a few girls, but there’s nothing like feeling as if the rest of the world is gloomy with you.
Yeah, maybe that’s why all of us like rotten weather, we feel a certain comfort seeing every now and then
that there’s something else contemptible other than our almost nonexistent lives.SEPTEMBER 23; 1:34 PM
The midday sun glared at Yoji as he strolled back to the flower shop. He ignored the heat, though,
and proceeded to walk, preoccupied with deep thought. His mind kept wandering back to Naomi. The
thought of her made him want to scream. Her memory was very much like an intoxicating drug,
eating him alive, but keeping him addicted. He gripped the take-out package meant for his companions
in the shop almost crushing the paper package. When he noticed what he was doing, he berated himself
for picking on a defenseless order of ramen, then promptly resumed his former musings.
He was so engrossed in his reverie that he didn’t see a schoolgirl running down the street. He
only realized she was there when she bumped into him.
“Ah!” the girl squeaked.
Yoji steadied the girl by holding her shoulders, “Hey, are you alright, miss?” he asked looking
down at her. She met his eyes and he was taken aback when he saw Naomi staring up at him. He
blinked and the face reverted to the rather ordinary features of the girl he bumped into. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh…ah…excuse me,” the girl managed to stammer, her cheeks turning red. She giggled
slightly then ran away.
Snap out of it, Kudo, Yoji reprimanded himself. You’re acting like some lovesick kid who’s never seen
a pretty face before. He checked the food he carried then continued on his way.That’s right, Naomi’s just another pretty face.
“Say, Aya could you get some white roses?” Hidaka Ken called from the counter where he
was assembling a bouquet for the charming lady customer who walked into the shop a few
minutes ago. Fujimiya Aya stood up and followed Ken’s request. Just as the door to Koneko no
Sumu Ie flower shop opened and Yoji strode in, carrying lunch.
“The handsome guy with lunch has just arrived,” Yoji announced striding over to the table at the
back of the shop.
“Welcome back,” Ken greeted, then proceeded with entertaining their client, “…so, are there any
other things you want on this, or you just want to keep it simple?”
The girl ignored Ken and watched Yoji from where she stood. Yoji felt her eyes on him.
As if on instinct, he met his observer’s eyes and then froze. Everything was at a standstill until
Aya easily broke the spell when he walked up to Ken and handed him the roses. “Anything else?”
he asked oblivious to Yoji and the customer. Ken shrugged.
“Yoji? Kudo Yoji?” the young woman shook her head in disbelief then approached the blonde who
still stood there dumbfounded, trying to decipher whether this was all an illusion or real. “You
might not remember me. We met at a club downtown a few days ago.”
Not remember? Who was she kidding? She was all he could think about since then.
“Naomi, hi. Getting prettier, I see,” Yoji’s smooth-tongued remark hid his confusion regarding
his feelings for his acquaintance.
“How would you know?” Naomi shot back, her cheeks flushing lightly at the compliment.
“You’ve only seen me twice. When I was drunk and now, that I’m not.”
Yoji pushed his shades up the bridge of his nose, a heartbreaking grin on his face,
“Cause I can see you getting prettier right now, in front of me,” he responded lowering his
voice so only Naomi could hear.
The brunette’s cheeks got pinker turning her to something that could be likened to an endearing
porcelain doll. She shifted her attention to Ken and her arrangement with the comment, “I bet
you even tell your fourth-grade science teacher that,” directed to Yoji.
Ken handed her the finished arrangement with the computed cost and a short laugh
at Yoji’s expense. Yoji didn’t mind his dark-haired friend, “No, because I’d be lying then.
Kudo Yoji doesn’t lie.”
“And I’m supposed to believe that?” Naomi dug into her purse and paid Ken. She leaned
over the counter and addressed Aya who was collecting the flowers Ken didn’t use, “What do
you say?”
Aya gave a grunt. “No,” he bluntly stated as he finished cleaning up.
“He doesn’t talk much, does he?” Naomi asked Ken. Ken shook his head. Naomi picked
up the arrangement, “Well, I have to go, I still have a few stops before I go home.”
Yoji took the arrangement from her, “ Please, let me,” he escorted the girl out of the store.
Ken and Aya watch with stunned looks on their faces as Yoji mouthed the words, “See you,” to
them.
Ken put Naomi’s payment away, “That Yoji is one of a kind,” he remarked to no one in particular.
Aya remained silent staring at the door for some time; Ken turned his attention to the other boy
who snapped into reality, then moved away. Ken sighed yearning for their youngest associate,
Tsukiyono Omi, to return from school so that at least then he could have some decent conversation.SEPTEMBER 23; 2:39 PM
“Thank you for accompanying me,” Naomi fingered the arrangement Yoji carried as they
stopped at the warning light just a few yards away from the bus stop, “Your friend knows his
flowers well. I’ve never seen white roses look so beautiful.”
“Well…Ken has his way with things,” Yoji adjusted his hold on the flowers, then held out his
elbow to Naomi, “Why don’t you hold on to me? We’re crossing a busy street.”
Naomi laughed, “You’re the first guy I’ve met at a bar who treats me like a child,” she held
on to the tall blonde’s arm, anyway.
“Is that bad?” Yoji looked down at Naomi and gazed into the eyes he had found most captivating
since the first time he saw her. Amethysts and emeralds met in an enchanting instant.
“It’s very refreshing, actually…” Naomi responded dreamily. The light changed and Yoji
turned away, leading Naomi across the street. She found herself trying to forget the event that
had just happened. She changed the topic easily, “Are you sure…ah…Ken and…um…the red
headed guy won’t mind you being away for so long?”
“Aya,” Yoji supplied.
Naomi blinked, “What?”
“His name’s Aya,” Yoji had the most tender look on his face as he spoke, “And I’m
sure they wouldn’t mind. Once they get to know you, the won’t be able to refuse you anything.”
Naomi blushed again, “Really?”
“Really.”
“Which reminds me, you didn’t introduced me to your friends.”
“Ah, I’ll get to that soon enough. When Omi’s around.”
The couple walked in silence for a while. The many people surrounding them soon thinned
out. Naomi stopped and pulled away from Yoji, “I believe we’re here.”
“A cemetery?”“You have the same name as the girl here?” Yoji set the flowers before the tombstone
Naomi had led him to.
Naomi nodded after she finished her prayer, “If you want to know something about me
that would be difficult for the both of us,” she told Yoji, “Naomi died just a few days ago.
Pretty much the reason I came back here. I don’t remember much before I met her since I
had an accident before that and Naomi was the person who helped me. I lost everything
along with my memory and only Naomi stood by my side.”
“You don’t remember anything?” Yoji knelt in front of the tombstone and studied the
intricate patterns drawn on it.
“I remember some details, but they’re very few. I don’t even know my real name, so
I took Naomi’s instead,” Naomi laughed shortly, “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.
I’ve stopped trying to find out about my past and here I am explaining to practically a
complete stranger who I am when even I don’t know.”
Yoji straightened up and slipped off his shades, “Look into my eyes and tell me why you’re
telling me all this,” he murmured pulling Naomi closer.
“Y—Yoji, we just met,” Naomi stuttered, but as Yoji drew closer, she let all her worries
slip away.DECEMBER 24; 11:38 PM
I really should have known better than to steal kisses from someone who has a forgotten
past. Should have known better than to fall in love with someone who, in someway would
always be a stranger.Maybe that’s it.
Maybe I fell for her because she is like me. Because she is someone with a past she can’t return
to. Because our identities are fabrications of necessity. Maybe it’s not just those beautiful eyes I
can’t turn away from, maybe it’s what’s in those beautiful eyes that forbids me to turn away.Then again, I really know better than to get involved with anyone at all.
It seems to be the people I get involved with—the minute they decide I can be part of their lives is
the minute their fates are written out in the worst possible way.Though it lasted for a long while, it was only a matter of time.
NOVEMBER 2; 5:20 PM
“It’s getting cold, Yoji,” Naomi rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself as they walked out of the
cemetery, “I feel as if something’s going to happen.”
Yoji wrapped one of his arms around Naomi, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, whatever it is that’s
going to happen, I’ll stay beside you.”“Yoji…”
NOVEMBER 2; 7:00 PM
Ken entered the room carrying in one of the potted plants delivered just before the shop
closed. “Yoji’s out with Naomi again?” he asked as he set the plant beside the counter.
“Naomi waited for the customers to thin out before she bought a dozen roses and left with
Yoji,” Omi replied dragging in another one of the plants, “I don’t think they’ll be out long.
Yoji told me they’re just going to pay their respects to one of Naomi’s friends.”
“Yoji’s really fallen this time, don’t you think so?” Ken went to the back room to clean his
hands, “I’ve never seen Yoji stick to one girl for so long.”
The door swung open. “Welcome back, Yoji-kun,” Omi greeted the eldest Weiß member
as he entered the Koneko no Sumu Ie flower shop, warning Ken that their subject of conversation
had already arrived.
“Hey, Omi, how are you?” Yoji grinned widely, “Any orders?” he called out to Ken who was
coming out of the back room.
“None that haven’t been filled a while ago,” Ken replied as he wiped his hands with a towel.
He tossed the towel over to Omi who cleaned his own hands. “How was your date?”
“Lovely as always,” Yoji responded in a rather cocky manner, “When I think she can’t get any
more beautiful, she amazes me.”
“I see she’s beautiful enough to make you stop making passes at me, and probably every other
woman you meet,” a voice commented wryly, “I really should get to know that girl.”“Birman!”
NOVEMBER 2; 9:34 PM
Yoji stared at the screen unable to grasp—no, to accept—what Persia had said. The face
on the screen was one not unfamiliar to the Weiß boys. In fact, it was a face they saw almost
everyday since Yoji introduced her as his girlfriend. None of the people in the room dared
to comment as Persia described the situation and their mission.“…She has probably killed a lot more people than you four have in your entire career under me…”
“She’s a…killer,” Yoji whispered his face a complete mask of incredulity. Omi kept stealing
worried glances at Yoji and Ken. Ken, who had gotten close to Naomi because of her
helping at the shop every now and then, was seething quietly in his place. Aya, as usual,
remained impassive, though his eyes showed the slightest hint of sympathy for Yoji.
After the details were given, the screen was turned off and Birman readied herself to leave.
Before anything, she looked back at Weiß noting their unusual reactions to the new mission.
“Is there something wrong?” she asked.
Aya answered for all of them, “No, everything’s fine.”Birman left.
“Are you all right, Yoji-kun?”
Yoji snapped out of his thinking at the sound of Omi’s voice. “We can’t do this,” he said.
“Why not? She deceived us!” Ken demanded ramming his fist on the wall, “She’s a killer
like us and we’re on a mission. Why can’t we do this?”
Omi lowered his gaze not used to seeing Ken this way. Yoji stood up to Ken. “We can’t
do this because she’s not a killer!”
“When has Persia’s information network been wrong?” Ken retorted, “You’re just stupid
enough to be blinded by her charms that you’ve become her dog! Man, I bet she doesn’t
even care about you!”
“That’s not true!” Yoji shouted shoving Ken making him stumble and fall.
Omi rose from his seat, “Yoji!” he exclaimed going to Ken’s side to help him up.
Ken pulled himself off the floor before Omi could reach him, “And what makes you so sure?”“Because she doesn’t even know she killed those people.”
Ken started to say something but Aya spoke first, ending the entire argument, “We let Yoji decide.
We go on this mission, but it’s Yoji’s choice if he wants to come along or not. If her gets in the way,
we’ll kill him,” was his callous settlement.
“Fine,” Yoji barked before walking out of the shop and disappearing into the night. Omi tried to
run after him, but Ken stopped the youngest Weiß, “I think he needs time alone.”NOVEMBER 3; 3:32 AM
Yoji felt around his pockets for the key Naomi had given him, I have to tell Naomi…he thought
determinedly. “Naomi!” he called out knocking at the door, “Naomi, it’s me.”
The door behind Yoji opened and a middle-aged man came out scratching his bulging stomach.
“Hey, boy, ya lookin’ for someone?” he asked, traces of sleep still present in his eyes and speech.
“Yeah,” Yoji replied still rapping at Naomi’s apartment door, “I’m looking for the girl who lives here.”
The man scratched his head, “That weird chick?” he sniffed, “Been tryin’ to get her to sleep
with me since she arrived. Why? Ya like her?” The chap didn’t bother to wait for a reply from
Yoji, he simply continued, “Anyway, she left a couple a hours ago. Ya just missed her. She
looked all shook up.”“Shook up?”
“Yeah,” a cough, then another sniff, “She was sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout bad people an’ getting’
away from this Yoji guy. Are ya Yoji?”
Yoji’s heart stopped. He searched his pockets for a second time, this time, finding the object
he was looking for. Without giving the man from the other apartment a second thought, he
opened Naomi’s apartment and went in. He needed to find out where Naomi went. I just had
to get to her.“Ya won’t find anythin’ in there, boy! She cleared the place out! She didn’t have much stuff come
to think of it.”Yoji ignored him. He spotted a neatly folded piece of paper lying on the mini bar separating the
kitchen from the living room. He quickly retrieved it and opened it. It was a letter, and Yoji
scanned it, each word searing itself into his mind as he read.My Yoji,
I know you will come looking for me once I stop appearing at the flower shop. I would love to explain everything
to you, but that would be too difficult. There are so much words and so little time. I would like to see you at our
usual place—the place where I rest. I don’t know when you’ll be there, but I will go there every day until I see you.
I have seen enough of my past to tell me that I shouldn’t be near you, anymore. I have learned that I am not worthy
of being loved by anyone. I don’t know much about my past, but I have learned of how gruesome it is.Take care of yourself, Yoji. You’re always on my mind.
Always,
NaomiYoji unintentionally crumpled the letter as he rammed his fist on the wooden floor. The boards
creaked and gave way to the strong force. He pulled out from the floor a bloodied hand wounded
by the sharp wooden edges created by the hole. Naomi…
“Ya know,” the man from the other apartment appeared behind Yoji, “Ya gotta pay for what ya break.”
The younger man ran out of the building, no heeding his words.“Aw, damn kids, got no respect for property.”
Yoji ran to the bus stop as fast as he could. He didn’t care how many people he bumped into.
He didn’t care how long he would have to wait for Naomi, he didn’t care about anything
else but the fact that he had to find her and get her away, alive.NOVEMBER 3; 6:57 AM
"Yoji!" Naomi gasped rushing to the frostbitten figure curled up beside her friend's grave.
She pulled the young man closer, draped her jacket around him, and held him close in an
effort to return some heat into his icy body. "Yoji, what are you doing here?"
Yoji grinned weakly, "Naomi...? You told me..." his eyes opened partially, but fell
shut again. He doesn't even have the strength to blink, Naomi comprehended the situation. She quickly
helped Yoji to his feet and struggled to get him to a motel a few blocks away. The people
around them merely stared, but made no effort to help the pathetic couple who stumbled
through the streets.DECEMBER 24; 11:42 PM
In the middle of all my musings, I heard her scream. Her voice was something I longed to
hear, but hoped would not have to encounter anytime soon. I muttered a curse. She must
have been confronting Ken, by that time, and I was still undecided, whether I should fight her or not.“Screw it,” I grumbled getting my weapon ready, “She’s here.”
I breathed unsteadily as time passed. She’d be here any moment. Ken and Omi would not
kill her, no matter how much I wanted them to. There was anticipation in my soul as the
seconds ticked by. Until now, I wonder what it was for.NOVEMBER 7; 12:13 AM
Omi tried to blink the sleep from his eyes. He squinted slightly at the screen in front of him.
I have to find Naomi, his face darkened slightly, and Yoji.
Ken leaned over the younger boy’s shoulder. “Found anything, yet?” He took a peek at the
computer monitor. He sighed when he saw about the same number of items on the list that
had been flashing on the screen since four days ago, “Nothing, huh?”
“I’ve managed to narrow the seven-hundred plus choices to about a hundred, but I have no
criteria for narrowing things down any further,” Omi explained, “Of all the days we’ve spent
with Naomi, you’d think we’d know where she’d be.”
Ken stepped away from Omi, “Personally, I’m too worried about Yoji right now,” he confessed,
“I know we weren’t at best terms when he disappeared, but…” He thought back to what had
happened the night Yoji had disappeared. “I don’t even know why I was so mad, then. It would
be a little better for me if I do, I’d be feeling a little less guilty.”
“I don’t think that’s why Yoji left,” Omi felt he didn’t have the proper knowledge to go on any
further, so he stopped there. He wracked his brains again for a clue, and then it hit him. “Wait, I
think I got it.”“What?”
Omi tapped on the keyboard for a few minutes and several items disappeared. Only six items
remained when he was finished. “I figured Naomi would pick a place close to a cemetery.
Remember, she’s always paying her respects to some recently passed away friend.”NOVEMBER 8; 5:44 AM
Naomi smiled through her tears, “Just remember, when you go out at night, please bring any
kind of protection against the cold,” she said, bravely holding back her sobs. She turned away
from Yoji, unable to contain herself any longer. She knew now what was going to happen. The
next time they meet, she and Yoji would be enemies: the hunter and the hunted. Soft whimpers
came, then the metallic taste of blood she drew from her lip as she unconsciously bit it.
Yoji was unable to move any closer to her. Perhaps it was better this way. He considered telling
Naomi that he didn’t love her, so the girl would leave the district, but he knew his conscience wouldn’t
let him get away with it. He took off his shades and stared at the reflective surface of the lens.
“…If things were only different…” he mumbled, “Why…?”“Why what?”
Naomi peered at Yoji through tear-brimmed eyes. The misty orbs blinked curiously. The blonde
shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s just that, I don’t want you to leave me, but we have no choice but
to go our separate ways.”
“We do have a choice,” Naomi declared defiantly, “I’m making one and I’m taking the consequences
that go with it,” she smiled thinly, “If I am who you say I am, then I spent my life taking orders.
I want to be free from that. Free from the constraints of a life, I’m not sure I even lived,” her face
brightened, canceling out the tears that had earlier appeared, “I want to spend Christmas here
with you, Yoji. Not running, not hiding, just being together.”
Yoji found the strength to move. He grabbed the girl by the shoulder and shook her hard.
“Don’t you see this isn’t just a game? We’re talking about life, here! Your life…our lives. Why
are you being so nonchalant about this whole thing?” he demanded. A hot feeling stung his green eyes.
“You’re prepared to take the consequences, but what about me?” “There’s no assurance I’d survive. They’d probably find me, anyway. I’d die, anyway. You’d have
to take the consequences, anyway,” Naomi sighed heavily, “If it’s all going to happen any which way
we do this, then why don’t we spend what time we have left happily, not running away? I’m scared of
dying, but these are consequences I have to face. The killer in my past life was still me, and I have to
face her problems no matter how big they are and how little I am right now.”
“I’d never forgive myself if you get hurt,” Yoji argued weakly, “I’d never…”“Listen to me.”
Naomi gently pushed Yoji’s hands away. “We have the same feelings. I’d never forgive myself if you
got hurt, either, but the one with a better chance of survival has to live on,” she smirked cheekily,
“Promise me you’d find another girl when I’m gone. It’s good you’re a playboy.”Naomi…
“They’re probably looking for you at the flower shop, if you guys need me, I’ll be in the motel
room I took you to.” She jauntily sauntered away waving as she left. Yoji shook his head. How
did they ever mix? They were too similar, and yet so different. Well, Naomi was a number of things.DECEMBER 24; 11:52 PM
She was below me. I was up, hiding in my tree and she was down there scanning the area nervously
and expectantly at the same time. She knew she would see me. She knew I’d be here. I felt some
kind of instinct overtake me. Aya was waiting just a few meters down the desolate street waiting
for me to quit, conk out. Not attack.My mind suddenly cleared. Naomi was right, we shouldn’t run.
I jumped down in front of her extending my killing wire in front of her. She smiled at the sight
of me. She was strangely glad to see me. “Yoji, you came,” she greeted me.
I kept silent. I kept my face grim. I stepped forward the wire glinting menacingly under the
moonlight. Finally, my spirit broke, “Do you really want me to do this?”
“You already asked me that,” she laughed lightly, like killing her was such a simple feat for both of us.NOVEMBER 16; 9:48 PM
“Omi, Ken, Aya!” Naomi took a step back when she saw the Weiß boys standing in front
of her, their weapons drawn. She knew about their mission, she had accepted her fate, but she
was still scared. She felt second thoughts creeping into her soul. “Where’s Yoji?” she asked quietly.“He’s not coming,” Aya said bluntly, “He’s too weak.”
“Aya!” Omi’s voice sounded defensive for his friend’s sake.
“It’s all your fault,” Ken accused, his eyes flashing with insanity.
“Ken,” this time, Omi was more than a little bit surprised. Ken had lost his gentle nature just
this once, as they killed Naomi. As they killed a friend. As they killed Yoji’s lover. He must’ve
been betrayed so many times and the reality of Naomi’s identity made him snap. He had a
blood thirst for Naomi’s blood.
Without further ado, Ken attacked with a battle cry. Naomi screamed, fear overtaking her soul.
Before Ken could do anything to her, a piece of wire held him back. Behind Aya and Omi stood
Yoji, his face austere, “Leave her alone.”
Naomi’s body shook, “Y—Yoji!” she faltered.“Get out of here.”
Instinctively, Naomi ran away. She forgot all she said about her acceptance of her fate. Actions
were harder than words. Aya moved to cut Ken loose, but Yoji voluntarily retracted his weapon.
“What the fucking hell were you thinking?” Ken screamed at Yoji.
“I wasn’t thinking…” Yoji muttered before turning to run away.
Birman appeared shortly after Yoji left, “I knew there was something wrong when I gave you this
mission,” she said watching Yoji. “I already spoke to Persia-sama, he said if Yoji got in the way
one more time, terminate him.”
“But…w—we can’t kill Yoji!” Omi sputtered searching his companions’ faces for any mercy.Aya spoke calmly. “We will if we have to.”
Naomi overheard the conversation from where she was hiding. Yoji…she cried softly finding
out that his lover would be destroyed because of some impulsive act. She should have stayed and
foiled Yoji’s plans. Taken responsibility…Naomi’s mind raced.
NOVEMBER 25; 6:32
“…Are you crazy? You want me to kill you right here, right now?” Yoji summoned all his
strength to keep himself from slapping some sense into Naomi, “I can’t do that!”
“You can’t let your friends turn their backs at you because of me!” Naomi reasoned out.
Yoji stubbornly frowned, “They’re not my real friends if they don’t understand that I can’t kill you.”
“They’re your real friends if they understand what’s good for you,” Naomi explained.
Yoji thought it over, “Do you really want me to kill you?”Naomi considered something for a moment, “When we meet again. When you’re the assassin again,
and I’m your quarry. For now, let’s savor the time we have left.”Yoji kissed her, remorse, not love, being the fuel of the kiss.
“Promise me…” Naomi murmured in Yoji’s ear, “You’ll kill me if you have to.”
Yoji blinked, then nodded slightly, “I promise.”
DECEMBER 24; 11:53 PM
“That’s right,” I agreed stretching the line further.
She walked closer and turned her back at me. She moved her long black hair away from her
neck, “You know, I planned to run away. I was at the airport before this,” she confessed.
I wrapped the cord around her slender throat and settled my hand on her shoulders, unable to pull.
“If you’re going to go through with this, just do it, Yoji.”
My strength failed me again. Shaky, but brave hands took mine and held tight. I felt her give
my hands a tug. She choked as the string tightened around her neck. “Naomi…” I whispered
gently, “…be brave.” I found my strength and proceeded to strangle her.
Her hands dropped to her sides, she was weakening. She lifted her face up to me, with her
remaining energy, “Yoji, I…”
I kissed her softly, cutting her off, “Hush, don’t talk. I know. I love you, too.”“I’m happy to see you keep your promises.”
My emotions betray me and I started to cry.
“I’m also happy that you were the one who killed me,” her voice was surprisingly clear for
someone who was being choked to death, “…at least yours is the last face that I see. That is
the final gratification for this short-lived good life I’ve lived.”“I’m so sorry…”
“For what?” Naomi could only mouth the words having expended all she had on her last
words. A smile formed on her lips and then it was done. The mission was a success.DECEMBER 25: 12:00 AM
Naomi slumped against Yoji who had stopped crying by this time. The two bodies fell on the
ground, Yoji, cradling Naomi’s head on his lap. He gazed at her for the last time. She didn’tAya appeared from behind Yoji and Naomi. His callous words comforted Yoji more than
anything Ken or Omi could ever say. “Let’s go, Yoji.” Yoji nodded and left the body on the
ground for others to pick up. Aya turned back to his compatriot. “By the way, Merry Christmas.”“Thanks, Aya. Thanks a lot.”
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