One by One part II

Hikaru looked up. A pair of emerald-green eyes stared down at her. It wasn't one of the troops.

Harugii Ryuu stood before her. The blank, serious and bitter expression is always the facial expression. Hikaru is soaking wet. Her orange jacket is soaked with mud and lake water. Her white sleeveless top got dirty. Her short brown hair slicked down. The graze on her forehead started bleeding tremendously.

"R-Ryuu!" she gasped. The male redhead stayed silent. His green eyes averted from the distance towards the hanging bridge. His gaze then went to her bleeding leg.

"You managed to escape them." he said. "That's a good thing."

"Ryuu..." Hikaru sobbed, her eyes leaked with tears. "A-Aika... s-she's --"

"I know," he cut her off. "She's dead. I saw the whole thing."

The girl was shocked. Ryuu was there... but how? He wasn't there. She didn't see him. He wasn't there when Aika was killed.

Could it be... that he was hiding somewhere nearby..?

"I..." Hikaru continued crying. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I couldn't save her! I-I wanted to help her... b-but she left me. She left me behind and she was captured...!"

"Hikaru," Ryuu's voice suddenly have gone sharp. "She told they were after us, right?"

The girl nodded.

"The chief wanted to kill us. Because we exposed their bad reputation to the public, which is exactly the right thing. And because of us, the whole village is now their enemy. The chief wanted this village to become his personal paradise and using us villagers as his slaves."

"Yes, I know that." Hikaru nodded again. "He just doesn't want to get his plan foiled. You two did the right thing. But the plan of killing you both is wrong. The village needs to know it and they have to."

"Exactly," the redhead said. "They planned to kill Aika first. And they're gonna kill me next."

Hikaru bit her lip. Does that mean... Ryuu will conceal..?


"Ryuu, please... don't let this happen. Aika is killed because she didn't do anything. And now you're gonna conceal yourself to them and get killed, too?!"

He stared at her intently. "It's not concealing. If it is us who's gonna get killed, it's not for our sake. It's for the sake of everyone. Everyone knows what he's planning. Even if they start a rebellion, it won't work. Besides, our parents were killed because they are known to be possessed with true wisdom. When we were born, the chief and his comrades were troubled, because they knew we're inherited from their identities."

"So what?!" she retorted. "They're just jealous because you know more than they do! We admired your courage and you helped us with our problems. Because of you we were light-hearted! Because of you we have the courage to fight! Because of you the atmosphere changed! You changed the atmosphere! We wanted to change it from slavery to independence!"

Ryuu stayed silent. "You got a point. But it's too late now."

"RYUU!"

They heard series of footsteps.

"It's them..." she muttered. How can I run with this bleeding leg?


"You stay here." he said.

"You stay there, Hikaru. They're after us... it's for your own safety."


Hikaru clenched her fists. "I'll come with you!"

"No," Ryuu said sternly. "You're gonna stay there. You'll only get killed."

"So?! Aika was killed because I wasn't able to protect her! I can't let you die, too!"

The footsteps grew louder.

"There's not much time. You stay."

"RYUU!"

"Our safety doesn't matter, Hikaru." he said, looking behind him. "What's important is your safety. Anyone trying to trigger us from getting killed will also be killed. Aika left you because she doesn't want you to get killed and sacrificed her life for you. And now I'm leaving you because it's for your own safety."

"It's for your own safety..."


"It's for your own safety..."


"It's for your own safety... it's for your own safety... it's for your own safety..."


"Well? HOW CAN I BE SAFE IF YOU'RE ONLY LEAVING ME BEHIND?!"

Ryuu winced. "If I were you, I would be searching for a hiding place! You have to sacrifice the pain. Because if they see you before you can even hide, they'll kill you."

"There they are!"

"Hey! It's that girl earlier!"

"Target located. Harugii Ryuu has a companion with him."

"Hide!" Ryuu yelled at Hikaru. It was then he was cornered. Two men approached and pinned him facedown. They grabbed his hands from behind. When they saw Hikaru bleeding, two other men approached.

"Take her to the treatment center. Contact the nurses to treat on her wounds and get her to rest. We'll terminate this kid over here."

"Hai."

Hikaru starts to shed tears again. The men carried her and put her down on a stretcher. They covered her with a white blanket as they carried her inside the van.

As for Ryuu, he was pushed inside other van. The troops drove back to their headquarters. Aika's bloodied corpse has been retrieved. The blood is dry. There she was. They put on her shirt and vest back, but not in a proper way. The cut on her stomach was still visible. She was placed inside a box where they reserved the space for Ryuu.

He had the smirk on his face. His final wish will be granted...

TBC