1-1. Lily
???
Is this the happiness "she" spoke of? The boy wondered.
He reached out towards the girl, who was curled up in a fetal position asleep. What he touched was her slightly dry black hair. He gently stroked the ends of her hair hanging by the pillow, then, as if possessed, leaned down to brush her hair with his lips. She had said that if she could have hair as beautiful as their classmate Kaori's, she wouldn't be mocked. Even though he told her he loved her just as she was, she still insisted on cutting it. She had also said that if she could have grades as good as the class monitor Hiroo's, she would be loved. Even though he told her he loved her just as she was, she still studied late into the night. Just a moment ago, her eyes heavy with sleep, she had said how nice it would be to have parents who picked her up from school and took her out on holidays, like Ruka, the most popular girl in class. Before he could say anything, she had closed her eyes.
I love every part of you.
This child, like himself, was always envying others.
He lay down beside her, not too far but not too close. He wanted to touch her but was afraid of waking her, so he lay on his side, watching her curled-up back.
It was the first time he understood what a promise was, the first time they made a promise to each other. A promise is a rule that must not be broken— to always be together. She held out her little finger to hook his, and he just stared at her.
"Hook your fingers, and if you lie, you'll have to swallow a thousand needles."
Her childish voice, singing like a tune, spoke such cruel words. Unaware of this, she still hadn't let go of his finger.
"No... if that really happens... you'll die..."
She looked at his flustered face, thinking that he had been showing more expressions lately, and laughed merrily.
"It's fine. As long as we keep the promise, that's all that matters. The more severe the consequence, the more important the promise is."
Watching her explain it so seriously, he bowed his head in silence. As she leaned down to see where he was looking, he suddenly looked up.
"Even if... we're not together... as long as you're still... here..."
She didn't understand why he looked so sad. She just looked puzzled and said,
"I am here."
At her words, his unease seemed to vanish, and he grinned. She had once told him that his smile was so cute that anyone would want to see it more often.
So, smile as hard as you can.
Even if she doesn't see him, even if one day she turns around and leaves, even if she no longer exists— smile as hard as you can.
It was as if he had forgotten how to blink. He just kept watching her, unwilling to let her fade from his sight. Finally, he closed his eyes gently.
This is the happiness "she" spoke of. The boy firmly believed.
In that forgotten past.
SCENE 1 First Meeting
It’s scorching hot.
Rin refused to open her sore eyes, covering them with the back of her hand, but the harsh sunlight still seeped through unrelentingly. She rolled over to avoid it.
Strange. Why didn’t she hit the wall when she rolled over? With her eyes still shut, she fumbled blindly to the side.
This was impossible. Her original single bed had somehow turned into a king-size?
She She suddenly opened her eyes, and nothing in front of her was familiar to her. The huge space, the floor-to-ceiling glass without curtains, and the unbridled sunlight made her dizzy.
She hesitated for a moment, then grabbed her messy, neck-length hair—tousled from sleep—and stumbled out of bed in a daze.
Where was this place?
She smacked her forehead hard, hoping to wake up from the dream. But it was no dream at all; the slap had been far too forceful to be imaginary.
There was a door. Just as she was about to reach for the doorknob, a series of knock-knock-knock sounds made her jump.
Someone was outside. Her first thought was to hide. She glanced around frantically, fearing the door would open any second, and quickly grabbed the bedsheet, ready to duck under the bed.
But she wasn’t fast enough.
“Oh, you’re awake? Why didn’t you answer?” A girl with braided hair, wearing an off-the-shoulder tank top and a tight skirt, appeared with the voice. Her tone was almost complaining yet entirely familiar, making Rin feel as if they’d known each other for ages.
Impossible. She had no one she could call a friend.
“Who are you? Where is this?” Rin fired off the questions, but the girl in front of her just shrugged.
“No need to be in such a hurry. Want something to eat?”
Rin found it utterly irrational.
“Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you.” The girl softened her tone deliberately, clearly noticing Rin’s impatience.
“‘We’? Who else?”
Calmly, the girl turned around, reached toward the door, and pulled over a person with short black hair dressed in dark clothing.
“Come on, don’t be shy.” She grabbed the person’s wrist, as if afraid they’d run away. Though they’d been facing away from them, they had no choice but to turn around.
At first sight, Rin was confused. Their features were so androgynous that no one would question calling them male or female, but she guessed male only because of their clothes. Honestly, she didn’t think anyone in modern times would dress like that.
It was similar to a kimono. They wore layers of dark fabrics in varying shades, overlapping haphazardly with no apparent pattern, looking bulky and stifling.
They glanced at her from the corner of their eye—a simple look, with no trace of emotion—but it left her stunned.
Their eyes were amber. Beautiful, the kind that stayed with you forever.
They quickly looked away.
“I’m Tia, the caretaker of this house. This guy is also…” The girl paused, slinging an arm over their shoulder. Rin noticed she was even a little taller than them. When they didn’t react, she turned to them directly.
“Introduce yourself.”
“…”
Rin heard her heavy sigh, like a weary mother complaining about a wayward son.
“Sorry, this one’s mute.” Her deadpan comment left Rin at a loss. The girl stared at him intently, as if confirming something, then spoke again.
“His name is Andrew. As you can see, he’s autistic and doesn’t know how to interact with people. If you don’t mind, could you look after him a bit?” Her expression was almost bowing, yet she was spouting such unapologetic insults, leaving Rin unsure whether to take her seriously.
Andrew, labeled as autistic, made no attempt to defend himself, remaining silent.
“Look after him?”
“That’s right. You’re staying here.” She said it as if reciting a rule from a handbook, emphasizing the non-negotiability of her words.
“Why?” Rin asked instinctively.
“If you must have a reason, call it finding a reason to stay here.” The girl’s sudden, profound gaze made Rin hesitate.
“This is absurd. I have no reason to obey you.”
“Oh, but you do.” The girl glanced subtly at the person beside her, then continued.
“You clearly didn’t want to stay there, did you? You wanted an escape. Well, this place is perfect for that.” She raised an eyebrow, her piercing gaze like a challenge, and Rin felt her resolve waver.
It was true. Just thinking of that contemptuous look made her usual skill at pretending crumble into obvious acting.
Rin bit her lip unconsciously.
“How do you know that? We’re meeting for the first time.” She asked, half-resigned.
After a moment of silence, the girl took a deep breath and replied.
“You were sleeping in a posture only someone who’s restless would take.”
“That’s just a guess.” Rin couldn’t help but retort.
The girl smiled, unperturbed.
“Who cares? I guessed right, didn’t I?”
Strangely, Rin didn’t dislike that smile.
“I have so many questions. First—where’s my phone?”
The girl smirked and replied crisply.
“If you need clothes or anything, there’s plenty here. No need for luggage. Your phone is probably your most precious thing, so I didn’t throw it away. It’s in your pocket.”
Rin checked immediately. The battery was full, but the biggest problem was that there was no signal.
“Do you understand now? Once you’re here, there’s no going back.”
Rin had no rebuttal left.
“If you have more questions, feel free to ask.” Tia walked out the door with a casual stride, leaving the two of them alone.
The boy in dark clothes started to follow, but Rin called out, “Wait!” He only stopped, seemed about to speak, then thought better of it and gently pushed the door open.
What… is this still the world I know?
By the window, a white lily bent its head, as if smiling mischievously.
SCENE 2 Slaughter
If this was close to being under house arrest, she could reasonably sneak away.
But after a day, she couldn’t lie to herself about wanting to leave.
The most important thing, after all, was the food—food, and more food. The girl’s cooking made her wonder what on earth she’d been eating in her 18 years of life. She felt a little embarrassed at how she’d gasped aloud after just one bite.
Then there was this vacation-like life. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept until noon, hadn’t had to rush out the door, or could eat breakfast (if that’s what it was) until she couldn’t stomach another bite. This kind of lazy existence was exactly what she’d dreamed of.
It was only in this strange situation that she realized how badly she needed rest.
To be honest, she had reasons to stay and reasons not to leave, yet Rin still held back a little.
It would be odd to be too obedient, too quick to comply. Let’s just call it mutual benefit.
But what made her suspicious wasn’t just the origins of these two people—it was a broader, more nebulous unease. Subconsciously, she felt compelled to search for something, but she had no idea what that something was.
She knew it existed, but it was covered by a black cloth.
It was as if she herself was missing something, and that terrified her.
Night was falling. Even after sleeping over ten hours, she could have collapsed back into bed. She shook her head hard, trying to shake off the laziness creeping into her mind. She’d intended to wander around the house, but after a casual stroll, her initial admiration faded into indifference.
It was big—unquestionably big. It was the first so-called mansion she’d ever set foot in.
But everywhere she went looked the same: no personal touches, no hint of the owner’s personality. It wasn’t even up to hotel standards; it was barely a place to sleep.
Everything was spotlessly clean, but there was no sense of life.
She looked away without lingering, only to be caught off guard by something outside.
It was a patch of white—on closer inspection, a flower arrangement.
Similar to the lilies in her room.
It was probably the only view here that interested her.
She pulled at the front door. Sure enough, it wasn’t locked. It was as if they knew she couldn’t run far even if she tried.
She needed to find out, roughly, where this place was.
She stepped outside without hesitation.
It was surrounded by greenery, clearly far from the city. No wonder there was no signal.
Looking around, a path was clearly trodden through the center of the tall trees—presumably leading outward.
It was already dark. Venturing out would be dangerous, she could faintly sense that.
Curiosity killed the cat. She knew that well enough.
Later, she couldn’t explain what had possessed her to take that step.
At the time, she didn’t understand that if she hadn’t, the ending would have been vastly different.
There was no light, and the trees blocked what little there was, leaving everything nearly pitch-black. After walking a good distance, Rin realized she couldn’t go on. She took out her phone; the time flickered to 7:45. She kept the screen on, using its light to retrace her straight path.
Thankfully, the path was straight. The helplessness of losing one’s way in the dark was terrifying even to imagine. As she wandered in thought, a loud noise burst into her ears, making her jump.
It took her a few seconds to calm down. It wasn’t so much a loud noise as a subtle sound that only stood out in the silence.
As if to make her confirm it, the sound came again—a rustle of something heavy falling into the undergrowth.
Whether it was footsteps or something else she dared not think about, she didn’t know.
What she did know was that someone else was nearby.
Rin struggled genuinely with whether to keep going or look back.
Then she smelled it—alongside the earthy scent of plants, a pervasive, metallic tang.
The logical explanation: the smell of blood.
The moment she realized it, she knew she’d missed her best chance to flee.
Even so, escaping danger seemed like human instinct. She quickened her pace, silently praying no one would chase her.
She heard panting—her own, from hurrying—but even when she stopped, the panting in her ears grew louder, mixed with faint pleas for mercy.
Before reason could kick in, she’d turned around.
Even with the phone’s light, all she could make out were silhouettes. But that was enough to make her legs go weak.
A standing figure held something sharp in both hands, poised to strike downward. She noticed another figure, clutching the grass to prop themselves up, trembling violently—as if the darkness itself couldn’t hide it.
Right before her eyes, the blade plunged into the body with unstoppable force, seemingly hitting a vital spot. The person offered no resistance, collapsing backward completely.
Her mind refused to process it, a chaotic jumble. All she could do was fight the urge to fall to her knees.
The standing figure knelt slowly, pulling the weapon from the body with both hands. As they walked toward her step by step, she realized that more jarring than their footsteps was the sound of something sliding down the blade, mixed with soft thuds. Her brain belatedly screamed a warning, but she was powerless—like a livestock awaiting an inevitable fate, she could only close her eyes.
This went on until the cool wind blew again and again, drying the sweat from her panic, and her tightly shut eyes began to ache.
“Hey.”
That almost-whispered call made her drop her guard for a moment. She opened her eyes slightly—and for a split second, her heart felt like it stopped.
Amber, glowing faintly in the dark.
“Did you see that?” His vacant gaze locked onto her unfocused stare, his tone as casual as asking if she’d watched a new show.
Her left hand clutched the still-lit phone; her right pressed hard against her left wrist, trying to stop the shaking. But seeing the dried stains on his clothes, the dark red dagger in his hand, her trembling lips couldn’t form a single word—couldn’t even manage a syllable.
It wasn’t a dream, not an illusion. It was real.
“Scared?” He frowned slightly, a faint confusion in his voice. There was no emotion in his eyes—nothing but existence itself.
“W-why…” She could barely get the word out, despairing at her own helplessness.
“Because they’re still alive.” He took a few steps closer, close enough that she could smell the lingering stench of blood.
“Because they shouldn’t be.” His words sounded final, and she froze.
“Aren’t you scared?” He tilted his head, like a child asking endless questions.
A sudden suffocation washed over her, but she dared only take a shallow breath.
“Why didn’t you run?” Gradually, the confusion on his face became undeniable. She had no answer, no idea what to do.
They stood there as if time had stopped. He seemed to demand answers, and her anxiety grew.
He closed his eyes softly, dipped his head slightly, then lifted it again. Their gazes met. She searched his eyes for anything—even a flicker—but found nothing.
“Strange.” He looked away first, leaving the cryptic remark as he walked past her.
Leaving her standing there, stunned.
???
He seemed to remember that day—the day it snowed, the day pure white was stained vivid red.
The day everything was destroyed.
Two bodies forever asleep, red flowers blooming across the ground, her receding figure.
The monster was defeated, so he became the next monster.
The story should have ended there.
The same scene: he held the same dagger, she wore the same terrified expression.
But nothing was the same anymore.
The figure shouting for someone, the figure running away in a hurry—they’d long been cast aside, forgotten in a corner.
Ah. I want it to end soon.
The boy thought, indifferent.
SCENE 3 The Original Intent
“What on earth are you thinking?” The angry voice hit his ears without mercy, but he only stared silently back at its owner.
“You really are something! Normally, I don’t care what you do, so why did you have to do it in front of her?!” The girl shouted at him. Seeing he remained completely unphased, she lost interest in looking at him and began pacing back and forth in the room.
“What am I going to do? She’s definitely on guard now. This isn’t why we brought her here… not to end up like this…” She covered her face with both hands, her voice trembling slightly—clearly distressed. Her expressions shifted back and forth, fascinating to watch, he thought to himself.
“If we scared her off, then we’ve completely defeated the purpose…” She didn’t lift her head for a long time. Behind her, a question flickered in his mind.
In fact, from the very beginning… what was the purpose?
Ah. Right.
“Hey.” He spoke, sounding like a student being called on by a teacher for the first time. Tia looked up immediately, her face etched with surprise, and a hint of disbelief was plain to see.
In that moment, she tried to recall: how many times had he ever initiated a conversation?
Only once, with one exception.
They’d lived together for ten years, yet she still couldn’t claim to understand him—couldn’t fathom his thoughts. Even the significance of that person to him had grown increasingly uncertain over time, leaving her increasingly uncertain.
Once, she’d been his whole world; now, he barely acknowledged her. No matter how hard Tia thought, she could never pinpoint the turning point.
He was the only one who knew everything. Yet he made no effort to let anyone else in, as if those things had never happened at all.
Even so, she’d witnessed it with her own eyes. Those forgotten moments had existed. And she was determined not to let that truth be buried—even if the one trying to bury it was the one who’d lived it.
This chance was once-in-a-lifetime.
“…When will it be enough?” Too lost in her own thoughts, she only registered the latter half of his words.
“Huh?”
“How long is she supposed to stay like this?” His tone was as calm as ever, utterly unaware that his words were like dropping a bomb.
“What?” The girl could only frown, trying to steer her thoughts away from where they were heading.
“Think of a way. Quickly.” He looked down at his hands.
“If you really want to protect her.”
“Before you achieve that goal… I might just destroy everything first.”
The girl prided herself on her competitiveness: she never stopped working until a job was perfect, never settled in love unless she was in control, never gambled without a sure win.
This was the riskiest bet she’d ever taken. All or nothing.
She just wanted to believe.
To believe that what had existed between them hadn’t vanished.
To believe that the part of him that had twisted… remained untainted.
Even if only fragments were left.
