Some days later, Naoya was minding his own business when he received a weird letter. He was not used to get those type of things, seemed like some official stuff. The latter had a sealing wax marked by a symbol that Naoya has never seen before.
As he opened the letter, the hitman discovered a contract. This one was a bit unusual though, it was anonymous plus it promised a huge amount of money if he managed to kill a "biological instability". He found this mail a bit odd but since he was even more broke because of the additional rent he had to pay for the guy he just saved some days ago. You might think hitman is a very well paid work but it is not really the case in this time. Then, he accepted the contract. Although he did in fact accept it, when preparing his gear some times later, the idea of an anonymous contract still disturbed him, whatever, he needed that money badly.
Before leaving the building, he went to check up on the lost man in the storage closet, he was there, sit on the futon he has been offered. Naoya threw him some onigiri he bought at the local convenience store. He looked up at him, grabbed the food and started to unpeel the packaging with shaking hands. Naoya looked at him with a silent stare and then asked
- "so, whats your name poor guy ?"
The man finally unpeeled his food, slowly he approached it to his mouth, took a bite and.. a tear rolled down his cheek. He had never eaten something that delicious before, he then answered while sobbing.
-" Haruto. I think that...my name is Haruto"
Naoya looking down at him, let out a little smirk. He then closed the door, letting Haruto enjoying the food he was craving for years. Naoya thoughts:
- "Imagine if he's really from the Edo Era...nah he's just crazy"
Back into his mission, Naoya actually reached the laboratory place written on the mail.
Whithout any time to think, he pulled out a gun from a slingbag. He attached his oil filter on the weapon and approached the entry. The place seemed to be closed down, nobody in sight, despite that Naoya was still on the lookout. As he reached the entry of the lab, he felt something weird, something disturbing, but he had no choice, he really needed that pay. After going in, he assisted something truly disgusting.
There were rotting corpses everywhere. Some of them had their face totally torn apart, some others had their guts out of their body. It was a pure slaughterhouse.
Naoya smelled blood a thousand times, but this time...it was different. He covered his nose in disgust, even more on the lookout. As he keeps discovering the laboratory, something written on a wall caught his attention, it was the name of a huge pharmaceutical company, named "Seiran Biologics Incf.", the hitman kept staring at it with hatred in his eyes. He then kept going forward in this unknown place.
He steps into a research room, needles, shattered vials and reports everywhere, all mentioning Onis. Naoya grabbed one and checked it quickly. He thinks.
- Isn't that supposed to be children's folklore?
Even if he walks past a stack of untouched reports, he didn't seem to care too much, his goal is too kill, not to investigate. There is one report that could've been interesting though. It is written on it the report about a female semi-Oni semi-Human named C-028, standing for Creation number 28.
Seeing no threats, only dead bodies, he let his guard down a bit as he entered a long hallway. But then at this moment, a figure charges from behind, they both fall on the hard ground, Naoya's gun slides on the ground, too far for him to catch it. Too late, the so told biolocial instabilty was in a dominant position, it then raises it's fist, but Naoya saw it coming, his head dodges. The hitman noticed something with this monster, it was slow, very slow. With some fight moves, he rolled on top of it and threw a violent punch on its face. He pinned it to the ground and kept pounding and pounding without any mercy, his face was cold, like a surgeon operating. The thing was getting beaten up, the supposed monster was getting demolished by a human, who was the real demon there? Naoya couldnt see the monster's face, it was all covered by disheveled hair falling on its face, only two long horns were distinguishable from its head. After a long series of brutal punches, he stepped back, rearranging his costume. Naoya, usually pretty calm and nice with other people showed another side of himself.
-" it is probably dead now"
He said, sighing. But after his sentence, the figure, weak, bleeding, crying, stood up, its whole body shaking as if it would break at any moment. Naoya watched it standing up, he remained silent before approaching the weak monster. As he got closer, the figure stepped back, like a stray dog, affraid. Suddenly, Naoya rushed the weak figure and knees its stomach. Therefore, the instability stumbled on a wall. He took the opportunity and grabs his gun that was still laying on the floor due to their previous fight. He aimed it towards the anomaly. The latter rearanged its long hair to reveal, a human face. The monster looked nothing like a horrible thing, despite the bruises all over her face, Naoya managed to discover a scared woman. She was wearing a long shirt that was torn appart, her skin was red-ish, just like a mix between a demon and a human.
His finger on the trigger started to shake, gun still pointed at her.
- "...You're not a monster, are you?"
Naoya said, totally lost, he does not get it. He was sent to eliminate a monster but he found a weak girl instead. He hesitated, that was the first time that it happened during a mission. Then he got a memory of his childhood.
Naoya was a kind child, he used to live with his mother only since he had no contacts with his father. A wealthy man, boss of a big corporation. He used to hangout a lot with his friends. Sometimes, they were crushing bugs when wandering outside during hot summer days, Naoya was often aside,
- "That's cruel. Even little things deserve to live.."
That is ironic when you know that he became a hitman later in his life.
Coming back from his thoughts, he hesitated, squinting his eyes, his stare locked into her soulless eyes in case of any brutal movement. He then relieved
-"holy shit, am I Red Cross now?"
He kneels, still keeping some distance between him and the newfound girl. He lowered his gun, but kept it pointed at her just in case.
- "Hey listen, I don't know if you cant understand me but if you had the guts to attack me. Maybe you've got what it takes not to die in this stupid dump"
The semi-demon growls, just like a wounded animal. Naoya sighs once again and shrugs off his jacket and threw it at her
-"Here. Cover up. Only suit I got, so don't screw it up or I might reconsider my decision"
He said with a bit of humor to relief. He turns his back to go out, he was also checking if the girl would attack him from behind, in that case, he would end her life. But oddly, the semi-Oni did not try to attack, she was watching him, intrigued, not knowing what to do. He added.
— "If you wanna live, move your ass. I ain't a bad guy. Promise."
Half-sarcastic, half-exhausted tone. He steps out. This girl did not seem to be a threat at all, she was weak, very weak. Naoya, now just in shirt without jacket, untying his tie and took a cigarette from his pocket. After lighting it, he looks up and told himself.
- "So that is what you've been up to, Father."
He knew damn well that he was not going to get paid, but he does not really care, it seemed like a scam anyway. He opened the trunk of his car and threw his gun inside of his usual bag, he turned back and saw the girl following him. She was bleeding, wounded, limping, and despite all of that, Naoya didnt reach her to help, he was just waiting.
he opened the left door of his car and invited her to enter, she sat, he started the car and headed home.
During the journey to get home, an awkward silence took place in the car. Naoya looked at her sometimes but she was more focused on the road than anything.
-"so huh...got a little name? "
No answer, she may be mute, Naoya wondered. or perhaps she had no name. As a result, he imagined a name for her.
-"since you dont want to talk, i will assume that you have no name. I will call you Kota ! I am sure that it's going to fit you well."
No answer once again, Naoya was a bit embarassed and kept driving. Once at home, Naoya passed the doorframe, he then immediately reached the old dirty couch, slumped and stretched on it. He kept smoking his cigarette as he told Kota:
-"I won't touch you. You're on your own."
His harsh words was meant to let her know that she could be there, but she will not get any help, at least that is what he was saying. Kota laid one foot in his apartment, but stepped back. She was hesitating, she doesn't know if she could trust him, the one that tried to kill her..As she holds her breath, she finally got into the apartment, as if it was a whole other world. But she remained silent, she looked her surroundings.
The apartment was small, but had everything necessary to live. Small kitchen, a TV, a bathroom and a bedroom. But the smell of the cigarette was intoxicating, she couldnt stand it, despite that, she would not tell it for now.
Kota seemed to be lost, Naoya does not know what she has been through. In fact, even she doesn't remember everything, only partly.
Then finally, a voice:
— "Why didn't you shoot?"
Naoya turns his head.
— "Oh! Guess you can talk now.."
A long silence.
— "I dunno. You looked more lost than dangerous."
She stares at him, her eyes that seemed soulless now got something more "alive" in there
— "See, you didn't deny it.."
He said, mocking her a bit. Her eyes drop. She says in a low voice:
— "I felt the same about you."
Kota then headed to the kitchen, going deeper in this brand new world. Naoya stares at the ceilling, thoughts running in his mind, Her words echoing in his head.
— Yeah… I might be lost. So what?
But all of a sudden, a scream shattered the huge silence in the room. Naoya jumped out of the couch and ran to Kota, what could have happened to her? But then, he witnessed something even more terrifying than what he excepted. Kota was pouring strong alcohol on her wounds.
— "SHIT! Not my booze, dammit!"
He rushed at her, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the bathroom. He sat her down on the bath edge. He pulled out from his drawer some bandages and a disinfectant. He started to treat his injuries, feeling a bit guilty for what he has done to her, but obviously not telling her. The mood was heavy in the room, no words, just an awkward silence.
After taking care of her wounds, he authorized her to take a bath but without using too much water and without emptying it when she is done. Saving up money was the priority.
After she's done, she put on a large shirt that Naoya gave her. It felt nice, not too long nor too short. She watched herself on the mirror and enjoyed the shirt, but then she looked at her face, she kept staring at it as if she was waiting for something to change. She disgusted herself.
When she got out of the bathroom, Naoya gave her his room for the night as he was going to sleep on the couch. He previously quickly cleaned it up while she was taking her bath. Must say that he got some cleaning skills. Then he left her alone in his room, going for his turn in the bath.
Naoya was relaxing, hot water was the best after a long and rude day..Suddenly, he heard a click. He knew that sound too much, that was the sound a gun being chambered. Therefore he wrapped a towel around his waist and rushed into his room.
Kota was there, kneeled. Gun in hand.
— "If you wanna kill me, pick a gun that's loaded. That one's empty." Said Naoya.
She lowers the gun. Presses it under her chin.
— "You're not the one who should die here."
Naoya gets it, she does not want to live.
Kota pulled the trigger, no bullet.
He then rushed to her, yanking the gun away. Sighs.
— "You don't even pay taxes yet…"
The hitman then stashes all of his weapon present in his room, just in case . Kota was watching him, intrigued eyes. As he took all the weapons away, he turned back and switched off the light, staring at the semi-demon he saved today. Without a word, he closed the door.
After a night of needed sleep, the sunrise arrived so quickly, Kota had the impression that she had slept for ages. She was there, in a warm bed. She was used to the lab's cells, cold, empty.
Tears fell down her cheeks.
Not from pain.
But peace.