It was near to nighttime when a few more mercenaries arrived back at the base yet again and Emi noticed them using the same entrance, still observing from the same tree that she was at since the whole day. Again, all of them surrounded those who returned from their mission, congratulating them with big grins on their faces and Emi stared at them, an odd look on her face.

          She recalled how the bandits greeted her when she returned back from a heist, it would either be with sneers or insulting remarks. However, with the mercenaries, their greetings seemed so…warm, as if they were greeting their own family members.

          “What an odd group of mercenaries.” Emi muttered to herself, a bitter smile on her face.

          However, before Emi could sink deep into her thoughts, the commotion started becoming louder and she frowned at the crowd, hearing panicked voices.

          “Hey! What’s wrong with you?”

          “How did get hurt like this?”

          “Help him up!”

          The crowd made a circle, carrying someone out from the secret entrance and it turns out, it was one of them comrades who were seriously injured, blood streaming down from his right leg and left arm. They laid him on the floor as he groaned in pain, his sweat glistening in the sunlight along with the painful expression on his face, showing how excruciating the pain was.

          “Someone get Kris, quickly!” A familiar voice rang out and Emi recognized it as Yun’s voice as she saw him crouching over the man. One of them nodded, immediately running into the house, shouting Kris’ name loudly.

          Emi continued sitting on the tree, watching them with an annoyed frown on her face. Yun was crouching beside the man, clueless as to what to do to help him and only telling him to stay awake while the others were watching the injured man with concern. She clicked her tongue, tapping her finger against the trunk of the tree as she eyed them impatiently.

          How are they so skilled, yet they do not know anything about first aid?

          Emi pushed herself off the tree, not liking the guilt she was feeling from not helping the man. After all, they even gave her a room to stay in, even though they had no obligation to do so and she let out a sigh, walking towards the injured man.

          I’m probably going to regret this later on.

          “Move.” Emi growled out, shoving them aside and ignored their protests. She knew what to do, since she always treated her own injuries when she got hurt and she wouldn’t go to the hospital, since it would only raise suspicions about her. Neither did she want to go to Sergi or the other bandits for help, knowing that Sergi wouldn’t care and the other bandits would have ulterior motives for helping her.

          “Hey, stay awake you idiot, don’t faint on me yet!” Yun cried out in alarm, not daring to shake him since he knew it would worsen his injures. Emi settled down beside the injured man and Yun lifted his head up, narrowing his eyes at Emi.

          “What are you doing here? This is none of your concern.”

          “You are right.” Emi nodded, sticking her hand out to the crowd.

          “The medical supplies, where are they?” Emi asked them and they only stared at her in puzzlement.

          “Hurry up! At this rate, he’s going to lose too much blood!” She barked at them and one of them hurriedly ran into the house, throwing a box of medical supplies to one of them into the crowd, quickly passing it to her.

         

         

          *********************************

         

         

          “Kris! Kris! Where are you?”

          Up in the attic, Kris tensed up, hearing someone calling out to him as he quickly closed the cupboard.

          Who…?

          He heard the person calling him again, relaxing when it was just one of his comrades shouting his name.

          “There’s always next time.” Kris muttered to himself, walking to the trapdoor and opening it, descending the ladder as it creaked a little under his weight.

          He sneaked into the attic without no one knowing, since he wanted to find out a clue as to where the Shadow Rogue might be keeping the necklace at.

          “What is it? Why are you in such a hurry?”

          “It’s Zak, he’s hurt—we need to treat him quickly!”

          Without any words, Kris jumped down the ladder and rushed to the door and slammed the door open. He approached the crowd, stopping in his steps when he saw the person he loathed treating his comrade’s wounds.

         

         

          ****************************************

         

 

          Emi opened the box, expertly tending to his wounds and she let out a breath of relief.

          At least they had the proper medical supplies, if it weren’t for that, even I wouldn’t be able to help him much with so little time.

          Everyone watched her in fascination, including Kris, amazed at her quick hands as she dressed the wounds without any difficulty, telling them to hold him down as she stitched his wound.

          “Well done, you managed to hold onto your consciousness.” Emi said, keeping everything back into the box and shoving it into someone’s hands, the mercenary fumbling around to balance the box in his hands at the sudden shove.

          “Wash those.” Emi ordered nonchalantly, without looking at the man as she stood up, her hands covered in blood.

          “Try not to put too much strain on your injuries and remember to clean them properly, to prevent any infections.” Emi said, ignoring the looks she was receiving from everyone.

          “Ex-excuse me…” The mercenary, Zak, muttered out and Emi spun around, looking at him blankly.

          “Thank you.”

          Emi blinked once at him. “I’m only returning the favor.” She replied, walking off and heading to the river to wash her hands.

         

         

          *****************************************

         

         

          Placing her shoes at the side, Emi submerged her legs into the cooling water as she stared at her clean hands in the water, her back itched a little and she furrowed her eyebrows, staring at the water and seeing her own plain reflection.

          “Catch her!”

          “She’s a thief!”

          “Don’t let her escape!”

          Emi, appearing in her teenage years, panted as her eyes were wide in fear. Her satchel was kept in front of her, to prevent anyone from taking back the item she just stole. The police officers and guards were chasing after her, but she clutched tightly onto her satchel, not letting go.

          No, I can’t let them have this back.

          I can’t.

          Emi squeezed her eyes close, whimpering at the punishment she would receive if she failed to retrieve the item for Sergi. Every single time she failed, it would result in a serious whipping on her back and she knew, at least one of the whipping would leave a scar behind her back.

          A brave young boy stood in front of Emi, blocking her way while holding a small dagger in his hands that were trembling violently.

          “Le-let that go! That’s my mother’s precious necklace!”

          Emi was desperate and she didn’t bother to listen to him, sidestepping him but at that moment, he spun around and slashed randomly at her, managing to slash at her arm a little. The adrenaline rush made Emi immune to the pain as she sprinted away, escaping without any trouble.

          However, a while later, she winced, losing blood rapidly from her arm and she collapsed onto the streets. Fortunately, she was near the home base, so there was no one around and she dressed her wounds carelessly, since it was her second time doing this.

          “Ow…” She winced, her hands still shaking violently from the fear of the punishment she would receive. A frightened tear rolled down her face as she clutched the satchel tightly to herself.

          It was only her sixth time being assigned to steal from someone and she couldn’t get over the fear of being caught, of being punished and being hurt.

          Overwhelmed by the events, tears continuously rolled down Emi’s face and she only silently dressed her wounds, letting her tears flow out without stopping.

          The seventh time, Emi was ordered to steal a famous ring from someone.

          “Come back here, rotten thief!”

          “You monster! Give me back my ring, that’s my only ring from my husband!”

          The eighth time, Emi was ordered to raid a mansion on her own, stealing whatever she possibly can.

          “The Shadow Rogue? That’s what they are calling her?” Emi was hiding at the corner, hearing the guard’s conversation as the guard spoking scoffed.

          “It’s ridiculous, why are they even bothering to name such a selfish person?”

          “I agree to that, if she ceased to exist, no one would even care.”

          “If she never existed in the first place, the world would have been a better place.”

          The guards agreed to each other’s statement, cackling loudly and Emi bit on her lip, clearly affected by their statement.

          The ninth time, it was a house that was owned by a relatively rich family, guarded by guards yet again.

          “I wish the Shadow Rogue didn’t exist, she’s causing so much trouble for everyone.”

          “It’s impossible, there are monsters like her everywhere in the world, just stealing and stealing just for the sake of money.”

          “Well, then if she disappeared one day, there’ll be one less monster in the world then.”

          Again and again, Emi stole from the rich and everywhere she went, she would hear the names people calling her, wishing that she would disappear from the world already.

          That she only caused tragedy wherever she went, that her existence itself was a sin.

          Monster.

          Sinner.

          Just die already.

          Just disappear.

          Your existence itself is a sin, Shadow Rogue!

          No one cares about you!

          You deserve to die.     

          Emi blinked, snapping out from her thoughts when someone tapped her on her shoulders. She turned her head around, an impassive look in her face.

          “Where did you learn how to dress wounds like that?” Kris asked her, a frown on his face.

          “On my own.” She answered honestly, blinking at Kris and her face expression didn’t change at all.

          “On your own?” Kris said in disbelief and she nodded, standing up, picking her shoes up since her feet were wet.

          On her own?

          That’s ridiculous!

          “Wait.” Kris raised his voice, grabbing onto her wrist and she stopped in her steps, turning around.

          “You are lying.”

          Emi held a puzzled look on her face. “Why would I lie about that? It doesn’t serve any purpose.”

          Kris was shocked, since he knew she was telling the truth.

          “So, all these years, you’ve been treating your injuries on your own?”

          Emi nodded, pulling her wrist out of his grip and started walking away again. Kris immediately recalled the scars on her back and automatically reaching out to grab onto her wrist again.

          “What now?” She hissed out, irked at him stopping her again and again.

          “What about those scars on your-“ Kris stopped in his words, pausing as he frowned at himself.

          Wait.

          Why am I curious about that? I didn’t find her to talk about this.

          “What?”

          “No, that’s not it. That’s not what I’m here to talk about.” Kris shook his head, his hand still wrapped around her wrist.

          “Then what is it?” She questioned, frustrated.

          What is wrong with this man?

          I thought he hated me, why is he talking to me now?

          “Thank you, for saving my friend’s life.” Kris said, grimacing since he wasn’t comfortable with thanking someone he hated, nevertheless, she did save his friend’s life.

          “If you weren’t there, my friend probably lost too much blood by now, so, thank you.”

          The stoic expression on Emi’s face immediately changed, her eyes widening slightly at his words and she suddenly felt more conscious of the hand around her wrist.

          “Th-that’s a first.” She whispered softly to herself and Kris leaned in closer, unable to hear her words.

          “What did you say?”

          “No-nothing.” Emi stuttered, slightly flustered as she pulled her wrist out of his grip and quickly walked away. Kris didn’t stop her this time, watching her go with an odd look on his face.

          Emi let out a shaky breath, holding her wrist to her chest, the feeling of his grip still lingering on her wrist and she felt tears prickling at her eyes.

          That’s the first time anyone thanked me for being there.

         

         

          ***************************************************

         

         

          Getting out was harder than Emi expected as she stared out of her window in the attic, biting on her nail. The patrolling and scouting were flawless, there was no way she could sneak to the entrance like this, unless she wanted to be caught red-handed.

          “Damn it.” She cursed softly to herself, letting out a heavy sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. She noticed a familiar person standing outside, talking to one of the mercenaries on patrol.

          Kris.

          She squinted her eyes, observing for anything out of place when she felt a tingling sensation in her wrist and she brought her arm towards her face, narrowing her eyes at it.

          If you weren’t there, my friend probably lost too much blood by now, so, thank you.

          “Damn it.” Emi cursed again, but this time, she was cursing for a different reason as she glared at her wrist.

 

---

^^.