The fact that Shingyouji had been kidnapped right in front of his nose made Arata angry with himself. This was the first time he ever got so careless. If he’d know that things would be like this, never ever he had left the younger boy all alone. Still, regretting it now wouldn’t change the situation. He had to cool his head first.

Fortunately, he still managed to pair the tracking device on Shingyouji earlier in the fitting room, the ruby earring. With the GPS he brought along, he could see the red mark moved with the speed of a car.

That red mark showed where Shingyouji was at and from the speed; Arata knew that the kidnapper used a car. As if he wanted to catch up with the wind, He rushed off to the higher place to coordinate the location.

With a small scope inside his pocket, he spotted a black van which he suspected as the kidnapper car. After estimating the destination of the car, he took a shortcut to block it. Ran as fast as he could, not caring about all the attention he got from the surrounding people. The thing he had in mind now was how to save his precious person.

He took a way through the alley, passing a shopping district. As if a map had been drawn to his brain, he knew where to go. His thin legs brought him faster than he thought he could. The clothes he wore had wet because of the sweat. There was no turning back. He prepared to take all the risk just so he could retrieve his possession. Safe and soundly, back to his embrace.

The alley brought him to an empty road behind an abandoned building. A lot of junk cars were placed in a yard which covered by a corrugated iron fence next to the road. There, he found a black van which its license plate numbers already been memorized. He took his gun out of his back and pointed it to the van’s wheels. He shot it a few times and hit the target perfectly. The black van swerved uncontrollably and crashed into the backdoor of the building which fortunately, empty.

A group of man wearing black suits came out of the van; all of them had guns in their hands. They were all directing the guns at Arata and shot him many times. He hid behind the gate while he shot back at them. His bullets hit most of them right at the leg, chest, and shoulder. Then, he moved closer while still shooting the rest.

Just when he almost got all of them, one man came out of the van, bringing Shingyouji along with him. The gun had been pointed at the brown-haired boy.

“Drop the gun!!!” ordered the man who took Shingyouji as a hostage.

Arata didn’t say anything. He slowly lowered his gun.

From the looks, Shingyouji knew Arata was angry. Although, the elder’s face showed no emotion, he gave off a cold feeling mysteriously. Shingyouji could see the elder’s dark eyes reflected no light at all. There was an empty darkness which beholds only one wish, to kill. A cold sweat broke from his temple as he saw Arata in such condition.

All of a sudden, from Arata’s back, a man who had been shot earlier got up again and tried to hit the him from behind.

“ARATA-SAN, BEHIND YOU!!” Shingyouji shouted at Arata to warn him.

Thanks to the shouting, Arata realized the sudden attack. He elbowed his attacker so hard and hit the stomach. The man fell again. Swiftly, Arata pointed his gun and shot the man to death.

Shingyouji shocked seeing the man he loved killed another person again right at his face. This scene brought back the memory from that night at the park. He shuddered unconsciously.

“I SAID DROP THE GUN!!!” shouted the hostage taker, panicking.

Arata turned back to him quickly and in a split second, he shot the man’s shoulder, making him lost the balance and slumped on the van’s door. He also dropped his gun.

The unbeatable assassin walked towards that man and grabbed his neck, choking him. The man let out a suffocated voice, struggling to free himself. Seeing that, Arata gave him a cold look as if he was only a trash that needs to be burned. Merciless, cruel, unforgiving eyes that even Shingyouji couldn’t bring himself to look right at them.

The man desperately scratched Arata’s backhand. He almost lost consciousness. His body had been lifted 10 cm away from the ground.

Never ever Shingyouji saw Arata acted like that. The way Arata now was just like a killing puppet who only knows how to torture its prey.

No!!! It’s not the real him!! The real Arata won’t do something cruel like this!! I know that!! I am the only one who knows Arata best!!

Holding onto that belief, Shingyouji ran to Arata and hugged him from the back tightly.

“NO, ARATA-SAN, STOP IT!! DON’T KILL HIM!!”

Thanks to that action, Arata loosened his grip to the suffocated man. His eyes widened.

“I’m sorry, Arata-san. If I’d listen to you and stayed at the restaurant, things wouldn’t be like this. I just…” He sobbed. “I want to buy you a cake as a thank you gift… Arata-san…. Please, let go already, it’s enough….. I’m sorry… so sorry.” He begged while still holding onto Arata.

Hearing Shingyouji’s words made Arata came to. He let go of his grip and made the man fell, coughing as he held his own neck.

Knowing Arata already released the man, He slowly let go of his hands as well. He saw the elder’s desperate face, holding his forehead with the hand which he used to choke the man previously.

“You… how dare you….. Did that… to me…” still coughing, the man tried to provoke Arata again.

Arata gave him a glare and suddenly kicked him in the stomach, making the man unconscious. Then, slowly Arata moved backwards and turned to Shingyouji.

The younger boy flinched a bit when facing him. Arata stared at him with the same sad expression as when he kidnapped Shingyouji from the apartment.

Shingyouji felt his heart hurt a lot when the older boy showed him such expression.

He was like a lone wolf which had been hurt from a non-stop battle, carrying the wounds of his comrades who fell one by one right before him. The sharp claws and fangs of his enemies had been carved onto his memory as deep as the mountain forest.

 The red blood of his comrades had blinded his eyes, the dark-colored eyes that almost looked like the color of a night sky. With only depending on his sense of smell, he continued his journey. All alone, he wandered from place to place, trying to search for the one he could call home.

It must be a lonesome battle.

Shingyouji embraced the lone wolf as he cried. He wanted to teach that wolf about the warmth of one’s feelings. The feelings that could cure even the deepest wounds. The feelings called love.

Please, Arata-san. Share your weights with me and I promise I’ll show you home.

He kept crying as he felt the hands of Arata which hugged him back so tightly, every hair of his.

“Let’s go back home, Arata-san, back to your apartment, together.”

They arrived at Arata’s apartment when it was almost dark. After turning on the light, Shingyouji seated the older boy in a sofa in the living room. And then, he went to the kitchen to make hot chocolates.

Arata kept silent as he stared at his own hands that were clenching each other. He flinched a bit when Shingyouji came, bringing him a cup of hot chocolate and put it on the table next to the elder. He then sat next to Arata.

Shingyouji gave the elder a deep stare.

“Arata-san…” he tried to break the silence between them as he smiled softly. “You have to drink it before it gets cold.”

Arata opened his mouth, trying to say something but then closed it again.

Shingyouji saw the elder’s hands were trembling a bit and the face of Arata showed only regret. He finally knew what the other was thinking. He slowly reached out his hand to hold Arata’s, caressing it gently.

“It’s okay, Arata-san...I’m fine”

Arata paused for a bit before finally said, “How could you say that? I know you scared of me and I know you force yourself to stay with me now!! This is the real me… a cold blooded murderer. “

The elder let out a sigh.  He closed his eyes which showed how depressed he was.

Shingyouji shook his head softly. “No, I’m not scared of you because I know the real you. The real Arata-san is really gentle and kind. Although he likes to let out harsh words, I know, inside, he’s a good person. Arata-san is the one whom I always admired.”

Arata turned his face to Shingyouji. He didn’t expect this was coming.

“You…” He stared at Shingyouji’s eyes, trying to find the truth which lied inside those dark brown eyes of the younger boy. “You force yourself again. People like me don’t deserve your admiration.”

He said that even though inside, he knew Shingyouji was saying the truth.

“No, don’t belittle yourself, Arata-san… Please…” Shingyouji gave him begging eyes. He knew half-hearted words wouldn’t work on Arata. No matter what, he wanted to save Arata, releasing him from the pain he bear. “I won’t blame you nor will I say sorry anymore. In exchange, I will say thank you…”

Arata stared at him, looked astonished.

Shingyouji smiled sweetly as his eyes were tearing. “Thank you for saving me, thank you for giving me a beautiful earring, thank you for letting me stays by your side, thank you for protecting me, thank you for giving me a place to stay over, thank you for buying me clothes and…” He paused, biting his lower lip.

Slowly, he moved his face closer to Arata’s. And then, he brushed his lips gently to the elder’s. The kiss was warm, just like Shingyouji himself. He hoped that this kiss would reach Arata’s deepest heart, replacing the pain with a gentler emotion.

Seconds later, he released his lips and retreated.

“Thank you… for being the Arata that I love…” tears fell from his round eyes as his cheeks reddened.

‘Thank you’ was a wonderful word. It could magically lighten someone’s feeling, changing the fear with bravery, revenge with mercy, anger with sympathy, and sadness with happiness. It returned the flame which once extinguished back to live, dance with the rhythm of heartbeat, a perfect melody.

Arata lost in his words. He stunned after hearing what Shingyouji said. He didn’t know that this cute boy could make his emotions like riding a roller coaster. He finally understood why he fell for this easily-nervous-boy.  Even the darkness of someone’s heart couldn’t stand against Shingyouji.

You’re just like a sun, shining brightly upon the great sky, being a guide for the lost heart back to the right path. You seize the day and stand up for the light. You keep holding tightly to your own truth.

He hugged Shingyouji so tightly and didn’t want to let him go. He couldn’t bear his feelings anymore. All he knew that he loved Shingyouji so much his chest hurt. This was the glory he had never felt before.

He kept caressing and kissing his beloved person’s head. For the night, he just wanted to stay like this, feeling Shingyouji in his embrace, facing the shiny moon with these indescribable feelings, keeping Shingyouji’s heart save here together with his own.