~Introduction~

`Aya Natsume

Aya Natsume, she looks like an ordinary girl. She has this innocent face that no one knows what is the real her. All the man that sees her says that she glows like the moon at night, her eyes are like the stars. She has this amazing features, she has a slender body, nice and sweet smile that hides all the sorrow that she feels. She always wears a red kimono that hides the blood of the ones she killed and some of her blades; she also has this Japanese umbrella where she hides her sword. Yes, she's an assassin in this story. She doesn't kill for money or pleasure, she kills for revenge. Revenge for her family who was killed by another family. That family was once there friend but that family wants more power. Her heart is now full of hatred and anger. Still she lives a normal life together with her "foster" grandmother (her real grandmother which they don't know because her parent never told anyone about their daughter because they want anyone to hurt their daughter just incase they are killed) they live in the forest at the mountain. They were the only people who live there. They are not that far from civilization. To go down the mountain is only 30 minutes. All you have to do is follow the straightest path in the woods. She now uses her grandmother's family name, Onodera. Her name Aya was given to her by her grandmother Aya-Yui Onodera, her nickname is Aya, that's the one she uses. Her mother gave her the name Ayumi not far huh… and oh yeah, her grandmother was the mother of her mother which doesn't really liked her father. Her grandmother doesn't even want her mom to marry him, but what can she do if her daughter loves Aya's father right?

`Souichirou Nagi

Souichirou Nagi, a young, brave, handsome boy. He is as strong as his appeal to the ladies. He's father trains him well although he doesn't really wants to follow his father's steps. He is Aya's best friend. They met when Aya and her grandmother still live inside the village. They played together, laughed, and be crazy. He's like her brother that she always wanted. The one who can protect her wherever that someone is like bulling her. They are very good friends and they are still friends up to now. Sometimes Souichirou goes up the mountains to visit her. His family is the ones who killed Aya's family but he doesn't know anything about it. His family told everyone that it was an unsolved massacre so no one really knows who killed Aya's family. He secretly loves Aya but he doesn't know that Aya loves him too she just wants him to make the first move.

~Chapter 1 – A Secret~

Aya has just finished on killing 5 men. Their blood was all over the place. Her eyes were very deep. Blood was dripping from her hair. It was a silent kill. No one was supposed to know that she had stricken again but the place was full of blood and Aya doesn't have enough time to clean it up. She just left them on the floor. Her kimono was full of blood but no one could see it because it's also the color of her kimono. She walked away from the house where she killed the men. An officer stopped her.

"Excuse me miss"

Aya looked up to him and the officer saw her beautiful, pale face and said

"Miss Onodera, it's just you. I taught it was that "lady killer", you shouldn't be walking around here this late of night. You should have someone who can protect you.

The officer stepped nearer. He held her chin up and looked in her eyes. He touched her hair that was covering some part of her face and said…

"How about I go with you, so you have someone to protect you…" with a dirty grin.

Aya was about to put out her sword inside her umbrella and strike him. Aya was thinking if she kills him here, someone might see it and she might be caught for doing that. Luckily…

"I'm sorry officer but she has someone to protect her already. Miss, are you okay" someone from the officer's back said. His voice sounded familiar to Aya. The man stabbed the dirty officer at the back which was no case at all because his family was the one with power. It caused the blood to spill at Aya's dress.

If you guessed that it was Souichirou, then you're right…. Lets continue with the story…

"Souichirou, stop calling me miss. You know that it's annoying, you don't want me to call you mister, right."

"Aya, you know that you should be careful. There's a killer on the loose and these kinds of officers take advantage of women like you."

"Like me? Souichirou, you're forgetting something…" Aya wasn't able to finish what she was going to say. Souichirou moved towards Aya with his arms moving at her back. Souichirou went closer and whispered to her right ear. "You're not safe here, let's go to the cave and we need to talk…"

They went up the mountains and hid in the cave. That cave is their hiding place every time that they have problems since they were still little. When they arrived there, Souichirou lit up some candles and lit up the fire pit that they built. They sat down near the opening of the cave. Souichirou sat near Aya and he let Aya lean her head at his shoulder. He leans at the wall at his back. He hugged Aya from the back, smelled her and said: "You've killed another haven't you? You're dress is full of blood. You have the scent of blood all over you. Aya, you may hide the blood of the ones you've killed in your kimono because it has the same color but you can't hide the smell of it. Stop what you're doing, please. I can't see you get hurt in doing that. You might get caught. Please, don't kill any more. You may not be killing for money or only for pleasure but you're still killing. Aya, you're seeking revenge for you're parents right? However, you don't know who killed them. You don't even know who your real parents are. Please, Aya, I just don't want to see you get hurt or anything."

"Souichirou, you know that I won't stop killing them no matter how much you beg or plead. I need to avenge my parents no matter what. No matter how hard it is to find who killed my parents, I need to avenge them. I will make them pay for what they took. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. They took my parent's life, I will take theirs. Besides you've killed one too. He's blood is all over me too."

"But Aya, you're the one who's killing many people, they may not be the one who killed you're parents but you're wasting their lives and you are wasting your time doing that. You have many things to do, like taking care of your grandmother."

"Ah… I forgot about that. I have to go buy her medicine. I am so dead… Souichirou, I have to go… grandmother might be mad at me… uhg…"

Souichirou grabbed her arm hold her tight hugged her again and said "Aya, stay here and don't worry about that. I already took care of that. So please, don't leave me here."

"Souichirou, thanks for being my best friend. Thanks for always being here for me… it's really good to have a friend like you."

"I see, she only sees me as a friend, a friend who protects her every time she gets in trouble, the one who takes care of her when her grandmother isn't available, maybe I don't have a chance on her. Now how can I say to her that I love her and I'll do anything just to make her safe…"

"Aya, let's go to my home first and clean you up, okay? You don't want your grandmother to get worried, right?"

"Souichirou, have you forgotten? She's the one that taught me how to use my weapons."

"Aya, just clean up okay."

Souichirou is still hugging her. It was so tight as if he doesn't want to let her go. It was obvious that he do have feelings for her best friend. Aya knows about it but she doesn't want to show that she love him too. She describes herself as a girl who grew up and turned out to be a girl with out a conscience, a girl who kills, and a girl who doesn't love and never would love. She doesn't want Souichirou to be involved with her and what she does. That's why she doesn't show her true feelings for him. Souichirou loves to smell her even if it's the scent of blood all over her he smells.

"I wish I can lick it of her… the scent of the blood all over her smooth and soft body. Make her forget… the anger and hatred that she feel inside her heart."

Souichirou doesn't know that Aya was reading his mind. She knows what he thinks.

"Souichirou, lets go now, I don't want to be late when I go home."

They went down the mountain and went to Souichirou's house. When they entered his house his father was waiting for them, his father was very furious that he was late.

"SOUICHIROU!!! Why the hell are you late?!! What will you do if something happen, huh???"

"Dad, please… don't shout in front of Aya…"

"Aya-Chan, you're there… why are you with this idiot son of mine?"

"Dad… I was just…"

"Uncle (Aya calls Souichirou's father uncle), I asked him to accompany me while buying for grandmother's medicine. He actually saved me from a dirty officer."

"So that's why there's an officer found dead in the streets."

"Ah… hai… sorry uncle… he was just protecting me…"

"KAWAIII!!! It's okay Aya. Ne, Souichirou, you're acting like you're her husband."

Both Souichirou and Aya blushed.

"Father, she'll just wash up and then go home. I kinda spilled blood over her kimono and it doesn't smell nice."

"Really? There's blood in her kimono? I don't see it."

Aya walked towards Souichirou's father and whispered to him: "Uncle, don't tell anyone, but, this is the kimono that I always wear when I have my period."

"Kawaiiiii!!"

"What is, dad… what did you tell him… Aya……"

"Betsuni… it just cute."

"Fine, don't tell me. I don't care!"

Souichirou and Aya went to his room to clean up. Souichirou was tempted with the smell of blood all over Aya. Souichirou walked towards her and hugged her from the back. He smelled her at her neck and said: "Aya, don't tempt me." Aya was shocked from what she heard although she knows that he has feelings for her and her to him.

"Souichirou, do it if you want. Lick it off me. I won't mind…"

"A…A…Aya…"

"Guess you don't have the guts to do it, huh…"

Aya breaks Souichirou's hugged and was about to walk away. Souichirou grabbed her left arm and pulled her close and said: "Aya, don't leave me hanging… forgive me for what I will do tonight… gome nasai…"

"Just do it gently, okay…"

Souichirou first kissed her right part of the neck. His arms was wrapped around her, he started to move it to remove her kimono. Then, he slowly removed it. He lied her down gently and licked her body. When he reached her tummy, Aya hold his head and stopped him and said: "Souichirou, don't go that far…" "Hai… gome ne…" replied Souichirou.

Aya say up, looked at Souichirou and said: "I'll just clean up." "Hai…" replied Souichirou. Aya stood up and walked towards the bathroom. "Aya, don't be too long, okay…" Said Souichirou "Hai…" replied Aya…

When Aya was in the bathroom, Souichirou lied back down and looked at his window. He was just thinking "Maybe, just maybe, she feels the same way or maybe she just let me do it because she's my best friend. Maybe, but how will I know? How can I tell her without making her angry? I hate to see sad. I hate to see her mad. I hate to see her cry."

"Aya, are you okay in there? You've been quiet for so long, are you still alive?"

"Ah… hai… don't worry about me…"

Souichirou entered the bath room and see Aya at the bathtub. Half of her head was under the water. The only part her head that he can see is her sparkling eyes.

"Aya, are you sure you're okay???"

"Ah, I am…"

Souichirou sat beside the tub, leaned his back at it and said: "Aya, you know you can tell me what's bothering you. Tell me if there's something wrong. Please don't keep it to you're self, you'll feel much better if you tell it to me, like before."

"Souichirou, do you love me?" Aya asked

"Aya, why are you suddenly asking me this question?" he replied

"Just answer the question okay. Just tell me if you do… do you??"

"Ah… from the very beginning. I have loved you since the very start."

"Then, why didn't you just tell me? I mean, I won't mind and I would understand it."

"Gome ne… I taught that if I told you might get mad at me. I was afraid that you won't accept it and stop being my friend, and, and, and just ignore me after I say it to you."

"Why would you think that? We've been together since we were five or something. I would understand, I mean what kind of a friend would I be if I just ignore you for that?"

"I'm really sorry…"

"It's okay, there's nothing to be sorry about. At least now I know that it's true. However, I hope you have told me a long time ago."

"Ah… gome ne… I'm really sorry… Aya…"

Before Souichirou could state the sentence, Aya stood up at the tub and walked out of it. Aya hold Souichirou's head and placed it up. She slowly kissed him passionately and Souichirou kissed her back. When it stopped Souichirou asked Aya: "Do you love me too?" "Hai…" replied Aya "I was just waiting for you to make the first move." She added "Sorry it took so long." Souichirou said "Its okay, it was worth the wait."

When they finished talking, Aya dressed up and was ready to go when Souichirou stopped her and said: "Aya, stay here for tonight, please." Aya was startled to what he said, and then she replied: "I… I… I can't. I need to go home for my grandmother, remember? I mean it's already late and it's inappropriate that I stay here with you."

"Aya, I'll ask father if you can stay here and send someone to watch over your grandmother for tonight, okay. So just stay here first."

"But..." before Aya could state her statement Souichirou was already gone out the door. "Hmm… I guess I have to stay then"

"DAD!!!" shouted Souichirou with a bang on the door.

"Souichirou, what is it? What's wrong? Did something happen to Aya-Chan??"

"No, but, can he stay here for tonight?? In addition, can you send someone for her grandmother…? PLEASE…" said Souichirou with a begging face.

"Fine, if that's what you need. But she has to stay in your room coz' we don't have a guest room available."

"Okay!!! Bye Dad!! Goodnight! Love you!!!" said Souichirou with a big smile on his face running to go to his room.

"He's already in this stage. My idiot son is growing up fast."