Welcome my lovely readers; this is my first fanfic story so please bear with me here. This story is based on the manga "Memory of red" so if you didn't read the manga you might get slightly confused. So I do recommend reading it because it's amazing and you get to see Tatara alive, T-T waaaa why did you die, you were so sweet and kind. Stupid colorless king whoever the hell he is… sorry off topic. Enjoy and please do tell me what you think of the story so far. Xoxo diamond grl XD

A sigh was heard in the modern city of Shizume as the amber rays from the sun gleamed against the metallic sides of the buildings. The streets that were once filled with the sounds of children's laughter and adults working to earn a living vanished and are replaced by the noise of the wind passing the now empty streets and corners of this poor neighborhood. Another sigh escaped Shouhei's lips. 'No, I can't give up now that I have come too far to just quit in the end' he thought as he walked up to an elderly man sitting in front of a small shop with his new found determination to ask him the same question his has been asking many before him.

"Sumi masen, do you know where I could find the HOMRA bar?" he asked politely but the minute he mentioned the bar's name the old man's eyes slightly glared at him but then he quickly changed is expression by forcing a smile on his mildly wrinkled face.

"Gomen, I don't know where it is" the shopkeeper may have sounded sincere but Shouhei could tell from the look on his face that he was lying. 'Just like everyone I asked today'. It was like they were all trying to hide the something form him, but 'why' was the question that kept bothering him all day. Was it some kind of a test that I must accomplish to become a member or was the whole legend just what it is a meth told to scare the people. Shouhei just kept dragging his feet slowly pulling his head down to cover his disappointed face. There was nothing to do but to call it a night and head home but his train of thoughts was interrupted when someone slammed into him. This caused them both to fall, hard.

"Ow… huh gomen I wasn't looking" seating straight and rubbing his back to ease the pain from the fall "are you alright?" he asked but when a respond wasn't found he gazed up only to find that the person he knocked down was a girl, she looked around his age. The over-sized black hoodie she wore did a good job of hiding most of her face and any feminine curves she had. He could have mistaken her for a guy, if it wasn't for her long dirty blonde hair that came out from each side of her neck. He tried to be a gentlemen but extending a hand to help her up after getting up. Sadly his kind gustier was retuned with a pair of honey colored eyes glaring at him. When she opened her mouth, probably to give him a piece of her mind for knocking her down, a rough manly voice was heard.

"You bitch, I'm gonna kill you!" for a second Shouhei actually thought that the girl was referring to him. But the girl herself seemed shocked and turned around slowly to the real owner. Behind her stood a big muscle-bound man with a face that could make children cry. Shouhei flinched as he silently hoped that she wasn't referring to the girl who was now standing next to his. If that was the case then he would have to defend her. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing even if she is stranger. Before anyone could say or do anything else, the hooded girl yanked Shouhei forcefully and ran for their lives. The other guy just stood there blinking his eyes a few times before realizing what happened. When they agreed that they must have lost him by now their marathon finally came to an end.

"You're welcome" the blonde girl said with cocky smirk like she did something to be proud of. Shouhei was too busy catching his breath to comment or even notice that this was the first time she spoke.

"What are talking about? This was your entire fault to begin with and knows I'm dragged into it to"

"If it wasn't for me you would be dead by now, baka" she said. Suddenly the sound of a glass breaking caught their attention, it seems like the giant they were running from found them, but this time he wasn't alone.

"Sorry for being late, had to call up some friends of mine to join our little game" he said with a grin as him and his so called friends made their way slowly towards them. 'This is defiantly not a game. These guys are looking for trouble.' He could see the lustful looks they were giving her. Some shamelessly eyed her from top to bottom while others licked their lips imagining all the things they can do to her. This made him sick to the stomach. 'Like hell I'll let that happen'. So he stood before her blocking their view and spoke with ragging anger boiling in his heart.

"If you want to get to her you'll have to go through me" this not only surprised them but her too. What is he thinking, like he could ever stand a chance against these guy who looked twice his size. She slightly moved to get a better look at him and saw determination visibly etched on his face. She couldn't help but feel like he was trying to prove something, but what?

"Hah, like you could ever defeat us, punk." Said the leader of the gang "why don't you step aside and we might just spare your pathetic life" he continued while the rest of the gang laughed mockingly at him. Just then the girl took a few steps ahead so that their positions where changed and she was the one blocking his view.

"This lowlife is right," the leader's smirk turned into a frown "you should leave. This has nothing to do with you."

This serious tone of hers didn't seem to change Shohei's mind as his thoughts when back to the reason he out on his search to begin with. If he couldn't save one girl from being potentially raped then how was he supposed to rescue her.

"Don't worry, I'll distract them long enough for …" but his sentence was cut short.

She turned to him"I said leave. Now!"

He took a few steps back out of fear, but it wasn't from her shouting at him. No, it was from her now fiery red eyes that took his off guard. "You heard the woman. Get lost!"

He returned his gaze at her to check if it the ruby eyes were still there. It wasn't, seems like she have calmed down or was his mind was playing tricks on him. He was arguing with himself as to leave her or not, a nod was all he got from her as if assuring him that she was going to be okay. So now all he could do was to trust her.

'She is going to be alright, she has to' finally convincing himself he made a run for it.

"You know you play with fire, you get burned" she said with a smirk.

Before Shouhei could be out of earshot he could have sworn he hear the screams mixed with roaring flames.